Genesis 2:18-22 – God’s Diving Plan for Marriage
Thomas S. Myers
Genesis 2:18-22 – God’s Diving Plan for Marriage
Five year old Suzie had just been told the story of snow White for the very first time in her life. She could hardly wait to get home from nursery school and tell her mother the story. With wide eyed excitement she retold the fairy tale. After telling how prince charming had arrived on his beautiful white horse and kissed Snow White to life, Suzie asked loudly, "And mom, do you what happened then?" "Yes," said her mom, "They lived happily ever after." "No, mom," replied Suzie, with a frown, "They got married."
Someone has said, "I never knew what happiness was until I got married., then it was to late."
Most people want to buy clothing that is well made. If you buy clothing and you find a hole in the seam, you will say the craftsmen did a bad job. (You're going to take it back to the store.) Ladies, when you make a blouse or a skirt, there are certain characteristics that should stand out saying, "That is well done." Everyone wants to wear clothing that is well made.
I'll tell you something else. Everyone wants a marriage that is well made. There are certain characteristics of a great marriage that stand out. If you're married you want your marriage to be a great marriage. You want people to be able to see you and your spouse and say, "Now there is a couple who
love one another." That's what I want to share this morning. I want to share with you today The Pattern of a Godly Marriage.
Marriage was designed by God, not by the State of Oregon. Marriage was designed and created and put together by a master craftsman, God. Marriage is not something that the White House or Congress or the Senate dreamed up one day. God created marriage. And I believe we need to get back to God's pattern for marriage. Because it is beautiful. It is something that looks good on you. Marriage is something that has a Master craftsman has made.
FIRST -- GOD DID NOT RUSH ADAM IN MARRIAGE.
I want you to notice that in verse 18 God makes a profound statement
Genesis 2:18
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
But God did not do a quick fix. God did not stop everything and instantly proved Adam a wife. Many people think that marriage is quick fix. Some people think that marriage will solve all your problem.
If you're going to get married to solve your problems, when you get married you will instantly another set of problems.
I noticed that in verse 18, God saw Adam had a need, but that need is not provided for until you get to verse 22.
There was some time that went by before Adam got married. I can give you just one piece of advice it is this:
Do not rush into marriage. I don't know how much time went by before Adam and Eve were together, but it must have been some length of time.
Look at verse 19 & 20 and notice what God has Adam do before he gets married.
Genesis 2:19-20
19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 And the man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. nasv
There are over 1,000,000 animals with 100 new animals being discovered every day. And if Adam had to name all the insects, there are over 1,000,000 insects. It must have taken Adam some time to name all the animals.
A. There Was Preparation For Marriage.
Think with me for a moment. People will pay good money to take a driver training class. They will spend house in a classroom learning how to dive. And they will spend hours behind the wheel of a car with an instructor, all so they can prepare themselves for a driver's license.
Don't you think that if we spend hours preparing for a driver license that we should spend hours preparing to get a marriage license?
Allow me to give you some very practical advice.
Do not marry an unbeliever.
2 Cor 6:14-18
Do not get married too young. You will laugh at your mate because your ideas will change.
Do not get married under pressure.
Getting away from a difficult home life.
Getting away from nagging parents.
Believing that this is your last chance.
Don't let those who are married pressure you into getting married saying marriage is perfect.
Adam lived in a perfect environment and God even said, "It is not good for man to be alone," and still God did not rush Adam to the alter.
Do you know what God is doing right now for some of you. God is preparing you for marriage.
Look closely at Genesis 2:18
Genesis 2:18
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
The Hebrew word for "I WILL MAKE" is asah, it is a special Hebrew word referring to a potter
who fashion and molds pottery out of clay. When a master craftsman is at work, there is no rushing. There is no get it down now.
God took time in preparing Adam for a bride.
And for some of you here, right now God is planing a bride or a groom for you. And what is interesting is this. Some you that are dating or going study..... you may be dating or going study with someone else's future bride or husband.
The point is this, God prepared Adam for a bride. And right now God is preparing a bride or a groom for some of you.
A yew years ago a high school girl began to grow taller, She went from 5' 5" to 5' 8" in just one month. She then went from 5' 8" to 5' 11". So her parents took her to a doctor and the doctor could not find anything wrong. She continued to grow. She went from 5' 11" to 6' 1". Three years later she met a collage student who was 6' 5". A few years later they were married. Do you know what her future husband was praying for? While he was in high school she was praying for a tall wife. When the father found out he said, "Now I know why she was growing."
I believe that millions and millions of years ago, God has been preparing your future husband or wife.
ILLUSTRATION ON HOW I MET VELVA
B. When God Provides a Mate For you, He Will Not Provide a Mate Just Like You.
There will be differences. There will be difference between you and your spouse.
Genesis 2:18
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.." nasv
Two key words: The words "HELPER" and "SUITABLE." They are from the same Hebrew word.
Here what the word means: It means to supply what is lacking in another person.
Now here is the point.
When God Provides a Mate He Most Often Will Not Provide A Mate Just Like You.
This world does not need another person just like you. And when God provides a spouse, the spouse will not be just like you.
There will be different likes and dislikes. You spouse will provide what you are lacking.
If we do not get in tune with the differences, we will find ourselves clashing and not really knowing why. And often times it will be the conclusion that you are incompatible.
Do you want to know the truth about incompatibility? Everyone is incompatible. There is not a marriage where couples are 100% compatible. Some couples will want a divorce because they believe they are incompatible. Well, who said they had to be compatible in the first place? When you get married you're going to find out that you're not compatible. And you're going to think, did I marry the wrong person? Of course not! You're just experiencing the differences between men and women.
Some people say the differences in male and female are caused by culture. Well, if that is true, then who is influencing culture? Culture is the result of the differences between men and women. The National Institute of Mental Health has observed the differences between male and female infants immediately after birth. What they are saying is that there is such a difference in male and females at birth that culture could not have made the difference.
Differences in boys
Did you know that there are more boys that are miscarried than girls?
Did you know that 30% more males die within the first month?
Did you know that 30% more males have birth defects?
Did you know that 5 times as many males have language disabilities and stutter?
Differences in girls
Did you know that girls tend to be more dependent, more people oriented, have more verbal ability, and have a greater protection from disease?
Did you know that females mature faster than males?
Did you know that girls speak sooner, have larger vocabularies, rarely demonstrate speech defects, exceed boys in language abilities, and learn foreign languages more easily?
These differences are not due to culture, but creation.
GENESIS 2:7 says:
"THE LORD GOD FORMED MAN OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND"
GENESIS 2:21-22
"21 THE LORD GOD CAUSED A DEEP SLEEP TO FALL UPON ADAM, AND HE SLEPT: AND HE T00K ONE OF HIS RIBS, AND CLOSED UP THE FLESH INSTEAD THEREOF; 22 AND THE RIB, WHICH THE LORD GOD HAD TAKEN FROM MAN, MADE HE A WOMAN, AND BROUGHT HER UNTO THE MAN"
Right now some man is thinking, "Of course there are differences between male and female. the difference is she will want to sweep the floor, make the beds, prepare the meals and do all the work while I sit on my recliner with the remote.
If that is what you are thinking, you are way off base. The Hebrew word for 'HELPER" means that God created Eve to do what Adam cannot do by himself. Most often the Hebrew word for "HELPER" is used of God Himself.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. NASV
C. When You First Meet Your Future Spouse, It Will Be a Divine Meeting.
Look at verse 21.
Genesis 2:21
21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh at that place. NASV
Notice the words "A DEEP SLEEP." The Hebrew word is a very interesting word, It occurs only 7 times in the Bible. And it refers to a divine provision by God.
The next time the Hebrew word occurs is Genesis 15:12, where God promises Abraham where God makes a covenant with Abraham.
I think one of the most interesting things is to hear how couples met.
ILLUSTRATION ON HOW MY PARENTS MET.
When You Meet Your Future Spouse, It Will Be a Divine Meeting. God will sovereignly arrange for the two of you to meet.
Notice from verse 21, that the women was made from a rib.
Genesis 2:21
21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh at that place. NASV
You will not believe some of the stuff that written about the rib. For example:
What is the significance of the rib? Someone suggested the reason God chose a rib is because the rib is one of the few bones in the body this is curved, and that is why women have more curves than a men.
Someone else has pointed out, that is much better to dwell with 200 pounds of curves, than with 100 pounds of nerves.
Why the rib? I believe the rib was chosen just as another reminder that the wife completes the husband.
It was Matthew Henry who said back in 1706 the rib was used to create Eve and not the head to dominate Adam, nor out of his feet to be trampled by Adam, but rather, out of his side to be equal with Adam, under his arm to be protected by Adam and near his heart to be loved by Adam.
I think Matthew Henry is right. I think God's choice of Adams side is significant in describing the kind of relationship that God designed between a man and a woman for life.
And what was Adam's reaction to God divinely providing him a wife? Look at verse 23.
Wow! Far out! You're beautiful! Where have you been all my life? That is what the Hebrew is saying. When Adam saw Eve, he got excited.
Genesis 2:23
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. (KJV)
That tells us there is a day when God divinely provided a wife for Adam. Just as there was a day when God divinely provided your wife or husband.
FIRST -- GOD DID NOT RUSH ADAM IN MARRIAGE.
A. There Was Preparation For Marriage.
B. When God Provides a Mate For you, He Will Not Provide a Mate Just Like You.
C. When You First Meet Your Future Spouse, It Will Be a Divine Meeting.