Introduction: In verse 24 the Bible says: ‘for this reason’! Contrary to popular belief, the Word of God is very reasonable and here at the first marriage we have reasons for marriage. Marriage is not something to be entered into lightly or without thought. It is not something that we do because of tradition or because society demands it. God ordained it for some very good reasons.
Let us look at 5 reasons for marriage:
I Companionship (v 18)
i) It is not good to be alone: Everything God made was good and this is the first thing that was not good. After naming all the animals, Adam was still lonely! God did not design man to be a loner.
ii) You can be lonely in a marriage: We need to remember that God says that it is not good to be alone. We need to make companionship in marriage a priority where we work at spending time together and taking interest in each other’s lives.
II Complementing (v 18)
i) Marriage is meant for synergy: God knew that two in the covenant of marriage would be better than 1+1 (Ecc 4:9, Deu 32:30).
ii) Woman must adjust herself into the vision of her husband: It may sound old fashioned but in the original God made woman to meet the need of man and not vice-versa.
III Completion (vv 21-23)
i) God had taken a rib out of Adam: So, he was incomplete. The perfect man that God had created was now somehow imperfect without that rib coming back.
ii) Marriage brings completion: God made man out of dust but woman out of bone. If man was refined dust, woman is double refined.
iii) God can make something beautiful out of your life: Adam here is a picture of how we should be: resting in God and allowing God to take whatever from our life knowing that he will return it to us much better, e.g. Jesus on the cross.
IV Cleaving (v 24)
i) Marriage is the primary relationship: Even though we are born from our parents and are required to honour them always, the marriage relationship takes precedence over all other relationships.
ii) To cleave you must leave: God says this even before there were parents. The degree to which you leave will determine the degree of cleaving. The goal of marriage is to be one!
V Clarity (v 25)
i) They were naked and felt no shame: It is popularly said that love is blind; the truth however, is that lovers are blind and marriage is the eye-opener; love is a dream and marriage is the alarm clock.
ii) You must have an open and transparent relationship: This is the only relationship where nothing should be hidden from each other. It is not a 50-50 proposition but a 100-100 deal!
Conclusion:
As you marry today may these reasons guide you and may your relationship be strong and a blessing to many!
SCRIPUTURES:
Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
Deuteronomy 32:30 How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
