Genesis 1 is a symphony—beginning quietly, a single oboe smoking out a note, clarinets join, more wind instruments, some strings, cello and bass, violins, a bit of percussion. The organ creates a pavement of sound, a foundation for a massive edifice, and the whole thing swirls and swells growing louder, faster, over 100 instruments now, rich harmonies and brassy horns flying above all, the whole thing building to a crescendo, an overwhelming finale to bring down the house.
And what is that finale? It is us.
“In the image of God He created him. God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth….’ God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:27-28,31.
The whole world shows God’s lavish, loving, enthusiastic creation: mountains, trees, flocks, herds, rivers, waterfalls, oceans, snow and ice—it is amazing, and we are seeing it AFTER the fall, AFTER sin changed everything.
And what is at the center of creation? A marriage. The GRAND FINALE of the symphony of Creation Week is the marriage of Adam and Eve. In the beginning, Adam was alone. But God did not forget him. It was not an oversight, but an opportunity for emphasis:
“‘It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper as his COMPLEMENT….’ The man gave names to all the livestock, the birds, the wild animals, but for the man no helper was found as his COMPLEMENT” 2:18,20. So God fashioned Eve from a rib. “And the man said, ‘This one is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. This one will be called ‘woman’ because she was taken from man’” 2:23.
(Note the spelling. This is not the I-like-your-dress kind of compliment. This is “You complete me.” That is another kind of complement altogether.)
COMPLEMENT—adj., something that fills up, completes or makes better or perfect (Webster’s).
A good spouse completes you, fills you up, makes you better, perfects you.
May God bless us with godly spouses who make us better every day! And may we be grateful every day for this amazing life among His creation!
ΑΩ
Household Words: 