In the previous chapter, God spoke life and order into the chaos. The image conjured up is one of an all-powerful God who if he just speaks, the earth trembles. In Genesis 2 God still speaks life into existence, but a different word is used. God formed. God is like the potter, shaping his creation into the mold he wants it to be. This time God starts with a man, who we call Adam (the Hebrew word for human/man is adam). Then God plants a garden called Eden and puts the man in the garden for him to work and enjoy it, except for two trees. God sees Adam alone and decides that it is not good for man to live in isolation, and so God makes the animals and gives Adam the responsibility for naming them. Naming something in the ancient world meant that you had superiority over that particular object. However no suitable helper was found for Adam in the animals. So God causes Adam to fall into a great sleep, takes out a rib, and forms woman. Why a rib? Why not part of the head? Or part of the leg? I think for two reasons. One is that the word for helper, ezer, is used 19 times in the Hebrew Bible. Twelve of those times it is used to describe God as the ezer of Israel. In other words, helpmate is not a derogatory term, but rather shows that man cannot be man without women. Secondly, ribs rest on side of a person. When God takes out the rib and forms woman, God is showing that men and women are going to have a side by side relationship.
Two words stick out to me in this passage. One is the activity of God in this chapter. This chapter highlights a God who is active in the world, and not far off. We worship a God who is not just up there, far off and distant, but a God who is here within our presence, and working in the world. The second word that sticks out to me is that we cannot do it alone. Humans were not meant for isolation, but community. We need others to help us walk through life and participate in what God is doing in the world. Thank you to all those who commented yesterday, and I can't wait to read your insights today!
"Lord, thank you that you are at work in the world. Help me not to live life alone, but rather in community, as we walk through life looking to participate where you are working. Amen."
About Me
- Robert and Ray Miller
- Robert is the pastor of First Baptist Texas City, Tx. And Ray is the pastor of First Baptist Mertens, Tx. Robert brings over 30 years of biblical study as a pastor. Ray brings a younger perspective to the Bible and also a command of the original languages. Our greatest passion is to see lives changed through the good news of Jesus Christ.
4 comments:
The one observation that stood out for me this time is that there were two trees mentioned as being in the middle of the Garden of Eden: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (NIV) God did not say man could not eat of the tree of life. Notice also that Eve was not there when God gave this command. It was up to Adam to instruct Eve of this commandment.
I don't have any idea what the debate in our present culture is all about. That is, this idea of one man and one woman. It is clear that God instituted the idea of what a marriage is supposed to look like. One man and one woman. Can you imagine if every relationship was a same-sex relationship? Yeah, you don't want to do that for very long. The point is this: humans would go extinct!! Those relationships produce death. It is no surprise that the relationship God has in mind produces life. Remember He blessed them and gave them a command. Be fruitful and multiply. That only happens one way folks. Thank God for man and woman. Thank God for marriage...God's way. Thank you Lord for the gold standard of "oneness" that you showed us in the garden.
You speek of God formed man like the potter the same word in Hebrew for fformed is the same word is used in Jer.18:2 for the potter and just like the potter God makes each of us a little different in making a pot there are 4 things that are needed to make apot 1 earth (mud) 2 water (lots of water) 3 preasur from the hands of God 4 passing through the fire everyone has to go through the fire to be tested down here as well as in front of Christ
I love what appears to be God's sense of humor, or maybe His ability to teach Adam. He parades every creature before Adam for him to name them and Adam sees that each has a companion but him. What a great teacher with a great sense of humor.
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