I was flipping through my grandfather's Bible – the Bible, my Uncle Robert Brown, presented to him on Christmas Eve, 1976. My grandfather passed on many years ago, but I often reflect on my name from my grandfather David and my father, Lee. So, I'm David Lee Brown, born out of a simple farming and military background gleaned from my family and perpetuated in my 20 years of service to our great nation. But this is not about the Brown paternity. It's about a couple of Proverbs my grandfather marked with an asterisk in his King James Bible. I'm not sure why he marked these proverbs, but I have my suspicions – the devastating destructive force exerted by modern feminism and radical feminism. Feminism is not what God intended.
Proverbs 31:3
"Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings." The background is the Queen Mother of King Lemuel advising her son. According to Matthew Henry,[1] "He must not be soft and effeminate, nor spend that time in a vain conversation with the ladies which should be spent in getting knowledge and dispatching business, nor employ that wit (which is the strength of the soul) in courting and complimenting them which he should employ about the affairs of his government." In other words, men are to be men, the leader of their households, not relenting to the soft, effeminate mannerisms pushed upon men by modern and radical feminism. God assigned men to lead their households.
When Joshua, in Joshua 24:15, said, "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." He was speaking for himself and his wife and children as the leader of their home. It is horribly unpopular for a modern woman to hear this. She immediately becomes defensive. She or even the older children might say, "I'm my own person, so I'll make my own decisions!" Unfortunately, this is part of God's curse on Eve for her failure in the garden of Eden. Eve took the lead in opposition to God's created hierarchy. She made the decision for her family, so in God's curse, she would not only have pain in childbirth but also desire her husband and be ruled over by him. I take this to mean that she wants to be like him – the leader, but is instead ruled over by him.
God assigned our proper roles before the fall of humanity, and we should always subjugate ourselves to those roles without regard to our wants and desires. God's desires for us supersede our wants and desires. After the fall of humanity, these roles had to be solidified, so God reinforced them but with a fallen twist. In other words, a good wife would naturally submit to her husband, but a rebellious wife would try to assert authority as a leader in violation of God's sovereign will. Because of this, a good husband would be forced to assert his rule over her according to God's will and assigned roles. Modern feminism is not what God intended.
Proverbs 31:10
"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." This statement is the first verse of a series describing a Godly or virtuous woman. So, ladies, if you ever wanted to know what God expects of you, you would do well to read Proverbs 31:10-31. According to the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges[2], "The picture here drawn of woman in her proper sphere of home, as a wife and a mother and the mistress of a household, stands out in bright relief against the dark sketches of woman degraded by impurity, or marred by imperfections, which are to be found in earlier chapters of this Book (Proverbs 2:16-20; Proverbs 5:1-23; Proverbs 7; Proverbs 22:14; Proverbs 23:27-28, and Proverbs 11:22; Proverbs 19:13; Proverbs 21:19). We have here woman occupying and adorning her rightful place, elevated by anticipation to the high estate to which the Gospel of Christ has restored her. It is an expansion of the earlier proverb: 'Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord' (Proverbs 18:22)."
A virtuous woman is the helper of her husband. She keeps the home; she works with her hands to help her household and husband. She makes wise decisions and is admired for her honesty, charity, and generosity. Because of her virtue and respect for her husband, her husband is admired and considered a wise, virtuous man by his peers. She is her husband's helper, which leads to her entire family reaping the benefit of her steadfastness to God's assigned order.
Marriage is a covenant of equals that have different roles assigned by God. God appointed the husband as the leader to be accomplished in a masculine, dedicated, honorable, godly manner keeping himself only for his wife and loving her as Christ loved the church (born-again believers). God assigned the wife to be her husband's helper by being submissive yet strong, passive to her husband yet leading her children in a manner that would bring honor to both her husband and herself. She is respectful to her husband, keeping herself only for him. In other words, she is not promiscuous or adulterous.
Feminism is Not What God Intended
Much of what I've written today will be hated by feminists. Radical feminists that feel masculinity is toxic will probably explode with anger. I don't care! I only care about what God intended and continues to uphold. God's design for families is clearly defined within Biblical scripture. Husbands and wives are equal in the sight of God – equal spiritually, equal in worth, and equal in his love for them. They are equals but with different roles assigned by Him, and He never changes. Humanity's ever-changing proclivities and philosophies do not sway God. God is steadfast, unchanging, and completely sovereign. So, I will think and do things according to God's will and to His glory, in Jesus' name, amen!
[1] Matthew Henry. (n.d.). Matthew Henry: Commentary on the whole Bible volume III - Christian classics ethereal library. Home - Christian Classics Ethereal Library. https://ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc3/mhc3.Prov.xxxii.html [2] Proverbs 31 Cambridge Bible for schools and colleges. (n.d.). Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/proverbs/31.htm
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