MAN AND WOMAN

The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God. Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. Joel 1:12-15.

The people had lost their fellowship with God. They were not thankful for His provision as they should have been for the bread that strengthens man's heart, the wine that makes glad the heart, and the oil that makes the face to shine (Ps. 104:14, 15... read all of 104!); and therefore they are brought to sorrow because of the loss and want of them; the joy of harvest, has come to nothing and is turned into shame.

One of the "realities" that (I believe) weaken the Church (primarily in this country, in my opinion) is that men and women do not know, neither assume, their place and/or role. Not just in the church, but in general. To be sure, the Word of God is NOT gender specific when it comes to salvation. However, to assume that the word "man" wherever mentioned refers to "humans" in general is foolish, and only shows one to not be "S T U D Y I N G".

We have a hierarchy (lordship) in the revealed Word. It is… God over all; Jesus Christ head of man; man head of woman,
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 1 Cor. 11:3
This in no way lessens the importance and worth of woman… in her role. To accept this humbly in our hearts is the beginning of a REAL, productive relationship, with God and man. God's Word speaks primarily to the male (man) head. It would not make any sense to presume otherwise.

The man must submit to three things…
1.  the Sovereign Will of God the Father,
2.  the Lordship of Jesus the Christ,
3.  his appointment; headship of the family.


God would not establish the headship (authority) of man over the woman and then commence to speak to the woman to teach the man… despite what Joyce Meyer might tell you.

But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 1 Tim. 2:12



It is difficult sometimes, I agree, to discern the intent/connotation/focus of the directives. Even when we read the pronoun, him or her, it is the same Greek word used… aujtovß; autos… which means: himself, herself, themselves, itself, he, she, it, the same. That is not an argument, though, which concludes that a verse applies to "everyone, anyone, man, woman, beast". I know the more "progressive" will insist on that, to their error. As I just said above, "To accept this humbly in our hearts is the beginning of a REAL, productive relationship, with God and man".

The role of THE man is to submit to God the Father through and in Christ, just as Jesus the Man (incarnate God that He was, as God the Son) submitted to the Will and Work of God the Father. Even though God the Son is equal with God the Father, yet the flesh submitted to The Spirit. We all (men and women) have this relationship with God individually as born again believers. I do not want to go into exegetical detail. I'm sure those that "get it" got it. We, as men, are to be transformed into that very same Christ-likeness relationship with God our Father. And in our roles as priests are to officiate and minister to our families and each other (brethren)… even as Christ loved the Church!
And ye shall be holy men unto Me. Exodus 22:31

There are exhortations throughout the Bible with regard to how a man should act, speak, work, eat, love, govern, study, pray, etc. Infinitely resourceful. The particularly beautiful ones refer to husband and wife. You should study the correlated parallel (if that's not redundant... and if it is, read it again) of God and Israel; Christ and the Church; Husband and Wife.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. Eph. 5:23-28

This is both an awesome responsibility and a humbling appointment. Humbling because God has appointed husbands to act toward their wives in the same manner which Christ has and does toward His Church. Christ is the Savior of the body (Church).
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. 1 TIM. 2:14-15

There are two very good reasons in the preceding verse (13) for the man's authority over the woman, and her subjection to the man.
1. Adam was first created, then Eve; she was formed for the man, and not the man for the woman (1 Cor. 11:9);
2. she was deceived, and brought the man into the transgression.

"Notwithstanding she shall be saved". The woman was created for man (take it up with God). In the marriage relationship it is, as it were, a second chance to submit in the role of a help mate. Man (adam) was made first in the image of the Divine and given dominion over all creation. Woman (eve) was formed for the man.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish, Eph. 5:25-27.


In this, the woman becomes the glory of the man… she is the beloved.

In his spiritual walk in the spiritual realm, the man has an awesome responsibility. He is to be Christ-like in every way that Jesus has manifested to us by His example (except, of course, Divine). I do not believe we, as men, fully comprehend the consequence of what God has given us in Christ. The solitary reason being, in my conclusion, we as men have not matured to that spirituality (power and authority). I see (some) women trying to assume that position, to their error.

We certainly live in a most confusing time (for some). It is wrong and damaging to the believer to assimilate the culture of the world into the Church. We are, in fact, to separate ourselves from it. Each marital relationship (and I, of course, mean between a man and a woman, in case there is any doubt in "some" minds) must look at the relationship (love and nurturing) of Jehovah and Israel; Christ and Church; Adam and Eve (as intended by God). They are an example to us… man and woman.