Tag Archives: Adam and Eve

Read the Bible: Genesis 2

Posted on by

When the Old Testament of the Bible was written, there were no books, paper had not been invented, the Hebrew language had no characters for vowels and the text was not divided into chapters and verses. The Bibles we have today are modern forms of ancient documents. God gave us his Word because he meant for us to have it. The scripture has been not only translated into new languages that did not exist in antiquity but God’s message has been preserved through the ages.

Chapter and verse divisions are a recent innovation, when we think about the whole timeline of human history. The archbishop of Canterbury added chapter division in the 13th Century (there were still no verses for another 300 years). If it were up to me, the first three verses of Genesis 2 might have appeared at the end of chapter 1. No one asked me. God finished his creation work and rested on the seventh day. Beginning at Gen. 2:4, we are given a more detailed description of the creation of man and woman.

Let’s Talk About Eve

Posted on by

I spend a lot of time online. I do all of my Bible study and sermon prep online. I blog and update the church website. I also spend time watching YouTube videos and scrolling through Facebook and Twitter. I’ve seen a lot of memes lately, like the one shown here, about giving Eve the stink eye when meeting her in heaven. Sometimes people want to have a long theological discussion or engage in debate in a comment thread. Someone else’s comment thread is not the place for that kind of thing. This is the place for that kind of thing. Without being critical of anyone for having a sense or humor let’s be serious for a moment.

Continue reading →

From the Archives: Lessons from the Garden of Eden

Posted on by

I have been physically ill for much of this week and there hasn’t been a new post since Monday. I’ve been digging in the archives and to be honest probably don’t post “reruns” often enough. It’s been six years since this post was published. There is constant turnover online as blogs disappear and new ones are created. I certainly have many more friends and followers today than way back when. And of course some things are worth repeating. From July 2008, here is Lessons from the Garden of Eden.

 

7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.    -Gen. 2:7-9

 

Lesson 1: We are special to God. Human beings are made in God’s image and likeness (Gen 1:26-27).  What does that mean exactly?  I’m not even sure.  People will tell you what it means, but truthfully, we don’t really know for sure.  We do that no other being in creation is described this way.  Continue reading →