Men in the Bible: Adam – A Man of Understanding And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of…
Men in the Bible: Adam – A Man of Understanding
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man.” – Genesis 2:21-23
Another attribute of Adam was understanding. Despite being a lonely figure with no forbear for him to study or a mate for him to hobnob, he was nonetheless enamored with mental acumen that helped him to make a sense of his world.
We read yesterday how intelligence helped him to appraise and name all other creatures in accordance with his assessment of their nature and characteristics. We also established how his verdict was so accurate that neither God nor any of the creatures he named contested the names he assigned. Today, we will be exploring another mental acuity that he displayed, which is understanding.
Having been presented with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of creatures to name, Adam found no connection with any of them. But when the last creature that God brought for him to name was presented before him, he had his “Aha’ moment. He knew this was it.
“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh!” He exclaimed. Note the emphasis on the word “now”. That confirms that he had mentally eliminated all the other creatures that were brought to him as potential partner. it also affirms our earlier note that he had to refuse God by not choosing any of those creatures as his mate.
However, immediately he saw this latest creature, he did not hesitate to identify her as one more closely associated with him than the other creatures he had seen (‘bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh’) and in labeling her in association with himself (‘she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man’). That is understanding at work.
Understanding helped Adam to both describe the nature of the woman and her unique identity. Another word for understanding is insight. While knowledge is common, as anyone can acquire knowledge by reading, listening, or being exposed to useful information; understanding is not so commonplace. It is a step higher than the realm of knowledge. But that does not mean it is not attainable for anyone who desires it. You just need to be more attentive to develop understanding and grow in it.
Thankfully, the first man had great understanding, and we all share the same DNA with him. Therefore, this presupposes that we also have the potential to develop understanding beyond the basic level.
Men in the Bible: Adam – A Man with A Large Heart And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. – Genesis 3:20…
Men in the Bible: Adam – A Man with A Large Heart
And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. – Genesis 3:20
After the displeasure and rebuke of God to Adam, his wife and the serpent, an experience that must have been so terrifying for them and left them with regrets and sorrows, the first account we read about the couple was Adam naming his wife. He called her Eve, which means ‘life’ or ‘living’. He named her so because she would be the mother of all living.
This singular act on Adam’s part tells us a lot about his character. He was large-hearted and forgiving. Although he might have been displeased with his wife for landing him in trouble with God in the first place, he did not dwell on that for too long. He accepted his fate and moved on from his mistakes rather than dwelling therein.
Moreso, and quite interestingly, when he was to christen the woman whom some might have labeled his nemesis, he named her in line with her future potential and not according to her past mishaps. He christened her Eve (life, living) because she would become the mother of all life. He did not call her “Error” because she was the downfall of man. This speaks volumes about Adam’s character and maturity as a person.
Someone less mature would have kept blaming the woman for bringing so much misfortune on him at every opportunity. In case it did not occur to you, Adam was the one most hard done by on account of their disobedience, as the verdict God handed him was arguably the harshest of the lot:
“Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”
– Genesis 3:17-19
Imagine someone just hearing himself cursed this way and then dismissed with a matching insult as a man of gutter, as that was what the statement “For dust you are, And to dust you shall return” means.
Imagine hearing such a demeaning statement and then going on to label the person who led him to commit such a monumental mistake with a good name. There was no chivalry greater than that. For this, Adam deserved much respect.
Couples in the Bible: Adam and Eve – the Disobedient Duo So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes,…
Couples in the Bible: Adam and Eve – the Disobedient Duo
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened… – Genesis 3:6-7
We will still continue our exploration of married couples in the Bible today by focusing on Adam and Eve. This term, they are a disobedient pair, as opposed to the rather positive attribute we read about them yesterday.
Sadly, the first act as a couple that we read about Adam and Eve was them being disobedient to God by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Some would argue that Eve brought it all upon her family by accepting to eat the fruit in the first place and then passing it to her husband. Some would also contend that Adam should have been the man and not accept the fruit from his wife, not to talk of eating it himself. Afterall, haven’t God expressly warned and forbidden him from touching it? However, the summary is that they both ate the fruit and, by so doing, they both disobeyed God.
Now, one person falling or making a mistake in a marriage, or any partnership for that matter, is bad enough. But if the two parties in the marriage fall or make similar mistakes, that can be disastrous. Why so? Because God designed partnership, particularly marriage, so that each party can lean on and strengthen the other during their moments of weakness, as it is bound to be because uptimes and downtimes are part of life, at least on this hemisphere.
Consider this:
Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
This passage sums up God’s thinking on the essence of partnership. It is for mutual support, as no one will ever remain standing strong all the time. Therefore, a partner is needed to provide support and to help the faltering party to weather the storms of life.
It was this critical lesson that seemed to have been lost to Adam that after his wife fell and came to him with her proposition, he did not provide the support she needed by resisting the temptation in her hand and charge to tackle the serpent for taking advantage of his partner so. Rather, he also fell with her and they both thus set an unwanted example for their offerings after them.
Adam and Eve – the Cozy Couple And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. – Genesis 2:25 It is heartwarming that the first…
Adam and Eve – the Cozy Couple
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. – Genesis 2:25
It is heartwarming that the first married duo in recorded history, in the persons of Adam and Eve as seen in the Holy Bible, can be described as a cozy couple.
Our reference passage today says it all: they were both naked in the garden and were also very conscious of each other’s nakedness, but each party was neither ashamed of his or her own nudity nor despise the other party’s nakedness. They were that comfortable with each other.
It is pertinent to state that this was before they both ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, as that could be used to explain away their carefreeness about their nakedness. However, that was not the case. The truth is both were fully aware of their own and the other person’s nudity. Otherwise, it would not have been so recorded in the Bible. The only difference was that, although they were aware of their starkness, they did not know if it was good or bad to be naked. Therefore, they had no opinion about it. So the awareness was there alright and shared by them both.
Meanwhile, the fact that they were not ashamed of their own or each other’s nakedness pointed to the level of freedom they derived from each other’s company. Each had no reason to cover his or her private parts in the sight of their partner. They were comfortable in their own skin and had had no feeling of self-consciousness being with each other.
As straightforward as this may sound, it is not a common practice among married couples, either those in the early days when civilization was not so rife, or those in our modern world today. While there are marriages where the partners are pretty close and intimate, with no holds barred or any secret they would rather not have the other person know about, couples since Adam and Eve’s era have always been guarded and secretive with each other. So, it is refreshing to note the disposition of the first couple to openness.
No matter their mistakes or whatever we may think of them concerning the fruit they ate (we may never hear the end of that!), Adam and Eve set an example for all married couples across the age in terms of intimacy and openness. They had no inhibition whatsoever in their dealing with each other. They had no boundary, no borders, no trespass or no-go area.
They were pretty much a cozy couple, and they must have had a good time exploring the intimate parts of each other’s life and frame without feeling violated or disrespected, or having an intention to do so. That is worth emulating.
Understanding God: He Cares Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. – Genesis 3:21 Today, we will be meditating on the…
Understanding God: He Cares
Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. – Genesis 3:21
Today, we will be meditating on the caring nature of God. He cares for His creatures, more so humans.
While He must still be very displeased with Adam and Eve after their disobedience and having served them punishment for their misconduct. He did not entirely banish them from His sight or etch their names in a black book. That is if He keeps one.
According to our reference passage today, God went out of His way to make tunics of skin to clothe Adam and Eve. It is pertinent to note that when the couple discovered their own nakedness, the best they could do for themselves was to sew “fig leaves together and made themselves clothing.” (Genesis 3:7).
However, when God saw what they had on, He knew they needed something more than that. Even though He was not happy with them, He still made better and more suitable clothing for them to cover their nudity. He could have chosen to ignore them and allow them to wallow in their misery. That would have served them right for their disobedience, wouldn’t it?
He could have also had a good laugh at their folly for using fig leaves as covering. He could have smirked in mischievous amusement to see how long the leaves would serve them. These are some of the things someone less intelligent or without the nature of God would have done. Not God.
He is too caring and affectionate to endure the suffering of His children. Therefore, even when He must still be smarting from the disregard of Adam and Eve, He still provided better clothing for them to cover their shame. He did not allow them to make do with leaves that would dry up with time. He gave them something better because He cares.
Another lesson we can learn from God is His disposition to a balancing act. He is not a God of extremes. Even though some who profess to follow Him go to extremes in His name or make extreme claims on His behalf, extreme is not a label that one can pin on God. He balances the acts.
Understanding God: He is Not Moved by Sentiments
Another lesson we can learn from the personality of God is that sentiments do not move Him. Therefore, He cannot be deceived into making a wrong judgment or call, as humans tend to do.
Understanding God: He is A Creator
He is a Creator. This is not to be interpreted loosely, particularly in the light of our contemporary use of the word. God is the ultimate Creator, as He created all things, even the ends of the earth (Isaiah 40:28).
Understanding God: God of the Beginning
There is no better way to begin this journey of exploring the people and entities in the Bible than to start with God. He is not just the beginning but is the origin of all things.
Women in the Bible: A Paragon of Beauty
What made Sarah’s beauty so compelling that kings and nations took notice? Explore the deeper layers of grace, favour, and mystery surrounding one of Scripture’s most unforgettable women — and discover why her story still provokes wonder today.
Men in the Bible: A Man of Ambition and Adventure
Terah may not have reached Canaan, but his courage to start a life-changing journey laid the foundation for Abraham’s destiny. Discover how ambition and bold steps mark a life of significance.
Men in the Bible: An Impetuous and Impudent Man
A revealing glimpse into a man whose choices exposed deeper issues of character, showing how hastiness and entitlement can quietly shape a destiny, and why his story still speaks to us today.
Men in the Bible: A Man with Little Foresight
Sometimes what looks like a smart choice can hide the seed of a mistake. This reflection from Scripture invites us to think again about how foresight — or the lack of it — shapes a man’s story.
Men in the Bible: The First Man to Tithe
Before laws, temples, or traditions, one man honoured God with his substance. Abraham’s tithe was not commanded, demanded, or enforced. It flowed from reverence.
Fathers in the Bible: A Destiny-Shaping Father
What makes a man a truly aware father? Discover how one man’s prophetic foresight shaped his son’s destiny and changed generations forever.
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