Q 12- What did God require of Adam and Eve?

God required that…

…being made in his image they

should

multiply

have dominion over the creatures

and

subdue the earth.

God required that they

should not

eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Humans did not appear by chance they were created by God.

Adam and Eve were specially made by God

GOD

They were special!

Special – They had unique capacities. They were responsible to God.

They could communicate with God.

Special –Both male and female were created in God’s image. Human life must not be taken.

Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. Gen 1:26

They were to rule!

God made Adam to be the first King over creation with Eve as his Queen.

Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth Gen 1:28

They were to multiply!

God made the first marriage 1 man + 1 woman. This is God’s basic unit for humanity.

Be fruitful and multiply! Gen 1:28

They were to work!

Adam was installed as the head gardener in Eden with Eve as his special helper.

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. Gen 2:15

They were to guard!

They were also the first security guards. They were to prevent evil entering to spoil this God-given paradise.

They were not to eat of the special tree.

There were two special trees in the garden: the tree of life

and

the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

11th century Tree of Life sculptureOf the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. Gen 2:17

Don’t open it!

There is an ancient Greek story of ‘Pandora’.

The first woman Pandora was given many gifts including beauty and music.

She was also given a beautiful container. Under no circumstances was she to open it.

She could not resist the temptation to open it.

As she opened it all the evils were unleashed into the world.

Life or death

Adam and Eve were put in a very special situation.

Obedience to God would mean eternal life with God.

Disobedience would result in ‘dying you will die!’

This situation that God made for Adam and Eve has been called ‘The covenant of life’.

The way to life was through perfect obedience.

Another Adam

Adam failed to guard the Eden paradise.

Sin and death entered our world.

In the midst of this disaster God promised that a descendent of Eve would bring final rescue.

The Apostle Paul describes Jesus as ‘the last Adam’; he lived a life of perfect obedience and he alone can give eternal life.

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Rom 5:19