2024/01/29

128. 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness' Part 1

The Book of Genesis says, "The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living" (Genesis 3:20). This happening became the direct cause of the first two being driven out of the Garden of Eden. This idea of Adam must have been inspired by God's words to the 'woman,' "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children" (Genesis 3:16), which he had heard and remembered the experience. 

As he took in the accidental information, a trial-and-error process occurred within the unconscious thinking mechanism of his 'knowledge and memory proportionate to man', from which a delayed judgement appeared in his consciousness, developing an episodic memory: 'She was the mother of all living.' As a result, Adam named his wife Eve. This act could never have happened by spontaneity responding to God's command, 'Let there be ...,' alone. 

That happening was again a sign that his 'knowledge and memory proportionate to man' was connected to the 'breath of life,' skipping over the 'tree of life,' via the 'tree of the knowledge of good and evil' (cf. blog №127). Man evolved in such a way. But God did not give up what he had said: "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness," and set up another plan and bestowed it upon man. The description, "And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21), suggests this fact. Another plan, in this case, is that people wait for the Saviour, being led to discern 'man's accidental information' by the 'enmity that God has placed' in them. 

Continuing, God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:22). This statement refers to the fact that, just as the Word that commanded 'Let there be ...', which maintains interaction with individual lives through the work of the Holy Spirit, is linked with the lives of living creatures (cf. Matthew 6:25-31, 10:28-31, John 14:17), man has become connected to the 'breath of life' via the 'tree of the knowledge of good and evil.' Concerned about the 'tree of life', God "drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life" (Genesis 3:24). 

On the other hand, God had an original plan for Adam to make him 'till the earth' (cf. Genesis 2:5; 2:15; 3:23). However, God's foretelling, "[C]ursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life" (Genesis 3:17), comes true. In time, in the land, the work of redemption, "In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread" (Genesis 3:19), is revealed in its true form, and it is carried out as priesthood by the male descendants of Adam. This work of redemption continues to sustain the people to this day.

To be continued.

Maria K. M.