The Discovery of Genesis (42 page)

Eve next offered Adam the forbidden fruit. “She also gave some to her husband, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6). Adam, unlike Eve, was not deceived (1 Timothy 2:14). Perhaps it was because of love for his wife and his unwillingness to be separated from her that he willfully disobeyed God when he accepted and ate the fruit which Eve offered him. Our first parents sinned in accepting the words of the subtle tempter over the warning of their loving and all-wise Creator.

This whole sad story of mankind’s fall into sin is preserved in the Chinese language in such explicit detail that one cannot miss the message if the eyes are opened to discern it. The Hebrews and the ancient Chinese people were in widely separated parts of the world, and yet their stories support one another. Actually, the Chinese characters containing this record preceded the Genesis writings by many centuries. The striking similarities in the Hebrew annals and the Chinese calligraphy will become more and more apparent as the Genesis chronicle unfolds.

Chapter 7: Dust to Dust

In the beginning, mans original character was virtous
,
. This ancient classical nursery rhyme can be recited with sing-song lilt by nearly every Chinese child. It carries a proverbial truth. Unfortunately, man’s perfect sinless character was lost by a single willful act. Adam ate the forbidden fruit that his wife offered him, knowing full well that he was disobeying the express command of his Creator; and he was perhaps for the moment ignoring the ultimate result.

Immediately a change came over them. “Then the
eyes of both were opened
, and they knew that they were
naked
; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons” (Genesis 3:7). Adam and Eve had been created in the image of God, and in their sinless, perfect state had been clothed with a glorious light, appearing as though on fire with
glory
(see pages 42 and 52). This glory, symbolizing their sinless characters, mirroring that of God, began to fade after they had chosen to disobey God’s direct command. Their “eyes were opened,” as Lucifer had promised, but the result was not as Eve had envisioned! Consequently, for the first time, they became aware of their nakedness and. full of shame, felt their need of a covering. They took what was close at hand and made for themselves “aprons” of large fig leaves to hide their nakedness.

There are three characters which indicate
naked
:
, and
.
¹
It will be immediately observed that the second element
in each is identical, and this, interestingly enough, means
fruit
(from
garden
and
tree
)! The first portion of two characters has to do with the person: one is
man
; and the second, the
body
, indicating what is to be covered. The third character contains the radical
which means
clothing.
Thus all three characters correlate with the Genesis story regarding the contrived covering for the nakedness of Adam and Eve.