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Created to Learn How to Be Equals

 

A few days ago, I wrote about the stories of the “Two ADAMS” in Genesis 1 & 2 (CLICK HERE). “ADAM” is the transliteration of a Hebrew word that appears in both stories, but the meanings in the stories are different.

 

ADAM #1 is a human collective -- one male and one female human. They are created at the same time, equals in the eyes of God, and both blessed by God together. The blessings empower the humans to live as God wants them to live. That is unbelievably valuable wisdom for members of the ancient audience.

 

ADAM #2 is one male human. He was made by God, but not blessed by God. After being made, God left him alone and went to Eden. God planted a garden in Eden and then went came back to the man. Then God took the man to the garden in Eden and gave him a commandment about how to not die. The man would be the only human alive until after God created the animals.

 

The story of the creation of the female in the second story is in Genesis 2:21-22.

 

● God caused a deep sleep to fall on the ADAM.

 

● ADAM slept.

 

● God took one of his ribs and the flesh closed up.

 

● God built the rib into an ISHAH (woman).

 

Then God brings her to the man, just as He brought each of the animals after they were made – for the man to name them. Pay close attention to the man’s words as he looks sees the woman for the first time.

 

“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called ISHAH (woman),

because out of ISH (man) she was taken.”

 

How did he know that? He was asleep when God built the woman. Did God tell him? ISHAH is the feminine form of the word ISH. They are “creatures that are equal to and adequate for each other” -- counterparts designed to work together.

 

Both stories teach the same wisdom about what humans are,

but the types of information they were given makes them different.

 

In a previous email I wrote about the meaning of the Hebrew word translated “wisdom” (CLICK HERE). A person who has acquired wisdom is skilled in technical matters, clever, shrewd and experienced. The humans in the first story were given instructions about impulse control and self-disciple -- and helping each other do those things. They were taught to be God’s Co-Shepherds over all lives.

 

Genesis 2:25 and 3:1 contain a wordplay that cannot be duplicated with English words. The translation below reveals the underlined words in the wordplay.

 

The man and woman were both clever and shrewd;

they had not been shamed.

 

The serpent was more clever and shrewd

than any wild animal of the field which God had made.

 

This raised the question below in the minds of the members of the ancient audience:

 

Which has the most wisdom --

the two humans acting together as equals,

or one wild animal acting alone?

 

Those words introduced the encounter that is about to take place between the humans and the serpent. It is a lesson about acquiring wisdom. As you will see in my next email, the serpent is a creature ahead of its time -- skilled at using “misinformation” to “hack human brains.” Humans must learn how to act together as equals and develop skills for using the Creator’s TOV Standard in real life situations.

 

Do what protects lives, preserve lives, makes lives more functional,

and/or increases the quality of life.

 

Guard against anything that destroys lives, harms lives,

makes lives less functional, and/or decreases the quality of life.

 

Please share this with others and discuss it. Thank you for exploring biblical heritages with us.

 

Shalom,

Jim Myers

 

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