In the book of Genesis, right after the story of creation, comes Adam and Eve in the Bible. Every story in the Bible is important and given to us for a reason. This got me thinking, about what should we learn from Adam and Eve in the Bible.
Who is Adam in the Bible?
Adam is the first human being created by God according to the Bible. He holds a significant role as the progenitor of all humanity, representing our shared origins and the divine image in which we are made.
Let’s look into everything we can learn from the life of Adam in the Bible.
Adam and Eve – The First Humans
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. Genesis 1:27-30
On the 6th day of creation, God created Adam. Genesis 1:27 tells us that he was “created in God’s image.” What does that even mean to be created in the image of God?
Biblical scholars believe that the “image of God” is what makes us different from all the other creatures on earth. We have a material body and an immaterial soul/spirit. God is a spirit foam (John 4:24). It is in spirit we resemble God.
Adam and Eve were also flesh. It is only reasonable to conclude that they resembled God psychically too. Adam and Eve would have a perfect body and health.
This video from GotQuestions.org makes understanding the concept of the “Image of God” much clearer.
Adam and Eve – Husband & Wife
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18
God saw that Adam needed help, and this leads to God creating Eve from Adam. The foundation for this union was that of support. Adam needed help, thus God gave him Eve.
When you are looking for a spouse what are you looking for? Is it someone that helps you? Helps you be the best version of yourself, you can be.
This should be one of the foundational pieces anytime you are debating about making things serious with that special someone you have in your life. Are they a helper? Are they supportive?
Marriage is not just a one-way street all about you. It is in the story of the fall of man that we get to see Adam and Eve in their true light.
Adam and Eve – The Fall
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:7
We have all heard the story of the first sin. Looking at it through the eyes of Adam shined some new light on this story. Everything starts with the serpent deceiving them. In reading Genesis 3, you will find that the serpent only talks with Eve.
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3:6
Do you notice that Adam was with Eve that whole time? He didn’t step in and protect his wife from harm. He was passive in this whole event. But after eating Adam is very active.
They both feel shame and cover their bodies. With that not being enough, they hid from God. Like God isn’t going to find them. Once God finds them the first thing Adam does is blame God and Eve.
The man said, “The woman YOU put here with me—SHE gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Genesis 3:12
Does this sound familiar to you? It sure does to me. Every time I do something I know is wrong, I immediately feel shame and guilt. I hid from the people I feel like I have let down because of my actions. And in the case where I get called out, the first thing I do is shove the blame on anything or anyone I can.
Take responsibility for your actions no matter how hard they might be.
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13
Adam and Eve – The Parents
Adam and Eve would go on to have two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain the firstborn worked the soil. Able, the younger would take care of the flock. Cain would go on to kill Abel. He did so out of anger because God favored Abel’s offerings more than He favored Cains. You can read the whole story in Genesis Chapter 4.
The reason God favored Abel more than Cain was because Abel gave God the first of his flock. Whereas Cain only gave after taking some of his crops for himself.
I find it interesting that Cain worked in the field. When God kicked Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, God told Adam…
“Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. Genesis 3:17
This would imply that Adam would be working in the field.
Throughout the Bible, the firstborn son is the “golden” child of the family. Cain is the firstborn and working the field would have spent hours with his father, Adam.
Even though they spent all this time together Adam never taught Cain to be better than he was. To learn from his mistakes. To trust and obey God.
That should be the main focus you have as a parent. To raise your children to live a happy, healthy, and holy life by having a relationship with God.
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6
Conclusion
The story of Adam and Eve in the Bible teaches us some foundational lessons for our life. We should always be striving to have the image of God in our life. As a spouse, we should find a partner that supports us. When we fail, we should take responsibility for our actions. And as a parent, we should teach our children to love and obey God’s teachings.