God loves the family and has a purpose with it. We can say that the first “marriage” on earth was performed by God Himself. After creating the heavens and the earth and everything in them, God creates man, and the Lord saw that it was not good for man to live alone.
God creates a companion, a helpmeet for man. The woman is man’s helpmeet who would be by his side to assist him. We could never begin this study without talking about the emergence of the family, because our patriarchs were extremely important in human history.
Understanding the Emergence of the Family
When we look at the previous verses in Genesis 1, we see God creating everything that exists only with the power of His word, saying “Let there be” and everything began to take shape on earth. When God creates man, no word of creation is spoken, but rather He makes the human being with His own hands.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:26-31, KJV)
God begins the development of the human being, and He shows immense affection for this moment, and gives us a privilege that no other being received: to be in the image and likeness of God. God then developed the human being, male and female, so that they could procreate and populate the earth. We understand that the earth would only be populated, that is, more human beings would only be born through a sexual relationship between man and woman.
In God’s word, the animals had their pairs, and only man was alone. God understands that it was not good for man to live alone, because man needed someone to be side by side with him to assist in his daily life.
20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:20-25, KJV)
God Himself creates the one who would be Adam’s helpmeet. The most interesting thing is that, to form the woman, God chooses a part of man’s body. God chose precisely Adam’s rib to create the woman.
Then we will observe scientifically what the main function of the rib is. The ribs are structures responsible for protecting and structuring the thoracic region. They are semi-arch shaped bones that connect to a central bone called the sternum, thus forming a large box for the protection of organs like the lungs and kidneys.
The ribs and their muscles are extremely important for human life, as they are responsible for defending the thoracic cavity, maintaining negative pressure, and allowing breathing. The ribs protect the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels.
And now we ask: why did God choose the rib? How many ribs does a human body have? We learned from a young age in school that a human being has 12 pairs of ribs according to science.
Now let’s go to biblical numerology: the number 12 (twelve) in biblical numerology means governmental perfection. God at that moment was instituting the first family on earth and we understand that within a family there is a government, rules, and obligations.
And for a family to be blessed, it is necessary that there be governmental perfection, which only comes into existence when man and woman walk in agreement and thought, where both respect each other and live according to God’s precepts.
The woman was created by God to be man’s loving companion and helpmeet. She shares in man’s responsibility and would cooperate with him in God’s plan for his life and the family.
When a man leaves his father and mother, uniting with his wife, that new family demonstrates God’s completeness over the family. The number twelve refers to something that was organized and instituted by God.
The family is something instituted by God, and for this reason the enemy fights strongly to destroy it. Even to this day, the family continues to populate the earth, thus fulfilling God’s purpose from the beginning where man should unite with his wife and multiply.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28, KJV)
Family Only Prospers if Everyone Is United
Nothing can exist or stand when there is no unity. Family is a work that only bears fruit if done as a team. It is no use for only one spouse to take on the obligations and responsibilities. The spouse who does not support the other’s growth is not only hindering the other but also hindering themselves from growing. In the family, no one achieves anything alone, because everything is a joint effort.
Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. (Matthew 12:25, KJV)
Have you ever stopped to think that when a family decides to buy a car, for example, everyone gets involved? There is financial saving, husband and wife pool as much as possible and in the end everything works out, they achieve the goal.
Now when there is no support in the family, one has a positive idea, but the other has a negative idea that it won’t work. This generates in the family environment a feeling of incapacity and frustration.
But how to solve this? In the family, we must be able to forgive at all times, always apologize, and above all always put ourselves in the other’s place. It is necessary to know how to listen to the other and know how to dialogue, because dialogue is the soul of the family.
How can someone live in an environment where spouses do not know how to forgive? We may have “some attitudes” that will indeed hurt and sadden the other, but we must know how to release forgiveness and also recognize that we were wrong.
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. (Ephesians 4:26, KJV)
This is a great verse that can be applied to the family, because we must keep control over our emotions, not allowing ourselves to be controlled by anger. God’s word warns us that we must calm anger before the sun sets, because the feeling of anger creates opportunity for the devil.
It is no shame for man or woman to recognize that they were wrong. Shame is not recognizing that we are human beings full of errors and defects.
Love Within the Family
This theme refers to Galatians 5:14 which says: “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (KJV) Family requires that we love it as ourselves, overcoming faults, recognizing errors, and understanding defects.
We do not stop loving ourselves because of our defects, right? The same goes for the family, because we cannot stop loving it because there is a defect.
We should never make comparisons between our family and other people’s families, because each one has its own peculiarity, and this type of comparison generates frustrations and wear and tear in the family environment.
For husbands, the responsibility is not only to be the provider for the home and fulfiller of their obligations to their wife, but it goes much further than that.
The man must love and respect his wife, caring for her just as Jesus in His magnificent example as husband loved His wife (the church) in such a way that He gave His life for her.
Which husband is willing to give his life for his beloved wife?
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. (Ephesians 5:33, KJV)
See that God’s word speaks to the husband and also to the wife, because she must treat her husband with affection and respect. We understand that love is not a task only for the husband or only for the wife, but it is a task for all. Respect in the family is in every sense, especially when we are not close to our spouses.
Any burden where only one person carries leads to overload, but when the weight is divided between the parties, it becomes much easier to go further.
Be Careful with Words!
In the book of Proverbs, we can find precious advice for the family and for living. One of the most important pieces of advice that Solomon leaves us is about the care we must have with words, because our word has the power to bless and to curse.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21, KJV)
From this verse we can reflect on what words we have spoken about our family? Have we spoken words of blessing or curses?
Never say these words inside your home. Unfortunately, nowadays, there are family environments where people do not know the meaning of words and the power they can exert over a person.
There are people who are now cursing their family, their home, and their children by saying words without knowing their meaning.
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. (Proverbs 12:18, KJV)
- Misfortune: Condenses darkness, breakage, and absence of the Divine.
- Shit: Calls rot, filth, and adversities.
- Son of a b*: Evokes hatred and family disputes.
- Cursed: Launches plague and embodies curses.
- Stupid/Idiot: Should be avoided especially with children and sons.
- Wretched: Draws lack, indigence, poverty, and penury.
- Naughty: In its base means condemned, suffering and wandering, cursed, malevolent, evil, bad. Calling someone “naughty” is cursing the person, because naughty means “condemned to hell”.
- Brat: Was a demon from ancient Mesopotamia, whose original name was Moloch, to whom child sacrifices were made. In Africa, its name was changed to brat, and thus came to Brazil.
A healthy family environment is one where people learn to say: good morning, good afternoon, good evening, to ask for blessing from elders, apologize, say “thank you” and similar things.
It is extremely important that every day we bless everyone who makes up our family. Casting words of blessing and victory over them. Teaching each one that we are dependent on God, because without His care we could do nothing.
At the end of this study, may we understand that no matter the struggles and adversities we may be facing in the family realm. With God as the center of our home, we can transform the family and make it a blessing.
First allow change within yourself first. Look inside yourself now and change, transform into a better person, be a wonderful husband, be a wonderful wife, be an excellent father, an excellent mother, be a great son.
We will never be able to change something if we are not capable of changing ourselves and letting God be the center of the family.
Understand the privilege that God has given you, because the family you have today perhaps you have only looked at the errors and defects. Out there are countless people in various social classes, from the lowest to the highest, who would give anything to have a family like yours.
Value, care, love, and let God be the center of your family. May God bless your life and your family.
Declare like Joshua: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord! (Joshua 24:15, KJV)
