And The Two Shall Become One Flesh

God gave us our first mathematical equation in the second chapter of Genesis. He said one plus one equals one. He was talking about when two people, a man and a woman become one flesh.

This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Genesis 2:24

Before we talk about this explanation of why, let’s rewind just a little to the beginning. God created the heavens and the earth, the plants, and all living things, and then He formed a man.

Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person. Genesis 2:7

The human being was different than any of the other living creatures created. He was more than flesh and blood.

God didn’t create any of the other living beings in His own image.

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

Before creating man, He first made the fish and the birds. He blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”

Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, and that is what happened.

God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. Genesis 1:25

Did you notice that God enabled every living thing to reproduce itself except for the man?

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Genesis 2:18

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Adam was Alone

The Lord placed the man in the Garden of Eden. Then He brought the living creatures to him for him to choose names for them.

There Adam gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. Yet he was still alone.

So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. Genesis 2:21-22

Think about what happened when God performed this miraculous surgery. From the flesh of one person He created a second person, the woman, then the two became one.

Can you imagine Adam’s reaction when he saw this beautiful woman standing there in front of him? He had one of those “wow” moments. The Bible reports him as saying “At last!”

“At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” Genesis 2:23

He was ecstatic. God didn’t form her from a lump of clay, she was original equipment. After seeing every kind of animal on the earth, nothing compared to this gorgeous creature.

One evening in the student center at college, I had one of those “wow” moments. I saw this pretty girl for the first time. Now after over 40 years of marriage, I still have those “wow” moments.

God Created Two to Become One Flesh

God created a man for a woman and a woman for a man. He did not create a man for women and a woman for men. He said at the union of the man and woman, the two shall become one flesh.

Even before Adam and Eve became the first parents, God had already declared the proper order of society.

Just like parents became one flesh when they married, God calls their children to follow suit. Thus the newlyweds leave their parents as they start their new life as one flesh.

During a marriage ceremony, the one officiating the wedding usually says “til death do us part.” This is backed up by what Jesus said when He referred to this verse in Genesis.

Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together. Matthew 19:6

I realize that some reading this have gone through a divorce. I am not here to condemn anyone. If you are divorced and remarried, love your spouse and live in the forgiveness of the Lord.

If you are married, whether once or more than once and those who are getting married listen carefully. The union between you and your spouse means the two of you have become one flesh.

Marriage is Commitment

So before you say “I do,” understand this, God takes commitments very seriously. Sadly, I’ve seen the attitude of, “If this doesn’t work out, we’ll just split up.” That’s not what God intended.

A long time ago I heard this phrase and it’s worth repeating. I don’t know who first said it but it refers to love and marriage.

She is not my wife because I love her.
I love her because she is my wife.

One day years ago, I committed to joining my wife that created a union. One where the two of us became one flesh.

Too many people think that their commitment is based on their love for each other. In other words, they base it on their feelings for one another. We know feelings change.

Instead, their love for one another must be based on their commitment, “til death do us part.”

And that explains how and why when a man is joined to his wife, the two become one flesh.

Lord, forgive us for not following through with commitments we have made in the past. Some are irreversible, they can’t be changed. Please help us to not make similar mistakes in the future.

God takes commitments seriously. Read some other post on making commitments.