Lesson 14 The Garden Account - Part 2
A. Overall Lesson Objective
•To assess the events in Genesis 2:18-25.
B. Learning Competencies
•Woman is formed as special from the rib of a man to be his helper. Nothing else is suitable. God brings the woman to the man.
•The man and his wife have a defined relationship that is proclaimed apart from a man’s parents
•Key attributes of the relationship are stated by the Creator.
•There is evidence from God’s Record that no death, disease, conflict, or other ‘bad’ things were present; everything is declared in its vast array as “very good”. Man’s relationship with God is without blemish. The relationship between the man and the woman is without blemish.
C. Lesson
The last lesson covered the first part of Genesis 2, which covered the Master Chef’s personal presentation of creation. The reader is observing as part of the local scene. The view is different and centers around the creation and special placement of man. This lesson finishes that account.
Genesis 2:18-25 describe further observations and actions by God. Two different scenes occur. Verses 18-20 cover the first scene; verses 21-25 cover the next scene. However, the common thread in both scenes is the intent of God to find a suitable helper for man (see verse 18).
The first and perfect man, with freedom to choose and an intellect with wisdom to name all of the kinds of birds and animals, is truly amazing. Note that in order to understand God’s speaking to them, the first couple, unlike us, had to have an elaborate vocabulary, i.e. an understanding of the meaning of words was implanted at creation in order to have fellowship with God and to understand complex information. This is unlike their descendants, who learn vocabulary during their childhood development, which these two did not have. [Research note: naming the animals.]
Adam is not yet complete, because God wants him to have a suitable helper. After Adam names the animals, God makes that second human being, which man calls “woman”. [Research note: She is not made directly from the ground, as Adam was, but from his body. Why? Kinsman-redeemer. Also, note that ribs regrow following surgical removal; Adam’s rib.]
Genesis 2:24 is God’s declaration of intent with comment regarding the relationship between Adam and Eve. The reference to the institution of marriage, the God-originated and God-ordained relationship between a man and a woman, is short and powerful. It is often referenced in other books of the Bible, including Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:6-9, and Luke 16:18. Genesis 2:25 is very expressive of a core attitude of Adam and Eve toward each other and God because, in their nakedness, they felt no shame. [Research note: marriage]
General note: this account is personal. The touch of God through His actions shows full attentiveness and love. The garden must have been incredible, which other scriptures also suggest. The account is all about God’s actions that are personal to the man and woman. He has made them in His image, and, from the beginning, intended to have fellowship with them. He presents her, after He forms her, to Adam. The account closes with God’s comment that they had no shame in their nakedness in the garden of God’s making. His garden, their presence, God’s closeness, and their lack of shame is a picture of “very good” – the term God uses in Genesis 1:31.
🦕 CT? Since God meant the garden account to communicate to us, discuss what you see. Remember, this is a perfect garden, planted by Eternal God. The words in Genesis 2 are meant to be universal: able to be understood and pictured by anyone through the ages. Discuss what it must have been like, because we cannot see it now. What about the description of the surroundings? What about the first marriage between the first man and a specially formed help-mate?
🦕 CT? Is there any hint of anything not right or incomplete? Is there any hint that man has constraints or limits on obtaining food, other than not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Is there any suggestion that his or the woman’s needs are not fully met?
The creation accounts from two perspectives show that God’s conclusion of all that had been done is “very good”. The eternal and perfect God does things by command in a short time. The meaning of the words is clear. In addition, there is no detail in any of the creation that is not subject to God’s perfect oversight and quality control. The renderings of “good” from God during the creation week and the rendering of “very good” at the end of the sixth day are clear indicators that the world at this point has no evil, death and disease—a contrast to today. Other than disease, the primary causes of death, injury, and hardship in our present world are mankind’s bad behavior, weather events (floods, wind, heavy precipitation, drought, and lightning), and geologic events (earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes). None of this was present in the creation accounts in Chapter 1 and 2.
D. Assignment
Read Genesis 1 and 2. Summarize each chapter in a paragraph.
E. Learning Activity
Form an even number of teams. Keeping the lessons in mind that have been done so far, half the teams list a series of things that they believe will show the relationship between God and man that existed. The second set of teams describes the relationship between the man and the woman. After a five-minute period, post both lists and discuss the results of the vertical (God and man) and horizontal (man and woman) relationships that you believe were originally intended by the Master Chef. (10 minutes)
F. Concluding Assessment
The creation of man and woman, coupled with the key features that God declares for the relationship, paints a perfect picture of God’s first intentions. Adam and Eve’s intellect, vocabulary, and capabilities were ideal (Adam named all the kinds of living things). God reasonably expected the garden would be properly maintained. The Creator was regularly present. The whole situation was ideal.