Different religious systems have unique teachings about who the first man on earth was. According to the Bible, the first man on Earth was Adam. The Book of Genesis in the Old Testament describes Adam as the first human being created by God. God formed Adam from the dust of the ground and breathed life into him, making him a living being. Adam was then placed in the Garden of Eden, a paradise created by God, and given the responsibility to cultivate and care for it. Then God created Eve as his help-mate. The creation story is recorded in the book of Genesis chapters 1 and 2. Mankind is special above all other creatures because it bears the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve were created in a state of perfection (Genesis 1:25). They were completely innocent. And they were able to fellowship with God freely. They were instructed by the Lord to eat from all the trees in the garden of Eden, except for one (Genesis 2:16–17). God gave them just one rule to test their love to Him. They were forbidden to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17).
Sadly, Eve was tempted by the serpent to eat from the forbidden tree, and she did. Later on, Adam joined his wife in disobedience (Genesis 3:1–6). When they sinned against God, they lost their state of innocence and perfection (Genesis 3:7–12). Like a deadly disease, sin brought death. By succumbing to temptation, Adam and Even lost their home in Eden and Satan became ruler of this world. And they no longer had access to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:22–24).
In His great mercy, God planned a way to redeem His children whom He loved dearly. He planned that His Son would bear the punishment of their sin by His death. And God gave them a message of hope in the promise of a future Redeemer. He said that the Seed of the woman (Christ) would come to crush the head of the Serpent (Satan), at the cost of being bruised Himself by death (Genesis 3:15).
So, an essential part of the creation story is a prediction of Jesus’ death on the cross and offering God’s only begotten Son, that “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). So, while “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit… The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:45-47), who saved humanity from eternal death.
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
