Soldier vs. Commander

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with God

Another aspect in the original relationship between man and God can be seen in God commanding Adam.

tsavah: to command, charge, give orders, commission, lay charge

God is a Commander and man was under His command. What God declared, man submitted to. Where God placed man, he stayed. That which God ordered, he heeded.

As mentioned previously, there was some contrary force in the realm of the earth with which man would have to contend. Man was expected to take dominion and subdue the earth as an ambassador for God’s Kingdom. Man was given authority, but also had to submit to authority so as to understand humility and faith in God. To teach him these things, God called man to be a soldier (Matthew 8:9; Luke 7:8).

We saw in Genesis Chapter 2 that God breathed into man the breath of life, allowing him to become a living soul. The Scriptures also speak of another purpose brought about in man when the Spirit of God is breathed upon him.

“Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.” Ezekiel 37:5-10

Remember, apart from the Spirit of God, man is dead.  When the Spirit of God is breathed into man, he is equipped to become a warrior. One of the functions of man receiving God’s Spirit is to be raised up as a soldier (Hebrews 11:33-34; Ephesians 6:11-16; I Corinthians 9:25-26; II Corinthians 10:4; I Timothy 6:12; II Timothy 2:3-4, 4:7). The Spirit comes and brings man to life, but also empowers him to stand in preparation to engage in battle.

While each individual must receive God’s Spirit, the goal is for these members to come together into one body. Each individual is not an entity of its own, but God is looking to form “an exceeding great army”. Similarly, Adam & Eve were not expected to reign by themselves. One of the first things they were commanded to do was be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth so that all mankind – male & female – would exercise dominion together.

The relationship between man and God was not only one of creature & Creator. Being given God’s Spirit allowed man to know God as a Father, but also empowered him to be God’s battle axe in the earth (Jeremiah 51:20). This aspect of man’s relationship to God was critical to the purposes for which man was created: to fill the earth with the glory of the Lord.

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Creature vs. Creator

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with God

The first chapters of Genesis also give us insight into man’s relationship with God. One fact becomes immediately clear: There is a God…and it is not man.

Man is not the master of his own domain. He was not even the purveyor of his own existence. Prior to being bought (redeemed) with a price, man was made for a purpose. We are not our own and have never been our own.

Man is a created being, designed by an omnipotent Creator. Yet from the beginning, man shared an intimacy with God that no other creature did. Man was made in the very image & likeness of God because he was made with the ability to contain God within.

The word 'adam translated as “man” means “to be red”, representing the clay from which God made him. Once the Potter formed this clay from the earth, Scripture says that He breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life so that he became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). This breath is representative of the Spirit of God being imparted to man’s spirit.

“All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils.” Job 27:3

“The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” Job 33:4

“And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” John 20:22

With the Spirit of God being in man, God Himself was abiding in man (I Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; I John 3:24). As a result, man knew God and was known by Him.

After God breathed life into man by His Spirit, man became alive to God. God placed the treasure of His Spirit in earthen vessels so that man would have knowledge of the glory of God (II Corinthians 4:6-7). Notice that God did not have to teach Adam who He was. Man knew this instinctively because of the Spirit within him (Jeremiah 31:33-34; Romans 8:16; Hebrews 8:10-11; I John 2:27). Having the Spirit allowed man to recognize and love God as his Father (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6-9; I Corinthians 8:3).

The Spirit of God was then able to lead man and communicate the mind of God to him (Romans 8:14; Galatians 4:6; I Corinthians 2:11-16); even to the point where man was more conscious of God than he was of himself.

self-conscious: conscious of oneself or one's own being; unduly aware of oneself as the object of the attention; embarrassed.

When told what to do by God, you don’t see Adam struggling with his own perceived inadequacies or limitations. He doesn’t wonder how he will carry out what God has tasked. He doesn’t consider his own ability or inability at all. He simply walks in obedience, depending on the Spirit to enable him.

This also allowed man to be completely transparent before God (Proverbs 20:27; Job 32:8). There was nothing to hide from Him and not even an inclination to do so. He and the woman were both naked before God, yet not ashamed (Genesis 2:25).

Without God’s Spirit within, man was dead to God; unable to know God or His ways. However, when God breathed life into him, man became more than just as created being; man became a son. As a son, man trusted and depended upon his Father, being sincere before Him and conscious primarily of Him.

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One Flesh

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with Woman

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:24

Here we see the institution of marriage being established for the first time as that which was created male and female is now husband and wife.

One might ask, “Why is Adam making such a statement? What did he know about a relationship with earthly parents or about becoming one flesh with his wife?” Yet, we know that Adam had access to the logos of God. The same Spirit which inspired him to name the animals enabled him to make that prophetic statement. These were not Adam’s words, but God speaking through Adam to proclaim His will for marriage.

“And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed.” Malachi 2:15a

In Genesis 1 & 2, God makes clear His purpose for the earth: it was to be filled with the knowledge of the Lord and reflecting His glory. Crucial to this objective was the establishment of the family unit. God would use the union of the husband and wife to produce a godly seed from which He would reap a harvest (James 5:7).

Is it any wonder then why Satan so ardently attacks marriage, and by extension the family? What Satan attempted in the Garden he still tries today: pervert the marriage union so as to prevent a godly seed. In all the days of creation, Satan did not rear his ugly head. Yet as soon as the institution of marriage is in place, he comes swiftly to deceive.

The world would have you to think that marriage is a civil liberties issue, to be defined as we choose. However it is not man who defines marriage, but God, for He is the one who established it. God says marriage is not a “right” one possesses as a function of government or civil law. Marriage is a covenant made before God covering the sacred union of one man with one woman which is meant to last a lifetime (Malachi 2:14).

“And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Matthew 19:4-6 (Also Mark 10:6-8)

It is God who determined to make man “male” and “female” and it is God who stated that they would be brought together to become “one flesh”. When governments say it is discriminatory to limit marriage to one man and one woman…when entertainers cross-dress for your amusement…when the media blurs the lines between genders and promotes androgyny…when the schools teach your children that there are many different kinds of families…when the President of the United States says that he supports gay marriage…know that you are seeing Satan’s continued attacks to prevent a godly seed.

The very thing God desires to see in the earth is that which Satan works against.

Question what God has decreed: Did God really limit marriage between one man and one woman? Didn’t Jesus say that love fulfills all of the law? Shouldn’t we allow any who are in love to celebrate that love in marriage? It’s just all about love, right? How can “love” be wrong?

Question even God’s righteousness: Is it fair that homosexuals, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders cannot enjoy the benefits of marriage? Aren’t we all children of God? What kind of God would prevent people from being happy and enjoying life?

Satan will try to get you to do anything but believe and obey God’s words.

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11

Man’s problems begin when he deems to take what God has created – even his own life – and thinks that they are his to do with as he chooses. Yet, everything God created was for His pleasure; and that includes the institution of marriage. While everything God has given man is good and for his good, there is a higher purpose for God's creation that does not revolve around what man wants or thinks.

“What? Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” I Corinthians 6:16-17

“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:31-32

The union of one man and one woman in marriage contains a “great mystery”. It reflects how the church is brought into union with Jesus Christ. As the man and woman become one flesh, those united with Christ become one spirit. The family unit (one man and one woman becoming one flesh to produce godly seed) is a picture of how Jesus Christ joins supernaturally with His Bride, becoming one spirit to bear godly fruit (John 15:5). Apart from Christ we are barren, we can do nothing. Being made one with Him, we can do all things. The pattern of marriage is an illustration to us of God's desire for us to be in union with Him.

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” Ephesians 5:22

“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” Genesis 2:23

Do we not understand the mystery God has used the institution of marriage to reveal to us and the significance of the order which is imbued in it? It is all to glorify God, to manifest His great love for us, and to make plain the way for us to be joined together with Him in sharing that great love. It is for our benefit, but for His glory.  Christ claims us for His own and we become part of Him, just as a wife is joined to and becomes one with her husband.

Nothing was done by happenstance; not God’s determination for there to be “male” and “female” nor the joining of the two together to become one flesh. It all has meaning and purpose in making known to man the Kingdom of God in the earth and our role in that Kingdom. Any other union is an abomination primarily because of how it perverts the image of God. When we pervert the nature of marriage, we are by default perverting the nature of the “great mystery” of our redemption in Jesus Christ.  God not only desires the best for man, but He paid the price to enable us to have His best, even using the very creation He established to illustrate that best to us.

In Adam’s proclamation in Genesis 2:24, we see God’s intent in defining marriage between one man and one woman. Not only was such essential to the very survival of the human race (Genesis 1:28, 6:19), but it was the foundation upon which God determined to bring forth godly seed. He used marriage to reveal to us the mystery which would unfold of Jesus Christ reconciling man unto Himself.

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A Head & A Help

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with Woman 

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18

Unlike some believe, woman being a "help" for man was not a product of the fall. This was God’s original design for her.

When it comes to the solution for man’s loneliness and the appropriate mate for him, God is not ambiguous. Woman was created specifically for this purpose. The woman is the help which is “meet” (fit or worthy) for the man.

help: (ezer) One who helps or succours

for him: (neged) Against, parallel to, opposite

When God saw this need in man’s life, He did not decide that it would be good for man to have a maid. Rather, He saw the need for one who would offer man strength in his areas of weakness and complement him in a way that no other creature could (Genesis 2:20). In a similar way, Scriptures indicate that God serves such a purpose for mankind; He is our "ezer" (help).

Being a help “meet” for man therefore illustrates how woman was purposefully designed for him.  The Hebrew word neged implies that which is “against” another, but its use here is not in an adversarial way. Physically and spiritually, God made woman so that she would be a complement to man. Together they would form a symbiotic relationship, like two puzzle pieces fitting together, each having a particular set of strengths from which the other would benefit.

These distinctions would prove vital in the roles God determined each to fulfill: the man being the head and the woman being his help.  As there was an established order to be preserved between man and the earth, there was also an order between the man and the woman.

Just as Adam’s naming the animals denoted his being in authority over them, so did Adam’s naming of the woman. As God presented her to the man, Adam called her ishshah (woman) because she came "out from man" (Genesis 2:23). In this act, Adam claimed Eve as his own and identified her as being part of himself.

Another way Adam’s headship can be seen in the creation story is in how God communicated His commands about life in the Garden. We see in Genesis 2:16-17 that God gives these instructions before the woman was even created. Yet it is clear that Adam was expected to pass them on to Eve, and had done so (Genesis 3:2-3). Further, when they both fell into sin, God came to Adam for an accounting of what happened, even though it was Eve who had been deceived.

The authority that comes from God will always bear His signature; it will be patriarchal in nature because such reflects & reinforces His image. In establishing His authority in this way, He continually brings our eyes back to Him as our source and our Father.

“And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Genesis 2:21-23

The world is quick to say how without a woman, there would be no man. Yet Scripture says that the woman is of the man, and not the other way around (I Corinthians 11:8-9).

It is also significant that Eve was taken from Adam’s ribs. The ribs provide one main function: they offer protection for the heart & lungs. Both are critical to sustaining the life of the body, yet the nature of their work requires that they be soft, delicate, and pliable...even while being amongst the most resilient organs in the body.  Their strength then is not in outward appearance, but is an inner strength.

Understanding the functional purpose that these delicate organs serve and how vital their work is to the health of the body, it is clear to see why God - in His infinite wisdom - encased the heart and lungs under the protection of the ribs. This is a parallel to who woman is and what she does...and why God in His wisdom placed her under the authority of the man.

God designed woman with the primary purpose of her carrying and supporting life…in all areas.  The Hebrew word for Eve is chavvah which means "life". The woman can physically nurture and give birth to life, but she is also designed to be a spiritual life-giver. The very spirit a woman walks in can either build up a home or work to destroy it (Proverbs 14:1, 19:4, 21:9, 31:11-12; Psalms 128:3a; I Peter 3:1-2). Although the woman is referred to as the “weaker vessel” (I Peter 3:7), God did not create woman to be without strength. Her strength is manifested in her virtue (Ruth 3:11; Proverbs 12:4, 31:10).

virtue: (chayil) Strength, might, efficiency, wealth, force, army.

While being equally created before God, man and woman were designed to serve different roles in God's creation.  As the head, man was expected to watch over and protect the woman who was specifically made to complement him as his help.

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Equal

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with Woman 

 “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone…” Genesis 1:18a 

How compassionate is our God! It was “good” that He had personally formed man in His image, given him dominion over His creation, and inspired him by His Spirit. Yet, He did not stop there. God was concerned with man’s companionship and determined that it was "not good" for man to be alone.

God always desires the best for His creation and He knew that man needed someone with whom he could share the love God had placed within him. Genesis Chapters 1 & 2 show us God’s plan in that regard.

Equal 

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

God’s image was reflected in two types of creation: male and female. There are attributes of God in the male character as well as in female character. They are both equally created as a reflection of God’s nature. In terms of importance, one is not less or more before God than the other. When God decided to make man in His image, He decided to make depict His image in both the male and the female.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:26

Not only were they each equally created after the likeness of God, but God had given dominion over the earth to both the man and the woman. They were to exercise authority over the earth together.

Woman was not taken from the head of man as if she is his authority, or from the foot of man as if she is beneath him. She was taken from man’s side for she is on equal standing with him before God. This does not mean, however, that they can - or were even designed to - serve in the same roles or functions. 

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Harmony

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with the Earth 

“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.” Genesis 1:29-30 

This was not about a command for a vegetarian vs. a carnivorous lifestyle. God did not say, “Eating meat is bad, so eat vegetables, fruit, & grain.” There was no prohibition against eating meat because such was simply not necessary. The plants and fruits had all of the nutrients both man and beast needed to sustain life.

 The significance of the text was not the diet, but to illustrate that: 1) God Himself was the Provider of nourishment for His creation; and 2) All God had just created was in harmony with each other.

God made supernatural provision for man and the animals in terms of sustenance. Neither had to work to produce it, but God ensured that the earth provided for it (Genesis 2:5-6, 9; Matthew 6:25-29). Man surely had work to do from the Lord, but he was not “working for food”. From the beast, to the fowl, to man…all were given herbs, plants, and fruits to eat.

All creatures were in harmonious relationship with each other. Man had nothing to fear from the animals and the animals had nothing to fear from man. Although animals are not man’s equal, they are alive in the sense that blood flows through them as it does through us (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:11-14; Deuteronomy 12:23). God’s provision of food reinforces that there was no need to take the life of another, there was no need for the shedding of blood; there was no need for death.

We know that God’s instruction to eat herbs & fruit had nothing to do with there being something sinful about eating meat. Believing that there is anything impure or unclean in eating meat is described in the Scriptures as a position of “weak” faith (Romans 14:2-3, 14-15). Such is also said to be one of the doctrines of devils spoken in the last days (I Timothy 4:1-3). What God has declared clean for consumption may be received from Him with thanksgiving (Acts 10:10-16; I Corinthians 10:30-31; I Timothy 4:4-5). One is not more or less spiritual to eat meat, but let all be done as a matter of faith (Mark 7:15-19; Romans 14:22-23).

After the flood, God instructed man to eat meat in the same way that he had previously given man “every green herb” (Genesis 9:3-4).  Man was given by God “every moving thing” for meat. Yet, notice the condition of creation at that time.

“And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.” Genesis 9:2 

Now it becomes clear that there was an absence of harmony in the earth. The animals – over whom man had been originally appointed caretaker – had now been delivered into the hands of man…in fear. What a change between the original relationship between man and beast! Previously, man was to be an ambassador for God, taking care of all living things in God’s stead, reflecting His love. Now the animals were being handed over to the jurisdiction of fallen man and fear would be the basis of that dominion. If the “beasts” are now afraid of man, then what had man become (Daniel 4:16; Psalm 49:12, 20; 73:22)?

“I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.” Ecclesiastes 3:18 

Fear was a consequence of the fall. Man’s first reaction to God after sin was fear (Genesis 3:10). It is only natural then that those over whom man had dominion would now fear him as sin spread like a cancer to affect and pervert all of creation. The introduction and escalation of sin affected more than man. It affected the very way in which all living things related to each other. The harmony which had once existed between man and animal was now gone because of sin.

God is not bringing man back to some spiritualized ideal of vegetarianism. He will however bring all of His creation back in harmony with one another, as it was in the beginning. Such cannot be realized in human effort or works. You can try to live in harmony with a lion if you want, but it will likely devour you. It is a “wild” animal. There is only one thing that can reverse the curse of sin and that is God taking His rightful place as the ruler of all. We are told that the harmony referenced initially will be restored during the Millennial Reign of Christ (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:17-25). Yet, there would still seem to be meat available even at that time.

“And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.” Isaiah 25:6 

Even should the “fat things full of marrow” merely be symbolic, it still references the choicest meats as representing the good things reserved for those who serve the Lord (I Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12). The presence or absence of meat for consumption is not the issue at all.

Remember, the Kingdom of God is not about meat nor drink, but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17). This was the condition upon which man existed with the rest of creation initially, and this is what God will restore in the end.

In the beginning, man’s relationship with the earth was one where he exercised dominion over it while at the same time existing in harmony with it.

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Dominion

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with the Earth 

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:26

Out of all creation, why was it important that man be made in God’s image & likeness? Because God was trusting man with dominion. Having established His creation, God did not just leave the earth & its inhabitants to themselves, but saw fit to assign a guardian over it. In doing so, one of the first purposes God had for man was to uphold His order. Man was not an entity unto himself, but was an ambassador for God’s Kingdom, having dominion over “all” the earth.

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7 

To whom did God entrust the stewardship of His creation? To Himself. God trusted nothing less than that which reflected His own nature to care for what He had so personally created. Man is only a pile of dust apart from the inspiration of God (Genesis 3:19). From that which is trodden under our feet without thought, God formed man. Indeed, man is no different than the beasts of the earth apart from God’s Spirit (Genesis 2:7,19).  This is why the animals and man were created on the same day.  Man is fearfully yet wonderfully made; fearfully because he can be no better than the beasts of the field and wonderfully because he can also reflect the image of God.  

Adam was the first son of God (Luke 3:38), although he was made and not begotten. His beginnings and even his constitution comes from the earth (I Corinthians 15:47). Yet he is a vessel prepared to contain Heavenly life, reflecting the glory of God (I Corinthians 11:7).

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28 

God commands man to: 1) bear fruit & reproduce; and 2) replenish & subdue the earth. On one level, these exhortations speak to physical reproduction. However, there is also a spiritual reality being addressed here. God is expressing the desire for His likeness to be replicated across the earth, for His glory to fill the earth…in the midst of some contrary force or condition.

replenish: to fill again or anew, to make complete again by supplying what has been used up or is lacking.

subdue: to subject, force, keep under, bring into bondage

To “replenish” the earth indicates that there was something present at one time which God was calling upon man to replace. The mandate is more than just to reproduce, but to put back into the earth something that had been taken away.

There was also the command to “subdue” the earth, which on its surface may seem strange. God was soon to call “very good” what He had created in the past 6 days (Genesis 1:31). So what was there to subdue? What existed in the realm of the earth which was adversarial to God?

While God doesn’t go into detail about these things in the stories of creation, it is clear that man was called upon to replace and contend with some opposing force in the earth.

“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Genesis 2:15 

dress: to work, to serve as subjects

keep: guard, preserve, take charge of, be a watchman over

The authority which comes from God is always encapsulated in the attributes of servanthood (Matthew 8:8-10, 12:18, 20:27, 23:11, 24:45, 25:21; Mark 9:35, 10:44; John 13:13-17; Ephesians 5:24-25). It requires selflessness, for such is the nature of love. God doesn’t leave His creation to be abused; rather he raises those who will lay down their lives for the benefit of others as He has done.

Adam was charged with preserving the piece of earth specifically prepared for him. An untended garden can become unwieldy & overgrown, quickly turning a paradise into a prison as life is choked off. It needs to be pruned, trained in how to grow, given good soil, and protected from pests. It needs to be cultivated, so that it does not grow wild.

This is a parallel for how Adam was also to tend to himself (a piece of earth specifically prepared for him). The same jurisdiction he was given in having dominion over the earth needed to also be exercised in the dominion over his own flesh (which was of the earth). He was to keep the earth – and his body – in line with God’s commands (Genesis 2:9).

“And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.” Genesis 2:10 

“And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” Isaiah 58:11 

Out from this piece of earth prepared for man’s habitation - both the Garden & man’s body – flowed rivers of living waters to accomplish God’s purposes (John 4:10-11, 7:38); producing fertile ground from which God could reap a harvest. These rivers were to flow to the four corners of the earth, bursting forth to bring about an increase in the knowledge of the Lord and to dispel all darkness so that there would be much fruit. God designed for the entire world to be blessed by the rivers flowing through this piece of earth…the rivers flowing physically through the Garden and the Holy Spirit flowing spiritually through man (Isaiah 44:3-4; II Corinthians 4:6-7).

The Four Rivers in Eden 

• The Pison River – Pison means “increase” and Genesis 2:11 indicates that this river encompassed the land of Havilah, a land of gold and precious stones. In Scripture, gold often represents purity (Proverbs 17:3; Zechariah 13:9; I Peter 1:7; Revelation 3:18) and precious stones the knowledge of the Lord (Proverbs 8:11, 20:15, 24:4; Lamentations 4:2; Job 28:12-16). The Pison River speaks to bringing about an increase of the knowledge of the Lord in the earth. 
• The Gihon River – Gihon means “bursting forth” and Genesis 2:13 says that it encompassed the land of Ethiopia (meaning darkness). Again, there is the depiction of some present darkness against which God is violently moving in the earth. 
• The Hiddekel River – Hiddekel means “rapid; sharp voice” and Genesis 2:14 states that it heads east towards Assyria (meaning to step, to advance, to set right). It shows a quick & precise work being done to progress God’s kingdom in the earth as He calls for paths to be made straight before Him. 
• The Euphrates River – Euphrates means “Fruitfulness”. We know that the word of God will not return void, but will accomplish what He has set it to do. 

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.” James 5:7 

From the beginning of man’s creation, God’s intent was to receive through him the “precious fruit” of the earth; a harvest of souls who have overcome the powers of darkness and are filled with the knowledge of God, reflecting His glory (Numbers 14:21; Habakkuk 2:14; Colossians 1:10-17).

“And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.” Genesis 2:19 

Being led by the Spirit of God within, Adam was able to share in the logos of God (Romans 8:14; I Corinthians 2:16), reflecting God’s personal care in attending to and naming each animal God brought to him. Not only does this make clear the authority invested in man – for you only name that over which you have jurisdiction - it also imparts a sense of belonging and identity to the one being named. There was no creature too small for God to show His love and compassion.

Man was created in the earth and of the earth, yet given the inspiration of God’s Spirit to flow through him as a blessing to all the earth. This distinguished him from all other creation and gave him dominion over it (the earth on which he lived and the earth in which he lived). Along with this authority came the responsibility of being a servant as he was to watch over and preserve it from some adversarial presence.

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Who WAS Adam?

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

The First Man

Once at a retreat, the question was asked, “What does the normal condition for man look like?” Instantly I thought, “Normal was Adam.” In Adam and Eve (before the fall), we see man as God designed him to be; not one flaw, no shortcoming, devoid of perversion.

When it comes to man’s redemption, Jesus is the standard. It is His image we must be molded to in our inner man, so that the life of God may be seen in us. It is He alone who paid the price for our atonement as a sinless offering so that we might be reconciled to the Father (Acts 4:12).

To reconcile means to “bring back into a former state of harmony”. The normative condition of man before sin was that he reflected the image of God. Through the propitiation obtained in Christ Jesus, God is bringing man back to that state. Such is the function of salvation (Romans 8:29). Looking back to man’s creation, we can glean important aspects of God’s will for mankind and the spiritual battle in which we are engaged.

People have often wondered why there are two renditions of the creation story in Genesis Chapters 1 and 2. Some have gone so far as to suggest that these are conflicting stories. They are not in the least. Like all of God’s word, these texts are inspired of the Holy Spirit and reflect the mind of God. Collectively, these two perspectives give us insight into the nature of God and His peculiar creation in man.

The Nature of God 

Genesis Chapter 1 depicts a God who is far above and beyond the earth; outside of time & space. He is not of this world. With just one glance, He not only sees the fullness of the earth, but the entire universe. With just a word from afar, He can speak life into being and reorder galaxies. There is no one from whom He needs to request permission; He does as He pleases. He is sovereign.

There is no one with whom He needs to confer for understanding. He is the logos, logic & intellect. At the time when there was such a thing as “the beginning”, God was there. He is eternal. When there was nothing else, God already existed. He is the Creator of all. God refers to Himself in plurality (let us make man in “our” image). He is a trinity while still being One. All matter obeys His commands. He is omnipotent.

“He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.” Jeremiah 10:12-13 

He has authority over all because He is the Author of all.

While Genesis Chapter 1 depicts God’s majesty, Chapter 2 attests to Him being a loving Father. The words for “father” in the Scriptures denote the one who is the progenitor of another. Every time we call God "Father", we are implicitly acknowledging Him as Creator of all and over all.

ab/abba: (Hebrew/Aramaic) originator or patron, producer or generator; head or founder of a household, group, family.

pater: (Greek) The generator, originator, transmitter of anything. The root for the word "patriarch" and even the word "family".

As a Father, we can see that our God is a personal God. He not only speaks life into existence, but He is intimately involved in the details of His work. He personally “forms”, “plants”, “grows”, etc. None of creation occurred haphazardly, but it was God’s meticulous handiwork on display as He took care to order everything just as He desired. Each creation had its place; each creature had a name, an identity, a companion. God cares for His creation and its well-being, taking care to ensure that everything created was “good”.

In the two creation stories, we see that God is the great Elohiym who says, “Let there be…” and it is done, while at the same time being the very present Jehovah, whose voice even walked amongst them (Genesis 3:8). Our God is all-powerful & far above us while still being attentive and near to us. He is so by choice because such is the nature of love (I John 4:8).

A Peculiar Creation 

Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 also tell us about the peculiar creation which God made in man; peculiar because unlike the rest of creation, man was made in God’s image. The stories of creation tell us about the purpose man is to serve as we see the objective for man’s relationship with the earth, with each other, and with God.

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Book Dedication

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

“My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:1-5 

One thing the experience of writing this book has shown me is that I am but dust. There were many times when I was overwhelmed as I basked in the beauty of God’s word and His presence, considering His sacrifice for us all. At times it truly seemed too much.

“What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? And that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?” Job 7:17-18

“What is man, that he should be clean? And he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?” Job 15:14

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.” Psalm 8:4-6 

“LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! Or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!” Psalm 144:3 

“Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?” Ecclesiastes 6:11 

“But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.” Hebrews 2:6-8 

How great is the Lord our God & His love for us in that He would choose to bring His light to bear upon our darkened hearts. Who can imagine such a love? God has provided for us a living word in the Scriptures which hold untold treasures for us if we would but believe and take time to search them.

This book is dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ and all the numerous ways in which His love has been shed upon me; including my parents & extended families; my husband, Vincent Hunter and our children; Pastor & Mrs. Gary C. Price; the Omega Church & Ministries Center family, and members of the body of Christ that He has given me the grace to come to know.

I pray that this work be pleasing to Him; that it helps to bring others closer to Jesus and to understand the importance of walking as Jesus walked.  Let us all join together in exalting the name of Jesus and keeping our eyes on Him, in anticipation of His soon return.

“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” II Peter 3:11-18

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TOC - Why Adam Cannot Be Saved

The purpose of this post is to provide a quick reference to the Table of Contents (TOC) for the book, "Why Adam Cannot Be Saved."  From this page, you should be able to quickly navigate to any section of the book.  This TOC will be updated as additional portions of the book are completed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Dedication

Who was Adam?

• The First Man
  
• Man’s Relationship with the Earth
  
• Dominion
• Harmony
• Man’s Relationship with Woman
• Equal
• A Head & A Help
• One Flesh
• Man’s Relationship with God
• Creature vs. Creator
• Soldier vs. Commander
• Fellowship


• Adam’s Sin


• A Man after Man’s Own Heart

Who is Adam?

• The Seed of Adam


• Who is Adam’s God?

Is Your Name Adam?

• The Curse of Esau


• Going into Battle with Edom


• Penance vs. Godly Sorrow

Dead Man Walking

• The Last Adam


• Two Adams, Two Gardens


• A Double Homicide


• The Red Man is the Beast

Conclusion

Why Adam Cannot Be Saved

Several years ago, I had a dream where God spoke a word to me which I believed I was to write down, study, and share with others.  In fact, I believed it was supposed to be a book, but the mere idea of that seemed daunting.

See, I have always been a sort of "behind the scenes" person.  I am happy to help others, but never saw my service to Christ being anything more than that.  I never thought God would give me a word to share or want to use me to directly minister to others.  The silly question I thought was, "Who was I to write a book?"

As a result, I started the first two steps, but never got to the last.  It seemed the more I studied, the bigger the topic became, and over time this became sort of like the project I would never finish.  Plus, was I really willing to stand on my own faith, profess what I believe, and share what I felt the Lord was showing me?  Was I prepared to have my own testimony before the Lord & before men vs. supporting someone else's testimony (Revelations 12:11)?  Eventually, this project got placed on the back burner and it has stayed there since.

Yet, this is not about me, but the Lord.  I merely share that to illustrate how we often place ourselves in God's way.  Like Moses, we can become self-conscious and inhibited when God calls us to move, as if God isn't God and able to do all that He chooses through His vessels. It is His work He is doing and He is faithful to complete it.

Recently, God has brought this dream back to my remembrance and I recalled how strongly I felt that this message must be shared.  So, in the next few blog posts, I will be focused on doing just that, documenting what I believe He would have me to say on the topic: "Why Adam Cannot Be Saved".  

There is still much work for me to do in this area.  Posts may be sporadic, but I believe it is time.  This will be my focus, however long it takes, until it is completed.  I don't want to leave this world having left undone anything God has put upon my heart to do.  If God leads me to, I will compile these posts into an ebook upon completion which can be downloaded to be read in its entirety.

May He pour out His grace and Spirit to allow me to say what He would have me to in this hour.


Why Adam Cannot Be Saved - Introduction

Years ago, I had a dream where I was in a house. While in the house, various individuals would come up to me and speak about the Lord. We would have wonderful conversations about the goodness of God and the joy in serving Him. Then, after the conversation, each person would turn around from me, leave the house, and go back to the world.

After this had happened several times, I asked the Lord, “God, why is it that all of these people are going back to the world? They each seemed to know the Bible and to know you, but each time they returned to the world.” And God answered me saying, “Because Adam cannot be saved.”

At that moment, it was as if scales had fallen from my eyes. Suddenly, that simple statement from God answered all of my questions; it seemed even as if every question in the universe had been answered.

Upon waking up, I did not have the clarity that was found in the dream and I said to the Lord, “Alright God. That statement seemed to answer everything in the dream, but I am not sure that I get it. I know that we must die to the old Adamic nature, but what are you trying to tell me?”

From that point on, God led me through a study of the Scriptures that not only brought new meaning to my salvation walk, but expanded upon my understanding of man’s very existence & struggle here on this earth. In these writings, it is my hope that God will help His children to see the beauty of salvation and awaken in them a desire to be free from all false counterfeits which stymy our efforts to be fruitful for His Kingdom.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Who was Adam?

• The First Man
• Man’s Relationship with the Earth
• Dominion
• Harmony
• Man’s Relationship with Woman
• Equal
• A Head & A Help
• One Flesh
• Man’s Relationship with God
• Adam’s Sin
• A Man after Man’s Own Heart

  Who is Adam?

• The Seed of Adam
• Who is Adam’s God?

Is Your Name Adam?

• The Curse of Esau
• Going into Battle with Edom
• Penance vs. Godly Sorrow

Dead Man Walking

• The Last Adam
• Two Adams, Two Gardens
• A Double Homicide
• The Red Man is the Beast

Conclusion