Affection in Marriage

“The Little Things” aren’t Little.

Exodus 4:1-31 (24) “And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him.”

Numbers 12:1-15 “. . . and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.”

Judges 6:1-16 “And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”

25-34 “. . . the LORD said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it. . . .”

A Little History

Genesis 2:18 “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”

Ephesians 5:25-33 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church. . . .”

Λ 1st John 4:20 [Changed slightly:] “If a man say, I love God, and despises his wife, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his wife whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”

Genesis 3:1-19 (24) “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”

Proverbs 18:22 “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.”

Proverbs 5:18-19 “. . . let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.”

Genesis 2:21-24 “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

[For those who like to use a dictionary: (Webster’s Unabridged)

cleave, v.i.;

1. to stick; to adhere; to be attached; to cling; used both in a literal and figurative sense.

2. to unite or be united closely in interest or affection; to adhere with strong attachment; to be faithful.

Ephesians 5:31 “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” [We’ll read more in Ephesians 5 later.]

QUESTION: Should one flesh have two heads?

ANSWER: If it did, it would be a freak of nature, and not Godliness unto the Lord.

1st Corinthians 11:3 “But I would have you know . . . the head of the woman is the man. . . .”

Genesis 3:16-19 “. . . and he shall rule over thee.” / thorns and thistles

1st Peter 3:1-6 “wives, be in subjection . . . a meek and quiet spirit. . . .”

Titus 2:1-5 Teach the young women “. . . to love their husbands, to love their children, to be . . . keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

1st Corinthians 7:1-5 “The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other . . . that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”

v. 7 “husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge. . . as unto the weaker vessel. . . .”

Ephesians 5:22-24 “Wives, submit yourself unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.”

Λ 1st John 4:20 [Changed slightly:] “If a woman say, I obey God, and hateth her husband, she is a liar: for she that obeyeth not her husband whom she hath seen, how can she obey God whom she hath not seen?”

Colossians 3:18 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands. . . .”

v. 19 “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”

QUESTION: Why does v. 19 follow v. 18?

ANSWER: Because the wives are not going to obey the Lord in this matter as they were commanded.

Don’t you do to God what you’re blaming your beloved wife for doing to you. You’re in a position of power and authority over your house: do something to fix the problem! If nothing else, fix yourself.