Adam and Eve: An Analysis

ADAM AND EVE

As most people are aware, science and the book of Genesis do not agree.  If someone would like to have them somewhat agree then it is recommended that books written by Henry Morris or another author of the Creation Science agenda may supply the desired information.

Geologists, paleontologists, evolutionists, and other like-minded natures insist the earth is millions of years old, whereas Biblical chronology appears to teach that the time span between Adam and the present is approximately 6,000 years.

Were there actually two original people named Adam and Eve created by God?  What about: Piltdown Man; Nebraska Man; Ramapithecus; Australopithecus; Homo habilis; Turkana Boy; Peking Man; Java Man; Neanderthals?  Keep in mind that pictures of these entities are the result of the imagination of the artist, occasionally with only two or three bones as background evidence.  The philosophy of evolutionists appears to be:  if the bones look human – they are recent; if the bones look ape-like they are old.

Were they dark brown and covered with hair?  Who knows but the artist.  There are several non-normal humans in the world today who aren’t considered cavemen although they may remind one of them.

From Adam’s creation to the birth of Seth:  130 years
Then to the birth of Enosh:                           105 years
To the birth of Kenan:                                     90 years
To the birth of Mahalalel:                                70 years
To the birth of Jared:                                       65 years
To the birth of Enoch:                                      62 years
To the birth of Methuselah:                              65 years
To the birth of Lamech:                                  187 years
To the birth of Noah:                                      182 years
To the Flood:                                                  600 years Total:                                                           1,656 years

Luke traces the genealogy of Jesus all the way back to Adam.

Luke 3:38 NET  the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus spoke of Noah as a real living person, as in “just like the days of Noah WERE” and not as the days of Noah were said to be.

Matthew 24:37 NET  For just like the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.

Whether actual or myth, the authenticity of Adam is extremely important within the context of the Gospel of Christ.  Due to the sin of Adam, all people would die a natural death (and sometimes not so natural), due to the sinless sacrifice of Jesus all will be made alive forever in the spirit through the advent of the two resurrections.

1 Corinthians 15:22 NET  For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive (in the spirit).

1 Corinthians 15:45 NET  So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living person"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

For the sake of argument, let’s suppose that the Genesis story of the creation and fall of Adam and Eve are merely mythological stories employed to relate certain lessons and metaphoric truths to the Christian agenda.

Both Adam and Eve are presented as being naked without any concerns about a lack of clothing.  It is said they were created as glorified beings or with a spiritual type of body similar to or exactly as the resurrected Christ.  That supposition may not be the case since both decided to disobey the command of God.

Genesis 2:25 NET  The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed.

After performing the disobedient act, both Adam and Eve realized they were naked and were concerned that God would view them as being indecent and decided to hide among various plants.  God called them out, killed one or two sheep, and clothed them with the skins.  This represented the initial sacrifice of the Lamb for the covering of sin.  Keep in mind the sacrifice only covered the couple’s sin – it did not remove it.

Throughout the years, until the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God instituted, as law, various types of animal sacrifices representing the covering of sin and the term nakedness is occasionally used to describe the sin nature.

Having sinned and becoming earthly had some ramifications.  Before the sin, giving birth may have been a miraculous event, but now it would cause pain to the woman.  Although not mentioned in the text, becoming earthly gave men an insatiable desire and drive to have sexual relations (i.e. and some current men, with little or no self-control, or good sense, are paying dearly for that urge)

Genesis 3:16 NET  To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your labor pains; with pain you will give birth to children. You will want to control your husband, but he will dominate you."

Also notice that women would aspire to control their husbands and other men if placed in charge – this is the Word of God and not my opinion.  This comment may incense feminists and those proclaiming equal sexual rights, but a male and a female are not equal.  They are two completely different entities.  They have different values, thoughts, responses, opinions, and their purpose in life is different.  The two books, Men are From Mars and Women are From Venus by John Gray describes these differences in layman’s terms very well (the internet is such a wonderful tool).  Most women appear to be happier as a wife and mother, and not as a single mother or single woman working every day to make a decent living.

However, other translations word this phrase differently.  KJV:  and thy desire (longing) shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.   LXX:  and thy submission shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.  CLV (Concordant Literal):  Yet by your husband is your restoration, and he shall rule over you.

You may claim the various interpretations mean two different things.  Possibly, but consider the following Word Study definition.

šûqāh:  World Study Dictionary

It was used to describe the strong feelings of desire that one person had for another, but it was not always a healthy desire. As part of the judgment after Adam and Eve's sin, God said that a woman would long for her husband (Gen_3:16). People are not the only thing that can long: God told Cain that sin was lying at his door, desiring to enter (Gen_4:7).

The type of desire (or longing) would need to be considered and the type is not necessarily one of passion.

Due to the control of Eve, Adam sinned although he knew he shouldn’t.  As as Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:22 because of Adam’s choice all humans would hereafter die and return to the ground as dust.  In addition, the earth was cursed.  Because the couple would now be required to eat food to survive, cultivated food would involve difficult work to produce and be besieged with thorns, thistles, rocks, lack of water, and various weeds.

Genesis 3:17-19 NET  But to Adam he said, "Because you obeyed your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat from it,' cursed is the ground thanks to you; in painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.  It will produce thorns and thistles for you, but you will eat the grain of the field.  By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return."

Human beings were therefore cursed to physically die.  The “tree of life” is most likely speaking of Jesus Christ and the couple were metaphorically not allowed to come in contact with it at this time.

Genesis 3:22 NET  And the LORD God said, "Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."

As related earlier, the first Adam brought death to all human beings and the second Adam which is Jesus Christ brought eternal life to all human beings.  Whether or not one accepts it – Jesus is the “tree of life”.  All must die and the metaphorical tree was temporarily taken away from humans. 

1 Corinthians 15:22 NET  For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive (in the spirit).

The first century appearance of Jesus Christ taught people the process (Gospel) of reaching the tree of life and the future ability of obtaining eternal life which the first couple lost.  It was through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God similar to the first lamb sacrificed as a cover for sin.  However, the second Lamb of God covers and temporarily removes the sin of the true believer.  All sin will be reproved and permanently removed at the resurrection of human beings.

Cain was born from Eve and Adam was his father – not Satan.  The terms “children of the devil” is metaphoric. 

Genesis 4:1 NET  Now the man had marital relations with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, "I have created a man just as the LORD did!"

Some like to put some “spice” in their theology but Cain “who was of the evil one” meant his actions and thoughts were evil and not his DNA.

1 John 3:12 NET  not like Cain who was of the evil one and brutally murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, but his brother's were righteous.

The same verse in two different translations describes “certain people” as having “gone in the way of Cain” which is the same as “traveled down Cain’s path.  In other words these certain people have made evil actions based on evil thoughts.

Jude 1:11 NET  Woe to them! For they have traveled down Cain's path, and because of greed have abandoned themselves to Balaam's error; hence, they will certainly perish in Korah's rebellion.

Jude 1:11 KJV  Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Besides, if Adam and Eve are myths then so is Cain.

The Church In The Wilderness

THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS

12-14-2016

It has previously been written, in a past article, that the woman who fled to the wilderness, in Revelation 12, is the same woman in the wilderness sitting on the scarlet beast in Revelation 17.  Women in the Wilderness 

Revelation 12:14 NET  But the woman was given the two wings of a giant eagle so that she could fly out into the wilderness, to the place God prepared for her, where she is taken care of — away from the presence of the serpent — for a time, times, and half a time.

Revelation 12:17 NET  So the dragon became enraged at the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep God's commandments and hold to the testimony about Jesus.

Considering the decision of the dragon to go and make war on her children i.e. those who keep God's commandments and hold to the testimony about Jesus, there is a high probability the woman is the Church.  For somewhat over a thousand years after Revelation was drafted, the Church was primarily the Roman Church.

The early Church around Jerusalem came under great tribulation from the Temple leaders and were scattered around the Middle East and Southeast Europe beginning their time in the wilderness.  When prominence was vested in the church after it became a legal religion, power increased within the Roman seat and also later in the Eastern seat in Constantinople.  Eventually, all religious power rested within the Roman Church structure for all of Europe, Northern Africa, and many of the Eastern areas.

The First Wilderness Wandering

The Israelites had the Passover faith to pack up their belongings and leave Egypt under the leadership of Moses.  When they arrived at Sinai, God appeared to Moses as a flame or a fire with thunders and lightning.  Later, after Moses met with God on several occasions, the congregation was asked to listen to the voice of God as He desired to give them the laws and commandments.

At the sight and sound of the smoke, thundering, and lightning, the people were fearful and refused to allow God to appear and speak in their presence.  Their decision was for Moses to go up the mountain, listen to the words of God, and then repeat the information to them.  During Moses’ trip to listen to God on Sinai, the congregation molded a golden calf, which resulted in idolatry worship.

For some reason the Israelites lost the faith that took them out of Egypt.  From this point onward their lack of faith in the power of God continued in various ways and became a disaster for all the people except Caleb and Joshua.  The story spoken by ten of the twelve spies exploring the land spoke of giant men and the people became fearful and refused to enter the land.  As a result God assigned the congregation to wander in the wilderness for a total of forty years until all adults died except of course for Joshua and Caleb.

Exodus 20:18-21 NET  All the people were seeing the thundering and the lightning, and heard the sound of the horn, and saw the mountain smoking — and when the people saw it they trembled with fear and kept their distance. 

(19)  They said to Moses, "You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak with us, lest we die."  

(20)  Moses said to the people, "Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you so that you do not sin."  (21)  The people kept their distance, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.

The Church in the Wilderness

Similar to the Israelites at Sinai, the Church people did not listen to God.  The major cause of this inability to listen to God was due to the Roman Church denying access to the Bible.  The Bible chained to the front of the Cathedral was written in Latin that no one could read except for the priests.  All vernacular translations of the scriptures were forbidden and only approved hints of the substance of the Bible were given only by the priests.  The result was similar to the “fake news” debacle occurring within the USA today.  Whatever the Roman Church reported as “Christian” was readily accepted by the majority as truth.

Israel’s lack of faith caused them to worship the golden calf shortly after failing to hear God for themselves. In fact, their shortage of faith during their entire wilderness wandering meant that most were led by the flesh, rather than by the Spirit. The flesh is always an inner “harlot” that leads us to worship the golden calf in some manner. On a corporate scale (including Protestant groups), the church has had the same problem throughout the entire church age.  The seven letters to the seven churches, at the beginning of the Revelation addresses the lack of faith mentality of the churches, from the beginning to the present.

Martin Luther posted his 95 thesis in 1517.  He translated the New Testament from Greek to a vernacular German in 1522 and the complete Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments in 1534.  The printing press was also developed during the same time period (brought to Eastern Europe by the Mongol invasion) which greatly aided the distribution of the Bible, which people could read for themselves in their own language for the first time since the initiation of the Roman Church.

Israel, prior to the division after the death of Solomon, brought forth David (with the assistance of God).  Although David greatly sinned with the Bathsheba affair (he later repented) he ruled Israel as a follower of God and His laws.  After the division, northern Israel was termed a harlot by Hosea.  Later, southern Judah was cast out for their idol worshipping harlotry and placed under the rule of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and finally Rome.  Afterwards, the majority of the Church have been disqualified from ruling the coming Kingdom of God due to their idolatry and lack of faith concerning the true workings of God.

In the days of Elijah, God said that only 7000 souls have not disqualified themselves by worshipping Baal.  In like manner, according to God through Paul, there is currently only a remnant that is free of the harlotry of idolatry.  This remnant, sometimes called the elect or the overcomers are the ones truly chosen to participate as leaders during the Kingdom of God. 

Romans 11:4-5 KJV  But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.  (5)  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

In the Days of Noah

Immediately prior to the flood, Noah and his family entered the ark and the flood took them away.  In like manner, the return of Jesus will envision some taken away and others will be left.

Matthew 24:38-40 KJV  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,  (39)  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  (40)  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

There are several interpretations for this passage and the majority of them are in error.  “They were eating and drinking, etc.” refers to the general population.  Noah and his family entered the ark during this event or time.  No one knew about the nature of rain or vast amounts of water coming forth from the ground, including Noah and his family.  Thus when the flood came, even though Noah was unaware of the process, the water took them away as they were aboard the ark.  The general population outside the ark, most likely knew much more about the origin of the water than Noah since they were watching it happen.

One so-called seer teaches that the people taken away in verse 40 are taken to hell.  Although a fiery hell of eternal punishment does not exist, it could mean they are terminated and sent to the grave which is the actual meaning of hell and Hades.  However, both scenarios are false.  Salvation, Hell, & Resurrection

The ones taken in verse 40 are the elect, the overcomers, or the remnant.  The popular explanatory word is the Latin translation of “rapture”.  Before they are taken, the remnant of the days of Elijah plus many other deceased elect will be caught up first and then the living overcomers will join them.

The Days of Noah, the Rapture, & the 2nd Coming

THE DAYS OF NOAH, THE RAPTURE AND THE SECOND COMING

As The Days of Noah

Matthew 24:37-39 KJV  But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  (38)  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,  (39)  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

The days of Noah will be quite similar to the time of the 2^nd coming of Jesus Christ.  Matthew 24:37 has generated much speculation throughout the years, particularly the past few years.  Tom Horn (and others) claim that the last days will witness a resurgence of fallen angels, Nephilim giants, chimera, and demonic entities of various flavors.  I consider this doubtful to actually occur.  Never mind that Jesus specifically described the parallels between the days of Noah and the last days.

This particular scripture does not concern Noah and his family but only the people living during the days of Noah.  It also appears to only be concerned with the flood as the wrath of God and nothing extraneous.  The inhabitants of those days ignored the preaching of Noah and other grand sires.  They continued their “life as usual” by eating, drinking, and marriage customs with no regard for the coming annihilation that was proclaimed by Noah and others.  At the time, many probably believed that Noah was a gibbering fool and that God either did not exist or would not destroy the world with a flood, much like today.  They were completely astonished when the rain started falling and water gushing from the ground, as most people will be today when the mass killings, plagues, and falling meteorites begin in earnest.  It will be the unbelievers who will be taken away (to death) not the believers.  Noah was not taken away – he merely entered the ark and was saved from death to begin a new generation of individuals.

One Taken, the Other Left

Matthew 24:40-41 KJV  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  (41)  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Within the context of Matthew 24:37-39, the next two verses (40-41) are an extension of the Noah verses concept and part of the general thought structure.  At the flood all were destroyed except Noah and his family.  During the days of tribulation and the final wrath of God, more will be preserved than eight but many will be destroyed.  Jesus proclaims that some will be left alive and others will be taken.  The question to be answered is:  which group will be taken and which group will be left behind?

This is one of the rapture crowd’s favorite rapture verses, particularly the pre-trib rapturists.  They claim the ones taken are raptured and according to Tim LaHayes Left Behind series of books and movies, the ones left behind are the unbelievers and the taken are the believers floating off into heaven leaving behind a pile of clothing.  The belief of a BIN writer (DTBR) is that the left behind group are the believers and the taken are sent to Hades (the bottomless pit / hell / the lake of fire / etc.)  I do not believe this DTBR interpretation is correct.

Because verses 40-41 are within the same context as 37-39 then the ones taken will be the unbelievers.  The flood took away all the unbelievers of Noah’s day and likewise the unbelievers will be taken away in verses 40-41.  They will be taken away by death and destruction just as the flood took away the unbelievers by death and destruction.

A Different Rapture View

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 is probably the most well-known passage concerning the rapture and the 2^nd coming of Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 KJV  (15)  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  (16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  (17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

It will be said that Paul was centering his focus upon the order of events as they would occur and not necessarily the timing of events.  As for timing, most exegetes consider that the resurrection of the dead and the harpazo (caught up / rapture) of the living will occur almost simultaneously which may not be the case as will be discussed later.

The first event will be the resurrection of the dead in Christ.  Paul proceeds and uses the word “then” which means “next” rather than meaning “not immediately”.  According to Dr. Stephen Jones, the feast of trumpets (the trump of God) occurs on the first day of the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar.  This prophesies of the resurrection of the dead.  The harpazo, or “catching away” occurs during the feast of Tabernacles which begins on the 15^th day of the seventh month, therefore these events are at least two weeks apart.  In other words the resurrection of the dead and the catching away of the saints will be, at a minimum, two weeks apart in timing.

The next event in Paul’s statement is, “to meet the Lord in the air” in which “meet” is the Greek word apantesis.  The various Greek dictionaries add little substance to the meaning other than “to meet as in an encounter”.  However, the usage of the word in the New Testament implies by application that it means:  to meet and return with as an escort or entourage.  Two of the four New Testament usages can be found in Matthew 25:1 and 6. 

The ten virgins were to “meet” the bridegroom.  At the bridegroom’s arrival, five virgins were foolish and left the scene to acquire oil for their lamps.  The wise virgins went to meet the bridegroom and traveled back to the door of the wedding and went in.  The door is the place where all ten were waiting; the five with extra oil went out to meet the bridegroom and returned with Him to the wedding room door.  The five foolish virgins were late and the door was closed and would not be reopened.  Therefore, the five wise virgins went to meet the bridegroom and returned with Him (to meet and return with as an escort).

Matthew 25:1 KJV  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet (apantesis) the bridegroom.

The Bridegroom did not come to snatch away the wise virgins and take them back to heaven with Him (or anywhere else for that matter). Instead, the virgins escorted Him back to the place where they had been waiting i.e. the door of the wedding ceremony. 

More information concerning the story of the 10 Virgins can be found at the following link:

http://freedomfromdelusion.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-ten-virgins-two-resurrections.html

The next use of the word apantesis is found in Acts 28:15.  Paul, as a prisoner, is taken to Rome.  Believers came from Rome to meet Paul and returned to Rome with him as an entourage. 

Acts 28:15-16 KJV  And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.  (16)  And when we came to Rome…….

Paul was explaining that believers would meet the Lord in the air and accompany Him to the earth in His return as explained symbolically (or prophetically) in the story of the ten virgins.  The five foolish virgins would continue to be alive (not sent to hell) but would have to attend school (bond servant) taught by the fire of the word of God.

How far above the surface of the earth is “in the air”?  Many consider it to be the upper atmosphere where clouds are found (too many movies and so-called Christian fiction).  In the air only means “not in the ground”.  It could be a mile or a millimeter.

No one is given a free ticket to escape “the great tribulation” as some claim is coming.  As proof of this for pre-trib rapturists, Revelation 7:14 is invoked, where it says, "these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation."  These individuals come out of, not escape any tribulation at all.  In my opinion, the only tribulation that is escaped is the wrath of God.