And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Genesis 2:18
I once heard a joke that Wal-Mart considered opening wedding chapels in their locations as part of their one stop shop model for business, but they decided against it because the return lines were already too long. Though many people will chuckle at that little joke, the truth which drives the punchline is a sad testimony to our culture’s failure to properly respect the most fundamental human relationship of all. Because of the high percentage of failed American marriages, an ever-increasing number of people have decided to avoid marriage altogether. What, if anything, may help to alleviate the rate of failed marriages in our culture? While it may not be the popular answer, the biblical concept of marriage once again provides the solution.
In Genesis 2:18, God said, “It is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Did God not know this before He created Adam? Of course, He did. So, why did He not just create man and woman at the same time? The answer is revealed in Genesis 2:19-24. After declaring Adam’s need for a mate, God paraded all the animals before him to see what he would name them. Why did God not simply tell Adam what they were and be done with it? Who was this exercise to benefit? It had to be Adam.
After naming all the animals, Adam realized he was the only one of his kind. The significance of this is seen in his response to seeing his new bride for the first time. In Genesis 2:23, 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 Man.” Have you ever wondered why God did not create Eve from another lump of dirt as He had Adam? It seems God wanted to impress upon Adam the closeness of his relationship to the newly formed woman, much the way we bond with our children because they are part of us. In 1 Corinthians 11:8-12, Paul reminds us of the interdependence of man and woman in God’s plan.
Had Adam not realized he was the only one of his kind, he most likely would not have appreciated the woman God gave him as much. If we remember this fundamental truth about marriage, perhaps we will come to respect our marriages for what God intended them to be. If so, there can be little doubt more marriages would thrive rather than merely survive. Furthermore, many that are currently failing would likely not. Anyone who thinks this is of little consequence should investigate further. You will find the data strongly points to a different conclusion. It is especially pronounced when children are involved, but no one escapes divorce unscathed. Its effects are harmful for everyone involved. Since all God’s commands are for the good of His people (Deuteronomy 6:24; 10:13; Jeremiah 32:39; Hebrews 12:10-11), we may be certain His commands concerning marriage are for our good too. It is up to us to understand and heed them.