I was made that way (1)

When Moses wrote, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh,” (Genesis 2:24), what was he referring to? Generally speaking, he was referring to marriage, but specifically, what does the phrase, "for this reason,” mean? What does it have reference to?

You remember the story. God saw that it was not good for the man to be alone (2:18), which is to say, God makes known what He had known all along –-- His creation of humans was not complete with just Adam. He intended something more and waited until the right time to complete His creation. (The right time involved letting Adam see his need by having him name all of the animals without finding a “suitable helper,” among them. When Adam found that he was, on his own, unable to find a mate, God stepped in). He then put Adam to sleep, took a rib from his side, and created a woman.

Adam awoke and 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." (2:23).

We now have our answer as to what the “for this reason,” of v. 24 has reference to. A man shall leave his father and mother (a very strong tie), and unite to his wife because she completes him! She fulfills him in a way his family doesn’t and can’t. When a man comes to his wife he comes to himself, just as a wife finds herself completed in her husband. That’s the way we’re made. Think about it. God made all animals male and female, but only with humans did he make the female from the male. He took one person and made two, so that they could become one again in marriage. He made the two to be one; they are made to be one. (Despite all of this, it won’t hurt to be reminded that there are people, such as Paul, who are gifted with the ability to live unmarried – 1 Corinthians 7:7; Matthew 19:12).

The marriage relationship is embedded in the creation of man and woman. Just as you can see a glove and know it was made for a hand; you can look at the creation of woman from man and see they were made for marriage. Jesus argued this very point in Matthew 19:4-6. (This is why homosexuality is wrong. It’s not wrong because there’s a verse in Corinthians or Leviticus that say it’s wrong (although that’s a start), it’s wrong at the roots. It goes against the way God made man and woman. It defies His design and purpose in creation). This also explains why marriage is so good. It isn’t just something that is a social convenience, an economic necessity, or a way of preserving a family name - - - it’s so good because it is from God!

He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the LORD. (Proverbs 18:22).

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