- Genesis 1:27, ‘God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female created them.”
- Psalm 139:14, “Fearfully and wonderfully made.”
- Genesis 2:21-22, “The Lord the caused man to fall into a deep sleep…The Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man.”
Keil & Delitzsch: “This deep sleep was different from natural sleep, and God caused it to fall upon the man by day, that He might create the woman out of him.” Distinctive sleep, something new was about to happen!
God knows what He is doing. God had a purpose and plan, prepares, provides and presents this woman to the man.
- Adam Clarke: “’iysh signifies “man,” and the word used to express what we term “woman” is the same with a feminine termination, ‘ishah and literally means “she-man.”
She is: The perfect soul mate, beautifully formed, uniquely part of him. Created and given by God. “Rib” can also mean “side”. Note: Men are not missing a rib! She was his helper and that doesn’t mean the lesser or inferior! Note man’s response Gen. 2:23: “This is now” = “at last”, or as some have said, “Wow, look at that!” He was: Excited, delighted, thrilled, what beauty! This woman wasn’t to be treated like an animal or made to carry heavy burdens, or looked down on, etc. She was to be treated with respect. Some societies have more respect for cows and animals than women. She is not to be treated like a slave or thought of as part of the furniture. As Christians, we are called to treat women with respect and to honour them!
- Adam Clarke: “God could have formed the woman out of the dust of the earth, as he had formed the man; but had he done so, she must have appeared in his eyes as a distinct being, to whom he had no natural relation. But as God formed her out of a part of the man himself, he saw she was of the same nature, the same identical flesh and blood, and of the same constitution in all respects, and consequently having equal powers, faculties, and rights. This at once ensured his affection, and excited his esteem.”
- Ray Stedman: “In Eden, these four principles were at work. Adam and Eve were united as one. There was the recognition of the principle of headship. Adam had the right to make ultimate decisions in all matters. They intended to be together permanently and Adam was responsible for this. There was an openness between them so that they hid nothing from one another. What was the result? The text says, ‘they were not ashamed.’ Well, if they were not ashamed, what were they? What is the opposite of being ashamed? It is to be relaxed. We would use the term well adjusted. They felt at ease with each other. There was no strain in their marriage. They were fully at ease with one another.”
(Gen. 2:24) re – “Leave” Gary Smalley and John Trent (The Blessing): “In the Old Testament…the farthest most people would actually move away from their parents was across the campfire and into another tent!” Misinterpret this word when we define it to be only about leaving home physically. This word ‘leave’ means emotional separation as well as physical separation.
- Gary Smalley and John Trent: “The terrible fact is that most people who have missed out on their parent’s blessing have great emotional difficulty leaving home. It may have been years since they have seen their parents, but unmet needs for personal acceptance can keep a person emotionally chained to his parents home, unable to genuinely cleave to another person in a lasting relationship.”
The biblical commandment of marriage between one man and one woman has not been scrapped in spite of our society’s desire and inclination to be open-minded, liberated from so-called traditions and sexually free! When called to be married we live under the covenant of marriage. When called to be single either for a period of time or for life we deny ourselves legitimate desires, needs, feelings, etc. We are single because God hasn’t revealed His choice for marriage or, like Apostle Paul, God’s will is to be achieved more completely outside the marriage covenant. He believes you are capable of being faithful in this calling. By the way biblical marriage = Male and Female! There is no live-in trial period with either sex or homosexual marriage or extramarital sex but one man, one woman, both completely unique with lives sold out to God! Jesus (New Testament supports) takes for granted, even makes a case from these early chapters of Genesis. As I’ve said before I believe these early chapters are a literal historical account asserting great facts and introducing certain immense themes that are developed throughout the Bible. The God whose character is revealed throughout Israel’s history is the One who created the Universe, Earth, male and female. We have seen how lacking the material world is on its own.
- Fred Filby: “God made the material world so that it could reflect the spiritual…The Same Architect designed both.” Hebrews 11:3, “What is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
See you on Sunday, your friend, and pastor, Jim