Head-dibs

Or is this just a story about God’s creative power only? How does Genesis 2:21-25 read? “ So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made  into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘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.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed .” What Moses was inspired to write here is an expansion of what was started in the previous chapter, “ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them .” Returning back to chapter 2, we find that Eve is declared to be man’s helper (2:18, 20, 24). Is that it? Is the woman merely the helpe...

Man, the crown of God’s creation, is God’s representative on earth. As such man is to have dominion over creation; however, since man’s relationship with God was broken by sin, the dominion of man (i.e., his “rule”) is altered. For example, God gave every tree of the garden (with one exception) as prepared food. Since man sinned and his ruler is changed, man must now prepare his own food (see Genesis 3:17-19). One aspect of man’s rulership is problematic for many because the woman is told, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you shall bring forth children; yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16) Presupposition concerning what it means for man to rule wrecks the text; but, it also proves the point. First, notice that childbirth was already painful. Since the fall, the pain will be multiplied. Second, the desire of a man’s wife is for her husband. The weight of the Hebrew is less-nice. Kiel and Delitzch help us out...

I know I’ve met him before, I just don’t remember when. You know how it goes. I should have remembered meeting him, but I don’t. Well, I met Abigail’s husband—her first husband, that is—again and now I know I’ll never forget him and the reason is because he’s a boor. Now, I am merely echoing this description that comes from someone else and frankly, this description is “spot-on.” You know what a “boor” is, don’t you? First, the word is not pronounced “bore” or “boar.” Think Dutch: “boer” or German “bur.” Second, we might simply say the person is “rude.” That’s about the shape of it. The man is rude, without manners. One might even call him a “jerk.” Why she married him, only God knows because we all know her second husband quite well and her second husband was quite the rock-star of his day. He was a king. What a contrast in men: Nabal (the boor) and David (a man after God’s own heart). Actually, Nabal (in Hebrew) literally means, “fool” and “senseless.” The curtain rises in 1...

Question: Why does the Old Testament say that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18), and that finding a wife is a good thing (Proverbs 18:22); yet, the New Testament says it is good that a man should not touch a woman (1 Corinthians 7:1)? Is marriage a good thing? Answer: A wife is such a good find that marriage protects both man and wife. Paul did not say that a man could not touch a woman, thus making marriage bad. The word “touch” used by Paul includes the idea of “fasten to, adhere” and “to set on fire.” What he said was, “Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.” In other words, marriage protects from immorality. Look at it this way: if two people are married, even flirting with someone is not permissible because it misdirects emotions and this can lead to lust, which is adultery. The man is to have his own ...

A dear woman from Nigeria wrote and asked "i have been praying to God for a husband and children but it seems that the Lord is not paying attention to my prayers- what have i done wrong and how do i right the wrong? pls help me as i am very desperate and frustrated". First, we must remember that God works everything according to His purposes in Christ Jesus. He cannot be moved to work according to our purposes.  There is no power in prayer, as if it were magic.  God is the God of power and He answers according to His glory. Second, there are three ways God answers prayer: He can say, “Yes,” and grant the request; or He can say, “Wait, not just yet,” or He can say, “No.” It seems right now He is saying “Wait,” but that does not mean He will say, “Yes,” either. God has ways of putting each of us in a place where we must learn to become content in Him, for “ godliness with contentment is great gain .” (1 Timothy 6:6)

I saw this in the Baptist Press today: "NAVAJO NATION OVERRIDES VETO -- The Navajo Nation's tribal government voted 62-14 June 3 to override President Joe Shirley Jr.'s veto of a ban on "gay marriage." The vote means that "gay marriage" is now illegal on the largest American Indian reservation. Shirley had vetoed the ban in May, saying it was unnecessary."In the traditional Navajo ways, gay marriage is a big 'no, no,'" Navajo delegate Kenneth Maryboy, who voted for the ban, told the Associated Press. "It all boils down to the circle of life. We were put on the earth to produce offspring."" This event is notable for the Dine', but I could not help but notice the animistic comment at the end, referring to the "circle of life." President Joe Shirley graduated from Rehoboth School (a boarding school founded by the Christian Reformed Church--from which I also graduated) and may be a Christian. I don't know i...