Genesis 2:15-25

If we want to live out God’s good design for our lives, Genesis 2 shows us that we must seek to be faithful in our daily lives and in our families.

Outline

  • First, Pursue faithfulness in our daily lives (2:15-17)
    • Pursue faithfulness in our work in light of God’s calling (15)
    • Pursue faithfulness in our walk in light of God’s commands (16-17)
  • Second, pursue faithfulness in our families (2:18-25)
    • First, notice the need for faithful families (18-20)
    • Second, notice the nature of faithful families (21-23)
    • Third, notice the nurture of faithful families (24)

Christ Connections

  • When God makes the woman from the rib of the man, a bride comes from the side of man. In his last moments, Christ’s side is pierced, not in a deep sleep but in deep agony. In this the side of Jesus is pierced to create a bride for him – a people, a church; once again, a bride comes from the side as Jesus is pierced for our transgressions.

Applications

  • Genesis creates a pattern for our work that is shown in Colossians 3:23-24. In our work we are serving the Lord Christ. We remain faithful in our work when we remember why we are working and who we are serving. How does that show up in your life? We are called to faithfulness. Your faithfulness in your work shouldn’t depend on your circumstances but your savior
  • Genesis 2 provides a pattern for marriage that is being challenged in our culture. People sense the need for family but go to these false solutions to find satisfaction:
    • Living together – attempt to get all the benefits of marriage without the commitment; 
    • Love is love – doesn’t matter who you marry (regardless of their gender or their faith), just as long as you are happy. 
    • No-default divorce – while there can be biblical grounds, too many see marriage not as a covenant like here in Genesis 2 but as a contract that can be broken at any time for any reason.
  • Satan hates marriage. It is the means by which God brought the offspring that will crush him and he will do anything he can to ruin it.
  • We shouldn’t be surprised that people struggle with gender identity because the curse from sin affects everything, including our perceptions of ourselves. Genesis can’t be more clear – the goodness of God’s creation includes the reality that he made both men and women, male and female.
  • A picture of male leadership and female support seen in:
    • The order of creation – God creates man before he creates woman, 
    • The order of accountability – God holds the man accountable for sin before the woman
    • The role of the woman – God creates woman as a “helper” fit for him. She was created to help him rule and have dominion.
    • The naming of the woman – Just as Adam names the animals in a demonstration of his authority over them, he names the woman in a way that shows leadership 
  • “Leave and cleave” shows us that marriage is a risk that takes intentionality and work.
  • God created marital intimacy to exist only in the context of a one flesh union. In marriage they are able to be “naked and unashamed,” and are free from shame with each other.