At the very mention of this word most people will cringe at the thought that someone is in a position of authority to tell them what they can and cannot do. From creation of this world there has been a rulership of authority that has reigned on the earth. The Heavenly Father was in existence before mankind was created. Humans were given the ability to decide who they wanted to serve whether good or evil. They chose to disregard what the Father told them and ate of the tree of which they were not to partake.
Headship means – a position of leader or chief. In ancient times, and even to this day, men have been the ones accountable for the state of their homes and their family. However, in the days before the return of Yahshua scripture states that, in these end days, women and children will rule the home. Isaiah 3:12, “My people! Youths exert pressure on them, and women rule over them. O My people! Your leaders lead you astray, and swallow the way of your paths.”
Whether men are right or wrong there will be a day coming when men will stand accountable before the Father to answer for the state of their rulership.
Hebrews 13:17, “Obey those leading you, and be subject to them, for they watch for your lives, as having to give account. Let them do so with joy and not groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
Ephesians 5:22, “Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Master.”
Ephesians 5:23, “Because the husband is head of the wife, as also the Messiah is head of the assembly, and He is Savior of the body.”
Ephesians 5:24, “But as the assembly is subject to Messiah, so also let the wives be to their own husbands in every respect.”
Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, as Messiah also did love the assembly and gave Himself for it,”
Women were not created as their own reigning entities. Women were created from man to be companions and helpers for them. Many will find authors and supporters of the belief that women are equal, if not superior, to men, but this assertion is not in line with Scripture, whether old or new.
Genesis 2:22, “And the rib which יהוה Elohim had taken from the man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.”
Genesis 2:23, “And the man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This one is called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of man.’”
Genesis 2:24, “For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
We see from the two following scriptures that women were not created of their own domain but were, not only made for man, but from man. 1 Corinthians 11:7 states, “…but woman is the esteem of man.”
1 Corinthians 11:8, “For man is not from woman, but woman from man.”
1 Corinthians 11:9, “For man also was not created for the woman, but woman for the man.”
In the verse below we see the hierarchy from the Father. There is no directive that states a woman is over the man nor is she her own authority.
1 Corinthians 11:3, “And I wish you to know that the head of every man is the Messiah, and the head of woman is the man, and the head of Messiah is Elohim.”
From the beginning of time, we see how decisions were made in the hierarchy that is noted in the scripture above. When a woman made a vow of which her husband or father did not approve, her vow was removed from her and she was forgiven. If her head authority approved and did not revoke her vow, then she held all responsibility for this vow or decision, as well as any repercussions from this commitment.
Numbers 30:3, “Or if a woman vows a vow to יהוה, and binds herself by some agreement while in her father’s house in her youth,”
Numbers 30:4, “And her father hears her vow and the agreement by which she has bound herself, and her father has kept silent towards her, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement with which she has bound herself stands.”
Numbers 30:5, “But if her father forbids her on the day that he hears, then none of her vows nor her agreements by which she has bound herself stand. And יהוה pardons her, because her father has forbidden her.”
Numbers 30:6, “But if she at all belongs to a husband, while bound by her vows or by a rash utterance from her lips by which she bound herself,
Numbers 30:7, “And her husband hears it, and he has kept silent towards her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her agreements by which she bound herself do stand.”
Numbers 30:8, “But if her husband forbids her on the day that he hears it, then he has nullified her vow which she vowed, and the rash utterance of her lips by which she bound herself, and יהוה pardons her.”
Numbers 30:9, “But any vow of a widow or a divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, stands against her.”
Numbers 30:10, “And if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an agreement with an oath,”
Numbers 30:11,”And her husband heard it, and has kept silent towards her and did not forbid her, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement by which she bound herself stands.”
Numbers 30:12, “But if her husband clearly nullified them on the day he heard them, then whatever came from her lips concerning her vows or concerning the agreement binding her, it does not stand – her husband has nullified them,and יהוה pardons her.”
Numbers 30:13, “Every vow and every binding oath to afflict her being, let her husband confirm it, or let her husband nullify it.”
Numbers 30:14, “But if her husband is altogether silent at her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all the agreements that bind her – he confirms them, because he kept silent towards her on the day that he heard.”
Numbers 30:15, “But if he nullifies them after he has heard, then he shall bear her crookedness.”
Numbers 30:16, “These are the laws which יהוה commanded Mosheh, between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter in her youth in her father’s house.”
While women today want to ascertain that they are free to make decisions and can override their husband’s authority, this is not true according to the Scriptures as a whole. Women’s decisions and vows were conditional in the Heavenly Father’s eyes to their heads (fathers or husbands) approval or silence. If a woman made an oath that her head did not support, she was excused from any consequences of this decision.
However, if a woman who made a vow was widowed or single, any negative consequences from that vow were her responsibility. Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I am planning for you,’ declares יהוה, ‘plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and an expectancy.’”
Some common questions or arguments presented by women about male headship:
If my husband will not lead our home how am I supposed to follow or submit to his authority?
1 Timothy 5:8, “And if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the belief and is worse than an unbeliever.”
According to this scripture, if a man refuses to provide or take his role as a leader, he is considered as an unbeliever. Trying to usurp his authority in order to “save” your home does not motivate your head to take charge. As is stated in scripture, a woman can lead her unbelieving spouse by her behavior.
1 Peter 3:1 “In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that if any are disobedient to the Word, they, without a word, might be won by the behavior of their wives,”
1 Peter 3:2, “having seen your blameless behavior in fear.”
As is the case in most social situations, if you try to overcome someone who is belligerent or violent nothing is accomplished but a power struggle and more pain and suffering. The best way to deal with someone who is aggressive is to remove yourself from the situation and get to a safe place while seeking prayer and wisdom.
My husband does not make good decisions so I must protect the family.
Because your spouse is making decisions that you are not in full agreement with does not give credence to your rebelliousness. If a man is wrong, the consequences will be on his head and not yours. Recall the situation with Abigail and Nabal; she intercepted to protect her household and husband when she learned of his decisions. When he was sober she told him what she did in a calm rational way. The scriptures do not indicate that she kept pointing out his error. It was in Yahweh’s hand and he dealt with Nabal in His own way. Abigail intercepted for the protection of the household, not to question her spouse on his decisions.
Let me leave you with these scriptures on what Yahweh is looking for in the conduct and behavior of wives and those under headship.
Titus 2:11, “Let a woman learn in silence, in all subjection.”
1 Timothy 2:12, ”But I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, rather, to be in silence.”
1 Timothy 2:13, ”Because Aḏam was formed first, then Ḥawwah.”
1 Timothy 2:14, “And Aḏam was not deceived, but the woman, having been deceived, fell into transgression.”
1 Timothy 2:15, “But she shall be saved in childbearing if they continue in belief, and love, and set-apartness, with sensibleness.”
Titus 2:3, “The older women likewise are to be set-apart in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of what is good,”
Titus 2:4, “In order for them to train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,”
Titus 2:5, “To be sensible, blameless, workers at home, good, subject to their own husbands, in order that the word of Elohim is not evil spoken of.”
By Luann Avalos
