In 1505, the Italian artist Michelangelo was invited back to Rome by the newly elected Pope Julius II. He was commissioned to build the Pope’s tomb, which was to include forty statues and be finished in five years. But under the Pope’s patronage, he experienced constant interruptions to his work to pursue other projects. Although Michelangelo worked on the tomb for 40 years, it was never finished to his satisfaction.
During this same period, Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which took four years to complete (1508–1512). The architect Bramante, who was building St. Peter’s Basilica, resented Michelangelo’s commission for the Pope’s tomb and convinced the Pope to hire him in a medium with which he was unfamiliar, in order that he might fail at the task; for Michelangelo was a master sculptor, not a painter. He was originally commissioned to paint the Twelve Apostles on the curved walls that supported the ceiling, but he persuaded the Pope to let him paint a fresco on the whole ceiling, representing the Creation, the Fall of Man, the Promise of Salvation through the prophets, and the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
Michelangelo’s most prestigious panel, “The Creation of Adam”, illustrates the creation narrative from Genesis 2, where God gives life to Adam, the first man. God is depicted as an elderly white-bearded man wrapped in a swirling cloak, while Adam, on the lower left, is completely nude. God’s right arm is outstretched to impart the spark of life from his own finger into that of Adam, whose left arm is extended in a pose mirroring God’s, a reminder that man is created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26). Another point is that Adam’s finger and God’s finger aren’t touching. It gives the impression that God, the giver of life, is reaching out to Adam who has yet to receive it. The image of the near-touching hands of God and Adam has become iconic of humanity. This painting has been reproduced in countless imitations and parodies and is considered to be one of the greatest paintings of all time.
“The Creation of Adam” is the perfect piece of artwork to help us transition from Genesis 1 to Genesis 2. Genesis 1 presents God as the transcendent creator of the entire cosmos (heaven and earth). With majestic imagination and omnipotent power, the divine artist designed a magnificent universe and spoke it into existence in six days.
Genesis 2 zooms in telescopically and gives us a close-up view of the three divinely artistic roles that God plays in the creation of the human race. God is the divine sculptor who created human beings in his own image. God is the divine gardener who planted the perfect habitat for humans to flourish. God is the divine wedding planner who established the institution of marriage for humans to share relational companionship, enjoy sexual pleasure, and perpetuate the human race. Let’s take a look at each of these artistic roles.
God, the Divine Sculptor (2:7)
Genesis 1:26-27 already revealed that God created human beings in his own image and likeness and mandated them to rule over the birds of the air and the fish of the sea and all the creatures that move along the ground. The same verses told us that God created human beings with two distinct genders, male and female, thus giving them the ability to rule over the earth by perpetuating the human race through procreation.
Genesis 2 focuses on the process of how God sculpted human beings. Verse 7 shows us that God formed the first man from the dust of the ground. The word “formed” signifies that this act of creation was by design and is often used to describe a potter who shapes clay into pots, which is fitting because God molded the man from the dust of the ground. The Hebrew word for man is “adam” which is a wordplay since the Hebrew word for ground is “adama.” This is where we get the proper name Adam for the first human being that God created. Since the first man came from the ground, he and all human beings are inseparably bound to it.
After God sculpted Adam from the dust, he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. This word for breath is used in the Bible exclusively for God and the life imparted to humans—never for animals. This distinctive inbreathing not only produced animated life, but it also constituted humankind in the image of God, with spiritual understanding and a functioning conscience. By this verse, then, the nation of Israel would see that humankind was created with great care and planning, so that it would have the capacity to serve the Lord God. (Ross 122-123)
Since God uniquely sculpted human beings in his image and likeness, every person has value and worth, and therefore, should be treated with dignity and respect. This is why all forms of racism, classism, sexism, assault, abuse, and bullying are morally wrong— attitudes and behaviors that dehumanize human beings mar the image of God.
All human life is sacred and precious to God! It is the gift of God! This is why the taking of human life through homicide, suicide, genocide, infanticide, and abortion in most cases is morally wrong! This is why a military “mistake” like firing missiles at a passenger airplane is so egregious! This is why the assassination of a foreign general outside the bounds of a just war is immoral, regardless of how terrible he is! This is why we should be heartbroken when we hear our fellow Christians advocate for force so quickly and excuse collateral damage so flippantly! Human beings are God’s precious masterpiece!
Likewise, since God is the giver of life, we must remember that our lives are not our own—they belong to God. Over the past few decades, American popular culture has coined the catchphrase, “It’s my life! I can do whatever I want with it!” This motto is the epitome of arrogance and egotism! We wouldn’t have life, breath, family, friends, health, wealth, work, meaning, joy, or anything else apart from God’s gracious gift! Our lives do not belong to us; they belong to God! We are simply stewarding of what God has given us! God is the divine sculptor; we are the clay!
God, the Divine Gardener (2:4-6, 8-17)
In Genesis 1, we learned that God created the natural world, with sky and sea, field and forest, rock and rivers, and all the creatures that inhabit them. Now in Genesis 2:4-6, we catch an early glimpse of God as the divine gardener as he caused a mist to rise up out of the ground and nourish the vegetation—for he had not caused rain to fall on the land because he had yet created man to work the ground.
Then in verse 8, after he created the first man, God planted a special garden in the east, in a place called Eden. The Hebrew word for “garden” refers to a parklike setting featuring trees and what we would call landscaping. The word “Eden” means “to enrich” or “make abundant.” The abundance in this garden is seen in the mighty spring that gushes up from Eden and flows through the garden and waters all the trees. This river eventually divides into four rivers to nourish the fertile land outside the garden where gold and precious gems are found.
The author of Genesis draws special attention to the trees inside God’s garden. The trees were pleasing to the eye and provided plentiful food to eat. But there were two particular trees that held prominence over all the others. The fruit from the tree of life extended human life—it was like a fountain of perpetual youth. And Adam was allowed to eat from it freely. On the other hand, God forbid Adam to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. “The knowledge of good and evil” is a figure of speech that means moral knowledge or wisdom—the ability to distinguish good and evil. Since everything God had created was good, the man did not need this ability. All he needed to do was trust God and obey the prohibition to eat from this tree.
The picture that emerges from this description is one of paradise. By his goodness and grace, God, the divine gardener, planted a perfect environment for the human race to prosper and flourish. He provided beauty for the eye to behold, abundant food to sustain life, and meaningful work in managing the garden. Adam only had to obey one commandment to preserve paradise.
In these verses, God, the divine gardener, reveals the secret to living a blessed life. Even though we no longer live in the paradise of Eden, God has blessed us with a world where natural beauty abounds. Especially, here in Vermont, our eyes gaze upon a kaleidoscope of color in the springtime flowers, the marled green grass of summertime meadows, the awe inspiring arrays of autumn foliage, and the snow-capped mountains of wintertime. God has also blessed us with an abundance of food to eat and meaningful work to do.
Just yesterday afternoon, Jennifer and I beheld God’s beauty while cross-country skiing the snow laden Mississquoi Valley Rail Trail. Then we came home and enjoyed God’s bounty in the form of a delicious venison stew with biscuits and butter. Then, with a clear mind and a full belly, I sat down and put the final touches on this sermon, which was meaningful work for me; hopefully it is meaningful to you too!
The first part of living a blessed life is appreciating God’s gifts of beauty, abundance, and meaning!
The second part of living a blessed life is obeying God’s commandments. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is long gone, but God has given us many commandments in his word. These commandments, which include “Don’t murder! Don’t lie! Don’t steal! Don’t commit adultery!” are parameters that protect us from the consequences of sin—guilt, shame, conflict, pain, and death! (For instance, if you lie to your wife, it will lead to conflict and pain, and it may result in death!) The Divine Gardener has given us everything we need to live a blessed life. Let us live within the parameters of his plan!
God, the Divine Wedding Planner (2:18-25)
After God sculpted the man out of the dust of the ground and planted him in the beautiful Garden of Eden with all of its bountiful provisions, Genesis 2 goes on to present God as the divine wedding planner. In Genesis 2:18, we see that God’s creative work was incomplete. Adam was alone and had no suitable partner to help him tend the garden and rule over God’s creation. He did not recognize his need or desire for human companionship until God had given him the task of naming the animals. Presumably, as the menagerie of animals paraded by him, he realized that there was no creature like him. Perhaps God waited to create the woman until the man could fully appreciate God’s gift of a wife. (Waltke 89)
So, God the divine anesthesiologist caused the man to fall into a deep sleep and then God the divine surgeon removed one of the man’s ribs and fashioned it into the first female human being. It is not altogether clear why God created the woman from the man’s rib. It may be a mere reference to the man’s flesh and bone, which would imply intimacy and harmony in the marriage relationship.
Either way, the best explanation I’ve heard comes from the nineteenth century commentator Matthew Henry, who famously said, “The woman is not made out of his head to top him, nor out of his feet to be trampled by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.”
When the man woke up from his slumber and laid his eyes on the beautiful woman standing before him, he explodes with the exuberant elegy: “This at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Can’t you here his joy? The point of this poem is that humankind has reached its goal in the complementary partnership of man and woman. (Ross 127)
The epilogue in verses 24-25 provides God’s model for marriage for the rest of human history. For the sake of the wife, the man leaves his family of origin and is united to his wife in a covenantal commitment and then they join together in a one flesh relationship. God intended that husband and wife be a spiritual, functional unity, walking in integrity, serving him, and keeping his commandments. If this pattern prevailed, humans would experience God’s blessing.
When God, the divine wedding planner, brought the first man and woman together in holy matrimony, he established the pattern for human marriage. Notice the components of God’s plan: Marriage is between one man and one woman—not two men or two women or one man and multiple women! Marriage necessitates a separation from the family of origin—our spouse becomes our primary relational priority—not our parents or even our children. Marriage requires a lifelong covenant commitment to our spouse. Marriage is a spiritual, emotional, and sexual relationship—body, mind, and soul are shared with our spouse.
Notice also the order of these components—marriage begins with leaving your family—then it involves a cleaving to the spouse—and then it involves the weaving of bodies in a sexual relationship. Leaving, cleaving, and then weaving! When this order is inverted in any way, it breaks God’s pattern for marriage. Any departure from this pattern is unsanctioned by God and therefore forfeits his blessing. Since God is the divine wedding planner, let’s follow his pattern for marriage and family life!
Well, Genesis 2 has given us a close-up view of God’s marvelous masterpiece. Since God is the divine sculptor of the human race, let’s respect and support the sanctity of human life! Since God is the divine gardener, let’s appreciate his beautiful and abundant provision and obey his commands! And since God is the divine wedding planner, let’s follow his master plan for marriage!