"Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you." NASB
Ever since the fall of mankind, there has been war or some sort of competitive nitch between the man and the woman. Some eras of time might not be as aggressive in its appearance of this battle, but that does not mean it ceased and re-surfaced. The "battle of the sexes is at a continuously rising peak as women exercise more and more their rights granted them around the early 1900s. So much now that the term "independent woman" has become more popular than the traditional "respectful wife." The mindset that has developed in the household now is the head of the house is whoever makes the most money. It is even labeled this way when couples file taxes. The fallacy in this structure is that there is no consistency in the roles. Headship can easily change on the whim of various circumstances. Where does the root of these actions begin? The "battle of the sexes" is a result of the fall stated in the women's punishment. Understand when reading v. 16 that the desire here is not a sexual or pleasurable desire. We have to stay in the context that this is a punishment being issued. This desire is more of a sinful longing possibly for the man's position as leader. This statement has the same connotations as Gen.4:7 when God was talking to Cain about his envy toward his brother. God tells Cain,
"If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at your door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it."
Sin had a desire to overtake Cain in the opportunity presented through envy. Cain, in turn, had the same opportunity to master sin but failed resulting in the murdering of his brother. Sin's desire for Cain and the battle between the two is the same desire foretold as part of Eve's punishment. Fortunately, this curse is reversed in Christ's relationship with the church. In Eph. 5:22-29, instead of that sinful desire for husbands, wives are commanded to respect them, submitting as the church does to Christ. Instead of husbands bringing the hammer down on their wives, they are told to love them, replicating Christ's love for the church. With this structure being consistent, the "battle of the sexes" can be exchanged for a God-centered relationship.
1) Wives, does the company you entertain influence you that the many financial opportunities presented to women means the lack of importance of the existence for men?
2) Wives, is submission to authority based on whoever has more financial leverage in the home?
3) Husbands, does the company you entertain influence you that "enslaving your wives" is what makes you king of your home?
4) (All) How are you filtering out the world's view and working in God's view?
Lord, forgive me for letting my pride take the place of You wanting us to humble. Help me to be more loving as a husband or more respectful as a wife and to surround myself with people who encourage that.
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