Adam and Eve, and Inferences

[newton3005]

Why did God create Adam and Eve? What was the primary reason? We know the reason as much as we know why He created the heavens and the earth, and the life on the earth, which, at the end of the day, isn’t much that we know. Job’s ‘friend’ Elihu says as much when in in Job 36:26-29 he says “Behold, God is great, and we know him not...the number of his years is unsearchable. For he draws up the drops of water;...they distill his mist in brain, which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly. Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?” It seems apparent, when you consider other verses of the Bible, that God is not so much interested in our learning of WHY He does and says things, as it is to understand WHAT he does and says and their effects on us. He may tolerate our urge to know more about his reasonings when in Isaiah 1:18 He invites us to reason with Him, but it is plain that He holds the cards regardless of what we think.

As far as we’re concerned, He has given us the earth to live in, and He’s given us domination over living things that move. But notice that while God in Genesis 1:28 gives us this domination over things that move, in Verse 29 He merely says, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” He doesn’t mention having dominion over plants, n’est ce pas? Offhand, that may be a clue as to why God, in Genesis 4: 2-5, rejects the offering by Cain of a fruit in the ground, whereas He praises Abel for offering a sheep he raised. There’s no mention of Cain raising the fruit, so his ‘working the ground’ as mentioned Verse 2 could merely mean that Cain picks from the ground that which the Lord has already created.

Anyway, there is a notion that God created Adam and Eve to spread goodness on the earth, starting with the people who extended from them. The Bible does not expressly say this; the closest we can get to that notion is an inference based on Verses before Adam and Eve in which after everything God creates, He finds it is good. So, it isn’t far-fetched that at least God may have created Adam and Eve in the spirit of goodness, and He may have expected that spirit to extend to their offspring.

To that extent, some may infer that the mist that God created that watered the earth in Genesis 2:6 just before God creates Adam, and referred to by Elihu above, is a precursor to the goodness that God expects to see in Adam and Eve, something akin to stage lights being turned on, then making way for a Broadway play, but, absent anything else in the Bible, to the Lord this speculation may merely be an instance of the reasoning He allows us to employ in Isaiah 1:18.

In terms of mankind as a whole, it isn’t until Jesus comes along that God intends that mankind be saved, as stated in John 3:16-17. And since at this point we at least know God’s feelings about good and evil, we can infer that it is only by acting in the spirit of His Goodness that we can be saved.

 

[Clare73]

Why did God create Adam and Eve? What was the primary reason? We know the reason as much as we know why He created the heavens and the earth, and the life on the earth, which, at the end of the day, isn’t much that we know. Job’s ‘friend’ Elihu says as much when in in Job 36:26-29 he says “Behold, God is great, and we know him not...the number of his years is unsearchable. For he draws up the drops of water;...they distill his mist in brain, which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly. Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?” It seems apparent, when you consider other verses of the Bible, that God is not so much interested in our learning of WHY He does and says things, as it is to understand WHAT he does and says and their effects on us. He may tolerate our urge to know more about his reasonings when in Isaiah 1:18 He invites us to reason with Him, but it is plain that He holds the cards regardless of what we think.

As far as we’re concerned, He has given us the earth to live in, and He’s given us domination over living things that move. But notice that while God in Genesis 1:28 gives us this domination over things that move, in Verse 29 He merely says, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” He doesn’t mention having dominion over plants, n’est ce pas? Offhand, that may be a clue as to why God, in Genesis 4: 2-5, rejects the offering by Cain of a fruit in the ground, whereas He praises Abel for offering a sheep he raised. There’s no mention of Cain raising the fruit, so his ‘working the ground’ as mentioned Verse 2 could merely mean that Cain picks from the ground that which the Lord has already created.

Anyway, there is a notion that God created Adam and Eve to spread goodness on the earth, starting with the people who extended from them. The Bible does not expressly say this; the closest we can get to that notion is an inference based on Verses before Adam and Eve in which after everything God creates, He finds it is good. So, it isn’t far-fetched that at least God may have created Adam and Eve in the spirit of goodness, and He may have expected that spirit to extend to their offspring.

To that extent, some may infer that the mist that God created that watered the earth in Genesis 2:6 just before god creates Adam, and referred to by Elihu above, is a precursor to the goodness that God expects to see inn Adam and Eve, something akin to stage lights being turned on, then making way for a Broadway play, but, absent anything else in the Bible, to the Lord this speculation may merely be an instance of the reasoning He allows us to employ in Isaiah 1:18.

In terms of mankind as a whole, it isn’t until Jesus comes along that God intends that mankind be saved, as stated in John 3:16-17. And since at this point we at least know God’s feelings about good and evil, we can infer that it is only by acting in the spirit of His Goodness that we can be saved.

And since fallen man cannot do that, he cannot save himself, he needs a Savior.

 

[St_Worm2]

Why did God create Adam and Eve? What was the primary reason? We know the reason as much as we know why He created the heavens and the earth, and the life on the earth, which, at the end of the day, isn’t much that we know.

Hello Newton, we know that God was/is in need of nothing, so it seems to me that the primary reason for the Creation was for His glory, and because it pleased Him to do so.

He may tolerate our urge to know more about his reasonings when in Isaiah 1:18 He invites us to reason with Him, but it is plain that He holds the cards regardless of what we think.

I think that He far more than "tolerates" our desire to know Him/know the truth/etc., rather, He gives us the mind of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us, to make it possible (for all who are/who will be His) to understand Him & the truth from His spiritual POV .. 1 Corinthians 2:12-16, thus encouraging our growth in the knowledge and understanding of Him/the truth, both now, and forevermore (i.e. - "There will be no end to the ~increase~ of His government and of peace" .. Isaiah 9:6-7).

Finally, He "reasons" with us as a benefit and blessing to us/to help us know what the truth really is, never as a means for us to help Him .. with it, or with anything else!! IOW, we "reason together" with Him to become one mind with Him, to change our minds/adjust our incorrect thinking, never the other way around.

As far as we’re concerned, He has given us the earth to live in, and He’s given us domination over living things that move. But notice that while God in Genesis 1:28 gives us this domination over things that move, in Verse 29 He merely says, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” He doesn’t mention having dominion over plants, n’est ce pas?

I'm not grasping your meaning. Please elaborate. Thanks!

Offhand, that may be a clue as to why God, in Genesis 4:2-5, rejects the offering by Cain of a fruit in the ground, whereas He praises Abel for offering a sheep he raised.

Since we know that God made provision for and included grain offerings in the Law of Moses, I think that there may be another reason or reasons at play here. Though the Bible never tells us the reason(s) for God's rejection of Cain's offering directly, it does seem to do so indirectly. Here is a very short article (or video, if you'd prefer to listen/watch rather than read) that gives us some of those (possible) reasons to consider: Why did God accept Abel’s offering but reject Cain’s offering? Why did Cain then kill Abel? | GotQuestions.org

There’s no mention of Cain raising the fruit, so his ‘working the ground’ as mentioned Verse 2 could merely mean that Cain picks from the ground that which the Lord has already created.

Genesis 4
2b Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Cain was a tiller/planter (a farmer), not a forager/gatherer. If the latter was actually true of him, v2 would have used one of the words for gatherer, such as לָקַט (laqat), instead of עָבַד (ʿabad) to describe the work that he did/what he was. Take special note of Genesis 2:5/Genesis 2:15 as well, where עָבַד is used first of Adam (as the original "tiller" or worker/cultivator of the ground in the Garden of God).

Anyway, there is a notion that God created Adam and Eve to spread goodness on the earth, starting with the people who extended from them. The Bible does not expressly say this; the closest we can get to that notion is an inference based on Verses before Adam and Eve in which after everything God creates, He finds it is good. So, it isn’t far-fetched that at least God may have created Adam and Eve in the spirit of goodness, and He may have expected that spirit to extend to their offspring.

Had our progenitors kept the single command that they were given by God to obey, their "goodness" (rather than their "sinfulness") would have been ours instead, yes?

To that extent, some may infer that the mist that God created that watered the earth in Genesis 2:6 just before God creates Adam, and referred to by Elihu above, is a precursor to the goodness that God expects to see in Adam and Eve, something akin to stage lights being turned on, then making way for a Broadway play...

I'm having trouble following you here. Please explain your meaning a bit further. Thanks!

In terms of mankind as a whole, it isn’t until Jesus comes along that God intends that mankind be saved, as stated in John 3:16-17. And since at this point we at least know God’s feelings about good and evil, we can infer that it is only by acting in the spirit of His Goodness that we can be saved.

While I agree with @Clare73's comment above concerning this, I would be interested to hear/understand what you mean. IOW, what does "acting in the spirit of His Goodness" refer to, specifically, and too, how is it that we are "saved" when we do so?

Finally, since the Bible makes it clear that God withheld His judgment of the OT saints (by temporarily passing over/leaving unpunished the sins that they committed .. e.g. Romans 3:25, until the only sacrifice and atonement for their sins and ours finally became available at the Cross), why do you believe that God never intended to save anyone prior to the Lord's Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection?

Thanks

God bless you!!

--David

 

[newton3005]

Cain was a tiller/planter (a farmer)

What was Cain planting? Genesis 1:29 infers that all vegetation was already in the ground. All Cain did, at best, was transplant that which God had already created. Abel, on the other hand, bred sheep.

 

[newton3005]

why do you believe that God never intended to save anyone prior to the Lord's Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection?

You seem to be begging the question.

I don’t know God enough to know of his ‘intentions.’ Some questions regarding people B.C. that come to mind...1) Why did God’s Chosen continue to sin even after they were presented with His Law and the benefits of that Law thereto? 2) Why wasn’t there a conscious attempt by everyone to abide by God’s Laws at the time?

All we know from reading the Old Testament is that there were some that did aim to “live in the House of the Lord forever” as reflected in the last Verse of Psalms 23, so it does seem the opportunity was there.

Again, I don’t know God, but the issue may have been there wasn’t enough people striving for goodness, which is why God sent his son as told in John 3:16-17.

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

Genesis 1:27 'So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.'

God created everything, thus everything belongs to Him. Humanity as His image were made to reflect His glory back to Him by worshipping Him. But having refused to do so, we have become slaves to sins, unable to escape it's power. God's plan has been to redeem humanity, calling us back to His true worship in a covenant relationship with Him.

We were created to love God, to obey and serve Him, to worship and praise Him. It is who we are, an image of glorious, living God.
But because of our rebellion, sin entered into the world, and shattered this image. But God in His love and mercy sent His Son to call us back to what He made us. And whoever believes, will be restored in the image of God.

 

[Clare73]

Genesis 1:27 'So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.'
God created everything, thus everything belongs to Him. Humanity as His image were made to reflect His glory back to Him by worshipping Him. But having refused to do so, we have become slaves to sins, unable to escape it's power. God's plan has been to redeem humanity, calling us back to His true worship in a covenant relationship with Him.
We were created to love God, to obey and serve Him, to worship and praise Him. It is who we are, an image of glorious, living God.
But because of our rebellion, sin entered into the world, and shattered this image.

Man is in the image of God (Ge 9:6) after the fall (Ge 3:6) when sin entered the world.

But God in His love and mercy sent His Son to call us back to what He made us. And whoever believes, will be restored in the image of God.

 

[Veni]

If Adam and eve was a bait. What was captured?

Even after Noah and the flood, it survived.

 

[St_Worm2]

What was Cain planting?

Hello again Newton, we're not told, except that Cain brought "an offering" of fruit (not a "firstfruits" offering), while Able's offering was not only taken from his flock's firstlings, but he offered the very best parts of the animal(s) to God as well. So, while God had a problem with Cain's offering (because it didn't measure up to His standard), His real problem was actually with the giver (Cain) himself, and the heart attitude that he demonstrated to God when he kept the firstfruits of his harvest for himself rather than giving them to God.

Genesis 1:29 infers that all vegetation was already in the ground.

That's true ..e.g. Genesis 1:11-12. God created plants and trees to provide the other living things that He created (the animals and us) with food, and v29 shows Him as such.

Question, what do you mean (what are you inferring, in regard to Cain, specifically) when you said that "ALL vegetation was already in the ground"?

(It hardly seems like something that is necessary to note, nevertheless, v29 speaks of what happened at the Creation, and therefore of things that happened not only prior to the Fall, but also long before Cain made his unacceptable offering to God as an adult farmer).

All Cain did, at best, was transplant that which God had already created. Abel, on the other hand, bred sheep.

I'm not sure that I'm following your analogy, so (rather than wasting time for us both), please tell me what you mean/what point you are trying to make above? Thanks

God bless you!!

--David