"It is not good for man to be alone."

[Joshua]

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

Here is another question based off of the scripture above. In getting ready for marriage I've been pondering this verse extensively and am a bit confused by this and the final marriage of Christ to the church.

Since we see God creating woman as a suitable helper for Adam BEFORE the fall, we can safely assume this was his original intention before sin. Now we learn in the Gospels and the book of Revelation that Christ will ultimately come back for his Bride (the church) and marriage (as we know it) will cease to exist.

My question is, why did God intend this at the beginning of creation only to do away with man's need for woman upon Christ's return?

We know that the trinity was present in the beginning of creation and can also assume present with Adam at times in the garden. How come, then, if being the bride of Christ is the ultimate relationship, God needed to create woman to fulfill a need in man that God could not? Let me remind you this all happened before the Fall of Man.

To simply the question, why does God create man with a need for woman in the beginning and call it "good" only to rid the need for woman at Christ's return.

Hopefully this made sense!

[CJ]

Ah but does he? NO, Alcorn also addresses this issue among other very wise philosophers as well.

God provides one aspect of the relationship but knew that he wanted more for man and so provides woman.

The references to Christ as the bridegroom is a metaphor obviously we as the church will not be physically married to Him.

Let's look at the first portion of God creating woman and we shall save Christ (bridegroom) for yet another. Two seperate thoughts behind it.

[Joshua]

In Genesis then, is this picture of God creating woman to help man, a reference to the larger picture of the entire male gender being complemented by the entire female gender?

Or is it more on a personal level, i.e. the personal marriage/relationship I'll have with Rachele specifically? Will this carry over into heaven?

[CJ]

Hmmmmm, yes I believe there will be carry over to what degree is more the question I suppose. Alcorn also gets into this so does Ravi I think in the book we have.

I do not think we can put this relationship into the box if you will of compliments of gender per se. But a compliment of one another to Gods spirit and love relationship.


Wow! Now im thinking hmmmmmm. I feel God did create women for a very specific
purpose though. Can we survive without women and marriage? Does Paul address this?

Remember order God, family, and etc. so God must be the point of all relationships. Your marriage to your future wife only means something if the focus is Christ and Christ alone. So perhaps our focus is not meant to be on a personal level but rather on a God level.