Could Adam Read And Write?

Q

I think you mentioned in one of your articles that there is evidence that Adam could read and write and that possibly he even wrote books that Moses read and used to write the first five books of the Bible. I would love to know the evidences for this. What do we have that shows both Adam’s ability to read and to write, and what evidences are there also for his writings influencing Moses? Thanks as usual for your wisdom and heart. I read your emails daily.

A

The first appearance of the Hebrew word for book is in Genesis 5, in reference to Adam. But beginning in Genesis 2:4 we have Adam’s account of the Creation (chapter 1 being God’s version). The doubt about Adam’s ability to read and write stems from the foolish claim that man evolved from monkeys. According to the Bible Adam was created in the image of God. Do we question whether God could read and write?

Sumerian Cuneiform writing dates back about 5000 years and discoveries in Egypt and Pakistan are even older. Since Adam was born about 6000 years ago and lived for 930 years, this would place archeological evidence of writing within his lifetime. I believe the evidence of Scripture shows that man could read and write from the beginning.

I think it also makes sense that Moses had written documents from which he compiled the Book of Genesis. It contains the accounts of Adam (Gen. 5:1), Noah (Gen 6:9), Shem (Gen 11:10), Terah (Gen. 11:27), Ishmael (Gen 25:12), Isaac (Gen 25:19), Esau (Gen. 26) and Jacob (Gen. 37). The other four books of the Torah contain events that occurred during the lifetime of Moses and are eye witness accounts.