# 2 - Adam & Eve - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein we explore the profound story of Adam and Eve, revealing the divine blueprint of love, companionship, and the first union that set the foundation for humanity. Discover the timeless lessons embedded in their journey and the significance of their relationship as a reflection of our connection with God and one another.
Episode 2 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Genesis.
Sign up for The Chosen People devotionals at https://www.thechosenpeople.com/sign-up
For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Genesis 2:22, “The Lord made a woman from the rib which he had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.”
Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app.
Show Notes:
(00:53) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(03:31) Adam & Eve - Cinematic Retelling
(23:19) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
00:00:00
Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen People.
00:00:03
Speaker 2: Let there be light.
00:00:05
Speaker 1: It was like a song, an anthem from his voice.
00:00:10
Speaker 1: Light broke through the noiseless void. At last, it was time.
00:00:17
Speaker 1: One thing remained for the Creator. It was time to
00:00:21
Speaker 1: stamp creation with his image, bearers of his likeness to
00:00:27
Speaker 1: steward the world. God yello him consulted with himself about
00:00:33
Speaker 1: the nature of his next masterpiece.
00:00:36
Speaker 2: Let us craft creatures in our image, imbued with our essence.
00:00:41
Speaker 2: Let us make man as an image of God, to
00:00:45
Speaker 2: steward the fish of the sea, birds of the air,
00:00:49
Speaker 2: and creatures of the earth.
00:00:55
Speaker 3: In the garden, Adam and Eve were united by God,
00:00:59
Speaker 3: our Creator, and their bond became the foundation for ongoing
00:01:03
Speaker 3: human saga of love, unity, and the quest for deeper meaning. Sello,
00:01:09
Speaker 3: my friends, I'm ya l Extein here in Israel, and
00:01:12
Speaker 3: you're tuned into the Chosen People. In each episode, we
00:01:17
Speaker 3: explore the rich tapestry of the Hebrew Bible to uncover
00:01:21
Speaker 3: lessons that still resonate with us as people of faith today.
00:01:25
Speaker 3: If you're inspired by today's episode, please share it and subscribe. Together,
00:01:31
Speaker 3: let's explore our shared heritage and the stories that shape
00:01:36
Speaker 3: our faith. Now imagine this the world is fresh and new,
00:01:41
Speaker 3: a masterpiece straight from God's imagination in the garden of Eden.
00:01:45
Speaker 3: Every creature has a counterpart, a companion. They exist in
00:01:50
Speaker 3: perfect harmony, a symphony of life, orchestrated by God's divine inspiration.
00:01:57
Speaker 3: Except for Adam. Here he is the first man, shaked
00:02:01
Speaker 3: from the dust of this newly formed world, given life
00:02:04
Speaker 3: by the very breath of his creator, and made in
00:02:07
Speaker 3: the image of God himself. But Adam stands alone amidst
00:02:13
Speaker 3: the wonder of creation, aching from a solitude that not
00:02:18
Speaker 3: even the most magnificent surroundings Consuthe God, all seeing and
00:02:24
Speaker 3: all knowing, watches Adam with tender, loving care. He sees
00:02:28
Speaker 3: that it is not good for man to be alone,
00:02:31
Speaker 3: as it says in Hebrew and the scriptures lottv Le,
00:02:35
Speaker 3: Adame Le Hillotte Levade. The stage is set and the
00:02:40
Speaker 3: anticipation builds. A divine solution is at hand. Stay tuned
00:02:47
Speaker 3: for the story of Adam and Eve is about to
00:02:51
Speaker 3: transform a deep solitude into a union destined to echo
00:02:57
Speaker 3: through the ages to the tale of the First Man
00:03:03
Speaker 3: and Woman. Adam and Eve were in Hebrew, as we say,
00:03:09
Speaker 3: Adamb and haav It's beautiful and is also deeply symbolic
00:03:16
Speaker 3: of our need to belong and of our relationship with God.
00:03:23
Speaker 3: Welcome to the beauty of God's perfect design. Welcome to Eden.
00:03:34
Speaker 1: The light of dawn bounced off the morning mist. The
00:03:38
Speaker 1: rays kissed the earth, awakening the flowers and creatures below.
00:03:44
Speaker 1: Leaves dripped mourning dew, falling gently onto the soft dirt.
00:03:49
Speaker 1: It was from the dirt that God would craft his masterpiece.
00:03:54
Speaker 1: His voice rustled the leaves as he spoke. He spoke
00:03:58
Speaker 1: in plurality, representing the essence of the heavenly hosts and
00:04:04
Speaker 1: a divine identity yet to be fully understood.
00:04:08
Speaker 2: Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.
00:04:14
Speaker 1: His words were an expression of his intention and a
00:04:18
Speaker 1: command to the earth. It obeyed. The dirt began to stir,
00:04:23
Speaker 1: and the animals scurried and watched from their buyers, waiting
00:04:27
Speaker 1: to see what would happen. A figure began to take
00:04:31
Speaker 1: shape from the earthy claim, like a potter's vessel, slowly
00:04:36
Speaker 1: forming on the wheel. The earth spun to the sound
00:04:39
Speaker 1: of music. The creator's hands moved, precisely, crafting each detail
00:04:45
Speaker 1: with love and care. From the ground, the first man emerged,
00:04:51
Speaker 1: a lifeless being of dust and stone. He stood there, lifeless,
00:04:57
Speaker 1: an unoccupied body in of her soul. The wind whistled
00:05:03
Speaker 1: through the garden and danced around the lifeless figure God's
00:05:08
Speaker 1: life giving power. The ruach blew into his nostrils. The
00:05:13
Speaker 1: man's chest rose, and then he exhaled his first breath.
00:05:18
Speaker 1: He opened his eyes to see the radiant garden glowing
00:05:22
Speaker 1: with color and life. He looked around and beheld the
00:05:26
Speaker 1: trees and every creature looking down on him from a bath,
00:05:31
Speaker 1: He turned, feeling the dirt underneath his toes. The sensation
00:05:36
Speaker 1: of mud, leaves and moss electrified him. He drew another breath,
00:05:41
Speaker 1: feeling the muscles in his chest expanded, then retreat. He
00:05:46
Speaker 1: smelt the air crisp and fragrant from the mist and
00:05:51
Speaker 1: blooming flowers. The man considered his own body, looking at
00:05:56
Speaker 1: his hands, then scanning downward to his bare chest and
00:06:00
Speaker 1: naked legs. His tongue rolled and slid over the roof
00:06:04
Speaker 1: of his mouth. Then, mirroring the Creator, he spoke, who
00:06:10
Speaker 1: am I you are?
00:06:13
Speaker 2: Adam?
00:06:15
Speaker 1: It was his name and his identity. He was the Man,
00:06:22
Speaker 1: the image bearer of the Creator, stamped with something divine
00:06:27
Speaker 1: and filled with the breath of life. Hearing his name
00:06:31
Speaker 1: made his eyes wide. He was aware of himself and
00:06:35
Speaker 1: could discern his identity as separate from the voice that
00:06:39
Speaker 1: spoke to him and the animals observed from a distance.
00:06:43
Speaker 4: Where am I?
00:06:45
Speaker 2: This is Eden? Go explore, survey the splendor of creation,
00:06:53
Speaker 2: and see what I have given you. This land will
00:06:57
Speaker 2: be yours to cultivate and fill as my steward, as
00:07:03
Speaker 2: my image bearer.
00:07:05
Speaker 1: Adam took a step forward, feeling every sensation of existence simultaneously.
00:07:12
Speaker 1: He felt the earth underneath him, the excitement of what
00:07:15
Speaker 1: was before him, and the owe of what was above him.
00:07:20
Speaker 1: He walked between the trees, exploring the boundaries of his
00:07:24
Speaker 1: new home. It was a garden set upon a high place,
00:07:28
Speaker 1: teeming with vibrant life and vibrating with possibilities. Cascading falls
00:07:35
Speaker 1: fell majestically, splitting the earth and flowing downward into great rivers.
00:07:41
Speaker 1: Adam followed the water upward until something caught his eye.
00:07:46
Speaker 1: He was drawn to a light emanating from the peak
00:07:49
Speaker 1: of the falls. He grabbed onto the mossy stones next
00:07:53
Speaker 1: to the falls and climbed up. The waterfall was powerful,
00:07:57
Speaker 1: nearly blowing Adam off the rocks, but he persisted, hair
00:08:02
Speaker 1: dripping with water and determination. He finally summited the falls
00:08:07
Speaker 1: and looked at the source of light. At the top
00:08:11
Speaker 1: of Eden was a tree, towering above all the rest.
00:08:15
Speaker 1: Its branches stretched beyond the clouds, and its roots spread
00:08:20
Speaker 1: throughout the forest. It pulsed with power. The entire garden
00:08:25
Speaker 1: seemed to hum to its heartbeat. Its fruit hung elegantly
00:08:29
Speaker 1: from its branches. Light and sound circled it, then left
00:08:34
Speaker 1: in the breeze to adorn the rest of the garden
00:08:37
Speaker 1: in splendor. What is this?
00:08:40
Speaker 2: This is the tree of life. Its fruit is a gift,
00:08:46
Speaker 2: a gift to be cherished forever. It is the life
00:08:50
Speaker 2: I are for you, a life of unity with me.
00:08:55
Speaker 4: Ah, It's beautiful.
00:08:59
Speaker 2: Look around you, Adam, Everything here is yours to enjoy.
00:09:04
Speaker 2: You may eat of every fruit in this garden, be
00:09:09
Speaker 2: filled to your heart's content.
00:09:13
Speaker 1: The tree of Life pulsed with the sound of God's voice.
00:09:17
Speaker 1: Adam surveyed the garden. He saw birds flying above the
00:09:22
Speaker 1: tree tops and heard the sounds of creatures crying from below.
00:09:26
Speaker 1: Adam's eyes were aglow with possibilities. He saw the fruit
00:09:31
Speaker 1: of the trees and the soil's potential to grow new things.
00:09:36
Speaker 1: He plucked a berry, rolled it between his fingers, and
00:09:39
Speaker 1: pressed it enough to squeeze the juice out. He examined it,
00:09:44
Speaker 1: then held it to his mouth to taste. The sweetness
00:09:48
Speaker 1: lit up his brain and he could feel his body
00:09:51
Speaker 1: receiving it with gladness. He scaled the slope leading to
00:09:56
Speaker 1: another section of the garden. He pressed his hand agains
00:10:00
Speaker 1: against the damp moss and held his nose to the
00:10:02
Speaker 1: blooming flowers. Adam measured through the brush, then paused when
00:10:08
Speaker 1: he heard something. A rustling in the bushes startled at him.
00:10:12
Speaker 1: He stepped back, poised to run. Then from the tall
00:10:17
Speaker 1: ferns emerged a stag. Its antlers stood proudly atop his
00:10:22
Speaker 1: head like a crown. Adam laughed at the sight of him.
00:10:26
Speaker 4: Ha ha, hello there, who are you?
00:10:31
Speaker 1: The two circled each other curiously. The stag bowed its head,
00:10:36
Speaker 1: stamped its hoofs, and then pranced away into the forest.
00:10:40
Speaker 1: Adam ran after it, feeling the muscles in his legs
00:10:43
Speaker 1: extend and contract. He felt the resistance of the earth
00:10:47
Speaker 1: below and the rising of his heartbeat. It was all
00:10:50
Speaker 1: new and exciting. Adam leaped over a stream and dodged
00:10:54
Speaker 1: some low hanging branches. He slid through dirt and water,
00:10:59
Speaker 1: rounded the corner of the path, and then stopped immediately
00:11:03
Speaker 1: when he reached the shadow of another large tree. Its
00:11:07
Speaker 1: trunk was thick and braided, like serpents coiling around each other.
00:11:12
Speaker 1: The branches shot outward and down, making its fruit low
00:11:16
Speaker 1: for picking. The fruit was a deep crimson and perfect
00:11:20
Speaker 1: for one's palm. Adam was drawn to it, but terrified
00:11:25
Speaker 1: by it. At the same time. His body tensed with
00:11:28
Speaker 1: every step as he inched closer to it.
00:11:32
Speaker 4: Every food of every tree is good to eat.
00:11:37
Speaker 1: Right, Adam reached out his hand to touch the fruit,
00:11:41
Speaker 1: but before he could, God interrupted. His voice rushed through
00:11:47
Speaker 1: the forest like the evening wind. Adam recoiled and listened.
00:11:52
Speaker 2: This is the tree of knowledge, the knowledge of good
00:11:58
Speaker 2: and evil. You may eat of every tree in this garden,
00:12:03
Speaker 2: But the tree of knowledge of good and evil you
00:12:08
Speaker 2: shall not eat.
00:12:10
Speaker 1: What will happen if I do knowledge.
00:12:13
Speaker 2: Of good and evil, which leads to evil itself. While
00:12:19
Speaker 2: the tree of life brings eternal life, the knowledge of
00:12:23
Speaker 2: evil brings death.
00:12:26
Speaker 1: Death.
00:12:27
Speaker 2: A choice is before you, Adam. You can freely take
00:12:31
Speaker 2: of the tree of life, nourishing yourself in my abiding love.
00:12:37
Speaker 2: You could live under the comforting canopy of your creator,
00:12:41
Speaker 2: obeying me and partnering with me to cultivate the earth.
00:12:47
Speaker 2: Or you can reach for the tree of knowledge. You
00:12:51
Speaker 2: can awaken your mind to the possibility of evil, seize autonomy,
00:12:57
Speaker 2: and live apart from my place.
00:13:01
Speaker 1: The choice was his. God wouldn't force him to climb
00:13:06
Speaker 1: the hill and access eternal life, nor would he stop
00:13:10
Speaker 1: him from grasping at sin, even if it meant separation
00:13:14
Speaker 1: from all things good. Life was new to Adam, so
00:13:18
Speaker 1: the concept of death was strange. Yet, if God was
00:13:22
Speaker 1: the creator of life and all the beauty displayed before him,
00:13:27
Speaker 1: Adam trusted that God's word was true. Adam looked back
00:13:32
Speaker 1: at the tree. Something caught the corner of his eye.
00:13:36
Speaker 1: He peered closer, but saw nothing He could have sworn.
00:13:40
Speaker 1: He saw a part of the trunk moving. He took
00:13:44
Speaker 1: God at his word and stepped away. Behind him, Tucked
00:13:49
Speaker 1: in the shadow of the tree, two eyes watched Adam leave.
00:13:58
Speaker 1: Adam followed the stap tracts to a clearing in the trees.
00:14:02
Speaker 1: The stag was drinking from the stream just as Adam
00:14:06
Speaker 1: was about to approach it. He saw another deer approach,
00:14:10
Speaker 1: a doe with glistening eyes and a playful wag of
00:14:13
Speaker 1: its tail. The stag perked at her presence and approached.
00:14:18
Speaker 1: They circled each other playfully, then dipped their heads to touch.
00:14:23
Speaker 1: They drank side by side, then pranced around each other
00:14:26
Speaker 1: and back into the forest. Adam smiled, then frowned in confusion.
00:14:32
Speaker 1: He felt a lack an ache in his heart. The
00:14:38
Speaker 1: Creator saw Adam's face. For all the goodness he had
00:14:42
Speaker 1: imbued in creation, one thing wasn't good.
00:14:46
Speaker 2: It is not good for man to be alone. I
00:14:50
Speaker 2: will find a companion suitable for him, one to contend with,
00:14:55
Speaker 2: grow with, and multiply with, one to help love and
00:15:01
Speaker 2: be loved in return.
00:15:05
Speaker 1: Adam ran through meadows and under trees, prancing with deer
00:15:09
Speaker 1: and rolling around with wolf cubs. He studied each bird
00:15:13
Speaker 1: by its song and feather. He understood why some fish
00:15:17
Speaker 1: swam upstream while others remained at the banks of the ponds.
00:15:22
Speaker 1: All the creatures had companions, those to multiply with and
00:15:27
Speaker 1: sing the song of Creation. Although he was in paradise,
00:15:31
Speaker 1: Adam's heart continued to ache. He yearned for someone like
00:15:36
Speaker 1: him that night, Adam rested on a grassy hill underneath
00:15:41
Speaker 1: the stars. The garden mist hovered below, weaving through the
00:15:46
Speaker 1: trees like wandering ghosts. Adam looked up, pondering his future,
00:15:52
Speaker 1: the purpose he had been crafted for. A warm breeze
00:15:57
Speaker 1: enveloped the valley, causing the to sway. God put Adam's
00:16:03
Speaker 1: mind at ease and cradled him to sleep with a
00:16:06
Speaker 1: warm breeze and soothing lullaby of swaying grass and crickets.
00:16:12
Speaker 1: That night, God opened Adam's side, as if making an
00:16:16
Speaker 1: incision with an invisible blade. Carefully, thoughtfully, lovingly, God removed
00:16:24
Speaker 1: a rib from Adam. He didn't take a bone from
00:16:27
Speaker 1: his foot or a piece of his head. He took
00:16:31
Speaker 1: a rib, desiring to craft a companion to walk beside him,
00:16:36
Speaker 1: not under him or above him, but beside. God closed
00:16:41
Speaker 1: up Adam and used the rib to create a new life.
00:16:46
Speaker 1: Flesh sprouted forth from bone like vines around branches. God's
00:16:52
Speaker 1: glorious light danced around it as bone begat bone and
00:16:56
Speaker 1: flesh grew on flesh elegantly. Masterfully, God fashioned a woman
00:17:03
Speaker 1: and placed her gently beside Adam. She lay peacefully and
00:17:08
Speaker 1: still in the tall grass the breeze lifted her hair
00:17:13
Speaker 1: over her face gently, silently, God breathed life into her
00:17:19
Speaker 1: as well. Her chest rose and she exhaled.
00:17:24
Speaker 2: She was alive.
00:17:28
Speaker 1: In the morning, the garden had a symphony of sounds
00:17:32
Speaker 1: and colors. Verdant light delicately touched flower buds. They stretched out,
00:17:38
Speaker 1: receiving its life giving nourishment. Song Birds awakened the rest
00:17:43
Speaker 1: of the forest. Foxes emerged from their burrows, and deer
00:17:48
Speaker 1: drew water from the morning dew. Adam lay there in
00:17:52
Speaker 1: the grass. The light touched his cheek, gently, waking him up.
00:17:57
Speaker 1: His eyes opened slightly, then closed again. He opened them
00:18:01
Speaker 1: again in shock and sprang back. Another creature lay beside him,
00:18:07
Speaker 1: sleeping soundly on the soft earth. What are you? The
00:18:12
Speaker 1: woman opened her eyes and looked around. Her eyes were
00:18:17
Speaker 1: filled with awe and curiosity. She wasn't startled or apprehensive.
00:18:23
Speaker 1: She was filled with innocent amazement at the grass below
00:18:27
Speaker 1: and the skies above. Adam stared at her closely. She
00:18:32
Speaker 1: wasn't like the fawn or the birds of the air.
00:18:36
Speaker 1: She was like him. Adam approached slowly. She propped herself
00:18:42
Speaker 1: up and stood across from him. They circled each other
00:18:46
Speaker 1: mirroring each other's movements. Adam stepped to the side. Quickly,
00:18:52
Speaker 1: she stepped to the side. Adam smiled, then spun around.
00:18:57
Speaker 1: She mimicked his movement, returning his smile, but with far
00:19:01
Speaker 1: more grace. Ha, you're like me. Eve tilted her head
00:19:07
Speaker 1: to the side. She smiled with her eyes. It sent
00:19:11
Speaker 1: a pleasant shiver through Adam's body. Feeling jittery, Adam jumped
00:19:16
Speaker 1: up and rolled down the grassy hill. Flower pethals sprang
00:19:21
Speaker 1: up behind him. The woman laughed and leaped after him.
00:19:25
Speaker 1: Adam watched her hips and legs move. He watched her
00:19:28
Speaker 1: chest rise and fall with each breath. She enraptured him.
00:19:33
Speaker 1: They danced around each other, bodies inching closer and closer
00:19:38
Speaker 1: with each spin. Finally, they stood face to face beside
00:19:42
Speaker 1: the waterfall, the sound of rushing waters mixing with their breath.
00:19:48
Speaker 1: The woman tilted her head at Adam and raised her
00:19:51
Speaker 1: hand to his. He did the same. The two touched
00:19:56
Speaker 1: fingers intertwined in perfect connection. She looked at their hands,
00:20:02
Speaker 1: then down at the water. She saw her reflection. She
00:20:07
Speaker 1: was becoming aware of herself.
00:20:10
Speaker 2: Who am I?
00:20:12
Speaker 1: Ah?
00:20:14
Speaker 4: I'm not sure?
00:20:15
Speaker 1: Adam was certain she was like him, but unsure who
00:20:19
Speaker 1: she was. He held a hand to his side and
00:20:23
Speaker 1: touched the scar where God had taken his rib. He
00:20:26
Speaker 1: scanned her up and down. He remembered the stag and
00:20:30
Speaker 1: doe in the forest. He knew she was a mate
00:20:33
Speaker 1: for him, but he sensed she was something more. Adam
00:20:38
Speaker 1: took her hand and brought it to the scar on
00:20:41
Speaker 1: his side.
00:20:42
Speaker 4: You're from me, but who are you? I'm Adam, I
00:20:49
Speaker 4: am Man Adam.
00:20:52
Speaker 1: Knowing his name brought familiarity and intimacy. The woman pondered long,
00:20:58
Speaker 1: repeating his name under her breath.
00:21:01
Speaker 4: Adam, Adam, Adam.
00:21:07
Speaker 5: You are Adam Man?
00:21:12
Speaker 1: Then what does that make me?
00:21:15
Speaker 5: Who am I?
00:21:16
Speaker 1: What should I be called? Adam held her hand gently, tenderly, knowingly,
00:21:24
Speaker 1: he traced the lines of her palms with his fingertips.
00:21:28
Speaker 1: The wind from the rushing waterfall pushed her hair to
00:21:32
Speaker 1: the side. Even in a paradise of unfathomable and divine beauty,
00:21:38
Speaker 1: she was the most breathtaking thing his young eyes had beheld.
00:21:43
Speaker 1: Adam ran a hand through her hair and touched her cheek.
00:21:47
Speaker 4: You are bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.
00:21:55
Speaker 4: You are part of me, from me and me I
00:22:02
Speaker 4: am Man, and you a woman.
00:22:08
Speaker 1: Eve. Eve heard her name and became more aware of herself.
00:22:15
Speaker 1: She was distinct from Adam, separate, but still crafted in
00:22:19
Speaker 1: the image of God. She looked at Adam with knowing
00:22:23
Speaker 1: eyes and leaned closer to him. He mirrored her gesture.
00:22:28
Speaker 1: They embraced each other in the safety of the garden.
00:22:31
Speaker 1: They were naked and unashamed. Nothing separated them, no lies,
00:22:37
Speaker 1: no fear, nothing to be hidden or withheld. Their bodies
00:22:42
Speaker 1: intertwined in the flowers and beside the rushing waters. Adam
00:22:48
Speaker 1: was no longer alone. He had a companion, a friend,
00:22:53
Speaker 1: a helper. The two would walk side by side, filling
00:22:58
Speaker 1: God's creation with more image bearers. All seemed perfect good,
00:23:05
Speaker 1: just as God intended. But deeper in the forest, coiled
00:23:11
Speaker 1: under the shadow of the forbidden tree, an evil presence
00:23:15
Speaker 1: waited for its moment to strike. Wow.
00:23:22
Speaker 3: What an incredible story we have so much to learn
00:23:26
Speaker 3: from these early tales of Eden. We've reached the seventh
00:23:32
Speaker 3: day of creation, a day unlike any other. God, having
00:23:39
Speaker 3: woven the cosmos into bean, chooses to rest, as it
00:23:45
Speaker 3: says in the scriptures in Hebrew Bayom Hushfii Shavat Vaina
00:23:51
Speaker 3: fash on the seventh Day, he rested. Now, let's not
00:23:57
Speaker 3: get mixed up. God doesn't rest because of weakness. He
00:24:03
Speaker 3: doesn't get tired or need a break. God was just
00:24:06
Speaker 3: setting a precedent for us human beings, a precedent of enjoyment, contemplation,
00:24:12
Speaker 3: and rest, and he was creating for us a divine
00:24:16
Speaker 3: rhythm of work and rest. In this cadence of creation,
00:24:20
Speaker 3: there's a profound truth for us. We too need rest,
00:24:27
Speaker 3: not just sleep. Sleep is different than rest. What's rest, well,
00:24:34
Speaker 3: rest is a holy pause, a time to stop working
00:24:40
Speaker 3: and to start enjoying life, a time to worship. What
00:24:45
Speaker 3: we need in order to partake in this holy rest
00:24:50
Speaker 3: is the Sabbath. There's a quote by the nineteenth century
00:24:55
Speaker 3: Jewish writer and early Zionist that I love. He said,
00:25:00
Speaker 3: very famously, more than the Jews have kept the Sabbath,
00:25:04
Speaker 3: the Shabbat, as we say in Hebrew, the Shabbat has
00:25:09
Speaker 3: kept the Jews. That quote reminds me that the Jewish
00:25:13
Speaker 3: Sabbath is an incredible gift, one that has helped the
00:25:16
Speaker 3: Jewish people survive and thrive despite thousands of years of
00:25:20
Speaker 3: exile and persecution. And Shabbat the Sabbath is an anchor
00:25:26
Speaker 3: in my own personal life. I can't imagine my life
00:25:30
Speaker 3: without it. But we can all as people of faith,
00:25:34
Speaker 3: benefit from the lessons of the Sabbath in our marriages,
00:25:39
Speaker 3: our friendships, and our communities. We are called to be
00:25:43
Speaker 3: givers and receivers of rest, to support, to uplift, and
00:25:48
Speaker 3: to renew each other. And we can all Christians and
00:25:53
Speaker 3: Jews alike learn from the divine example to work with
00:25:58
Speaker 3: purpose and for rest with purpose. Let's embrace the rest
00:26:04
Speaker 3: of God shabat ba yina fash, as it says in
00:26:06
Speaker 3: the scriptures, and then let's offer that rest to each other.
00:26:12
Speaker 3: This verse also knows that there were no people, yet,
00:26:16
Speaker 3: something God remedies ten verses later when he and I
00:26:19
Speaker 3: quote took the man and put him in the garden
00:26:22
Speaker 3: of Eden to work it and to take care of it.
00:26:27
Speaker 3: Here we'll look at the Hebrew word that was originally
00:26:30
Speaker 3: used in this verse, and that word is shmurrah, which
00:26:36
Speaker 3: means to keep or to observe. He wanted them to
00:26:41
Speaker 3: keep or to observe the garden of Eden. What does
00:26:46
Speaker 3: that mean? The rabbis taught that it wasn't just the
00:26:49
Speaker 3: land that the humans were meant to keep and observe.
00:26:53
Speaker 1: No.
00:26:53
Speaker 3: Once God gave his people the gift of his word,
00:26:57
Speaker 3: the Torah, the scriptures, we were meant to work it
00:27:02
Speaker 3: through active Bible study, but we were also meant to
00:27:07
Speaker 3: keep and observe its laws, something that the Jewish people
00:27:10
Speaker 3: continue to do all of these thousands of years later.
00:27:14
Speaker 3: It's what keeps the tradition and the scriptures alive. But
00:27:20
Speaker 3: this story doesn't end there. It also gives us the
00:27:24
Speaker 3: first marriage, the first union of man and woman, of
00:27:29
Speaker 3: Adam and Eve. The phrase from the scriptures bone of
00:27:35
Speaker 3: my bones and flesh of my flesh resonates with the
00:27:39
Speaker 3: profound significance deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. When Adam first
00:27:44
Speaker 3: sees Eve, he recognizes her not as a mere companion,
00:27:48
Speaker 3: but as an integral part of himself, an expression of
00:27:53
Speaker 3: his being. Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.
00:27:59
Speaker 3: This recognition is not just poetic, it's actually theological. Bone
00:28:05
Speaker 3: symbolizes strength, the structure and support of our bodies. Flesh,
00:28:11
Speaker 3: on the other hand, denotes vulnerability, a softness that requires protection.
00:28:17
Speaker 3: When Adam declares Eve to be bone of my bones,
00:28:21
Speaker 3: flesh of my flesh, he is acknowledging more than just
00:28:23
Speaker 3: her role as his counterpart. He's expressing a divine truth
00:28:28
Speaker 3: about unity and identity. Eve is not an outsider, she
00:28:33
Speaker 3: is an inseparable part of him, sharing in the same
00:28:37
Speaker 3: essence and existence. This biblical insight extends far beyond the
00:28:43
Speaker 3: marital relationship. Rather, it informs our communities as well. In
00:28:49
Speaker 3: our faith communities, we're often reminded that we are one.
00:28:54
Speaker 3: Each of us is a part of the other, interconnected
00:28:57
Speaker 3: to our shared humanity. This decl in Genesis invites us
00:29:02
Speaker 3: to view each other with dignity and respect, to care
00:29:05
Speaker 3: for each other as we would for our own bodies.
00:29:09
Speaker 3: In our relationships, whether there are romantic relationships, our extended families,
00:29:14
Speaker 3: our communities, or our friends, we are called to recognize
00:29:20
Speaker 3: the same connection. As we all come from Adam and Eve.
00:29:26
Speaker 3: We are all bone of bone and flesh of flesh.
00:29:30
Speaker 4: We are all.
00:29:30
Speaker 3: Made in the image and likeness of God, and we
00:29:34
Speaker 3: are all worthy of dignity and honor. In the ancient world,
00:29:40
Speaker 3: only pharaohs and kings were believed to be made in
00:29:43
Speaker 3: the image of God. So when the Hebrew Bible introduced
00:29:47
Speaker 3: the idea of every human, whether slave or free, rich
00:29:52
Speaker 3: or poor, male or female being made in the image
00:29:55
Speaker 3: of God. It was a new and unique concept. What
00:30:01
Speaker 3: the Bible is telling us, which was once a radical concept,
00:30:06
Speaker 3: is that every life matters. This acknowledgment drives us to
00:30:12
Speaker 3: act justly and love mercy, to bury each other's burdens,
00:30:17
Speaker 3: and to live in such harmony that we truly reflect
00:30:20
Speaker 3: the image of God, who created us to be together,
00:30:24
Speaker 3: to be one. In this unity, we find the fullest
00:30:28
Speaker 3: expression of our humanity and a glimpse of the divine
00:30:32
Speaker 3: purpose for which we were created. As we reflect on
00:30:36
Speaker 3: the union of Adam and Eve and its significance for
00:30:39
Speaker 3: the Christian tradition, let's hear from my dear friend, Bishop
00:30:44
Speaker 3: Paul Lanier.
00:30:46
Speaker 5: Oh thank you so much. Well, you know I've sitten
00:30:49
Speaker 5: here now is listening some time ago to your first
00:30:55
Speaker 5: podcast of the Chosen People, and it was just blowing
00:31:00
Speaker 5: my mind at the profound revelation God is flowing through you.
00:31:06
Speaker 5: So beautiful. Now we're sitting here thinking about that scripture,
00:31:11
Speaker 5: and for yourself or myself, for all of us who
00:31:14
Speaker 5: are a part of this moment. If we can accept
00:31:17
Speaker 5: and believe in the first four words of the Bible,
00:31:23
Speaker 5: in the Beginning gone. If we can believe the first
00:31:28
Speaker 5: five words in the beginning God created, Well, if we
00:31:35
Speaker 5: can go there, we can believe anything. It's extraordinary. And
00:31:40
Speaker 5: that glorious first book of the Hebrew Scriptures tells us
00:31:44
Speaker 5: that he is the beginning. He's extraordinary, he's magnificent, he's glorious,
00:31:50
Speaker 5: and he sits upon that throne, and he has no peers.
00:31:55
Speaker 5: And we begin to pull back some of the layers
00:31:57
Speaker 5: of his magnificence, and we are in awe of him.
00:32:01
Speaker 5: That he's omnipotent, which means he can do all things.
00:32:07
Speaker 5: Scripture asks a rhetorical question, is anything too difficult for God?
00:32:11
Speaker 5: And of course the answer is no. We learn that
00:32:15
Speaker 5: he is omniscient, which means he knows all things you
00:32:19
Speaker 5: can't teach. God he can't learn, because he's the personification
00:32:25
Speaker 5: and the wisdom of all things. He's glorious, he's powerful,
00:32:31
Speaker 5: he is omni present, which means he exists in rules
00:32:34
Speaker 5: and reigns from all space, in all time. And I
00:32:38
Speaker 5: could just go on and on, because I'm like you,
00:32:41
Speaker 5: so in awe of him and just love to declare
00:32:44
Speaker 5: his goodness and his greatness. But we come to this
00:32:47
Speaker 5: part about Adam and Eve. The Bible uses marriage to
00:32:53
Speaker 5: help us understand the intimacy and that covenant relationship between
00:33:00
Speaker 5: God and his chosen people. The prophets of old speak
00:33:05
Speaker 5: of Israel as the wife of God. And then for
00:33:12
Speaker 5: some of us we move to the Christian scriptures and
00:33:15
Speaker 5: we find that intimacy continuing through the person and passion
00:33:22
Speaker 5: of Jesus. You know, throughout his ministry recorded in the
00:33:27
Speaker 5: Christian scriptures, Jesus taught us some of the hard truths
00:33:33
Speaker 5: through stories or what we would call parables, And actually
00:33:39
Speaker 5: from the Christian scriptures we read that jesus first miracle
00:33:44
Speaker 5: ever performed was turning water into wine at a wedding
00:33:50
Speaker 5: of all places. From that genesis we learned that it
00:33:56
Speaker 5: was from Adam's side that came his bride Eve. From
00:34:03
Speaker 5: the Christian scriptures, likewise, we read from the wounded side
00:34:09
Speaker 5: of Jesus upon the chross of Roman crucifixion, came jesus bride,
00:34:17
Speaker 5: who we later recognized as the Church, from the wound
00:34:21
Speaker 5: inflicted by the Roman soldier, and from Jesus' side came
00:34:25
Speaker 5: blood and water. In fact, throughout the Christian scriptures we
00:34:31
Speaker 5: find the Church referred to as the bride of Christ.
00:34:37
Speaker 5: The apostle Paul, as we refer to him, was a
00:34:40
Speaker 5: profound teacher, and he admonished some of the believers in
00:34:46
Speaker 5: the city of Ephesus that husbands should love their wives
00:34:52
Speaker 5: as Jesus loves his church and gave himself up or
00:34:57
Speaker 5: sacrificed himself for his church. And from that same letter
00:35:04
Speaker 5: to the Visions starts talking about apostles and prophets and
00:35:10
Speaker 5: pastors and teachers and evangelists, and who are they and
00:35:14
Speaker 5: what are they about? Well, he says they are responsible
00:35:17
Speaker 5: together to help mature the people of God. So we
00:35:22
Speaker 5: are not tossed here and there believing every kind of doctrine.
00:35:26
Speaker 5: We will not be the baby of Christ, but the
00:35:30
Speaker 5: bride of Christ, and we become corporately who Jesus is personally.
00:35:37
Speaker 5: That's wow, that's so huge. The whole extraordinary conversation would
00:35:43
Speaker 5: surely fit in the category of mystery. I'd have to
00:35:47
Speaker 5: say that word that we find so often in the
00:35:49
Speaker 5: Christian scriptures. Christians would look back to the story of
00:35:55
Speaker 5: Eden and refer to the first Adam. That's what the
00:35:59
Speaker 5: apostle Paul referred to that atom as the first Atom,
00:36:04
Speaker 5: who declared his wife Eve was bone of his bone
00:36:11
Speaker 5: and flesh of his flesh. Well, Christians read from the
00:36:16
Speaker 5: Letter to the Corinthians that every believer is part of
00:36:21
Speaker 5: the body of Christ. Each believer is a member of
00:36:26
Speaker 5: that body, so that some believers are the eyes or
00:36:30
Speaker 5: the ears or the hands extended. But this is important.
00:36:35
Speaker 5: Eyes don't see, and ears don't hear, and hands aren't reaching,
00:36:41
Speaker 5: and feet aren't walking. People here people see. So no
00:36:48
Speaker 5: matter how special my own gift or contribution might be,
00:36:52
Speaker 5: it only gets validated and makes sense and works and
00:36:57
Speaker 5: functions when I'm inseparably, gloriously, supernaturally connected to the rest
00:37:05
Speaker 5: of the Body of Christ.
00:37:10
Speaker 3: I want to leave you with a final blessing in
00:37:13
Speaker 3: English and then in Hebrew. May the Lord bless you
00:37:16
Speaker 3: and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine
00:37:19
Speaker 3: upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord
00:37:21
Speaker 3: turn his face towards you and give you peace yvoresa
00:37:26
Speaker 3: hashen vichmerecha ye hear chempavi le ye saempavile le shaloon
00:37:36
Speaker 3: with blessings from here in the Holy Land Shalloon.
00:37:42
Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with isl Exstein
00:37:45
Speaker 1: add free by downloading and subscribing to the Pray dot
00:37:48
Speaker 1: Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only made
00:37:53
Speaker 1: possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
00:37:57
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellavaga and Ben Gammon are the executive
00:38:01
Speaker 1: producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein. Edited by
00:38:05
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
00:38:10
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
00:38:15
Speaker 1: Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
00:38:19
Speaker 1: Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and
00:38:23
Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
00:38:28
Speaker 1: kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
00:38:33
Speaker 1: of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
00:38:36
Speaker 1: com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on
00:38:39
Speaker 1: the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you
00:38:42
Speaker 1: enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and
00:38:45
Speaker 1: leave a review.
Related Episodes
The Tragedy of Dinah
# 43 - The Tragedy of Dinah - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein we confront the devastating consequences of violence, vengeance, and the pursuit of justice without mercy. This episode delves into one of the Bible's darkest chapters, exploring the complexities of human sin and ...
Jacob & Esau Reunited
# 42 - Jacob & Esau Reunited - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein we explore a powerful story of reconciliation, where years of betrayal and fear give way to forgiveness, healing, and restored relationships. This episode reveals timeless lessons on grace, courage, and the t...
Wrestling with God
# 41 - Wrestling with God - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein we dive into Jacob's transformative encounter at the Jabbok, where he wrestles not only with a mysterious figure but with his own identity and destiny. Discover profound lessons on struggle, perseverance, and findin...
