Male and Female in the Generations of Everything

These are the Generations of the Heavens and the Earth

(Genesis 2:4-25, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, June 29, 2014)

[4] These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.

The word translated generations comes from another noun that has to do with giving birth. Our word in verse four is used in several other places in Genesis, but this is the only one that is not associated with the name of an individual, such as Noah. In the other places it describes what proceeded forth, the birthing, that came from a person. Here we have the generations that came from God's creation of heaven and earth, and God's commentary on the events of Day 6.

[5] When no bush of the field... [17] … you shall surely die.”

Genesis 2 provides us with very important information to help us to have a further explanation of the relationship between humanity and our environment, and especially the relationship within humanity itself. God ordered creation in such a way that everything came into being at the appropriate moment that fit the Lord's purpose for man's life in the environment of the garden. God used the dust of the earth and God's own Spirit/breath to create the marvel of humanity. This great physical being became a being with a life that was more than physical.

Man was to live and work in the garden in Eden. In that garden were many trees, but two in particular were mentioned, one was a tree of life and the other a tree of testing—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eden was a place of great wonder and provision. Four rivers are noted, as well as gold and precious gems. The environment came from God as did the man who would work it and keep it. This work was under the authority of the Word of the great I-AM. He gave man a command—a prohibition, “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat,” and attached a solemn warning, “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

[18] Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” …

Before the testing of Adam the Lord would grant a great gift to Adam—his counterpart and helper in bringing forth future generations. The Lord showed man the problem of his aloneness. He needed one who would be like him but also not like him. None of the animals that Adam had the honor of naming would be a helper suitable for him.

The Lord would provide from Adam's rib the wonderful gift of a woman, which Adam received with joy. Then God would supply the commentary on this formative episode. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” The generations of the earth would be born of woman but would also come from the seed of man. This was God's plan for his image-bearers. They would be male and female.

Put the Word to Work: This pattern would prepare us to love the kingdom of heaven, for Christ and the church would be the fulfillment of the Lord's gift of male and female (Eph. 5:32).

Memory Verse from the Songs of Ascents—Psalm 120:5-7

Woe to me... Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace –

Traveling toward eternal life through a place of death

Gospel Reading—Matthew 13:1-9

The parable of the sower