God of love created the first man, Adam and made him a helper suitable for him, Eve as recorded in Genesis 2:18. He wanted them to share love talking to and comforting each other. However, as sin and evil have gotten more rampant in the world, the relationship between husbands and wives has changed against God's will. We hope that all couples will enjoy true happiness and love through this special article about the God's providence on the role of husbands and wives.


Husbands and Wives are Very Precious to Each Other

In the book of Genesis, the process of woman's creation is well described. Genesis 2:21-22 says, "So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man."

God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam so that he did not feel pain when God took one of his ribs. In the structure of the human body, the ribs are located in the center of the body. They protect many important organs such as heart, lungs, and stomach. Even when the impact of a blow to the body has a lot of force, the ribs help to cushion the impact.

The reason God created a woman with a rib from a man is because He wanted to show that the woman is as important to the man as one of his ribs. A woman, who is a helper suitable for a man, is an indispensable being to a man, and she plays an important role. Adam, who knew this will of God, confessed in Genesis 2:23. "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh", when he saw Eve. Therefore, a woman is very important for a man.


A Husband Should Love His Wife as His Own Body

Since woman was originally created from man, for a husband to love his wife is just as the same as he loves himself as written in Ephesians 5:28. Ephesians 5:25 also says, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her." The Lord, who has become the bridegroom for all of us, gave His life for us His brides. Husbands should follow the example of the love of the Lord and love their own wives just as He did.

1 Peter 3:7 reads, "You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered."

A wife is the most important being to a husband, and at the same time, she is more fragile than he. Therefore, when a husband loves his wife like his own body, God is pleased with him, and gives answer to his prayer.

Colossians 3:19 reads, "Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them." If husbands love their wives, they will not be rude to them and they will not get angry with them; they rather cover their wives' faults. They will seek benefit for their wives; they will bear all things, believe all things, hope for all things, and endure all things with their love for their wives. As God gave the woman to Adam, He wants husbands and wives to share spiritual love with each other.


A Wife Should Serve Her Own Husband and Obey Him in the Lord

God didn't create woman from separate ground; He created woman from the body of man. It implies that husband and wife are not separate but they are united as one body. And it also implies that man takes the primary role, and woman, the subordinate.

In Genesis 2:23, as Adam looked at woman whom God had created from his rib, he said, "She shall be called woman, because she was taken out of Man." In other words, woman was created from man, and it was also man, Adam, who called her 'woman'. From this point, we can clearly see that between man and woman, which the first is and which lords over the household. Therefore, the proper order can be set when woman obeys to man.

In a family, it is right that wife should serve and respect her husband and that she should obey him. Ephesians 5:24 says, "But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything." Colossians 3:18 also reads, "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord."

It doesn't mean that wife should obey even when husband tells her to do something against the truth. Yet still, wife should not apply the condition of 'being subject in the Lord' according to her own standard. A wife should serve her husband according to his heart out of her love for him. Then, the husband can feel the sincere heart of his wife. If wife treats her husband with goodness, no matter how hard his heart is, it will mostly be melted down.

In addition, if a wife respects her husband's ideas and strongly supports him, the order of the family will be set. Then, the husband will be increasingly strengthened, and take full responsibility as the head of the family all the better. On the other hand, if wife stands against husband all the time, and causes him to lose strength because of her words and attitude, it's not easy for him to be supportive of the family as the head.


From Dr. Jaerock Lee's 65th Lecture on Genesis (www.manmin.org)