Go Name The Animals

I introduced in my blog posting yesterday the truth that YOUR MARRIAGE IS WORTH IT. Now, all this week I want to break down, phrase by phrase, the words God spoke in Genesis 2:24 when He created marriage and officiated the very first wedding. He said,

"FOR THIS CAUSE a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh."

FOR THIS CAUSE - For what cause? For that answer we have to move back in the chapter and capture the context of the story. After creating the world and all that is in it, God looks at his work and utters the words, "It was good!" but after God made Adam out of the dust of the ground, He utters just the opposite. In verse 18 God says, "It is not good!" What was not good? The verse goes on and says this:

"Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone!"

So what wasn't good? The fact that Adam was alone. Now understand that this did not take God by surprise. He created Adam with a need for companionship. That is a God-given trait that we have as humans. And God knew just exactly what would meet that designed need perfectly as seen in the rest of verse 18:

"I will make him a helper suitable for him!"

And who would be that helper perfectly suited to meet Adam's God-given need for companionship? Eve..a wife! So wouldn't you expect the next verse to say that God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and took a rib and from the rib made a woman? But that's not what happens next. First, God gives Adam a task. He is to name all of the animals. It almost doesn't seem to make sense does it? It's as if God is saying, "Adam, you have a designed need for companionship that I made you with and I have just the answer for you - now go name the animals!" Why would God do this? Here's why! Look at verse 20 carefully:

"The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam, THERE WAS NOT FOUND A HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM!"

It's as if Adam gets done and says to God, "Wow! That was great! You are an amazing Creator! But I have to be honest - as wonderful as all of your creation was as I met each one of them up close and personal, the truth is - I'm still lonely. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING BETTER!"

And then and only then does God make Eve and bring her to Adam. Why did God have Adam name all of the animals first? I believe it was to show him that in all of his creation, nothing would be as special nor as valuable as Eve - his wife! Men - we need to learn that lesson. In all of God's creation, He has given us nothing (outside of our salvation, of course) more special and more valuable than our wives!! So, let's treat them that way!

So on that day that God created marriage by starting his wedding message in the Garden of Eden with the words, "FOR THIS CAUSE," what was the cause He was speaking of? I believe He was saying this:

"Because I created man with a designed need for companionship and because a wife is the only way that need can be fully met making her his most special and beautiful gift...a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh!"

Tomorrow I will write more about the phrase, "A man shall leave his father and his mother!"

Be sure to also read my other blog entitled, "Hope for Hurting Pastors," at www.hurtingpastor.blogspot.com or email me at skdistler@gmail.com