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How to determine if one’s wife came from God |
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continuation...
See? She even knows how to work in the field. And not only that. She also makes sure that the field is fertile before she decides on buying it. So, this woman really knows how to work. She is a self-reliant woman. Proverbs 31:17 says—
"She girdeth her loins with strength.”
She girds her loins; not her breasts. Unlike the other women who gird their breasts. The Bible says in Ezekiel 23:3—
“And they committed whoredoms in Egypt . . .”
Please, don’t get angry, but that is what the Bible says – WHORES. Must I change it? That is the preferred word of the Bible, and I have to use it. It says—
“… they committed whoredoms in Egypt . . . there their breasts pressed.”
Their breasts were pressed. They employed something that would press up their breasts. Do you know how it is called today? Bra, or brassieres! This was invented by Madam Brassiere. In the past, the women who were engaged in whoring had to press their breasts up. You see, if women are no longer young and attractive, they do something to be noticed. And one of which is to push up their sagging breasts. Let us read the verse once more. Ezekiel 23:3 says—
“And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breast pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.”
Perhaps, some of you are asking, why do I have to mention “breasts” and “teats”? What do you want me to do, change what the Bible said? That is the trouble with some pastors; they are full of hypocrisy! The Bible says—“they bruised their teats.” Must I change it? That is what makes me different from other pastors. I only use terms, which God uses. I do not have any intentions of changing the words of the Bible. Let us read what Leviticus 21:13-14 says—
“And he shall take a wife in her virginity, A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or a harlot, these shall he not take.”
You know, in the beginning, a servant of God was prohibited from marrying a harlot. Israel had been prohibited from marrying a harlot, or a divorced. That is just to show you that there are such words as profane and harlot in the Bible. That was what happened to Aholah and Alohibah. Let us read Ezekiel 23:4—
“And the names of them were Aholah the elder,and Aholibah her sister.”
Aholah and Aholibah girded their breasts to attract men. But, this virtuous woman that we are talking about girds her loins. That means that, she is strengthening her body for her work. What else did the Bible say? In Proverbs 31:17—
“ . . . and strengthening her arms.”
She is strengthening her arms in order to contribute to their livelihood. Let us continue reading Proverbs 31:18—
"She perceiveth that her merchandise is good.”
Her business is making money. See that? If you were her husband, will you not feel that you have found favor from God? Even if you do not work, you will not be bothered because you have a very industrious wife. But do not take advantage of her. We are not through yet. What I am saying is that, even if you are not employed, you still will not starve because your wife has a very stable disposition. She examines the field if it is productive, and then buys the field and then plants a vineyard. She strengthens her arms, and her produce is making profits. Proverbs 31:18—
“. . . her candle goeth not out by night.”
Her lamp/candle remains lighted in the evening. Why? Because she is still doing something. Perhaps, she is mending clothes. Unlike the other women who invite their husbands to go to bed the moment darkness spreads. “Dear, let’s go to bed now.” There are women who are like that. That is why you will see that even if her lastborn is barely 3 months old, she is already two months pregnant again. But the woman that the Bible is referring to does not readily turn off her light. She does not go to bet while there remains unfinished household chores. She doesn’t go to bet while the plates pile up in the lavatory. You see, if you leave overnight the unwashed plates, they are bound to attract cockroaches. And the microbes that the roaches leave on the plates may bring illness to the members of the household. So, an industrious woman mends clothes that need to be mended at night. She still performs some chores in the evening.
Proverbs 31:19—
“She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.”
She also knows how to weave fabrics.
Proverbs 31:20 says more—
“She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; . . .”
She is also compassionate to the poor. She is helpful to the needy. In Proverbs 31:20, it says—
“. . . yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.”
She extends a hand to those who are in need.
Proverbs 31:21—
“She is not afraid of the snow for her household.”
In the past, once snow comes in Israel, you could no longer go out and work. You do not have a choice but to stay home. But this women is never troubled even if there is snow because she has a sufficient stock of food.
Proverbs 31:22—
“She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; . . .”
She can even embroider. You see, there are women whose pillows are also embroidered with stains of saliva. They look like the maps of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, including Panay islands and Palawan. But the pillow of this woman has real embroidery. Today, very few women are using embroidered pillowcases. Actually, even my own pillowcases are not embroidered, but this woman’s pillowcases are embroidered.
Proverbs 31:22—
“. . . her clothing is silk and purple.”
See that? She lives comfortably. Her clothing is made of silk, which is a first class clothing material. Why can she afford the finest clothes? It is because she is hardworking and industrious. In Proverbs 31:23, it says—
“Her husband is known in the gates, . . .”
Her husband has become very popular, and other men are envious of him for finding a virtuous and industrious wife. She is not talkative, and she still works in the evening. That is why her husband became very popular. He is, indeed, a very fortunate man.
“. . . When he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; . . .”
She also knows how to buy and sell. Proverbs 31:24-25 says—
“And delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing;”
Strength is her clothing. Therefore, she is really a hardworking woman.
“. . and she shall rejoice in time to come.”
See? She is not troubled; she does not worry if they have something to eat the next day. She is not bothered about the future because she has prepared for it.
Proverbs 31:26—
“She openeth her mouth with wisdom;”
Is she talkative, or not? She opens her mouth with wisdom. And . . . “and In her tongue is the law of kindness.” In her tongue is the law of kindness.
Proverbs 31:27—
“She looketh well to the ways of her household.”
She also looks well at the ways of her children. This woman does not neglect any of her responsibilities. Can you imagine if your wife is like this woman? You are assured that your wife came from God. She looks well at the ways of her household, and that includes her husband, her servants, her children, her nephews and nieces, and everybody else in her house.
Proverbs 31:27—
“. . . and eateth not the bread of idleness.”
She does not eat in somebody else’s dining table. She does not depend on others for her food.
Proverbs 31:28—/br>
“Her children arise up, and call her blessed;”
Her children tell her, “how blessed you are, mother.” You are blessed; you are truly blessed if you possess all those traits.
Proverbs 31:28-29—
“… her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.”
She stands out among the other women. But, is she a beautiful woman?
Proverbs 31:30—
“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”
Apparently, she is not very good-looking. And it does not necessarily follow that she is a beautiful wife. “Beauty is vain.” The physical appearance is not important. You may have a pretty wife but you could just be one of her many men. Would you prefer it that way? As a song says, if you want to be happy, look for an ugly woman. However, it does not mean that you will only consider ugly women. No! The physical appearance of a woman does not guarantee that she would become a good wife. Good for you if you find a woman who is not only good-looking but also virtuous as well. And above all else, she is also a God-fearing woman. Finding a beautiful, virtuous, and industrious woman is like finding a lot of platinum./br>
Proverbs 31:30—
“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”
That woman is praise-worthy.
Do you have that kind of a wife? Is your wife like her? If she is, then, she came from God. Who among you have that kind of wife? If your wife is her opposite, the, we must make the necessary repair. If your wife is not like her, we are going to study the ways by which we can make her like the woman in the Bible. According to God, that is possible. Because God is all-powerful, He can change a person, as well as her lifestyle. God can make all things better. At the same time, we are also going to study how a man and a woman should live together, and how they should bring up their children.
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Bible
Religion,
Family and Marriage
