Adam and Eve
“And God said, let us make humankind in our image.” We are God’s highest and best creation because we are made in His image, the image of the trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (notice the ‘Us’ and ‘Our’ in Genesis 1: 26-28). We are made in His image because, in addition to having a physical body, we have a spirit. This sets us apart from the animals. Our spirits enable us to know God and to hear His voice, but they also enable us to have contact with other spirit beings like demons. We, like God, can reason, communicate, and have relationships with God and other men and women. We have emotions like God, and we have a will. We are creative like God is creative, capable of planning, designing, building, and inventing, as well as making art and music. We are also moral beings, understanding right and wrong, and capable of making moral choices.
God made us male and female, and commanded us to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Our sexuality is good, a gift from God that enables us to enjoy intimacy and have children. Only the misuse of sex is sinful. (Song of Solomon)
Note that both man and woman were created in God’s image, so men and women have equal worth and standing before God. Eve was formed by God for Adam, to be a helper comparable to him. Man and woman are a matched pair, just like our right and left hands that are designed to work together to accomplish tasks. Men and women are equal, yet different. We each have an important function to fulfill. God has created us to work together to accomplish His purposes in the family, the church, and the world.
God gave mankind dominion over the earth, and over all the land and sea creatures. We have this position of authority as a gift from God, and we are responsible to Him for how we exercise that authority. All that God has made is good and beautiful. We must care for the land, the air, all plant life, and all land and sea creatures. They have been given to us to tend with care so that the earth will flourish. They are not ours to use, abuse and destroy. (Genesis 2:8, 15-18)
God planted a garden for Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden to tend and to keep it. It provided food for them, but it was more than just a place to live and work, it was a living temple. Mankind was created to know God and to live in loving fellowship with Him. Adam and Eve were to exercise dominion over the earth as priests, God’s representatives in the earth that He had created. This is what God formed all mankind to do, this is our calling, our life’s work. This calling is restored in Christ because we will reign with Him in His Kingdom as a royal priesthood. (1 Peter 2:4-10)
Here in the first few chapters of Genesis, God is at work establishing His Kingdom. After creating all things in heaven and on earth He rightfully assumes His place as King over all that He made. As King, He establishes order as He sees fit. He sets in place day and night, the seasons, boundaries for land and sea. He brings forth fish and animals. Lastly, He forms humankind to rule over the earth under and by His authority. All is pleasing to God, all is very good, and all is in harmony. (Ephesians 5:22-33)
Discovery Bible Studies
Lesson 6: Adam and Eve
Download to PDF
- Who is the “Us” in this verse?
- What does it mean for men and women to be made in God’s image?
- In what ways are we like God?
- In what ways are we not like God?
- What does it mean for mankind to have dominion over the earth and all its creatures?
- How can we exercise this dominion in a way that pleases God?
- Are male and female equally made in God’s image?
- In your community or country how are women often not treated like a person made in God’s image?
- What activity did God assign to Adam in the garden?
- In what way was Eve a helper comparable to Adam?
- In all of Genesis chapters one and two how has God acted as King, and what was it like for Adam and Eve to live in His Kingdom in fellowship with God?
- What did God forbid Adam and Eve to do?
- If they disobeyed, what would be the consequences?
Additional passages for study: Ephesians 5:22-33
Image by Markus Baumeler from Pixabay