“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. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.” Genesis 2:21-22
Someone once said that in the Bible every page points to Jesus. In fact they say if you can’t find Jesus on the page, you haven’t studied the passage deeply enough. When you are reading through some of the Old Testament books we might find that hard to believe. Yet
after the Lord’s resurrection He walked with two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. As they walked together the Lord used the Old Testament scriptures to teach them of the Messiah. As we dwell in heaven we will thrill to learn new revelations of the Lord in Scripture that we never saw before. The Lord will reveal truths that will burn in our hearts as we see Christ proclaimed and exalted centuries before He came to earth. One such passage is seen in the Garden of Eden.
In Genesis 2 we read of Adam in the Garden of Eden. God has given him work to do and he is busy naming all the animals. As he does he notices that all of them are in pairs. God uses this realization to make Adam aware of a need in his life that God is going to fulfill with a great gift through a miracle. Genesis 2 tells us God put Adam into a deep sleep (a trance-like condition often used for divinely induced sleep, typically for the purpose of revelation or a significant divine action.) While Adam was in his deep sleep God took one of his ribs from his body and then we are told God closed up the flesh in its place. The word rib can also be used to describe the side of a structure, such as
the side chambers of the temple. Genesis 2 tells us that out of Adam’s rib he made (the word can mean to build a structure or metaphorically the development of a family, dynasty, or even a nation).
Interestingly science tells us portions of rib bone and cartilage removed in bone graft surgery will regrow in a few months’ time, as long as the rib perichondrium is left intact. This means that Adam’s loss of a rib was only temporary; he did not go through the rest of his life with an incomplete skeletal system. The creation of Eve took nothing away from Adam. She only added to his well-being. God then built or created the most beautiful bride that any man ever had. Her beauty was so captivating to Adam that he stated that she was one with him – “bone of his bones And flesh of his flesh”. Thus we see that God created Eve to fulfill Adam, to make him complete.
What can we learn? One might ask how the creation of Even has anything to do with Jesus. To answer that question we go to the cross. After His death the Roman soldier took a sword and plunged it into the Lord’s side. Jesus death is like sleep for He rose from the dead. While in that deep sleep the Lord’s side (the same definition of the word rib in Genesis 2) was cut opened. From Adam’s side God took part of His being, the rib, to create his bride. On the cross God allowed the blood of the Lord to flow for if sin to be forgiven, blood is required– what every member of the bride of Christ must personally receive. Thus God shows us in the creation of Eve the pattern He used to create a bride for His Son. God opened Adam’s side for his bride to be brought forth, and He allowed His Son’s side to be
pierced to purchase His bride. So when you read the story of the miraculous creation of Eve, recognize it foretells a believer’s new creation as a member of the bride of Christ.