Today let’s go back to the first days of creation. I was recently at a women’s retreat where we were asked the question, “What do you think Eden was like?” As we sat around imagining what it would have been like, we came up with words like:
- blissful
- oasis
- peaceful
- euphoric
- perfection
Just imagine the earth, freshly created, with God walking in the garden along side Adam and then Eve. The fellowship was immaculate and intimate. Adam and Eve had the perfect marriage. The scripture tells us they were naked and not ashamed. They were free to be open with each other and open with God.
Then… the attack.
The devil entered the scene. He attacked peace. He attacked their fellowship. He attacked marriage. His first tactic was to place Eve as the head. As he addressed Eve, he mocked the design and order of the Creator.
Let’s go back to that day Eve was created. What is the hierarchy of creation? The scripture tells us she was created as a “helper suitable.” (We will revisit that later on.) She was also created with a head.
The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 1 Cor. 11:3
Adam and Eve were both created in the image of God. Adam and Eve both had a God-breathed purpose for their life. They both had a divine identity. Part of that is the unmistakable fact that Eve was created with a head, Adam.
Satan came into God’s dominion and turned the design on upside down. Dr. Tony Evans said, “Satan made Adam the woman and Eve the man and all hell broke loose.” Do you see that? Do you see that the way that Satan infiltrated Adam and Eve’s fellowship with God was to give Eve headship as the spokesperson. She accepted. As did Adam. And literally… all hell broke loose.
This week I am planning on tackling the topic of biblical submission in marriage. It’s not a topic that I love. It’s not a topic that I think I’m good at. But it’s a topic that my God has spoken on.
If you are a woman like I am, the notion of submission makes you prickle. I have struggled with accepting the idea, let alone embracing it. But one thing I have realized. It is from God, therefore it is inherently good. Just because the devil has perverted it and the world has distorted it, doesn’t change the fact that God ordained it. Through submission I will be blessed. Through my lack of submission I invited the devil in.
“If you are the head of your home you’ve invited the devil to take over your family… the devil has taken over many a family because woman has refused to submit to the legitimate biblical authority of the may. So there is spiritual dysfunction.” –Tony Evans
