February 16: THE GREATEST OF ALL EXPECTATIONS (part 2)

And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Genesis 3:20

God’s intention for the expansion of the knowledge of man was that it come through voluntary cooperation with the Divine Will. But sadly, it was through disobedience that Adam and Eve first began to learn the difference between right and wrong, good and evil . . . a prime example of learning “the hard way”. Although the death sentence connected to sin (2:17) had just been pronounced upon the couple (3:19), Adam’s first act following this devastating pronouncement was to give a name to his wife. Recall that earlier the LORD had brought all the beasts and birds to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name (2:19). In giving the name “Eve” to his wife, Adam was exercising faith, for “Eve” means the living one. On the surface this may seem odd, given the fact that death’s shadow was looming large over them. Adam was latching on — by faith — to the promised Seed who was to crush the head of the deceptive serpent. Adam was looking beyond the grave to the Deliverer; the One whose plan would restore to him and his posterity the immortality that had been forfeited that day. Adam’s faith was intertwined with hope.

Hope is a beautiful word that frames expectations. Under the circumstances of this fateful day, Adam could have adopted an attitude of gloom in the wake of God’s pronouncement of death’s doom. Instead, he set his focus upon the Righteous Judge, vividly recalling the close relationship that he and his wife had enjoyed with Him. So now, before his wife had even become pregnant (that condition we often call “expecting”) Adam saw her as the mother of all living. Indeed, Adam’s faith became the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Both of our first parents learned quickly that human effort to fix the problem introduced by their disobedience is flimsy, at best. The leaves they had sewn together to cover their nakedness, had been pulled from the fig tree – severed from their connection to the source of nutrients – and were rapidly drying out and disintegrating. Their “solution” was the very picture of death. The next so-called solution was to hide from the LORD. By the way, it can’t be done!

It is interesting that Adam did not give his wife her name until after he began a journey of faith; after sin had been committed; after his conscience had been wounded thereby. He needed a Savior, as does each descendant of Adam and Eve. We are all spiritually wounded by erroneous thoughts, bad decisions, and harmful actions. The invitation to reestablish the trust relationship that was broken comes with prophecies of the Redeemer. After all, it was mistrust of Him behind the initial act of disobedience. We can expect that relationship to be fully restored, but it must involve a process of gaining a trustworthy character ourselves. It’s a work in progress . . .

“What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet”. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. Hebrews 2:6-8