ADAM - MAN, MANKIND, HUMANKIND

So God created mankind (Adam) in his own image,

    in the image of God he created them;

    male and female he created them.

Genesis 1: 27 (NIV)

(1)

INTRODUCTION

God began to re-create the desolate earth. On the sixth day, He created Adam and Eve. These two became the progenitors of mankind. In Hebrew, the word Adam points to more than merely the personal name of our Patriarch. It speaks of all men, mankind in general. It is connected to the word for ground, adamah, and red, adom. 

SO GOD CREATED ADAM

God looked upon the face of the earth. There was waste and desolation. What once was has been destroyed. But the Creator of all had plans. Once more, Earth would be prosperous. So began the re-creation of Earth. And on the sixth day, God created something new. He created Adam (Genesis 1: 27, NIV)

So God created mankind (Adam) in his own image,

    in the image of God he created them;

    male and female he created them.

Genesis 1: 27 (NIV)

In Eden, Adam was placed to cultivate the beautiful garden. But though the garden was beautiful, and though animals kept Adam company, yet lonely he felt. God chose to create Eve, too. 

THE HEBREW WORD ADAM

Besides it being a personal name of the progenitor of all mankind, the Hebrew word Adam means man, humankind, mankind in general. (2) Since man was created from the dust of the earth, the word is closely connected with the Hebrew word for ground, adamah. It also happens to be connected with the word for red, adom, since the soil happened to be of red color. (3)

ADAM AND MANKIND

In Genesis, the creation story speaks of the creation of Adam as an individual, as it does of the creation of adam, as the human race. At the end of the day, we are all considered direct descendants of Adam. That is why in Biblical and Modern Hebrew the word for human beings nowadays happens to be “benei Adam”, which means “Sons of Adam”. (3)

YESHUA - THE SECOND ADAM

Adam sadly fell to the deceptions of the Nahash. Much turmoil was the result of that. Through him sin came into the world. But even as consequences were dealt out by the Creator of all, Yahweh, spoke a promise of a further redemption. A seed of the woman was going to crush the head of the Nahash (Genesis 3: 15).

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” 

Genesis 3: 15 (NIV)

The promise was greatly anticipated and came to fruition with the birth of Yeshua. Yeshua overcame all temptations being cast his way. He became the second and greater Adam. The new representative head of humanity who restored righteousness, grace, and eternal life to humanity.

CONCLUSION

Adam is the progenitor of all men. The Hebrew word Adam also happens to represent all men, humankind in general. It is closely related to the word for ground, adamah, and red, adom. In Biblical and Modern Hebrew, the word for human beings nowadays happens to be “benei Adam”, which means “Sons of Adam”, and points to us all being his descendants. Adam failed, and sin entered the world. But a redeemer was sent - Yeshua. Yeshua became the second and better Adam, who restored righteousness, grace, and eternal life to humanity.

Application

Dear Abba, thank you for redeeming us. Empower us to become more and more in the likeness of Yeshu, the second Adam, with each passing day.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/b7e698_8ebf4e2e520748e3a1560eb8d17df8ac/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

SOURCES

1. Image created via canva.com

2. Bible Hub. Adam. Available at https://biblehub.com/hebrew/120.htm

3. Hebrewversity. The Hebrew Origins of Adam’s Name and its Connection to the Ground. Available at https://www.hebrewversity.com/hebrew-origins-adams-name-connection-ground/