Genesis, In the Beginning - III
Genesis 2:4-23
September 2,2007
John Ryan

Genesis 2:4 ...in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.
Here a name is given to the Creator, which we have not yet heard - Yaweh.
1) The LORD in capital letters, is constantly used in our English translation, for Yaweh or Jehovah.
2) This is that great and unspeakable (to the Jews) name of God, which speaks his having his being of himself, and his giving being to all things.
3) From the Hebrew verb - to be, it denotes the name "I AM".
4) It properly means, He that was, and that is, and that is to come.
5) All through the Old Testament, it was the name used when God was making a covenant with man.

Revealing the Character of God
Our God is beyond us having being in and of Himself. There is no time to His existence. He is eternal in nature. In His name, He reveals that we were created to be in relationship with a holy, loving God.

Two Different Creation Accounts?
First, it's popular in some circles to think of Genesis 2 as a second, somewhat contradictory account of human creation. In fact, Genesis 2 employs a common literary device. Background is sketched first, and then one feature is highlighted with additional details. A chorus sings, then one singer steps forward into the spotlight. A guide exposes the panorama of a giant mural and then leads his tour closer to examine the detail. The Creation scenery is set in place in Genesis 1; now the writer invites us to take our seats and observe the play. Second, the Hebrew writers of the OT often gave a linear view of history along with narrative views of history. The difference is having someone tell you step by chronological step how their house was built (this is linear), versus having them take you on a tour of the house describing the building process as you go through the rooms. One is intended to describe a strict timeline. The other is a revelation of what is important to them.

Genesis 2:5-6 5 When no bush of the field? was yet in the land ...
God takes us back to day to third day when land and water has been separated and describes the scene on the earth. There was no rain - simply springs from below and mist from above. Scientists have long speculated that there was a much different canopy of clouds that once covered our earth.

Genesis 2:7 the LORD God ... breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, ...
In the most distinct manner God shows us that man is a compound being, having a body and soul distinctly, and separately created. The body is "formed" out of the dust of the earth. This word formed implies intimate care and structure. It is the word used by the potters work on a wheel when forming a intricate vessel. The soul was immediately breathed from God Himself. It is obvious - the soul and body are not the same thing. The body derives its origin from the "dust" or dirt of the ground. It is earthly and therefore it could easily become decomposable and perishable. Of the soul it is said, God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; nishmath chaiyim, the breath of LIVES. While this breath of God expanded the lungs and set them in play, his breath or Spirit poured in an eternal soul (capable of passion, emotions, reason) and His glory. This is what makes us different from animals. We have God's image breathed into us. Even when sin comes and mars - there is still a part of God in man.

Genesis 2:8-9 ... the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, ...
God makes a home for Adam and He places him in this perfect garden. God provided His presence, shelter, food and life eternal. Did the "Tree of Life" literally provide this? This "tree" appears again in scripture seeming to be a source of life eternal for the body of created man. (Gen 3:22,24; Rev 2:7, 22:2, 14)

Genesis 2:10-14 10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, ...
All of this detail was given for the readers of Moses' day (the human author of this book.). This geographical detail would give absolutes to a place that often seems like a fairy tale to many. Havilah was a land named from a descendant of Cush. The land of Cush is often thought to be Ethiopia, but most scholars believe it is the land of the Cassites in the mountains east of Mesopotamia. The Tigris and Euphrates run from Armenia through modern day Iraq.

Logic tells us that originally there had to be one parent. It is inconceivable that two or more totally independent individuals could each give rise to offspring that turn out to be the same biological species. This is even a tenet of the evolutionary process. Very recent publications have cast some interesting light on this issue. A study of the Y-chromosomes of 38 males around the world indicated one common male parent, mathematically estimated, to go back 270 000 years but with a lower possible limit of 27 000 years.
(Louw Alberts, “Christianity and The Enquiring Mind”.)
[Go to www.summitcommunity.com for two essays on creation.]

Genesis 2:15-17 17 ..."for in the day that you eat? of it you shall surely die."
Again, we see God's view of work. It is set aside by God as one of man's purposes here on earth. In the midst of the garden he was to work, there were two special trees: 1) the Tree of Life and 2) the Tree of the Knowledge of God and Evil. Of this last tree, they were not to eat. Of the first, it seems they were to eat of it. What is this "Tree of the Knowledge"? Man was not without the knowledge of good and evil. It was inscribed on his heart as Romans 1:19-20 says. He knew God was good and His ways were good. He knew to not follow God would be bad and he even had the promise of death. This tree did not give knowledge but rather, it would allow man to experience the consequences of choosing evil over good.

The essence of sin is - choosing my way over God's way. Sin is not simply a specific act of disobedience to God. More fully, it is the attitude of the heart that says - I will not be told what to do or how to live. This attitude leads to all sorts of sins that are described as acts of sin. God's way is not just being good. It is trusting life and ways to Him/Jesus.

Genesis 2:18-23 18 "It is not good that the man should be alone; ..."
The first time in all of creation God says something is not good. God did not make a mistake. He was simply stating the need of His creation.

Woman
The 1st Uniqueness of a Woman - Highly Relational
The final act of creation - woman. She was not an afterthought or a solution to a practical problem - she was the last creative piece of God's grand design. This is significance. Ladies YOU were purposely and wondrously created! Here we see God reveal 3 aspects of His character as He uniquely makes woman. 1st - He is a relational being. He longed for men and women to know deep relationship as He shared with the Trinity. God knows that His glory is unveiled as we know Him. At our core, God created us to be relational beings. It is not personality that keeps us distanced, it is sin.

The 2nd Uniqueness of a Woman - Fellow Rescuer
(vs. 18-21) God announces that he will make a "helper fit" for Adam. "Fit" means purposely suited for and uniquely designed for. There was no one uniquely designed for Adam in all creation. God knew this and had saved Eve.

"helper" Heb. - ezer kenegdo. Ezer means help but every time it is used in the OT is used only of God except in this instance and it refers to God coming to save the day Ps. 33:20. Kenegdo means alongside or right next to. Robert Alter (Heb. Scholar) says this word would best be translated "lifesaver" others say "fellow rescuer". The phrase denotes God's second unique design for a women to be a fellow rescuer in this world along a man. You have been gifted and called to a significant adventure.

The 3rd Uniqueness of a Woman - Reveal Deep Beauty
(vs. 21-25) Nothing Adam saw in all of creation stirred his body or his heart.. Adam was stunned and moved by her beauty in his body and heart and this is most telling about a woman and God. First the woman - every woman was created to reveal beauty - inner and outer. Unfortunately, we have made the pursuit of beauty an addiction with a unrealistic goal. God reveals Eve without makeup, without any post creation help and Adam is stunned. A woman's beauty is in her nature as much as her appearance. Woman was the crowning beauty of all God's creation. This is phenomenal! However, her beauty went much deeper than her form. What does this reveal of God? He is beautiful. All through the Bible the beauty of God stuns man. It is His overwhelming glory that defines the essence of God. He reveals this through nature, through His works, and through Himself. Ps. 27:4

Questions that come to a woman's heart from the fall
1) Can I do significant relationships? Will someone pursue me?
2) Why am I bored? Is my life just about duty and lists? Was I created for something bigger?
3) Do I have a beauty to unveil? Does someone think I'm deeply beautiful?