What is man and what is he to do?

peasant silhouette on white background

Genesis 3:23, To till/work [Heb. abad] the ground [Heb. adamah] from which he was taken. Adam means “man, mankind, ground, land, and is a cognate to adom meaning “red,” and relates to the ruddiness of man’s complexion. According to The TWOT, this word has to do with the man as being created in Elohim’s image, the crown of his creation.

In this verse, Elohim commissioned Adam to work or to serve the earth/adamah.

In a homiletic sense, this command of YHVH could be construed to mean that Adam/man who is spiritually rough and ruddy, yet who is created in the image of Elohim, has been commissioned to work on himself to work on and to conquer his [base] sin nature and to bring himself into conformity with the image of YHVH.

Another facet of this idea could be that through the experiences and struggles of hard work, man will learn to overcome his fallen sin nature and rise to the higher calling of becoming like Elohim in nature. In a sense, hard work is part of man’s redemption process.

In a most fundamental sense, YHVH created man to serve or take care of the earth. Therefore, agriculture and horticulture are the professions that are the closest to YHVH’s original purpose for man.

 

1 thought on “What is man and what is he to do?

  1. Interesting what u have mentioned here Natan. Yesterday Shabbat we went to fellowship with our friends ( community of believers.) …country area in Vic. ..out east of where I reside. It is wonderful getting out of suburbia & it is a 1 hr drive on the freeway for us, but it is a good easy drive not much traffic & very relaxing. My friends were in suburbia also, but in 2007 (they had already been keeping Shabbat since 2003. ) they decided to sell their suburbian house & found nearly 5 acres (timber house on a flat block ) own water tanks, garden to the left of the house they landscaped it all themselves..circular driveway with an additional barn & 1/2 of the barn they converted to 3 extra bedrooms….for their teenagers…

    So in walking with them yesterday in south direction down in one of the paddocks they
    Have created their own garden beds with herbs, veg’s,…etc.. Small orchard. Then rectangular paddock they have planted Manuka trees in the hope of producing Manuka Honey when they get the bee hives up & running. Next paddock.over …some cows they graze …we were reflecting on the amazing bargain the old house & land was sold to them for in 2007 ; as there is no way now they could buy the land with house for the same price. They are seeing the fruit of their labours now with what they have planted. Mandarin & orange trees & other fruit. Etc.

    The house needed some renovation & rewiring etc… Paint etc..but a lot of the work they have done themselves with the help of a few friends ( tradesmen & plasterer. ).

    They had a vision back then to be more elevated ….they are just off a main road but it is so quiet. 40 acres belonging to someone else next door to them ..it is rich farm land..up in that area… Cattle, cows ( milking) sheep…few vineyards…Jindivick cheese …bed & breakfasts ..caravan camping site further down…schools shops etc in main shopping centre not large but adequate.. It really is a lovely place & it really makes us appreciate Yahs beauty & creation that is all around us when we go up there to fellowship..other than rotating it down here where we live sometimes.

    So I can appreciate what u have mentioned in this article. Re agriculture & horticulture.

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