In the Garden - 2

JUNE 8, 2024

In the Garden 2

The Garden of Eden Articles One and Two

About the Eden Articles

  1. In the Garden-1: Being Adam, this informal article offers an idea about what it may have felt like to be Adam before the first sin was committed.
  2. In The Garden-2a, Loving Adam introduces a method of reasoning that may be useful for anybody, but in particular for anyone feeling conflicted about the faith.
  3. In the Garden-2b. If parts of Genesis contain strong proof of God’s love of Adam, then what is one way we should understand the love of God? This is a “work in progress” (WIP) and may be split off as a standalone article in Conflicted.
  4. In the Garden-3, Sin in the Garden. This is in the Conflicted part of the website but since it is a WIP (Work in Progress) it may be reworked.

God’s Affection for Adam

How we treat our children will influence what they are like as adults.

Introduction

God’s love for Adam is evident in the creation story. This article contains several observations of God and Adam’s interaction early in Genesis. These observations help us understand how God felt about His created son.

The Human Race: a Design by God

Commonalities With The Creator

(Gen 1:27 NRSV) So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Our children, natural or adopted, develop in some ways to be like us. Ideally, we care, love, and protect them. Who they become is influenced and, to some extent, shaped by us.

Authority, the Ability to Regulate

A child’s parents are the constituents of their family. Early in life, children do not seem to fully understand how they are a part of their parents’ family and how they exist as independent people. As our children become ready for independence, we give them the freedom (authority) to play at the park without their caregiver watching over them. They begin to choose when and where to be, what to do, and have ownership. Sometimes, giving the child a pet helps them understand responsibility.

(Gen 1:26 NRSV) Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and the cattle, and all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.

Many of us are raising children. You teach, train, protect, and pass on language and culture to them. A consequence of this is that they take on some of our characteristics. They are not replicas of us, but being raised by us, they share some of our traits, perhaps interests. A child in your image ideally draws you to nurture and protect them.

Food

We cherish our children and delight in providing them with good things, such as a diet abundant in nutrients and flavors they like.

(Gen 1:29-31 NRSV) 29 God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. "

(Gen 2:9 NRSV) Out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Often, the greater the gift, the greater the responsibility.

(Gen 2:16-17 NRSV) And the LORD God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.

Work

All of us know what it is like to have nothing to do. Boredom. The other side of this is that we know what it feels like to have a job and do it well, it is great. There are several approaches to motivating people. Once a person or a group knows they accomplished something to be proud of, it brings a wonderful sense of self-worth, a feeling that is invaluable. This sense of self-worth often propels them to greater achievements. Make opportunities for your children to accomplish something, perhaps lessons teaching a skill, chores, or tasks. By doing so, you are instilling in them a sense of self-worth and importance.

(Gen 2:15 NRSV) The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.

Name Them Anything You Want

Parents like to give their children stimulating, interesting challenges. We do our best to select challenges that our children will enjoy.

(Gen 2:19) So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

Here, we witness how our Heavenly Father’s role is not just a distant figure, but one that is intimately involved in our lives, much like a loving parent. Just as loving parents watch over their children and seek to enhance their enjoyment of life, our Heavenly Father stands as the epitome of a caring and loving dad, always there for us.

(Gen 2:20 NRSV) The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner.

Perhaps the pinnacle act of love in the creation story is God’s gift of a partner, Eve.

Summary

This article is rooted in the reality of the characters in Genesis; they were not just figures on a page but real individuals who lived, worked, and, yes, even sinned against God. God, too, is not a mere concept but a living reality. Our ancestors Adam and Eve, were created perfect. At the same time, they were also human just like us. They were made in God’s image, and we, as their descendants, bear that resemblance. It is empowering and humbling to share traits with our Creator.

As descendants of Adam and Eve, we bring a unique perspective to our understanding of God’s actions. Our own observations and experiences can shed light on the dynamics of the relationship between God and Adam. This unique perspective, unlike any non-human being, is invaluable in our quest to understand God’s love.

The account in Genesis records real people and events, and if we are in their likeness, then we may learn something about God by reverse-engineering the story. We, as parents, express our love for our children in ways that mirror God’s actions toward Adam. It is from this that we conclude that the early record of God’s interaction with His created children demonstrates His tender love and devotion to them. We, like God, watch over our children and find ways to enhance their lives.

God loves us.