Lessons From Seven Wives And Seven Mothers — Zac Poonen

So today since it is Mother's Day in most parts of the world actually and I've never heard of any Wives' Day. I don't know why. So presumably we combine wives and mothers together On this day and appreciate our wives and our mothers.

Biblical Examples of Godly and Ungodly Wives

And our wives who are mothers and so I thought I would share with you from scripture the good and bad examples of Seven wives and Seven mothers from the Bible. So first of all wives Most people think of a Christian wife Only in relation to Ephesians 5 22 where it says wives be subject to your husbands and As the church verse 24 as the church is subject to Christ.

So the wives must be subject to their husbands and everything. So the only example that many people think of particularly you know dictatorial husbands is Think of the church submits to the Christ 100 and And Christ is perfect.

The church is not so It's easy to submit to a perfect husband like Christ, but there are none like that. So we shouldn't forget that when the church is subject to Christ is being subject to a perfect person so no husband should take that alone as an example and try to Make his wife submit.

Because the Bible also says in Ephesians 5 21 be subject to one another. They must each wife and husband have got a boundary which they must respect. But that's not the only example of submission, you know wives may feel inferior.

Saying oh what an example. I have my Husband's example is Christ, but my example is the church, which is not a great example. No sisters. Your example is Jesus Christ come with me to 1 Corinthians 11 and verse 3 here it says Read it carefully.

Christ is the head of every man and Man is the head of a woman and God is the head of Christ and so The Submission are the ultimate example taken here is It's talking about submission there in that First passage that's why I saw us the woman to veil her head later on.

It's the submission of Christ to the father. That is taken as the first example. That's perfect. The man submitting to Christ is not a perfect example because most men don't submit perfectly to Christ so in this verse the perfect example is God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of everyone every man and so The example that a woman has ultimately of submission is how did Jesus submit to his father?

That is the example that you have to follow Ultimately to God because though your head is a man his head is Christ. So you're Ultimately under the headship of Christ so that your husband asks you to do something Contrary to what Jesus says you don't have to listen contrary to what Jesus says means not what you think Jesus said.

But what the Bible says? So keeping that in mind Christ is the example for every wife. We have good and bad examples in Scripture. The first one I want to turn to is of course Eve the first wife mentioned in the Bible and We are told in One Timothy about Eve and And chapter 2 the reason why the Holy Spirit says a Woman must not exercise authority over a man even at home or in the church Is because of two reasons one Timothy 2 verse 13 because Adam was created first.

That's the number one reason and the second reason is It was Adam was not deceived very clear Eve was deceived and Fell into transgression for those two reasons the Holy Spirit says a woman must be must not have authority over a man either at home or in the church and She must not teach in the church.

She can share God's Word. You know prophesying the Bible says men and women can prophesy which means encourage share things to build up others. Certainly sisters can share something that will take bless all the children.

Sunday many Sunday school teachers are women who teach children. One to try to separate who says older women should teach other women. The only exception is they're not allowed to teach men. So looking at Eve What was her problem?

Eve’s Failure to Submit to God and Her Husband

Even though She was created and she knew that created to be a helper to Adam and she knew that Adam was created first and When when she was created her eyes were open and she didn't see Adam first she saw God first.

Only later on she knew there was a person called Adam so ultimately a wife must Be submitted to God first and say Lord. You're the head of my life. And if you have asked me to be a helper to my husband I'll do that.

She was taken to Adam and She was created to be his helper, I'm sure she knew that God would have told her and She knew that Adam was her head and that's the first mistake she made. She took over the headship as they walked into the garden.

There was one tree that God kept to test Adam and Eve will they obey me or not? That's all. If there was no tree like that their obedience would not have been tested and Eve Went towards the tree of life to the tree of knowledge.

Sorry, not the tree of life away from the tree of life and when the serpent came up to speak to her and Suggested something. What should she have done. She should have consulted with her head. She was only the helper Adam.

What do you think? Let's Pray about this talk about it together this beautiful animal has suggested that I partake of this fruit of this tree and together They could have decided the story would have been very different.

But because she did not care to ask her husband And did whatever she felt she should do. She took over the headship and brought chaos and confusion into her home and into the rest of humanity. So that's a great warning for wives.

Whenever you come to a decision in your home, it's always good to discuss matters with your husband. Even if your husband is not born again in earthly matters. He may be wise in spiritual matters if he's not born again, then you can consult with godly people but otherwise a woman is to be submitted to her husband a second example, which is so he was a bad example.

Job’s Wife and Encouragement in Suffering

A second example in chronological order is Mrs. Joe. Have you heard of mrs. Joe? In Job the book of Job chapter 2 you see Job was written before Genesis by the way because Job lived long before Abraham and Moses wrote Genesis so Job is actually the first book of the Bible and In the first book of the Bible you read of a extremely God-fearing man.

Such a man that God could point out to Satan as an outstanding Godly man, but who had a very difficult wife. That's sad you've seen that through the years I've seen it myself some wonderful godly man who got very difficult wives and Job's wife was one like that in the beginning.

She we don't read much about her except She accepted the fact that Job bowed down and her children are all dead must have been a terrific time of pressure imagine having ten children all of them dying in one moment all your husband's property lost in one moment and Seeing the husband worshiping God and said well the Lord gave the Lord take it took away.

When I came from my mother's womb, I was naked when I go there. I'll be naked. So I have no complaint against God. I worship God and it doesn't say that she said anything at that point. Okay. Well, at least I've got my husband.

We are together. She seemed to be okay up and up until that point. I don't know. But when she saw that God had removed the other hedge. The first edge was around the property and that was everything was destroyed and second head was around the children that was also gone.

The third page is around. You know, the hedges are described in Job 1 and verse 10. And when the third hedge the one around her husband's body was taken away. That he became sick and he was probably a leper leprosy or something like that because you read that he's sitting outside the city later scratching himself and He said you see what she says to her husband in Job chapter 2 with all the boils on top from top to bottom from the head to feet and His wife says in Job 2 verse 9.

Look at what we have faced. You're still holding fast to your integrity. Curse God and commit suicide. It's the first example of a wife telling her husband to commit suicide because she's fed up. She doesn't believe in a loving God anymore.

Job said you're speaking as a foolish woman speaks. If God is God can't we accept good as well as adversity? So instead of being a help to her husband when she husband was sick. Because the loss of children was a loss of her husband to husbands to a loss of property was a loss of her husband's as well, he suffered as much when the children were lost and when the property was lost and Now when he is suffering with sickness.

Instead of being an encouragement She was a pain to him. Here's a warning to Wives when you see your husband suffer in something or going through some type of pressure. Don't be like Job's wife and add To his problems.

Maybe he's placing a lot of pressure in his place of work. You probably don't realize what an evil boss he has. And you know that shared all that with you. Maybe he's in risk of losing his job. Don't be like Job's wife.

Sarah’s Faith and Her Attempt to Help God

Let me go to example number three a third wife and That is Sarah the wife of Abraham. He was known as Abraham in the beginning. And we read something about Sarah in 1 Peter 3, which is very good. 1 Peter Chapter 3 it says here Sarah Submitted to her husband verse 6.

1 Peter 3 6 Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord and You wives have become children of Sarah if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. What was the fear that Sarah would have had right at the beginning one day Abraham comes to her Abram those days in Uru the Chaldees where he was 75 years old.

Retired and he had built a house and he had enough savings to live comfortably there and the wife was very happy though they had no children they had a house and a lot of money to live on and living comfortably and One day Abraham says Abraham says to Sarah we have to leave all this and Go leave this country leave this country house everything and Sarah says where are we going?

And why it says God has spoken to me last night and I don't know where we're going. We're just gonna follow God. How many of you wives would submit to a husband like that. I'm sure Abraham was though.

He didn't know the Lord at that time must have been some type of God-fearing man. Like Cornelius didn't know Jesus, but he was a God-fearing man the Roman centurion in extent so Abraham must have been something like that that God chose him and Sarah must have seen this husband of mine.

He's an upright man, and he's not telling me a lie when he says God spoke to him. She said Lord Let's follow. Amazing. That she was willing to check her home and their land and her relatives and everything and go with Abraham to.

Not nowhere. Just believing that God was leading Abraham submitted to Abraham calling him Lord. I'm not saying that you can have the same confidence in a husband who's not God-fearing, but it's an amazing example.

That's what I say. If you have a God-fearing Husband, you're a very fortunate wife. I'll tell you that if you have a husband who's listening to God who can hear God speaking to Him boy, don't ever Devalue that you're a very fortunate blessed wife if you have a husband who knows how to hear God and speak and Speaks to you what God spoke to him.

I Mean, there are not many husbands like that. So be thankful that you have a husband. But even though as Sarah started well, we read later on in Genesis 16. She also made mistakes. No, no wife is perfect.

You know when she didn't have children for a long time Abraham had told her God God says he will bless me and bless all the families of the earth through me one day. That was said to him even when he was in or the Caldes.

You read that in Genesis 12. But after a while, you know when the prayer prompt promises of God not fulfilled many years go by they've already been married ten years and left over the Caldes ten years ago and still no child and Sarah wonders where's this promise that ten years ago God said to my husband He will bless all the families of the earth through my seed.

I don't have any children. She began to lose faith. It's very easy after a while for a wife to lose faith. Even though she started well. And so one day she tells Abram in Genesis 16 and Verse to see the Lord has prevented me from bearing children.

Please marry my servant woman Hagar whom they brought from Egypt and Let's have a child to her and I will be there when she bears a child and I'll take that as my child and that Let's help God because God seems to have a difficulty here.

And so I don't know whether God's promises will be fulfilled. So we have to help God To fulfill that promise. What a crazy idea don't think you have to ever help God to fulfill his promises he can do it very well without your help and the that trying to help God is what created confusion and Ishmael was born and Isaac and Ishmael started having it when later on 14 15 years later when Isaac was born Isaac Ishmael was 15 14 15 years older than Isaac and began to fight with him when they grew up and a lot of fights and Finally Sarah said send him away and Isaac and Ishmael fought and all these 4 ,000 years since then the descendants of Isaac and the descents of Ishmael have fought with each other continued through years but that is all because of one mistake that Sarah made and Abraham I would leave ugly foolishly listen to his wife at that point.

So we had to be careful when we give advice to our husbands which comes from our own mind Contrary to and which is a result of not trusting God's promise. They said let's pray God and ask God together in those days.

God would speak to Abraham clearly Let's ask God together. Sarah should have said why haven't we got children? How long do we have to wait? God wouldn't have told him how long to wait, but he was still Reasserted his promise.

Lot’s Wife and Attachment to the World

Don't don't fear Abraham. I promised you you'll see the best of all the families of the earth. They'll be blessed. So that was the good and bad of Sarah. The next example we see is This is lot in Genesis 19, we read of God's judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah where a lot had gone to make money and In mercy to Lord because he was Abraham's nephew God sent angels there to pull a lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah and Told him get out and take your wife and your two daughters.

Genesis 1913 and get out of the city because God's gonna punish the City and even lot hesitated, but it says in Genesis 1916 but those angels pulled his hand in the hand of his wife and two daughters and took them out and Said now escape for your life and don't look behind you.

Genesis 1917 and And then go to the mountains and then Lots it. Okay. It can't go as far as the mountain. Can you allow me to stop somewhere halfway or something and God's and The angel said okay stop in Zohar and I will not punish that city and then the Lord ringed Brimstone and Sodom and on Gomorrah, but it says lots wife verse 26 Was just behind lot.

Genesis 1926 looked back. What did she look back for? There's something there. Oh all my ornaments and jewelry and Money and all the fancy clothes. I bought with the money that my husband earned in Sodom and my lovely house which I could build with the Amount of money much better than the tents that we were living in when we were with Abraham and all that wealth lost.

She turned back and immediately She became a pillar of salt the judgment that fell on Sodom and Gomorrah fell on her. Immediately, she became a pillar of salt. She couldn't make any more progress. That's the point a wife who is more attached to material things and Looks back when God said don't look at those things look ahead to What God's trying to saving you from the judgment of the world and you're still occupied with the pleasures and Maybe not just the riches but all the fun She had in Sodom where it's a place full of pleasure and entertainment and everything else and a lot of wives can be such a drag on their husbands being more interested in watching movies that are not good and TV serials that defile them and Drag their husband back and blessed his Lord.

He didn't look back at all and look back. They become stationary. They don't make any more progress. You may not become a pillar of salt. But what it means you'll make no more progress in your Christian life.

You'll be stuck there for the rest of your life. That's a tragedy. One who's supposed to be a helper to the husband is now stuck and the result is her children. Her daughters go astray man in the way she brought up her two daughters that they commit adultery with their father later on how could a Two girls do that even in the world.

Ruth’s Devotion to God and Naomi

We don't hear of such things happening. Soda must have been such an evil place and this mother this wife was a pretty hopeless wife too locked and That's a bad example. Then the next example we see which is a good one is In the book of Ruth Ruth Who married Boaz.

In Ruth chapter 1 we read that an Israelite called Elimelech Ruth 1 2 with his wife Naomi left Israel because there was a famine and went into the land of Moab and Remained there and there his two sons married Women from Moab one was Ruth and the other was Orpah and Then Elimelech the father died and his two sons also died.

Finally, it was Naomi the widow. Plus her two daughters-in-law that were left. Those daughters-in-law had no children. Ruth and Orpah and Finally Naomi decides to go back to her home country and tells her daughters-in-law in Ruth chapter 1 verse 8 go return to your mother's house and may the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with me and may the Lord grant you to find rest and maybe you'll find husbands there and Initially they said no no, no.

Both of them will return with you to your people. Ruth 1 verse 10 both Ruth and Orpah said that. But Naomi said return my daughters. Because I don't have any more children to be born to be your husbands.

But and I'm too old now to have a husband to have a son to marry you. So Are you gonna wait till I have sons and their sons grow up even if I get married again? No. It's hard for me. So the thought of You know that I won't get a husband is what he what she put before them.

You won't get a husband if you come back with me to Israel. And initially Orpah and Ruth it says they lifted up their voices and they wept. Oh, we have to leave you our dear mother-in-law. They looked so loving.

But we read well. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and went back to Moab. Ruth Clung to her and said. Her mother said see your sister-in-law's gone back to her people and her gods. You can also go you'll find a husband there and Ruth said, please don't ask me to leave you.

I don't want a husband. I Want the Lord? Where the root 116 your God will be my God and your people will be my people. Where you dying or 17 I'll die there. I'll be buried. Nothing but death will part you and me.

She was devoted first of all to the Lord. She didn't want to go back and that one single decision. That I want to hus the Lord more than a husband is. What made her a very blessed woman? You read later on in the last two verses of Ruth that she became the great grandmother of David.

Amazing she married Boaz who had a son called Obed whose son was Jesse. The father of David. Amazing and you read in Matthew chapter 1. She's in that line of genealogy of Jesus. She was the great-grandmother of David.

How did that happen a Moabite? Coming in this line and Jesus choosing that line because of this wonderful wife. This that Ruth was and faithful to the Lord. Even though her husband had died. And a wonderful daughter-in-law.

That she was to a mother-in-law. It's very rare to find godly daughters-in-law who will appreciate a godly mother-in-law and value her. There are many. There are bad mothers-in-law. I know plenty of them in the world.

Most of them are probably bad. But you're very fortunate my dear sister. If you have a godly mother-in-law. Sometimes you may not appreciate it. I've seen enough mothers-in-law in the world to see how daughters-in-law suffer and sometimes you can take a godly mother-in-law like Naomi for granted.

Michal’s Contempt for David’s Humility

Ruth did not. She valued and appreciated her mother-in-law and so she became a godly wife later on to boys wonderful example an example number six now is a bad one. If you turn with me to 2nd Samuel chapter 6 you read about One of David's wives.

David married many wives those days. It was sort of permitted I presume unlike today. In 2nd Samuel chapter 6, you know David married Michal. Michal was the daughter of Saul and Saul had promised so I'll give you my daughter.

If you kill so many Philistines and he thought David will be killed by the Philistines you kill a hundred Philistines I'll give you my daughter. He thought he'll never kill a hundred. He wanted to get rid of David because David was a threat to his throne.

But David went and killed a hundred Philistines and so then Saul said I can't give you my eldest daughter. I'm going to give her to somebody else. But Michal one of the other daughters of Saul said he was she was in love with David this wonderful young man who had killed Goliath and so Saul allowed her to marry David and they were in love with each other but They didn't remain like that.

One day when David was bringing in 2nd Samuel 6 bringing the ark into Jerusalem and wanted to bring it all the way to Jerusalem. We read as the ark was brought to Jerusalem you read later on that in verse 16 2nd Samuel 6 16 as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David.

Michal who was the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and she saw David dancing there before the Lord and She was disturbed oh my husband is dancing there and so when she said she despised him in 2nd Samuel 6 and verse 16 and It says here that when David finished Offering the birth offering and came back to the house Michal began to speak rudely to her in verse rudely to him in verse 20.

Oh How you uncovered yourself? He didn't really uncover himself. He was just dancing. What he what she meant was you made yourself cheap. You're a king and you made yourself just like one of the ordinary people.

David was a man who says I'm just a One of God's people he didn't exalt himself as king, but Michal didn't like that. I'm the Queen and how can you treat you behave like that before? These ordinary people you must have some dignity and David said I would be humble in my own eyes verse 22 and The others don't despise me like you do and what happened.

God punished Michal In 2nd Samuel 6 23 and she did not have any children till she died. That's a bad wife who despises her husband not for something evil that he did. Because he took a lowly place to be one like the other people sometimes a wife wants her husband to be esteemed and equal to the big shots in the world and When he is a godly person who humbles himself and becomes like one of the ordinary Brothers in the church and Seeks to esteem.

Priscilla’s Humble Instruction of Apollos

Everybody is more important than himself. Sometimes a wife can be disturbed by that. You see that's below your dignity To serve these lowly people Sad don't be a wife like that now we turn to one example of a good wife in Acts of the Apostles in chapter 18.

We've seen some good and bad ones so far so example number seven is Acts 18 verse you read in Acts 18 that There was a man called Aquila who had a wife called Priscilla and they had met with Paul and they were can't make he was a tent maker and Through them through Paul.

They got converted and And interestingly enough Priscilla seems to have come to know more of the scriptures. Then her husband sometimes a wife is more knowledgeable in the Bible Than our husband and here's a good example of that and we read that when they went to the synagogue one day Acts 18 24 they heard a man called Apollos an eloquent man who was mighty in the scriptures.

But he knew only as far as The baptism of John, that's all he didn't know anything further. He esteemed John the Baptist he didn't know further about Christ dying and being raised up and the new covenant and all that and He preached as much as he knew.

In verse 26 acts 18 26 and it says when Priscilla and Aquila notice Priscilla's name comes first the wife Heard him she didn't go up to him and say hey Apollos. I want to tell you something boy. I really love that.

She took a humble place even though she knew much more of the scriptures than her husband Aquila she took a humble place and Said can you please come home? They took him home. I Took him home there. It says when it says they took him aside.

They took him home and There they explained the way of God were X 18 26 more accurately. I Believe Priscilla was the one who did that. That's why her name comes there first and She did that in such a gracious way.

You know not Humbling this man who was obviously a man well-versed in the scripture, but didn't know anymore so you think of a wife who knows about the new covenant because she submitted to the teaching in the church and Is a godly woman and she hears someone who's Knows only as far as the old covenant even today there are people like that and you want to share something With that man invite him home and sit with your husband.

And in submission to your husband as he shares you also share take that place of submission and Open the eyes and God can anoint you to open the eyes of even brothers who are ignorant of the new covenant.

Not if you act like a bossy woman. But like Priscilla and later on you read in Romans 16 about a Priscilla and Aquila again. They had a church meeting in their home. Wonderful. So there's an example for women who know more of the scriptures than their husbands.

God’s Compassionate Motherhood

So now we've seen seven wives. Now, let's look at seven mothers. So again for mothers, you know, we all know God is a father and God is a loving father our father who art in heaven. But do you all know that God is also a mother.

I want to encourage all mothers by Pointing out to you that God is also a mother and Isaiah speaks about that more than anybody else. Turn with me to Isaiah chapter 66 and verse 13 The Lord says to Israel as a mother comforts her children.

So I will comfort you as a mother comforts her child. So I will comfort you. So there God compares himself to a mother. He's not only a father he's a mother. And that's a wonderful example and Again in Isaiah chapter 49 He again uses the example of a mother.

Isaiah 49 15 When Zion said verse 14, the Lord has forgotten about me. The example he uses is not a father. He doesn't say a father won't forget his child. He says can a woman Isaiah 49 15 forget a newborn baby whom she's nursing.

She may forget a grown-up child but a newborn baby whom she's nursing. Can a woman not have compassion on this little baby. When she dirties the diapers or does foolish things. It's this one. She's nursing a little baby.

Even a mother may forget her baby, but I will not forget you. I'm a much more compassionate mother Than even her so there's an example for mothers to be compassionate towards your children. God is your example.

Whenever you find a difficult child Look at that verse and say have compassion on him. Like God had compassion on a wayward Israel. It's a great example for mothers. So now turning to the example of mothers again, we have good and bad examples.

Eve’s Pride in Her Son Cain

The first one I can think of is Eve again. She was you've seen her as a wife. Now. We see her as a mother in Genesis 4 1. She gave birth to Kim. Now remember this. No, baby had been born into the world till then nobody ever thought That a human being could come out of a mother's womb today.

We are familiar with it but think of Adam and Eve who had seen that. Only God can create a man. Only God can create a woman. God made Adam from the dust of the ground and God made Eve from Adam's rib.

It is God who did it but all of a sudden Eve discovers that from her womb a human being has come out and You know what? She says literally what she's saying in Genesis 4 verse 1 is I Have made a man. It's not only God who did it.

I Have made a man. With a little help from the Lord. It's very easy for a mother to become proud of her children. Of what she accomplished. See the type of child I brought up or see the type of so easy.

Of course the Lord helped me a little bit to bring up this godly son, but it was I who did it. Oh. Beware of that dear mothers if your children are godly children put your face in the dust. Don't ever follow Eve and say look at my godly son or daughter whom I brought up with a little help from the Lord.

Here's the first example of a proud mother. And what is the result. She imparted that spirit to her son Cain. I'm sure she did. Cain saw that you know children invite something. You don't have to say anything.

Children look at their mothers and invite something and they oh. If my mother can do something like that I can also do some things with the help of the Lord. But I'm gonna be somebody. And it's that pride that finally led Cain to be a one who became jealous of his younger brother.

And murdered his younger brother so often so many children grow up acquiring habits from their mother bad habits and they become a pain in their home to the other children and to humanity in general and Later on they have they have children who turn out like that because later on you read at the end of Genesis chapter 4 that Cain's descendants also became murderers as you read in Genesis 4 verse 23.

Rebecca and the Sin of Favoritism

So you reproduce after our kind? So there's a bad example of a mother who thought that she had accomplished something. Be careful. The next example of a mother I can think of is Rebecca. Genesis 25. In Genesis 25 verse 28 Sorry, it says here Genesis 25 that Rebecca had twins and Verse 24 and When those Twins came out and grew up verse 27 He saw was a hunter and Jacob was a simple man who liked to live in tents.

You know children can be so different born from the same mother even twins completely different. He saw man was out in the open all the time and wants to be playful and games are more important than Jacob the more studious type God's plan and sometimes a father can be foolish and favoring one.

Isaac loved he saw just because He loved good food. And it's possible that you have a preference for one son because he's good in something you want to be in good in but Jacob. But Rebecca loved Jacob.

So this is what led to finally a separation between these two brothers. And that was Rebecca's fault. She should have loved both her children equally and One has got taste for one thing and others got a taste for another.

A good mother will not prefer one over the other. She will not prefer the one who's good at games. Over the one who's studious or the one prefer the one who's studious or the one was more interested in games outdoor life.

These are two examples here when we wanted the outdoors and one who was mostly at home. She could have loved both of them equally. But because she had preference and later on unfortunately the father also had a preference.

It brought a division in that family that divided Jacob and Esau for Many years and Esau almost wanted to kill Jacob like came later on but God spared him. So there's a bad example of favoritism. Be careful as a mother that you don't show favoritism.

It says God has no partiality. And if you want to be like God, I'm sure there's no partiality in your life. Meditate on these things. I'm going through them quickly. You can later on meditate in your own time.

Hannah’s Dedication of Samuel to God

The third example I have is Hannah. One Samuel chapter 1 we read she didn't have you know, her husband that again two wives. It was very common those days and The first wife had many children. But Hannah the second wife had no children.