Adam & Eve, the First Family Part 1

- Genesis 2:7-14

Genesis 2:7–14 (CSB)

7 Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

8 The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 A river went out from Eden to water the garden. From there it divided and became the source of four rivers. 11 The name of the first is Pishon, which flows through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 Gold from that land is pure; bdellium and onyx are also there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon, which flows through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris, which runs east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

- The Garden of Eden

Before we get to man, let’s begin with “The Garden of Eden”

Genesis 2:8 (CSB)

8 The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had formed.

The Bible tells us that the first couple, Adam and Eve, had their beginnings or Genesis in the garden of Eden.

Eden itself wasn’t the garden the Bible tells us that this garden was in Eden.

Actually it says, East of Eden,

Now, Eden means = Place / But has become synonomous with paradise

This was where man was supposed to live.

This was where Adam named the animals that were created.

This is where man made his fatal mistake.

There are many sources from within Christendom and beyond dealing with the possible locations of Eden

However, let me punctuate that, it is impossible to know exactly where the region of Eden was, or where the garden was

Many speculate that it must have been somewhere in Mesopotamia in the middle-east.

- The Four Rivers

Because of the names of the Rivers Euphrates and Tigris

Genesis 2:10–14 (CSB)

10 A river went out from Eden to water the garden. From there it divided and became the source of four rivers. 11 The name of the first is Pishon, which flows through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 Gold from that land is pure; bdellium and onyx are also there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon, which flows through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris, which runs east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

We know from this scripture that the garden was fed by one major river that branched into four and watered the garden.

The Pishon flowed through Havilah, where there was precious gems, where ever that was?

The Gihon, which flowed through the land of Cush.

The Region of Cush, as mentioned in the Bible is the area of Lower Egypt, to Sudan & Ethiopia.

The Euphrates & Tigris are both located in modern day Iraq.

The problem is, it is impossible for these same rivers to exist today, especially in the same place.

If the food of Noah’s day could cause land to push up up mountain ranges like the Himalayas, Mt Everest in Nepal, or Chimborazo peak in Ecuador, on who’s peak is the closet point on earth to space.

Then we can logically assume that the devastation of the Flood, destroyed the surface of the pre-flood earth.

With it, wiping away any trace of Eden or the garden that was in it.

So, no one knows where the exact location of the garden of Eden was located.

Last week we discussed the first six days.

Today, we’ll learn about the history of the first humans, Adam & Eve, from Genesis chapter 2, and the account of the first family.

- Breathed Life Into Him

Genesis 2:7 (CSB)

7 Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

We read here that God breathed into man and he “Became” a living being.

Before he breathed into him, he was just a lump of flesh.

It was God that pushed the button on life.

After he was finished designing him, he said, ok, Let there be life in this body.

He then breathed into the man the Breath of Life,

Now follow this closely.

He God sees man “Lifeless” not dead. but lifeless, something can’t be dead that never lived.

So we’ll say “lifeless”

In order for man to “Live” God had to breath into him, in the Hebrew its Né-sha-ma nešā·mā(h)

Breathing life or Animating by breath

In the gospel of

John 20:19–22 (CSB)

19 When it was evening on that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

20 Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 22 After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

You, Jesus didn’t come into the world to make you a good person.

- A Living Person

He came into the world that you may be a “living person”

Now, again, when he came into your life, whenever it was, because of sin, you were a lifeless, person.

In the present tense you aren’t physically dead yet,

But you were without Life, you were “lifeless” because, being without Him, is being without life.

John 14:6 (CSB)

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Praise God for that!

Back to the first man.

Genesis 2:15–23 (CSB)

15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

In this case here, God was saying to the newly alive man, “You are alive, with life, if you disobey me, you will not have that life anymore.

“You will certainly die.”

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.”

Notice here, the word “helper” is used, not property or slave, or even employee.

19 The Lord God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man no helper was found corresponding to him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. 22 Then the Lord God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 And the man said:

This one, at last, is bone of my bone

and flesh of my flesh;

this one will be called “woman,”

for she was taken from man.

The word that is translated Rib in the Hebrew is mǒṯ·nǎʹyim

- Bone of My Bone

It actually means:

loins or the region of the hips and groin and lower abdomen; especially the top of the hips where a belt was worn. Related Topic: Loins. Related Entity: Loins.

Faithlife, LLC. “מָתְנַ֫יִם.” Logos Bible Study, Computer software. Logos Bible Study Factbook. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, LLC, January 9, 2024. https://ref.ly/logos4/Factbook?ref=lemma.lbs.he.%D7%9E%D6%B8%D7%AA%D6%B0%D7%A0%D6%B7%D6%AB%D7%99%D6%B4%D7%9D.

Despite many translations, we don’t know for certainty what was taken, only that it was taken from this area.

Although, the man says bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh.

Genesis 2:24–25 (CSB)

24 This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

This was God’s design as we see here right from the beginning.

His intentions were for the Man (Male), & the woman (Female), to become one flesh.

Brothers and sisters, here is how we counter the view that we are homophobic and hate transgenderism.

This is utter nonsense.

We don’t hate anyone.

Jesus left one commandment,

John 13:34–35 (CSB)

34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

But this doesn’t mean are required to pretend as if black is white and white is purple.

This doesn’t mean we are required to accept that people can make up whatever they want to be.

It just means we are to love them.

But when it comes to defending your reasoning for not accepting anything that violates these precepts.

- God Created the World

Don’t go at it alone, point them to the scriptures.

We didn’t create the world, we believe God did.

This world considers anyone who goes against the culture, to be behind the times, especially if you believe in God.

If you demonstrate any notion of morality that prevents a free for all, you are labeled an extremist or fanatical

or even a fool.

Well, with that thought let me share a quote from the late Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia

God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools...and He has not been disappointed....If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.

Invitation:

If any of you here today are not sure you have been given life through Jesus, now is the time.