Adam and Eve - A Story Retold - A Life We Live

As temple attending saints, the story of Adam and Eve is retold more than any other story in the scriptures. Have you wondered why?

Although the story of Adam and Eve is a historical one, it is more importantly a figurative one for you and me. It is by design that it is the presented in the first part of the Endowment, for us to listen, feel and learn from it each time we attend the temple. The Lord wants us to peel back the layers of symbolism, and put us in the first-person of this story. As you may recall, during the endowment experience, we are asked to consider ourselves as literally Adam and Eve.

So what things should we learn from the story of Adam and Eve, and how they apply in our lives, keeping in mind that we are following a process that has been handed down over billions of years, "for as God is, man may become, and man is God once was.

1. In our pre-mortal life, we walked with God in our Garden Paradise. We were allowed to partake of all (Trees) doctrines, understandings and experiences, but it was our choice to partake of this earth life - the life of good and evil. (The tree of knowledge of good and evil) God was not going to force this choice upon us, that is why he presented a choice which had consequences of both sides of that choice.
2. Adam and Eve, as well as us, were innocent, not knowing good nor evil. We were metaphorically naked, having nothing to cover up or hide, or to be ashamed of.
3. Adam was make from the dust of the earth. This is not to be taken literal. Again keep in mind that it is symbolic. Brigham Young said, "When you tell me that father Adam was made . . . from the earth, you tell me what I deem an idle tale. The idea that Adam was fashioned the same as we make adobes is a baby story and if he had been made in such a manner he would be nothing but a brick in the resurrection. He was made . . . as you and I are made, and no person was ever made upon any other principle." An opinion I would give here, is that I believe this symbol was given to help us understand that we are part of this earth, we are assigned here. "Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return." We have been part of this earth, we are now, and we will be for some time. When we die, our bodies remain here, our spirits remain here. We will participate in the Millennium here. The Celestial Kingdom will be here.
4. Eve was made from Adam's rib. Again another metaphor suggesting oneness of man and woman - a oneness that each of us in our eternal marriages are to emulate. Elder Milton R. Hunter wrote, The story of the creation of Eve . . . is symbolical of marriage." It highlights the divine command that "man leave his father and his mother" and "cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Marriage is by divine decree the most important of human relationships. It is only surpassed by our relationship with God. The temple sealing ceremony substantiates this. Adam and Eve were to become one, as all husbands and wives are commanded to become one. One commentator noted that the story of the uniting of Adam and Eve teaches that marriage is to be an exclusive relationship (i.e., a man leaves . . . ), which is a permanent (i.e., . . . and cleaves) God-sealed bond (i.e., be one flesh). One Jewish commentator noted that the command for man and woman to be one is, in part, fulfilled in the having of offspring. "The child is created by both parents, and there in the child, their flesh is united into one."
5. Adam and Eve chose to do this together. It was all part of the plan to obtain a body, be part of the process (child birth) of bringing other spirits into this plan. Eve took the first step, and Adam chose to follow. "I will partake that man may be." Even though Eve took the first step in partaking of the fruit, or otherwise choosing to come to this earth, Adam, as the priesthood holder, in exercising his priesthood, chose to follow God's plan. Had he (Or we) chose not to come to this earth, God's plan would have been frustrated for us. We would not have been part of it. We would have chosen Satan's path.
6. Adam and Eve's fall should be considered as a metaphor of our fall from God's presence. Before this life, we were in his presence. When we left our pre-mortal life, we fell from the presence of God, and were figuratively cast out of the garden, to work "by the sweat of our brow" to bring about our return to God.
7. Like Adam and Eve, after being cast down, or brought into this earth, we, as husband and wife, need to make and keep sacred covenants. Men (Adam), as priesthood holders, covenant with the Father to follow Him. And women covenant to follow their husbands in righteousness. As husband and wives, as we live righteously, we are promised everything that the Father has. If men do not do their part, they "will be left alone in the (figurative) Garden of Eden, and not participate in the great plan.
8. Together we make sacrifices to the Lord. Why, because we have been commanded. "I know not, save the Lord commanded." As husband and wife, these sacrifices, in the form of life's challenges, serving one another and sacrificing pride for humility, brings us closer to Christ. We do these things "in the similitude of the Only Begotten of the Father, who is full of grace and truth."

As we live each day with our eternal companion, remember the importance of the temple covenants we made (As figurative Adam's and Eve's) to grow our relationship in love and support, void of pride, void of self-serving. We are to support each other, build each other up, make each other happy.

I hope we all can do this.

Love, Dad