The creation of man.
The creation of woman.
The Garden of Eden.
The first marriage.
v.7—“The Lord God ‘formed’ man of the dust of the earth.”
The word “formed” in the Hebrew gives us the figure of the potter moulding the clay—Jeremiah 18:3-4.
Man’s body was fashioned from the dust of the ground.
Man’s spirit came from the very breath of God.
He is literally a creature of two worlds, heaven and earth.
There are three stages in the creation of man—v.7:
1. The Lord God formed man from the dust of the earth.
2. God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.
3. Man became a living soul.
The divine breath permeated the clay and transformed it into a living being.
That strange combination of dust and deity produced a marvelous creation, made in God’s image.
This does not mean that man bore a physical resemblance to God.
Rather he was made like God in spiritual powers.
To him were given powers to think—feel—communicate with others—to discern—discriminate.
He was different from the animals.
The likeness was mental—moral—social.
v.8—In this verse we are introduced to Eden.
God made a beautiful garden for man. This is described through verse 14.
God has also prepared a beautiful place for the new man.
Paul was translated there and described as Paradise—2 Corinthians 12.
While there he heard unspeakable words.
John gives us a fuller description—Revelation 21.
Describe those who will not enter—Revelation 21:8.
The location of this garden lies somewhere between the Tigris and the Euphrates.
This is the cradle of civilization.
This is where it will all end.
In this place of indescribable beauty man was to enjoy fellowship with his Creator.
Magnificent trees furnished food for them—v.9.
Adequate water was ensured by a vast irrigation system, a network of rivers flowed in and about the garden—v.10-14.
The Hebrew word “Eden” means enchantment—pleasure—delight.
You can see wy this garden was so named.
There are two trees mentioned in v.9—“the tree of life,” and “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
These will come in for special mention later in the series.
Into this beautiful place God put Adam—v.15.
v.16-17—Reveals one restriction—he was not to eat of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
God told him that if he ate of this tree he would die—v.17.
It was not the eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that made them die spiritually, it was disobedience to God’s spoken word.
This death was not physical—but spiritual (explain).
Explain briefly the tragedy if Adam had eaten of the tree of life.
v.18—“God said it is not good that man should be alone; I will make a help fit for him.”
Man was created for fellowship and companionship.
He could only enter into the full life as he shared love—trust—and devotion in the intimate circle of family relationship.
God gave Adam a help fit for him, one who could share his responsibilities, respond to his love.
v.21—Adam was created from dust. Eve was created from Adam.
“The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam.”
During this “deep sleep” God extracted/took one of Adams ribs and from that rib he built/made a woman.
Someone has said that “woman was not taken from man’s head to rule over him, nor from his feet to be trampled upon, but from his side, under his arm to be protected, and closest to his heart, to be loved.” E.R.A.
v.22—“And brought her unto the man.”
When God was ready with His new creation, “He gave her away” in marriage to Adam, her husband, establishing the significant institution of marriage.
This subsequent union was a sacred relationship, ordained by God.
Marriage is diving in its origin and pleasing to God.
v.23—Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”
Adam recognized the intimacy of his divinely created companion, and in effect said, “We are one.”
v.24—Quote. Therefore shall a man leave…and cleave, etc.
And they two shall be one flesh.
Nowhere in the Scripture is there permission given for a plurality of wives.
“Therefore shall a man cleave unto his wife.”
I believe the aforementioned statement is a specific declaration made by the Holy Spirit.
The final commentary on the union of man and wife was given by our Lord.
“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they two shall be one flesh: so then they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”—Mark 10:7-9.
The sacredness of marriage is founded in the very heart of God and expounded in the Scriptures.
The N.T. tells us of the love that should unite husband and wife.
“Husbands love your wife even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it.”
1. We husbands should give our life for our wife if necessary.
2. We should love her as long as we live.
“Unto Him that loved = loves us and washed us from our sin”, etc.—Revelation 1.
As Christ’s love never changes—ours should never change.
We should keep on loving our wife.
The woman is a type of the church.
Foreshadows the sacred union between Christ and the Church.
The Church owes her being to Christ’s sleep in the tomb.
The darkness of Calvary.
From the deep sleep of Adam came the woman.
From the darkness of Calvary and the sleep of the tomb came the Church.
Adam enjoyed the fellowship of his wife.
Christ enjoys the fellowship not only of His Church (Bride) as a whole, but He enjoys the fellowship of each individual.