READY: April 20, 2010

Today's Passage: Genesis 1, NIV, courtesy of BibleGateway.com
What ladies can learn: Okay, I know--we read Genesis 2 first and then Genesis 1. There's a reason that we read the chapters out of order: Genesis 2 details the creation of woman, while Genesis 1 tells about God's first command for Eve (and ladies in general). So, technically, we're going in chronological order.

So, what is the first command recorded in the Bible? Verse 28: "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'" (emphasis mine)

This is a command given to both man and woman. As we learned yesterday, woman's job is to help man. Now we know specifically what man needs help with: increasing in number, filling the earth, subduing the earth, and ruling over the creatures of the earth.

There's a lot of ground to cover here, but I'm going to try to do it simply and briefly.

First, God gave this command to both man and woman. Eve's role in filling this command was just as important and necessary as Adam's role. As we saw before, however, Adam was to be the leader in deciding how to carry out this command, while Eve might help with anything from suggesting things to helping carry out the plan.

Second, God gave the task of "filling the earth" to both man and woman. It's not the woman's job to raise a child--it's both parents' jobs. In fact, the husband, as the head of the family, once again, has the important position of "leader" in this area.

Third, women help men rule. Men can't "subdue the earth" by themselves. They need their wives' help. The role of the wife, remember, is that of a necessary, indispensable helper, but not a primary conqueror.

Finally, let me clarify that in all these areas, men are to be as involved as women. It's not man's job to sit around on the couch planning things as a leader, and it's not woman's job to slave around doing whatever her husband tells her to. The best leaders are active! The best leaders participate in carrying out their plans just as much as the followers participate in carrying out the plans.

Highlighted characteristic of God: God has awesome, amazing power beyond our comprehension.
In two words: God created.

Highlighted characteristic for us: We are living in a beautiful world that God shaped with His own hands. Let's savor every minute of our time here.
In three words: Notice God's creation.