God’s Design for Marriage, Pt 1
2015-01-25
Genesis 2:18-23
18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be
alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." 19 So out of the ground the Lord God formed
every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the
man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living
creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the
birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was
not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall
upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place
with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made
into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,
"This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall
be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."
Solitary fellowship with God, even in paradise, was not God's original plan
for mankind.
· Adam
alone did not fully reflect the image of God.
Gen 2:18-20
o First time
God says that something in creation is not good.
Strange naming animals here: every animal had a mate but none were suitable
for Adam.
· God
stepped in & created a companion “fit for him”. Gen 2:21-22
· Adam
sleeps while Eve was made. No credit/suggestions were given for her creation.
o “Made”
literally, “built.” This pictures God as a sculptor.
o Rib not
dust: his wife was a part of him, equal with him, not a lower creation.
The culmination of the blessing God gives Adam in paradise is Eve &
marriage.
· The term “very
good” did not occur until the creation of woman. Gen 1:31
· God was the
first Father to give away the bride & performed the first wedding.
Marriage was not a social invention but a divine institution given by
God to man.
· God
designated and defined marriage: One man with one woman FOR LIFE.
o Man did not
redefine: Ideas like same sex marriage and open marriage is are all unbiblical.
LEFC core value: The Word of God
is absolute truth. This may be uncomfortable
sometimes.
·
It is Biblical that a husband is the head/leader
over wife. 1 Cor 11:8-9; 1 Tim 2:13, Gen 2:23-24, 3:20 (He: ish, she: isha), Rom
5:15
o Adam was
created first, and the woman was made from man & for man, named two times,
woman
not “leave” but transfers (father> husband).
Husband was placed as head of home & the wife gladly, willingly,
submitted to what was God’s original
plan to reflect His image more fully.
· Trinity:
equal in deity/importance yet different roles/authority (esp. seen in creation
& redemption). Jn 1:1-3; Heb 1:1-2,
Lk 22:42; Phil 2:6-9, Jn 16:7
Husband has authority over wife, yet equal in personhood with distinct
roles (even before fall). 1 Cor 11:3,
Gal 3:27-28, Gen 2:20,
· "helper
fit for him" beautifully captures woman's role/dignity simultaneously
o “Helper”
emphasizes his inadequacy not her inferiority.
§ The term
often used of God…She picture of God coming to the aid of man.
o Adam
immediately perceived Eve as companion not servant.
· She was “fit
for him” (corresponding to) woman is missing part of man.
o What he
lacked, she supplied, & vice versa. Incomplete puzzle
§ No sense
here of "better/worse" or "more/less important".
o she
complimented him socially, intellectually, physically, emotionally & spiritually.
Because God is sovereign & the designer of marriage we should:
· Accept: beauty,
dignity, wisdom of the distinct roles in marriage.
· Realize: We
are most happy in marriage when we operate within God’s design.
· Trust
God: Wherever God in His wisdom has you, married/single, trust & walk with Him
faithfully.
o If single
you are a single Christian, Jesus Christ is your “spouse” & can relate to
your aloneness.
NEXT WEEK: God’s design for marriage is an earthly picture of
the spiritual relationship between Jesus & His bride, the Church
(Christians). Eph 5:22-33
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