父母们都不会忘了怀着满心的喜悦为头生的孩子准备婴儿房的经历,肯定都想尽善尽美。我们的神在造世上的第一个人亚当前,也为他精心打造了一个美好的乐园,伊甸园。神为人类准备的园子生长着各种树木果蔬,赏心悦目,果子也甜美可吃,四条静谧缓缓的河水使雾气上腾,在每天清晨降下薄雾滋润大地,使万物生长,这园子的美妙一定登峰造极。
神用地上的泥土,按照自己的形像样式造人,并将生命的气息吹进他的鼻孔,是他成了有灵的活人,并赐他名字叫亚当。
我想象不出这人有多么美好,我们人类的这位始祖肯定在人类帅哥榜上排第一。不仅如此,神亲自给他当老师,他受的教育无人能比,天文地理,动物植物,他样样通晓,他知道的比我们多多了。那时没有文字,因为实在是用不着,他的记忆力惊人,浩瀚的知识都装在他的脑袋里。我们号称文字的发明是人类的进步,其实是人类堕落后大脑退化情况下的无奈之举,简言之,我们需要文字来帮助我们,他不需要。神让他修理看守园子,不是为了糊口,神早已把食物为他备好,是为了让他的一身本事有用武之地,让他既发挥体力,也发挥创意。面对时时变幻的风景,天天生长的万物,他定会兴趣盎然,满心欢喜地沉浸其中,他的各种潜能被不断地激发出来,他的心也不断地赞叹造物主的奇妙。
那时,神和亚当多亲密呀!胜过世上的父子。他们的沟通是直接的,神对他的关爱是多么地细致入微,以至祂说,“那人独居不好,我要为他造一个配偶帮助他。” 亚当的软肋神最清楚,他的需要神乐意满足,尽管此时,他自己连自己的需要都不甚清楚。
我们的神有无比的耐心与智慧,祂把各种动物带到亚当面前,让他命名。他一定和神交谈多次,了解了所有动物的秉性,领会到他对动物的权柄和责任,才恰如其分地一一取好名字。在给成双成对的动物起名字的过程中,他是否渴求一个自己的同类,一位与自己匹配的同类,可以在平等的地位和自己沟通。神早就在等待他的觉醒,神准备他的心来迎接他的女人。神也为女人做好了准备,一个以爱迎接她的男人!
亚当独身的日子满了,神马上要领着他一心一意渴望的新娘到他面前,举行世上的第一场婚礼。
Adam
Parents will never forget the joyful experience of preparing their first child’s baby room. Of course, everything must be perfect and beautiful. Before God created the first person, Adam, He also carefully crafted a wonderful paradise, the Garden of Eden. In the garden that God prepared for mankind, he planted beautiful trees some of which yields delicious fruits. “The fruit of the trees were good for food and pleasing to the eye.” There were four quietly meandering rivers from which a morning mist arose each day that would gently fall upon the dewy ground. God’s garden was always well-watered and in pristine condition.
“God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He created man in His own image, his own likeness, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” God named this man Adam.
I cannot imagine how wonderful this first person was. Surely, as the first human, God created him in the perfect form. Moreover, God taught him as the highest teacher, and cared for him as the most loving parent. No one could match Adam’s education or his upbringing. From astronomy to geometry, from zoology to botany, he had knowledge and deep insights that mankind no longer has. At the time, there was no need for written language, because Adam had a prodigious memory that could store vast quantities of knowledge. We claim that the invention of literacy is a feat of human progress and civilization, but in reality, it is a crutch for our handicapped and deteriorated minds. In other words, whereas we need books and texts to supplement us, Adam did not need. God allowed him to cultivate the garden, not for him to get food—God had already prepared the food for him. God let him work in order to exercise all his abilities, both physical and creative. Faced with an ever changing landscape, and constantly growing creation, he must have been filled with fascination, wonder, and joy. Every breathtaking moment inspired Adam’s various potential to develop. From the bottom of his heart, he praised and marveled at his great Maker.
How intimately close the two must have been! Far better than that of worldly father and son! Their communication was direct. God’s tender care toward Adam was so intricate and comprehensive that He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him.” God understood Adam’s needs at a time when Adam didn’t even know his own needs. And God was more than willing to satisfy them.
Our God has great patience and wisdom. He brought each animal before Adam for him to name. He must have talked to God often and developed an understanding of each animal’s nature. He also understood the authority and responsibility he was given over God’s creation, so that he could select the proper name. While he was naming the pairs of animals, he must have realized that he needed a pairing of his own. He began to desire a matching partner, one of equal status with whom he could communicate. God had long been waiting for this awakening. God prepared Adam’s heart to meet this woman. God also prepared for the woman a man who would receive her with love.
The days of Adam’s celibacy and singlehood were nearly over. God was about to present Adam his bride, whom he was desiring whole-heartedly. Thus, the world’s first wedding was about to start.