Difference between revisions of "Adam"

<p> '''Adam''' (''ăd'am'' ), ''red, red earth.'' The name appropriated to the first man, the father of the inhabitants of the world; used, however, sometimes more generally, as in &nbsp;Genesis 5:1-2, where the woman is included. This name was probably chosen to remind the man of his earthly nature, seeing that out of the ground his body was taken, though his soul, the breath of life, was breathed into his nostrils by God's immediate act. This history of his creation is narrated in &nbsp;Genesis 1:26-30; &nbsp;Genesis 2:7; &nbsp;Genesis 2:15-25, a single pair being formed, to whom the earth was given for a possession, to replenish it with their children, to enjoy the fruits of it, and to have dominion over the inferior animate. We are told that "God created man in his own image" and after his "likeness;" not with respect to bodily shape, but with a likeness to God in moral attributes. This is implied by the expressions of St. Paul, who plainly considers righteousness and holiness the likeness of God. &nbsp;Ephesians 4:24; Col 3:10. The phrase must also denote the possession of dominion and authority; for immediately it is subjoined "let them have dominion," &nbsp;Genesis 1:26, explanatory, it would seem, of the term "image." And so St. Paul calls the man "the image and glory of God," on the ground of his being "the head of the woman." &nbsp;1 Corinthians 11:3; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 11:7. The high intellectual power with which man was endowed is illustrated by his giving appropriate names to the lower animals. &nbsp;Genesis 2:19-20. He was indeed a glorious creature, and would have been uninterruptedly and increasingly happy had he continued in his first estate of innocence. Adam's lamentable fall is next related. How long it was after his creation, ingenious men have puzzled themselves to discover, but in vain. By sin Adam lost his best prerogative. He had suffered spiritual death, and he was to suffer bodily death: dust as he was, to dust he should return. To his posterity he transmitted, therefore, a corrupted nature, which could be restored and recovered only by the power of the second Adam, a head of life and blessedness to all that believe in him. &nbsp;Romans 5:15-16; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 15:21-22; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 15:45; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 15:47-48. Of Adam's subsequent history we know little. We are expressly told that he had "sons and daughters," though the names of but three of his sons are recorded. He lived 930 years, &nbsp;Genesis 4:1-2; &nbsp;Genesis 4:25-26; &nbsp;Genesis 5:3-5; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 1:1; &nbsp;Luke 3:38, and was probably contemporary with Methusalah about 240 years. Methusalah lived 600 years with Noah; [[Shem]] lived 150 years with Abram, and 50 years with Isaac, according to the Ussher Chronology, so that the history of the world before the flood might have been carried through three or four persons to the time of Moses. 2. [[A]] city near the Jordan, by which the waters were cut off when [[Israel]] passed over. &nbsp;Joshua 3:16. </p>

<p> '''Ad'am.''' ''(red earth).'' </p> <p> 1. The name given in Scripture to the first man. It apparently has reference to the ground from which he was formed, which is called in Hebrew, '''Adamah''' . The idea of ''redness of color'' seems to be inherent in either word. </p> <p> The creation of man was the work of the sixth day - the last and crowning act of creation. Adam was created (not born) a perfect man in body and spirit, but as innocent and completely inexperienced as a child. The man Adam was placed in a garden which the Lord God had planted "eastward in Eden," for the purpose of dressing it and keeping it. ''See '' '''Eden''' ''.'' </p> <p> Adam was permitted to eat of the fruit of every tree in the garden but one, which was called "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," because it was the test of Adam's obedience. By it, Adam could know good and evil in the divine way, through obedience; thus knowing good by experience in resisting temptation and forming a strong and holy character, while he knew evil only by observation and inference. (Or he could "know good and evil," in Satan's way, by experiencing the evil and knowing good only by contrast. - Editor). </p> <p> The prohibition to taste the fruit of this tree was enforced by the menace of death. There was also another tree which was called "the tree of life." While Adam was in the garden of Eden, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air were brought to him to be named. After this, the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon him, and took one of his ribs from him, which he fashioned into a woman and brought her to the man. At this time, they were both described as being naked without the consciousness of shame. </p> <p> By the subtlety of the serpent, the woman, who was given to be with Adam, was beguiled into a violation of the one command which had been imposed upon them. She took of the fruit of the forbidden tree and gave it to her husband. The propriety of its name was immediately shown in the results which followed; self-consciousness was the first-fruits of sin; their eyes were opened and they knew that they were naked. </p> <p> Though the curse of Adam's rebellion of necessity fell upon him, yet the very prohibition to eat of the tree of life after his transgression was probably a manifestation of divine mercy, because the greatest malediction of all would have been to have the gift of indestructible life super-added to a state of wretchedness and sin. </p> <p> The divine mercy was also shown in the promise of a deliverer given at the very promise of a deliverer given at the very time the curse was imposed, &nbsp;Genesis 3:15, and opening a door of hope to Paradise, regained for him and his descendants. Adam is stated to have lived 930 years. His sons mentioned in Scripture are Cain, [[Abel]] and Seth; it is implied, however, that he had others. </p> <p> 2. ''Man,'' generically, for the name Adam was not confined to the father of the human race, but like ''homo'' was applicable to ''woman'' as well as to ''man.'' &nbsp;Genesis 5:2. </p> <p> 3. [[A]] city on the Jordan, "beside Zaretan," in the time of Joshua. &nbsp;Joshua 3:16. </p>