Assuming Responsibility

The world encourages us to delay responsibility...

Real People in Real Places

A. God the Potter - The Person of Adam (7-8)

Dust in the Bible typifies poverty (1 Sam. 2:8; Ps. 113:7), pre-royal status (1 Kings 16:2), and death (Is. 26:19, Dan. 12:2)

To be raised from the dust means to be elevated to royal status and to find life. So this passage shows that Adam was raised from the dust to reign.

We notice that in several places in the Scriptures the mourning people of Israel would cover themselves in dust. In Psalm 103:13-14 “13 As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.” It is as though the repentant Jews, in places such as Nehemiah, are acknowledging that without the Lord, we are nothing but dust.

Take note of v7 saying, “he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life...” This is the word “Nesama” in Hebrew and here it is only used between God and man. It is man alone who has received the breath of God. Further separating us from the animals that He has made.

B. God the Planter - The Place of Eden (10-14)

C. God the Provider - The Provision of Work (5,15,19)

In the midst of monumental blessing (in verse 15-16) we notice there rests a restriction and work is not it. Adam is called to both serve and tend the garden (v15). Notice the word “tend”. When it’s root word is studied out, it may lead us to see that Adam’s job is one of protection, which would make sense as he bore the role of prophet, priest, and King within Eden.

It is important for us to notice that Adam was placed in Eden, not to sit without purpose and duty, but to care for it, to cultivate it and protect it. So it is clear that work is not a result of the fall, however, it has been intensified as a result.

Application:

Although we are young, healthy, and strong we must remember that without the Lord’s grace, we are nothing but dust.

God has placed you, just as He did to Adam, where you are for a purpose.

Relational People for a Real Purpose (18-25)

A. The Problem at Hand (18-20)

Here we are, in the Garden and so far everything has been called, “Good”. The bird’s have the sky, the fish have the sea, the squirrels have the trees. Everything is good and God looks at Adam, and for the first time He says something is not good.

Now think of this. Dru Johnson brings this out wonderfully. Adam is in the Garden, surrounded by animals and has fellowship with God and yet is still considered alone by the Lord. He was still alone when he was with God and the animals. What could this possibly mean?

First, God doesn’t intend for us to be alone in our worship and service of Him. It is clear that God is creating a community, not simply individuals who will go to independently connect with God, but who are to display His Triune community and worship Him as a community of believers.

Second, we also see that animals do not take the place of humans in our lives. Even when Adam was with the rest of Creation, he was alone.

God doesn’t just allow us to take note that Adam is alone, but He makes it clear to Adam that he is alone as he sees animal after animal and that nothing was considered suitable for him. It is now clear that Adam is alone and that this isolation is not good.

Are you behaving as a lone-wolf believer? Kenneth Matthew said, “Isolation is not the divine norm for human beings; community is the creation of God.”

B. The Provision of Eve (21-22)

Eve’s Creation

The Hebrew word for “make” is literally “build”, but the extended meaning is “to make, create” . The verb, “built” by definition implies beauty, stability and durability.

I think it’s very important to notice that every creature we see in this passage has been made from the ground, even Adam’s name, which is “Ha’Adam” means “the Dirtling” but for the first time we see something made from another creature. Eve is the first thing in the story made in the way that she is. Now, understanding Judaic history, we know that the Jewish people honored women far more than any culture at the time. So it’s probable that Moses is eluding the the woman’s position as man’s helper and his glory. This is a description of beauty.

Eve’s Commission

Definition of Helper:

But what does it mean that she is Adam’s helper? Well, the term “help” means to aid and support and it is used in the Psalms to describe the Lord’s aid to His people in the face of their enemies. Moses spoke of God as his helper who delivered him from Pharoah in Exodus 18:4, and the word helper is often associated with “shield” to describe God’s protective care of His people.

So, it seems to indicate that she would be Adam’s indispensable partner who will play a necessary role in humanity.

Matthews writes, “What man lacks, the woman accomplishes. As Paul said concisely, the man was not made for the woman “but the woman for the man” (1 Cor. 11:9). The woman makes it possible for the man to achieve the blessing he otherwise couldn’t do alone. And obviously, the woman cannot achieve it apart from the man.”

So this does not diminish the role of women, but gives a special dignity.

Corruption of Headship and Submission in the Fall.

But what happened? Why are the liberal feminist so up in arms today? Why do marriages fail? Why are there fights?

Before the Fall there was roles by which Adam and Eve functioned that Paul says was in their Creation itself. It is that Adam is to be the head of the home and that Eve was to be submissive to Adam. But what happened? Because of sin, things have been corrupted. The comfort and unity they enjoyed was messed up and now, God says in Genesis 3:16 that Eve’s desire would be for Adam. Not in an intimate since, but that word desire in Hebrew is the same word that God uses to describe sin as a ferocious beast waiting to pounce on Cain if he doesn’t master his temptation.

So because of sin. Male headship often faces two issues: one is abuse and the other is abandonment.

And the submission of the wife faces manipulation or absolute resistance.

But in Ephesians 5:22-33 we see the recovery of that Edenic marriage in affect and through the work of the Spirit in our lives, though it’ll never be perfect, we can have harmony in our relationships.

C. The Pleasure of Marriage (22-25)

The Community of Marriage (23)

A sense of passionate community. Kidner said, “he will not live until he loves, giving himself away (24) to another on his own level.”

A sense of covenant.

When representatives of the northern tribe visit David at Hebron and say, “we are your bone an flesh” in 2 Samuel 5:1, they aren’t making a statement of relationship, but rather giving a pledge of loyalty.

The Commitment of Marriage (24)

The Comfort of Marriage (25)

I don’t believe this is only referring to them being physically naked but it also may be eluding to their vulnerability in their relationship.

Application:

We must be careful to not allow the world to define God’s blessings as burdens.

“You are becoming who you one day will be.” Find godly influences to prepare you for the future.

Be commited to something bigger than yourself, that is the worship of God. (generational development).