WHO WAS GOD SPEAKING TO IN GENESIS 1:26?
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth...And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness..." (Genesis 1:1,26). The word which is translated "God" in these two verses is from the Hebrew word "Elohim". The noun Elohim is Plural. But the verb translated "created" is from the Hebrew word "bara", which is singular. Therefore, in the first verse of the Bible is taught the unity of God.
"...and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2). "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made...and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-3, 14). The "Word" is revealed to us as the Son of God; Jesus Christ our Lord. "For there are three that bear record in heaven the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one" (I John 5:7).
To whom was God speaking? He was speaking to the other members of the Godhead. In the beginning were the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit. All things were made through the Son (John 1:3; Heb. 1:2), and the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters (Gen. 1:2). So man is made in the image of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These "three are one" (I John 5:7). ---Charles E. Burch