Genesis 2:8-25 - “18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame."

Introduction

According to Genesis 2:4-7, Adam was created from the dust of the ground. When you consider that, scientifically speaking, God started with molten lava (the ultimate source of dust!), there forms a rather striking parallel between God's creation of adam from dust, and the theory of Evolution for how that was done. Mankind, it seems, utlimately evolved from dust. God allowed it. Adam was born. He was then put in the Garden of Eden to tend it.

Adam Needs a Helper

18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

- - -

19a Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground

all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky.

- - -

20b But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

A critic could point out several difficulties with this progression. For example, birds precede wild animals, which precede Adam in Genesis 1, but the order is reversed in Genesis 2. Continue reading, and verse 20b would appear to confirm Genesis 2's contradictory sequence against Genesis 1.

To exacerbate this problem, many biblical translations of verse 19a say that Adam needed a helper and "So" God made the animals. However, the NIV translation used above says "Now the LORD had formed" the animals, making verses 19-20 a reference to events in the past. On its face, either translation is valid. Consider the context where Adam was born after Creation Day 6 however, and the NIV translation would be more accurate.

To summarize, God made the animals on Days 5 and 6. When Adam was born God brought those animals to Adam, but none made a suitable helper. So...

18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Verses 19-20 go on to explain the events behind the pronouncement of verse 18. Verse 21 continues with the making of Eve, as alluded to in verse 18.

God Makes Eve

21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep;

and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs

and then closed up the place with flesh.

22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man,

and he brought her to the man.

23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”

24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother

and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame."

A Christophony?

A Christophony is a physical manifestation of the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. Knowing Jesus is the master craftsman of Creation, and hovered over the waters in Genesis 1:2 with the Holy Spirit, it should be no surprise to find signs of Jesus in the Garden of Eden. Notice verse 19, which starts with God doing creative actions attributable to Jesus, then transitioning to what could well be a physical task in the Garden [emphasis added]...

19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky.

He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

God the Father knows everything. God the Son knows only what His Father in Heaven tells Him (John 8:28, John 12:50, John 15:15). That is why it says the LORD God in verse 19. Generally speaking, these are references to a pre-incarnate Jesus. It would seem that Jesus physically brought animals to Adam, and really watched to see what Adam would name them.

In verses 21-22, God could have snapped His proverbial fingers and just made Eve. Instead, he "caused" adam to sleep. He "took" a rib, "closed" the flesh, made Eve "from the rib" and "brought" her to Adam. These like conspicuously physical acts, until realize they were done by Jesus.

Conclusion

With Jesus as God's master craftsman, it makes sense that Jesus would make Eve. It was Jesus who brought the animals to Adam, Jesus who observed Adam's need for a helper, Jesus who made Eve, and then brought her to Adam.