HoHum:
At Sunday school there were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told how Eve was created out of one of Adam’s ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and she said, “Johnny, what’s the matter?” Little Johnny responded, “I have a pain in my side. I think I’m going to have a wife.”
WBTU:
Series on marriage and the family. Let’s start at the beginning
Need to know that the Bible is not designed as a family manual. Even though Marriage and family is an important topic in the Bible, the primary focus is different. The Bible’s primary focus is salvation for humanity through Jesus Christ. In the OT we see God making a people from whom the Messiah will come. In the New Testament we see the Messiah coming in Jesus Christ and providing salvation and forgiveness for humanity.
In the OT as the history of Israel unfolds, we see examples of godly and ungodly marriages, as well as the Law of Moses outlining differing aspects of and combatting deviations from God’s pattern for human relationships. (Look at this more tonight) While salvation history, not marriage, is the focus of the Bible, the Scriptures contain must material for study on this. “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us,” 1 Corinthians 10:11, NIV.
Thesis: 3 things from Genesis 1-3, one each chapter
For instances:
Genesis 1: Created in God’s image to rule the earth for God
On Day 6 we find this: “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”” Genesis 1:26-28, NIV.
A lot that we could discuss from this, just need to know that God made man and woman to rule over the earth. In one sense, human beings are “like God.” Just as God rules over a large area (all of creation)- so humanity is given charge of the earth to rule it for God. We see here the principle of stewardship, God is ultimately the owner of the created realm; the man and the woman are simply the appointed caretakers. Together the man and the woman are to exercise stewardship according to the will of God and for the glory of God. Together they are to multiply and be stewards of the children given to them by God. This multiplication is to help humanity rule the earth and subdue it.
Genesis 2: The Ideal Marriage
Genesis 2 is an extended version of Day 6. We find that the man is created first. The man, before the woman is created, is the one who received the command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:16-17). Also before the creation of the woman, the man had already began to fulfill the mandate to subdue the earth, naming the animals
God’s creation of Eve demonstrates that God’s plan for Adam’s marriage, and for all future marriages, involves a monogamous heterosexual relationship. God only made one “suitable helper” for Adam, and she is female. God knew Adam’s solitude is not good and so God created the woman. The Bible gives no inkling that Adam himself is even aware of being alone or sad in his seclusion. Even so, God takes the initiative in fashioning a compatible human companion for the man. For this reason it can truly be said that marriage is God’s idea and God is the one who made the woman of his own will as a “suitable helper” for the man (2:18-24).
“Suitable helper”- On one hand, the woman is compatible to the man in a way that none of the animals are (animals 2:20). On the other hand, the woman is placed alongside the man as his helper, assistant, aid, associate. On a personal level, she will provide for the man’s need for companionship (2:18). With God’s mandate for humanity to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth and subdue it, the woman is a suitable partner both in reproduction (one flesh, Genesis 2:24) and in the earth’s control (1:28). Her role is distinct from the man’s, yet unique, significant, and essential. While assigned to the man as his “helper,” and thus placed under his charge, woman is his partner in ruling the earth for God.
In case we misunderstand, Genesis 2 does not teach that the woman may merely act as the man’s “helper” when she so chooses, but in serving as the man’s “helper” sums up the reason for her presence with the man. Countercultural as this may sound, that is the message of Genesis 2 confirmed many times by the NT. That this designation is non reversible is indicated by the fact that nowhere is the man called the woman’s “helper.” Thus equality and distinctness, complementarity and submission/ authority must be understood considering Genesis 2. The man and the woman are jointly charged with ruling the earth as agents for God, yet they are not to do so as “uni-sex” creatures, but each as fulfilling their God given, gender specific roles. Since all of these differences are part of the Creator’s design, only when men and women embrace their God given roles will they be genuinely fulfilled and God’s wisdom in creation will be fully displayed and exalted.
Genesis 3
The Fall witnesses a complete reversal of the roles assigned by God to the man and the woman. Instead of God being in charge, with the man, helped by the woman, ruling creation for him, a complete reversal takes place: Satan, in the form of a serpent, approaches the woman, who draws the man with her into rebellion against the Creator. While the woman did give into temptation, the man plays a large part in this tragedy. Where was he? Genesis 3:6 says that her husband was with her. Since he was with her, why didn’t he stop this? God’s plan for the man and the woman is to have the man, not the woman, take responsibility for the couple, extending leadership and protection to his female mate. Thus the man shares a large part in the woman’s blame; and she, by failing to consult with her God given protector and provider, fails to respect the pattern of marriage. Even so, in the end, the man, not the woman, is held responsible for their rebellion. “But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”” Genesis 3:9, NIV. The results of the Fall change both the man and the woman, affecting their specific roles.
In the case of the woman, pain in childbirth (Genesis 3:16). As far as the woman’s relationship with her husband, loving harmony will be replaced by a pattern of struggle in which the woman seeks to exert control over her husband. In turn, the husband responds by asserting his authority often in an ungodly manner by either passively forcing her into action or severely dominating her.
The man will have trouble fulfilling God’s command to subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28). He must get the fruit of the land from thorns and thistles and eat his bread by the sweat of his brow (Genesis 3:17-19). In the end, both the man and the woman will die (Genesis 3:19)
God does show them some mercy by clothing them (Genesis 3:21), and giving a prophecy about the coming Messiah (Genesis 3:15). However, the couple is expelled from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:22-24) as a sign that their rebellion against the Creator would have severe consequences to them, to their descendants, and to the whole earth. All of this adversely affected marriage and the family.
Genesis 3 shows us how all of this is messed up. However, Genesis 1 and especially Genesis 2 sets the standard for the responsibilities and roles of husbands and wives and how the ideal family is to be.
So what?
1. The role and responsibilities of husbands toward their wives
A man is to love and cherish his wife and to treat her with respect and dignity. As his “suitable helper” and partner in life, she is worthy of full respect and dignity and is to be cherished as his trusted companion and friend. As Genesis 2:24 says, to be united to his wife a man is to leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they will establish a new family unit. Part of this is the procreation of children.
Man is primarily responsible for the marriage union and has authority over his family including his wife. We see this in many ways but especially in Genesis 3:9 where God calls the man, not the woman, to account for their sin. Even though the Fall has distorted, corrupted the way in which men exercise their headship, men need to take seriously their God given responsibility to be in charge of their marriage and family and all that this entailed. In this regard, men are responsible for providing for their wife and children food, clothing, and other necessities.
2. The role and responsibilities of wives toward their husbands
A wife is to manage her household. She is to help the man, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Genesis 2:15, NIV.
A wife is to provide companionship for her husband. Ideally the wife serves as her husband’s partner in life and trusted friend. “The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.”” Genesis 2:18, NIV.
