And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis1:26-27. Note: the existence of man does not add nor remove anything from the fulness of the all-sufficient God as though he needed something from him. God is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he gives everyone life and breath and everything richly to enjoy. Acts:17:25. From the beginning, God made man upright. Ecclsisastes 7:8. The righteousness of man is for his own good, but he chose to deviate from God to his grief and sorrow which were borne and taken upon Christ in the redemption of man. His uprightness does not profit God, neither does his wickedness change the immutability of God, but one sinner among men destroys many good things among themselves. Job 35:7-8. Man can only be profitable to God if he fulfills the purposes of his creation and existence by doing the will of God in the presence for eternity. May God open the eyes of your understanding to that which endures forever. Was Adam forbidden not to eat from the fruit of the tree of life before the fall? The answer was no. It was temporarily hidden from his eyes, but kept up to reward obedience if they would not trifle with the word of God, which they did. God was mindful of what he conceived and perceived in his thought to be man, and he brought him into existence to rule and dominate over every creature which he eventually lost to Satan in the fall of which Christ came to redeem and restore - When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passes through the paths of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Psalms 8:3-9.
Man was made with freedom of choice - freedom of the will to choose, believe and do what he most desires. The creation of man was a divine experiment (a) for God has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11: (b) God is the potter, and the man who was made from the dust of the earth is clay. Man was fearfully and wonderfully made. The woman, an evocative being, was beautifully crafted in awe of admiration and appreciation of God’s artistic mastery. Who, when seen for the first time by Adam, immediately with joy, exclaimed that she should be called Eve. Psalms 139: 14. Hasn't the potter power over the clay? Romans 9:21. This speaks about God and man. That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. Ecclesiastes 6:10. This is God's sovereignty over humankind, the work of his hand. God decides your physical abilities to speak, walk, hear and see. Who made the deaf and the dumb? God. Exodus 4:11. Who makes us rich or makes us poor? God. 1 Samuel 2:7. Proverbs 22:2. Who lifts one up and brings down another? God. Psalms 75:7. Who kills or makes us alive? God. Deuteronomy 32:39. Who can make straight what he has made crooked? None. Ecclesiastes 7:13. Note: the life of man on earth is spent as a story being told. Whatever role you are given to play in life, take it with joy and act it faithfully; God can decide to change your role for another: he removes kings and establishes another in his stead. Christ's disciples asked him, why was this man born blind from his youth, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, neither has this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works and power of God should be made manifest in him. John 9:1-3.
Man was a divine project of eternal duration but designated to last temporarily for a while on earth and permanently forever throughout all eternity if God is pleased with him in his probational time in the garden, otherwise, he shall die, just as God warned, on the day he chose to eat from the tree of good and evil. Man became a living soul as he received life from the nostrils of God into his nostrils. Adam was alive unto God, not created in sin, but by divine nature, otherwise God could not have daily fellowship with them in each cool of the day. Adam and Eve were made without sin, spiritually alive unto God before the fall. On the contrary, we are conceived and born into the world in iniquity, spiritually dead unto God at birth because of the sin of Adam. Though man had a divine nature, he lost it as soon as he disobeyed God and became a dead soul. Genesis 2:7. The image and likeness of God in man was limited to one crucial thing, which is immortality, figuratively represented by the tree of life, reserved for those who keep the commandments of God as reward for obtaining immortality with the King eternal, immortal, invisible and the Only wise God. Man was the dust of the earth, but God is a spirit. This is why God is known as the God of all flesh, and the Father of all spirits, because he gives breath of life to man and to every living thing. God released two different breaths into Adam’s nostrils when he made him out of the dust of the earth. First was divine nature. Adam lost it the moment he sinned. He was spiritually dead as soon as he fell, though he lived for a total of nine hundred and thirty years until he returned to the dust - you hide thy face, they are troubled: thou take away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Psalms 104:29. Job analyses this clearly to differentiate the breath of God, which is the divine nature, in contrast to the spirit he put in man to live on earth, by saying, if God set his heart upon man, if he gathers unto himself his spirit and his breath; all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust. Job 34:14-15. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? It is the spirit of man because God gave it to him to live. 1 Corinthians 2:11. This spirit is called the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. Proverbs 20: 27. In death shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7. Note: your circumcision in the heart avails nothing if you don't keep his word in your heart that you might not sin against him. Though you received divine nature at regeneration, but will not take heed to the divine word, you shall eternally die and perish. Blessed are they that obey his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14.
God regrets the creation of man. His increasing wickedness on earth drastically destroyed and corrupted the earth itself, shortening man’s existence in it. The earth was also corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. Genesis 6:11-13. Note: the occupation of Satan in the second heavens and the corruption of the earth by man's perversions obliged God to create a new heaven and a new earth exclusively reserved for his faithful children who are committed to his will. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. Isaiah 26:2.
Man’s physicality depicts his Creator. God can speak, and so can man. God has hands to save. He has ears to hear us when we call on him in prayer. He has legs to walk. He has nostrils with which he’s enjoying the sweet odors of the prayers of his saints mixed with incense on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers, ascends before God. Revelation 8:3-4.
Adam was first formed with responsibility and authority over every created thing - and the Lord God took man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. Genesis 2:15. The definition and understanding of a helper meet for Adam in Eve is different from the definition and understanding of God help in man. Adam works for God. He was accountable to God. Eve works with Adam as a helper and should subordinate and submit her ideas to the desires and expectations of God in Adam. Adam was initially given responsibility and authority over every created thing. The definition and understanding of a helper meet for Adam in Eve is quite different from the definition and understanding of God's help in man. In the latter, man is weak and insufficient in himself without God. He must always look up to heaven for help. Give us help in trouble, for vain is the help of man. Psalms 60:11. O Israel, you have destroyed yourself, but in me is your help. Hosea 13:9. Everything needed or required in life is in God. This is the reason God is known as the very present help in trouble. If the Lord does not help you, whence shall anyone help you? 2 Kings 6:27. God has the whole world in his hand: he is able to command the ravens to feed you, or to command the widow or anyone to sustain you, as he once helped Elijah in his distress. When God determined to help you, he sent men to edify and lift you up, to collaborate with you, and to strengthen your hands to fulfill his will or achieve his purpose in your life, but not people who would seek to bring you down and to destroy you. And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David. And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it. Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helps thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band. 1 Chronicles 12:16-18.
In the case of Eve being a helper by the order of creation, she was a subordinate who should work with or alongside Adam. She ought to be submissive to, and be guided by, God's given authority in Adam, but she betrayed and rebelled, not only against God's given authority in Adam's, but directly against God's order. Before the serpent enticed and injected his wisdom into her, Eve was already a vulnerable but supportive creature. She can only defeat the deception and wiles of the serpent if she abides by the knowledge passed on to her from Adam, as the man was admonished to dwell with her according to knowledge. The man is stronger than the woman, otherwise, God would not make him the head over her. Eve was the glory of Adam because God took a rib out of the seven ribs from the side of man to make him a helper necessary for him. This speaks of the indivisibility of them both. For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.1 Corinthians 11: 8-12. Note: indivisibility can only exist if the parties involved keep God's commandments, and forsake not his law, and bind them continually upon their hearts, and tie them about thy necks. Thou shall not follow the multitude nor a single person to do evil. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good. If you united with evil like the wife of Ananias, you will end up dying and perish like him.
For his masculine and her feminine, Adam and Eve had different strengths and inner capacities, but their union is for mutual support, encouragement and completeness of one another for the tasks given them by God. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. Where was Adam when Eve first ate the fruit? Why did Eve shun the idea of calling the attention of her husband to the presence and conversation with the serpent in the Garden? Why did she choose to eat the fruit without the consent and against the expectations of her husband? Why did Adam choose to listen to the idea and suggestion of Eve to partake the fruit with her by ignoring God’s warning against such action? What negative influence did Adam allowed the beauty of Eve to have on him to abandon the will of God for her persuasion to prevail? Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30. All females, like Eve, are unique creatures. The bible portrays her as bitter than death. And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account which, yet my soul seeks, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. Ecclesiastes 7:26-28. Only God can produce a virtuous or prudent woman for a man. Proverbs 19:14. Adam got one in Eve from God, but she lost the honor of her virtuousness by her insubordinate action. Proverbs 11:16. True spirituality is rare in her but not nonexistent if, by the grace of God, she continues in faith and charity and holiness with self-control before God in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:15. Note: God named the man as Adam, and Adam gave names to the woman as Eve. This speaks of the authority, leadership and headship of God over man, and of Adam over Eve. The head of every man is Christ; and the head of a woman is a man; and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3.
From the garden, three laws emerge. The first was the law of individual responsibility and accountability, irrespective of any excuse before God. This applies to every single soul; you are responsible for your action. Adam was punished for his action despite his irresponsible, inexcusable and unjustifiable reason to put blame on Eve. The serpent was separately punished for his role. Eve received her share of punishment for the role she played in the fall, though she tried to put the blame on the serpent. The second was the law of simplicity in God. Every fruit was permitted to be eaten except the fruit from the tree of evil and good, but the serpent came and preached other doctrine to contradict the varacity of the word and character of God. The spiritually naive and gullible believer believes every word. Proverbs 14:15. Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 2 Corinthians 11:1-4. The third is the law of one needful thing. Luke 10:42. Adam and Eve lost their spiritual priority, goal and pursuit, from keeping the word of God to laboring for the meat that perished and led them to death. John 6:27. Job says," I have treasured up the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. Job 23:12. Their goals and pursuits were not prioritized to be in alignment with God's purposes but were redirected towards vanity. Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? Ecclesiastes 6:11.
Stomach for food and food for the stomach, but God will destroy both it and them. As Adam and Eve did, do not destroy the works of God because of meat. The kingdom of God is not meat and drinks, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17. And when they saw that the fruit was good for food, they ate it; though all the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. Ecclesiastes 6:7. The quest for false power, the desire for vain discoveries and earthly glory, the ungodly pursuit for personal greatness or every other goal of man outside living God's life and purposes are descending fast into hell. Isaiah 5:14. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness; they shall be filled. Note: unless we find our contentment and satisfaction in God, other things shall become gods in our lives, but the end shall be destruction. Philippians 3:17-20. To obey simple instructions without questioning or deviating from it was the issue at the Garden of Eden. Obeying God's commands is an expression of love for Him. 1 John 5:3. Every simple instruction from the word of God is pure. Whatever he asks us to do or forbids us not to is for our own good. His yoke is easy and his burden light. In keeping them there is a great reward. Both parents failed to labor on the word of God but refocused on the false promise of being like God - independent of God - having their eyes opened - knowing good and evil. Note: appetite comes from God. Also, to eat and drink is a gift from God. Ecclesiastes 3:13. Why did Adam and Eve choose to eat what God had not given them permission to eat? Note: those who want or desire more beyond what God has graciously given them shall bitterly and regrettably end up losing God and whatever they had gotten. Gain is not godliness, nor is godliness gain, but godliness with contentment is a great gain. What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul? What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:36-37.