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 of Intelligence and Wisdom
Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. – Genesis 2:19-20
Another admirable trait about Adam was intelligence. He was an intelligent man. From our reference passage, God brought all the creatures He had made to Adam to see what he would call them, and Adam did not disappoint. He named every one of them without leaving any without an identity. That was intelligence.
As easy as it may seem to name something, it is noteworthy that apart from the ones done by God hitherto, this was the first naming exercise in the Bible or recorded history. No one apart from God had attempted to name anything or anyone before Adam. So it was a novelty for him.
Also, apart from the newness of it all, he must have spent a great deal of time observing and analyzing each of the creatures God led to him before he could name them based on his assessment of their idiosyncrasies. Now, imagine how many creatures he named. They must be hundreds of thousands, if not millions of them. Imagine what each of them must have looked like when they were brought to him, the big, the tiny, the monstrous looking, the benign, the flat, the rotund, the straight, the bent, and so on. All for him alone to name as he saw them to be.
The good news is that Adam obviously got all the names right as the Bible did not tell us that God disputed with him about any of the names he gave. It is also remarkable that none of the creatures he named contested the name he gave them, as they could have done at that time. Rather, both God and the creatures agreed with him. So, whatever Adam called anyone stayed.
While the process of nomenclature is loosely done in our present days, particularly among people with little understanding of the implications of names, and in parts of the world where there is little appreciation of cultural identity. It is important to note that a name should never be a random affair. It is something that must be done with intentionality and understanding because everything is in a name. A name can define the identity, the attributes, the personality, the destiny, the path, and the destination of so named.
Adam obviously knew this, and he must have taken time to carefully study every creature before him to see how they were, what they looked like, what they could be and the role they would play in this hemisphere before labelling them. it takes intelligence to do this. The fact that he also evaluated all these creatures and did not identify any of them that could partner with him even when he was in dire need of one at the time was another indication of intelligence.
Knowing how important a name can be, what are you going to do differently with the way you name henceforth?
Men in the Bible: Lamech – The First Polygamist and Second Murderer Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the…
Men in the Bible: Lamech – The First Polygamist and Second Murderer
Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah… Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for hurting me. – Genesis 4:19,23
Today, our spotlight shall be on the man, Lamech, who earned the appellation of being the first polygamist in recorded history as well as the second man to commit a murder after Cain.
Lamech was the great, great, great grandson of Cain, as he was in the fifth line of the genealogy, being sired by Methushael, the son of Mehujael, the son of Irad, the son of Enoch; the son of Cain.
However, the first thing of note that was recorded for Lamech was that he married two wives. That was a first of its kind as his forbears before him and contemporaries around him seemed to have been content with just one wife. But, in his own case, he entered the record as the first polygamist.
Also, Lamech became renowned for the wrong reason by killing someone in annoyance, Some temper he must have had to have reacted with murderous violence which resulted in him killing someone, a young man, who had injured him.
The Bible does not tell us much about the identity of the man that Lamech killed, apart from the fact that he was young, obviously younger and weaker than Lamech himself, and that the young man first hurt Lamech before he met with his fate.
We also do not know if the young man in question hurt Lamech deliberately. However, from Lamech’s own account, he revealed himself as a bully and a hot-tempered man whose reaction to being hurt by a weaker one was to kill the person in anger. That is not a good act to follow.
Apart from the fact that Lamech was hot-tempered, his confession also revealed that self-control was not one of his strengths. This accounted for his murderous instinct, as he could not restrain himself from lashing back. That was also not a desirable example to set for anyone.
Men in the Bible: A 99-Year-Old in Great Pains and the Power of Forbearance
So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. – Genesis 17:23-24
Today, we will look at the exemplary forbearance of Abraham, such that at the ripe age of 99, he was still able to obey a very difficult instruction of God for Abraham to circumcise himself and all the male members of his household, freeborn or slave born.
To take their relationship to the next level and make it a generational institution, God needed to enter a covenant with Abraham, and the terms of that covenant involved the circumcision of the foreskin of Abraham and every male in his household.
Now, circumcision is not a fun thing to do for anyone at any age. It is a very painful process, as it involves cutting off the flesh. While it may be a less painful experience in this age due to advancements in medicine with anesthesia, pain relievers and other instruments in place to eliminate or reduce pains, this was not the case in Abraham’s time. Circumcision must have been done with crude, sharp tools that must have been very painful for anyone who was being circumcised.
However, even with a full knowledge of the kind of pain he would be subjecting himself to being circumcised at the age of 99, Abraham still obeyed God and went ahead to circumcise not just himself but the entire men under his roof. That was a classic case of forbearance. While the experience might have been easier on the younger males in his household, imagine the kind of pain Abraham’s 99-year-old body would be like after completing his circumcision.
His body would probably be shaking in pain from the experience. Such pains are enough to kill anyone at that age. The thought of it alone should have discouraged him, but Abraham went ahead with the plan and fulfilled it to the letter, his personal pains notwithstanding.
Abraham did not use the popular parlance that “wisdom is profitable to direct” to excuse himself from being circumcised alongside other members of his household. On the contrary, he led the line and did his own circumcision, thus leading by example.
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.
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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