There was a time when people named their children after their parents or grandparents. This was expected. There was no option. Maybe this continues in some cultures. When Jenny fell pregnant with our first child, she purchased a book of names and we read through them all, cover to cover a few times without being able to decide on a name if the baby would be a boy or a girl. Strangely we only decided on names once the baby was born. With our second child, we thought of names and only decided once he was born. By the time our third child was on the way, Edwin and Kevin decided we name the baby Bronwyn if it’s a girl. Jenny said “no” … we can’t have Ed-win, Ke-vin and Bron-wyn. So we forgot about names and only decided to name Angela after she was born. Without realizing it, only once the children were named did we realized a family member or two (uncle, grandfather, aunt) shared their second names. Parents should have the authority and power to name their children. That is part of ruling. Please read again:
Ge 2:18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 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.” 24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. 25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
1) God created the male human first.
Ge 2:18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
(1) Man starting to rule. We have established that God made the man and woman equal and that God made the male human before He made the female human. Please read again:
Ge 2:19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
Temporarily our focus is shifted from the human to the animal.
(2) God brought the animals to man. We have the creation of all animals:
Ge 1:24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.
Here in chapter 2 we have mention made of beasts and birds in verse 19 and in verse 20 we have livestock, birds and beasts of the field. We cannot determine whether all these creatures were brought into the Garden or whether man was outside the Garden or whether every single animal that was livestock, beast (wild animals) and bird were brought to man.
(3) Man names the animals. What follows here is God reminding man of his God-given authority to rule by “making” him name the animals. See the delegation of authority here. God brings the animals to man to “see what he would name them”. There is more … “and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.” When God told man he must rule over the animal kingdoms, He was serious. He delegated and never resorted to micromanage man! One of the greatest lessons in the life of any superior or manager is that once you delegate authority, you don’t overrule and micromanage. This rule needs to apply in the home too. Give the children tasks and even if they make mistakes they will learn. The names man gave the animals stood:
Ge 1:20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
We have to understand that this was the male exercising his rule as God had given it to him.
(4) Animals are not suitable companions for man. That is, not in the sense of … “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Although it is not implied in this verse, man surveyed all the animals, named them and in the process sees that none of them could be the “helper suitable” that God would make for man. Today many people have friendships and relationships with their animals. Pets range from a dog, cat, bird, horse, porcupine, rat, mouse, pig, etc. (watch Dr. Jan Pol or Dr. Michelle Oakley and see the animals brought to their veterinary clinics for help). People love their pets and enjoy the responsive love and companionship they provide … but animals are not the “suitable helper” God speaks of.
2) The making of the female human. Remember this is God’s inspired, inerrant, infallible and authoritative Word.
Ge 1:21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
(1) Deep sleep. The original does not imply an ecstasy or hypnosis experience. The words “deep sleep” rather imply a full anesthesia. If this was not so, the experience would have been horrendous. Imagine having an internal part of your body removed whilst fully conscious and having all your feelings!
(2) Removal of a rib. The operation that takes place is not described. All we have is … and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. We ought not to have a picture in mind such as a rib bone on its own. Bone and flesh with tissue and veins, etc. would have been taken. Our reason for saying this is because of what man says:
Ge 2:23 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.”
The words “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” implies far more that only a rib bone. Today we have seen man’s authority to name the animals and that God made the woman from man.
Our Father, the way You worked in creating starts to explain the importance and authority of man on earth. Help us to care for your World and its contents as You require. Amen.