It has been said that the man who refuses to learn from history is doomed to repeat it. This is why it’s important to examine the men in the Bible and learn from their mistakes. In this series of articles we will do just that. As we do, we will discover some pitfalls all men face and ways to avoid them.
God promises us a deep, meaningful relationship with Him. However, sometimes we choose other, less valuable things in life. This action is equal to a man who gives his wife a diamond ring for Christmas only to watch her exchange it for a blowpop ring. No wife would do that. However, each day men trade the blessings of God for more worldly things.
Many Biblical men had God offer them great blessings, but they exchanged these blessings for sinful patterns in their lives. Let’s start with Adam, the first man created. If there ever was a man who had the world handed to him on a silver platter, it was Adam. Adam’s story demonstrates the tremendous cost of disobeying God.
A Perfect Life
Almost everyone knows the story of Adam and Eve. They were the first people to live on the earth. No matter who you are or what your ethnic background, you are related to Adam. Many sermons have been written about the Creation and the fall of these two people. Most of these sermons place the blame directly at the feet of Eve. However, in this chapter, I want to stay clear of the girl-bashing and focus on the sin Adam committed against God. Let’s set the stage by examining the account of Adam’s Creation.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So
God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him.
Adam was created by God in His image. The first man dealt with the same issues we deal with each day. However, everything in his environment was perfect. Truly, Adam had the world given to him. We see this as we study the three main areas of his life: his relationship with God, his jobs, and his family life.
1. Adam had the perfect relationship with God
In our quest to become mature, godly men, we long to develop a personal relationship with God. In Genesis, we see that Adam had the relationship with God we all dream of having.
The writer of Genesis describes the deep relationship between God and Adam. Adam had the best spiritual life of any man in history. He walked with God each day. He talked with God about everything. Daily, God came to the Garden of Eden and spent time with Adam, sharing His heart in deep communication. God took care of Adam. He provided all of his needs. He gave Adam companionship when he was lonely. He allowed him to work to keep busy. God was involved in every part of Adam’s life. However, this was not the only blessed part of his life.
2. Adam had the perfect job.
15 Then the Lord God took the man and put
him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it…19Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the
air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
God gave Adam the responsibility of maintaining and caring for the Garden of Eden. This job was pretty easy since there were no weeds or damage to the soil. Everything grew and thrived. Adam named and cared for the animals. They were his companions. He had the perfect career. Adam never feared keeping up with his competitors. He didn’t worry about quotas or deadlines. He didn’t put up with a mean boss. He never sat in traffic. He thrived in everything he did. Adam had a dream business life. His life after work was just as great.
3. Adam had the perfect family life.
18And
the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” 21 And the Lord God caused
a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which
the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 And Adam said: “Thisis now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken
out of Man.” 24Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Adam had the perfect marriage. God saw that Adam needed companionship, so he created a wife for him. Adam never dated. He never did the singles circuit. He never wondered if Eve was “The One” for him. Adam was never compared to his wife’s past boyfriends. He had no in-laws. Eve was handmade by God for Adam. They enjoyed life together in perfect harmony. They walked together, talked together, worked together, and worshipped God together. The Bible even says God would come into the garden and walk with them. They had the ideal marriage as both served God together. Who could ask for more? Unfortunately, Adam.
Adam Didn’t Have Produce
8 The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had
formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of lifewas also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him
in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely
eat; 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 surely
die.”
God gave Adam one command: Do not eat fruit from the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil. He could eat from any other tree in the entire garden. God tested Adam. He wanted
Adam to love and obey Him of his own free will. He didn’t want to force Adam to have a relationship with Him. He wanted
Adam to serve Him freely.
You would think a man who was so richly blessed by God would be okay with this one standard. As we continue on, we see Adam couldn’t stay away.
