The Second Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Recently, as I was looking over the first few chapters of Genesis, I caught a glimpse of something for the first time.  I had never seen such a romantic love story! I doubt anyone can really begin to grasp this type of love until they have been in love.  I can remember what I was taught in Sunday School about Adam and Eve.  I have heard all kinds of explanations to the “fall of man.” But I am beginning to view this more and more from an “nontraditional” Christian point of view.

First let me say, that the longer I live, the more I see that our motivation to live the Christian life MUST be out of our love relationship with God. Our eyes need to be opened continually to see how much God first loved us. From there, we can begin to live as recipients of such a great love..freely we have received, freely we give. I know of no other way to come to this realization of God's love than to see our depravation and destitute condition.  Jesus said that the "poor in spirit" already have or are now living in the reality of the kingdom ("for theirs IS the kingdom of heaven"). I am beginning to see what Adam did in the garden and his response to God was all done out of his motivation of love for Eve. What a beautiful picture of how much Christ must love HIS EVE!

Yes, I believe Adam really loved Eve. She was perfect for him (helpmeet), and he recognized that. In Gen. 1 we do not have a name for either of them. Gen. 1:26-27 may imply that the woman, female, was already in the man "...male and FEMALE created He them." In v.26 it says let THEM have dominion. So woman was in God's heart and purpose from the very beginning.

Adam referred to Eve as his "ishshah." Man was the "ish," woman was the "shah." Out from man came wo-man! Women libbers don't like this, but I Cor. 11 says the woman is the glory of man (v.7) and made for the man (v.9). That is NOT a put down toward women, but a great compliment!   Adam knew this.  In fact nothing else in all creation fit and made him complete (none of the animals he named, came close). Adam wanted to spend the rest of his life with his ishshah. But then one day, Adam finds himself in the garden next to his bride in the greatest dilemma of his life.

<Side note: No where in scripture does it say Eve was apart from Adam, only that the serpent spoke to her, but if you read 3:6 carefully, it almost seems he was right there next to her "...she took of it's fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband WITH HER, and he ate."  Whether Adam was present with Eve and the serpent is irrelevant (but I find the possibility interesting).>

He knows right away what has happened and he also knows what God said, "in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." He knows she ate, and in I Tim. 2:14, we know that "...Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression." So here is Adam standing next to Eve in the garden. We do not know how much time transpired, but I think Adam felt great anguish at this time. He knew what God had said, he knew how much he loved Eve. He knew God had given him Eve as his helpmeet, and there was no other. Therefore, knowing all this, and not being deceived, Adam chose to eat of the fruit along with his beloved. Adam did not want to lose Eve. He was willing to live in separation from God (true death), rather than to live without his bride. He consciously chose to take and eat and die with her. To me, this has to be the SECOND GREATEST LOVE STORY EVER TOLD! 

Just like Adam, but much much more so, Jesus was in anguish in the garden. But He knew there was no other way for Him to have his bride. She had partaken of the forbidden fruit and was now to be forever separated from Him and God. He must now do the same in order for them to be together. He must die in that state with her. He would remain separated from God, the Father until He was raised from the dead. He breathed His last breath up to His Father and then joined all those of Adam's race as He became sin that we might live. "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Rom.8:11)

Christ took on sin, (yet never sinned) in order to purchase His lover, His helpmeet, His ishshah. Out from His side flowed blood and water. He willfully and consciously (not being deceived) did it for her. Christ loved/loves His ishshah, His ekklesia. .He GAVE Himself for her. Now when I read Eph. 5:22-32 it takes on a much deeper meaning

I will offer one more brief point. This will probably be the most controversial in this article. Gen. 3:12 has been portrayed as Adam passing the buck and even indirectly blaming God for giving him a "faulty" woman. I just can't buy that. Adam loved Eve..he saw no fault in her. I think when he said, "...the woman whom You GAVE to be WITH me...", he was interceding for her as Moses did for the people in the wilderness (Ex. 32:10-14 & Num. 14:11-19). He was reminding God that it was Him (God) who GAVE the woman to him. It was God who brought her out of him, it was she who was in the heart and plan of God from the beginning..it was "THAT woman" in which Adam was interceding for. I remember once thinking, man, why didn't he just let her eat and then ask God for another model, he still had plenty of ribs left over <wink>.

There were certainly heavy consequences for their sin, but once all judgments had been pronounced by God, Adam realized they were going to live! For the first time he called his ishshah by her name, EVE..which means "living or "lifegiver." She would continue to be his helpmeet and now progenitor with him.  What a merciful God!

And now what of us? We have been purchased, redeemed from the curse. Jesus took on sin that we might live with Him, become His pure and spotless bride and reign with Him (II Tim. 2:12).He did that for us!  What a merciful God!

CL 2.06