February 4, 2021 — Adam, A.K.A. “Dusty”

You can’t help being like what you’re made of, until someone figures out a way to elementally change you.

We’ve been thinking about the Lord’s conversation with Adam and Eve after they suicidally cut themselves off from the life of God. He had warned them, but they didn’t listen. God offered the human race convincing evidence that what He said was true—your dust will prove it. Here’s Genesis 3:19 – “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” But I think it would be helpful to clarify something. Remember the description of Adam’s creation in chapter 2:7? “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” So, two parts: dust formed and breath infused. The dust gave man a body, but the breath gave him a spirit. In fact, Solomon wrote, “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord” (Prov 20:27, KJV) and the word “spirit” is the same Hebrew word as “breath” in Genesis 2:7. So we are spiritual beings who live in a house of dust. That’s what Longfellow meant when he wrote, “Art is long, and Time is fleeting, / And our hearts, though stout and brave, / Still, like muffled drums, are beating / Funeral marches to the grave” but added to clarify, “Life is real! Life is earnest! / And the grave is NOT its goal; / ‘Dust thou art, to dust returnest,’ / Was not spoken of the soul.” When I was young, an elderly lady used to tell me, “You think you’re iron, but you’re really dust—you’ll find out.” And I have! But thankfully I’ve also learned by grace what Job discovered (Job 19:25-26): “I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.” This is the believer’s certain resurrection hope!