Battle For The Truth (Part 14)
Notes
Transcript
How Sweet it is
How Sweet it is
18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 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 to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, 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 unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Introduction
The previous message ended at v.17, where God put restrictions on the man (Adam), commanding him not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Because disobedience would cause him certain death. As mentioned last time, since Adam did not ask any questions, it seems safe to assume that he clearly understood what God meant by “surely die.”
There is no recorded debate from Adam on the matter nor does he appear to have a problem with God’s command. After all, Adam had his health and strength, he lived in a perfect location and environment. Life in the Garden of Eden was a beautiful and luscious paradise. Oh, how sweet it is.
V.18 – “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”
Here we find another “…God said,” except this is the first time He indicated that something was not good or very good. In this verse God strategically identifies something as not good. And that which is not good has something to do with man. Not his body, mind, or spirit; but his circumstances—he was “alone” in his humanity.
This informs us that God created man to be a social creature. Although there are times when being alone is appropriate; however, loneliness as a lifestyle is not good for a human being. Nevertheless, God had a plan from the beginning to remedy Adam’s loneliness or lack of companionship. God’s solution was to make him a helper that would be fit or suitable for him.
Vv. 19-20 – “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.”
Here God reminds us of what the substance all animals were made of including man. We witness Adam hard at work naming all the animals that God brought to him. Moreover, it appears that God derived pleasure seeing what Adam named each species of animals.
This shows us Adam’s superior intelligence and dominion over the animal kingdom. He was able to observe the appearance of an animal and its characteristics, then assign it a name. In addition, he had to remember their names and pass it on to others that would soon follow.
Vv. 21-24 – “And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, 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 unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
For a good portion of the day Adam has been busy putting in some work naming animals and enjoying his beautiful garden. It is at this point that God decides to remedy a need that Adam may or may not have known he had. Thus, God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam.
This supernatural “deep sleep” was for the purpose of surgery and God was the surgeon, the nurse, the anesthesiologist, and the respiratory therapist. He removed a rib from Adam and closed the opening created to remove the rib. This is the first surgery ever performed and it was perfect—no pain, no bleeding, no infection, no harmful side-effects, and no scar. Look at God.
The Introduction of Woman, Adam’s Soulmate
We have already seen what God could do with dust. Now we are about to witness God’s finest and final work of creation on the 6th Day. God took the rib that He removed from Adam that probably had some flesh attached and made or formed or fashioned a woman.
She was all that Adam was physically, intellectually, and spiritually, with some noticeable enhancements. She was the perfect complement to Adam’s being and nature. After making her, God brought her unto Adam. Notice that Adam did not have to go find the woman. God did not play a game of hide & seek with Adam.
Using my sanctified imagination, I can visualize Adam awakening from his surgery seemingly knowing what had just occurred for he declares that she was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh and that she was taken from out of man.
Side Note:
Because of the surgery, Adam had one less rib than Eve. However, that does not mean that all men have one less rib than women. The fact is that men and women have the same number of ribs. I am sure you may have heard and/or been taught different, but that teaching is not accurate. Children born to Adam would have the same genetic code and would be born with the same number of ribs that Adam had from the beginning (24 ribs, 12 on each side). Understand it in the same way as someone who lost a limb in an accident. If they lost their right-foot, that does not mean that their children would be born without a right-foot. Right? Right.
When seeing her in all her glory, Adam exclaimed, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” I just cannot help but believe that Adam’s response in seeing Eve for the first time was not a passive expression. It was love at first sight.
I can envision Adam rising from his surgery and hearing God walking through the Garden in the cool of the evening and when he looked up, he saw the loveliest creature he had ever seen. I think this was the most tender and romantic scene there ever was. She is way the best. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest—she was a perfect 10.
As she walked towards him, he could see that her walk was a little different. She had a certain sway about her, and hair was longer. I believe she walked right into his open arms, greeted him with a soft kiss and said, “hello.”
Her voice was like his, but a softer tone and a higher pitch. She had eyes like his, but they were more beautiful and captivating. You could get lost in her eyes. She had skin like his, but it was so smooth and soft to the touch. She had lips like his, but they were so soft and supple. I better stop right there, but I hope you got the picture.
Being so overwhelmed, Adam had to say something. So, with glee, he 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….” Translation: “now this is what I’m talking about!” She shall be called “Woman” (Hebrew: ‘ishshah ish-shaw’), “because she was taken out of man.”
She was everything and more than he could have asked for. Adam was now complete. What a gift. She was all his and he was all hers. Amen somebody.
V.24 – “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
Here we witness the God-ordained institution of marriage and Adam in his unbroken relationship with God displaying godlike attributes in making declarations about marriage that stand to this day:
Marriage is between a man and a woman (this is part of Creation Law)
A man is to leave his father and mother to be joined permanently with his wife. This shows the relationship priority of husband and wife. Father and mother are to be honored (see Deuteronomy 5:16), but husband and wife take priority; and,
They two become one flesh or one entity (suggesting sexual relation).
V.25 – “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”
Oh, how sweet it is! It just does not get any better than this. What a magnificent scene. This scene highlights the most wonderful environment in the human experience. What we have just covered in this narrative is either true or not true. Amen somebody.
Can you imagine living with your soulmate in paradise in the beauty of pure love and innocence? And, what adds to the beauty of this scene is not so much what they have, but also what they do not have. God seems to highlight the fact that “they were both naked…and were not ashamed.” Anytime you can be naked and not know it is life on another level. Amen somebody.
What a blissful and exciting world they enjoyed. They had no insecurities, no phobias, no arguing, no hang-ups, and no bad weather. Furthermore, in order that they might really get acquainted with one another and their new world, they had no kids. Amen somebody.
Conclusion
I think that too often people fail to take the time to meditate and absorb the Creation narrative. Some people cannot imagine life being this good. But, I thank God for His grace that allows me to grasp how beautiful life was and can be.
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden depicts life as God intended—man and woman together in love, enjoying one another, in harmony with all of God’s Creation, and in perfect fellowship with their Maker.
Being able to appreciate this scene gives me hope and creates in me a yearning for what God has promised to do in the life to come, when He creates a new heaven and a new earth. I think I will close here.
I am looking forward to the fulfillment of God’s promise in Revelation 21:1-5, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (2) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (5) And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” He said, “these words are true and faithful.”
You can go to sleep on it, wake up to it, meditate on it, teach it as true, preach it as true, and shout about it because it is true. Jesus said, in John 18:37 – “…To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”
Jesus embodied the truth, spoke the truth, taught the truth, died for the truth, rose on the third day for the truth, ascended back to heaven for the truth, sent back the Spirit of truth on the Day of Pentecost, and is coming back again according to the truth of His living word. Amen somebody.
When I start to meditate on the goodness of God and what He has done for me and others. My soul cries out, thank you Jesus. I am fully persuaded that there is a brighter day ahead, for Jesus has said. Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face, There to sing forever of His saving grace; On the streets of glory let me lift my voice,
Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice. Until next time, may God richly bless you my beloved. AMEN.