Genesis 2

I. The First Sabbath (2:1-3)

The word "Sabbath" simply means "to cease". God did not "rest" because He was weary, since God does not become weary (Ps. 121:4). Rather, He ceased from His creative works; the task was now finished. He had blessed the creatures (1:22) and man (1:28). Now He blessed the Sabbath by setting it apart as a special day. There is no commandment here for people to observe the Sabbath. In fact, since Adam was created on the sixth day, the Sabbath Day was actually the first day for him.

The Sabbath does not appear again in the OT until Ex. 20:8-11, where God gave the Sabbath to Israel as His special covenant sign (Ex. 31:12-17). There is no evidence in Scripture that God ever told the Gentiles to observe the Sabbath; in fact, Ps. 147:19-20 makes it clear that the OT Mosaic Law was given only to Israel. One reason why Israel went into captivity was that the people profaned the Sabbath (Neh. 13:15-22). While on earth, Christ observed the Sabbath since He lived under the dispensation of law. Of course, He did not follow the man-made rules of the Pharisees (Mark 2:23-28).

In the early years of the church, Christians did meet on the Sabbath in the synagogues, until Jewish believers were persecuted and driven out. However, the first day of the week (Sunday, the Lord's Day) was their special day for fellowship and worship (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-3; Rev. 1:10). The first day commemorates Christ's resurrection (Matt. 28:1; John 20:1), the completion of His work in bringing about the new creation. See 2 Cor. 5:17. These two special days—the Sabbath and the Lord's Day—commemorate different things and must not be confused. The Sabbath Day relates to the old creation and was given expressly to Israel. The Lord's Day relates to the new creation and belongs especially to the church. The Sabbath speaks of law as six days of labor which are followed by rest, but the Lord's Day speaks of grace, for we begin the week with rest that is followed by works.

Hebrews 4 indicates that the OT Sabbath is a type of the future kingdom of rest, as well as the spiritual rest we have through faith in Christ. Colossians 2:13-17 makes it clear that the Sabbath belongs to the "shadows" of law and not the full light of grace. If people want to worship on the Sabbath, they certainly may, but they must not judge or condemn believers who do not join them (Col. 2:16-17). Galatians 4:9-11 indicates that the legalistic keeping of Sabbaths is a return to bondage. Romans 14:4-13 suggests that Sabbath-keeping can be the mark of an immature Christian who has a weak conscience. Certainly various groups of professing Christians may worship on Saturday if they prefer, but they must not condemn those who give special emphasis to worship on Sunday, Resurrection day.

II. The First Garden (2:4-14)

Bible history can be summarized with four gardens: (1) Eden, where sin entered; (2) Gethsemane, where Christ yielded to death; (3) Calvary, where He died and was buried (see John 19:41-42); and (4) the heavenly "paradise garden" (Rev. 21:1ff). Moses describes the first home God gave to the first couple. Further details given here are not included in the creation account of chap. 1; these are complementary, not contradictory. Verse 5 indicates that God needed man to help till the ground. Man was "formed" as the potter forms the clay (same word in Jer. 18:1ff). Man was responsible to dress the garden (tend it) and keep it (guard it, suggesting the presence of an enemy). God gave Adam and Eve all they needed for life and happiness, all that was good and pleasant, and He allowed them to enjoy it in abundance.

The two trees are important. The text in 3:22 suggests that the tree of life sustained life for humankind (see also Rev. 22:2). Had Adam eaten of the tree of life after he sinned, he could not have died, and then death would not have passed upon all men (Rom. 5:12ff) and Christ could not have died to redeem men. The tree of knowledge symbolized the authority of God; to eat of that tree meant to disobey God and incur the penalty of death. We do not know what these trees were, yet it is certain that Adam and Eve understood their importance.

III. The First Law (2:15-17)

Adam was a perfect creature, one having never sinned, but he had the ability to sin. God made Adam a king with dominion (1:26ff). But a ruler can only rule others if he can rule himself, so it was necessary for Adam to be tempted. God has always wanted His creatures to love and obey Him of their own free will and not out of compulsion or because of reward.

This test was perfectly fair and just. Adam and Eve enjoyed liberty and abundant provision in the Garden and did not need the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

IV. The First Marriage (2:18-25)

Everything in Creation was "very good" (1:31) except the loneliness of Adam. "It is not good for man to be alone" points to the basis for marriage: (1) to provide companionship; (2) to carry on the race; (3) to help one another and bring out the best. The word "helpmeet" (v. 18) refers to helper: one that meets his needs. This companion was not found anywhere in animal creation, thus showing the great gulf that is fixed between brute creatures and human beings made in the image of God. God made the first woman out of the flesh and bone of the first man, and He "closed up the flesh in its place" (v. 21, NKJV). The verb "made" in v. 22 is actually the word "built", as one would build a temple. The fact that Eve was made from Adam shows the unity of the human race and the dignity of woman. It has been remarked that Eve was made, not from the man's feet to be trampled by him, or from his head to rule over him, but from his side, to be near his heart and loved by him.

Adam had named all the animals that God had brought him (v. 19), thus showing that the first man had intelligence, language, and speech. Now he names his bride "woman" (in the Heb. ishshah which is related to ish meaning "man"). Thus, in name and nature, man and woman belong to each other. How wonderful it would be if every wedding were performed by God. Then every home would be a paradise on earth.

Of course, this event is a beautiful picture of Christ and the church (Eph. 5:21-33). Christ, the Last Adam, gave birth to the church as He slept in death on the cross and men opened His side (John 19:31-37). He partook of our human nature that we might be partakers of His divine nature. Eve was the object of Adam's love and concern, just as the church receives Christ's love and his ministry. First Timothy 2:11-15 points out that Adam willingly ate of the forbidden fruit and was not deceived as was Eve. He was willing to become a sinner that he might stay with his bride! So Christ was willing to be made sin for us that we might be with Him forever. What love and grace! Note too that Eve was formed before sin came on the scene, just as we have been chosen in Christ "before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4).

If we look closely, we can see three pictures of the church in these verses, just as the church is pictured in Ephesians. Eve was the bride (Eph. 5:21-33); she was also part of Adam's body (Gen. 2:23; Eph. 5:29-30); and she was made or "built," which suggests the church as a temple of God (Eph. 2:19-22).