Becoming Human: A Devotion on Genesis 1-11Намуна

I love the story of Adam and Eve. The beauty, complexity, and truth that it holds never ceases to amaze me. In the midst of its many layers, we find at its center the question, ‘What does it mean to be human?’ That’s a big question, a question that might seem too big for a story many of us are so familiar with that is often relegated to the realm of a kids’ bedtime story. If you were brought up in a church, there is a strong possibility that you have over-familiarised yourself with it and maybe even feel like you have outgrown it. So let me invite you to join me in reading the story, in all its weirdness, as if it were the first time because it’s the weird parts of the story that we grow accustomed to that I think often hold the key to answering the biggest questions.

In the beginning, we are introduced to God, who fashions up a universe. And at the center of it, we have Adam whom we are told is made in God’s likeness. Now, that is an astonishing idea. But before we contemplate that, things start to get weird. God says to Adam,

“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

- Genesis 2:18-20

I mean, that is weird, right? Think about it. God has made everything, and the first thing that he asks Adam to do is name some animals so that he might find a partner and no longer be alone. Like, really? Is God playing some sort of game? Surely, he knew before Adam started the long, seemingly arduous task of naming animals that none were suitable for him, but God asked anyway.

But right here, I think we begin to find one of the primary lessons Genesis 2-3 offers. Entertain me for a moment. What if God was trying to teach Adam something about himself? Think about it. You are Adam, and there is a queue of every animal you can imagine lining up to be named. You start off creative with ‘Giraffe,’ ‘Hippopotamus,’ and ‘Duck-billed Platypus’ before quickly getting bored and resorting to naming the rest stuff like ‘Cat,’ ‘Rat,’ and ‘Bat.’ All the while, you find yourself thinking, “None of these seems to fit the bill as a helper. None of these are much like me.” But perhaps that’s the take-away. Perhaps the point is that God wants Adam, and perhaps us too, to know is that we are not like all the other beasts of the world. That there is something unique about us as ‘image-bearers.’

Now, God plays his game, and Adam seems to understand this, so we are told that Adam is put into a deep sleep, and from him, Eve is created to partner with him. Together, they are made in the image of their creator. But then things get weird again.

Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.

– Genesis 2:25

Umm, okay? Why mention their dress code, or lack of it? In fact, the authors' obsession with nakedness seems more than just an accidental pass-away comment. Later, we are told that after Adam and Eve eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, God is looking for them, and Adam cries out,

“I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because

I was naked.”

- Genesis 3:10

It seems like a weird thing to be worried about, given that clothes weren't even invented yet. What's weirder is God's response,

“Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked.

- Genesis 3:11

That is an odd response. Firstly, because God is all-knowing, he surely already knew what had happened and where Adam and Eve were. But also, why does God seemingly care about their nakedness? Well, look below the surface, and we find something that brings us back to what God wanted Adam to know right at the beginning of his existence.

The Hebrew word for ‘naked’ is ‘ārôm. “Okay?” I hear you ask. “What’s so special about that?” Well, nothing. Except that the Hebrew word used to describe the serpent as ‘crafty’ immediately after the creation of Eve is ‘ārûm.‘ārôm. ‘ārûm. Look similar, sound similar. So what? Well, imagine hearing this story for the first time being read aloud in its written language. You would be forgiven for asking the reader to repeat themselves at this point in the story. “Wait, so the serpent is ‘ārôm?” “No, he is ‘ārûm.” “Oh wait, I thought Adam and Eve were ‘ārûm.” “No, they are ārôm.” Confused yet? Well, that’s the point. The author here is very cleverly introducing us to an idea. The difference between humankind and beast may not be so easy to distinguish. In fact, this idea goes on. Not only do we learn that the serpent is described similarly to humans, but he also acts like them. For one, he talks. I mean, who has ever heard of a talking snake? We find that he walks (given that the curse to crawl on his belly comes only after the fall). We find that he is eloquent and, in many respects, well-reasoned. But he is different. The naming of the animals showed this. The distinction between ārôm and ‘ārûm shows this. And common sense shows this. But it begs the question. What makes a human being bearing the image of God different from a beast? We find our answer in a moment that I imagine we have all felt when experiencing the brutal, raging war of the heart when presented with desirable things that bring brokenness to the world.

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.

- Genesis 3:6

There we have it. What is it that steals our humanity? That takes us away from God? That breaks hearts and relationships and causes regret and misery? Desire.

Desire changes the game. Unlike the beast, which in nature doesn’t have the divine capacity to say no to what it wants, we are able to act differently. We can act self-sacrificially for one another and for our Father God. We can say ‘enough’ when there is too much. We can say ‘No’ to what might look bright and shiny but, in reality, causes pain on the other side.

Let me ask you. What desire are you most susceptible to, which steers you away from your Father in heaven? Where do you dedicate yourself to the desires of your heart rather than to the kingdom God invites us into? Go on. Write it down. Say it out loud. Bring it into the light and make it real. Maybe it’s power, greed, selfishness, cheating, or lying.

Pray that God might reveal himself to you once again and that as we cast our eyes on him, He would determine the desire of our hearts.