Genesis 2. Creation of Man and Woman: God focused the human creation.

1. Gen2:7.

7 the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (living soul)

(God created Adam from dust)       

1> Adam:

Dust (material) + Breath of Life (immaterial) = Living Being (living soul or spirit)

                        Being; (Hebrew; nephesh): a soul, living being, life.

            Adam became Adam because of the life from God.

2> Adam was a pattern of the one to come, namely Jesus. (Rom 5:14)

This Adam is the first Adam and Jesus is the last Adam (1 Cor 15:47)

2. Gen 2:8

8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.

God made the Garden of Eden for Adam.

            Garden of Eden is the shadow of the Kingdom of God. (Rev 22:1,2)

3. Gen 2:15.

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

3-1>  Brief explanation of the words in Hebrew.

            1> Put

        Put in Gen 2:8: (Heb: sum or sim): to put, place, set

        God put Adam physically in the location of the Garden of Eden.

        Put in Gen 2:15:( Heb: nuach): to rest, comfort, enjoy

        God put Adam in the Garden of Eden so that he can rest, be comforted with it.  

        God wanted Adam to enjoy it and be pleased with it and to delight in it.

            2> It

        Here ‘it’ does not refer to the Garden of Eden but the commands in verse 16.

                                In Hebrew, ‘it’ in V15 is female form; (her)

                                In Hebrew, Garden is male form; therefore ‘it’ in V15 is not Garden.  

                                In Hebrew, Command in V16 is female form.

            3> Work it and take care of (keep) it

                        Work: (Heb: abad): to work, serve

                        Take care of: ( Heb: shamar): to keep, watch, preserve

                                When the word ‘work and keep’ are used together, the meaning of these words change .

                                Work: (abad) will be ‘worship’

                                Keep: (shamar) will be ‘teach or keep’

                                                Adam was made to worship God and teach and keep His commands.

3-2> When Adam was created, he was a prophet, a priest and a king.

                1> God blessed Adam to rule over God’s creation. (Like a king)

                            Adam was created to be a king. (Ruler: Ruling over/Dominion; Gen1:28)

                2> God wanted Adam to worship Him. (Like a Priest)

                            Adam was created to be a priest. (Worshiper)

                3> God gave Adam the command to keep it and teach it. (Like a Prophet)

                            Adam was created to be a prophet (Teacher; Teaching the command of God)

                4> Adam was created to be a king, a priest and a prophet.

                This original purpose was restored by Jesus Christ who was a prophet, a priest and a king.

                Believers in Christ worship God, teach His words and rule the universe.

    Kings, priests, prophets, these are who we are in Christ. (1 Peter 2:9)  

4.Gen 2:24.

24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

4-1> God made woman for Adam

We must think about biblical manhood and womanhood according to the Bible.

The role of man and woman in the family and in the church

The purpose of God’s design for man and woman.

4-2> God instituted the marriage between a man and a woman.  

                This is a profound mystery. (Eph 5:32)

                This has multiple and enormous implications in the life of believers.

4-3> Become one flesh

                Union between a Man and a Woman.

                This is a profound mystery as well.

                The divine purpose in becoming one flesh.

@ Personal suggestion:

                I have desire to know what God intended to teach us in marriage.

                I would like to meditate on the issue of marriage in Biblical perspective as we study the whole Bible carefully.

                Later, I hope that we might be able to collect all the related bible passages and meditate on them to know God more deeply.

5.  What must we see in the record of Creation in Genesis 1 and2?

      Why did God show the record of the creation?

5-1> OT authors’ perspective in the creation.

How OT authors understand the creation in the Pentateuch?

To teach Israel that the Yahweh (LORD) is the Creator. (Psa 33:6-9)

To reveal Israel God’s Almighty Power, Sovereignty and Purpose. (Gen 17:1; Exo 6:3)

To teach Israel that there is no one like the LORD our God. (Exo 8:10) 

To teach Israel to worship God and serve Him only. (Joshua 24:14-15)

5-2> NT authors’ perspective in the creation.

                How NT authors understand the creation in the Pentateuch?

There is spiritual reality like physical reality.

(New Heaven and New Earth; Rev 21:1-5)

There is spiritual creation like physical creation.

(Re-creation; New Born: Jn 3:3; 1Pet1:23)

There is Last Adam like First Adam.

(Jesus Christ: Rom 5:14;1 Cor 15:47)

There is spiritual marriage like physical marriage.

(Christ and His church)