What’s in a Name Anyway?

By Brother Mike Larsen

21 May 2006
Adult Education Hour
Genesis 5:2

As we mentioned last time we will be covering the topic of Marriage with the Bible and the book, “Reforming Marriage” by Douglas Wilson.  Since God instituted Marriage we will be looking at Marriage from the Biblical perspective, which is the right perspective of course.

Last time we discussed that Marriage is a picture (or analogy) of the relationship between Christ and His church and it is the foundational relationship in the family.  As a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church, marriage is a serious covenant between the man and the woman.

This week we will dig into some foundational details of the marriage covenant   The foundation of a godly married life is the same foundation for all godly living – in everything we are to seek the glory of God.  God is a covenant making and covenant keeping God and He has chosen marriage as one of the best instruments through which fallen men may glorify him.

In attacking the nature of marriage, the error of feminism is forcing the church to stop and define marriage.  Without the challenge to what we believe it is pretty easy to just drift along and do things just because it is tradition.  When challenged on why we do what we do many would not know the reasons why or the foundational Biblical roots.  Consider our practice of a woman taking her husbands name.  Why do we do that?  Why does Susan Miller become Susan Carter?  Does God require it?.

Gen 5:2  God called their name “Adam”  Right from the beginning she was a covenantal partaker of Adam’s name.  God did not call her Adam on her own but called her Adam with him. 

Let’s look at Gen 2:20-21  Names are important.  When Adam was naming the animals he was not just randomly attaching labels.  Names were very significant and represented the nature and character of that which was named.  This becomes very clear in the naming of Adam’s wife.

• Gen 2:23-24    Adam called her “ishshah” (woman) because she was taken out of the “Ish” (man).  This name revealed what she was.  She came out of man.  Without him she has no name.  No Ish and you can get no Ishshah!  Verse 24 shows that they were not just any 2 people.  She was specifically made for and from him. 

• Gen 2:15         Man is given a purpose or task for his life. 

• Gen 2:18         Man can not fulfill his purpose alone.

• Gen 2:23-24    A bride is given to help him fulfill his God Given purpose!  Wives is that what you live to do?  Do you see that you were created to bring Glory to God by helping your husband fulfill his God mandated purpose?  I sure hope so.

That couple is the model for all people who come together sexually making the covenantal bond of marriage.  When Jesus comments on marriage he refers to the model in Genesis and says, “What God has joined together let not man put asunder”. 

Some obvious conclusions we can draw here are:

• Since God made a woman for Adam and, required them to fill the earth with offspring, Homosexuality is excluded. 

• Since Adam could not find a suitable helper for himself from the animals, Beastiality is excluded. 

• Since God made only 1 Ishshah for Adam, the pattern of monogamy is established.  The Polygamy found in the Old Testament among the saints of God does not alter this.  Polygamy was instituted by man, and not by God.  The first instance of Polygamy is found in Gen 4:19.  Cain’s descendant took 2 wives.  There is no indication of God’s approval of this.  Polygamy does not fit with the picture Christ and his church.  He takes one bride, (the church) and Husbands take one bride.

So in this passage of scripture, Gen 2:23-24, we see the pattern for all marriages to come.  Up to this point Adam had not named his wife Eve.  Only Woman.  Adam gives his wife 2 separate names better defining who she was.  The first, Ishshah, because she was taken out of man.  The 2^nd name was Chavah, or Life Bearer,  (as we say in English, Eve) because was the mother of all living.  Gen 3:20. 

In both cases of giving his wife a name it revealed truth about her.  The first reflects her dependence upon man ( she was taken out of man) and the 2^nd reflects man’s dependence upon her (every man since is her son).  Thousands of years later Paul teaches us to remember these 2 truths  

Cor 11:11-12  Notice Paul states this in the same order, Woman is of the man, man is by the woman, and all things are of God!

God is the one who called our first parents by the collective name “Adam”.  Adam is also the generic word for Man and Mankind.  This shows clearly the biblical practice of including women under such a description.  Our English use of the generic “man” and “mankind” follows this example exactly.  Far from being insulting to women, as feminists want to maintain, it reflects a biblical pattern of thought.  The feminist’s reaction to this, and their rejection of taking a new last name (in order to keep their father’s name) is not just a small bit of modern silliness.  It is a fundamental rebellion against God! 

So when Cindy Zagel becomes Mrs. Michael Klikas it is not just something we do.  It is covenantal security!  It is Cindy saying I am dependant on this man.  I am not independent in our covenental relationship.  I am from and for this man.  He is my purpose in life.  God’s plan from the beginning was to have the man name his wife.  There is security in knowing you are continuing in that perfect plan of God still today!

As a married woman you are defined and get your purpose from that name.  As a married man you have been given your helpmeet by god so you can fulfill your God given purpose.  You are a tremendous team bringing glory to God. 

We will look at the earthly purposes of marriage next week.