Adam and Eve

Genesis 1 – 2

Do you remember what we learned about how everything began? Yes, our world was created by the all-powerful, all-wise and ever-present God. When did God create man? Yes, on the sixth day after the world was ready for him. God formed man from the dust of the earth. He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; man became a living being. What did God tell man that showed he was more important than any of the rest of God’s creation? God gave man the plants of the earth for his food. And he was supposed to rule over the animals. But God knew man would need more than animals to be with him. Who is with Adam in the picture? This week we will talk about the woman that God made so that man would have a companion who would be suitable for him.

There were two special trees in the garden. One of these trees was the “Tree of life.” The other was the “Tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” When God put man in the garden, He told them about all the trees. God said to Adam, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat of it, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.”

Adam had all the animals for company but God knew that was not enough. He said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper who will be comparable for him.” This means Adam needed someone who would be a human being like him - - but we will see that God knew He needed someone who would be different in some ways too.

God also told Adam about the animals. He brought all the animals to Adam so he could name them. Adam had to think up names for all the cattle, for the birds of the sky and for every beast of the field. And whatever Adam called each creature, that became its name.

Suppose you had been given Adam’s job - - could you have thought of so many names? Why do you think Adam looked at a white wooly animal with four legs and decided to call it a sheep? Naming all the animals must have been a big job!

But even with so many different animals to keep him company, the man still needed the woman to share his life. “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place.”

Then the rib which God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to 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 the man. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. And they shall become one flesh.” We learn that later Adam gave his wife another name too. He called her “Eve,” because she was the mother of all living.

We can see that Eve was special to Adam. She was special to him because she was his wife. God wants husbands to be the head of their wives because man was created first. But God said that husbands are to love their wives as much as they love their own bodies. And they are to be married to each other as long as they both live.

God told Adam and Eve, “Be fruitful and multiply; and fill the earth.” He wanted them to have children and help each other to have good families. All through the Bible God tells us what makes good families. He tells us how all family members must work together and do their part. We will study more later about how we can follow His plan and have happy homes.

Children are supposed to love and obey their parents. But when they grow up, they will probably get married. Then their husband or wife should come first.

They will still love their parents and want to honor them, especially when they get old and need help. But each husband and wife will begin a new family and live a life together that is separate from their parents’ life.

And if they carry out God’s will in their families, they can have a happy home that will stand against all the evil things in the world.

EXTRA ACTIVITY

God planned for man to work from the very beginning. What was Adam’s job in the garden? What kind of work can you do at home? What about when you grow up? Maybe your family can talk about work you might like to do. What kind of training would you need? Would you have to go away from your hometown? Be sure to plan to put God first.

TALKING IT OVER

1. Do you have a pet? Animals can keep us company - - but why are people better?
2. Many people today do not take marriage very seriously. They say they will get a divorce if they are not happy. Why is this wrong? How does it cause unhappiness?
3. God also knows that Christians need each other. How can they help each other?

MEMORY VERSE

“What God hath joined together let not man separate.” Matthew 19:6
Our nation makes divorce easy. Does that make it right?

Credits
Text by Betty Belue Haynes, originally published in Bible Talk Times. Used here with the kind permission of the author. Users are free to reproduce for use, but not for publication.