Where Did Marriage Come From?

Introduction:

Last time we were together, we completed the theme, The Man and His God, in which we discussed in detail, how to develop Spiritual Disciplines, which encompassed, how we are to pray, how to study God’s word, what it means to be holy, how to handle besetting sins, and finally, how to find help when we need it.

We determined that that theme was the foundation to the rest, and because biblical leadership was designed by God, it would be impossible to lead without him.

We now move into our next LEAD theme which I believe according to scripture would be the next in our progression toward becoming biblically based spiritual leaders. We’ve entitled this next theme, The Man and His Wife, and will begin with the basics, Where Did Marriage Come From? To answer that we need to go back to the beginning, back to Genesis 2:15-25.

Text: Genesis 2:15-25

Genesis 2:15–25 ESV

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” 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 Now out of the ground the Lord God had 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.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Background:

As its name implies, Genesis is about beginnings.

Genesis tells us that God created everything that exists.

It shows that God is both the Creator and the Ruler of all creation. But it also tells of humanity’s tragic fall into sin and death, and of God’s unfolding plan of redemption through his covenant with Abraham and his descendants.

Genesis includes some of the most memorable stories in the Bible, beginning with Adam and Eve (chs. 1–4), continuing through Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and ending with the life of Joseph (chs. 37–50), who died before 1600 B.C.

Traditionally, Jews and Christians have recognized Moses as the author, writing after the Exodus from Egypt, commonly dated around 1440 B.C. though some prefer a date around 1260 B.C.

1. Stewards of Creation

Genesis 2:15–17 ESV

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

You could introduce the concept of stewardship by examining God's command to the man to work and keep the garden. Highlighting the responsibility given to humanity to care for God's creation, this point suggests that our relationships, like our environment, require stewardship. It suggests that fulfilling our God-given roles leads to personal and communal flourishing, reflecting the divine order in nature and relationships.

2. Companions in Community

Genesis 2:18–20 ESV

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 Now out of the ground the Lord God had 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.

Perhaps explore the idea of companionship as God observed that it was not good for man to be alone. This illustrates our innate need for relationships and community. You might emphasize that fulfilling relationships stem from recognizing God's design for mutual support and love. As God created a helper suitable for Adam, this signifies the harmony intended in human relationships, mirroring the unity seen within the Trinity.

3. Covenant of Marriage

Genesis 2:21–25 ESV

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.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Maybe consider focusing on the sacredness of marriage as God fashioned woman from man's rib and presented her to him. By highlighting the institution of marriage as a divine creation, this point underscores the covenant nature of relationships intended to echo Christ’s relationship with the Church. You could suggest that embracing these Biblical principles in our relationships leads to a fuller understanding of love, commitment, and unity.