You’re the Man!
Today’s Verse:
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. ~Genesis 2:15
In Genesis 2, we have the first mention of man. Man is the highest of all of God’s creation. God made man to have fellowship with Him. God made man in His own image. God made man to be eternal. God made man to have a purpose. “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” Ps. 8:4. In our reading of Gen. 2, we see the first man, Adam. This morning, let us see how God’s message to Adam was, “You’re the man!”
We see that man was made a living SOUL.
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul,” vs. 7. As a living, soul man’s life and existence is tied to God. It is important that we note that the emphasis on man is spirit, soul, and body. Our sinful nature focuses on the cravings and wants of our flesh. However, God made us spiritual beings, where the focus of our order should be spirit, soul, and body. The most important thing about man is his soul. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36.
We see that man was made a laboring STEWARD.
“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it,” vs. 15. God gave charge over His entire garden to Adam. Adam was to dress it, to keep it, and to assign names to God’s creation. God made man to be a responsible being. God made man to labor and work. God made man to be diligent and resourceful. As stewards, we are to be faithful in whatever God has entrusted to us. We are not to be wasteful, destructive, or negligent. We are to be organized and outstanding managers of what has been entrusted to us. God saw that Adam executed his responsibility well.
We see that man was made to be loyally SUBMISSIVE.
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die,” vs. 16-17. God established boundaries for man. These boundaries are found by way of commandments. A commandment describes what we can and cannot do. Let us remember that a commandment from God is not grievous (I John 5:3). God’s commandments are to be loved and kept if we want to secure God’s blessings on our life.
We see that man was given a lovely SPOUSE.
Well, we see that God gave man a purpose, a priority, and a precept. God further demonstrated His love for man by providing him a partner. “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him,” vs. 18. God loved Adam and wanted to provide him someone similar to him, but physically and emotionally different to be his companion, to complement him, and to complete him. Companionship is the filling of the human need of a man and woman, where two become one and two are better than one. God’s design in companionship is that the mutual roles of husband and wife make each other better people than when they were single.
We see that man was made with lasting SIGNIFICANCE.
We will die one day, and our soul will either go to heaven or hell. Heaven is our final destination when we, by faith, accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. Hell is our final destination if we reject taking Christ as Savior. God wants us to live for eternity, and not for this life only. Only one life will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.
Yes, you’re the man! God loves you and made you to glorify Him. Don’t blow your opportunities and privileges by spending your life living for the wrong motive. Live your life as the man or woman God made you to be; know His will and do it!
Have a purposeful God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Chronicles 7-8