Creation of Man and Woman

OBSERVATIONS

Description of how first man and woman were created

This chapter describes the creation of man and woman, Adam and Eve. 

Verses 1-3 summarize the 6-day creation, then God rested on the 7th day. This does not mean that God needed the rest. He set the Sabbath aside for a special purpose: He sanctified, or “made holy,” this day (Exodus 31:13), as a ”sign,” between God and His people. In Mark 2:27 Jesus said, the Sabbath was made for man. He purposed it to be the day His people would “rest,” and enjoy God and the rest of His creation.

Verses 4-6 God prepared Eden, where the first man (and woman) will reside. It was so like God to make the place perfect for them (as if God can create anything less than perfection!). He made sure they have light, and an abundant and variety of edible vegetation. But then He also placed 2 special trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

In verse 7 (one verse) it speaks of God creating Adam, the first man. God created him out of dust form the ground and then “He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” What animates and turns a lump of clay into a living, thinking, feeling, creating, loving, growing, learning, worshipping, relating, creature is the very breath of God. Life comes from God! This God-breath gave man that God-image.  

Verses 9-14 describes Eden, and the rivers that flowed through it. It gives a picture of perfection and beauty, plenty and abundance.

God assigned tasks to the man, Adam

Verse 15: then came the instructions: Adam the man was mandated to “cultivate and keep” the garden. This spells like work to me! This mandate assumes that the rest of creation is dependent upon man for their existence. Plants and animals do not have the same level of intelligence that man was given. If plants are not tended, many of them which seeds are carried by the wind will tend to take over entire fields! Some animals may wander in places where they are not meant to be. In short, God made man “in-charge” of His creation: to tend, and to master. in time, man had discovered uses and ways to harness the powers of all of God’s creation from the big ones to the teeniest-tiniest elements!

Another mandate was not to eat the 2 special mentioned trees. It should have been simple enough. This is the command with a warning if not heeded: they will die. Adam must have been befuddled? What is death? He was created to live eternally with his Maker. He might have the head knowledge, or understanding for it, but not the experiential knowledge until he was asked to kill an animal to give as sacrifice for his sin, and when he lost his son Abel who was murdered by his brother.

Verse 18: God already knew that this man will be needing a help meet – for procreation and companionship. But first he asked him to name the animals. Could it be that God was allowing Adam to see his own need so that when the provision came, he would have better appreciation for it?

So, Adam named all the animals (that must have taken many days, weeks and months, even years!) and it spoke of his intelligence – it is not easy to come up with thousands upon thousands of names!

“… for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.” – Here is where Adam was made completely aware of his need.

God created a woman, Adam's perfect helpmeet

Verses 21-22: God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and He created Eve out of his rib (first natural-anesthesia for a major operation!). Why from his rib? Even Adam knew for when he saw her – he said: this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh – “she was taken out of man.” She was a part of him. There will be that invisible bond that will attract, and tie a man and a woman that can only come from this mysterious bond. So much like the invisible strong bond that ties twins who split from the same egg, that grew and shared the same nutrients in the mother’s womb. It is this strong invisible bond between a man and a woman that will make men “leave their father and mother” so he can be joined to his wife to make life together with each other and their offspring.

They were naked and unashamed – they were yet without the malice and shame that comes from sin – that which made them hide from God, the very God who created them for Himself!

INTERPRETATIONS:

1.  Gods' work is perfect.

2.  His provisions comes before the needs!

3.  God desires that His creation rest with him at the Sabbath - to enjoy Him and His creation without distraction and the weariness that work bring.

4.  For love to be true love, it must be tested. Love emanates from the will or it is not love. Therefore, the test was given: the command for Adam and Even not to eat of the fruit from the two trees.

5.  So far, everything had been good, except when God said it is NOT good for man to be alone. Man and woman are created for each other. Woman was created second, to meet Adam’s need.

6. The fact that man and woman came from the same bone and flesh make the attraction so strong, because they do belong to each other! In physical union they return to being one. This is what compels man to leave his parents, and then be strong enough to be on his own to take care of his wife and family.

7.  Work is not a punishment but part of God’s plan for man – although it was originally not meant to be hard, but probably was something that would allow man to exercise their God-given intelligence and abilities. Work was meant to be a fulfilling experience – as man lives according to how God created him to be. Also, God meant man to manage and have dominion over all His creation.

PRAYER:

God, I worship and adore you for your power and majesty displayed throughout your creation! Thank you for making me your partner and eternal friend when you purposed for me to live with you forever, and to live according to your will and purpose. Help me not to lose sight of your eternal purpose for me.

Thank you too for reminding me that before my needs arise, you know of them and in fact, have provisions ready. I know that sometimes you create the need yourself so you can provide and allow me to see your goodness and faithfulness and the perfection of your provision!