4-9--04
Title: The Wise Woman
Text: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30))
Bible Reading: Genesis 2:18-25; Proverbs 31:10-31
18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.
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. (Genesis 2:18-25)
Introduction:
Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate all women. In my lifetime, I have loved many women; my wife, my mother, my daughter, my grandmother, my aunts, and I could go on-and-on. These wonderful women have loved me, cared for me, and taught me about God and Jesus. There’s an old saying that goes like this, “Behind every great man, there’s a great woman.” I don’t claim to be great in any sense, however, there have been many great women in my life, and they deserve a lot of credit for anything good about me.
Let me give you a couple of quotes from truly great men that speak about the women in their lives. Here’s the first: “I remember my grandmother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” Who said that? It was Abraham Lincoln. The second quote is this: “My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual, and physical education I received from her.” Do you know who said that? It was George Washington.
The Book of Proverbs is a good source for anyone who wants to know what the Bible has to say about women. These proverbs are from the 31st chapter:
10 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her…
12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.
13 She … willingly works with her hands.
15 She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household…
20 She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
It’s clear from these proverbs that God has high praise for a “good” woman. Mother’s Day provides an occasion for celebrating what the Bible says about women.
In a day when some movements rush to make men and women just alike and other movements seek to make one inferior or superior to the other, it is important to understand the biblical teaching on this subject. Genesis 1 and 2 is a good place to begin. Following a general account of man’s creation in Genesis 1:26–31, the Bible gives a detailed account of the creation of woman in Genesis 2:18–21.
All women are wise and happy if they understand where they originated, why they were created, and what a wonderful contribution they make to God’s plan. There are three points to be made by today’s message.
The first point is “The Need for Woman” (Gen. 2:18-20). That’s the subject of Genesis 2:18-20.
18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.
As Adam named each animal, he might have looked into their eyes, and saw that something was missing. They were all different from him. The monkeys could walk behind him and mimic his actions, but they could never be a true companion. When Adam looked into a pool of water and saw his reflection, he knew it was him, but when the dogs saw their reflection, they thought they were looking at another dog. There was no one like him in Eden. God said it was not good for man to be alone. Man needed someone to talk to, a companion, and someone to comfort him. Woman was God’s answer to Adam’s loneliness. No other creature was suitable for Adam. A woman is a unique creation, because there are needs only she can meet. Albert Barnes caught a glimpse of the wonder of woman, and he wrote this, “God did not create man a nonsocial being… In every way the normal thing for man is to go through life in fellowship with a wife. Man needs her.”
The creation of woman was not an after-thought with God, but instead she was vital in His divine plan for man’s good. She was created to meet man’s need. She was needed, is needed, and will continue to be needed by man. Eve met Adam’s need for a lover. She met his need for a listener. No other creation in God’s universe could do for Adam what Eve could do. She loved. She listened. She comforted. She understood. She was the perfect answer to a perfect man’s dreams. This truth provides women with the dignity, delight, and dedication to fill the role God designed for them. A woman that is clothed in the dignity of knowing who she is walks in incredible strength. As Proverbs 31:10 says, “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.” Let me see if I can explain this verse a little better.
Rubies are very hard gemstones, almost as hard as diamonds, but much more colorful. They are considered today, as being more rare and expensive than even diamonds. The most famous source of rubies is Burma. In the ancient world rubies were called the “King of Precious Stones,” and they were the rarest and most beautiful of precious stones. Solomon imported rubies into his kingdom, along with vast amounts of gold, silver, and precious stones. In his writings in Proverbs, he used rubies as the standard for comparing the value of other things. Three things are said to be more precious than rubies:
• First, the ability to speak prudently (Prov.20:15).
• Second is wisdom (Prov.8:11)
• Third is the Godly woman (Prov.31:10).
And we must never forget that women are needed as mothers. I read that a mother was once playing tag with her young children on the lawn, when her husband yelled out the door, “Be careful not to hurt the grass!” She responded, “We’re not raising grass, we’re raising children.” That mother had her priorities in order; her children were more important than the lawn. Friends, I hope you had a good mother, and that you have good memories of her. There is nothing like a mother’s love for her children. It’s more precious than rubies.
We have seen that women are needed, so let’s look at the second point, “The Nature of Woman” (Gen.2:21–22). That is the subject of Genesis 2:21-22.
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.
The nature of a woman makes her a unique person unlike any other. It’s as bad for a woman to be alone as it is for a man. Women and men are incomplete without each other. Since Eve was taken from Adam’s side, this suggests that woman is neither superior to nor inferior to man. God didn’t take her from the head to be his superior, or from the foot to be his inferior, but from his side to be equal with him. She is on the same level with him in the plan and providence of God. This was the exact purpose that she was created for: she is to be the other half of man. A wife is the other half of him, the other part of him. He is only half a man without her.
The third point is “The Name of Woman” (Gen.2:23 -25). That’s the subject of verses 23-25.
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.” The word for “Woman” in the Hebrew language is very similar to the word for man. The word for man is “ish,” and the word for woman is “ishshah.” She is the other part of man and she is to answer to him. God intended man to take the lead—He created him first—and He created woman to follow.
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. In other words, the man is now subject to his wife in the sense that he is responsible for her, and he is no longer under the control of his father and mother. There is a connection between the husband and the wife, that is different from every other relationship, and God says, “Husbands, love your wives.”
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. The name of woman makes her a unique person. When God brought Eve to Adam, He declared, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
Eve provided Adam with companionship, totally unlike the animals. She was near at hand and a part of his own body and shared his same nature. When I read the account of woman’s creation I feel a deep sense of appreciation, awe, and adoration. I like what Joseph Parker wrote, “Beautiful and tender is this notion of throwing man into a deep sleep to take a rib from him as the starting point of a blessed companionship. A good wife is from the Lord...He who made the lock will also make the key...This cometh from the Lord of Hosts, which is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working...O woman, love thy maker! Thou art the most wonderful instrument He made in the earth; see to it that the music of thy life be all given to His holy praise.”
Conclusion
I am so thankful that God created women! But in Proverbs 31 there is the warning that few women are really fulfilling God’s plan. Verse 10 asks, “Who can find a virtuous wife...” but they’re in our churches, and in our homes. We have a God who wants us all to reflect the Divine Nature that God places within all who accept His Son as their Savior, and He wants us to live up to the name He gave us as men and women and most of all as Christians.
Verse 18 stated, And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Some women are offended by this verse, since it states that women were created to help men. But they shouldn’t be, since God identified Himself as a “Helper” to Israel. The word does not imply inferiority. It describes the role of women, rather than their worth. No one loses value in humbly assuming the role of “helper.” As a “helper” to the man, the woman became his partner spiritually in the overwhelming task of obedience to God and dominion over the earth.
She was also intended to be a vital part of bringing new life into the world. The woman, because she was a friend to the man, would bring him comfort and fellowship (Gen. 1:23, 24). No one else could encourage and inspire him as she was created to do. She was designed to be the perfect counterpart for the man, and the woman was neither inferior nor superior, but she was alike and equal to the man and unique in her role.
Man and woman were both created in God’s image. Just as man was formed from earth, woman was formed from man. She corresponds perfectly to the man. She has the same flesh and blood, and she was created in “the image of God” just as the man was. She was equal to him in every way (Gen. 1:27).
Today, I have something to say to all of you ladies. I want to stand in the place of every man you have helped in your life, and say “Thank you.” I believe they may also want to tell you that they love you. They might even say to you, “All I am, I owe to you.”
Sierra, “Thank you for helping me. I love you very much, and I owe you more than I can ever repay.” If my mother were alive, I would tell her how much I love her, and I would thank her for loving me, even when no one else did. I pray that God will bless each of you, and Sierra and I want to give all the ladies a gift, before you leave. Please stay where you are, until you get your gift.
Let’s pray!
