Noah and the Flood
Genesis 6:5-22; 7:1-5,17-8:5
Last week we studied how sin came into the world and how Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. Genesis goes on to tell us what happened to some of Adam and Eve's children and gives a long list of some of their descendents. They lived much longer in those days than we do now. We then come to a new section in Genesis and that is the story of Noah, which we find in chapters 6 through to 9. The story of Noah, which children love to hear, is actually not just for Sunday School kids – it is very important for all of us.
1. A Wicked World (6:5-7, 11, 12)
You remember in Genesis 1 in the account of creation it says a few times “and God saw it was good”. Sadly, here in verse 5 of chapter 6 it says, “The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.” Things were very bad – notice it says every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time - every inclination, only evil, all the time. In our day and age we like to think better of people. Sure there are some really bad people out in society but many others can be very kind and caring at times. Some people live very good lives. However no one can honestly say that they have never done anything wrong. No one can honestly say they have never had an evil thought, or never spoken an unkind word. No, even good people are far from perfect. We might say that things must have been really bad in Noah's time, for people were always inclined to evil.
But what about us? Are we really that much different today? Maybe if we saw ourselves as God sees us we would not be so proud of how good and kind we are. If it was not for the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the influence of the Gospel in society maybe we wouldn't be a whole lot different to the people living in Noah's day. The Bible says, “The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain.” The world had become wicked. Men and women were living their lives in complete disregard of right and wrong. God was full of sorrow because of what men and women were doing to themselves – a bit like a parent grieves over a rebellious child. Verse 11 tells us the earth had become corrupt and was full of violence. Actually this could easily describe the world in which we live today – couldn't it? God is equally grieved over the pain and suffering in today's world caused by corruption and violence.
2. A Godly Man (Genesis 6:8, 9)
Although he was far from perfect there was a man living at the time who was pleasing to God. It says he found favour in the eyes of the Lord. His name was Noah. Notice how the Bible describes him in verse 9: “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.”
It says that he found favour in God's eyes. That is another way of saying God was gracious to Noah. It doesn't mean Noah was so good that he earned God's favour. He was not perfect – of course – for no one is perfect, not since man fell into sin. However, Noah was certainly very much better than the people around him. It says that he was blameless among the people. No one could point a finger at Noah. No one could accuse him of being involved in the corruption and violence of his day. Even if it was God's grace that first extended to Noah, the simple truth is he had responded to God and his life showed it. God was pleased with Noah. He was pleased with his godly life. Notice the amazing phrase, “and he walked with God.” Noah enjoyed an intimate relationship with God. When you walk with someone you usually are chatting and enjoying their company. This is the essence of the Christian life. It is not trying to be religious, going to church and giving to charity. It is not trying to be good – as admirable as that effort might be. No, the essence of being a Christian is “walking with God”. It is enjoying a personal relationship with Him. Do you remember the song “He lives”? The words go: “He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.” Noah had that kind of relationship with God.
3. A Divine Plan (6:13-7:5)
God now talks with Noah. Isn't that amazing! Yes, and God still talks to us today, if we, like Noah, walk with God. What did God tell Noah? Look at verses 13ff. He tells Noah the frightening news that He is going to destroy the world and all the people in the world because of all the violence and evil. People had chosen to corrupt themselves and this could only lead to their destruction. In this case God was bringing judgment on the world – His righteous judgment on sin. However, so often when we sin, it not that God judges us, but rather that we judge ourselves. We bring the judgment down on ourselves. It grieved God then and it grieves Him today when we disobey Him. He longs for us to turn back to Him. God does not want any to perish.
Although God had to judge the world of Noah's day, He made a plan to save Noah and his family – and presumably any others who would repent and turn to Him. None did of course and only Noah and his family were saved. God told Noah He wanted him to build a huge boat for He was going to send a flood to destroy all living creatures. The boat Noah was told to build was not a yacht or a little canoe. It was huge – the length of one and a half rugby fields and the height of a four-story building. It was to be six times as long at it was wide – the same ratio used by modern shipbuilders. It certainly must have been a strange sight seeing Noah and his family building this massive boat – and as far as we know it was no where near the sea or a big lake. Noah must have told the people what he was doing and why – but it seems that no one believed him. Rather they thought he had gone crazy. Especially when Noah told them he was also making space for all the animals! It is one thing to want to open a zoo – but to make a huge boat for himself, his family and a pair each of all the animals and birds, just seemed way over the top. There must have been times when Noah's faith was tested, times when he was discouraged at all the criticism and mocking he got. Yet the Bible tells us, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” (6:22)
Don't give up when others do not believe your testimony. Do not feel discouraged when they make fun of your faith. Like Noah, do everything God tells you to do and leave the results in His hands.
4. A Worldwide Flood
The time was drawing near. In chapter 7 verse 4 we read how God told Noah that he had one more week before the flood was to come. Noah was instructed to get all the animals into the ark – some kinds of animals came only in pairs - one male and one female of each kind. Animals that were regarded as clean (and presumably could be used for sacrifice or food) were to come in seven pairs. Scholars have estimated that the three levels of the ark could have fitted 45,000 animals. I am sure Noah and his sons didn't have to round up all these animals. God must have brought them to him. Once Noah, his wife and their three sons and their wives, together with all the animals were safely in the ark, the rains began to fall. The Bible says, “...the floodwaters came on the earth”, verse 10. Verse 11 says, “...all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the flood gates of the heavens were opened.” This was no ordinary downpour. It was no ordinary flood. Nothing like it had been seen before and certainly nothing since.
I can just imagine the reaction of all those people who had previously mocked Noah. First the surprise, then the growing apprehension as the flooding began, then the panic and desperation as the flood waters began to engulf them. Pounding on the door of the ark was no use – it was too late. God had shut the door and none could open it. All human and animal life was to perish – except the lives of those in the safety of the ark, as it was lifted above the flood waters.
Friends - the ark is a picture of Jesus. He is the One in whom we are safe from the storms of God's righteous judgment. Do not wait till it is too late. Come to Him today.
The flood waters covered the earth for a hundred and fifty days. I believe the flood was as the Bible describes it, a flood that covered the whole earth. All living creatures perished. Of course there is enough water on the earth to cover all dry land. Many years ago at university I majored in geography. I remember studying about the theory of continental drift. It is believed the present continents used to be one larger continent and then drifted apart. Genesis 10 is a genealogy of the descendants of Noah. There is an interesting verse, v 25, which talks of someone given the name Peleg, “because in his time the earth was divided.” Could this possibly be a reference to when the continents began to drift apart? Does this mean that at the time of the Flood the land surface of the earth was much more compact than it is today? It seems perfectly possible to me. But whatever the case – the Flood was universal in extent.
Interestingly almost all known ancient cultures, including the Chinese, have stories and legends about a massive flood that covered the earth. It is quite likely that these myths and legends are in some way connected with the real event as described in the Bible. The Babylonian tradition, for example, is very similar to the biblical account in many aspects, while in other aspects it is totally different. One major difference is the fact the Babylonian tradition has many gods – not just one God. I believe the Bible account is the true and original account while other versions are corruptions of the Bible event. The Bible story is clearly superior to any other ancient account.
5. A Sacrifice and a Promise
Chapter 8 contains the graphic description of what happened as the flood waters began to recede. It gives the exact day when the ark settled on the mountains of Ararat – the seventeenth day of the seventh month. In verse 5 it says, “...and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible.” The mountains of Ararat are in present-day Turkey and Armenia.
Noah sent out various birds to test the situation. Finally he lifted the covering of the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. God had closed the door to the ark and now he invites Noah to come out. After Noah and the animals came out, Noah built an altar in order to make an offering to God. He sacrificed some of the “clean” animals, in other words, those animals God indicated were suitable. The Bible says in verse 21 of chapter 8, “The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in His heart: 'Never again will I curse the ground because of man...'” Then God made the wonderful promise “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”
Chapter 9 tells of how God made the rainbow the sign of His promise or His covenant with man. Whenever it rains the rainbow is a reminder that God keeps His promises. The earth's order and the seasons are evidence of God's faithfulness and love. A rainbow is the result of both storm and sunshine. It is caused by the sunshine catching the drops of rain in a rain cloud. This reminds us that the sunshine of God's grace shines through the cloud of our sin and gives us hope. The rainbow is a very beautiful thing and so is God's grace. We don't always see the rainbow, but when we do it should remind us of God's wonderful promises.
I must finish by telling you about one children's summer programme in which we were involved in a Tibetan village in Qinghai Province in China. There were about 24 of us from various countries (many from HK) and about 100 kids. We couldn't openly tell the children about the Bible or about Jesus though they did know we were Christians. We had the theme that year of the rainbow and told them the story of Noah. How exciting that the very day after we had taught them about Noah and the rainbow there was an unusual heavy downpour. Soon afterwards, out came the most glorious and magnificent rainbow. Neither we nor the children will forget the excitement we all felt. May you be excited by His promises today!
Things Go Badly Wrong – the Fall
Genesis 3:1-24
Genesis chapter 3 is one of the saddest, yet one of the most important, chapters in the whole Bible. Without it the rest of the Bible, and indeed human history, does not make much sense. Genesis 3 records the tragic entrance of sin into the world. The account in Genesis 3 is never treated in the rest of the Bible as anything other than historical fact. It may be presented in pictorial form but is a record of what actually happened. What happened in the Garden of Eden has affected everyone in the human race. It is our story too.
I want to divide our message today into three parts. The first part is:
1. The Cause of Sin – Temptation (Verses 1-6)
The story begins with the serpent. From many other Scripture passages we know that it was in fact Satan, or the devil, who disguised himself as a crafty snake when he came to tempt Eve. At the time, of course, in the Garden of Eden there was nothing harmful to man. There was nothing frightening about the snake. Who then was Satan? Elsewhere in the Bible we are told he was an angel who rebelled against God and was expelled from heaven. So sin and evil had come into the created order even before the serpent came to tempt Eve. When God made Adam and Eve He made them perfect – without sin. God didn't make sin and evil. Satan is the one behind sin and evil. Why did Satan tempt Eve and why does he tempt us today? I am not sure I know the answer, except that by choosing to rebel against God, Satan seems to want to destroy all that God has made. He wanted to drag others into his rebellion, and he is still in the business of trying to get people to follow his way rather than God's way. He even tempted Jesus – but of course Jesus refused to give in to Satan.
Sadly Eve did give in to the temptations of the evil one. Temptation itself is not sin. Only when we give in to the temptation do we fall into sin. And that is what happened to Eve. It all began so innocently. The tempter aroused her curiosity first of all by simply speaking to her. Then he asked a question. “Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?” It was a very subtle question. “Did God really say...?” He is trying to flatter Eve by making her think she can actually question God. On top of that Satan exaggerates things trying to make God look bad. Of course God had not said they could not eat from any of the trees in the garden. He had in fact said that they could eat from any of the trees, all except one. They had so much to enjoy and needed nothing. But Satan comes along suggesting maybe God was trying to stop them enjoying certain things.
Does this sound familiar? The evil one uses the same tactics today. He tempts us by suggesting that we are somehow missing out by sticking to God's plan and God's way. He tries to get us to doubt God and to question God's love and wisdom.
Rather than refuse to listen to the serpent, Eve started to debate with him. This is always dangerous. It is not worth arguing with Satan. He is far cleverer than we are and, like Eve, we will find ourselves confused and misled. Satan now comes out with a straight challenge to what God had said. Verses 4 & 5, “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Having distorted the Word of God, Satan now denies and contradicts it. His aim is to get Eve to doubt God's goodness, His righteousness, and His holiness. Satan tried to tempt Eve by mentioning something good – “that she could be like God”. It would not have been wrong for Eve to want to be like God. We all want to be more like Jesus – right! But Satan was misleading Eve by suggesting that the way for her to be more like God was by disobeying God. In other words, Satan was tempting her to play God herself by doing what she wanted rather than by following God's way. This is the root cause of all sin – when we choose to go our own way rather than obey God and follow His way.
Notice the steps in this downward path to disaster. First of all Eve listened to the lies of the tempter. Somehow by verse 6 we find her (and her husband by the way) with the serpent right by the tree and she was looking at its forbidden fruit. “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.” She looked at the fruit.
Believing Satan's lies about all she would gain from taking the fruit, she now starts to crave it. Then she stretches out her hand. Then she takes the fruit. Then she eats it. It is so often the same with us. We first of all believe the lies of Satan – which come through the voices around us – the media, magazines, movies, the Internet – yes, so often what comes through our ears and our eyes. Then we begin to follow the fascination which turns into craving. The craving turns into evil thoughts which in turn so often turn into evil actions and even habits. Like Eve, we take and eat.
Satan tried to make Eve think sin was good, attractive and harmless. He does the same today when he tempts us. People usually choose wrong things because they have come to believe, for them at least, those things are good. Our sins do not always appear as ugly or evil to us. Temptation is usually very attractive – at least on the surface. It is only later we discover, too late, that we have made a big mistake.
Our sinful choices and acts usually affect others too. After taking the fruit and eating it, Eve passes some over to Adam for him to eat as well. In fact all along he was there with her and said nothing. He is equally guilty of disobedience.
Someone has said “You cannot stop birds flying over your head but you can stop them making a nest in your hair”. How true. Temptation itself is not sin but yielding to it, giving in to it, is sin. None of us has to give in to Satan. Do not allow him to come in. The Bible says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Yes, we can say no to temptation. We can say no to Satan. Of course when we are tempted, we need to pray for strength from God to resist the temptation. Sometimes we need to literally run away from the temptation.
Dear friends, do not believe Satan's lies. To be truly happy and fulfilled we need to follow God's way and trust Him for all we need. Nothing Satan offers us can in any way compare with the joy and blessing of obeying our loving Creator.
2. The Consequences of Sin – Guilt and Judgment (Verses 7-19)
Once Eve and Adam had eaten the fruit they had a rude awakening. Satan had sold them the lie that being morally good and innocent was somehow not good enough. They also needed to know, by personal experience, about evil. That, of course, is a lie. You do not have to take drugs in order to know they can kill you. You do not have to lose your temper with someone and punch them on the nose in order to discover that anger can harm inter-personal relationships. Once Adam and Eve had sinned they lost their innocence. They were filled with shame and embarrassment – for they discovered they were naked. It is almost humorous thinking of them sewing fig leaves together to try and cover themselves. Verse 8 then says “the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” They felt guilty and they tried to hide from God. A guilty conscience is a warning signal from God. We need to listen to our conscience for it can help us avoid those things that spoil or even break our fellowship with the Lord. Thank God for your conscience and take care of it. If you ignore the voice of conscience it will become weak and ineffective.
Satan sold Adam and Eve the lie that ruling over all God's created order was not exciting or challenging enough. He wanted them to believe that by asserting themselves and by being independent of God they were being smart. Modern man often thinks the same way. He thinks religion (believing in God and in the Bible) is just a psychological crutch for the weak. Modern man likes to be in charge of his own destiny. He likes to assert his independence. But how sad and how foolish this is! No wonder men and women are cut off from the joy of fellowship with their Creator and Saviour. No wonder there is so much emptiness, loneliness and isolation in the world – despite the fact we are surrounded by other people. Like the Beatles song “Eleanor Rigby” - “A ll the lonely people. Where do they all come from? All the lonely people - Where do they all belong? Well loneliness and isolation is one result of sin. Sin cuts us off from our Creator and cuts us off from one another .
Satan sold Adam and Eve the lie that it was not enough to be content with the abundance of all God had already given. Satan wanted them to become greedy for more. As a result did they get more? No of course not, they even lost what God had given them. They lost paradise itself. Through their disobedience, sin entered the human race and so did death. Man was cut off from God and was forced to leave the Garden. Verse 23 tells us, “So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.”
Ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin has been a sad fact in human experience. You do not need to teach a child to be selfish or proud or naughty. It comes naturally. You do have to teach a child to be good – to learn to be obedient and to learn to share with others. We cannot blame our environment or our upbringing or our heredity. Although these things do influence us we cannot blame them for our own failures and our own mistakes. Just like Adam and Eve we do not like to admit we are ever in the wrong. Of course we are responsible for the choices we ourselves have made. God didn't make us like a computer – with everything programmed into it. He didn't make us like animals either – that follow their instincts and are locked into certain nature-controlled behaviour patterns. Man has a free-will. He is not a machine. We are responsible beings able to make choices.
Notice what happened when God confronted Adam and Eve. He asked Adam, “Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Who did Adam blame? Yes, he immediately blamed his wife. “The woman you put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.” Do you think that impressed God? I doubt it. Adam was fully responsible. In fact if he had been the man he should have been he would have warned Eve not to listen to the evil one. And when God spoke to Eve who did she blame? Yes, she blamed the serpent. “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” We always like to blame others, don't we?
3. The Cure for Sin – God's Saving Grace
In verse 15, God says to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heal.” In this verse we see the first glimpse in the Bible of God's Plan of Salvation. Satan would try to strike the Saviour but Jesus, in dying on the Cross for our sins, would finally strike a death blow to Satan. Jesus would defeat the tempter, and destroy his power. By dying and rising again Jesus defeated death which came as a result of sin.
There is possibly also another picture, in these verses, of the coming salvation of God. Adam and Eve tried to cover themselves but it was not much use stitching leaves together. So too our attempts to reform or cover ourselves, to make ourselves presentable in God's sight, are just as pathetic. Notice what God did for Adam and Eve. Verse 21 says, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” The fact God used the skins of animals implies the death of those animals – a sacrifice made so that man could be clothed. Jesus sacrificed His life for us so that we might be clothed with His righteousness. He died in our place so that we might be forgiven. When we put our faith in Him it is like throwing away our own fig leaves and putting on the garments God has prepared for us.
Yes, things went terribly wrong when man listened to Satan and fell into disobedience and sin. Human history reflects the sad fact of man's rebellion against a holy God. Yet our loving Creator God has made a way for us His creatures to be forgiven, to be rescued from the fear of death and judgment, and to recover the relationship we lost in the Garden. The choice is ours – either to continue following the way of the evil one or to turn back to God and follow Him.
God Makes Man & Marriage
Genesis 2:4-25
Today is a special Sunday as we are all together for a Family Service. So Mums and Dads I hope to speak to the kids as well as to the adults. Boys and girls, I hope you too can listen carefully and learn something this morning from God's Word.
Let me ask the adults if they remember what we spoke about last week! Right – we studied the very first chapter in the very first book of the Bible, Genesis 1, which tells us all about God creating the world. We noticed that creation was split up into six stages. In the very beginning God created the heavens and the earth but the earth, the Bible tells us, was empty and there was darkness. Then God's Spirit, the Giver of Life, began to move over the waters, ready to energize the whole creation. The process of God's filling the heavens and the earth is then outlined for us. On the:
First Day: Light was created
Second Day: God separated the sky and the water
Third Day: Land and seas were formed, and vegetation began
Fourth Day: The sun, moon and stars were made
Fifth Day: Fish and birds were made
Sixth Day: Animals and finally man and woman were made
Seventh Day: God rested and declared all He had made was good.
We mentioned last week that man was the climax of God's creation. Of course when we say man we mean both male and female. When we say mankind we include men and women and boys and girls. In Chinese too mankind includes both male and female. In Chinese we say ren lei 人类 which is both male and female. The Bible tells us that man was made in God's image. Being made in God's image means mankind is like God in certain ways.
1. Man is a rational being (i.e. he can think and reason);
2. Man has a moral nature (i.e. he is aware of right and wrong and has a sense of values and has a conscience); and
3. He possesses a regal status (i.e. he has intrinsic dignity, status and worth – he is precious and has a living soul). These facts show that men and women, all people, possess the qualities that make us different from animals: morality, reason, creativity, and self worth. Physically we may look like a monkey, for example, and some boys really are monkeys aren't they, but in reality we are totally different to monkeys and all other animals. God has made people special.
In Genesis 1:27 it says, “...male and female He created them.” Both man and woman were made in God's image. One sex does not enjoy a higher status than the other, and one sex is not to be treated lower than the other. So boys and girls you must remember this too. God loves boys and girls equally. In some cultures, boys are valued more highly than girls. In these cultures families may prefer to have a son because this means one more to work the fields or support the family when they grew up. A girl, when she gets married, is seen as leaving her family and joining her husband's family. The Bible teaches a very different way. Girls are equally precious in God's sight. They have every right to education – just as boys do. It was Christianity that first encouraged the opening of schools and colleges for women in China. The same is true in Muslim nations today. Just think of the terrible exploitation of women occurring in many Muslim nations! In our so-called modern and secular society in the West, I believe we also see the degrading of women. We see it in the media, in glossy magazines, in the pornography trade.
Women are valued only for their good looks or their shapely bodies. This is a terrible evil. Women are not just objects. They are people, equally loved and valued by the creator God.
One other thing we should note about what the Bible teaches us is that male and female, while of equal status and value, are nonetheless different. Humanity (male and female) is bi-sexual. God created Adam and Eve, the man and the woman. Men are to be men and women are to be women. We are to complement one another and support one another. We are built differently. We have different communication styles, emotional needs and modes of behaviour. We sometimes think and react differently. Men do not come from Mars or women from Venus - but we are different. This is why homosexuality is so wrong. It is not part of God's plan. While some men may be more effeminate (i.e. more like women in their manner) and some women may be more masculine (i.e more like men) the difference between the sexes is basic and clear. Detailed studies in America and Europe show that only one to three percent of the population has homosexual tendencies. Even if one has such a tendency this does not make homosexual practice right or excusable. It comes down to choice. As with all sin – we do not sin because we have no choice. We sin when we disobey and go our own way – by choice. Like all sin, homosexuality brings the judgment of God. But just as there is forgiveness and deliverance for the sinner so there is forgiveness and deliverance for the sinner who is homosexual. The homosexual, like the alcoholic or someone gripped by pornography, can be delivered by God's power.
So, the Bible teaches there are two sexes – male and female. Our sexuality (as either male or female) is something to be celebrated and treasured.
In Genesis chapter 2 we have a more detailed account of the creation of man – male and female. Verse 7 tells us, “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Our bodies are no different in chemical make-up to the dust. It is God who breathes life into the shell of our body – and we become living souls. When we die our physical body returns to dust. It is God who gives us life and value. You are not special because you are cleverer, or stronger, or prettier, or bigger than someone else. No, you are special because God has given you life and He loves you. You are not useless or worthless because you are not as good as someone else or not as successful as someone else. No, your worth and value come from the same fact that God has made you and given you life. He loves you and has a plan for you.
We read that God put the man He made into a beautiful garden. Everything was perfect and he had everything he needed. Or did he? Let us look at verse 18. “The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'”
God brought all the animals and birds for the man to give them names. But notice that none of these animals or birds could be the helper and companion that the man needed. Some people have a dog or a cat that they love. In some cultures people keep birds which they take out for walks and which they feed lovingly. But no animal or bird can fill the role of helper or companion for man.
Now for the first time, in verse 20, we see the name of the man – it is Adam. Actually Adam simply means – “the man”. Now God did something very special for Adam. Let us read verses 21 & 22. “So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; while he was sleeping, He took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man.” God's creation was not complete until He made woman. I like what Matthew Henry said about God making woman - “not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved.”
Then God brought the woman to Adam. What was his reaction when he saw her? “WOOO - man!” No, I'm only joking. But I am sure he was pretty excited and overwhelmed, nevertheless. God provided Adam with a “helper suitable for him”. The woman complements the man. She is a perfect partner and companion. He is incomplete without her. This passage tells us that marriage was God's idea.
The Bible goes on to teach some very important things about marriage. Verse 24 says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Marriage was God's perfect gift to Adam and Eve, and it is His creation gift to mankind. Marriage is not just for convenience, to be entered or exited simply according to our whim or fancy. It is like the Chinese say, 终身大事 zhong shen da shi , “a very big thing lasting a life-time”. Involved in marriage is:
1. A “leaving”
When we marry we must leave our parents. Of course, we always love and respect, and when necessary care for, our parents but once a couple get married they form their own nuclear family. Neither set of parents should interfere in the decision-making processes of the husband and wife. Their son, or daughter, is no longer under their authority. Many problems come in marriages when “in-laws” have too much say. This is why it is sometimes important for a newly married couple to live on their own, not in the home of their parents. There has to be a “leaving”. That leaving is also a leaving of our old single and independent life. No longer can we make decisions on our own. We have to discuss things together as a couple.
2. A “uniting”
The man and the woman are joined together by making a public commitment to love and care for one another. They promise to take responsibility for caring for and supported their mate, and being faithful to them as long as they both are alive. Marriage is a serious life-long commitment. This commitment is a vital part of building a stable marriage. Those who co-habit or live together without getting married are going against the clear teaching of the Bible. The ones most likely to get hurt are themselves. Sadly marriages do break up but the statistics for the break-up of de-facto relationships (where people simply live together while not being married) are very much more frightening. And lives get badly hurt. Within marriage too, when there is unfaithfulness by one or other partner, terrible hurt is the result. The only way for a truly happy and lasting marriage is for life-long commitment to one's marriage vows – “ I, Peter, take you, Elizabeth, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, honour and protect you, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and this is my solemn vow.”
3. Becoming one flesh
This is a clear reference to the intimacy of sexual union, which is reserved for marriage. Sex is God's idea. It is His gift within the marriage relationship. Young people, do not be misled by the media, by TV or movies, or by magazines or music, or by your friends. It is definitely worth keeping yourself for the one you marry. Boys and girls you can talk to your parents about these things. I started praying for God to guide me about my future wife when I was only about eleven or twelve. I only did this because some older Christian guys who I really admired recommended it. I wasn't even really interested in girls at that time. But I believe God truly answered my prayers. Teenagers, if you have a serious boy friend or girl friend, I encourage you to pray together not simply talk together or go out together. I also recommend that you sit down together and draw up a list of things that you will NOT do physically. Set clear boundaries. Keep your sexual purity. It will stand you in good stead when you do come to get married.
Finally - a word to those who are single. Remember that singleness can also be a gift from the Lord. There are seasons in our lives when we may be single – before we ever find a suitable life-partner, or after we lose our life-partner. God knows perfectly well how we feel and He is able to make our lives fulfilling and happy even without a marriage partner. In fact it is very dangerous for anyone, married or single, to think that our value and worth, and our happiness depends upon anyone other than the Lord. If you are looking to a man or a woman to give you that sense of worth or security that you need, you are looking in the wrong place. The Lord is the only one to whom we should look. Whether single or married we must put Him first in our lives. We must love and obey Him. This is the true path of happiness and security.