CREATION OF MAN AND WOMAN!

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings* in our image, to be like ourselves. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

Genesis 2:7 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 2:22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

These passages explain the creation of man and woman. Genesis chapter 1 vs 26 told us that "MAN" was created in the image of God. Image here means Character or essence. It does not mean to look like but to have the same material of a thing. We have the same quality and characteristics as God the Creator. "Man" here is a neutral gender.In essence man and woman have the same spirit of God. And spirit has no gender. The word proclaims MAN, both male and female in the image and likeness of God. Man and woman were created simultaneously.

But "The Man" in Genesis chapter 2 vs 7 was formed first. Formed is different from created. Formed means developed and created means original form. The Lord God formed "the man". In this case the scripture no longer say just "MAN" but specifies "the man" referring to a particular man. The man ADAM!
 * "the man" was FORMED from the ground. meaning that  "the man" was never in a existence. Something formed is still lifeless until life is breath into it. It shows God was source of life for man.
* A woman was MADE  from what was already in existence. Made means formed from what was already developed. Something made is formed from already living thing. A woman draws life from  "the man".

Though God breathes life into the man's body, He did not breathes life into the woman's body because she came from a body that was already living. Man and woman have the same spirit in line with Genesis 1 vs 26, but gender different physically in line with Genesis 2 vs 7, 22. Life was activated in the body because of the spirit of God dwelling in it.This account dignifies woman as an important factor in the creation, equal in power and glory with the man.

Without "the man" there will not be "a woman". Likewise, without a head there will not be a body. Therefore, we can deduce that the success of a marriage lies with "the man" or the head. The functionality of a woman is to be a helper to "the man".The man is expected to treat the woman that came from him with love. He is to cherish and nourish her as his own. In the same way, a woman whom "the man" gave life to should look up to him with respect. She is to complement and complete him!

This is the foundation of marriage of which if understood and constantly keep in view, will surmount the challenges and storms of life.