A Riddle for You

Here is a riddle that you need a Bible and a Concordance to find the answer. I have not found the answer yet myself, but am working on it. If you come up with any thoughts or answers, please share them.

Here is a riddle to have you confused for a while. (You must have scripture references for validity of answer).... here you go...

God made Adam out of the dust, But thought it best to make me first; So I was made before the man, According to God’s Holy plan. My whole body God made complete, Without arms or hands or feet. My ways and acts did God control, But in my body He placed no soul. A living being I became, And Adam gave to me a name. Then from his presence I withdrew, For this man Adam I never knew.

All my Maker’s laws I do obey, And from these laws I never stray. Thousands of me go in fear, But seldom on the earth appear. Later, for a purpose God did see, He placed a living soul in me. But that soul of mine God had to claim, And from me took it back again. And when this soul from me had fled, I was the same as when first made; Without arms, legs, feet, or soul I travel on from pole to pole.

My labors are from day to night, And to men I once furnished light. Thousand of people both young and old, Did by my death bright lights behold. No right or wrong can I conceive: The Bible and its teachings I can’t believe. The fear of death doesn’t trouble me; Pure happiness I will never see. And up in Heaven I can never go, Nor in the grave or Hell below. So get your Bible and read with care; You’ll find my name recorded there.

This puzzle was written by a lady in California in 1880 in response to a gentleman in Philadelphia, who had said that he would pay $1,000.00 to anyone who could write a puzzle that he couldn’t solve. He failed to do so, and paid the lady $1,000.00 (A great sum at that time). The answer is one word, five letters long, and appears only four times in the King James Version of the Bible. An eight year old boy figured out the puzzle. Can you?