Power to Guard and Protect
She stood just outside
of the doorway of her castle, the wind blowing her long, golden hair behind
her. A silver sword was in her hand, and her green eyes scanned the countryside
around her. There was no moat, but she had seen to it that the ground concealed
many deadly pits, the enemy could not detect. The wall around the castle
grounds was thick and strong. The hills behind the castle were too far away for
her to be concerned about arrows or any other weapons reaching her home.
The air was cold, and
the wind stung her cheeks. But inside the fires burned steadily. She had seen
to it that there was plenty of wood, stored inside; enough to last for weeks.
The stores of food, oil, candles and all else her family might need had been
stocked well. She had no worry or fear for her household.
Ahead of her, the
horizon was lined with soldiers arrayed for battle. They stood facing the
castle, looking ready to descend at any moment. She could see the thick manes
of their strong Andalusian horses blowing in the wind. She could imagine the
sound of the breathing of those elegant creatures, though they were too far
away for her to hear.
“Look how small she is”
said one of the soldiers to the captain of the army facing her. “Let us all go
down and share in her lovely delicacies” he went on wryly. “This will be no
real battle at all, but great fruits of victory all the same.”
“Looks easy does it?”
The captain returned. Look what she is wearing.
”What is it?”
“Do you not recognize
the armor of Jehovah?”
“Oh, said the soldier,
sobering now.
“She is stronger than
she looks if she can bear such armor. It also means there are forces on her
side we have not yet seen.”
“Yes sir. But they do
not appear to be here now, and we know her husband has gone off to another
battle, leaving her unprotected. Just how strong could she be?”
“She smiled to herself
lifted her sword into the air and whispered, “A good day for victory, Lord. In
the name of Jesus Christ, the son of the most high, Jehovah God, I rebuke the
works of darkness and command them to flee. Lord turn my enemies away and be
glorified I ask.”
She felt strength in her
arms as she held up the sword, for she had prepared herself well. There was an
opening in the clouds above her when she spoke and a small flash of lightening.
“Did you hear that? Asked
the captain.
“I heard nothing. What
is it that we wait for, sir?”
“There is something
different here,” the captain answered. His eyes stared ahead, fixed on the
small figure in front of her doorway. For only a few seconds his eyes searched
the area around her and as far back as he could see, then fixed upon her once
again.
“But sir, it is just a
woman alone. Women are strengthless without their men. If her husband has been
weak enough to allow her to usurp his authority and take charge, then we need
not even fear retribution from such a mouse. He will probably not even make it
back alive. If he does, what is that? It will be too late.”
“You are blind soldier!
She is not only his wife, they are confederate. I can feel it. He has
left her in charge while he is gone because he trusts her.”
“Then he is a fool!”
'No fool! I feel it. And
the prayer she spoke … I saw movement in the air above; wings, I think. Didn't
you see the lightening?”
Now the soldier looked
at his captain with concern. Could he actually be fearing one small female?
“Yes sir, I saw one small flash.”
Just then the door
opened behind her and a chubby little boy of about five years of age peeked
out. “Are you alright mother? It is so cold out there!”
“Yes. Dear. I am looking
at the soldiers.”
“Is daddy back then?”
“No dear. They are enemy
soldiers.”
“I should pray then?”
“Yes, my son, but in
faith, not fear.”
“Okay mommy. I will. I
am not afraid. You are here and God is with you.”
The little boy went back
inside, folded his tiny hands and began to pray.
Suddenly the captain of
the army winced. “Oh, he cried! “A powerful cry has reached the heavens! Look!”
And he pointed toward the castle.
As if an invisible wall
had suddenly been removed from between the castle and the hills behind it, the
great enemy army could now see that the ground and air above it, was filled
with thousands of warriors on immense, muscular horses, whose mane hung down to
their knees, as their hooves beat the ground. Their number was innumerable. The
sun shining upon their swords reflected back and nearly blinded the enemy.
Their raiment was of gold and silver and their shout was of praise to Jehovah,
as though the battle had already been won.
“Retreat,” shouted the
enemy captain and the horn gave the message to all.
The little wife and
mother smiled, took a deep breath, looked up into the sky and sweetly spoke.
“Thank you! Thank you for turning the enemy to flight, my Lord! I never doubted
you would keep your word to your daughter and also to my beloved head.
HOME KEEPERS
1 Tim. 5:14 I will therefore that the younger
women marry, bear children, GUIDE THE HOUSE, give non occasion to
the adversary to speak reproachfully.
Surely many women recoil
upon reading these first three verses of scripture, especially those who are
feminists, or lean toward, feminism? Nor do these words sound like the
description of the woman in the story above.
There has been much
misconception and misunderstanding concerning women for many years! I want to
bring you a revelation that may change your life, encourage, and motivate you.
This is not some new
doctrine that is meant to do away with submission and launch women into a new
feminist movement. Nor is it meant to convince them that their worth is less
than that of a man. But rather, I want to share a revelation of truth that has
been in the scriptures all along, but somehow overlooked; a truth that should
help both men and women understand some things about God’s purpose for
womanhood that can help prevent further frustrations, that are so often
battled.
I have become aware of
one of the enemies cunning methods of action, used to entrap many people. He
draws their attention to a measure (and I say – a measure) of truth then
proceeds to distort that truth, mix it with untruth, until they have a false
perception and are living in a bondage God never intended for His people.
Be honest, how many of
you have thought something like this - Why, how could any woman ever be
respected, let alone fulfilled, if she is spoken to and commanded as though she
were nothing more than a child or a servant who must obey her husband and stay
inside a house the rest of her life? Maybe you are one of those who
repented quickly of such thoughts, and determined, with God's help to be
obedient to the Word of God, knowing His ways to be best, no matter how hard
for you to understand. Others may have told themselves “Surely God knows I
could not bear to stay cooped up inside a house!”
First, I want to point
out simply, that if when you read these verses you give the common English
meaning or thought to the words 'keep' and keepers' you have most likely
already set yourself up for misunderstanding and deception.
Dear, woman of God, come
with me, please, and let us open the treasure chest of the true Word of God. Here,
I believe many of you will be both pleased and relieved at what you find!
Are you ready? Let's go!
Would the scripture, or
could the scripture, actually be saying – ‘I will therefore that the younger
women … be the head and rule the house or, that is, the family?’
So how can there be a
scripture that refers to a woman as being 'head' or having 'rule' of a family?
It most certainly cannot
be saying that any woman is the head of her husband, can it!? No! And it does
not. If only these two verses are taken and ran away with, there may
well be another false doctrine arise. But it is saying something you may not
have heard before. So, let us take it slow.
Ahh … take a deep breath
please! Let's take this one step at a time, and dig a bit deeper into the
treasure chest of truth. It is truth that will, after all, set us free. Please
do not let emotion or preconceived ideas cause you to stop here and walk away!
One piece of a puzzle, does not show the beauty of the finished work!
Okay, so now, take a
look at the words “keepers at home” in Titus 2:5. This is the word oikouros,
oy-koo-ros. It comes from the word oikos, meaning - a dwelling (more or
less extensive, lit. or fig.); by implication, a family..., and the word ouros,
which means, (a guard; be “ware” ); a stayer at home …
Virtuous, in the Hebrew,
is – chayil, khah'-yil; from the word chwl, khool; or chiyl, kheel; prob. a
force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue,
valor, strength:- able, activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers) … (great)
forces … might, power … etc.
Wow! How often have you
heard 'woman' described in any of these ways unless it was a fictional super
woman of some kind?
A force – whether of men
or means? Power? An army? Strength? Able?
In the English language,
the word 'virtue' has the meaning (Web. int. dic.) 1. conduct that agrees with
what is morally right 2. a particular moral quality.
The English definitions
are probably the kinds of things we usually think of when reading this
scripture. But again, that is thinking along the lines of our English
vocabulary and not the Hebrew in which it was written. In our English
dictionary we do not find meanings for “virtuous' that have to do with strength
or power. Rather we can easily picture a frail, feminine little woman, in soft
apparel, wearing a flowing dress that covers her arms and legs, and smiles
shyly. (Not that there is anything wrong with modesty, femininity or soft
apparel.) Yet there it is; these probably unexpected definitions of 'virtuous,'
that we find when we look into the actual meaning according to the original
Hebrew, describe a strong woman of great value; one to be desired.
So, we have a scripture
in which the apostle says he prefers that young women marry and take on an
authority position in their home. We have another scripture where older women
are to instruct younger women to be 'keepers' at home, or, that is, a sort of
guard of their home or family and, also, a scripture that indicates that the
sort of woman that would be of great value to a man, is one of strength and
power. This is clearly not describing a mousy sort of individual who is unable
to think or make decisions for themselves.
How does this, then, fit
into the picture we have been given, up to now, of the submissive homemaker?
How can a woman be the guide, head, or ruler of her house, if she is to be
under the authority of her husband?
Well, let us look at
more scripture in order to gain a clearer understanding. If you remember, back
in Genesis 2:15, after God created Adam, he placed him in the garden of Eden
and gave him a job to do. He was to both dress and keep the garden. He was
given a job before he was given a wife. :)
To ‘dress’ the garden
was to - (Grk.) to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till …
To ‘keep,’ was - (Grk.)
to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; gen. to protect, attend to, etc.:-
beware …
So, although the Bible
tells us that Christ is the head of the man, still, he gave the man an authoritative
position on earth, under God himself. This, in no way, meant he was usurping
Christ’s authority. Adam’s authority was delegated authority, under Christ,
that Christ wanted him to have.
We see in Gen. 2:19 that
God brought the animals to Adam “to see what he would call them.” God did not
tell him what to name them but gave him the freedom to choose and apparently
watched to see what Adam would call them.
God chose to give his
man and his woman a position of authority and dominion on the earth, under
himself.
It was God who had
created the man and gave him the intelligence he had. He had filled his
computer, so to speak, (his mind), with all the information he would need to do
the job God had given him.
Notice the word used in
speaking of God giving Adam the job of “keeping' the garden, was translated
'keep' just as the word ‘keep’ was used in the instructions to women in the New
Testament. And both cases involved 'guarding' and/or to beware.
Adam was told to 'keep'
the garden. It did not say to be a keeper 'at' the garden, although, how could
he dress it or guard it, if he were never there? Reason would tell us that Adam had to
spend time in the garden.
Adam had an
authoritative position on earth, under God, given by God, and so did the woman, in having dominion with
her husband.
In like manner a woman
is able to have an authoritative position in her home, under the headship of
her husband, and with her husband.
‘With', because they are
one; a part of each other and each other's lives.
His headship is
something we will look at in the next section, where again I hope you will find
new insight and be even more encouraged. But for now suffice it to say that
indeed a woman is able to maintain a position of authority in her home without
usurping the position of her husband.
When a man comes home at
the end of the day, he is able to find a place of peace and rest, if his wife
has applied herself well to the position, he left her with. If she has been
able to run the household well. If she has her children well cared for and well
trained so that they are at peace, well behaved, and respectful.
She, then, has authority
over the things that belong to them both and that he has left her in charge of.
She must not let the work of her house get her down and lose control of it. She
must use her time and ability well to get her house in order and under her
control. She must use the 'wiring' God has given her to minister to the needs of
her husband and their children. She protects her children, nourishes, and
nurtures them. She takes what her husband has provided and puts it to use on
their behalf. But she also trains her children in the way they should go. She
is their authority. She teaches them by example and other means, the value of
their Father as the head of their home and their provider, protector, under
God.
Her husband does not
have to come home to children who are bouncing off the walls, out of control,
for their mother has had the strength and wisdom to control and guide them. She
seeks the face of God for her family and is able to take authority over the
enemy who would try to steal, kill and destroy.
Look again at 1 Timothy 5:14 along with verse 1.
She does not 'give' the
enemy an occasion to speak reproachfully, because she lives her life above
reproach. The enemy will always look for an opportunity to steal, kill, and
destroy, but a woman of God is able to wear the armor of God, as is her husband.
She too has been given authority over that enemy and she will take it. She is a
provider of –
A wise man wants a woman
of strength and ability, both to reason and take charge. He does not want a
woman who must call him on his job every few minutes to get his guidance and
his approval on every decision she needs to make. He wants to be able to
provide a house; a dwelling place and know that his wife will make it a home; a
place of safety and refuge.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
A woman whose husband
considers her to be unable to make wise decisions, or to head her household,
will not be able to do for her husband what she could if she had his trust, and
the freedom to act in an authoritative manner on his behalf.
Notice that verse 31
says to - “give her of the fruit of her hands”
Fruit here, according to
the Hebrew, is - “fruit (lit. or fig.):- bough, ([first-]) fruit ([-ful]),
reward. In other words, what she has done with her own hands, has multiplied or
born fruit. Now, give her of that fruit and let what she does with it, bring
her praise. Give it to her and see what she will do with it. Let her do her
thing. Let her take what she has already produced and with it produce more.
HEIRS TOGETHER
And what is this 'grace’?
The Greek word is charis, khar'-ece. It is the same grace spoken of so many
times in the Word of God. It's meanings include such things as – graciousness
(as gratifying) of manner or act ( … lit. or fig. or spiritual: especially the
divine influence upon the heart, and it's reflection in the life: …)
They are heirs together
of this divine influence upon the heart. The Spirit of the living God is able
and willing to influence both the man and the woman who are united, have become
one, have been born of the Spirit, and are sold out to their Lord and His will.
If God is able to lead,
guide, and speak to both the husband and wife, then each can feel safe with the
other.
Oh, you say, but I do
not have such a relationship of trust and unity with my husband. How then can I
apply these scriptures to my life?
First there needs to be
unselfish love for your mate. Then a respect for who and what he/she is, and
the position God gave him and requires him to fulfill. There needs to be a
willingness to learn what God says to us and to obey completely. If we ask for
understanding and wisdom, he will give it.
Women, God is willing to
show you what it means to be a powerful woman of God, whose strength and
ability is put to great use for her family, and who influences those who see
her life.
Your strength need never
diminish your femininity. Nor will the authoritative role you play in guiding
your house and the affairs your husband trusts you with, ever need to usurp
your husband's authority and God given position. You are to be a team, one, and
the image of God. I hope to make this even more clear in the next section of
study. So please continue on patiently and with an open heart.
Matthew 18:18 And I say again unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Satan has a hatred for
the woman, that apparently began in the garden of Eden. The woman was deceived
but turned around and revealed to God who her deceiver was. Through her would
come the Savior who would bruise (or crush) Satan's head, destroying him and
his power. The position he had tried to get through deceiving the woman, and
then her disobedience, was not only lost, but she would in turn give birth to
his destroyer.
Through the years he has
tormented the woman through abuses of mind and body. He has tried to steal from
her, her dignity, her children, her position in her husband's life, as a help
and partner; that safe place for him to give his love and his heart to, and to
find rest in the completion of his wife. He has suppressed her and demeaned
her. He has left her a widow without her protective covering and the mate she
was to share life with. He has lifted her to the role of supposed ‘goddess,' as
another way to actually rob her while she thought she had achieved supremacy,
but was dying inside. And he has used men, even the husband she was meant to
complete, as her very enemy. Many a woman suffers greatly at the hands of the
one she was to love and trust.
We must begin by seeing
what God intended and what he desires for us to have, even if our life, at the
moment, seems a far cry from that. And we must believe that God truly can make
all things new.
No comments:
Post a Comment