A Woman’s Place

In the age of Laodicea where people’s rights reign supreme, the very phrase, “a woman’s place” makes your hair stand on end and fangs start to grow. There is a biblical place for a woman, and it isn’t as president, pastor or on the police force. A woman’s place is as the manager of a home, a mother of children, a trainer of hearts, the gatekeeper of righteousness and the tool in the hand of God to keep men from becoming monsters. In many cultures where a woman’s place is still in the home, she has learned to use her influence in order to manipulate and control the man for her own selfish and wicked purposes. However, her influence over a man is not to be denied and is God ordained. The influence of a woman is in the context of several Scriptures:

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

“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

A woman’s influence is not through leadership, but rather through her submission and reverence to her husband. Submission and reverence is to be given whether the husband deserves it or not. It is a fallacy to think that we can each do our job in marriage on a 50-50 bargain. If he goes so far then I will go so far. Each of us must derive our joy and value for ourselves from Christ. We love our wives as our own selves regardless of whether she is worthy or not. She is your wife and God is calling you to love her as your own self. You submit to and reverence your husband regardless of his worthiness because when you do so you are being obedient to God. A man sees no difference between love and respect. They are one and the same for him. A woman sees love as primary. A husband and wife are ordained of God to share a common purpose and common vision for their lives together. As such, they talk and pray through every decision.

I will give you a great example of this influence: recently. while I was overseas on a mission trip I was under attack by the devil. And being that I was in a dangerous place I felt that I wanted to end the trip and come home immediately. I spoke to Amy, my wife, about what I was going through and what I intended to do. Amy didn’t tell me what to do. However, because we share in the same vision, she said, “Did you pray over your decision yet? Perhaps if you can get some time to pray and rest you will come to a different decision.” Of course, I did those things and I came to a different decision.

“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.” 1 Peter 3:1-2

Peter is showing the influence of a wife who is subject to her husband. Through her chaste conduct, coupled with reverence, she can win her husband to Christ. She has become a Christian and her husband is a heathen and through her transformed life she will win her husband to Christ. It takes the genuine baptism of the Holy Spirit with God’s love flowing through you to accomplish this. In this way a woman is to be the gatekeeper of righteousness for the nation. When women are fulfilling their purpose, in a family, they literally change the world for Jesus Christ. She takes her calling from God seriously, takes care of her home, her children, her husband and establishes a time for teaching the Bible to the children, teaching them faith and prayer, it brings a super charged, supernatural life within the home.

“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Titus 2:4-5

This is what Paul charged Titus to teach the aged women to do for the younger women. Teach them to be sober, that is of a sound mind, wise, careful and prudent. To be discreet means to be modest or self-controlled. To be chaste means clean and pure. They are to act and dress with purity and modesty. Keepers at home, means to be a good housekeeper or to be domestically inclined, to stay and tend to the home. Then he says that they should be obedient to their own husbands so that the word of God is not blasphemed. So, through the woman’s disobedience to her husband the Word can literally be blasphemed. That means it is completely out of order and spoken against by your behavior and disobedience to your husband. Husbands are to lead with love, charisma (to think less of yourself and more of others), unselfishness, kindness, tenderness, a moral and honest grounding, provision (seeing the need beforehand and taking action to meet it), wisdom and character.

“I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.” 1 Timothy 5:14

The phrase, “guide the house” is a very interesting one. It is one word in the Greek, “oikodespote?” and it means “to be the head of (that is, rule) a family: – guide the house.“ We cannot separate this from the context of 1 Corinthians 11:3 that says the head of the woman is the man. The woman does not somehow become the head of the man through this verse. In regard to the family and all that are within it the wife is to be the head and ruler. She is the manager of the home. The husband is the head of the wife in all things. He is to oversee this entire process. The mother is to lead and manage the home and the children. The wife is to oversee the management of the household. The husband is to oversee his wife and to be sure she has what she needs to manage the household. Not all families do things this way and that is ok. Here is an example: the husband would oversee the banking of the family. He would pay the bills for the home and make long term preparation for savings, retirement, future goals, etc. He would then give a budget to his wife to manage everything else in the household. That would be food, decorations, clothing and education. At the same time, he should be ready to serve his wife in the home. Just as Brother Branham, observing the stress his wife was under, put on the apron and began to wash dishes in order to meet the need of the family. A husband would daily lead the family in reading, worship and prayer. The wife would daily teach the children lessons of godliness, Bible memorization and their duties around the home.

A woman can teach Sunday school and older women are commanded to teach (not preach to) younger women. A woman can sing specials in church, operate the nine spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12, but she cannot enter into a leadership position in the church or preach.

“She has got no business in a defense plant. A woman’s place is at home with her children. And when she… Now if her husband’s sick and she has to work, that’s different. But woman’s place is at home in the kitchen, and when she leaves that she’s out of her place. Exactly right.” [1]

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[1] 57-0727 , He Was to Pass That Way, Rev. William Marrion Branham