Have We Forgotten God’s Role For Women?

The Bible warns that all nations which forget God will be turned into hell (Psa 9:17). The fall of any people has had its origin within the home. It is here that God is first forgotten and His commandments ignored. Remember the old saying: “As the home goes, so goes the nation.” When the husband ceases to be the head of his family and the woman is no longer content to lead a subjective life, then destruction is near. Chaos and confusion knock at the door and generations are reared without a sense of order, respect or moral perspective.

Rome crumbled and fell because of domestic disorder. It was the eminent Roman statesman, Cato, who foresaw the fall of his nation and cried aloud, “All other men rule over women, but we Romans, who rule all men, are ruled by our women.”

One would have to be blind and have their head in the sand not to see that women in this country have seized power over man in the last 75 years. It didn’t happen overnight but slowly and surely it did happen. Some will contend that this is a good thing, for women are more nurturing and compromising and thus we should have fewer wars. However, the scriptures beg to differ that such is a good thing. The prophet Isaiah said it this way, “As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths” (Isa 3:12).

It was God who placed the woman under man because of her great sin in the Garden of Eden. What sin did she commit? Eve broke a direct command of God not to eat of a tree called the “Tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Gen 2:16,17). It is noteworthy that God gave this commandment to Adam, for Eve had not yet been created (Gen 2:18 cf; 2:21-24). Even so, Eve knew of the commandment for she quoted it to the Serpent when she was tempted to eat the fruit of the tree. Thus, she gave it to her husband also and he did eat  (Gen 3:1-6). In many ways, Eve was not only usurping man’s authority but also God’s authority. She wasn’t satisfied to be equal with man but she also wanted to be equal with God. God punished Eve by placing her under the direct authority of man and to bear children (Gen 3:16). As concerning the hierarchy of authority, Paul said it this way, “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Cor 11:3). In writing to the Ephesians Paul wrote this stern reminder: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything” (Eph 5:22-24). Older Christian women are to teach younger women of their role in the family. “The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things — that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed” (Tit 2:3-5).

Paul wrote concerning why women were placed under the authority of man. “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived fell into transgression. Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control” (1 Tim 2:11-15). Remember also that God prohibited women from becoming speakers in the assembly both in the old and new testaments (1 Cor 14:33-40).

Therefore, God made it abundantly clear that he didn’t want woman to have rule over the man in the home or in the church and gave reasons why. Societies often learn the hard way concerning the role of women, but history bears record that these nations who violate God’s hierarchy fall. They don’t fall because woman is ignorant or somehow deficient in some way. No! They fall because they break God’s command concerning such matters. God didn’t make woman to rule over man but to be a help meet for man. In order for a woman to help her man, she must be wise, prudent, and intelligent. It is self-evident that woman is not stronger than man physically, as a whole, but she does have talents and abilities which often far exceed the man. However, she must use these abilities under the guidance of God’s commandments if she intends to be saved when she is judged. No, she is not allowed to be an elder or the deacon of the church but by her obedience to God can make a man qualified to be a leader of the church (1 Tim 3:4,11,12). She is not allowed to preach the word, but like Priscilla (Acts 18:24-26), she can assist her husband even as Phebe assisted Paul (Rom 16:1,2).

The headship of man and the willing subjection of woman is an ancient lesson. It is a lesson which every great civilization has known and forgotten. It is the epitaph of all nations who have been turned into hell because God’s hierarchy has been violated.