The evolution of Adam - The dust of the ground
Last week we looked at how Jesus Christ could act in the role of the Redeemer and how he gained power over death through inheritance.
Having a mortal mother, but an immortal Father meant he inherited characteristics from both of those realms and was able to exercise power in both and between both of these realms.
He clearly states in John 10:
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
On this basis it is then profitable to look at the way in which The Christ's body is referred to first, in its mortal state, and then in its resurrected state because there are interesting scriptural phrases that are utilized that are similarly used when making reference to the body of Adam.
But first lets start off with Adam being formed of the dust.
Most would be familiar with the statement that Adam was made from the dust of the ground from:
Gen 2:7 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.
Based on this some conjure up mental images of God molding clay into man and animals.
But yet, If we read later scriptures we find that all people and animals are considered to be formed from dust:
Palms 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that
we are dust.
Palms 104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and
return to their dust.
Ecclesiastes 3:19 For
that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place;all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall
the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
It is very clear from these verses that not only Adam is considered to be formed of the dust of the ground but that all people and animals were too. It is clear that the biblical authors considered that upon death all returns to dust, which is the same dust from which it was made.
In more modern terminology we would simply say that the human body if formed or comprised of atoms and molecules that are common to all life and the earth as a whole.
The fact that we are born of a mother and that we now know our physical body is assembled from physical elements via biological processes make our birth and bodies no less miraculous and wonderful.
What sets us apart from the rocks, which are made from these same elements, is the breath of life... as Ecclesiastes states:
the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth
It is this spirit or breath of life that animates our physical bodies and connects us to the divine.
Without this spirit we are no different from the dust of the earth... as becomes very clear when we die and our bodies decompose and decay to be recycled into the circle of life.
Previous parts of this Series.
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Delving a little deeper
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Into the detail
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Some conclusions
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Some more conclusions
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - The implications.
The evolution of Adam - a conundrum
The evolution of Adam - Who is Adam
The evolution of Adam - Two trees and choice
The evolution of Adam - Partaking of the fruit and feeling naked
The evolution of Adam - Was there death before Adam
The evolution of Adam - The biological purpose of death.
It's interesting to know that dust formed everything in the bible, as for when we move on a soul or similar leaves the vessel, the body - as today some believe we are energy / vibration that continues its journey infinitely, I suppose it's what you want to believe, thank you
Traditional Christian teaching presents Jesus as reversing the effects of the Fall of Adam. However, an evolutionary view of beginnings doesn't allow for a historical Adam, making evolution seemingly incompatible with what Genesis and the apostle Paul say about him. For Christians who accept evolution and want to take the Bible seriously, this presents a faith-shaking tension.
Peter Enns, an expert in biblical interpretation, offers a way forward by explaining how this tension is caused not by the discoveries of science but by false expectations about the biblical texts. Focusing on key biblical passages in the discussion, Enns demonstrates that the author of Genesis and the apostle Paul wrote to ask and answer ancient questions for ancient people; the fact that they both speak of Adam does not determine whether Christians can accept evolution. This thought-provoking book helps readers reconcile the teachings of the Bible with the widely held evolutionary view of beginnings and will appeal to anyone interested in the Christianity-evolution debate.
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There is room for a historic Adam even in an evolutionary view. On simply needs to update the understanding of Adam. This does not come from a cursory reading or interpretation of biblical texts.
The perceived difficulties are not only brought about from false expectations but also from shallow, narrow and erroneous interpretations of the biblical texts in their current forms.
Now this is indeed the aspect of the bible i didnt think about.
I woukd readily say that all things were created by the words of his more, then man was moulded through dust.
Wow, i will need further studies of this. It is indeed an eye opener.
dust to dust..ashes to ashes
exactly
God created Adam from the dust indeed, the dust that was containing portions from all its varieties on his earlier created Earth.
Good post, at least we know that we came on earth without anything. When we leave; we sure have learned many wise lessons.
This is at least one of them.
nice perspective
dust and fire and the angels what energy do they occupy? spirit? The body, spirit and soul are they not different parts of man?
Wonderful post @gavvet
We are made from dust and to dust we shall return, from dust to dust.