Life-giver Eve is God’s gift to Adam-mankind

Only a very small percentage of all the animals mate until death parts them. So why did God create Adam all by himself? So Adam himself could learn by experience that none of the other animals would be a suitable partner for him. Only after he had learned that important lesson did God create a help-mate from out of Adam’s own side; to stand by his side and guide him.

“Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals [on earth] and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to Adam to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.” (2:20)

“So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.” (2:19)

So “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (2:18)

And when the man saw the woman: “The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man.” (2: 23) And “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” (2: 24)

If husbands constantly kept in mind the Biblical teaching about why God created woman; all males would be healthier and happier.

First the health facts. An analysis of data comparing 2015 with 1990 shows that in 2015 (the most recent year available for review), just 2.9% of every 100 divorced or widowed Americans remarried, down from 5% per 100 in 1990. This is a 40% decline in remarriage rates in 25 years.

The remarriage rate has dropped for all ages, with the greatest drop among those younger than 35. At older ages (55-64), the remarriage rate has declined by only 15% over the past two decades.

Since many studies have shown that married men live longer than single men, this trend bodes ill for male life span in future decades. For example: “A study of nearly 6,000 Americans with bladder cancer found that those who were married had better survival rates than single patients.

Compared with their married peers, single patients were 26% more likely to die during the study period – even when researchers factored in patients’ age, race and severity of their cancer.”

Better physical health and longevity is only one of many benefits of marriage. The first lesson the Bible teaches us is that men are much better off with a marriage partner than just living alone:

“God said to Adam, It is not good for you to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18) The following is a modern Midrash (rabbinic expansion of a Biblical insight or lesson) on this verse:

At first, Adam was all alone. He didn’t have parents and he didn’t have children. He did not even have a brother, a sister or a friend to talk to. Adam was lonely, and he was unhappy.

God said to Adam, “It is not good for you to be alone. But now you are free to do whatever you want to do. When you are alone you don’t have to share things with others. You don’t have to stop talking and just listen when someone else needs to talk to you.

You don’t have to help when others need help. You don’t have to care about how someone else feels. If you had a sister or a brother or a good friend, you would have to do all these things and many more.”

“I don’t like being lonely” said Adam, “ I have lots of things for fun and games; but I get bored with them after a while. I have several pet animals, but even having animals is not good enough for me. I still feel lonely and all alone.

I need someone who is like me but at the same time is different. I need a partner. Someone to stand by my side and be my best friend. I need someone I can take care of, and who will care for me.”

“I know just what you need.” said God, “What you need is a help mate. A person with a different personality, who can grow together with you in love, and help you become a responsible, kind and loving human being.

I am going to form her right out of your side, so she will stand side by side with you as your equal partner, your help mate. (Genesis 2:21-23)

The two of you will be like one pair of hands. You know, one hand cannot wash itself. But two hands can always wash each other. You will have to be responsible for and to each other. You will no longer be independent. You will not be free to do whatever you want anymore.

You will have to think about another person’s feelings. You will have to listen to what she tells you. You will have to think less about your self and more about another. I will give you a blessing to help you become a couple.”

God looked down and saw that Adam had fallen into a deep sleep. God hoped that when Adam awoke he would remember all that God had told him. Even if Adam and all his descendants didn’t always become the loving responsible help mates that God wanted them to be, God thought they would become better by trying.

And those who were fully responsible partners and help mates would become God’s blessing for each other. Then the sons of Adam would realize that the daughters of Eve were gifts from God; and if they lived together in harmony and equality, they would receive God’s blessing:

“When God created Adam-humankind, He made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female; and when they were created, He blessed them and named them “Adam-humankind.”