Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness".... 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
This passage of scripture shows us God's established order for the smooth operation of the earth, within the context of society and the animal kingdom. In these verses the sacred order is laid out in no uncertain terms, with Adam being the head, Eve who was created from Adam being united with him in the running of the earthly government under God, and the animals and inanimate nature being subject to them. It is of critical importance for this order to be preserved, if the structural integrity of society is to be maintained, because in the government of God the hierarchical chain of command is of the utmost importance, so that open rebellion against God-ordained authority, and resulting mayhem, may not occur.
In order for us to have a slight inkling of how important the issue of correct chain of command is, we must take a page from the experiences of David, who was brought into honor, power and authority by the sole providence of God. But at this time king Saul was still on the throne, so David had to wait his turn, and during the interim period Saul was slain in battle, because he stubbornly refused to follow instructions coming from God. But the way in which Saul died had the effect of irking David, for it was an Amalekite, who by the request of Saul had ended the king's life with the sword, and although Saul would never be saved in God's kingdom, yet there was a breach and lack of respect for the God-ordained authority, and David recompensed the evil promptly. Let's read:
2nd Samuel 1:13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed? 15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. 16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord's anointed..
In the established order that God has set for the family and for society as a whole, the same respect must also be rendered, and this sacred obligation transcends even those instances where the head of the household may actually be wrong in some instances. For instance, if the father or mother in a household do not command their children to do evil, but they may have erred in judgment upon some non-salvific issue, then the children under their domain should adhere to the requirements of the parents, even if the children might actually have better and brighter ideas. With God, the issue is not who has the better idea, but rather who has the willing mind to submit to His chain of command, for this attitude trumps all ideas, no matter how brilliant they may be.
Whenever recruits for the United States army are being interviewed for enrollment, the recruiters do not look for those with the brightest ideas, but rather those who manifest a willingness to obey instruction s implicitly. Thus it must be in the home and in society as a whole, for there are times when the wife may not fully agree with the husband, and in other instances, the children may not agree with the mother. Then again, in extreme circumstances, the animals or pets in the home may not agree with the children, and may desire to have their own way, just like some of us do.
In all these and other instances, the real issue at stake is not necessarily the disagreement, but rather the willingness to resolve them without disturbing God's established order, for if His structure is followed and maintained, it will preserve to a great extent the cohesiveness of the family and society, and this world will be a much better place to live in as a result. Let us then seek to maintain the order given us in Eden, for the plan of salvation is a voyage which began in Eden, and ends right back at Eden. We therefore end with two passages of scripture which reiterate this sacred truth, and it is the will of God that we be willing and humble enough to follow where He leads the way. Let's read:
Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly".... 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 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.
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise".... 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!