God’s Plan for the Family Part 2

The first family was placed in the Garden of Eden to be fruitful, multiply and subdue the earth—to have dominion on the earth. Adam was to enforce his God-given dominion under the Lordship of God (Genesis 1:26-30). Adam and his wife had a perfect fellowship with God. As long as they had a perfect fellowship with God, they remained in perfect fellowship with one another and enjoyed everything that God gave them. They did not lack any good thing and their every need was provided for. They were full of joy and peace in their unity with God and one another.

God first created Adam and placed him in the garden. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”—Genesis 2:16-17

Therefore, we see the progression of divine authority being established for the family. The ultimate authority is the lordship of God the Creator. Under God is the man with divinely imparted authority who is to enjoy all that God has given him, but still acknowledge that God was his Lord by obeying His commandment.

And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”—Genesis 2:18

Adam by himself could not multiply and be fruitful. He needed a companion to complete him and to help him reign on the earth. God created Eve to be his helper, to be his equal to share in all good things. Notice that Eve was not to be his slave or his maid, but his helper comparable to him.

Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.—Genesis 2:22

To complete the foundation for the original family, God created Eve by taking her out of his side (not his foot). She was a part of him and neither would be complete without one another. She joined under Adam’s authority to rule and reign on the earth in submission to the Lord God.

We see that the commandment was given to Adam; therefore, it was his responsibility to assume leadership and instruct Eve in the ways of God. In Genesis chapter 3, we see the old serpent, Satan, coming to tempt Eve to break the commandment of God and cause her to eat of the forbidden tree. Adam failed to instruct her.

The woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.—Genesis 3:6

Disaster struck when Eve disobeyed the commandment of God and also caused Adam to stumble. They fell into sin by rebelling against God’s authority. Adam failed to protect his wife and yielded his authority to her. They both together yielded their authority to Satan. The family was turned upside down. They became afraid of God and hid from Him. Adam blamed his wife and she blamed the serpent. They knew they were naked and were ashamed. They lost the perfect provision in the Garden. They came under the three-fold curse of spiritual death, physical decay and poverty (Gen 3).