Adam and Eve 'amongst' the first humans?

[FallenSoldier]

I know its common teachings that Adam and Eve are the very first humans, and that we are all descendants of them, but is this really true? The earliest human found by archaeologists is 2.8 million years old ( http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31718336 ). But Adam is said to only be about 6000 years old (correct me if I'm wrong).

Really nowhere in Genesis does it say Adam was the 'first man.' The story of Adam and Eve came in Genesis 2, but before that in Gensis 1:26, it is said "Then God said, 'Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.' ... So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Continuing in Genesis 1:28, "Then God blessed them (the 'human beings') and said, 'Be fruitful and multiply.'" Be fruitful and multiply; so the first humans could have been reproducing before Adam was ever created. Humans were created on the sixth day of creation, then the seventh day God rested.

Then in Gensis 2:5 " neither wild plants nor grains were growing on the earth, For the Lord God had not yet sent rain to water the earth, and there were no people to cultivate the soil." I suppose you could say this means that there literally were no people, but I don't believe that to be entirely true. Saying there were no plants, no grains, nothing to farm. The early humans were hunters and gatherers. This is saying that the early hunters and gatherers did not know how to farm.

Continuing in Genesis 2, God creates Adam (Gensis 2:7), before creating Eden (Gensis 2:8). Adam, I'm guessing, was the first farmer (Gensis 2:15). But this is aside the major point. Jumping ahead to Cain and Abel in Gensis 4, when Cain kills his brother Abel, God punishes him. Cain, in Gensis 4:14, is scared for his life, and says " ... Anyone who finds me will kill me!" Who is anyone? God then puts a mark on Cain to warn this 'anyone' who tries to kill him. Then in Gensis 4:17 "Cain had sexual relations with his wife..." Who was his wife? It is only said that Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. Some people believe that Adam and Even had many children at the same time of Cain and Abel. They did have 'other sons and daughters' (Gensis 5:4), but this seems to be AFTER Cain and Abel. Even still, if there were other daughters of Adam along with Cain and Abel, to have sexual relations with his own sister was incest, which is sinful to God. You can say that that law was not written yet (incest is talked about in Leviticus 18:6), BUT, the Word has ALWAYS existed (John 1:1). An unaccounted action of incest doesn't seem right in the Bible. The first acknowledgement of incest I know of is after Sodom and Gomorrah (Gensis 19:30 - end of ch. 19)

This could possibly be old news for some of you here, but perhaps not. I am by all means not teaching, I don't want to teach for various reasons, I am just sharing my thoughts and recent discoveries and I greatly accept any criticism or arguments against anything I've said.

 

[smaller]

I don't think the Bible discounts the possibilities of other ages upon the earth prior to picking up the narratives of Gen. 1:2 Which might be a better explanation of past archeological history. What actual written history we have does have a finite time span that fits within the approx. 6000 year time frame:

"The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with Sumerian Cuneiform script, the oldest discovered form of coherent writing from the protoliterate period around the 30th century BC.[2]"

Ephesians 3:5
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit

A case can be made for Gen. 1:2 being a specific age beginning. But between Gen. 1:1 and Gen. 1:2 there could have been other ages. It does not discount the "possibility" of prior ages on earth, imho. The notion that all of creation past has to fit into a literal six day, 24 hour clock as we view it is not credible. Gods notions of time are not what we see on a man clock centered on earth time.

Scripture also addresses ages to come.

Ephesians 2:7
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

 

[JohnDB]

By the time that Cain killed Abel there were 20,000+ people present on the earth. Just because of exponential growth of people having babies.

Just because the others were not mentioned doesn't mean that Adam and Eve didn't have other children. Or those kids having kids...

 

[Chopper]

Whenever I see post's like this....

The earliest human found by archaeologists is 2.8 million years old

....I often think of the results left behind after the global flood of Noah's day. It is my understanding that the shifting of soil, the transporting of animal and human remains to distant locations, especially from the receding water running down from the mountains, and the tremendous pressure from the amount of water in various locations, would have fossilized any dead remains of man & animals.

At first glance, archaeologists would consider a dating system from all the different layers of soil and rock formations. Again, the receding water from the mountains, and the water pressure would, IMO, cause the earth to appear very old compared to how old it actually is. I believe that the "flood" does not enter into most archaeologists mind who are not Christians and are not aware that a universal flood even existed.

Just something to consider....A long time ago, I attended a seminar on "The Flood" by Dr. John Whitcomb. He taught from a biblical standpoint...."The Genesis Flood" ....https://answersingenesis.org/bios/john-whitcomb/ is a good website for more info. I would challenge anyone who does not realize what terrific changes to the earth's surface came about because of the flood. There is a wealth of important knowledge just waiting for you to discover.

 

[JohnDB]

Also...we really don't know exactly what year the flood happened. Carbon dating isn't an exact science.

People also lived for 800+ years. Think of all the advances made in the last 200 years... like electric lights and electronics and gasoline engines. (To name a few)

These advances came about because of a communication advancement...so if everyone was speaking the same language...

 

[FallenSoldier]

The notion that all of creation past has to fit into a literal six day, 24 hour clock as we view it is not credible. Gods notions of time are not what we see on a man clock centered on earth time.

Thats exactly what I'm thinking about. So many people think that the universe was made in literal 24 hour days. I think the use of 'day' in this context is referring to a time span, rather than a 24 hour day. But what gets me is between each 'day' it says "And there was evening, and there was morning - the first day." What is evening and morning referring to?

By the time that Cain killed Abel there were 20,000+ people present on the earth. Just because of exponential growth of people having babies.

Just because the others were not mentioned doesn't mean that Adam and Eve didn't have other children. Or those kids having kids...

Not arguing with you, but simply out of curiosity, how do you know this? That would definitely make sense based on what I'm seeing.

Chopper I never really took into consideration the huge effects of the global flood. That looks like an interesting read. I know there's alot of debate on the world flood, but I would think finding evidence of an entire world flood would be fairly difficult.

I am not in any way calling God a liar. I am not in any way trying to debunk the bible. All I am doing is sharing my own thoughts and opinions on the matters of the creation of the universe in the book of Gensis, and seeing how that can possibly relate with modern science. At the end of the day, who cares? God made it in seven days, three days, a billion years, so what? All that matters is that he made us because he is a God of love, and we are here because he loves us unimaginably. My apologies if I seem too centered on the scientific side of things. I simply enjoy scientific studies, mathematics, computer science, all of that stuff. Perhaps I should reevaluate my relationship with God.

 

[turnorburn]

You said: "a billion years, so what?" How many fossilized bodies should they be looking for? Try Considering that while your considering...

 

[JohnDB]

Thats exactly what I'm thinking about. So many people think that the universe was made in literal 24 hour days. I think the use of 'day' in this context is referring to a time span, rather than a 24 hour day. But what gets me is between each 'day' it says "And there was evening, and there was morning - the first day." What is evening and morning referring to?



Not arguing with you, but simply out of curiosity, how do you know this? That would definitely make sense based on what I'm seeing.

Chopper I never really took into consideration the huge effects of the global flood. That looks like an interesting read. I know there's alot of debate on the world flood, but I would think finding evidence of an entire world flood would be fairly difficult.

I am not in any way calling God a liar. I am not in any way trying to debunk the bible. All I am doing is sharing my own thoughts and opinions on the matters of the creation of the universe in the book of Gensis, and seeing how that can possibly relate with modern science. At the end of the day, who cares? God made it in seven days, three days, a billion years, so what? All that matters is that he made us because he is a God of love, and we are here because he loves us unimaginably. My apologies if I seem too centered on the scientific side of things. I simply enjoy scientific studies, mathematics, computer science, all of that stuff. Perhaps I should reevaluate my relationship with God.

The Bible isn't a "How God Made Everything" book... especially Genesis. It contains spiritual truths that we need to learn. It is written in Hebrew Poetry that is highly complex and yet informative at the same time.

It describes how man and God were supposed to Tabernacle together but due to sin and more sin we cannot. And how God is working a plan to bring us back together again. Going beyond that to make it a history book or how to manual is really wrong.

 

[FallenSoldier]

JohnDB You're right.

 

[smaller]

Thats exactly what I'm thinking about. So many people think that the universe was made in literal 24 hour days. I think the use of 'day' in this context is referring to a time span, rather than a 24 hour day. But what gets me is between each 'day' it says "And there was evening, and there was morning - the first day." What is evening and morning referring to?

Evening and morning, as we know them externally, are transition times between the dark and the daylight, the daylight and dark. I might view them in that fashion, not only and merely physical manifestations. For example, when we see "evening" and "morning" and see them as transition times, they can also be viewed as contemplations of dividing the day from the night. Many untold 24 days could have transpired in our view of time compared to how Gods Time is seen in morning/evening transition times. Time as we view it isn't necessarily the relative factor of scriptures.

There is also "theory" and "practice" to sort through the matters. For example, when I want to study "theory" of terms, I'll usually turn to where they are first trotted out in the scriptures. Then to the meditations in scriptures, Eccl., Psalms, Sos, Job, especially the Words of Jesus, in that order, to find associations for those terms. When I want to study practice or application, then go to sections where they applied in real life situations. It's quite fascinating.

This is how we come to know "His Ways."

Anytime "terms" are put forth in the Bible they have to be studied, cover to cover for content i.e. what they might represent. Yes, there is a literal morning/evening. These terms also contain spiritual connotations, for example:

Exodus 16:8
And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full;

The above would be linkages to understandings. When layering, we'll find bread and meat to NOT be only physical bread and meat. And on it goes. The layering can be very complex. Not that the underlying basis of understanding isn't simple.

Not arguing with you, but simply out of curiosity, how do you know this? That would definitely make sense based on what I'm seeing.

See the above. IF we put on "literal glasses only" then that's all we'll see by our own subjective impositions and suppositions. I've not found that methodology to be practical. It's provable from text that "time" has many and various applications. There are Gods forms of understanding working in/with Time/Times, which is not able to be linked or hitched to our conceptions of physical literal time. There are times, plural, of man. There is the time of darkness or the unseen realms of the devil and his messengers time, singular. Time in scriptures really doesn't have a thing to do with time as the term would normally convey to us.

 

[JohnDB]

Having a "day" isn't really possible unless you have a sun... which wasn't created until day four if you're going to have 24 hour days.

Soooo

Most likely God and Moses was saying something else that everyone is missing.

 

[jasonc]

Having a "day" isn't really possible unless you have a sun... which wasn't created until day four if you're going to have 24 hour days.

Soooo

Most likely God and Moses was saying something else that everyone is missing.

So God can't mark time without the sun? The shabat is based on 7 days not 5.grass was on the earth before the sun,and grew without it.

 

[th1b.taylor]

So God can't mark time without the sun? The shabat is based on 7 days not 5.grass was on the earth before the sun,and grew without it.

Good point and something else to consider is that Jesus is the Light and it is He that created everything. (John 1:1-3)

 

[turnorburn]

Having a "day" isn't really possible unless you have a sun... which wasn't created until day four if you're going to have 24 hour days.

Soooo

Most likely God and Moses was saying something else that everyone is missing.

God took care of that on day one..

Genesis 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

 

[th1b.taylor]

God took care of that on day one..

Genesis 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Through-out the scriptures, so many miss that Jesus is the Light, great answer.

 

[Papa Zoom]

Having a "day" isn't really possible unless you have a sun... which wasn't created until day four if you're going to have 24 hour days.

Soooo

Most likely God and Moses was saying something else that everyone is missing.

I like your thinking JohnDB.

 

[Not_Now.Soon]

Names and their meanings were important in the bible. So consider Genesis 3:20 when Eve is named Eve. Because she is the mother of all living.

 

[JohnDB]

Names and their meanings were important in the bible. So consider Genesis 3:20 when Eve is named Eve. Because she is the mother of all living.

Eve isn't actually Eve...it's Hawwa
Eve is Latin...Hawwa is Hebrew.

 

[JohnDB]

Through-out the scriptures, so many miss that Jesus is the Light, great answer.

Jesus can't be the light as Jesus and his Father are one... without beginning or end.
But the plan for man's redemption... through Jesus...that's another story. But you are really close to one of my favorite things in the Bible.
God didn't spend a "day" creating photons. (What light is made of)
Something else is being said...like God is forming the plan for Jesus to be crucified... looking through the entire history of Earth to pick the exact time and place to do this. Knowing you and me as well at that point.

 

[th1b.taylor]

JohnDB, you're arguing with scripture, not me; Jon 8:5 & 9:3, Isa 42:6, Luk 2:32, Jon 12:46, 3;19, 1:9, 1:4, Luke 1:78, 1jon 2:8 and many more)