"In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God." (verse 1) Once again, I am reminded that people are different from animals because we are made in God's "likeness." In the original language, it means "resemblance, model, shape, manner"; like God, we have intellect, the ability to reason, a will and emotions. Like God, we are spiritual beings. We have a soul, which allows us to have a relationship with God. A soul allows us to live forever after our bodies are dead. Animals do not have a soul; we couldn't have evolved from animals.
I also notice that God named us collectively: "He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created." (verse 2) Naming someone was a big deal because it showed your authority over the one named. Adam was given the privilege of naming the animals, showing his "dominion" over the Earth (1:28). God naming man was God's final stamp of authority over His creation. I think it further established a universal hierarchy or chain of command.
This chapter also gives us the genealogy of Adam to Noah (Adam had many lines of children, but this is the one godly line that we get in detail), and we see just how long people were living. I have read many theories about why people lived such a long time, but how can we really know? I accept the fact that somehow, pre-flood conditions on Earth were favorable for very long life. And because Adam's sons and daughters lived so long, the Earth would have been quickly populated.
The Bible doesn't tell us exactly how many children Adam and Eve had, but the famous Jewish historian Josephus (about the time of Christ) states that tradition attributes them with 33 sons and 23 daughters. And yes, originally, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews must have married. It is not until the time of Moses, over two thousand years later, that such unions were forbidden. This is a BIG issue today, and one that we need to be able to understand and articulate. A great article for later reference is "Cain's Wife-Who Was She?" by Ken Ham (Do you remember the fascinating Australian guy we heard at one of our homeschool conventions years ago?) This is the link...
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab/who-was-cains-wife
One final thought: I notice on one of my cool Bible charts that Adam's life would have overlapped slightly with Lamech's life (Noah's father.) It appears that Lamech would have been in his 60s when Adam finally died; surely Lamech would have spent time with his great, great, great, great, great, great, great Grandfather Adam (7 greats/8 generations back). And I can imagine that since ancient people had such rich oral histories (picture story telling around the camp fire), that Lamech would have heard some amazing accounts from Grandfather Adam. The FIRST man telling about walking with God, living in a once perfect world. I'm guessing that Adam must have had rock-star status in the minds of many. I imagine Lamech and the other grandchildren asking him many questions over and over: What was it like to live there? To see the first woman and later, the first baby? To name the animals and play with them? To live differently because of the curse? To see things being built and invented?
Would Lamech have told Noah about the family history? I would think so since Lamech, "called his name Noah, saying, 'This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed." (verse 29) Noah must have been very influenced by his rich heritage to live a godly life. Noah's great grandfather Enoch was so godly that God "took him"; he didn't die.
Living it today: Hmmm, lots to ponder. There is a chain of command in the universe and I've been given the privilege of working under, serving alongside and communing with the Creator. I am special. You are special. I must live today in light of that awesome truth. Will my line be one that carries on a rich, godly heritage? I purpose to teach on!
Living it yesterday: Only an hour after finishing the mastering anger/sin post, I was given the opportunity to act on my resolve when Garrett waited until late Friday night to be sure he had the right uniform shorts that he needed for soccer camp the next morning. And I had been told much earlier that everything had been located. And we stayed up until 1:00 AM looking and they were never found. (Sorry Garrett, just keeping it real for the purpose of sharing my teachable moment:) How did I do? Did I master my anger or did I give in and sin? Well, let's just say God was definitely at work and my demeanor was much calmer than it would have been. Thank you, Lord for preparing me and keeping me from saying or doing things I would have really regretted later.
I also notice that God named us collectively: "He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created." (verse 2) Naming someone was a big deal because it showed your authority over the one named. Adam was given the privilege of naming the animals, showing his "dominion" over the Earth (1:28). God naming man was God's final stamp of authority over His creation. I think it further established a universal hierarchy or chain of command.
This chapter also gives us the genealogy of Adam to Noah (Adam had many lines of children, but this is the one godly line that we get in detail), and we see just how long people were living. I have read many theories about why people lived such a long time, but how can we really know? I accept the fact that somehow, pre-flood conditions on Earth were favorable for very long life. And because Adam's sons and daughters lived so long, the Earth would have been quickly populated.
The Bible doesn't tell us exactly how many children Adam and Eve had, but the famous Jewish historian Josephus (about the time of Christ) states that tradition attributes them with 33 sons and 23 daughters. And yes, originally, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews must have married. It is not until the time of Moses, over two thousand years later, that such unions were forbidden. This is a BIG issue today, and one that we need to be able to understand and articulate. A great article for later reference is "Cain's Wife-Who Was She?" by Ken Ham (Do you remember the fascinating Australian guy we heard at one of our homeschool conventions years ago?) This is the link...
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab/who-was-cains-wife
One final thought: I notice on one of my cool Bible charts that Adam's life would have overlapped slightly with Lamech's life (Noah's father.) It appears that Lamech would have been in his 60s when Adam finally died; surely Lamech would have spent time with his great, great, great, great, great, great, great Grandfather Adam (7 greats/8 generations back). And I can imagine that since ancient people had such rich oral histories (picture story telling around the camp fire), that Lamech would have heard some amazing accounts from Grandfather Adam. The FIRST man telling about walking with God, living in a once perfect world. I'm guessing that Adam must have had rock-star status in the minds of many. I imagine Lamech and the other grandchildren asking him many questions over and over: What was it like to live there? To see the first woman and later, the first baby? To name the animals and play with them? To live differently because of the curse? To see things being built and invented?
Would Lamech have told Noah about the family history? I would think so since Lamech, "called his name Noah, saying, 'This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed." (verse 29) Noah must have been very influenced by his rich heritage to live a godly life. Noah's great grandfather Enoch was so godly that God "took him"; he didn't die.
Living it today: Hmmm, lots to ponder. There is a chain of command in the universe and I've been given the privilege of working under, serving alongside and communing with the Creator. I am special. You are special. I must live today in light of that awesome truth. Will my line be one that carries on a rich, godly heritage? I purpose to teach on!
Living it yesterday: Only an hour after finishing the mastering anger/sin post, I was given the opportunity to act on my resolve when Garrett waited until late Friday night to be sure he had the right uniform shorts that he needed for soccer camp the next morning. And I had been told much earlier that everything had been located. And we stayed up until 1:00 AM looking and they were never found. (Sorry Garrett, just keeping it real for the purpose of sharing my teachable moment:) How did I do? Did I master my anger or did I give in and sin? Well, let's just say God was definitely at work and my demeanor was much calmer than it would have been. Thank you, Lord for preparing me and keeping me from saying or doing things I would have really regretted later.
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