Rest - Part 4: When Eve was Created
Still reflecting from Hebrews 3 and 4 on the truth of God's rest.
Since the author of Hebrews told us clearly that the kind of rest he was writing about is the Sabbath rest of God on the 7th day of the world, I read and reread the creation story as told in Genesis 1 and 2.
Heb 4:3-4
“So I swore in My wrath,
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;
Heb 4:10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
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| Source: Internet |
While reading and pondering on the familiar story of Eve's creation story in Genesis 2, I had this reflection.
Gen 2:18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
Gen 2:21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.
We all know this story by heart and have heard teachings about how God put Adam to deep sleep while He made Eve. And therefore, signifying that God gets to work while we're at rest and not striving.
Indeed it is so.
Adam, yet again, reaped what he has not sown. Enjoyed what he has not worked for.
(Read Part 3 of Rest here, where I explained how Adam was the first man who can be described like the lord in the Parable of the Talents, a hard man, reaping where he has not sown, and gathering where he has not scattered seed. (Matt 25:14-30))
From light to air to food to water, and now to a fellow companion, God sowed. Adam reaped.
God said that it is not good that man should be alone (Gen 2:18). So, we can conclude that companionship is a human need, just like how food is a human need.
And as with all other needs of a man, God met that need.
In this, we can see that every human need is met by God, not by our works or effort or toiling.
But what captivated me is the revelation that the ingredient to meet Adam's need for a comparable helper is found within him: his ribs.
Yet it is not for Adam to cut himself open, tear the rib out and fashion a helper for himself.
It is while he was in deep sleep that God can get to work. Note how God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam (Gen 2:21). The Creator know truly well that man need to first get out of the way, I mean, first be at rest for Him to do what He want and need to do.
Taking this as an analogy then.
Just as Eve was already in Adam, Christ is in you and me.
But while Adam is awake, Eve couldn't 'come out' or be formed. Adam's need couldn't be met.
Just the same, while we are striving and toiling, Christ couldn't 'come out'. Our needs couldn't be met.
While we are focusing and depending on our works, on our self-righteousness, on our 'self', we could not enter God's rest. As a result, our need will never be met.
Now, let that sink in for a moment.
When Eve was created, what was Adam doing? Sleeping soundly. He had not part to do in this beautiful creation of God, except for contributing one of his ribs. 😂
That being said, remember that it is God who caused Adam to sleep.
There is no need now to 'strive to rest', going all frustrated and worked up over 'How do I enter rest? How can I enter rest? What should I do? Oh no, how come I'm restless? How do I stop being restless?'.
That, sadly, is the exact opposite of entering rest.
Easier said than done, I know.
But beloved in Christ,
The Bible described it with such simplicity. The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept (Gen 2:21).
I picture Adam simply yielding to that sleepiness that fell on him. He didn't resist. He just yielded and closed his eyes, trusting God's design of sleepiness for him. And obeying God's instruction for him (his body) to rest.
Perhaps Adam even smiled as he dozed off to deep sleep.
Knowing that when he awoke, his need will be met - 'bone of his bones, flesh of his flesh, Woman taken out of man' (Gen 2:23).
