17
January 1932
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
of.” That is what surgeons do after an operation. See the divine Surgeon at work! T he B rh > e "And the rib [side part], which the Lord God had taken from man, made [built] he [into] a woman.” We see that the woman did not grow or develop. She was built by God. God is the unique Builder. As He built the woman, the bride of the man, so He builds the church, the bride of Christ. “ In whom all the building fitly [harmoniously] framed [fitted] together groweth into an holy temple in the Lord; In whom ye are being budded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” We notice that the woman was taken from Adam’s side. As an ancient writer quaintly suggests, she was not taken from his. head to have dominion over him; nor was she taken from his feet to be tyrannized and trampled under foot. She was not taken from the hands to be bru tally handled by man. The woman was taken from the side of man to be a help meet and a companion. Notice the priority of man. Man was created first and then the woman. Also consider the dependence o f the woman upon the man. Do not forget the original equality o f man and woman. In heathen lands, women have an in ferior place. But “ in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female.” Women owe more to Christ than do men. What the woman lost through the fall of Eve, she has more than regained in Christ Jesus. A G ood W ife It is not written that Eve was brought by an angel, nor by a man, but God “ brought her unto the man.” “ A good wife is from the Lord.” A good wife is brought to a man of God not by man, nor by angels, but by God Himself. Adam and Eve were married by the Lord. Marriage is a heaven-born relation, and it is honorable in all. Abraham and Sarah were brought together by God. The altar was the chief bit of furniture in the home of these two, and love reigned all through their wedded life. They witnessed for God amid polytheism. When the time came for Abra ham’s son, Isaac, to be married, he did not select a bride for him from among the idolatrous heathen round about. There were many beautiful women near at hand. Abra ham could have gotten a bride for Isaac from the weal thiest princes in Palestine. However, he sent his servant back to his own people to procure for his son an acceptable bride. Abraham prayed that God would choose a bride for Isaac. The servant of Abraham also prayed. Prayer was answered, and behold Rebekah! Are you praying, parents ? Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous and walked circumspectly. God brought the two together that they might be the parents of the forerunner o f Christ. Aquila and Priscilla were married in the Lord. They were so well versed in spiritual things that they instructed Apollos, the Greek orator, in Christian theology. A D iabolical W ife There are marriages, also, of the devil’s scheming. Ahab, the apostate king, was married to Jezebel, who was surely demon-possessed. The devil through ljer tried to ex terminate the royal line o f which Christ was to be born. Many Christian workers are married to women who not- only are indifferent to Christianity, but who actually de spise and hate spiritual things. When a spiritual man or woman marries a worldly mate, the peace the spiritual one once enjoyed becomes a vague memory.
T he S ame , Y et D ifferent .When, God brought Eve to Adam, he said, “ This is now bone of my bones, and flesii of my flesh.” We have here the truth of race solidarity. If God had created Eve out of earth, race solidarity would have been a hope for ever unrealized. When God made man, “ male and female created he them.” Although there was race solidarity, there was also sex differentiation. We need to remember this in this ma triarchal age. “ She shall be called Woman [man-formed female], be cause she was taken out of Man.” The Hebrew word here for man is ish. Add an a and you have the word for woman, isha . 1Put “ wo” before “ man,” and you have “woman.” In his sphere, man is regnant; out of his sphere, he is repugnant. Likewise the woman! K ing and Q ueen Before Eve was created, Adam was given dominion over all things. Eve shared this dominion with him. He was the king. She was the queen. Man and wife are to have things in common. What the man earns, the woman earns. What the man possesses, the woman possesses. Father and mother are to be the king and queen of the kingdom called home, and the children are to be obedient and loyal subjects. “ Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife.” Christ quoted this, and so did Paul. God does not mean that a man shall dishonor his father and mother, but He does say that the newly mar ried couple shall build their own nest. It is better for a young couple to live in one room alone, than to live in many rooms in the home of the parents of either one. Many matrimonial difficulties may be traced to well-meaning “ in laws.” What is true in the marriage relationship is also true in the spiritual realm. Christ said, “ He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy o f me.” Man shall not only leave his father and mother, but he shall also cleave unto his w ife ; he is to“ cleave unto his own wife,” not unto the wife of another. The wife is not to be a street wife like Tamar; nor a,field wife like Dinah; but a house wife. She is to reign over the home. She is to be the queen of the domestic circle. . “ A virtuous wife is a crown to her husband.” “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour o f the Lord.” Happy is the Christian who marries in the Lord, and who is yoked with a true believer. Happy is the man or woman who is a member of the church, the bride of Christ, which He loved and for which He shed His blood that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle. How He Was Led Never once was Christ gently led. He was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. He was led by men filled with wrath to the brow of the hill, that they might cast Him down headlong. He was led away to Annas; led away to Caiaphas; led into the council of the elders and chief priests and scribes; led to Pontius Pilate, and into the hall of judgment. And then He, our Lord Jesus Christ, was led as a sheep to the slaughter; led away to be crucified! Verily, “ His way was rougher and darker than mine,”— F rances R idley H avergal .
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