Jennifer Rothnie Supporter Housewife, Artist, Perpetually Curious

While the reason God made Eve was as the counterpart/helper of man, it is important to remember that God had known He was going to create Eve before He even created time. In fact, His eternal plan of salvation (sending Christ, etc) was already set. Men and women both would be involved in this (Abraham, Mary, etc). Unlike the animals who were created in pairs, God waited to create Eve. There were several reasons for this that scripture details: to put the responsibilities of leadership on Adam (Gen 2:15-17, Gen 3:8-9, Gen 3:17-19), for him to realize that Eve was a part of him (Gen 2:20-23), for Adam to realize the necessity of him having a partner (Gen 2:19-25), and to set the first example of a son (Adam) leaving the care of his father and mother to instead take a wife and run his own household (Gen 2:24).

Gen 1:26-28 summarizes the creation of mankind:
"Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”"

Here we see that both women and men were made to be part of the same plan of stewarding the earth.

The chief duty/purpose of both men and women is found in Ecc 12:13

"Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind."

This is more specific in John 6:29:

"Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

There are many duties beyond partnership in marriage [of which not every woman needs to be married or seek it, which is another topic on its own]. Hoping in God & Praying, for example (I Tim 5:5). It is important to remember that physical marriage is merely a type/shadow of Christ's relationship with the church. (II Cor 11:2) As such, any physical duty of marriage (submission, love, partnership, support, conjugal rights, etc) are also types and shadows for the eternal (submission to God, loving God, fellowship, ministry, a personal relationship with Christ, etc).

Throughout scripture, there have been women contributed and were commended, or who participated in the eternal plan, who were daughters, widows, or otherwise unmarried:

(Luke 2:36-38, Mark 12:41-44, Gen 38:6-30, 1 Kings 17:7-24, Acts 21:7-9, Luke 1:36-55, Josh 2, Heb 11:31, 1 Tim 5:16, etc)

These are cases of mothers, sisters, women hoping in God, women testifying to Christ, women hosting churches, women taking care of other women, etc. Most striking, perhaps, is the case of Mary who, while still a virgin, became the mother of Christ.

There are also many mentions of married women with activities in addition to being a wife, and of women who considered God's will highest priority: (Judges 4:4-10, Acts 18:2-3, Prov 31:10-31, I Samuel 25:10-44, Ex 1:15-21, Acts 16:13-15, Rom 16:3-7, etc)

There is even a case of one woman, who though she 'helped' her husband, is wildly considered the most wicked woman who ever lived. (1 Kings 21:1-29) Jezebel did not fear the Lord.

While being a wife is a wonderful thing, God made physical marriage for the sake of mankind. It is a shadow, looking forward to eternity with Christ. We will not be married when we are resurrected and given eternal bodies (Luke 20:34-38). Earthly marriage only reflects our highest purpose of believing on Christ and becoming part of His church.

Praying, witnessing, edifying other believers, giving, hoping, loving, industry, prophesying, worshiping, ministering, testifying to Christ, etc - these are all duties (and blessings) for both men and women.

July 29 2014 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

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