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10 Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created" (Gen.5:1-2). Man was formed of the dust of the ground (Gen.2:7). His name "Adam" is in the Hebrew adam meaning "ruddy." It comes from the word adam which means "to show blood, i.e., flush, to turn rosy." Adam was a "son of God" by creation. He alone of all men was directly created by God Himself. All other men have been born of a woman. However, God had other "sons" also by His act of Creation. We read in the book of Job, "Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up thy loins now like a man: for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof? When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:1-7). Moffatt translates this passage in verses 6-7, "What were its pedestals placed on? Who laid the corner-stone, when the morning-stars were singing, and all the angels chanted in their joy?" We also read in Job, of the heavenly court: "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them" (Job 1:6). And again: "Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD" (Job 2:1). It is plain that in these Scriptures the term "sons of God" refers to angels and not to human beings. Human beings, on the other hand, throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, are referred to as "sons of men" (see Psa.4:2; 31:19; 33:13; 57:4; 58:1; 145:12; Eccl.2:3, 8; 3:10, 18, 19; 8:11; 9:3,12, etc.). Clearly, angels of God are also called "sons of God." The Scriptures also tell us that angels of God have the ability or capacity to appear in the flesh, as human beings. In fact, three angels, appearing as human beings, came to Abraham. We read of the "close encounter" of an unusual kind in Genesis: "And the LORD appeared unto him [Abraham] in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; and he lift up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, and said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant" (Gen.18:1-3). Abraham recognized one of them. Evidently the Lord, the one who became the Christ or Messiah, appeared to him in a form in which he had seen him before -- as Melchisedek, "king of Salem," who was "priest of the most high God" (compare Gen.14:18-20). Abraham recognized him and prepared a feast for them. At this juncture the Lord promised that Sarah would have a son -- by a miracle -- within the year (Gen.18:4-15). The "Sons of God" Identified His act of Creation. A "Close Encounter" of an Unusual Kind