Hello Everyone,
I pray that all is well with everyone. I am so thankful for your faithfulness in reading my blog. Your consistency increases my hope for the lost world that we reside in. Also, I would remiss if I did not acknowledge our international readers and their commitment to plug-in every week as well.
I hope that you all enjoyed the sneak peek of Eve last week. Additionally, I hope that you spent some time in the scriptures getting to know Eve. Spending the time to get to know Eve allows us time to get to know ourselves.
This lesson will lay the foundation for the purpose of Eve and womanhood. There is a sizable amount of resource and text to work through, but stay with me. I assure you that all this information will give us a better understanding of Eve, womanhood, and our purpose as women. We must lay a sturdy foundation in order to build this assured house of womanhood.
So, let's dive right in!
RESOURCE
Genesis 2:21-25
21 And
the Lord God caused a
deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and
closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which
the Lord God had taken from
man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 And
Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh
of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of
Man.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and
be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And
they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Woman - a
female person who has a significant role in life, particularly the life of a
man; the glory of creation; a female person
Companion - an accompaniment, support, benefit to another; familiar person
LESSON
In current
church culture there is an order of leadership. Sometimes there is a
Pastor, who is the earthly head of the physical church. His wife would be
considered the "Firstlady". Well Eve is "Thee
Firstlady", literally. She is the firstlady of all firstladies
because she is the first lady, woman.
Eve, being
the first lady, establishes the significance and importance of being a woman.
Gender matters (DeMoss & Kassian 2012)!
In chapter 2
of the book of Genesis we see God toil over His creations. The garden was
perfectly prepared for man to tend and keep; even biblical paradise required
work (Allen, House, & Radmacher 1999). As God travailed over His
creations He decided to make man to tend, experience, and appreciate His
creations. God created man in His own image to have fellowship with
Himself (Mears 1997). God made man for His companionship and woman for
man's companionship. Knowing that God created man for companionship and
that because He is the all knowing powerful God that He is, why this dynamic?
God could have created two men and not one man and one woman.
Womanhood is
not a biological accident; it is an intentional design by God (DeMoss & Kassian
2012). God was purposeful in His design of creating woman as a companion
to man (Genesis 2:23).
Woman is described above as a female who has a specific role. Man needed a helper comparable to him; he needed a companion (Allen, House, & Radmacher 1999). That role is depicted as a companion. We see that a companion is a supporter and a help (Genesis 2:18). God's design of woman is of equal footing to man, just in a different form. She is his companion, just like him, not a servant, as we serve unto God, but having intelligence, personality, ethical and moral sensitivity, and spirituality (Allen, House & Radmacher 1999). She was taken from his side to signify one flesh, but also to denote equality; not from his head lest she rule over him and not from his feet lest he tyrannize her, but a species of equality that subsist in the state of marriage (Easton 1894). God's woman is designed both strong and vulnerable; powerful yet tender; capable, but willing to yield; equal in worth, secure in her God given role (Shirer 2011).
The magnitude of God's earnest design towards woman. God performing the first surgery, in His kindness administered an anesthetic to Adam, removed his rib and made Eve; the first evidence of DNA and support of the molecular structure (Allen, House, & Radmacher 1999). Ladies, can you see how important and necessary we are to God's design!!! We must honor and operate in His purpose for us in order to give credence to His plan! The Bible teaches us that it's not up to us to decide what womanhood is all about; God created male and female for a vital, specific purpose, His design is not arbitrary, unimportant, or expendable (DeMoss & Kassian 2012).
After reading and studying this overload of information about womanhood, I AM EXCITED!!! I feel very blessed to be a woman. A God designed woman!! His glory is shown through His design, woman!!! I am empowered by the Godly design of woman, not the world's depiction that emasculates my man and denounces God's plan. I am empowered by being God's woman; romantically designed in His image for His glory!
APPLICATION
We have covered a lot of information today. I pray that it isn't too overwhelming. However, I urge you to dig deep into the word of God and develop a better understanding of God's purpose for women and you as a woman.
This week we will choose one area in our
lives where we struggle to honor God's design of woman. In your quiet
time and/or prayer time ask God to reveal to you an area where you need the
most work. Seek the Lord for His specified design for you as a woman.
Refer to the bible for specific descriptions or areas of womanhood that honors
God; scriptures on what to do and what not to do. I will list some verses
to get us started.
Genesis 2:18
Genesis 2:24
Genesis 3:16
Proverbs 11:22
Proverbs 14:1
Proverbs 19:14
Proverbs 31:10-31
1 Corinthians 11:3
Ephesians 5:22-24
Philippians 4:4-9
Titus 2:3-5
These are just a few to get you started.
I pray that God will reveal to us all our
purposeful design of womanhood in His glory.
Have a blessed week!
Be blessed,
T. Carter
REFERENCES
All
scripture notations were extracted from the New King James Version of the
bible. YouVersion (2013)
Allen Th.D, Ronald B., House Th.D. J.D., H. Wayne, Radmacher
Th.D., Earl D. (1999). New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Thomas Nelson
Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee
DeMoss, Nancy Leigh & Kassian, Mary A. (2012). True Woman 101;
Divine Design. Moody Publishers. Chicago, Illinois
Easton, Matthew George (1897). Easton Bible
Dictionary. Thomas Nelson Publishing
Mears, Henrietta (1999). What the Bible is All About. Regal
Books Publishing. Ventura, CA
Shirer,
Priscilla (2011). The Resolution for Women. B&H Publishing. Nashville,
Tennessee
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