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.