It's Good!

During the creation narrative of Genesis chapters one through three, it is expressed several times that God described his work as (tov) "good" (1.4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). Following the sixth day, God reflects on his creation and it was "very good" or "perfect" (1.31).

God looks down on his creation in 2.18 and notes something that is "not good." It is not good that man be alone. So God decided to create for him a helper. Perhaps there are a couple of things to reflect upon God's declaration that something is not good.

First, we see that man was in need of something to complete him and give him function. The sky had it luminaries and birds, the sea had its fish, the earth had man and the animals, even the animals had their counterparts, but man had none. God made woman as a "helper" (ezer) for man. When Samuel led Israel to return to the Lord, the people repented at Mizpah by pouring water and fasting (1 Sam. 7.4-6). During the midst of this ritual the Philistines tried to attack them but God intervened and defeated their ranks. Samuel set up a stone and named it "Ebenezer" ("stone of help") because the Lord helped us. The Lord was Israel's "helper" (ezer). God is Israel's creator and helper, woman is man's helper; made for him and from him. God helped Israel by delivering them from the Philistines whereas woman helps man by delivering him from being alone.
Second, we can clearly see the sanctity of marriage. On their own, man or woman is only half of the equation but when they intend on marriage they become one.
Finally, any union that is not man and woman is also "not good." My great uncle Ed was a plumber and philosopher at heart. He used to take two male pipe fittings and try to join them, then he would do the same with female fittings, to no avail. In all of his wisdom he would say, "If it don't work in plumbing, it sure ain't gonna work in life!" Notice that God decides what a suitable helper is (2.18, 20), not man! As creator, God knows what is perfect and what is not. When a man and woman decide to commit and consummate in a lifetime of love, there is only way one to describe it; "it is good."