THE LORD GOD FORMED THE MAN FROM THE DUST OF THE GROUND AND BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE, AND MAN BECAME A LIVING BEING." (NIV)
This is the method of the creation of man. God does not give all the details, but we know that somehow, physically, man was taken and "formed" from the ground. Our bodies are made up of about 15-16 chemical elements and these same elements are in the ground. Science has shown that we are made basically from the "dust" of the ground. If we reduced our bodies to the basic separate chemical elements that make up our body it would not be worth much in terms of money.
Like the animals we saw in Genesis 1 Adam was "nephesh" or "soulish." This is the word used for living being used in this verse. However, something about "Adam" is different. God "breathed" into him the "breath" or "spirit" of life. This he did not do with the other "nephesh" animals. They were made "soulish", the ability to have mind, will, emotions.
"Adam" also was made "nephesh" but God directly breathed into him and made something brand new, (remember "bara" used in connection with God making "Adam & Eve" in Genesis 1), He gave "man" more than just mind, will, and emotions God made him a "spiritual" being.
"Adam" was given physical life then he was given life that was "spiritual." He was given the capacity to know God intimately. This is what separates man from all other creatures. This spiritual nature gives us our longing for God.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;
This spiritual nature makes "mankind" (unlike any other creature) wonder if there is more to this life than what we physically see. Only "man" ponders life's most complex questions: Is there life after death?; Is there a God?; What is Truth?; etc. Only "man" worries about death and what is beyond the grave.
Evolution cannot explain or account for these things about human nature. It cannot account for human conscience, human speech, and our desire to worship and serve a higher power. These are all parts of our "spiritual" nature implanted there by God.
Read more articles by Tom Phelps or search for articles on the same topic or others.