1A9
© Jeff Stacey | Last updated: 15 Septmber 2016
1A9. God’s gifts to Adam and Eve:
God was fully providing for them to have LIFE
(both physical and spiritual)
1A9(title) God’s gifts to Adam and Eve
Being generous, God gave Adam and Eve everything they needed in order to fulfil their intended roles in accomplishing His primary purpose.
1A9(sub-title) God was fully providing for them to have LIFE, both physical and spiritual
Initially God gave life to all the land creatures and to Adam, described as receiving the “breath of life” Gen 1:30b, 2:7. God’s physical provision of food for Adam and Eve was by the fruit of the trees and plants, as well as the Tree of Life Gen 1:29, 2:9.
Adam and Eve were aware of God and able to interact with Him, unlike all other living things Gen 2:15-22. This was God’s most vital gift to them. It equipped them to communicate intimately with Him and with each other, as well as to be His main agents for accomplishing His primary purpose.
More than just physical life was involved – it was also profoundly spiritual. For this reason I have written it as LIFE to emphasise the extraordinary qualities of the peoples’ life compared with all other creatures.
1A9(a) God’s gift of Eve to Adam
Eve was created as God’s loving provision for Adam, to overcome his aloneness and be a “suitable helper for him” Gen 2:18,20b-22. Both of these stated intentions implied that she fully shared the same gifts of LIFE that God had given to Adam [1A3(e)(iv)]. She would complement Adam and be ideal for the development of an intimate relationship between them. Adam’s enthralled reaction when he first saw Eve indicated his delight in her Gen 2:23. This was a very promising start to their relationship!
1A9(b) God’s provision of their capabilities
God also gave them abundant personal capabilities Gen 1:27,28, 2:15b,16-17,19b-20,24-25. These can be summarized as their being able to:-
# perceive, think, speak and hear
# be self-aware
# communicate and fully interact with each other
# be aware of and communicate with God, come to know Him and submit to Him
# have God-like motives and attitudes
# make their own choices
# do the many practical things involved in working, caring for and feeding from the Garden of Eden, and “subduing the earth”
# appreciate, name and assert authority over all creatures
# procreate
These were some of the same kinds of capabilities that God Himself possessed [1A3(e)(ii)]. They were all essential for the people, in order to fulfil their God-given roles in accomplishing His primary purpose.
1A9(c) The Garden of Eden – God’s perfect place for the people to live and provide for their continuing LIFE
God also gave them a place to live that was ideally suited to them, the Garden of Eden Gen 2:8,9,10,15-16. It was totally unblemished and beautiful, with an orchard having all kinds of fruit-bearing trees and watered by a river. Being a lavish source of good food for them, it provided for their continuing physical existence. God placed Adam there and gave him the capability to look after it.
This was also God’s perfect setting for Adam and Eve to enjoy their spiritual relationship with Him and each other. At the centre of the Garden were the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The first had potential to provide God’s ultimate gift to them – to have LIFE forever! But the second had potential to destroy their LIFE Gen 2:17. Yet it was also God’s gift to them in that it provided the focus for their voluntary obedience to Him. IF they submitted to His command they would continue to enjoy His gift of LIFE. So they would share with Him in accomplishing His primary purpose.
Again this highlights the principle that the whole of creation was people-serving or “anthropic” [1A6(d)]. It would make God known TO them. Then as they obeyed Him and enjoyed LIFE, they would express His own nature THROUGH their interactions with Him and all of His creation, and especially with each other.
Arrow 1A8 -> 1A9
This arrow indicates that God’s free gifts to Adam and Eve were a direct result of His commitment to them. The Earth would provide for their physical needs and be appreciated and worked by them. The spiritual dimension of their LIFE would enable them to enjoy God’s loving relationship with them and fulfil His purposes for them.