In Genesis 2:18 God says, “It is not good for man to be alone.” Yet we could argue that man was not alone. He had perfect fellowship with God, and He was put into a garden with many different animals, who he had reviewed and named. Yet God still said, “it is not good for man to be alone.” This is the first time in the creation narrative that God said that something that He was looking at was “not good” So what did He do? He put man to sleep, took a rib from the man and created a woman, brought her to the man, and gave him a help meet! This was the foundation for the establishment of marriage. This brought the man a companion (Genesis 2:18) to do the work that he was created to undertake. He would have someone to work in cooperation (Genesis 2:18 “help meet”) to that goal. It also provides a completion to the creation of mankind (Genesis 2:23) which will allow him to fulfill his God given design of being in God’s image and likeness. This union is built upon a commitment (Genesis 2:24 “leave … cleave) that puts the two in a submissive relationship with one another, and creates a God given desire for consummation (Genesis 2:24) as they express their commitment by bringing children into this world into a secure and loving environment. Marriage was to be built upon a foundation of trust that is manifested by the Chastity (Genesis 2:25 “not ashamed”) of an honorable relationship before God. As we submit ourselves to the Lord and seek to grow in our relationship to Him, we will manifest our spiritual walk, by developing our relationship with our spouse. Marriage is a union that has been designed by God to impact our family, community, and the world pointing each to the importance of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
