Genesis 13 – Rain Had Not Yet Fallen

Today's Word of God is from Genesis chapter 2, verses 4 through 8. Please listen carefully to the Word of God.

 

“This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven. Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground. 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. The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.” Amen.  

 

The Purpose of Creation, God's Rest

Last time, we looked together at how God rested on the seventh day. Creation does not end on the sixth day when man was made, but finally concludes on the seventh day when God entered His rest. This word means that the ultimate purpose of creation was precisely rest, God's rest. We saw last time that contents like “loving God,” “rejoicing in God forever,” and “cherishing my neighbor forever in God” are all actually contained within God’s rest.  

 

To believe in Jesus means to have entered into that rest together with Christ Jesus. The Lord coming to this earth is precisely the work of completing this new creation. Of course, salvation can be expressed in various ways. Confessions like “He saved me from sin,” or “He leads me to heaven” can all be included. However, beyond these, I think the truly important meaning of salvation that Genesis speaks to us is precisely the declaration: “God, through Christ, has made us participants in His eternal rest.”  

 

How earnestly should we long for this? We must truly earnestly desire the completion of that rest. And we confess this saying, “Amen, Amen!” It means, I truly wish that would happen to me. Instead of continually singing hymns of weak confession like, “This world is harsh, and though I am weak,” shouldn't we change our song to a hymn of joy, saying, “I now enter the Lord's rest”?  

 

Today's Focus: The Meaning of Genesis 2

We can see that the tone of today's passage changes slightly compared to the previous verses. How has it changed? As read earlier, it says, “This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created,” seeming to repeat the story of creation spoken of so far. The old King James Version expressed this as "generations". Now, let's examine some important meanings implied by this word.  

 

First, we will briefly discuss the important structure that leads Genesis. Next, I want to talk a little about the change in the name used for God. Third, we will examine why it didn't rain, what the meaning is behind the lack of vegetation because it didn't rain, and finally, we will look in detail at why man was created.  

 

First Topic: The Structure of Genesis and 'Toledot'

First, the word “account” in today’s passage is the Hebrew word “Toledot” (תּוֹלְדָה, H8435). This “Toledot” will be a familiar word to those who have studied Genesis with even a little interest. It is used eleven times in Genesis alone, but because the Korean Bible translations vary, it might not be familiar. For example, when it says, “This is the book of the generations of Adam,” the Hebrew word translated as "generations" (or lineage/book) is the same “Toledot” used today. Also, when it speaks of Isaac’s “generations” or Terah’s “descendants,” the word “descendants” is also “Toledot.” And in some sentences, it is translated as genealogy.  

 

Etymologically, the meaning of this word is “to give birth to something.” However, starting from this meaning, it expands to signify what descendants were born and what happened to them in later generations. Consequently, an interesting phenomenon occurs. That is, cases arise where the subject of the Toledot and the subsequent story are unrelated. For example, as you will see in chapter 11, in the Toledot of Terah, the story is not about Terah but about his descendant, Abraham. So, the subject of the sentence using the word Toledot and its narrative content become slightly different. Because it is telling the story of the descendants.  

 

Then let me ask you a question. If it says, “These are the generations of Jacob,” whose story would follow that sentence? Yes, it’s the story of Jacob’s twelve sons, and among them, the story of Joseph emerges. Then, in the Toledot of Isaac, whose story is told? Yes, it’s the story of Jacob.  

 

For this reason, the word Toledot was not used in Genesis 1:1. Because this word takes what existed before and explains the next thing that was born from that name. For that reason, this word, which could not be used in Genesis 1, is now used for the first time in Genesis 2:4. Therefore, this verse 2:4 receives the content of chapter 1 before it, signifying a transition not to the story of the heavens and the earth from chapter 1, but to the story that follows. Thus, through this word Toledot, we come to realize that it will tell the story of man, who appears in the final process of creation, the rest of God who made the heavens and the earth.  

 

Second Topic: 'Yahweh Elohim' - Name of Covenantal Relationship

What proves this a little more clearly and distinctly is that the name of God changes from this scene onwards. Until then, God was called by the name ‘Elohim.’ Thus, the entirety of Genesis 1 refers to God as Elohim. It is a word that emphasizes God as the sovereign ruler, the God who created this world with power. However, moving into chapter 2, verse 4, in the phrase “in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven,” the Genesis writer calls God ‘Yahweh’ for the first time. This is something difficult to discover unless one looks at the Bible carefully. And although there are a few exceptions, we can see this title being used continuously until the last verse of chapter 4. We will also examine the reason for these exceptions in the content I will discuss later.  

 

Then, why did the title Yahweh Elohim appear, when simply calling Him God (Elohim) would have sufficed? This is a word the Genesis writer used intentionally to explain relationship. And that relationship is a title that particularly characterizes and explains the relationship between God and His creation.  

 

The Meaning of the Name 'Yahweh': The Covenant God

The relationship of God revealed in this name is best shown in Exodus chapter 3. It's a passage you know very well. “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’” The name of God appearing here is precisely Yahweh. It is the name of God used for the first time in Exodus. “And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’” Moses asked God, “When the Israelites ask me, ‘Who sent you to us?’ what should I answer?” At this time, God says, “Tell them, ‘I AM sent you.’” Then, what does “I AM WHO I AM” mean? We could interpret it as God’s existence being independent of all creation, existing by Himself without relying on anything. Or, since the word itself contains a future sense, we could interpret it as God being the self-existent One, the One who will exist forever, namely the Alpha and Omega. However, the phrase “I AM WHO I AM” spoken of in this scripture verse has another meaning that we can easily discover through the context. Here is God's explanation to Moses about the previously used “I AM WHO I AM.” Verse 15: “God, furthermore, said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.”’” So, the God who sent Moses to the Israelites is precisely “I AM WHO I AM, Yahweh,” and He says this is “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And He adds this: “This is My eternal name, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.”  

 

Therefore, the name Yahweh means that God explains what kind of relationship He has with Abraham, what kind of relationship He has with Isaac, and what kind of relationship He has with Jacob. What kind of relationship? It is a relationship established by covenant. A relationship given promises. A relationship promised to make Abraham great. That is precisely what this scripture passage is talking about now. That is, when we say Yahweh Elohim, the meaning embedded in that name is precisely that He is the One who makes covenants and fulfills those covenants.  

 

By intentionally using this title Yahweh in Genesis 2, it implies that from now on, it will talk about the relationship between God and man. And it is God's name containing the intention to explain to us what kind of covenant God makes with man and how He keeps that covenant. This is the content of Genesis 2 that we will examine today. So, the story of Adam in chapter 2 shows us what kind of relationship Yahweh Elohim establishes with Adam—that is, what God says to Adam, what promises He gives, and how He walks with him and becomes his companion. While in chapter 1, God appeared as the God who creates everything alone, now in chapter 2, He begins to show us what kind of relationship He establishes and proceeds with concerning man.  

 

The Miracle of Relationship and God's Self-Revelation

We ought to be astonished by this change in title alone. Because man is a finite being. A finite being begins to form a relationship with an infinite being. To you who have faith, it might not sound so strange, but to those without faith, this is nothing short of an impossible story. There is really only one way for a finite being to know and form a relationship with an infinite being. That is, the infinite being must come to the finite being.  

 

Let me explain more simply. The material world we live in is a finite world. It easily disappears and changes, the world we see with our eyes every day. As proponents of materialism asserted in communism, some thought there was nothing spiritual in this world, that the visible material world was everything. However, most people think this material world is not everything. Yet even scientists who study this material world and research the many orders and laws hidden within it admit that there is still no way for human ability to know the spiritual world existing outside the material world. That is only possible when God, who transcends our existence, reveals Himself to us. And that very thing has happened to us.  

Therefore, today's passage is not something to just sit and listen to passively. This must truly be called a miracle. The very fact that I cannot deny God, that I believe God saved me, and that I confess that God is the Creator—this itself is the miracle. This is very strong evidence showing that God Himself came to you and me. Because, otherwise, there could be no one among us who could confess that fact. Of course, we always doubt. While thinking that God loved me so much as to reveal everything to me, we simultaneously doubt this in our hearts. Sometimes we deny God in word and deed. We might think, "If God is alive, how could this happen?" However, when we reflect on ourselves before God, we discover that without Him, there is no way to understand the existence called 'I', which is otherwise inexplicable. If my life were to end without Christ Jesus, if my body and my time were merely a combination of matter ending with the dissolution of that matter, then human existence would have no value at all. Then we would have no reason to live diligently, nor reason to live with morality and duty. Many philosophers say that the mere existence of this moral consciousness in humans is evidence of God's existence. If that, if that infinite world did not exist, humans would have no reason whatsoever to strive to uphold morality. But you and I have come to know its meaning. We have come to realize the fact that we should not waste or squander our lives, making our souls pitiful. This is truly a wondrous thing. And that is precisely what this scripture we are looking at today is telling us. It is the promise that He, the covenant God, will form such a relationship with us, and that covenant relationship is being fulfilled in us now.  

 

The Absence of the Name 'Yahweh': Fall and Distorted Knowledge of God

Now, let's take time to examine the verses mentioned earlier where the name “Yahweh” temporarily disappeared from the Bible. In Genesis, the name Yahweh was used, but then it disappeared precisely from Genesis chapter 3, verse 2 through verse 5. In these verses, the title Yahweh Elohim does not appear. Why? This was exactly when Adam and Eve began to disobey God and fall. Until these verses, Adam and Eve knew God as Yahweh Elohim—the One who made a covenant with them, poured out love, walked with them, and listened to their stories. But in these verses, it's not that God, but rather, when Satan tempted Eve, making her think of God as One who restricted their lives, hid something from them, and ultimately, as a selfish deity thinking only of Himself, what came out of Eve's mouth was not Yahweh Elohim, but only the name ‘God,’ with Yahweh dropped.  

 

The Importance of Knowing God

Through this fact, we can understand that we humans fall when our knowledge of God is flawed. This holds true for us living in modern times as well. For us too, when correct knowledge about who God is begins to disappear, from that moment our lives begin to shake. In other words, the more clearly we know who God is, the more firmly our lives will stand unshaken. If we know who He is who said, “Do not fear, do not be dismayed,” how could we possibly be dismayed? But if we misunderstand God as capricious, doing whatever He wants according to His whims, and also having no interest in me, then we immediately become anxious.  

 

Therefore, lacking correct knowledge about God is directly related to the fall. Our fall is not simply because we were tempted. Rather than shifting all responsibility to Satan and blaming him entirely for the fall, it was when our knowledge of God began to waver, and consequently, everything started to go wrong—that is when our fall began.  

 

The Lord does not forget the name Yahweh Elohim that we forgot, and He promises to ultimately fulfill that name as promised. And that is salvation. Not forgetting the name Yahweh and personally ensuring the promise of that name will be fulfilled—this is salvation. Yahweh Elohim, the God who made a covenant with Adam, will not abandon or destroy that covenant. Therefore, knowing this salvation means knowing God’s name, and knowing God’s name is not mere knowledge but an act that transforms us, makes us aware of our position, and completely changes our perception of existence. That is why God's name is so important. Knowledge of who God is is important. That's why the Bible constantly speaks of it. Knowledge of God—we are exhorted to diligently know God through that knowledge.  

 

The True Meaning of 'Knowing' God

Then, what does it mean to know God? We know that God is almighty, full of love, and the Creator of heaven and earth. Is recognizing and acknowledging these facts truly knowing God fully? Let me give an example. Among the Korean singers you liked, there is a singer named Cho Yong-pil. I also know a fair amount about him. I know which songs were hits, his age, and where he lives now, and I can talk with you about what I know about him. I might not compare to younger fans, but I even know a little about the famous young Korean group BTS. So, is knowing them to this extent, through such information, the same level as the scripture's exhortation to truly know God? It cannot be the same.

Memorizing Bible verses and singing along to hymns might be insufficient for truly knowing God. Truly knowing God means your life must be deeply influenced by Him, there must be actual conversation and communication with Him, and you must know that you are truly walking the path of fellowship with Him. That is knowing Him. And knowing that God is as important as being directly connected to your and my salvation. I am not saying this with the simple logic that if you don't know God well, you cannot be saved. Rather, it is meant in the sense of how shameful it is if, despite God revealing Himself to you through Jesus Christ, we have no interest at all in knowing Him. This is like a groom who, after dating and promising marriage, does not know his bride's name. It is unthinkable.  

 

Third Topic: No Rain and No Plants (Gen 2:5)

With this background, let's delve deeper into today's passage. Verse 5: ‘Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.” However, an interesting point is found in verse 2:4 just before this. In this verse, the account of the creation of heaven and earth is repeated, but unlike Genesis 1 which declared the creation of heavens and earth, chapter 2 reverses the order to earth and heaven. That is, it signifies that from now on, it will talk about the earth. So, a part of that earth story begins in this verse. First, the earth appears. But it is said that rain had not fallen on the earth. Therefore, it is said that there was yet no vegetation on the earth. Vegetation refers to the grasses growing wild. That is, all trees or plants that grow naturally by themselves without human hands are called vegetation. Contrasted with this are the plants cultivated by humans for food, which are called vegetables grown in the field. However, both were absent. There are naturally two reasons. One is that the rain necessary for plants to grow had not fallen. And the other is that there was no person to cultivate the vegetables.  

 

Genesis Interpretation: Literal Order or Theological Theme?

This expression is very significant, but it might sound perfectly natural to us. Naturally, since water wasn't supplied by rain, and there was no one to cultivate the plants, neither vegetation could grow nor vegetables could be cultivated. But let's think about it this way. We are currently talking about the creation of the heavens and the earth. And let's consider what happened on the third day. The record of that day: “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with seed in them, on the earth”; and it was so,” is recorded. According to the text, on that day, all vegetables and plants should have come forth from the earth. But the verse we read today says that those plants had not yet come forth. So, the time sequence of today's verse is just before the third day. Right? Because the events recorded as happening on the third day had not yet occurred. But what's interesting is the manner of expression.  

The Bible simply says, "Let there be vegetation and plants now," and it was so. Then, in our thinking, when God commanded, "Let the earth bring forth vegetables," carrots and cabbages should have instantly emerged from the ground. But now the Bible says that because it had not rained, those vegetables had not yet appeared. This is a word that suggests many meanings to us. By studying this word today, I hope you can realize how easily we fall into the mistake of trying to understand Genesis mechanically.  

 

When we first read Genesis, we think about how God did incredibly numerous things during the six days of creation and how much He must have labored during that period. However, we need to discover the fact that a much greater grace of God is hidden here. The Bible explains that in the process of the earth producing vegetables on the third day, it wasn't that the earth reacted magically and instantly to God's command, bringing forth all these things, but rather it went through numerous necessary processes. First, it had to rain. It says all natural phenomena were necessary. When God commanded the earth to bring forth plants, the word implies that natural phenomena worked together in the process of those plants emerging.  

 

These facts make us think about various meanings. Professor Meredith George Kline of Westminster Theological Seminary wrote something to this effect: The creation over six days described in the Bible summarizes the entire process, not intending to narrate everything in chronological order, and within that summarized process, all the natural phenomena required for it are included. So then, how did plants come about? Do they emerge just by raining? No. Sunlight must also shine. Then when was the sunlight created? The sun was made on the fourth day. Chronologically, it doesn't make sense. Therefore, through this fact, we can understand that the six-day creation account in Genesis is not in chronological order but aims to explain the themes of God's creation according to this sequence.  

 

This understanding brings a very important meaning to our understanding of the Bible. You and I have no problem believing that the world was created by God in six days. Because God is omniscient and omnipotent, He performed deeds He was fully capable of. However, listing the works of creation in the order of six days in the Bible is not to chronologically unfold the events of creation in a scientifically understandable way for us, but rather, through the work done in each day's creation ministry, it tells us about the greatness of God's creation, the glory of God's creation, and the love of God revealed in that glory. Therefore, asking seriously how this universe was created in just six days to scientifically prove the Bible is, in itself, not very meaningful. However, I am definitely not saying that believing everything was created in six days is wrong. But the fact that morning and evening repeated even on the days before the sun, created on the fourth day, rose and set, tells us that within this story lies an important theme, not just a chronological factual account. If we view the Bible from this perspective, the part we should pay close attention to is not what was made in what order on each day, but rather understanding the meaning and content of what was made is more important. Why does God call them luminaries and not sun and moon, why does God divide the firmament, or why, after water appeared, does that water disappear in the end and there is no sea—understanding the various meanings and their relationships is more important.  

 

The Structure of Genesis 2 and the Time Issue

From this perspective, let's examine today's passage, chapter 2. The content of chapter 2 also seems to be recorded sequentially. He created the world, but it hadn't rained on the earth, so rain came, plants appeared, then He made man, after that He created the Garden of Eden, and placed the man He had made in the Garden of Eden—it's recorded in this order. The reason this can be interpreted chronologically is because of the Hebrew conjunction used here, the ‘waw (ו)’. Since this word, when used in the Hebrew Bible, is a conjunction indicating temporal sequence, it seems plausible to view all these sentences as occurring in order. However, there is one verse included in this content that cannot be viewed that way. It is chapter 2, verse 19: “Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them”[cite: 212]. When you read this verse, you will realize the order is a bit strange. Because Adam was made in verse 7, and in verse 19, He forms the beasts and birds from the ground. So, was man made first, or were the animals made first? According to this verse, man was first. However, Genesis chapter 1 records that man was created last of all. Therefore, we can easily understand that this was not recorded in chronological order.  

 

From childhood, we have the habit of viewing the Bible only literally. Thus, there is a tendency to interpret Genesis only literally as well. However, grasping the deep meaning contained in today's story, God's intention, will also be a very important task for us in understanding the love of God revealed in this Bible. As mentioned before, from the expression changing from heavens and earth to earth and heaven, we must realize the meaning the Bible intends to convey to us. Without this understanding, we cannot properly know the deep meaning of the kingdom of God that the Bible speaks of, the glory of that kingdom, and its ultimate fulfillment.  

 

The Theological Meaning of "No Rain": Dependence on God

Let's return to today's passage. This passage also has two parts that don't fit if viewed chronologically. First, the part that says it had not rained on the earth. This verse is similar to the content of Genesis 1:2. In Genesis 1:2, creation began with the statement that the earth was formless and void. That is, it seems to suggest from the beginning that there was some problem and lack. Similarly, chapter 2 begins similarly. What was lacking here? It says that because it had not rained and there was no man, there were no plants.  

 

So why is the fact that there were no plants so important? The answer is simple. If there are no plants, even if humans are created, they would inevitably starve to death. But did the Bible really express it this way just to tell us such a simple story? No, that cannot be right. God begins chapter 2 ambiguously like this and gives us the answer in the following verse. And within that, we learn a very important fact. To understand this more clearly, I want us to think about the impression the Israelites must have received when Moses read Genesis to them at that time. A passage from Deuteronomy: “so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth, a land flowing with milk and honey.” He promises that they will live well when they enter Canaan, right? “For the land, into which you are entering to possess it,” He speaks of Canaan. But here He explains thus: “is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you used to sow your seed and water it with your foot like a vegetable garden”[cite: 243]. This verse talks about the Nile River. As you well know, in Egypt, they used their feet to draw water from the Nile to their fields and farmed with that water. “but the land into which you are about to cross to possess it, a land of hills and valleys, drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year.”  

 

Why talk about rain? The answer to why God, amidst all the stories of creation, suddenly starts talking about man through the story of rain in Genesis 2:4 is right here. What is it? He is saying, “You cannot live without this rain,” and “You cannot live by drawing water from the Nile for farming like in Egypt.” “You are beings who live solely by the rain God gives,” He says. The history of creation was a history the Israelites in the wilderness knew through their own experience. He is newly creating the Israelites in this wilderness. Through today's verse as well, the Israelites learned that they were beings who had to live by the rain falling from the sky. They learned they would get grain, wine, and oil from it. This surely cannot be just about eating, right? The story told today is not focused on what to eat and drink and how to live, but the emphasis is on the land that absorbs the rain falling from the sky. Why is the land important? Because it is the land the LORD God cares for. Because the eyes of the LORD God are always upon it. This is the focus pointed to by today's word. It's not about eating. If food was the problem, there would have been no need to leave Egypt. And He is not commanding them to endure living in the land of Canaan even if it's slightly inferior to Egypt. God is telling them that the land of Canaan is the land where God Himself will live together with them. This is the core of this word. In the Nile, you might have eaten and lived better, but God was not in Egypt. However, He promises that in the land they are now going to, God will be with them. He promises an abundance from God that cannot be compared to the many foods eaten in Egypt.  

 

True Satisfaction is in God (Psalm 23)

Everyone, the earth always has insufficiency. Let me paraphrase Psalm 23 a bit. That psalm mentions “still waters.” But even still waters are actually an insufficient space. Green pastures appear, but that place too is insufficient. Because right next to it lies the valley of the shadow of death. Everything is insufficient. But how did that insufficiency disappear? “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Yes, that's right. Because God is my shepherd, all my lack finally disappears.  

Without this realization, the reason for the abundance I enjoy simply becomes all the visible possessions or boasts I currently have. But we are beings who inevitably feel lack even if all these things are filled. These visible possessions cannot fill our hearts. The reason we feel lack is not because we have less. No matter how much we maintain our health and live long, we cannot be satisfied with that alone. Methuselah, who lived healthily for over 900 years, had no satisfaction. Enoch was the same. It’s the same even by the still waters. There is always lack. However, there is a time when we can be satisfied. When is that? Yes, it is the moment we realize that Yahweh is my shepherd. By the mere fact that God exists, we can be satisfied.  

 

This word from Genesis today promises that God will give you satisfaction. It says that God's word will fall like rain and satisfy you. It says that God's grace will pour down from heaven and make you content. It says that because God gave Himself to you, we can be satisfied. It says that unless you can avoid the falling rain, you cannot refuse the grace of God pouring down like rain. That grace drenches us, and with it, you can live, He says.  

 

Fourth Topic: Creation of Man ('Mist' and 'Dust')

Next, when God speaks of sending rain, the object of His interest is precisely man. Before delving into this content, I will first provide an explanation for a part that might cause confusion. It's about the mist in today's passage. It says mist rose from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground, which makes this mist seem different from rain. Since covering this in detail is quite complex, I will briefly touch upon it today. The word for mist in today's passage is a word also used alongside the word for cloud. It can be translated as mist, or it can be translated as cloud. Therefore, translating today's passage this way fits the overall context much better: "Clouds, or rain clouds, rose from the earth," just like this. Then how do clouds rise from the earth? Let's look at the story of Elijah, a scripture passage you know well. This Elijah prays before God with his head between his knees. And at the end of that long prayer, a cloud the size of a man's hand rose from the end of the earth. The expression used then is the same as the one used in today's verse. Rain clouds rose from the earth and watered the ground. This is how rain falls on the whole earth. This is how God solved the problem of plants not growing due to lack of rain.  

 

And the next issue is the person to cultivate. God solved this problem by creating man. The part we need to think about most carefully here is the word for dust.  

 

Man Formed from 'Dust' (Aphār)

Although translated as 'earth' or 'ground' in some Bibles, this word is the 'dust' you know well. Words translated as earth or ground in the Bible are 'eretz' (אֶרֶץ, H776), or 'adamah' (אֲדָמָה, H127). But this verse uses the word for dust, 'aphar' (עָפָר, H6083). So if we examine this verse closely, it can be translated as "dust, or powder, from the earth or ground." God used this intentionally. Animals were also formed from the ground, but the word used there is 'adamah'. Then why use the word 'aphar' in this verse? Through this expression, God wanted to inform us that we are beings like dust.  

 

The Breath of Life: God's Breath, The Holy Spirit's Work

He formed us, who are like dust, into His image, and the most crucial element here is the scene where He breathes the breath of life into his nostrils. This is the completely different aspect in the creation of humans versus animals. To express this a bit more realistically, it's like He grasped our nose and, like giving artificial respiration, pressed His lips and breathed that breath of life into us. Like giving a kiss, He forcefully exhaled into the nose. An expression that aligns with this is when Jesus breathed on His disciples and commanded them to receive the Holy Spirit. That is, it's an expression showing God's Spirit, God's breath, entering into us. It truly is an extraordinary event. It's a scene showing the work of God the Holy Spirit. This is the only thing that distinguishes humans from all other beings, and if this breath of life is absent, we are nothing but dust. What you and I can possess in this world is only dust. Without God's breath of life, we are nothing.  

 

From Dust to Living Soul, Sub-Creator

Thinking about this alone, honestly, fills our hearts with peace. Previously, we wanted so many things and strove tirelessly for them. It's the same now, isn't it? But no matter how old we get or how much we possess, we know well that all these things become increasingly meaningless. We know well that the things you envied so much all pass away. We know well that what we wanted to grasp so desperately becomes nothing over time. Yet, we often live clinging tightly to them, unable to let go. We, who are dust... But when God kisses us, who are dust, who are nothing, you and I become God's image, become living souls, and become those who bring life to the world. Then, you and I become those who cultivate the ground according to God's command. The meaning of cultivation is "to serve." That is, it means we become servants of the ground. Since the word "to serve" mimics God's act of creating the world, we can also say this: We come to play the role of small creators. Therefore, when God's breath of life is breathed into you and me, who are dust, we become living souls and small creators. Of course, rather than Little Creator, the term Sub-Creator is more fitting. That is, it means becoming a little Jesus. Not Little Jesus, but becoming a Christian. A follower of Christ, that is, becoming a Christian. Therefore, how amazing is this word Christian? We who follow Christ are participants in that creation together with Christ, and completers of that creation together with God. Born from dust and returning to dust, when God's breath of life was breathed into us, our name changes so gloriously.  

 

New Creation and Reinterpretation of the Past

Therefore, the more we know the fact that we are beings like dust, the more we come to know the glory we are enjoying. When the resurrected Jesus met His disciples, what did He say? He declared rest and peace to the disciples, breathed on them, and commanded them to receive the Holy Spirit. After that, the disciples who received the Holy Spirit finally lived lives walking the Lord's path in a glorious manner.  

 

It is the same for us upon whom the Holy Spirit has come. God, who makes all things new, has made us new creations. Creation happens because the Holy Spirit comes. Therefore, the words "born again," "born anew," can be rephrased as "a new creation has occurred in us." The old has passed away does not mean adding God's good word to my old self. It is not about attaching God's word to all the knowledge and wisdom for living that I have known so far. We have become new. We have become new creations. The past that tormented us has become new. You now no longer see your past memories through the old eyes. Even my past has become a new past. Because we realize that it was the hand that came to lead me to God. Because we came to know God's guidance revealed in the experience of that failure. That has become our testimony. This has happened to us, and this is what we call salvation.  

 

The Dual Meaning of Dust: Death and Blessing

The Bible often refers to us as dead. This is the hidden meaning contained within the word 'dust'. Dust means powder, but it also means the earth in the grave. It's a frequent expression in Job. When it says I am buried in the earth with earth, the earth in the grave is expressed with the word dust. It means to reach death. That's why the Bible says we, who lack the breath of life, are dead.  

 

However, this word 'dust' was used differently just once. There is a time in the Bible when this word 'dust' speaks of God's blessing. When could that be? It is when He says, “I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth.” At this one time, God described dust as the source of blessing. This is the moment God places that dust in His hand. This is precisely the moment Yahweh becomes my shepherd. It is the moment my life is held in Yahweh's hand. It is the moment we discover God's amazing purpose and work for us. The moment we confess that God is my Lord, at that moment, we who are dust become a blessing. At that time, this dust becomes blessing, not death. When there is life, God's life, you and I become dust where the Holy Spirit resides. Dust where the Holy Spirit resides, we call the children of God. God's glory, God's praise, God's song—that is precisely us. We are those whom God loves.  

 

Conclusion: Satisfaction in Christ and New Creation

When God becomes my shepherd, right then, all my insufficiency, which could not be satisfied by anything I possessed, changes into satisfaction. For us to know Christ Jesus means that you and I participate in God's new creation, and it's the story of completing the beauty of that creation anew. As God said, the promise that He becomes our shepherd and our life is restored. Everything we wish to achieve in this world may not come true, and so we might not live lives envied by people, but because God's breath of life fills us, and the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we believe that through the Holy Spirit God who turned us, who are like dust, into a blessing in any situation, we have become beings who always lack nothing.  

 

Closing Prayer

Let us pray! We confess that a life like dust is our life. We confess that this word given to us is the very life fulfilled in us. Help us remember that the breath of life of God the Holy Spirit has been breathed into our hearts so that we can enjoy this amazing work of creation that God permits us through the Word, and thus we have become living beings, life-giving beings, serving beings. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!