Here in this verse we actually gain some insight into how Adam was formed. Let's note some particular facts.

Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7).

(1) Yahweh God made man.

Man did not make or 'invent' God. God invented him from scratch. Man did not have an existence outside of God's creative purposes. Man and creation are totally and constantly reliant on God’s grace. Man's life should focus on what God's purposes are for him. Here man will find true happiness.

The Name of God is first used in chapter two in conjunction with His title ‘God.’ They are at first put together in this account (2:4) to make sure there was no confusion that they were not two different identities. ‘LORD’ is the poor English translation for God’s Name, Yahweh. Some people out of respect add vowels to His Name and form the word Jehovah. This Name is never to be said irreverently or even casually. As we continue on in this section, we will discover that God uses His Name when He speaks of fellowship with man. This was not needed in chapter 1 where He was presented as the Creator.

The Name of God is first used in conjunction with His title 'God.' They are at first put together in this account (2:4) to make sure there was no confusion that they were not two different identities. 'LORD' is the poor English translation for God's Name, Yahweh. This Name is never to be said irreverently or even casually. As we continue on in this section, we will discover that God uses His Name when He speaks of fellowship with man. This was not needed in chapter 1.

Genesis 1:1-2:3 do not use this Name because God's almighty power in creation was displayed. The covenantal Name is used when we see God interacting closely with man such as starting in 2:4 with the discussion of the Garden of Eden.

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(2) Breath of Life

(3) God ‘formed’ man.

Man did not arrive on the scene by accident but by design.

Because of further research, evolution has been shouted out of the arena. The cell was formerly thought to be a mysterious compound of material called protoplasm. The cell, it has come to be discovered, is an intensely complex manufacturing plant that could not have come about by accident. Today’s evolutionary theory is evolving to accommodate ‘sudden’ and radical development.

Those who contemplate the evolution of man, run into a host of unsolvable questions especially if they profess to hold to the integrity of God’s Word. Was Adam a real man? Did God lie about how He made man? Who was God talking to in the garden? Who fell? Who was the son of God (i.e. Adam) and how was he made in the image of God?

If there was no Adam, then there could be no woman, or how else can one explain woman’s creation? They couldn’t evolve together. They would die out in one generation if not made simultaneous. God clearly says man was made from dust and not a humanoid. Not one of these questions can be answered by evolution. The question is whether one believes God’s word or the myths of evolution. We should not be scared of evolution even though its advocates seem to speak with such authority. The discovery of the design of living things is shaking evolutionary thought to the dust. Right now it is embedded into the religion of materialism and so is held without evidence.

The verb ‘form’ is different from ‘create’ and speaks of a special aspect to God’s making of man. It was not creating man from nothing (more like creating) or the haplessly throwing chemicals together )accident). God carefully formed man. This is exactly what we find in the field of microbiology. The DNA chain demonstrates a complexity of life that only creation can explain.

(4) Man came from the dust.

Man is a humble creature even though Adam was made in the image of God. God’s origins are not spoken of because He is eternal. He was before and after time.

Man’s roots, however, are from the ground. The Hebrew word for man is almost the same word as ground. They both come from the common root of ‘red’ (red-colored earth). “Adam’ is simply a transliteration (i.e. pronunciation) of the Hebrew word. Below are two Chinese characters that reflect the connection between God’s word and the creation of man as well as his roots from the ground.

Alive	Ground	Mouth		Speak, talk
Speaking first came about when man was made alive from the ground.
Walking	Speak			to Create
When God breathed into man and made him a living soul, he walked!

Because of sin, our earthly natures must remain here (die). From dust to dust. We should not be surprised to see that the chemicals in man and other animals are similar. Our humble frame leaves no room for pride.

Our humble frame leaves no room for pride.

(5) The image of God

Life is more than man’s physical presence. Does a man have a soul? Is it different than life? Yes.
The soul is the real person; the body is the needed ‘shell’ to work through. Man is a combination of physical and spiritual. Man can exist without his human body for a short time (after death before judgment); he is nonexistent without a soul. He would be a mere animal. Man’s soul comes from being made in the image of God.

There are many very long discussions as to what the image of God means. The phrase comes from chapter 1.

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26,27).

The word ‘image’ is repeated several times for emphasis. Furthermore, He clearly states that both male and female were made in God’s image. Man was made with God’s likeness. So was woman. It is evident that this likeness would enable him to rule over the earth with his reason and will.

Outward Image

It is possible that this likeness outwardly refers to the cloak of light that surrounded man. After man fell, he felt naked. His glory was taken from him. He was formerly clothed with light as God. The following verses make a special connection between the glory (light) of God and the image of man.

For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. (1 Corinthians 11:7).

O LORD my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with splendor and majesty, Covering Thyself with light as with a cloak, (Psalms 104:1,2).

God’s glory shone upon Moses when he met with God. He had to cover his face. We saw the same thing with Jesus, Moses and Elijah during the transfiguration. Note the Chinese characters that seem to indicate man’s original ‘clothing’ to be God’s glorious light.

Man	Fire		Glory	Naked
Notice how fire comes from man. Man inherently had this glory. Nakedness has the flame thrown down from it. Could it be that man wore light and this outwardly marked God’s image in man? Nakedness only was felt after the fall and therefore the need for clothing. We argue with those that naked is natural. Something happened to man when he fell that made him feel naked. If his covering is not the light of God’s glory, then it needed to be something else.
Flames	One	Person		Light
God is light. Man is covered with this glorious light from above.

Inward Image

Maybe a glorious light was seen on the outer man to reflect God’s glorious image, but there are also many inward differences that sets him apart from other creatures. Some of these also are special characteristics of man that we find in God.

•     Sense of a higher being (worship and God consciousness).
•     Self-aware (connected with memory).
•     Concern for moral values (sense of justice connected with conscience).
•     Possesses a will (associated with abstract reasoning).
•     Creative (make tools, design).
•     Concern about the future (aware and concerned about life after death).

Clearly, man is different from animals and not merely a higher form. He is set apart from other animals and living creatures. It is interesting that those who state that man evolved are often the ones that deny an immaterial part of man. It is precisely this immaterial part of man that sets him apart from animals. This immaterial part is what enables man to have a relationship with God and on a totally different level listen, observe and obey God. Man is conscious of God’s values because he was made in His image.

Because man is made in the image of God, this makes man accountable to God for the way he responds to Him. When man disobeys, there are consequences. Man is called to exercise his will in such a fashion that he completes on earth what is in heaven.

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10).

Those that deny the existence of God need seem to realize that being able to understand the difference between right and wrong as well as comprehend the notion of a greater being has huge implications on their area of choices. This is the reason many modern philosophies so virulently argue against biblical christianity.

Ethical Questions: When does life start and end?

With the recent anniversary of Roe versus Wade court case, we have seen tens of million people destroyed in these last thirty years. This is just in America. If we got a total picture of the world, truly our hearts would be saddened especially when we think each child should start from a special scene of intimate love.

Adam and Eve’s life started differently than ours. All but these two came from their mother’s womb including Jesus Christ. Man is more than a body. He has that immaterial part of him which is called a soul. Adam became a living creature after God formed him from the dust and breathed air into his nostrils.

There are different suggestions as to when a person’s life starts, but the Christian community reasonably seems to have reached a conclusion that life begins at conception. Life comes with creation and the fertilized egg. We know in fact that embryos obtain their breath through their mothers for the first nine months until birth where they can breathe on their own.

Ethical Questions: What about cloning?

Cloning is the duplication of life through duplication of cells rather than the creation of a cell through the normal means of sexual relations, pregnancy and birth all within the framework of a life long marriage.

The attempt to bring life apart from normal marriages is clearly wrong and immoral because man is countering God’s method. Cloning clip art and a video is okay and parts of the DNA, but it is wrong in the creating of new life.
Instead of focusing on what we are trying to get (i.e. life), we should understand what God instructed us to do and why.

There is a reason God made man and woman to be born from parents. Whenever we step away from God’s instructions, we step into immorality. We don’t have to understand why it is wrong. If God told us to do it one way, then we can assume doing it any other way is wrong unless a special provision is given.

Creating people through fornication is wrong because it is not within the confines of marriage. Adultery breaks the bondage of marriage. In either case, the couple is not committed to each other for life and therefore does not truly love each other. If a person has a child because of passionate desires, then one can be sure the child will not gain the love it needs.

By contemplating the cloning of life, our society is stepping into very treacherous waters. God did not tell us to multiply this way. If the fornicators have children through unprincipled desires, then what is the motivation for cloning human beings? Is it mere curiosity, or do people want a supply of medical parts? Or are we looking for alternate cheap labor? Or cheap soldiers? After all, they belong to the owner. We are purposely running back into the days of slavery. Those who foster such immorality, should be locked up and their labs destroyed.

Everyone thinks about their own needs. No one thinks of the children.

Having children should only be thought of in the context of a normal marriage. There the child is born in love and will receive love, protection and instruction that it needs for life.