Old Testament Studies
Help Meet
By Robert C. Crowder
Genesis 2:18-25
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD 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: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 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. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam 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. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Some observations
Verse 18 notice that the LORD GOD said that it
is not good for man to be alone.
He decided that man should have someone just perfect for him.
A “help” perfect for him.
In this way woman “completes” man.
When Paul was writing his first epistle to the Corinthian Church, he took time to ensure the body of believers understood the relationship of man and woman. I Corinthians 11:8-12 says; “For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
In the wedding that takes place in the Garden of Eden, notice that it is the LORD GOD who gives away the bride. Verse 22 says “And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.”
Chuck Swindoll made the inference that God ordained marriage and that there are “Four Musts” in every marriage. Verses 24 and 25 say; “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
o
Severance
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Permanence
o
Unity
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Intimacy
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