WHAT’S SO SCARY ABOUT PATRIARCHY?

“For after this manner in the old time the holy women also,
who trusted in God, adorned themselves,
being in subjection unto their own husbands:
Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord . . . “
(1 Peter 3:5, 6).

There are many people who hate the word patriarchy. It’s not really that scary because it just comes from the word “pater” which is father.

However, whenever I have been interviewed on secular TV I am invariably asked the question: “What do you think about patriarchy?” The liberals have a terrible view of this word. They think of ogre men who lord it over their wives. Sadly, there are men who treat their wives this way and distort God’s image of patriarchy, but the true sense of the word is the revelation of God the Father to the world.

The origin of father is in the context of family. God even reveals family in the Trinity. We have God the Father. God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is never called a mother in God’s Word and yet, we see the picture of mothering. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter and in the beginning of creation we read of Him “brooding” over the waters.

The Father is the head. Ephesians 4:6 says: “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

1 Corinthians 11:3 states clearly: “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.” There is perfect equality and oneness in the Godhead and yet they also have different functions. God wants us to function like He does.

Many women cannot accept that man is head of the woman. They demand equality and yet there is no need to demand equality because we are already equal with men. God plainly reveals our equality and worth with men. But we have different functions. Just because God gave us different functions does not make us inferior. In fact, when we each fulfil our specific functions, our marriage and family life will function successfully.

Sometimes we need to be reminded of God’s ultimate plan. God, who is the “only wise God” has the plan that works best. Or I should say, the only plan that really works.

God reveals the headship of man even in creation.

1. Man was created first, then the woman.
2. God represented the human race through Adam, the man, not Eve (1 Corinthians 15:22).
3. God gave Adam the responsibility to name Eve. Naming someone reveals their headship over the one named.
4. God called both Adam and Eve the name Adam (or “man” in the Hebrew), rather than Adam and Eve. Genesis 5:2 states: “Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them man when they were created.” Both are equal in worth, value, and importance, but God called them “man” to denote the male headship.
5. Eve was the one who was deceived, not Adam. He sinned knowingly. The understanding of the Greek text of 1 Timothy 2:14 is that the woman was “fully deceived” or “thoroughly hoodwinked” by the serpent. She proved that she was not fit to lead as the woman is more prone to deception and needs the loving protection of her husband.
6. God held Adam accountable. Even though Eve was deceived and sinned first, when God came to the Garden of Eden what did He do? Genesis 3:9 says: “And the LORD God called unto ADAM, and said unto him, Where art THOU?” He held Adam responsible.
7. God created Eve to be a helper (Genesis 2:18). To be a helper is not inferior, for God is also called a Helper (the same Hebrew word “ezer”). But we notice that He did not call her the leader or the head.
8. Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church. The church does not lead Christ. The church submits to Christ as the wife submits to her husband. Ephesians 5:24: “Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”

Can we not trust the ultimate wisdom of God? Why do we think we know more than God? Why do we resist His ways? It only results in destruction as we see in our society today. God’s ways are perfect. And the amazing thing is that when we embrace His ways, we enter into glorious peace and blessing.

Proverbs 21:30: “There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.”

Psalm 33:11: “The counsel of the LORD standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.”

NANCY CAMPBELL

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Dear Father God, I know that Your ways are the best ways. Please teach me how to walk in Your ways. I know this is for my blessing and the blessing of my whole family. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am embracing my womanly role, knowing it is a glorious role, and brings blessing to my own life and to my whole family.