Biblical submission...

I'll be posting some things from this study. You can click on the box on the side of my page to do it yourself. It's pretty interesting and something I need to hear again. :)

The wife and the rib

God made man on the sixth day. And when He made the first man (Adam) and the first woman (Eve), they were the only ones of their kind in all creation. All of creation was spoken into existence, except for Adam and Eve. Adam was "formed" out of the dust of the earth and Eve was formed from one of the ribs from the man, Adam. That is why Adam said of Eve:

"This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

Have you ever wondered why God used the bone from the man's rib to form the woman? I have. I used to wonder why God didn't use a piece of bone from the man's head so the wife could be over her husband. Or why God didn't use a bone from the man's shoulder so the wife could have an equal role and duties as her husband. Why didn't God use a bone from the man's thumb so his wife could be under his constant pressure. And why didn't God use a bone from the man's foot so the wife could be used as a feeble and dirty doormat? Why did God use the rib?

We know that our God is a God of purpose and of order. Our God does nothing out of frivolity like many of us do. God does everything with the specific intent to work the good of all those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). What's the "good" you ask? It's not the "silver lining" in a bad situation, it's being conformed into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29).

So, what's the deal with the wife and the rib? To find the answer, let's take a look at the make-up and function of the rib. The rib is:

1. located on the man's side
2. delicate, yet strong at the same time
3. only covers the two most vital organs of man:

• his heart
• his lungs

Now, with what we know for certain about our awesome and purposeful God and with what we know about the make-up and function of the rib, we can see clearly why God used the rib out of the man to form the wife.

God used the rib to show both the man and the woman that the woman was made to be by the man's side. To walk alongside him, to bless, support and protect him, to be the closest thing to his heart. God made the woman delicate in nature (that's why we get our feelings hurt more easily than men and even get physically injured more easily than men). But we are also strong. We are stubborn (sometimes in a good way and sometimes bad). Our strength gives us the ability to fight for our families and all that we believe in. And last but not least, we protect the two most vital organs of man, his heart and lungs. The heart pumps the very life-blood of the man throughout his entire body and the lungs give the man the ability to have breath. Without these two organs or if either is injured, it is impossible for a man to function well and could even cause the man to die.

Therefore, we can clearly assess that the very life-blood of a husband, his vigor, all that he breathes in and breathes out is dependent on his wife's protection.