"Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" (Gen. 2:7).

All of eternity past had culminated in this one miraculous moment. Mankind had been born. Humanity had arrived on the stage of history. The angels had pulled back the curtain of eternity, and God formed man and then breathed His very breath into him.

"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him ..." (Gen. 1:27a).

Adam was created in the exact image of God and was strategically placed on planet earth to take back the planet from Lucifer and his despicable partners in crime.

God sent a piece of Himself to this outpost known as "earth" to reclaim what had been ravaged.

When God created Adam in His very likeness, God stated that Adam ... and therefore the earth ... and therefore the mission ... was lacking something valuable and necessary.

Or should I say that it was lacking not "something" but rather "someone"?

Why did God, the Creator of the universe, decide that history would be incomplete without the input, the character and the strength of the female gender?

Why, indeed?

Adam wasn't enough. God needed someone more than Adam. God determined that men, by themselves, were not enough to fulfill God's plan on earth.

Imagine that.

"Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him" (Gen. 2:18).

God determined that Adam would never be able to operate at optimum capacity without someone to help him.

God didn't create another man ... and He could have. God created a woman ... someone who was distinctly different than the male species but who also powerfully carried the image of God Himself.

Until this critical moment of creation, everything that God had created was declared good. But as God looked at Adam in his solitary state and what he lacked in his singular nature, God said, "It is not good."

It was not good for man to endeavor to subdue the planet by himself. It was not good for man to battle the darkness of the enemy by himself.

And so God, the source of all things beautiful and brilliant, declared, "I will make a helper suitable for Adam."

A helper.

The word "helper" is the Hebrew word "ezer" and it is used other places in the Old Testament.

Some theologians, because of this word "ezer" would contend that women were created to be cheerleaders for the male species. And, it is true that women have a special capacity to encourage others, but that is not what this word means.

Some would say that women were created to civilize men. And it's true that women are able to bring a certain grace to the family and to society that sometimes men lack.

Some would say that God created women to be a friendly chum to the male species. You know ... a buddy to slap on the back from time to time. Someone like Barney Fife was to Andy Griffith ... or like Piglet was to Winnie the Pooh.

But let me tell you about this word "ezer" that God used specifically and enthusiastically to describe women. "Ezer" is used 21 times in the Old Testament; two times it describes women and 16 times it is used to describe God Himself.

No one would consider God a mere chum or a brainless cheerleader.

Women, you were created for the purpose and plan of God. You might have been given your blue eyes from your mom's side of the family, your nose from your dad and your musical ability from your uncle, but your "ezer" is from God who is your heavenly Father and your true Creator.

The word "ezer" is used to describe the strength of God and the persistence that only God brings into the battle. "Ezer" is also used to describe God's protective nature and His uncommon ability to bring peace to conflict and righteousness to compromise.

"Ezer" is used to describe a warrior who is always fighting for the right and who is not intimidated by evil or by darkness.

"Ezer" in its simplest form means "power" or "strength."  God made women to possess a power and strength fully equal to a man's power or strength. 

God made women to hold in a human body the power and strength fully equal to God's.

Next week, we will continue the study of the Hebrew word "ezer" and how it applies to women.

Carol McLeod is an author and popular speaker at women's conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. She has written five books: No More Ordinary, Holy Estrogen!, The Rooms of a Woman's Heart and Defiant Joy! Her most recent book, Refined: Finding Joy in the Midst of the Fire, was released on Aug. 1. Her teaching DVD The Rooms of a Woman's Heart won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming. 

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.