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Studies in Genesis, The Fitting Helper, Lesson VI, Genesis 2:7-25
We ended our last lesson in Genesis by focusing on a creation of God in a special garden named Eden, and this creation consisted of two trees, one planted in the midst of the garden and another whose location in the garden was not given.
We read of this in Genesis 2:7-9, And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
And skipping verses 10-15 for now also read Genesis 2:16:
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Adam, the father of us all, now lived in this garden, to dress it and to keep it and included in this work was the tilling of the very earth from which he had been made.
Adam’s environment was perfect.
It was a place where God said yes to all things with one exception, and that one exception was to not partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
For included in this warning was something called death for disobedience to God’s word by Adam regarding the eating of the fruit of this tree brought an assured consequence, the absolute that Adam would surely die.
Now in order for Adam to understand this concept he must have been told by God what it meant to eat of the tree of life.
For God had placed in the Garden two trees, two ways, two eternities one called life and one called death.
And God commanded Adam to choose the one called life.
Each day Adam was to think on that choice and to eat of the tree of life and never to partake of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
For this is God’s continuing message.
It was told the children of Israel as they covenanted with God when He gave Moses the Law.
For it is recorded in Deuteronomy 30:19, I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
And this command still rings around the earth as God’s blessed Gospel goes forth calling on all who hear to choose life, to choose to eat of the tree of life and life is only found in His Son, Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Jesus Christ is the Tree of Life.
In reality this is the theme of every faithful Gospel preacher regardless of the sermon preached for every sermon calls for the listener to choose life, to choose God’s only One who saves and keeps, for the choice of death was made for all in the garden.
Now also notice that Adam was without Eve and was alone in the Garden at the time of this command of God that the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil must not be eaten.
How did Eve learn of this?
We will read of Eve’s conversation with the serpent in the third chapter and we’ll see how she added to what God told Adam.
God said nothing about touching the tree yet she included that in her conversation.
What a startling example of how important it is to know God’s word in detail and to communicate God’s word accurately.
Did she not listen carefully to Adam’s warning words?
Many cults have followed Eve’s example much to their member’s loss.
We are to pay attention to every jot and tittle of God’s world for everything in it promotes life.
There is nothing casual or unimportant in God’s word, even the long genealogies can teach much.
Now Genesis 2:10-15 provide details of the garden giving us names of four rivers, two of which names are used today to describe rivers but may not be in the same place, and places where gold and bdellium and onyx stone could be found.
But the flood of Noah no doubt erased the borders and the topography of Adam’s time so it is impossible to know exactly where this garden was.
So in verse 15 God assigns Adam his work for he was created to work in a Paradise called Eden.
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Today we hear of grand resorts, with grand gardens and appointments and grand hammocks in which to lounge the day away but we are never called there to work.
Imagine one of those commercials for Grand Bahama Island Resort calling you to come and work.
So how many do you suppose would come?
But God does not operate the way the world operates for even in the Garden of Eden He chose to have a co-laborer in this garden for Adam was given a purpose and that purpose was to work.
In a way Eden was a small picture of heaven and God teaches us that heaven is also a place of work.
God brought man into being and has given man the gift of being His co-laborer, His co-worker.
All of nature teaches this for God provides only raw materials to be fashioned into practical things by the hands of men and women.
God creates and man makes from what God provides . There had been no change order from God from the time of Adam to the time of the Apostle Paul and certainly to our time for in:
I Cor. 3:9 he reminds the Corinthians, For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
We are made to work.
We may work for God or we may work for our self.
But those who choose life will work for God in his heavenly garden.
Heaven is a place of unbelievable beauty and peace and bliss but God’s purpose will continue there for He created us to work.
God’s work is meaningful and always provides fulfillment and purpose for life.
Even in the words of Jesus when he described himself as the Vine and we as the branches co-laboring is shown for the grapes only come when the Vine does its work and the branches continue that work that fruit will come.
What a gift that is to work with God.
Those who choose to eat of the tree of life are created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
And those good works feed the soul for God so designed us for this purpose.
So we now have a beautiful and plentiful garden with flowing water and a man prepared with a mind and body to keep it and to dress it.
The named animals of the garden are a joy and also eat of its fruits and provide for Adam’s enjoyment but something is missing and Adam senses that he is not complete.
Again God intervenes for he knows what Adam needs for he made every part of Adam and he knows how every part of Adam works and something in Adam needs help so God the Provider comes to his aid.
And we read of this in Genesis 2:18-25, And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
(MEET, adjective [Latin convenio.] Fit; suitable; proper; qualified; convenient; adapted, as to a use or purpose.)
19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep (God the anesthetist an·es·the·tist) to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, (God the Surgeon) and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave
(Cleave: To unite or be united closely in interest or affection; to adhere with strong attachment)
unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
So God assembled all of the creatures He has created, thousands upon thousands, and one by one appear before Adam not only for the purpose of receiving a name but to see if any of the creatures would be a suitable help for Adam.
So don’t your suppose Adam studied each and saw God’s diversity and characteristics of each creature.
But Adam observed also each creature with its own mate and the mate seemed so suitable and fitting and from this Adam saw that he too should have a mate.
For Adam there was no love at first sight when he saw the creatures.
Adam’s heartbeat did not waiver for none of these creatures fit Adam.
Again God comes to his aid for he knows that Adam’s mate was to be a very special creation, not a slave, not an inferior, not a competitor, but one called a helper.
God declares to Adam I have made you to need a helper.
And I will form that helper from a part intimate to you.
A part near your heart for this helper is always to be near your heart.
This helper is designed to know your heart and to know where and when help is needed.
Again we see God create a creature in his image for in Psalm 46:1 God shows us his character as a helper for God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
God has made all things perfect and he makes for Adam and for all men the need for a helper and he then provides helpers to fit them.
Now the world so many times defines helpers as inferior to those whom they help.
But God in no way does this and all should see that God is helping man through women.
And what an honor to serve God in this way.
What an honor to serve God in the purpose for which you were created.
Let not the culture define your role but learn your role by knowing and heeding God’s word.
So God, from the rib of Adam presented Eve to him and there was love at first sight.
Perhaps Adam’s heartbeat broke the speed limit this time for Eve, the first women, so suited Adam for God made her to fit him in all things, physically, socially, intellectually, spiritually and emotionally.
And Adam who had not found a help meet for him in all the thousands of creatures God presented to him now found before him that unique creation so suited to him and I think he rejoiced at God’s goodness saying in:
Genesis 2:23, ……… This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
And then I think God said verse 24 for this was a description of a new union in which Adam and Eve were the first, a union called marriage.
Adam saying this would seem odd, not having a human father nor a human mother.
So I think it is God who said: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
In this command of God we are told boldly that allegiances are to change.
Man is to leave his parents, and cleave unto his helper for he definitely needs help, for God has made him to need help, and that help will not come from his parents.
He has been told to be fruitful and multiply and in that mission parents are of no help.
Only by the helper given him by God can that mission be successful.
So his dependence upon his father and his mother is to cease and he is now to assume the headship of his own home and to bring forth fruit for God’s glory.
The helper whom Adam calls the woman does not assume a headship for she goes through a transfer from one head to another.
Her female child, always subject to her father now becomes subject to her husband but her male child subject to his father and dependent, now is to become independent of them and take on the headship of a new home.
Till death do us part is not a child-parent vow but a marriage vow for the child-parent relationship is temporary, in most cases, but the husband-wife relationship is permanent.
The command to leave his father and his mother is to the man.
It is his responsibility to terminate that dependent relationship in order to fully be one with his helper, his wife.
Marriage is to be the closest most intimate relationship on earth.
It is to surpass any parent-child relationship even that which comes through the process of birth which separates two.
But marriage is to unite two into one flesh.
No greater bond can be found on earth.
Today the devil is oh so busy blinding the eyes to this truth, attempting to destroy that which God has ordained. |