Biblical Manhood (Part Four)

Pastor Robert L. Taylor
Sep 6
2 min read

Now, we’ll examine the last aspect of the biblical man’s purpose. It’s called his “assignment.” Assignment means something that’s been entrusted to you to perform. What were the things assigned by God to Adam? In Genesis 2:15-17, we’re given the leadership and visionary aspect of the man. God is giving the man a vision of all He’d created, and then He gave him instructions for living to guide all who’d come after him in the ways of God! It’s important to understand that the woman wasn’t formed until after the events of the above Bible passage. In other words, the man received all that information alone. He was the leader alone. He was responsible alone. God entrusted the man with this assignment before the woman was created, meaning that the man was responsible for passing on these instructions for living to the woman. How do we know this? Notice what the woman says to the serpent; “The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’ ” (Genesis 3:2-3). How did the woman know that God said those words? She wasn’t created when God spoke them to Adam (see the above passage, Genesis 2:15-17). The woman knew God had spoken those words because Adam told her! It was part of Adam’s assignment! Adam was responsible for telling Eve what God said to him. This is extremely important for men following God to understand and embrace. The man is held responsible for everything under his leadership. Men, if something goes wrong in your family, you’re accountable! Let’s examine that teaching. After humanity fell into sin, we read, “Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9). Since Adam was responsible for leading his family, God went straight to him even though Eve was the one who first ate from the tree. When God asked Adam, “Where are you?” the question wasn’t about Adam’s location, for God knew where he was. The question was one of “position.” God called for Adam first because he was the head of creation and was directly given the command from God, making his disobedience a greater spiritual failure. Adam had the responsibility to guard his wife and the garden, but he failed to do so, standing passively by while Eve was deceived. His failure to intervene and his subsequent participation in the sin meant he was accountable for humanity's fall. Adam wasn’t fulfilling his assignment of leadership in his family. The assignment that God gave to Adam continues being true for men today because God’s purpose for the man hasn’t changed. Everything that’s needed to lead, guide, care, and provide for the family is inherent in the man. Be encouraged!