In 1837 a French philosopher by the name of Charles Fourier coined the term “feminism”. Fourier believed “the extension of women’s right’s is the basic principle of all social progress.” It is the view of the feminist that society prioritizes men and treats woman unjustly. Philosophically, the feminists seeks the same rights and advantages that are given to men. In the last two centuries, there have been four waves of feminism: the first wave gave women the right to vote, the second wave gave women the right to work, the third wave gave women the right to be in a punk rock band, and the fourth wave gave them the right not to be sexually harassed. With the exception of maybe the punk rock wave of feminism (which honestly, I do not understand) I think we would generally agree that feminism has done some rather positive things for women.
But no one has done more to advance the cause of woman than the LORD God. Today we are going to take a closer look at Genesis 2:18-25 where the LORD God calls the woman a “suitable helper”. Now, I know that phrase has the potential to grate on the ears of the feminist (and excite the chauvinist) but bear with me a moment and I will explain what the LORD God means when He calls the woman a “suitable helper”.
There honestly is very little background I can give to our text this morning. Five days before the event of Genesis 2:18-25 take place the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the deep.[1] However, a lot happened in those five days. God created light, He separated the sea from the sky, and caused dry ground to appear. He then populated the sea with fish, the sky with birds, and the land with animals. Then, saving the best for last, God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”[2] Having decided within Himself what He would do, “the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”[3] The LORD God then placed the freshly formed man in a garden paradise called Eden and told him that he was to rule over all creation.
This is where out lesson begins. In verse 18 we read, “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” “It is not good” This is such a striking phrase in the context of creation. Up until this point everything in creation has been “good”, but even though creation is full of magnificent creatures, diverse vegetation, and awesome heavenly bodies… even though man in all his complexity and capability stood in the middle of a garden paradise, still creation was “not good”, it was not right, it was missing one more crucial element. The LORD God of course knew what creation was missing. The LORD God had seen to it that all the other creatures had counterparts, but He intentionally delayed the creation of woman so that man would have occasion to appreciate how suitable she was.
Our lesson continues with verse 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.” Try to imagine this scene. The LORD God provides the man with an opportunity to exercise his authority by assigning names to all the animals and in so doing we get a glimpse of the capabilities of man’s intellect. Think about what marvels of creation passed before the man. The beautiful eagle which soars on the winds with its 8-foot wingspan, whose talons can grip an object with ten times the strength of man, and whose keen eyes can spot a rabbit 2 miles away, this beautiful creature swooped down and presented itself before the man. The powerful bear who stands 10 feet tall, who weighs 1,000 pounds, and whose jaw can crush a bowling ball, this powerful beast lumbered down the trail and presented itself before the man. The majestic lion whose mighty roar echoes 5 miles across the plain, who can run 50 miles per hour, and who can pounce over 30 feet long in a single leap, this majestic animal sauntered out of the grasses and presented itself before man. Try to imagine all the magnificent fish of the sea, birds of the air, and beasts of the field that presented themselves before the man.
The incredible diversity and impressive capabilities of these creatures must have been astounding. Still, we read in verse 20, “But for Adam no suitable helper was found.” You see, no matter how beautiful, powerful, or majestic these creatures might be, none of them were equal to the man; none of them were suitable. Before the LORD God created woman, He wanted to impress upon man how suitable she would be. The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the beasts of the field were magnificent, but they were beneath the man. The woman, however, she would be different. In her own way, she would be more beautiful, more powerful, and more majestic than the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the beasts of the field. Indeed, she would be superior to all the creatures that presented themselves to the man; unlike all of them, she would be the man’s equal; she and she alone would be suitable!
Women, you demean yourself and you sin against your God when you allow yourself to be treated like a beast of burden or a pet that is kept for pleasure. Men, you show your ignorance, and you sin against your God when, with your words and actions you degrade and disgrace her insinuating that she is somehow less than you. The woman was created by the LORD God to be suitable. To think of her as anything less is sinful.
The LORD God created the woman to be suitable for the man, but that is not to say they are the same. The woman was created to be the man’s helper. To understand what that means let’s take a closer look at verses 21 and 22. There we read, “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.” Here we see the woman is made, not in a similar fashion as man, rather, she is made from man and for man. Saint Paul expounds upon the significance of this fact. In his letter to Timothy Paul writes, “12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.”[4] To the Christians in Corinth Paul writes, “3 Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man… 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.”[5] The LORD God points to the order of her creation to explain why she has been assigned the position of helper. But lest we slip back into the mistaken notion that her position as helper makes her less than the man who is the head, let us consider that the LORD God saved the best for last when He created man, yet woman was made after man. Which is why, in that same letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes, “7 …the woman is the glory of man.”[6] If we are to think of the man as the ruler over creation than we ought to think of woman as his crown.
The woman was made to be man’s helper and note what great care the LORD God took in creating the man’s helper. Our English simply says the LORD God “made” her. However, the word is different than the word used to describe the creation of the animals. God fashioned the animals like a potter fashions a bowl, but God designed the woman like an architect designs a building. She is purposely put together and meticulously refined. Further, to ensure complete compatibility with the man she is made from his very substance; she is made from the rib of man. Some have stated that God chose the rib for a purpose—that He built her not from the head so she could rule over the man, nor from the feet so she would be walked on by the man, but rather, the LORD God built her from the man’s rib so that she could be close to his heart and by his side.
It is a beautiful sentiment that is supported by the man’s reaction to seeing the woman for the first time. “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.” With joy and excitement, the man looks upon the helper the LORD God made for him and cries out “Wo Man!” In so doing the man acknowledges that the woman the LORD God had made for him complimented and completed him; physically, mentally, spiritually she was the perfect companion to help him rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the beast of the field.
How the women of this world would blush if men of this world were as excited to work with them as the first man was to work with the first woman. Sadly, that is seldom the case. Women, you show your arrogance and sin against your God when you complain about your complimentary role as helper. Men, you are unloving, and you sin against your God when you fail to value your helper as a gift God has given you. The woman was created by the LORD God to be a helper, not to accept or appreciate her in that role is sinful.
Over the course of His ministry here on earth, Jesus worked alongside many women who served, sacrificed, and supported Him. Jesus always treated them with respect (even when they overstepped their role), He always spoke kindly to them (even when He had to rebuke their sin), He always made sure that they felt valued and appreciated (especially when others were demeaning them). Jesus always treated the women in His life like suitable helpers. Jesus perfectly treated women like suitable helpers so that, when He was nailed to the cross, His perfect blood would wash away the sins of both men who fail to appreciate and women who fail to be suitable helpers.
Jesus also treated women like suitable helpers so that we would have an example to follow. You see, God provides men and women with multiple opportunities to work together and when men acknowledge, and women accept the role of suitable helper great things can be accomplished to God’s glory. Perhaps the greatest opportunity God provides for men and women to work together is in a marriage. The Holy Spirit Himself says, “24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” The marriage provides an ideal and intimate setting for a man and a woman to work together for the glory of God. In a marriage a husband and a wife physically, mentally, and spiritually work as one to train up little girls to have the dignity and humility of a suitable helper; in a marriage the husband and the wife work as one to train up little boys to appreciate and value the gift that God gives them.
Feminism has done a great deal to advance the cause of women. I think the world is a better place when woman have a voice, can contribute to the economy, and are not treated like objects of pleasure. However, the greatest advancement to the cause of women comes, not from feminism, but from the LORD God who reminds us that out of all the magnificent creatures in creation the woman stands above them all as the only one who as suitable. Further, the LORD God reminds us of what great care He took in designing the woman to be a helper who would perfectly complement and complete the man. Today, the LORD God advances the cause of women by reminding us she is a suitable helper. Amen.
[1] Genesis 1:2
[2] Genesis 1:26
[3] Genesis 2:7
[4] 1 Timothy 2:12-13
[5] 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-9
[6] 1 Corinthians 11:7