Man And Woman

Reading: Genesis chapter 2 verses 18-25.

(a). The first Quandary (verses 18-20):

• Our passage begins with a statement,

• That by now should be shocking to any careful reader of Genesis.

• Up to verse 18 everything God has done has been good,

• In fact chapter 1 verse 31 says “Very good”.

• That was God’s benediction, his blessing on all he had made,

• But Here in verse 18 for the first time we find difficulty.

• It is not a flaw or a mistake,

• But there is for the first time something that is not good.

(1). Alone (Verse 18):

18The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

God is about to show Adam that although this brand new world is full of beauty and variety:

• There is a problem in that;,

• There is no creature suited to be his companion.

Now remember Adam had been made in God’s image:

• He is not an evolved creature;

• And God made all creatures after their own kinds (chapter 1 verses 20-25).

• So even if he lives to be million years old,

• No animal will evolve into a suitable partner.

The first man Adam:

• Was created by design, to be unique, the pinnacle of God’s creation.

• “Not a little higher than the monkeys, but a little lower than the angels”.

And because of this uniqueness in creation:

• Adam enjoys a relationship with God,

• That no other part of God’s creation can.

In fact, in this section:

• We see three different relationships,

• These relationships are in three dimensions;

• First: relationship to those above us - Man and God.

• Verse 18: Adam and God are in a unique relationship.

• Second: relationship to those below us – Man and animals.

• Verse 19: Adam will name each creature.

• Third: relationship to those alongside– Man and woman.

• Verse 21-25: Adam will form a oneness with his soon to be created wife Eve.

(2). Animals (Verse 19-20):

19Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.

But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

Now having been told in the narrative:

• That it was not good for man to be alone:

• We would expect God to remedy that situation straight away, but he doesn’t.

• Between that statement in verse 18 and the creation of Eve in verse 20

• Is a time consuming verse 19:

Verse 19 (N.L.B):

So the LORD God formed from the soil every kind of animal and bird. He brought them to Adam to see what he would call them, and Adam chose a name for each one

Ill:

• 3,500 mammals living today.

• 8,600 birds,

• 5,500 reptiles and amphibians.

• Total: 17,600 animals to name!

Before god created a partner for Adam, he required Adam to wait,

• First of all Adam had come to terms with his animal companions.

• And in doing so it would highlight for him, his uniqueness and his loneliness.

Verse 19b:

“God brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

As God and Adam are enjoying each others company:

• God caused a great variety of animals and birds to come to Adam.

• He would do a similar thing later with Noah in chapter 7:

• Creature by creature passed by from the aardvark to the zebra,

• And Adam was to study and name the animals.

(3). Awareness (verse 20).

• As a result of naming the animals,

• Adam is about to be made aware, gain knowledge of certain things.

He becomes conscience of three things:

(1). He is ordering his world.

• Adam not only had to name the 17,600 mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

• But don’t forget he then also had to remember what he creature was called.

So this was no random chance naming:

• Adam has not merely pulled names out of the back of his mind,

• And slapped them on the back of the animals as they went by.

• Adam was being asked to study the animals:

• To note their nature and relationships, and then name them accordingly.

• Adam is doing one aspect of the work of a biologist: