Genesis 1:26-27 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Genesis 2:18, 21-24 “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.…21 “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; 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 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. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

 

 

 

 

Let’s look closely at the great value and purpose women are to God and men. 

1. Notice we are both made as a mirror (image) of God.  “Male and female created he them.” Woman was made equal in the sight of God with man. 
2. She is called the “help meet for him.” She comes along side man to serve God in human leadership.  She “helps”. That means that we men have to give responsible communication to them as we expect of them for their part to be accomplished. It is clear that living daily life in any capacity cannot be ultimately successful without the woman’s responsible input, assisting us in seeing and doing what must be done in life. 
3. She is a miracle of God. He took a rib from man’s side and made the first woman from it, making her equally important with the creation of man…miracle for miracle. 
4. She was brought to the man…she is God’s first and, other than Jesus and the Bible, the greatest gift ever given to man. We are instructed throughout Scripture how to treat her honorably and please note the honor God gives time and again. 
5. She is to be cherished, loved with a first quality love.  She is to be coddled in the care of a man beyond anyone else in his family and acquaintances. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

  “Neither man nor woman is perfect or complete without the other. Thus, no marriage or family, no community is likely to reach its full potential until husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, men and women work together in unity of purpose, respecting and relying upon each others strengths.” (copied)

 

Charles Empey is interim Pastor of Cove Baptist Church, Orange, Texas