MARRIAGE: IN THE BEGINNING …

Read Genesis 2:18-20

1. a) What did God mean when He said that it was not good for the man to be alone?
Word good in Hebrew - desirable. God said it was not desirable for the man to be alone. Not satisfactory.

b) How do you think God reached this conclusion? Was Adam really alone in the Garden? What about the beasts of the field, birds in the air, all the creeping things? What about God? God came down from heaven and walked and talked with Adam in the Garden.

Adam was created. God put him into the garden. Gave him a purpose - work the
Garden. You’re Adam working the garden. What do you see? How many lions, blue jays, cows, horses? No other being in the Garden like him.

There was God … Granted the man was created in God’s image, but were he and God equals? God - omnipotent, omniscience, omnipresent. Man - limited power, limited knowledge, limited in space/time. Because of these disparities, the man and God did not relate to one another on the same level. God did not create another god; he created a man. Conclusion - There was nothing or no one like the man in all Creation. He was alone. God recognized this fact. He recognized a need in the man that the animals of the earth could not meet (see verse 19 and 20)and that He, God, could not meet. Again the two are not equals. This need could only be met by a being similar to the man. Therefore, when God said that it was not good for man to be alone…. He was saying that man needed -

A companion - someone similar to the man who could relate to him - emotionally,
physically, spiritually, intellectually. A companion who could relate to the man’s
needs, desires, ideas, beliefs. With whom he could share his accomplishments and
failures. Someone he could talk to, cry with, laugh with, bounce ideas off of, play
with, have fun with, etc.

2. a)How did God say He would meet the man’s need for companionship? I will make a helper fit/suitable for Him.

A) Helper – b) Define helper (aid, ally, support) - Help with what? Working the garden.

c) What is the companion not to be? Not a slave, not an employee, not someone to give orders to from behind the desk or from the couch. The companion will be an aid, an ally, a partner who would assist the man in his labors.

B) Fit/Suitable - literal translation of the word is corresponding to. Amplified Translation uses the word complementary

d) Define complementary - mutually supplying what each other lacks in order to make complete. What does that tell you about the helper? Similar but not exactly alike. Some differences.

e) Why did God choose to make for the man a helper who was not exactly like him? Why did he create woman - similarities & differences (physically, emotionally, etc.)? Why didn’t he create another Adam - an exact copy? How long would you be able to live with someone who is exactly like you? Also, there was this little matter of procreation. The differences that God created between man and woman … what purpose did they serve? Promote unity or division in their relationship? Hinder man’s work or promote man’s work? What the man lacked (physically, emotionally, etc.) the woman supplied and vice-versa. The two complemented one another. Enabled them to carry out the common purposes God gave them. After God created woman, He gave the couple an additional responsibility. A) Work the Garden (subdue the earth) B) Be fruitful and multiply.

God created woman for the man to be: a companion and a helper in fulfilling a purpose given to both by God. In doing so, God created the institution of marriage - a) A man and a woman brought together by God (see later) b) who are companions/friends, c) who help one another. d) complement one another. e) reason for being brought together - to fulfill God-given purposes.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

Husbands:

1) Do you view your wife as your closest companion?

2) Do you view your wife as your helper/ally/aid?

3) Do you complement your wife? Give examples

Ask yourself, God, and your wife these questions.

Wives:

1) Do you view your husband as your closest companion?

2) Are you a helper/aid/ally to your husband?

3) Do you complement your husband? Give examples.

Ask yourself, God, and your husband these questions.

Husband and wife:

Do you know what your God-given purpose(s) is/are as a couple?

Ask each other. Pray and ask God.

Read Genesis 2:21-24
Background: God brought animals to man.

3. How did God create woman? From the rib of the man. Not from clay or some other method.

4. In verse 23, how did Adam describe his new companion? Finally! Some who is like me. Someone who was made from me.

5. What does author of Genesis say in verse 24 concerning the nature of the man/husband and woman/wife relationship? God established the institution of marriage. Man shall leave the home of his parents and establish a new home with his wife. Write answers on board. Cleaved/joined together/hold fast - Hebrew - to be united, hold fast, cling to, to be joined fast & the two will become one flesh.

6. After reading the method God used to create the woman, Adam’s description of woman and the author of Genesis’ commentary in verse 24, how does Scripture characterize the nature of the husband and wife relationship?

By creating woman from the rib of man, God established the nature of the man’s relationship with the woman. He established the nature of the husband’s relationship with the wife. They are not two separate beings. They are one being. One body.

Adam recognized this. Basically told the woman - you are me and I am you.

Author of Genesis - Man will cleave unto his wife and the two become one flesh. Nerves connected.

7. Why are the man/husband and the woman/wife “one flesh”? What is God’s purpose from establishing such a relationship between the husband and wife? To strengthen the bond of companionship and to make it easier for the spouses to be “helpers”. God said it was not good for man to be alone. And He ensured that man would not be alone by creating woman the way He did. How?

a) When the wife feels pain, what should the husband feel? When the husband feels joy, what should the wife feel? When the wife is stressed, what should the husband feel? When the husband feels depressed, what should the wife feel? Why? So that that one can help/aid/support the other through the difficult times … share in the excitement/joy of the other’s accomplishments/successes. Result, the body (man & woman) is strong.

b) Man would not hate/despise his wife. Would not embarrass his wife. Would not belittle, mock, humiliate, denigrate his wife, why? Hate/despise himself. Instead he would do what? Encourage, cherish, praise, embolden, love his wife. Why? He would be doing those things to himself. Read Ephesians 5:28-29.

c) When the husband is away for a long period of time, what does the wife feel? A part of her is missing.

8. How did the man and the woman meet? God brought the woman to the man. He didn’t have to search for her. She didn’t show up out of nowhere. She was a gift from God. How do you treat a gift?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

1. Are you and your spouse “one flesh”? Do you respond to one another as “one flesh”? Do you feel what the other is feeling (physically, emotionally, spiritually)? Do you treat your spouse (physically, verbally, emotionally) as you treat yourself? If not, talk to one another about what you are experiencing. Seek Christian counseling.

2. Do you view your spouse as a gift from God? Do you treat your spouse as if he/she were a gift from God?