Genesis
Lesson 10Genesis 2:18-25
Following the creation of man, we resume our study starting at Genesis Chapter 2, verse 18, with God’s pronouncement that "it is not good for man to be alone". Thus, this lesson’s study will feature God’s provisioning of a help-mate for man — a partner and co-worker. From our study, we will be able to garner considerable insight regarding man’s purpose and God’s great plan for mankind.
As we saw in our last lesson, man was created with a purpose. He was created to work, and initially, he was created to work in God’s own garden, the Garden of Eden. Clearly this wasn’t a "one man job"; so God provided a helper for him in order that, together, they could accomplish all that God had for them to do.
Read Genesis 2:18-25, and consider the following:
- What can men learn from reading Genesis 2:18 regarding their role on earth?
- What was the first step that God took in finding a helper for Adam?
- Did God know in advance that man&rquo;s helper would not be among the "beasts of the field and the birds of the air"; or was He hoping one of them would be suitable as a helper for Adam? If he did know in advance that this was not the case, then why did he do this (i.e., bring all the birds and animals to Adam)?
- In Genesis 2:21, we are told of the first-ever surgery, and we observe that it is performed by God. In verse 22, God creates a woman, and she would be the last thing that God would create before He rested on the Sabbath. What made her unique among all of the creatures that God created? God created animals from the earth, and man from the dust of the earth. How was Eve created?
- How would the subject of DNA relate to Genesis 2:23?
- Adam was put to sleep (some might say that he actually died for a moment) by God in order to create Eve. God opened the flesh on Adam’s side and used Adam’s rib to create Eve, Adam’s wife. When God was ready with his creation of Eve he brought her to Adam, as recounted in verse 22. Where else in the Bible do we see this illustrated, that is, death, a pierced side, and the bride created by God, which when ready, was brought to the husband? Read the scripture verses and passages below, and note the parallels.
- Revelation 13:8
- John 19:34-36
- 2 Corinthians 11:2
- Ephesians 5:30
- Ephesians 4:11-16
- Revelation 19:6-7
- Genesis 2:23, the classic verse used at weddings, is recited by Adam for the first time. From this verse and the one that follows (verse 24), one could infer that man and woman were created to marry, and that they were created to marry once for life. What does Christ say about this in relation to God’s plan? I.e., was this God’s original plan: one man, one woman, and marriage once for life? (see Matthew 19:8)
- Sin entered the world shortly after God created Adam and Eve; and Henry Morris points out in his book, The Genesis Record, that God "seemed to sanction (or at least to allow) polygamy at times (e.g., Abraham, Jacob, David) and to bless the work of some who practiced it. Similarly, the Mosaic law allowed divorce..." Did God ever actually command divorce? (see Ezra 10:11)
- Having seen God’s creation of Eve and understanding his plan for a man and a woman, what could we then say is depicted in Ephesians 5:22-33?
- When did God give man, i.e., Adam, the commandment to not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil? Was it before or after he created Eve?
So, we close our study with Adam and his new wife Eve in the Garden of Eden, with their whole lives ahead of them; without shame, without sorrow, living in a perfect world. In our next lesson, we will see what happens to that perfect world when sin enters in.
Thanks for studying with us.
In Christ,
Wes
[2010]