To: en
Dear Sweetie,
Let me continue with where I last left off: The place of Eve in the bible is fantastic, and understanding Eve is a great way for us to see how God expresses his love for mankind. I believe that there was a real Adam and a real Eve. And if the bible says that God made Eve from a rib out of Adam, that is the way it must have happened.
The first great statement about Eve is found in Ch 1:27, where a general acknowledgement of the creation of Man and Woman is made:
In Ch 2 vs. 18 we get more details: God saw that the Adam he made needed human companionship. "It is not good for the man to be alone" is the first concept expressed: then as in the same breath, God says I will make a helper suitable for him."
"It is not good for the man to be alone" is recorded in the Amplified Version as "It is not good (sufficient, satisfactory) that the man should be alone": and as a response to this God says "I will make a helpermate (suitable, adapted, complementary ) for him."
I believe God saw that this Adam he had created possessed a hunger for companionship that God himself alone in the spiritual dimension would not fulfil: nor would all the playthings provided, not the animal, not the hills not the trees, not the golf course or the fast cars. Likewise for each subsequent man that God has created, there is a hunger for companionship that God himself alone in the spiritual dimension can not fulfil: nor would all the playthings provided, not the animal, not the hills not the trees, not the golf course or the fast cars. To fill this need, God created Eve. I believe that just as God made Eve for Adam, so too for every couple that he brings together in holy matrimony, the bride is specifically and individually crafted by God, to be a companion for her Adam, to be a helpermate suitable, adapted and complementary for her husband, both drawn together for a lifetime together, so long as the both of them shall live. I believe that by reviewing this one verse, many Christian couples will find the added strength required to hold their marriage together, for better for worse, in sickness and in health, richer or poorer, because life together forever is what God had planned.
God seeks a companion for Adam, looking at all the beasts of the field and birds of the air: but no canary, penguin, ostrich, dog, bear, seal, or what can fill the need: for Adam no suitable helper was found. (Gen 2:20). So God the Great Physician became the First Anaesthetist: He caused man to fall into a deep sleep. And then God becomes the First Surgeon, and performs the first surgical procedure ever documented, taking one of man's ribs and closing up the place with flesh.
In verse 22 we learn that the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The fact that God chose the rib of Adam to make Eve teaches us something: My marriage enhancement readings teach me this:
Gen 2:24 is an important teaching, especially in Asian context, for it teaches the importance of a man leaving his original family and starting a new family with his new wife. Family dynamics being what they are, it does cause painful problems which are not part of God's plans when men who marry continue to have domestic links with their own mothers. I believe that this is not so the other way round: that men can successfully plant their new family under the roof of their mother in law: but for a woman to be planted into the household of her mother in law spells for grief: the word of God says so.
The union spoken of in verse 24 speaks of much more than a passing fleeting moments of sexual relationship. The word in the KJV is "cleave", in the original texts Aramaic or Hebrew is "dabaq", itemised in Strong's concordance as word #1692, to impinge, to cling or adhere, hold fast, catch by pursuit, abide, follow close, be joined together, pursue hard, overtake, stick to. This teaches how the positive aspect of commitment that a husband should put into the marriage, for having left his father and mother and having married his wife, he should impinge upon her, cling to her, adhere to her, hold fast to her, catch her by pursuit, abide with her, follow close beside her, be joined together with her physically, emotionally, spiritually, in plans and in thought, in bed and beyond, pursue her hard continuing to chase her and woo her year after year even when they are 70 years old, overtake her (or else he cannot catch her!), stick to her like super glue. What a lesson!
The intimacies and joy of oneness of the flesh without shame for the married couple are the subject of my scientific and professional interest. It is with great joy that my theological and spiritual awakening allows me to balance the two areas: I promote the gospel when teaching sexuality, and I can encourage responsible sexuality to my Christian brothers and sisters.
I am enjoying this sharing so much I will cc this file to mark: if he cannot get his teleview system to function I will do a print out after a month or two: meanwhile will stay electronic.
Love dad.
From: Su Min
Subject: Eve
"Not from his head to rule over him,
I believe that this biblical view of a wife as helpermate and completer of her husband, designed by God to fill that which was empty is greater than any woman's lib view or English Knight in shining armour view. And when I see that that is how God has specifically designed and planned and made my wife, and "brought her to me" as Gen 3:22b teaches, then I believe I am able to more closely love my wife in the way that God intends, honouring her, cherishing her, keeping her.
Not from his feet to be trampled upon,
But from his side, under his arm, closest to his heart,
To be protected, to be loved, for the joy of oneness.
Side by side they are to walk down life's pathway
Side by side they are to complete each other"
For any comments or enquiries please write to Dr. Lim Su Min
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