Scripture: These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.
When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
Genesis 2:4-7 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, God rested on this last day of the Creation Story, having finished all he had in mind. As he blessed the living creatures (particularly man and woman), he now blesses and consecrates this seventh day of rest to memorialize his marvelous Creation.
Today’s reading covers the formation of man. Moses first focuses on the condition of the land before the creation of man, expounding on his opening remark in 1:2. Explaining that the land lay barren due to no rain nor human tilling, Moses notes that God, however, directed a mist of underground water to moisten the ground. From this paste of moistened dust, God formed the first man and breathed life into his nostrils. Thus, this first human became a “living creature.”
Takeaway: Moses focuses on those elements of the land soon to be affected by the Fall (3:8-24). Thus, Moses’ reference to bushes and small plants does not review Day 3 but anticipates “thorns and thistles” resulting from Adam provoking a curse on the land (3:17). Similarly, Moses foreshadows the looming flood of rain showers during the days of Noah (7:4) with mention that God had not yet provided rain showers. Also, Moses’ reference to “no man to work the ground” again points his readers to God expelling Adam and Eve from the garden to work the ground (3:23).
Regarding the recount of man’s creation, our passage has no reference to being made in God’s image. Instead, we see a further allusion to the curse: just as God created man from the dust of the earth, similarly, he will return to the dust. Thus, Moses omits man’s connection to the divine and instead denotes that man is a “living creature”—somewhat similar to the other “living creatures” of land and sea who lack a moral compass. Resultingly, man’s labor will be futile—in stark contrast to God’s “very good” work of Creation.
Our takeaway? There is a ray of hope amid this text that foreshadows the doom and gloom of the Fall: God breathes life into man’s nostrils. Similarly, as Jesus explained to Nicodemus, we must be born again of our spirits by the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus likens to the wind and breath. The Holy Spirit breathes life into our souls when we hear the Gospel and believe. And while our mortal bodies return to the dust, our spirits carry on into the presence of Christ in a heavenly realm where there is no curse from the Fall.
Our part? Our role in this divine narrative is to cultivate our spiritual lung capacity and breathe more of the Holy Spirit into our thoughts, words, and deeds. In a world filled with spiritual pollution, it is crucial that we avoid lingering in these spiritually toxic environments. Instead, we should devote more time to inhaling the clean spiritual air of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). This spiritual nourishment will equip us with the strength to run our race well, navigating the challenges of this mortal life with grace and resilience (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who dwelled with us in our fallen, polluted world but always breathed in the clean air of the Holy Spirit—perfectly exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit. And we thank the two of you for gifting us with the Holy Spirit, who helps us breathe in the pure air of your Son’s righteousness. With this in mind, please help us follow the Holy Spirit’s lead so that we might, in Christ, “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28 ESV). Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
Leave a Reply