Adebisi2008’s Weblog

Ab initio, there was no hierarchy in the relationship of the early parents, that is Adam and Eve. I mean there was no hierarchy. They were living equally. Perhaps Adam was like a team leader to Eve. Maybe, they have been trying to get things done by influencing one another. Either party was free to make his or her own decision by influencing the other party. There was a total freedom for the woman [Eve]. Eve gave Adam the forbidden fruit to eat. Of course, Adam still had to comply with his wife’s audacious offer, apparently he accepted that fruit due to Eve’s influence. Adam, a man who had spoken with God, who had faith in God’s word, whom God had declared custodians of that splendid garden by a grace-giving God—surely this man would not refuse to sin so egregiously. No resistance? No discussion? No seeking God’s blessing before proceeding with this no-no? Well … no. But as a result of their sins which occured from Eve to Adam, God reversed that system under which they were living and replaced it with a new order. Thus, man ultimately became a figure of authority. See what the Lord God says in Genesis 3:16.

“To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” [Genesis 3:16]

The quotation above depicts God rules in the affairs of men. Since the pronouncement of this curse on Eve and especially the last statement in the above quotation, something of noticeable importance has happened to the Adam and Eve’s way of life. God instituted hierarchy in that family. Meaning that, they were categorized according to their ability and status. He made the man [Adam] to be on top and Eve low. In other words, God made Eve subjective to Adam. She was not free to take her own decision again, all her decision were subjective to her husband. Look at the last statement in that verse 16 again, “Your desire will be for your husband and he shall rule over you”. Thus, every woman is made subjective to their husband. Unfortunately some women of this generation are not willing to live in consonance with God’s verdict as stated above. Some government leaders, and other groups of people would not like to abide by God’s verdict, they lobby and influence their respective national representative body having supreme legislative powers, to enact laws that will directly or indirectly put wife on equal ground with their husband. To worsen the situation in some countries, they try to reverse the verdict of God, by finetunning their constitutions in such a way that make husbands subjective to their wives. Consequently, there are many broken marriages and homes. Broken relationships lead to broken marriages, broken marriages however, lead to broken homes, thus broken homes lead to broken society. If marriages are not broken, hence, homes cannot be broken. There are chaos in families because they have reversed the verdict of God. There a good number of single parents especially in the western world. As a result of single parentship experienced by their offsprings, most of these offsprings have became nuisance on the streets and threat to the peace security of our environment. There will not be end to this pervasive developmental disorder, if we do not trace our steps back to the word of God.

Conclusively, it does not matter whether our culture permits such lifestyle or not. Christians need to know that God did not call us to follow the culture. He sets us apart, as he did this ancient couple, promising Abram, “I will make you into a great nation” (Genesis 12:2). In the push and pull of marriage, both partners bear the responsibility of honoring God first.