Woman a Biblical Profile

Key Verse:

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. (Genesis 1:27)

Introduction

The book of Genesis records the beginning of the world, of man and woman, of sin and God's plan for salvation, and the formation of the nations.

Origin Of Woman

The first chapter of Genesis describes the creation of the world. The second chapter tells of the creation of mankind with a specific reference to woman in 1:27. The main references describing the origin of woman are Genesis chapter 2:

And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man.

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh. (Genesis 2:18, 21-24)

The Bible reveals that woman was:

1. Created By God:
Genesis 2:7 states that man was created by God from the dust of the earth. God breathed into man (Adam) the breath of life, and he became a living soul. God decided it was not good for Adam to be alone (Genesis 2:22). God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, then He took one of his ribs and from it created the first woman who was named Eve.

Adam called his mate woman, which means "she-man" or "joined to man," because she was taken out of man. This is where the word "woman" originated.

2. Created In The Image Of God:

Genesis 1:26-27 documents that God created both male and female in His image:

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. (Genesis 1:26-27)


Mankind's First Responsibility

Adam and Eve were told by God to:

∙ Be fruitful.
∙ Multiply.
∙ Replenish the earth.
∙ Subdue the earth.
∙ Have dominion over every living thing on earth. (Genesis 1:28)

Interestingly God's first command to man and woman was to "be fruitful." Spiritual fruitfulness is a Biblical concept traced from this initial command to the final harvest among the nations prophesied in the closing book of Revelation.

Adam and Eve were to be fruitful in each area of their triune nature, physically, spiritually, and mentally as they replenished the earth, subdued and took dominion over it.

Woman's Relationship To God

Woman was created by God, in the image of God, with an eternal soul (Genesis 2:7) related to God in a special union. This relationship is spiritual because God is a spirit (John 4:24). God enjoyed a spiritual relationship with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8). This union was broken due to man's fall into sin, but God provided a plan to restore man's spiritual relationship with his Creator.

Woman's Relationship To Man

The relationship of woman to man was one of:

1. LOVE:

The creation of woman from man is an example of the type of relationship that would later exist between Jesus Christ and the Church. While Adam slept, his side was opened and woman was created. Centuries later Jesus Christ hung on the cross for the sins of all mankind and through the great sleep of His death the Church was created. Christ's side was pierced with a spear and there came forth a creative flow of blood to redeem and water to purify the Church:

...Even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it;

That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. (Ephesians 5:25-26)

The creation of woman speaks of a love relationship, similar to that which exists between Christ and the Church..

2. COMPANIONSHIP:

God said it was not good for man to be alone. He intended for man and woman to be companions.

3. HELPFULNESS:

God said He would create a "help meet" for man (Genesis 2:18). The same Hebrew word for help meet, Azyer, occurs forty times in the Old Testament and is often used to speak of God as helper of His people. The word does not mean subjection, as God is certainly not subject to man. Rather, it pictures a giving, loving, caring, relationship of help similar to that which exists between God and man.

4. COMMITMENT:

Genesis 2:24 speaks of the relationship of commitment between man and woman. The man is to:

Leave his father and mother: Mental commitment.
Cleave unto his wife: Emotional commitment.
They shall be one flesh: Physical commitment.

Love, companionship, commitment, and a mutual helping relationship are qualities of the union God designed between man and woman.