Genesis 2 – God’s Relationship with Man
February 12, 2019
In the second chapter of Genesis, God begins His personal relationship with us. Please pause and read the entire chapter.
“Lord, we are grateful for the life you have given us. Fill us again with the wonder of it today through your Word. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”
First, He began with man. I wonder what it was like for the angels to watch God form a new creation. Gathering dust with His fingertips, God molded it together to form a body. As He formed the brain that would make us so completely different from all other creatures, He provided for sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch with intricate detail. When everything was exactly the way He wanted it, He breathed his very own breath into man’s nostrils, and Adam woke up. A cheer must have erupted in heaven!
Everything was perfect. God and man walked together in the garden. God introduced Adam to the animals, and allowed him to name them. He showed man all the delicious food growing out of the ground, and perhaps gave him bites to try. I can imagine God’s joy when He handed Adam a sweet orange to taste, or a crisp pecan. Just like a child’s wonder the first time he sees snow, Adam must have stood wide-eyed at all the beauty surrounding him.
There seemed to be something missing, however. All the animals had mates, but Adam had none. I don’t know why God created man and woman one at a time, instead of together. Perhaps He wanted Adam to see his need for woman. Perhaps He simply wanted to walk with each of his children one-by-one. Nevertheless, woman was created separately – and differently – from Adam. Even though God was completely capable of making another person from the dust, this time He chose to start with a piece from Adam. Forever connecting them together, God took a rib from Adam’s side, closed back up the wound, and fashioned his partner for life.
It’s no small thing that God started this chapter by sharing with us His own personal name. In verse 4, we see His name: LORD God. In the Hebrew, this word is YHWH (pronounced Yahweh). It is God’s proper name…the name He used to introduce Himself. And thus, God’s relationship with man and woman began.
Every good book has some foreshadowing to the events to come, and the Bible is no exception. This chapter tells us about two trees in the middle of the garden: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam was instructed not to eat from the second tree, but he could eat from all of the rest of the trees as much as he wanted – including the tree of life.
Those two trees will be very important in the next chapter, but for now, I want to look forward to the very end of the story. In the last chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22:1-5, God tells us about heaven. There, in front of God’s throne, is the tree of life. Someday I will hear God introduce Himself as Yahweh, and I will taste the delicious fruit of the tree of life that He offers. Because God is still present and He is still good, I will see Him face to face.
Questions for thought:
- Why do you think God created Eve from Adam instead of only from the dust, as he did Adam?
- What do you think it will it be like to see God face to face?
- Have you ever considered having a personal relationship with your Creator?
I have heard from some of you personally, and can see from my website, that many are studying along with me. I would love for you to share what you are learning in the comments here! Give it a try! We want to hear from you!
It was very interesting to read that God created woman from man instead of just dust. I feel it has to do with woman and men being meant to mate/love one another. If God were to have created woman as he did man then there wouldn’t be anything bonded the two together. Maybe idk. Just a thought.
Wow. The God face to face question. I have absolutely no idea and that drives me crazy. No doubt when I do meet God face to face if I’m worthy of a spot in heaven with him, it will be nothing short of amazing. I am a type of person who wants to know exactly how that moment will be and having faith in knowing it’s coming but not knowing how it will go is very challenging for me. I’m a controller. I want to dictate everything in my life, but that’s not how faith works.
I feel I do have a personal relationship with my creator. Is it a strong one though? I would say not. I continue to work on strengthening it.
I’ve tried to post comments but I’m not doing something quite right. I think my husband helped me figure it out (maybe ?) Maybe God wanted them so share a special connection. God chose man to give life to the woman and after that God chose women to give life. I can’t imagine the joy of seeing God face to face. I belive, in the Old Testament, a face to face with God caused a person to die. In heaven we will look into His eyes, talk to him, walk with Him, love Him on a close and personal level. I bet we can even hug God, can you imagine what that will be like?? Thanks for this study Lora, for this opportunity to really focus on “The Beginning”.
I agree Theresa, there is a bonding that happens between man and woman because of the way God creates us. Isn’t that amazing? He knew us before we even were created!
Belinda, I’m so excited that you have figured out how to comment on the Bible study! I know you will add much to our conversation! I love the picture of God choosing man to give life to woman, and then woman to give life to man. That’s beautiful! Thank you for sharing!!
I think God made Eve from Adam so everyone of us would be connected from the beginning. If not Eve would be the only human being not connected to Adam.
I have a feeling I will want to hide from him like Adam and Eve, but I am sure when I look on Him face to face, all of my guilt and shame will be wiped away and I will have true relief for the first time, because the old things will truly have been passed away and the new has come!!!! I look forward to that day!!!!
My personal relationship started in 6th grade at a Vacation Bible School with watered down kool aid and 2 cookies a piece!! Thank God for VBS!!!!
Shannon, I had never thought about it that way! If God had not connected her to Adam, she would have been the only one not connected to him on the whole earth. Wow. Thank you for your insight!
I love the fact that I can read insights from this study from two years ago. I see a lot of the same interpretations as my own, but also insights I never thought of. I believe that God did want Adam and Eve to have a connection, like a marriage. It didn’t occur to me that Eve would be the only person without a connection to Adam.
What will it be like to see our Creator face to face? Of course none of us know, but we can be assured that it will be an amazing and wonderful experience!
My personal relationship with the Lord began in my childhood. It was, and continues to be, a slow growth of learning and faith. As time goes on, I have realized the importance of this relationship and have enough perspective to see the blessings God placed in my path all along the way.
All that being said, I was initially a little confused reading Genesis Chapter 2. It feels like a repeat of Chapter 1, but the order of creation seems to change. After doing some additional research, I feel that Chapter 1 gives a summary of the 6 days of creation and Chapter 2 is really giving the details of what happens on day 6. That was probably obvious to everyone, but I thought I would share.
Shawna, Thank you so much for joining me for this Bible Study! You are right, it’s wonderful to read other people’s thoughts and insights. I hope that will encourage others to do so as well!
I agree with your evaluation of the repetition in Chapter 2 from Chapter 1. I appreciate you mentioning it because I’m sure you aren’t the only one that was wondering. Your interpretation is reasonable, and commonly offered in explanation. I have also heard people say they think this could have been a re-start of the world.
This kind of thing happens often in the Bible. I have questions of the details and I wish that God would have included a little more info! Of course, had he included everything I want to know, the book would not be carryable!! 🙂
Thank you for this study.
I feel that God is and always has been to call us into personal relationship himself. I suppose sometimes its so hard to see something thats hidden in plain sight . Its so good to see different thoughts about a subject.
Thanks again
Thank you for this insight. I loved you opening in prayer to begin this lesson. We are all students of the Word. I found my way to your sight as the Youth asked me to talk with them on Love. God’s first relationship and how we still maintain that 1st love with Him in today’s world. You have given me lots of different information and love the comments from readers that give us ways to see how we all know God. I found God later in my life in my early thirties, and our relationship grows as we mature in Him. Key word Relationship with God, connecting with Him, takes two to make the relationship work, I am every so grateful God love me. Thank you Lora. From Australia
The reason God created Eve from Adam was to provide Adam with a equal comparable mate. Adam named his new partner Woman. this is the reason why Men need women much more than women need men.
Adam named woman WOMAN because she was made from the rib from man. She was called Eve because she would be the mother of all nations. For this reason man leaves his father & mother and cleaves unto his wife. And the man and woman become one. Each one had their own idenity just as they had their own purpose in their relationship with eachother and with God.