Here is a question I would most probably use to get my Sabbath School discussion started:

With all the sin and nastiness in the current marriage relationship in general, how do you think God wants women to relate to men?

The first two questions will surely stir the hearts of many in your class, in my opinion. "Near equal" and "benevolent ruler" are close--but not what God intended.

James 423!
I am wondering, did Eve desire to have a position higher then
Adam as Satan also desired the place of honor that was God's? Not sure if this can be answered but was wondering.

Thanks,
annie

Good question Annie. Steven Vincent Wallace addresses this question is his excellent series "Glory & Authority." Lucifer was in a sense a help-meet for God, who turned against Him.

I answered the 1st and 3rd questions in your poll. Had I considered number 2, I would not have chosen the opinions given.

At least it got you thinking.

Annie, very good question!


If that were the case, Eve would not have brought the fruit to Adam. Does that meake sense?

Norman

To all,

What is an ideal marriage?

Gerry

Well if we look at our first parent's, the only thing that messed them up was beleiving the lies of Satan and disobeying God. If we can believe the love that God has for us and obey God rather than Satan we would do well.

I have been doing some reading in preparation to teach this lesson next week. What I have found so far is that divorce among conservative Christians (according to some pollsters) is actually higher than atheists & non-religionists. So I need something more specific & concrete than just believing that God loves me.

Gerry

One problem is that to many are looking for the "ideal" in sinners. God wants us to work at our marriage ... not just have the easy "ideal". God does not believe in divorce ... so He wants us to work hard at it so that it will mature.

If you don't have a benchmark, a standard, an ideal, by which to compare what you have, then you wouldn't have the foggiest notion what to work on.

Gerry

Marriage should mean something to people. The reason for marriage has become simply everything but what it was originally intended which was to be the uniting of two individuals for creating children. In that unity the family is born and both partners work to nurture,love,teach, and defend the family and protect the relationship from outside sources that would harm it. When the two become one, there no longer exists me or him but we. Self is suppose to end and as you grow in love if one stumbles the other picks him/her up and helps them as they continue together understanding that neither is perfect and that God has entrusted you to one another so as is said, What God has joined together let NO MAN put usunder. Birds are a great example of what a working partnership should be. The bridegroom of the church (bride) is another great example as well.

¨And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.¨
So, according to the Bible, the main reason for marriage was not creating children.

I agree with Monica and her quote. To think that the only reason for marriage is to procreate is....well.....**coughs**..... kind of odd thinking.

Why is it odd thinking to suggest marriage is for procreation?
Couldn't God have made Adam and Steve to fulfill the work of "tending the garden than?" Since there was no death,disease,or other destruction the only thing that could have needed tending to was life and the giving of life?! Again the only thing that was found to be "wrong" at that point of man's creation was his being alone. "It is not good that man should be alone" 2:18 Eve is created from a piece of Adam (who God breathed life into)and in turn a "piece" from each creates a whole new "man". Eve means mother of all living. The actual fruit to be multiplied is love for one another as it multiplies in us and through us. Toward man and toward God.

Dick Nies, one of my favorite Sabbath school teachers (now deceased), used to say God did not put Adam and Eve into this world to trim shrubs!

He had a much greater purpose for mankind; and this was to prove to the unfallen worlds that it is possible to love God and to follow Him by doing God's will because we love and trust Him -- withOUT becoming robots or automatons. We were created with free will. We love and serve God because we CHOOSE to do so, not because of any immediate rewards we receive for doing so.

In other words, the Sabbath Day might possibly be rainy cloudy or stormy, but it is still the Sabbath Day of God's Rest. He doesn't make that day more beautiful than the other six; He doesn't give us immediate rewards for worshiping on that particular day; we do so because we love Him, because that's the day of our "love date" with our Creator/Saviour.

On the topic of the equality of Adam and Eve, I believe Eve ran to Adam with the fruit for two reasons: 1) God had told them never to be apart; and 2) Their marriage included 'togetherness' which was such an integral part of the relationship that Eve just naturally, reflexively, gravitated back to Adam. They were actually two parts of a whole. They were created to belong together, and were not individuals who even cared to operate separately.

Those are some thoughtful points, sister Annie.


`og

So..........what really messed up Adam and Eve first was that they didn't stick together.