BBC: Genesis 2:5-7
When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. - Genesis 2:5-7
Here again the plain meaning of the passage must be found among the question of historical accuracy. The elements described as not yet being on the earth have already been described as being on the earth (Gen 1:11-12). Many words could be used to defend the accuracy of the six days when the current account places the creation of man as necessary for the fulfillment of the third day. God works through the work of man as this account shows but He is the source of growth which also the third day attests (1 Cor 3:7-8).
But there is something else hidden here. God is about to bring man from the earth. But the earth has yet to bring anything forth. God is working from the barren to create His masterpiece. The Hebrew here must be explained because God takes from the adamah and forms adam. The land being barren is important because God brings forth so directly from it that it bears the name. And from this He does not take from a fruitful place to create His image but He takes the firstfruits of the previously barren. Christ Himself becomes the new Adam and the true firstfruits (1 Cor 15:23) so that the term may be used of us.
So still there remains a hint of God's plan. For here He collects the "dust" of the earth to form the first man. But later He will give the promise that the offspring of one man shall be numbered as "the dust" (Gen 13:16). And yet Paul would say not seeds but seed would be counted as "the dust" pointing to Christ (Gal 3:16). The poetic power of the verses springs forth as Moses recounts how God brought from the dust one man only to promises one man would bring about the blessings of dust.And finally let it be shown that the spirit of life is given to form the soul of life. It was to fulfill this that Jesus breathed on His disciples (John 20:22) and gave them their dominion (Matt 28:18-20).
*The Bible Blogging Commentary is a slow and simple treading of the Scriptures. No quotes from other theologians and no explicit Greek/Hebrew lessons.*
