Naming of the Animals

Genesis 2:18-20

As we come to end of chapter 2, we have seen how God has placed Adam in the garden of Eden, and the responsibilities that have come with this home.

However, we find that God still has more to reveal as this chapter is an in depth look of chapter 1. So, let continue our look into God’s creation.

(Read Scripture)

Now as we look at this section, we are going to sub divide it for our study. And the first section we find is…

The Observation by God – verse 18

· As we read this verse, we find God looking on man. And sees a need in man’s life. A need for companionship.

· Now as we look at this verse, we begin to realize something about God.

· First, he is paying attention to our life. It is easy to think that God doesn’t see us. That he is not aware of our situation.

· And some would say to God, “God have you forgotten about me?”, “Are you noticing my situation?”

· But what we find here is the involvement of God. He does look on our lives. And just as he looked on Adam’s life, he begins to plan out his response.

· Secondly, he says, that it is not good that man should be alone. And what God wants from his creation is relationship and fellowship.

· Now as we have seen through the creation process, each time God has completed a day, he says that it is good.

· But here in the middle of the sixth day, before the day is finished, God finds something that is not good.

· And that is the fact that man is without a mate.

· Now God doesn’t want us to be alone. And yet, what do we find as the natural response from people today?

· Leave me alone. I don’t want to be around people. Or we want only parts of what God desires for us to have.

· We say I want a relationship, but I don’t want the fellowship. Or I will fellowship, but I don’t want the relationship.

· God saw a need in man, a need that only God could fill. And God was going to begin to devise the plan to bring a companion to Adam.

· And that is the third thing that we see in this verse. God says, I will make him an help meet for him.

· Now Adam doesn’t know what he is missing. All of the animals have a mate, but he is alone. But God sees man, and recognizes that man needs that mate to be by his side.

· And so, God decides to make a mate for him.

· Now the scripture tells us this is a help meet. Now that is an unusual way to say mate, but there is significance in that phrase.

· In other versions of the Bible, the phrase “a suitable helper” or “suitable companion” appears.

· And while those phrases give us a simple understanding, I believe it loses some of the meaningful context that God is sharing.

· So, let’s look at the word “help” this is someone who will assist, someone who will aid. Giving their strengths and abilities.

· Man would need help in many things, but primarily he would need a relationship with someone he could rely upon.

· Now I am sure I will hear the ladies say “Amen” to this, that men need help. Some areas are pretty obvious.

· For instance, in the nurturing department, men need help.

· In the maintaining of the home, men need help.

· There are things that we as men are not capable of doing, and so, God gives a woman to help us.

· God was going to give Adam a helper, but then we find the second part of the word, “meet”

· This refers to that companion. That mutual partner that is not a servant, that is not someone who follows behind, not a person who has no say, but a person who comes along side and has an equal part in the relationship.

· Now the help meet, the woman, would come and be that spouse, that companion through life, that would work with man in harmony.

· They compliment one another. They are different, but they come together and fill in the gaps where the other one lacks.

· It is like on a piano, the B flat key is different from the G key on the piano, but when you play them together they make a harmonious chord.

· The same for what God does with a husband and wife.

· Now God saw man needed a help meet, and so God begins to think how he will bring this about.

· And friend here is a spiritual application that you need to consider, God will bring the one that is meant for you into your life.

· We often try to find a help meet without God, we look and search for that person on our own.

· What we need to do, is leave it to God, and not get impatient. God will bring about what we need in our life. We must wait on the Lord.

The Naming of the Animals – verse 19-20a

· Now there is a break in the passage here, and I believe this is the moment that God is observing the situation of Adam.

· And God extends the duties of man by having the animals come to Adam to be named.

· As we look at verse 19, we find the manner in which God made these creatures. Just as man was formed from the dust of the earth, we find that the animals, from the birds in the air, to those that roam the earth, each was formed from the ground as well.

· Now, I know that there are those in our society, who would say how we are like the animals.

· Well, the only way we are like the animals, is that God formed us, and that we were made out of the earth.

· We do not find animals receiving a soul, as the scripture does not teach that God breathed in life into them.

· We are different than animals. But what we find here in this passage, is that man is above the animals.

· God has the animals come to man to be named, the animals did not choose their name, it was given to them by Adam.

· So, the reason we call an elephant an elephant, is because of Adam. The reason why we call chickens, peacocks, ostriches, those names, is because of Adam.

· The names originated with man at the beginning.

· Now, this tells me something about the first man.

· First, that he is intelligent. Adam is not dumb. Imagine having thousands of different types of animals coming to you, for a name, and each one of them is different.

· Friend that isn’t as easy as you might think.

· Now archeologist, and others would like to think that early man was dumb, that he grunted like an ape, that he was oblivious to tools, fire, and other things that we know about.

· But that is not the case. What we find here, is that man was intelligent, and has a vast vocabulary.

· God, didn’t make man ignorant. He gave him a great understanding, an education. So, don’t think that early man was dumb. He wasn’t.

· The second thing we learn from this is that man has a great memory.

· Let me ask you, can you remember the name of every person you have ever met? Probably not.

· I mean if you were sitting at the middle of the PNC Areana, and it was full of people, and they each came to you for a name. After awhile, when you went to interact with them, you would probably have to ask them what was their name again.

· But not Adam, he has a memory that recalls the names of each of the animals that he has named.

· Now that doesn’t sound that significant, but it is, in the fact, that God will give instructions to man, and man hasn’t forgotten what the Lord said.

· Now Adam gives these names to all of the animals, and during this, this is when God is taking notice of Adam not having a help meet.

· God is seeing all of this, and that is why we had God already preparing someone to give the Adam.

· Now understand this, because some would like to twist the creation story, and say that God created a bunch of people in the beginning, and the Bible is just focusing in on Adam.

· That is not the case, what we learn from this passage, is that Adam is all alone. There is no other human in existence other than Adam.

· So, that theory is thrown right out the window.

· God looked at Adam, he saw the need, and he would then formulate a solution to Adam’s need.

· Now, what we see overall in this passage, is that God created an intelligent man, in a world where the animals were under him.

· And as a side note to that, please understand, that animals have their place in society, but they are not at the same level as humanity.

· And another thing that I believe when it comes to Adam and the animals, that he was able to communicate with them.

· Yes, just like a cartoon coming to life, I believe the animals had a voice that is alluded too in scripture.

· From the serpent talking to the donkey of Balaam, there seems to be some indication that in the beginning that man was able to communicate with animals and they with him.

· Its interesting to theorize on some of these things, but we mustn’t lose sight of the overall message that is being shown here.

· God’s interaction with man. God seeing the need and moving upon it. And God’s control overall.

· I also thought it was worth noting, that God allowed man to name the animals, and it just shows that God wants man to make decisions, to have ownership in the creation.

· Now next week we will continue in our study, and see the gift that God gives to man in the very beginning.

The Creation of Woman – verse 20b-22

The Naming of Woman – verse 23-24

The Nakedness of the couple – verse 25