5. God's Creation of Woman and Marriage

Genesis 2:18-25

"He saved the best for last."

When God created, He saved some of the best things for last. We know that God was pleased with His creation, because according to Scripture, "God saw that (His creation) was good." Seven times, this phrase or a variation of it is used in the creation account.

It takes almost two full chapters before we hear of something that was not good in creation (Gen. 2:18). That declaration of "not good" led to the creation of two very great things.

A Suitable Helper

God declared that it was not beneficial for the man to be alone. Although Adam was with the Lord and walked in the garden with Him at this time, something was still not right. Adam had no fellowship with a created being the way that he had fellowship with God. The animals were there with Adam, but they did not provide fellowship and companionship to the man. God announced that He would make somebody to be a helper to the man and be suitable for him. That specific creation would not be like the animals, but would be someone to greatly bless and assist Adam in more ways than he could imagine. That creation would bring companionship and assistance to him, and allow Adam to fully fulfill and obey the command God gave to have dominion and be fruitful and multiply.

Dominion Exercised

Adam named the animals and had dominion over them as God commanded him to do earlier in Genesis.

Adam exercised dominion by naming all the creatures. God made the endeavor simple by bringing everything that was to be named to Adam. Adam named all the beasts, cattle, and birds. Once the creature was named once, that was its name, and it wasn't disputed.

No Helper Found

As Adam named everything, it didn't change the situation of him being alone. The animals did not help the man feel complete. He named everything but there was no one found who could be a helper suitable and perfect for him. The cattle, birds, and the beasts of the field did not cure the loneliness that Adam was experiencing. This is a great reminder for us that God's creation of animals is good and a blessing to us, but they do not satisfy our loneliness. We were made to be with God and fellow image-bearers, and nothing else can take the place of that fellowship. It is foolish to think that animals can fully satisfy our need for companionship.

Rightly Order Rulership

In our present world, we have greatly forgotten God's command to rule and exercise dominion over the earth.

We are God's image-bearers and must image our great God as we take dominion over His creation. As dominion is exercised, we must rightly order our priorities by valuing all image-bearers over animals and birds. Men and women were created in God's image and designed to represent God on this earth. Mankind has a body and soul while all other creation only has a body. In a world that dismisses these priorities and cares for turtles more than children, we must remember Genesis 2. The world is designed to glorify God and is a gift to man. The creation wasn't designed to rule and reign over man, but man to rule creation as God would for His glory. We are to subdue the creation and steward it to the glory of God and for the good of His image bearers.

The First Surgery

The Creator who formed and fashioned all creation could have spoken the creation He desired into existence but He went about this particular process in a very personal way. The Great Physician began surgery the way we also conduct most surgeries - by putting Adam to sleep. While Adam slept, God took one of Adam's ribs and closed up the wound. From that rib, God formed a woman and brought her to Adam.

Why a Rib?

Many have mentioned various explanations for why God took Adam's rib. One that is often explained is that the rib shows man and woman's equality and value before God. The woman was not created with lesser value or worth than the man, but both men and women possess equal value, worth, and dignity before God. That is true but might there be more? Through the use of the rib, we get a beautiful picture of the closeness that a man and woman in marriage receive. They are literally one flesh, as we will be told later in Scripture.

Protection of the Heart

The rib protects the heart and is close to the heart. The same should be true of spouses. The man and woman should be close to the heart of their spouse. They should know each other, love, and serve each other. Both man and woman are to protect their spouse from sin like the rib protects the heart so that the one-flesh union may be found faithful in God's eyes. God then brings the woman to the man to begin and establish the one-flesh union.

Bone of My Bones

After surgery, Adam awoke and saw the woman. He realized that God has provided someone like him who wasn't like all the animals. Something different had arrived. Adam is amazed and made that declaration of what he saw. Truly this was one of his bones and part of his flesh because she was taken out of a man and as a result, named woman. God perfectly provided someone for man, someone who was suitable for the man and a helper to him. She would reign with the man and they would serve together as they subdued and filled the earth for the glory of God.

The Creation of Marriage

Through God creating the woman, God established the institution of marriage. He defines what marriage is. Marriage is when a man and a woman become one flesh through a covenantal commitment before God. Marriage is only that, and nothing more or less. Everything that falls short of that standard isn't marriage - it is a mirage. Many things may be said to be marriage, but if it doesn't accord with Genesis 2:24, it isn't marriage. Marriage is the beautiful one-flesh union that is only capable through a man and woman which allows them to take dominion, be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.

Instructions for the Union

God laid out commands for His image-bearers as to how they are to relate to one another as male and female. The man is called to leave his father and mother for the glorious purpose and reason of marriage. The man is to leave his parents and cleave to his wife. It is not just a hold-close relationship, it is a cleaving-relationship that is not to be reliquished. The man is to take full leadership and responsibility as he cleaves to his wife. As they cleave, they become one flesh, and that one flesh is never to be disregarded or destroyed.

One Flesh Forever

Marriage is not a two-flesh union but a one-flesh union. A husband and a wife are not two people with entirely different purposes. Rather, their purposes as a one-flesh union should be unified, as they are no longer two but one. It is a glorious and holy union in that the man and the woman are to love each other, and not be ashamed of each other. They are called to care for each other and serve one another.

The man is to love and sacrifice for his wife, and the wife is to submit. The wife was created to be an invaluable helper and comrade to the man as they obey God's command to be fruitful, multiply, and exercise faithful dominion over the earth.

Without women, creation is not good, and man is only partially able to obey the creation commands God has given by exercising dominion. Marriage is not possible without a man or a woman becoming a one-flesh union. God saved some of the best work of creation for the end and He receives greater glory through His gloriously great creation of women and the institution of marriage.

Works Cited

Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.