Genesis 2:7
Then the Lord god formed man of the dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being
Dust? Come on, we are just animated dust balls? This is a man? If this is all we are, what’s the point?
But we are more than that. Read the verse completely. God breathed into us, into man – Adam – the breath of life. There is the glory. This is the high point. We are more than just animated dust balls. We have a soul that God has placed within us. We have a spiritual side.
In the Latin language, the word for breath is spiritus. From this word we get that words aspire, conspire, inspire, perspire, and expire. Every one of these words refers to something we do with our breath. When we aspire to do something, we take a deep breath and try harder. Conspiring to do something, people band together and breath together, so to speak. Inspiration is when we are taken with an event or action and we are given a new breath. We perspire when we breathe through our skin...we sweat out the poisons. When we expire, we breathe our last breath. We die.
In the New Testament, the word used for breath is ‘pneuma’. In the English language, we don’t use the letters ‘pn’ together that often. When we do, we have the ‘N’ sound that dominates. Still, we have the words such as pneumatic, pneumonia, pneuma, and pneumatolytic. All these words relate to the use of air...or gasses. We use pneumatic drills in our work, or we become ill and our breathing is inhibited. Pneumatolysis is the effect that happens with rocks are altered in shape by the pressures of gas being released. Just note that when you see a word that begins with “tuneup” it has something to do with breath, air or something gaseous.
In the Hebrew, the word translated as breath is ‘ruach’. The word actually is the sound of breath. The idea that this presents is remarkable and very picturesque. In Genesis 1:1-2 the Spirit of God is seen hovering over the waters...but in the Hebrew, the word picture is that of a mighty wind sweeping over the face of the waters. The idea of God puffing out his cheeks and blowing life into the man is not an accurate image, though this is
what is most often pictured.
What we can gather from this is that man has a unique and special relationship with God by virtue of the divine spirit that was given him. God was not as intimately involved with the animals in this respect. We are not on the same level as any animal. We are exalted. God was directly involved in bringing life to the human soul. This is not the case with animal life. In going back to the text found in Genesis 1:24, God brought forth living creatures after their kind. It gives no reference to him breathing the breath of life into these animals. They were created “living creatures” after their kind. They do not possess a divine spirit.
But man does.
A man has the ability to relate to the Divine. He can love, care and obey. He can and does excel above the animal kingdom.
Sadly, we cannot boast of this today. Shortly after man’s arrival...he rebelled, damaging the image of God within. While he still possesses a semblance of his former glory, he is now thoroughly depraved. His thoughts are evil continually. He can do nothing good acceptable to God. No, he cannot. He no longer understands spiritual truth unless this truth is revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.
Paul tells us that there is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away. They have all become worthless; there is not one who does good, not even one...not even one….(Romans 3:10-12) By all accounts, this would place man in a very tenuous position. Desperation would set in and fear would consume him. Alone...he would run for cover. But where would he go?
The good thing is this...man was not left alone. While man cannot and refuses to seek God, God seeks man. God comes and recreates man in Christ – all the old is passed away.In reading of the creation of man, we are amazed at the God behind this and are saddened by the ultimate fall of man. But God...always keep this in mind.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ and raised us up with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus...” Ephesian 2:4-6
We are both dust and glory...and in Christ, we are destined for heaven
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