Revival Centres Church Sunshine Coast

A fair question to an open and fair-minded person. Is it possible that through a single man (Adam) and woman (Eve) the population of the entire human race originates? How does this explain the variety of nations of peoples with all their differences, such as skin colour and facial features? Who was Cain afraid of when God banished him to the east of Eden? Where did Cain then get his wife from? [Gen 4:13-17]

No doubt there will be thoughts and considerations proffered to these questions. But let’s see what we can glean by a careful study of the Bible account.

The Genesis 1 account
The Bible record at Gen1:26-27 states: (emphasis added) “And let us make man in our image, after our likeness…So God created man in his image, in the image of God created he them; male and female created he them”.

According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible the following Hebrew meaning of these words are as follows:
• Created [bara]: to create, to cut down, select
• Man [Adam]: ruddy; human being; individual or the species, mankind
• Image [tselem]; to shade, phantom, illusion, resemblance, idol

The Genesis 2 account
Now, let’s go to the Bible record that refers to the individual man, named Adam (emphasis added): Gen 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul”.

The Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible provide the following Hebrew meaning of the bolded words as follows:
• Formed [yatsar]: squeeze into shape; mould into a form (like a potter)
• Man [Adam] – ruddy; human being; individual or the species, mankind
• Breathed [naphach]: to puff, inflate, blow hard
• Breath [n’shamah]: a puff, vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect
• Life/Living [chay]: alive
• Soul [nephesh]: a breathing creature; vitality

Observations & Comparisons
Let’s now make some observations and look at some comparisons between the Genesis 1 and the Genesis 2 accounts.

1. The Hebrew word for man is used in both Genesis 1 in reference to male and female and in Genesis 2 in reference to an individual man (who is later referred to as Adam – Gen2:19). And in Gen5:2 the male and female that God created are also called Adam.
2. The Genesis 1 male and female were created from nothing as God spoke His word. While the Genesis 2 man was formed from the existing creation (dust) and later the woman (Eve) from the man’s rib.
3. Based on the Hebrew meanings, the Genesis 1 male and female were created in God’s image, which is analogous to being like a statue representing a person. While the Genesis 2 man was formed and became a living soul.
4. The Genesis 1 account refers to an unknown number of male and female as God created ‘them’. While the Genesis 2 account refers to a single man and at an unknown later time to a single woman (Gen3:22).
5. The Genesis 1 male and female were told by God to be fruitful and multiple and replenish the earth and subdue it. The Genesis 2 man was placed in the Garden of Eden and told to dress (work, serve, till) and keep (hedge about, guard) it.
6. The Genesis 1 male and female were told to have dominion over the animal life. The Genesis 2 man was provided animals as help meets (aids) and went on to name them.
7. The Genesis 1 male and female were told that every herb bearing seed and fruit of a tree yielding seed were their food. The Genesis 2 man was told that he could eat of every tree of the Garden except from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
8. The Genesis 2 man had a direct relationship with God (Gen3:8).

Conclusion
Well, you can draw your own, but from a careful look at the Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 accounts we conclude that the Genesis 1 account is a record of God creating human beings (indigenous man) and the Genesis 2 account is a record of God forming an individual man (Adamic man).

Science and culture indicate that indigenous man has been existing for 10’s of thousands of years. The Bible record indicates Adamic man from the time of expulsion from the Garden of Eden has been around for about 6,000 years. (See Gen5:3 for the start of Adam’s genealogy).

The conclusion drawn based on the Bible record may be challenging to some or just out right rejected; but to others, maybe even you, could settle a quandary, put a piece of the puzzle into place and highlight to you that God is not the author of confusion and things of God can make ‘sense’ when the Bible record is studied and the correct context used.

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