INTRODUCTION: This short and simply told narrative gives us the origin of women, marriage, and the family. Many of the precepts that deal with God's plan and order in marriage are based on this portion of Scripture.I. THE NEED - verses 18.
While everything that God made was good, at this point it was incomplete. The male without the female was physically and psychologically lacking. Reproduction was impossible. Even if children were produced in some other way the family would not be complete. Children need the love of a father and a mother. The male and female together in marriage form a physical and emotional unity which meets the needs of both while providing a "nest" for child rearing. Truly the woman is a help which is meet or suitable for the man. Sadly because of sin's entrance marriages end in divorce. Others continue while the partners grow apart. Our goal should be to grow together as one to the mutual benefit of both. To this end let us seek a mate from the Lord [Proverbs 19:14], and follow the precepts of Scripture in our marriage.Note: The Bible recognizes that some have the ability to remain unmarried and still serve God acceptably [I Corinthians 7:7-9].
II. THE NEED MANIFESTED - verses 19-20.
Seeing that Adam was to have dominion [Genesis 1:26], God brought the animals to him for naming. Many have mentioned that we have here the implication that Adam's intellect before the fall was more perfect than that of men since the coming of sin and disease. The work of giving descriptive names to animal life was quite a task as any scientist knows. Doubtless the main purpose God had by having Adam name the animals was to show him his need for a mate. Adam would certainly have noticed that all creatures came in pairs. He would also have noticed that with all the benefit animals could provide for him that none were suitable as a real companion.III. THE NEED MET - verses 21-25.
After showing Adam his need, God then proceeded to meet that need. Adam was caused to fall into a sleep during which God took one of his ribs and made the woman. This method of creation caused one preacher to refer to woman as "dust double refined and twice removed from the earth." No doubt the woman was made from man rather than directly from the dust in order to emphasize the unity of the two and the priority of the man.The creation of woman occurred while Adam was asleep. Some have suggested that this was so all would know that Adam did not advise God. Certainly the obvious reason was that Adam would feel no pain in a sinless world. Sir James Simpson, who discovered chloroform, was very impressed by this portion of Scripture. He was a devout Christian who wrestled with the morality of anesthesia. It was this Scripture that convinced him to proceed with a clear conscience and thus benefit humanity. God, he saw, had used anesthesia in the first surgery.
IV. IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS.
A. The Institution of Marriage - verses 22-24.
These Scriptures prove that marriage is a divine institution. God Himself performed the first marriage. Marriage, in fact, was the only institution that began before the fall of man. How sadly man's sin has twisted God's plan. God intended marriage to be a lasting and blessed union. One man and one woman together exclusive of all other. Sin has brought divorce, polygamy, concubinage, polyandry, adultery, promiscuity, and perversion. Even Scriptural divorce is a concession because of sin. It was not part of God's original plan [Matthew 19:8-9].B. The Order of The Sexes.
In I Timothy 2:11-13, Paul notices the order of creation. The male was made first and then the female for his benefit. This is also noticed in I Corinthians 11:7-9. Paul bases the official headship of the man on this fact. (Let us remember that this teaching must not be abused. Paul balances his teaching by reminding the male of his debt to womankind [I Corinthians 11:11-12]. Also in Ephesians 5, the official headship of the male [Ephesians 5:23-24] is tempered with a preface on the duty of mutual submission [Ephesians 5:21]).Matthew Henry, the famous author, said of Eve's creation that she was "not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved."
V. MAN'S ORIGINAL INNOCENCE - verse 25.
It is strange that in all of nature only man wears an artificial covering. Clothes came with the entrance of sin. Before the fall man and woman were naked and not ashamed. There is much here that we probably don't understand. One preacher has suggested that before man sinned, he was clothed in light from being in God's presence. Moses' face shone after he was with God [Exodus 34:29-35]. This is only a theory, yet it does explain why Adam and Eve would be ashamed of their nakedness after the entrance of sin. At any rate, we know that God clothed man and now intends for man to be clothed. All forms of public nudity or immodesty are displeasing to God [I Timothy 2:9].Note: Matthew Henry cleverly wrote "Blushing is now the color of virtue, but it was not then the color of innocency. Those that had no sin in their conscience might well have no shame in their faces, though they had no clothes on their backs."
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