What’s the worst thing Satan could do to spoil this? Make woman the downfall of man.
“For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” [2]
Though she fell into transgression prior to Adam’s fall, woman’s original purpose remains. Help man multiply! Have children! She also helps man by believing in God, loving God, and by keeping herself pure via the spiritual fruit of self-control. In short, she is to have a relationship with God that empowers her to help her husband.
The woman’s role is comparable to the role of the Holy Spirit. God did not want man to be alone. A few days before Jesus was crucified, he told his disciples that he was about to leave them physically, but was not going leave them alone spiritually. Jesus promised to send them the Holy Spirit to be with them permanently as their Helper.
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (paraclete – one comes alongside), so that He may be with you forever.” “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” “The Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things and remind you of all that I said to you.” [3]
I am grateful to the Lord for Sherry my wife. We pray together daily. She loves me and I love her. I enjoy being with her. She is my best friend. The Holy Spirit brings the Lord’s Word to my remembrance through Sherry.
When Zipporah urged Moses to circumcise their son it was the Spirit of God working through her to save her husband from God’s wrath.
“It came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him [Moses] and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, ‘Surely you are a husband of blood to me!’ So He let him go. Then she said, ‘You are a husband of blood!’—because of the circumcision.” [4]
Obviously, Moses listened to Zipporah.
It is likely that I would not have the relationship that I enjoy with my children and grandchildren today if Sherry had not kept pulling back on my reins of my heart to spend more time and give more attention to my children when they were growing up. Sherry gives me caring counsel.
“I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.” [5]
As men pray so should women pray. The Lord says that a woman should dress and adorn herself modestly. She should not dress to bring a man down. She should aim to be godly and do good.
“The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.” “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.” [6]
Beauty does not befit a woman who has a wanton ego to have men lust after her.
In the days of Jerusalem’s governor Nehemiah, some men who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon married pagan women. Their children could not speak Hebrew. Nehemiah “contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, ‘You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, pagan women caused even him to sin. Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?” [7]
Solomon’s pagan marriages derailed his nation’s mission to be a light to the world.
King Ahab married a pagan woman named Jezebel. She slew many of God’s prophets. She corrupted the nation of Israel.
“[King] Herod feared John [the Baptist], knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things and heard him gladly.” But after the daughter of his adulterous wife danced for him. He offered to the daughter up to half of his kingdom. She asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. King Herod complied. [8]
God connects the downfall of humanity before the flood to improper marriages.
“When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a 120 years.” “So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.’” [9]
Jesus revealed a spirit of harlotry at work in the last days before His return: “Then one of the seven angels... came... saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’” “On her forehead a name was written: Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth. I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.” [10]
The Lord wants godly marriages that produce godly offspring. “Did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.” [11]
Paul wrote, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” [12]
When asked about divorce, Jesus said, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” [13]
The two becoming one speaks of being yoke fellows. Two together can accomplish more than one by himself or one by herself. If they are equally yoked together, and have been trained by the Lord, they will work well together.
The Lord says, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” [14]
The Lord knows what is best for us.
In these last of last of days, may the Holy Spirit empower us to fight for the health of our marriage relationships. When we are having problems, let us trust that God’s grace is sufficient to supply our need. He will help us to yoke together and to bring in a harvest for His glory.
[1] Genesis 2:18
[2] 1 Timothy 2:13-15
[3] John 14:16, 18, 26
[4] Exodus 4:24-26
[5] 1 Timothy 2:8-10
[6] Proverbs 11:6, 22
[7] Nehemiah 13:23-27
[8] Mark 6:20-28
[9] Genesis 6:1-3, 8
[10] Revelation 17:1-2, 5-6
[11] Malachi 2:15
[12] Hebrews 13:4
[13] Matthew 19:4-6
[14] 2 Corinthians 6:14
“For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” [2]
Though she fell into transgression prior to Adam’s fall, woman’s original purpose remains. Help man multiply! Have children! She also helps man by believing in God, loving God, and by keeping herself pure via the spiritual fruit of self-control. In short, she is to have a relationship with God that empowers her to help her husband.
The woman’s role is comparable to the role of the Holy Spirit. God did not want man to be alone. A few days before Jesus was crucified, he told his disciples that he was about to leave them physically, but was not going leave them alone spiritually. Jesus promised to send them the Holy Spirit to be with them permanently as their Helper.
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (paraclete – one comes alongside), so that He may be with you forever.” “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” “The Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things and remind you of all that I said to you.” [3]
I am grateful to the Lord for Sherry my wife. We pray together daily. She loves me and I love her. I enjoy being with her. She is my best friend. The Holy Spirit brings the Lord’s Word to my remembrance through Sherry.
When Zipporah urged Moses to circumcise their son it was the Spirit of God working through her to save her husband from God’s wrath.
“It came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him [Moses] and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, ‘Surely you are a husband of blood to me!’ So He let him go. Then she said, ‘You are a husband of blood!’—because of the circumcision.” [4]
Obviously, Moses listened to Zipporah.
It is likely that I would not have the relationship that I enjoy with my children and grandchildren today if Sherry had not kept pulling back on my reins of my heart to spend more time and give more attention to my children when they were growing up. Sherry gives me caring counsel.
“I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.” [5]
As men pray so should women pray. The Lord says that a woman should dress and adorn herself modestly. She should not dress to bring a man down. She should aim to be godly and do good.
“The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.” “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.” [6]
Beauty does not befit a woman who has a wanton ego to have men lust after her.
In the days of Jerusalem’s governor Nehemiah, some men who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon married pagan women. Their children could not speak Hebrew. Nehemiah “contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, ‘You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, pagan women caused even him to sin. Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?” [7]
Solomon’s pagan marriages derailed his nation’s mission to be a light to the world.
King Ahab married a pagan woman named Jezebel. She slew many of God’s prophets. She corrupted the nation of Israel.
“[King] Herod feared John [the Baptist], knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things and heard him gladly.” But after the daughter of his adulterous wife danced for him. He offered to the daughter up to half of his kingdom. She asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. King Herod complied. [8]
God connects the downfall of humanity before the flood to improper marriages.
“When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a 120 years.” “So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.’” [9]
Jesus revealed a spirit of harlotry at work in the last days before His return: “Then one of the seven angels... came... saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’” “On her forehead a name was written: Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth. I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.” [10]
The Lord wants godly marriages that produce godly offspring. “Did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.” [11]
Paul wrote, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” [12]
When asked about divorce, Jesus said, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” [13]
The two becoming one speaks of being yoke fellows. Two together can accomplish more than one by himself or one by herself. If they are equally yoked together, and have been trained by the Lord, they will work well together.
The Lord says, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” [14]
The Lord knows what is best for us.
In these last of last of days, may the Holy Spirit empower us to fight for the health of our marriage relationships. When we are having problems, let us trust that God’s grace is sufficient to supply our need. He will help us to yoke together and to bring in a harvest for His glory.
[1] Genesis 2:18
[2] 1 Timothy 2:13-15
[3] John 14:16, 18, 26
[4] Exodus 4:24-26
[5] 1 Timothy 2:8-10
[6] Proverbs 11:6, 22
[7] Nehemiah 13:23-27
[8] Mark 6:20-28
[9] Genesis 6:1-3, 8
[10] Revelation 17:1-2, 5-6
[11] Malachi 2:15
[12] Hebrews 13:4
[13] Matthew 19:4-6
[14] 2 Corinthians 6:14
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