I am Ruth, Without a Naomi

Chapter 1: The Role of the Husband
The Knowledge Key

Adam:
Husbands Love Your Wives as Christ Loved the Church and gave Himself for it

The Wisdom Door
Let us explore Old and New Testament Scriptures, as we examine the role of the husband. We will begin with the study of Adam, the husband of Eve. Adam is identified as the first man God created.

1. Adam was created in the image of God Genesis 1:26-27

Adam was a representation of God and the head of his household. Husbands, be confident in what God has called you to do. Your responsibility is to lead your wife, your children, and anyone else within your home. You must take this responsibility and walk in it. God has given you this authority; run with it!

2. Adam’s job was to follow God. Genesis 1:29-31

The LORD made provisions and gave provisions to Adam to take care of his every need. Adam’s responsibility was to receive and obey God’s Word. Husbands, receive and follow as Adam was commanded to do. Seek God for directions to know how to lead.

3. Adam’s responsibility was to leave his father and mother and cleave unto His wife Genesis 2:24

The two verbs leave and cleave may be defined as follows:
• Leave: go away from
• Cleave: join (becoming one flesh)
Scripture says, “Let a man forsake or leave his father and his mother in order that he may cleave to his wife. If a man does not leave, he cannot cleave, nor can he become one flesh with his wife. The process of becoming one in flesh indicates total unity in life, purpose, and pleasure.

Husbands, have you physically left your parents’ home? What about mentally? What about emotionally? I am reminded of some advice that my husband shared with me that he received early in our marriage from an older woman who had a son. Her message to my husband was, “A daughter is a daughter for life, but a son is a son, until he gets a wife.” Although I do not know what the woman meant, I do know what the Word of God says: “The husband is to leave his parents and cleave to his wife.” God expects the husband to join with his wife as one flesh and they are to build a life together. This does not mean that the son cannot have a loving relationship with his parents. It simply means that his wife’s needs must come before his parents’ needs.

4. Husbands: Love your wives as Christ loved the Church (Ephesians 5:25)

Love denotes the husband’s sacrificial giving for the benefit of his wife, without thought of anything, other than her love in return. Just as Christ gave Himself for the Church, there should be no sacrifice that the husband would not be willing to make for his wife, in alignment with the Word of God.

5. Angry Men are Angry Boys

God gave me this revelation one day as He used me to minister to a sister who was going through a trial in her marriage. She spoke of how harshly her husband talked to her. This concept of “angry men are angry boys” means that whatever unresolved issues a husband encountered in his childhood, he is likely to bring those into his marriage. Parents owe it to their children to get them the help they need as children so that they function well in healthy relationships with others, especially with their spouses.

6. Some Advice for Parents

Parents: The way to ensure that your son will be a blessed husband to his wife is to teach him to surrender to God, first. In doing this, your son will love God, seek to please Him, and be willing to be obedient to God’s Word. This will produce a fruitful marriage as well as much fruit in other areas of your son’s life.

Additionally, parents be mindful that you cannot teach your son what you do not know yourself. Ensure that you have surrendered to God and sought His directions on how to teach your son.

Remember, the wife knows the husband better than his mother since men tend to be more open and feel more comfortable with their wives. It seems that some men do not want their parents to see or know certain things about themselves.

Do not assume a good son is a good husband. Just as parents teach sons to be good providers for their households, they should also teach them how to be good husbands. Teaching is two-fold:
1. What is said; and
2. What is modeled