Adam and Eve
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
Genesis is the Book of beginnings. The only thing, so far as man is concerned, before Genesis, is God. Revelation is the Book of the beginning again. We might call it Palingenesis.
In the Book of Genesis, God creates the heaven and the earth. In the Book of Revelation we discover the new heavens and the new earth. In order to understand the whole story of the heaven and earth, we must, of course, read the Bible between Genesis and Revelation. This will be the case also in every other comparison.
In Genesis, darkness is upon the face of the deep; in Revelation darkness is forever gone, and the light of God forever shines there will be no night there. In Genesis, we read of the waters being gathered together, and called seas; in Revelation, we read, "And there was no more sea." In Genesis, the sun and the moon are placed in the firmament; in Revelation, there will be no need of the sun, nor of the moon to lighten the Holy City, for the Lord God giveth it light, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
In Genesis, we read of the tree of life, which was placed in the midst of the Garden; in the Book of Revelation, we read, "In the midst * * was there the tree of life." In Genesis, there is a river, which went out of Eden to water the Garden; in Revelation, there is the "river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb."
In Genesis, we read of the gold of the land, and of the bdellium and the onyx stone; in Revelation, the City is paved with pure gold, and precious stones are in the walls thereof.
In Genesis, we have the story of Eve presented unto Adam; in Revelation, we have the Marriage Supper of the Lamb; and the New Jerusalem is described as the Lamb's Wife.
In Genesis, Satan enters in; in Revelation, Satan passes out, for he is cast into the lake of fire.
In Genesis, the curse is pronounced, and death, and sorrow, and sighing, enter in; in Revelation, there is no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be anymore pain.
In Genesis, thorns and thistles become a part of the curse; in Revelation, these have passed, and the fruit trees which bear twelve manner of fruit, and yield their fruit every month, are growing on either side of the river.
In Genesis, we read how man should eat his bread in the sweat of his face; in Revelation, God wipes all tears from off all faces.
In Genesis, God drives man out of the Garden of Eden, and the cherubims guard the way of the tree of life; in Revelation, it is written, "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City."
It will be noted that the contrasts and comparisons just given are all taken from the first three Chapter s of Genesis, and from the last three Chapter s of Revelation.
I. ADAM'S LONELINESS (Genesis 2:19-20)
1. Adam's wisdom. In verse nineteen, we read of how God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them. Adam certainly was not some primeval man with the marks of the jungles still clinging to him. It was no small task to name every beast and every bird, particularly when every name portrayed the character of the thing named.
2. God's interest in Adam's appelations. We read that God was there "To see what he would call them." Why was God so interested in Adam's naming of the creatures? Certainly, He was observing whether Adam would call any of them "companion," or, "helpmeet," or "wife." The result of God's listening ear is plainly stated in Genesis 2:20, "And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him."
The living creatures were interesting to say the least. Many of them, no doubt, could have afforded Adam much pleasure and even some comradeship, but in all of God's creation there was a definite lack so far as Adam was concerned. "It is not good that the man be alone."
3. A sublime conclusion. Marriage is honorable in all. We do not marvel that Christ Jesus graced a marriage in Cana of Galilee with His presence. We do not marvel that the Holy Spirit has used the marriage bond, as an emblem endeared and indissoluble which exists between Christ and the Church. The relation between husband and wife is the sweetest and holiest of any relationship upon earth.
II. THE CREATION OF EVE (Genesis 2:21-24)
1. Adam put to sleep. The Lord God was about to supply the need which He had discerned in Adam. Adam may not have known his need for a woman and a wife, but God knew. Thus it was that Adam's side was opened and a rib was taken out. The flesh was closed up instead thereof. Then the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman.
2. The woman brought to Adam. After Adam had been awakened, the Lord God presented unto him his wife. That must have been a happy moment with Adam. All other creation paled before this supreme gift from God.
3. Adam's statement. When Adam beheld the woman, he said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man." The expression which fell from Adam's lips portrays the unique oneness which exists between husband and wife. Between man and all living creatures, there was an impassable gulf, a chasm which no fellowship could breach. Man holds unspeakable superiority to the beasts of the field, to the fowl of the air, and to the cattle on a thousand hills.
Between man and woman there was an intimacy of relationship and fellowship, because the one was bone of bone, and flesh of flesh, with the other. In the light of this, how sacred does the marriage bond become, and how far from God's purpose and plan does divorce appear! What wreckage sin has wrought!
4. Adam's conclusion. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother," said Adam, "and shall cleave unto his wife." Some may argue that Genesis 2:24 was God's conclusion, and not Adam's. Perhaps so. Nevertheless, the eternal truth stands the same. Husband and wife are one flesh in the purpose of God until death do them part.
III. THE CREATION OF THE CHURCH (Ephesians 5:27; Ephesians 5:30-32)
1. There was a longing in the heart of Christ. The creation included not only the Heaven and the earth, and all things therein, but God's greater creation included angel and archangel, cherubims and seraphims. However, in all of these there was found no helpmeet for Christ Christ Jesus holds a superiority to all things which He created both in Heaven and upon earth.
2. The Lord God put Christ to sleep upon the Cross. In Adam's open side, there is a distinct forecast of the open side of Christ, when the Roman soldier thrust in his spear. All believers know that the life is in the Blood. He died that we might live.
3. From the riven side of our Lord, His Bride is being formed. Adam said, "Bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." Our key verse from Ephesians quotes Adam's very words, in speaking of the Church and adds: "For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones."
4. The unity between Christ and the Church. Christ prayed that they might be one as He and the Father were one. Adam and Eve were one flesh. This is the statement of Genesis 2:24. In the quotation of this passage in Ephesians 5:31; Ephesians 5:33, the Spirit says, '"They two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church."
IV. DIVINE CONCLUSIONS (Ephesians 5:22-27)
We have seen the parallelism between the creation of Eve, and that of the Church. We now understand why God did not simultaneously create Adam and Eve, Why God put Adam to sleep, why his side was opened, why the woman was formed and brought unto the man. God in the creation of Eve was writing, in beautiful and unmistakable symbolism, the story of the creation of the Church. Let us enlarge upon the deeper significance of the relationship between Christ and the Church.
1. Submission and its message. Ephesians 5:22 tells us that wives should submit themselves unto their own husbands as unto the Lord. Ephesians 5:24 tells us that the Church is subject unto Christ. The Church dare not step out from under the authority of the Lord Jesus, for He is the Head of the Church as well as the Saviour of the body.
2. Love and its voice. Ephesians 5:25 tells us that husbands should love their wives, as Christ also loved the Church. The proof of Christ's love is stated in the fact that He gave Himself for the Church. When love reigns in the place where authority reigns, the best interest of the beloved will always be safeguarded. The Church need not fear to follow Christ, for Christ is always working out its good.
3. The presentation and its glory. The marriage day is the day of adornment. The bride is robed in the very best that she can procure. So, also, will the Church be robed a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.
V. THE GLORIOUS PRESENTATION (Genesis 2:22 l.c; Ephesians 5:27)
1. The Lord God brought the woman unto the man. This was an epochal experience. Before Adam, stood the woman who was to share with him all his wealth of environment and glory of achievement. Together, they were to meet the issues of life. It would no longer be the man apart from the woman, nor the woman without the man. Marriage is the hour when two lives are made one.
There is a little story of the tribute money, in which Christ said to Peter, "Cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money." Then said the Lord, "That take, and give unto them for Me and thee." We call your attention to the union herein expressed between Christ and Peter. Christ was saying, "The piece of money which you will find in the mouth of the fish is for Me and thee." In other words, "We will share our resources." Christ, also, was saying, "You have a difficulty in meeting your taxes. We will face this difficulty together, Me and thee for it."
This is true of married life. Each is for the other, though both be for God. The possessions of the one belong to the other. The obligations of the one, are shared by the other.
2. The Lord God will present the Church to Christ. We cannot doubt the reality of the marriage of the Lamb. God likens it unto "a king who made a marriage for his son." We cannot conceive the absence of the father in that nuptial hour.
John wrote, "Blessed are they which are called unto the Marriage Supper of the Lamb." These are the true sayings of God. To the wife it was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
From the day of the marriage in the skies, it shall be each for the other, together will we meet our future, together will we enjoy the indescribable riches of our Heavenly Bridegroom.
VI. THE GREAT CALL (Genesis 2:24)
1. A profound pronouncement. Adam foresaw the breaking of home ties in order to establish another and a newer home. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Each individual family has been builded, so to speak, upon the wreckage of a prior family.
Even the eagle understands this law of God. For when its young grow up and have wings of their own with which to fly, the mother bird "stirs up her nest." She wrecks her home, so that the eaglets may learn to fly for themselves. At first her young may be filled with fear, as they behold, the one who has always fed and fostered them, tearing up her nest. Yet the mother bird swoops down, bears them aloft on her wings, then lets them fall again, and so on, until they have learned to trust their own wings.
2. A pictorial pronouncement. Jesus Christ said, "He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me." Again He said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
When God called Abraham, He said unto him, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house." This is still God's call. We leave one home to form another. The first fades away, that the second may be established. In all things the new affections must superabound over the old. Christ must be first. He must hold the center of our heart's love. He must rule in an unbroken headship.
VII. THE BRIDE'S HOME (Genesis 2:15)
1. The Garden of Eden. Eden was filled with all the benefactions that a beneficent God could devise. We have seen many a garden of fragrance and beauty, but we have never seen anything that could approach the glory of Eden. Adam and Eve dwelt mid an environment that delighted the eyes, and satisfied every longing of the physical.
2. The New Jerusalem. This is the City and the Abode of the Bride, the Lamb's Wife. How marvelous will be the City that shall descend out of Heaven from God! Its streets are of fine gold; it will have the glory of God. Its light will be like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, pure as crystal. Its wall will be great and high: its gates will be twelve, and each one will be one pearl. The walls of the City will be of jasper, and the City will be of pure gold, as transparent glass. The foundations of the wall will be garnished with all precious stones: the jasper, the sapphire, the chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolyte, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth, and amethyst.
The glory of God will lighten the City, and the Lamb will be the Light thereof. A river clear as crystal will course through the City; on either side of the City will be the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, and yielding its fruit every month. Such is the description, as God gives the glory of our Heavenly Home.
AN ILLUSTRATION
LOOK UP
We may not have a Garden of Eden, but we can "Look Up." "The Word so beautifully says, 'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.' In the sad, silent midnight watches they see God, and mid sorrow and death they look above and see the Lord. I recently read an incident that illustrates this beautifully. At a recent church conference, Dr. Horton told the story of a professor who invariably prefaced his lectures with this remark: 'When I was walking in my garden, I thought.' He then would frequently bring forth such beautiful thoughts that his students began to think their master's garden must be very fine to inspire such splendid thoughts. One day one of the students went to see the garden and found it to be a little narrow back yard. 'Your garden!' he exclaimed. 'How narrow! How secluded and how poor!' 'Ah!' answered the professor, 'but see how high it is. It reaches to the heavens.'
"So, look up; look to the eternal hills, to God on His throne. Look upon Him and by so doing, you can conquer all of life's problems and difficulties." A. C. S.