Genesis 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
This passage of scripture describes for us the divine order for the family which God put in place after sin, for it was necessary that a chain of command be now established, since sin had broken up the perfect unity between God and man, and consequently between Adam and Eve. It is worthy of note, that prior to the entrance of sin into the human family, God had named our first parents Adam, inclusive of both man and woman. But after the fall, Adam gave to Eve her name, and this change of names for the woman is important to our study, for it underscores the different roles that from this point forward would set the template for God's ordained order for the family. Let's read:
Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
Now, it is important for us to understand that God's ordained order for the family has not changed since the fall, for we can read from Genesis to revelation, in both the old and new Testaments, that the same order is enjoined, with the apostle Paul reiterating what God had declared in the garden of Eden after sin had entered. And although in some cases, men have ruled their households arbitrarily, with little or no consideration for the wife, yet a distortion or abuse of something that has been ordained of God should never render it null and void, for it is the will of God that this order be maintained or restored, as the case might be. Let's read:
Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 32 This is a great mystery"... 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Furthermore, if at anytime a woman was to become president of the United States of America, we may know for certain that the end is near, even at the doors, for that will be a certain sign that God's order has been reversed in the greatest nation on earth presently. As a matter of fact, the prophecy in the book of Revelation, pointing to the time when a woman will be seated in a position of authority over the kings and peoples of the earth, is primarily a reference to the mother of harlots, (The apostate church), occupying a position of authority over the nations of the world, including the United states. But it may also have a secondary implication, meaning that it is quite possible that we may see the day when the proverbial "Glass ceiling" is broken, and a woman takes the reins of control in The U.S. Let's read:
Revelation 17:And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Some people are not comfortable with God's secondary order for the family, and may resent the fact that it needed to be established after sin, but God who knows best, set it up this way, for someone in the family would have to take the lead, and because we are all sinners, and are prone to have our own way, then the final decision in matters which may pertain to the peace, tranquility, and stability of the home, must rest with someone, and God has ordained that it be the husband or father, in conjunction with the wife, for the man was created first, then the woman was taken out of man.
In order for this system to work in Christian homes, it will obviously call for self-denial, and due consideration on the part of both husband and wife, and will require a good understanding of the assigned roles given to both parties.
For instance, if there is disagreement on some issue that needs to be addressed, and both insist on having their own way, then a situation like that will lead to the fomentation of the relationship, with the love and unity being broken up in many ways. But if a good resolve is to be had, then both parties should first pray for God's guidance, being willing to follow where He leads the way, and then the final decision should be based on what is best to promote the longevity, and stability of the relationship, whatever the issue might be.
Furthermore, both husbands and wives should always avoid doing that which they know will displease the other, for it is mutual love that will lead us to tenderly care for the interests and concerns of each other, even if self-denial may become necessary. At times we may have our personal preferences, but these should never be allowed to override the greater good of the relationship. In other words, if doing or saying something will have the effect of disturbing the peace and tranquility of the home, it would better be left unsaid or undone for the sake of fostering the bonds of peace.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to make choices that are in harmony with God's ordained order for the family, for it is His will that all of the experiences of life be used as stepping stones to climb to a higher round on the ladder of success, and ever deepening relationships between our selves and God. Let's read:
Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!