In the Christian bible, in Genesis 1:27, God created man in his own image. In the Ofudesaki, God tells us that the creation is a little more complicated. God tells us that the human beings were created from the existing sea creatures in the ancient muddy oceans, and were created from the pure mind of God.  Both heaven and earth are represented in the creation of human beings.  The middle part of the Joyous Service confirms this.

These workings, earth and heaven representing,

Wife and husband created and brought forth.

This is this world’s beginning.

Both heaven and earth were used in the creation of human beings. The earth is represented by the fish (Izanagi) and the snake (Izanami). This pair is the first parents of human beings.  Earth is also represented by the other sea creatures in the muddy ocean, whose qualities were added to the first parents. Heaven is represented by the pure mind of God that was placed in the first couple. God calls this mind the Original mind (shinjitsu).  In chapter 6 is the following:

These workings (of the creation of human beings), the Original mind of God, consist of.

The remainder consists of all the instruments.   6-51

Human beings are distinguished from other species of animals, in that the pure mind of God was placed in each of the Original parents of human beings. God wants us to return our minds to the Original mind, the pure mind that makes us spirited and only brings upon the Joyous life. This is why God tells us that the Service is the beginning of the world. We are asking God to help others to attain the Original mind, like the mind that was given to the Original parents, Izanagi and Izanami.