The Climax of the Created Order pt.2

Introduction

This week we will be looking at the special creation of man once again.

Last week we stated that to understand this passage well, we must look at it through two different lenses to understand what God was doing.

We looked at the aspect of responsibility as it is laid out in this passage.

We noted that Adam was given responsibility to cultivate the ground, obey God’s command, name the animals, and to cleave to his wife.

These are all responsibilities that fall to us in our day, and we should take these responsibilities seriously.

God did give the first man responsibility to the creation, but He also blessed man with relationship.

It is through the lens of relationship that we will be peering today.

How did God intend man to relate to the world around him?

What aspects of relationship can we glean from our passage this morning?

The primary relationships of man highlighted n this passage are Adam’s relationship with God and his relationship with Eve, but we can quickly look at the relationship humanity is given with the plants and the animals before we focus on the main relationships of man.

Man’s Relationship with God’s Creation

We addressed the topic of man’s responsibility to God’s creation last week, but what of his relationship?

Does man have any sort of relationship with the ground that he is to cultivate or the animals that he is to care for?

Is there any relational aspect to the jobs that God gave to man in the beginning?

These creatures do not have the relational capacity that humans do, so how can there be any relationship?

To answer this question, I ask you to consider how well a gardener would do if he/she didn’t understand the ground that was being worked.

Or consider a pet owner who does not know the needs of their pet well.

I must note that this passage does not lay out specifics to man’s relationship to these areas of creation, but we can infer some areas where man should relate to these portions of creation.

In giving man the responsibility to till the ground and look after the animals, God also gave them the duty to relate to those areas of creation to best serve them.

Our work in God’s creation must not be passive work with no care for what we are doing

God has called us to cultivate His creation and to care for the animals with the same love and care that He has for that which He has created.

While we recognize the need for relationship with these elements of creation, we must also note that humanities relationship to these areas are not meant to fully satisfy the relational needs of man.

Note Adam’s realization that there was not a suitable mate for him in all the animals.

Though these elements of creation are not the peak of the relationship for humanity, mankind must be willing to give the care to God’s creation that his responsibility requires.

The pinnacle of humanity’s relationship really lies in the relationship we have with our creator and with one another. Let’s look now at the relationship man is to have with his Creator.

Man’s Relationship with His Creator

This section of our text begins by referring to God by a different name than chapter one.

Chapter one identifies the Creator as Elohim (or simply God) which is a generic phrase for a divine figure.

This same idea carries over into english as well with the use of (G)od to refer to the God of the Bible and (g)od to refer to other religions’ gods.

Chapter two refers to God as Yahweh (LORD in the English translation) which was the covenant name given to Moses when he asked for God’s name.

This covenant name would have identified the creator God of chapter 1 and 2 with the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses.

You see, even though Moses was in the process of writing the history of he Hebrews out when he wrote this, the Hebrew people would have been familiar with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through stories passed orally.

With this identification, the reality of God’s relationship to man is already made clear through the lives of the fathers of the Hebrew people, as well as being the One who brought the Hebrews out of Egypt; the God of Genesis 2 sought out His people to have relationship with them.

When God created man:

He gave man meaning and purpose.

Adam was given a reason for being created.

He placed him in the garden of Eden.

Adam had everything he needed, and he had perfect communion with the One who gave him life.

Adam walked in the perfection of God’s creation, and he wanted for nothing.

The care and provision from God proved God’s desire to relate to man.

Adam did not need to earn God’s favor; he was created with it and was intended to enjoy the favor of God through his obedience and enjoyment of all that God gave him.

As a father who gives everything to his son to be successful, God provided for Adam all that he needed to thrive within the creation.

God also realized that man would need help in his responsibility; God expected much of man, but He did not expect man to be alone.

In Genesis 3 we read that God came and walked in the cool of the evening to look for Adam.

We can assume that God’s presence in this way was not out of of the ordinary for Him; He had likely done this before, walking with Adam through the garden.

We do not know how long this communion lasted before the fall of Adam, but we can be sure that when it occurred, it was a sweet time of God relating to His creation.

But man was created to relate to God on God’s terms.

The obedience of Adam was vital for this relationship to continue.

We were created to have a relationship with God.

Unfortunately, through the disobedience of Adam, humanity lost that relationship.

The open communion that Adam had with God is now lost to humanity accept through God’s son Jesus.

Even with Adam’s relationship with the rest of creation as well as his relationship to his Creator, God recognized that Adam needed a companion of his own kind to which to relate.

God pointed to the first thing about His creation that he says is not good; man is alone.

Man’s Relationship to His Wife

At this point of the story, Adam realizes that there is something missing in his relational needs.

Adam was given the job of naming all the animals of God’s creation.

One by one they all came to him, and among all of them, none was found to be a suitable mate for him.

The first man was created with an innate need for relationship; not just with the creation, not only with God, but with one who was like him.

Consider this, Adam was made in God’s image, and within the very essence of God there is community among like persons.

God the Father, Son, and Spirit have existed in eternity past in perfect communion as one.

Adam, made in God’s image, likely felt this need for relationship of a similar kind as that which is found in the Godhead.

Unlike the Godhead, Adam’s need for relationship also came from the fact that he would not be able to do all which was required of him on his own; Adam needed help.

Eve was made out of the very being of Adam; she was part of him.

This reality speaks to the fabric of this relationship.

Eve was created to be one with her husband; they were made to relate to one another.

Eve was created as the compliment of Adam. She was exactly what Adam needed in filling the need of relationship.

So much is rooted in the phrase “cleave unto his wife”

Adam was to be committed to his wife.

Adam was to work along side Eve.

Adam was to provide for Eve.

Adam was to protect Eve.

Adam was to procreate with Eve.

They were to have a family and form new relationships with their offspring.

Adam and Eve were to raise their children to follow God’s commands that were given to them.

Through this relationship of male and female, God brought to fulfillment his plan in the creation of humanity.

The two of them, male and female, would work in harmony with one another, while filling the earth with their offspring.

Man and woman were to live together in their shared responsibility and relationship to their Creator.

It is only within the boundaries of this relationship that God has ordained the marriage union.

God does not ordain the union of any other, because it falls outside the bounds of His created order.

Adam and Eve’s relationship is brought to better light when we read the passage of Genesis 2:25

Genesis 2:25 KJV 1900

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

There was nothing hidden between the two, no shame or regret was found in their relationship, and they enjoyed the bliss of openness within their bond.

What is the marriage relationship if not a picture of what Christ does for his bride the church.

Adam gave up his own flesh that his wife may have life.

Jesus gave up himself to bring his bride life as well.

Eve is Adam’s helpmeet to give him assistance in his duties.

The church is the hands and feet of Jesus who is to carry out Jesus’ will on earth.