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.
This passage deals with the God established order for the family, as became necessary after the entrance of sin. In the beginning when God had created Adam and Eve, He gave them both dominion over all that was created, and Eve was to be as an help meet for Adam, who was created first. After God brought Adam upon the stage of action, He allowed him to name all of the animals, birds, and creeping things that were created, and as he did so, he intelligently observed that every animal had a help meet, but he alone was lacking in this regard. And so the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon him, during which the world's first operation and surgery was successfully completed, and out of his ribs came beautiful Eve. The oneness that should characterize the holy pair is demonstrated by the fact that God named both of them Adam, signifying that they should be united in heart and purpose. 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.
However, after sin entered the world, it became necessary for someone to take the lead, and in His wisdom God saw fit to let the man be the head of the home, and his wife to submit herself to him in the fear of God. This established order was given in the clearest language so that no one will be confused as to the God-ordained roles of husband and wife. Let's read:
Genesis 3:16 Unto the woman he said".... "in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
Now there are many women today who deeply resent God's ordained order in this respect, some for reasons that are personal, and others because of a spirit of independence, and with the rise of the feminist movement across the globe, the role that man is to fulfill has been greatly compromised and depleted, to the point where men are now sitting are at the bottom of the social food chain, with animals being first, children next, women coming after, and man last, at the very bottom. When observed carefully we see a direct and complete reversal of the order God has established, with man being first, women next, children after, and animals last. This signal reversal has then caused major disruptions in families across the land, where there are many "Independent" women who suffer from great loneliness, and who now raise children without a father figure in the home.
And many men have also contributed to the problem by relinquishing their God-given duties of supporting their families, and raising their children to honor both God and man. This situation need not be the case, if households across the land would return to God's established order. Husbands are to love their wives, but never to the point of surrendering their God-ordained authority to their spouse or children, and women are to submit themselves to their husbands, but never to the point where they are forced to surrender the truth or godly principles, just to be in harmony with the head of the home.
If for instance a disagreement arises over something that is not of eternal consequence, and the husband and wife cannot forge a working compromise that will appease both parties, then the Bible gives the last word to the man, who is then bound under sacred obligation to look out for the best temporal and eternal interest of his wife. But never should the marriage vow be annulled simply because of a difference of opinions, preferences, or ways of doing things. If the husband likes his food cold, and the wife has tried repeatedly, in vain to convince him that hot food is better, then the wife should give him his food cold, regardless of whether she agrees with his requests or not.
This method of family order when implemented will cut the rates of divorce in more than half, and the spirit of mutual compromise will thereby be fostered. A truly Christian man will be much more willing to bargain and compromise on sensitive issues with a wife who is willing to submit to God's established order, rather than one who asserts her so-called independence, and goes out on a limb to carry out her own plans, independent of her husband. Furthermore, the greater issue of obeying God comes into play, whenever the wife refuses to surrender to her spouse in the fear of God.
In the history of Isaac and Rebekah, the issue of the birthright came due, and although God had plainly stated that Jacob would be the recipient, Isaac determined to give it to the eldest son Esau. But his wife did not agree with his plans, neither would she submit to God's order in this instance, and so she went behind her husband's back and resorted to stratagem to bring to pass that which she had a disagreement with Isaac on. The rest is history, for thereafter she never again embraced her favorite son, and she went down to the grave without ever seeing his face again.
In our homes and in our families, let there be restored in its fulness, the order God established for the benefit of society and the world as a whole, for wherever His wise arrangement is adopted and implemented, the shadows of loneliness, divorce, separation and alienation will be greatly lifted, and the love and harmony that should exist between husband and wife will again be restored. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages both men and women to step up to the plate by first surrendering ourselves to God, and then to each other, so that the sunshine of Christ's love may reign supreme in our hearts and in our homes. Let's read:
Ephesians 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 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.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!