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This week I want to talk about why God created marriage. I think an understanding of what He intended helps us do marriage well. I will also look at some reasons God did not create marriage, or things we try to make marriage that are not in line with what God intended.
God is clear about why he made a wife, for Adam:
“It is not good for the man to be alone, so I will create a companion for him, a perfectly suited partner.” ~ Genesis 2:18 The Voice
It was not good for Adam to be alone. What makes this statement so amazing is Adam walked with God in the garden each evening. Adam knew God as we cannot, and according to God, that was not enough for him. Adam needed someone who was as he was. He needed a partner who was perfectly suited for him.
When I was twenty-three, I woke up one morning wanting to be married. I had always assumed I would get married and wanted that, but suddenly I felt I needed it right then. I was walking very close with the Lord at the time, and had good friends, but it was not enough. Like Adam, I was lonely, and it was not good.
I am grateful that I felt that longing to be married. I am also grateful God allowed me to live in that place for more than a year. It made me strongly aware of my need, and it has helped me avoid taking my wife for granted. It has also made it easy for me to accept her imperfections and the challenges of the two becoming one. I remain aware of how it felt to be alone and how much I wanted and needed a godly wife. No minor irritation of marriage today outweighs that need.
I believe God created marriage so we would have someone with whom to share life. Sharing the good makes it better. Sharing the bad makes it less bad. It doesn’t get any better than sharing life with your spouse.
~ This is Paul, and I am striving to Do Marriage Well every day.
A note: I used the The Voice version for Genesis 2:18 as it is a more accurate translation of the meaning of the original than many versions. I wrote about this in I Want An Ezer Kenegdo.
We have smoke. But no fires near us.
Do pray for the folks in Spokane who have lost homes!
Image Credit: © Paul H Byerly created with Nano Banana 2
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I agree that the ways helpmeet / helpmate are used today do not reflect the meaning of the terms in Genesis. They tend to convey the idea of an assistant or little helper instead of a complementing equal.
One point I didn’t see in your linked article is that this has more to do with changes in English usage over the centuries than a bad translation decision by the KJV translators in 1611. From what I can tell looking at the Oxford English Dictionary, the term “help meet” at the time would have meant one who gives support or aid that is suitable, fit, proper for the purpose or occasion. That seems like a reasonable representation of what I understand the Hebrew to mean. This is an archaic sense of the word “meet” as in the quote “The Eye is very proper and meet for seeing.”
It’s difficult to find an English term that conveys the idea of giving help, support, or aid without the implication of being either an inferior or superior. I think partner is a good choice that makes clear both parties are on the same level, with the downside that it loses some of the emphasis on giving help, support, aid, or rescue.
@Kevin W- You are correct; the language has changed. Which means translations need to adujust. More recent translations do better, including the NKJV. Unfortunately, those who want to make women unpaid servants use the KJV to do that.
I agree and really enjoyed this read. You said it very well. Bro Jerry Stumpf shared this article with me and I look forward to reading more. Have a wonderful day.