Adam: Red, a Babylonian word, the generic name for man, having the same
meaning in the Hebrew and the Assyrian languages. It was the name
given to the first man, whose creation, fall, and subsequent history
and that of his descendants are detailed in the first book of Moses
Genesis 1:27 to Genesis 5:32. "God created man [Heb., Adam] in his own image,
in the image of God created he him; male and female created he
them." Adam was absolutely the first man whom God created. He was
formed out of the dust of the earth (and hence his name), and God
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and gave him dominion
over all the lower creatures
(Genesis 1:26; 2:7) He was placed after
his creation in the Garden of Eden, to cultivate it, and to enjoy
its fruits under this one prohibition: "Of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." The first recorded act of
Adam was his giving names to the beasts of the field and the fowls
of the air, which God brought to him for this end. Thereafter the
Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon him, and while in an
unconscious state took one of his ribs, and closed up his flesh
again; and of this rib he made a woman, whom he presented to him
when he awoke. Adam received her as his wife, and said, "This is now
bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man." He called her Eve, because she
was the mother of all living. Being induced by the tempter in the
form of a serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, Eve persuaded Adam,
and he also did eat. Thus man fell, and brought upon himself and his
posterity all the sad consequences of his transgression. The
narrative of the Fall comprehends in it the great promise of a
Deliverer
(Genesis 3:15) the "first gospel" message to man. They were
expelled from Eden, and at the east of the garden God placed a
flame, which turned every way, to prevent access to the tree of life
(Genesis 3:1-24) How long they were in Paradise is matter of mere
conjecture. Shortly after their expulsion Eve brought forth her
first-born, and called him Cain. Although we have the names of only
three of Adam's sons, viz., Cain, Abel, and Seth, yet it is obvious
that he had several sons and daughters
(Genesis 5:4) He died aged
930 years. Adam and Eve were the progenitors of the whole human
race. Evidences of varied kinds are abundant in proving the unity
of the human race. The investigations of science, altogether
independent of historical evidence, lead to the conclusion that God
"hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the
face of the earth"
(Acts 17:26) Comp.
(Romans 5:12-12; 1 Corinthians 15:22-49)
