Leave And Cleave

Does the authority of parents end at marriage?

When Adam and Eve were married by the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD), Adam said that a man would leave his parents and cleave to his wife (Genesis 2:22-24).  

What does that mean? 

A man and woman are to leave the homes of their parents to join their lives together in their own home, where the husband protects the wife and the wife obeys her husband (Ephesians 5:31-33).

The Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) said that this meant that no one has a right to cause a man and his wife to separate from each other, for divorce did not exist in the beginning (Matthew 19:4-8).  The Father of Truth only created divorce due to the hardness of the hearts of people (Mark 10:4-9).

So, it is certain that their parents have no right to demand that they exercise the nuclear option.  However, divorce might be allowed - or even commanded - by the Father of Truth, if the couple has not formed the right partnership for love.  He does not want people divorcing and remarrying.  This can lead to confusion that leaves people wondering whose wife is she?

So, leave and cleave means that a man and woman will stop living with their parents and live with each other instead when they are married.

Does that also mean that their parents no longer have any authority over them?

Consider Noah (Noach).

Noah was five hundred years old when he had his three sons (Genesis 5:32).  After his three sons were married, the Father of Truth made a covenant with Noah concerning the Ark that included his three sons and their wives (Genesis 6:13-18).  So, Noah built the Ark as he had been commanded (Genesis 6:19-22).

When Noah was six hundred year old, he put the animals in the Ark when the Father of Truth commanded him to do so (Genesis 7:1-6).  The sons of Noah and their wives went into the Ark with him for a week before there was any sign of rain (Genesis 7:7-10).  The sons of Noah and their wives were safe in the Ark when the Flood came (Genesis 7:11-14).

When the flood was over and the Earth had dried off, Noah was commanded to have his sons and their wives leave the Ark (Genesis 8:13-17).  So, they all left the Ark (Genesis 8:18-19).

So, even though the Father of Truth had only spoken to Noah, his married sons still did everything he commanded them to do.

After doing as Noah had commanded them, the Father of Truth blessed the sons of Noah and gave commandments to them as well (Genesis 9:1-7).  Then the Father of Truth made second covenant with Noah and his sons (Genesis 9:8-11).  Then He gave them a sign of that covenant (Genesis 9:12-16).  So, the sons of Noah obeyed the commandments of the Father of Truth (Genesis 9:17-19).

So, the married sons of Noah were blessed for obeying everything that their father had commanded them to do.

Later, one son of Noah dishonored him, while the other two protected his honor (Genesis 9:20-23). So, Noah cursed the descendants of the son that had dishonored him and blessed the descendants of the two who had protected his honor (Genesis 9:24-27).

Noah was able to frame the entire course of human history because he still had authority over his married sons.

Consider Judah (Yahudah).

Judah commanded his second son to marry the widow of his first son (Genesis 38:6-8).  His second son obeyed his father, but not fully (Genesis 38:9).

After the Father of Truth killed his second son, Judah command his daughter in law to live with her father until his third son was old enough to marry her, and she obeyed his commandment (Genesis 38:10-11).

Consider Jacob (Yah'acov aka Israel).

Jacob told ten of his sons to go down to Egypt to get grain and they obeyed him (Genesis 42:1-3).  His son Reuben had went, even though he was married with sons of his own (Genesis 42:36-37).

When the grain ran out, Jacob told the nine of his sons who came back from Egypt to go there again to get more grain (Genesis 43:1-2).  So, Judah reminded Jacob that they could not return to Egypt, unless they took his last son with them (Genesis 43:3-10).

So, Jacob commanded that his all ten of his sons with him in Canaan to go to Egypt with a gift for the ruler of Egypt (Genesis 43:11-14).  So, they obeyed the commandment of their father (Genesis 43:15).

They had obeyed the commandment of their father, even though they all had wives and children of their own (Genesis 45:19-21).

Then all eleven of his sons moved their families to Egypt with their father (Genesis 46:5-7).  Everyone of his sons had obeyed his commandments, even though everyone of them had wives and children of their own (Genesis 46:8-24).

The married sons of Jacob continued to obey their father long after they had their own children.

Jacob commanded Joseph to bury him with Abraham and Isaac in the Promised Land, which Joseph promised to do (Genesis 47:29-31).

Jacob commanded Joseph to give him his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to be counted as his own sons (Genesis 48:3-6).  Joseph gave his sons to Jacob as he had commanded and bowed down to his father in honor, even though he was ruler over Egypt (Genesis 48:9-13).

So even though Joseph was ruler over Egypt and married with children, he still obeyed everything his father commanded him to do.

Jacob told each of his married sons the consequences that would come upon their descendants due to their actions (Genesis 49:1-28).

So, Jacob still had authority over his married sons, even when they had grand-children of their own.

Jacob then commanded that all of his sons take him to be buried with Abraham and Isaac in the Promised Land, right before he died (Genesis 49:29-33).  So, his married sons buried him where he had commanded them to bury him (Genesis 50:12-14).

The brothers of Joseph then told him how Jacob had commanded them to tell Joseph after he was dead to forgive them (Genesis 50:15-17).  So, Joseph obey the last command of his father and lived in harmony with his brothers in the land of Egypt (Genesis 50:18-22).

So, not even death ended the authority that Jacob had over his married sons.

Consider Jethro.

When Jethro came to Moses (Moishe), Moses bowed down to his father in law in honor and kissed him (Exodus 18:5-7).  

Later, his father in law told Moses that he would wear himself out from judging manners between people all day by himself (Exodus 18:14-18).  Then Jethro gave him a commandment that he said was from the Father of Truth to teach the people the commandments of the Father of Truth and to appoint judges over the people to take care of the easier cases (Exodus 18:19-23).

Moses obeyed the commandment of his father in law as if it had came from the Father of Truth (Exodus 18:24-26).

So, even though Jethro was the father of his wife, Moses still honored him and obeyed him like he was his own father.

Consider Naomi.

The husband of Ruth died as well as her father in law (Ruth 1:2-5).  Then Naomi, her mother in law, decided to move back home and she plead with her daughter in laws to leave her (Ruth 1:6-13). 

Yet, Ruth, would not leave Naomi (Ruth 1:14-18).  She continued to honor her mother in law and moved with her (Ruth 1:22).  Her daughter in law left everything she knew and loved to take care of her (Ruth 2:11).

The death of her husband did not end her responsibility to take care of his mother, even though Ruth was also a widow.

When Naomi commanded her daughter in law to only glean in the field of Boaz, Ruth obeyed her mother in law (Ruth 2:20-23).  When she commanded her daughter in law to lay at the feet of Boaz in the threshing floor while he slept, Ruth obeyed her mother in law (Ruth 3:1-6).  When she commanded her daughter in law to wait to see if Boaz would marry her, Ruth obeyed her mother in law (Ruth 3:18).

So, Ruth continued to obey her mother in law, even after her husband was dead.

After Ruth married Boaz, she gave their first born son to her mother in law, Naomi, to raise as her own son (Ruth 4:13-17).

So, Ruth continued to honor and obey her mother in law after she remarried.

Consider Mordecai.

Mordecai adopted Esther as his daughter after her parents died (Esther 2:5-7).  So, after she was taken to become part of the harem of King Ahasuerus, she obeyed the command of Mordecai to not let people know that she was a Jew (Esther 2:8-10).

Even after Esther was chosen to be queen, and married King Ahasuerus, she continued to obey Mordecai like she had before she had left his house (Esther 2:16-20).

So, Esther still obey her adopted father - even after she was married and made queen over all Persia.

When Esther asked Mordecai why he as mourning, he commanded her to go to her husband and ask him to spare the Jews from destruction (Esther 4:5-9).  When she replied that King Ahasuerus might kill her for coming into his court uninvited, Mordecai commanded her again to go to her husband and ask him to spare the Jews from destruction (Esther 4:10-14).

So, Esther said that she would go before her husband as Mordecai commanded, even if it caused her to die (Esther 4:15-17).

So, Prime Minister Mordecai established as a yearly holiday to commemorate how Esther obeyed the instructions of her adopted father to lay down her life to save the people of Israel (Esther 9:20-25).  This is the reason that Purim is celebrated every year by Jews and those who love them (Esther 9:26-32).

So, Esther is remembered every year for being obedient to her adopted father after being married - even to the point of death.

So people must continue to honor and obey their parents even after they are married.

The commandment to honor and obey their parents is as enduring as the commandment to not murder (Exodus 20:12-13).  People are to respect the authority of their parents as long as their parents live (Leviticus 19:3).

The Father of Truth will prosper those who always honor the authority of their parents (Deuteronomy 5:16).  He promises that will lead them to prosperity and a long life (Ephesians 6:2-3).

Whoever refuses to obey their parents and dishonors them with their behavior deserves death (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).

People must also honor their parents with their money even after they are married.

Rahab (Rachab) would not help the spies unless they promised to take care of her parents (Joshua 2:12-16).  So, she agreed to keep her parents in her home until Jericho was destroyed (Joshua 2:17-21).  So, the parents of Rahab were preserved by her actions (Joshua 6:22-25).

King David even made sure his parents were taken care of while he was being hunted by his father in law, King Saul (1 Samuel 22:1-4).

The Man of Truth said, that those who were giving the money in the offering that they should have been using to take care of their parents deserved to die (Matthew 15:3-6).  He said, those who do so will not be free from guilt, no matter what their religious tradition says (Mark 7:9-13).

People are not only responsible to provide financial support to their parents when they are old, but also their grandparents (1 Timothy 5:4). [The word "nephew" meant "grandson" in English in the 1600's as does the Greek word "ekgonas" that is translated as "nephew".]

It would be better for them to be an idol worshiper than to not provide support to their elderly parents (1 Timothy 5:8).

Wise people will continue to hear and obey their parents even after they are married.

The wise person continues to hear the instructions of their father, and does not forsake the law of their mother (Proverbs 1:7-9).  They hear the words of their father and keep his words in their heart, so that they can live (Proverbs 4:1-4).  

They wear the commandments of their father and the law of their mother upon their heart like a necklace that is never taken off (Proverbs 6:20-22).  They always listen to their father and do not despise their mother when she is old, because they prize truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding (Proverbs 23:22-23).

The wise make their father glad and never make the heart of their mother heavy (Proverbs 10:1).  Their righteous living brings great joy to their father and mother (Proverbs 23:24-25).

Foolish people cease to honor and obey their parents after they are married.

If a person ever hits either of their parents, then they deserve to be killed (Exodus 21:15).  

The same is true, if they ever curse either of their parents (Exodus 21:17).  They have become their own executioner (Leviticus 20:9).  They will come to a dark end (Proverbs 20:20).

Whoever lightly esteems the authority of their parents is under the curse of the Father of Truth (Deuteronomy 27:16).  It is for this cause that the Father of Truth destroyed the city of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 22:4-7).

The foolish waste their father and chase their mother from them to bring shame and reproach upon their parents (Proverbs 19:26).  They destroy their parents by robbing them and do not even think they have done anything wrong (Proverbs 28:24).

The hallmark of the generation that will go through the Tribulation is that they will curse their parents, instead of blessing them (Proverbs 30:11-14).  Their eyes that mocked their father and despised to obey their mother will be pecked out of their dead bodies by birds of prey (Proverbs 30:17).

Now this might seem to cause confusion.  

What if the father of a woman tells her to do one thing and her husband another?  What if the father in law of a man tells him to do one thing and his father another?

There is no conflict here.  This is where the concept of higher authority comes in.

When I was in the Air Force, orders from a higher authority in my chain of command overrode the orders of a lower authority.  So, if my sergeant told me to do something, but then my captain told me to not do it, then I was to not do it.

The same principle applies to the case of husband and wife.  

The husband is a higher authority over his wife than her father.  However, if he disagrees with what her father told her to do, he must tell her within a day of learning about it, or his silence is consent.

This is what the Law of Truth (Torah aka The Law) says even about a vow a woman made to the Father of Truth.

The vow that a man makes to the Father of Truth always stands and he is guilty if he does not keep it (Numbers 30:1-2).

However, it is different for women.  

For an woman who has never married, if her father does not make her vow void in the day he hears of it, then her vow stands and she is guilty if she does not keep it (Numbers 30:3-4).  However, he can make it void in the day that he hears it, and she is no longer obligated to keep her vow (Numbers 30:5).

Once a woman is married, then it is her husband who can let her vow stand or make it void (Numbers 30:6-8).  Her husband is now a higher authority than her father.

However, if  a woman is divorced or becomes a widow, then her vows always stand (Numbers 30:9).  Her father sold final authority over her to her husband, and it does not revert back to him when the authority of her husband ends.

However, any vows that she made while she was still married remain established or dissolved based on what her husband did at the time (Numbers 30:12-13).

Her husband must make her vow void shortly after learning about it, or it will stand because his silence is consent (Numbers 30:14).  If he later prevents her from fulfilling her vows, then he will be guilty before the Father of Truth, but his wife will be guiltless (Numbers 30:15-16).

So, the husband is the higher authority in the life of his wife than her father.  

In like manner, the father of the husband is the higher authority in his life than his father in law.

So, Moses obeyed his father in law because his father had not overrode his instructions.  

In like manner, Esther obeyed her adopted father because her husband had not overrode his instructions.  In fact, her husband established the instructions of her adopted father when he held out his scepter (Esther 5:1-2).

However, parents are never the highest authority.

No one is to ever consent to anyone who tries to lead them away from the Father of Truth (Deuteronomy 13:6-10).

So, the Levites killed three thousand of those who had worshiped the golden calf (Exodus 32:26-28).  The tribe of Levites were given the service of the Tabernacle because they did not even spare their own fathers and mothers - who had sought to lead them away from the Father of Truth (Deuteronomy 33:8-11).

King Asa was commended by the Father of Truth for removing his mother from being queen because she had worshiped an idol (1 Kings 15:11-13).   King Asa was also commended for leading his kingdom into entering into a covenant where anyone, even father and mother, were to be put to death if they did not seek after the Father of Truth (2 Chronicles 15:12-15).

King Ahaziah (Achazyah) honored and obeyed all the instructions of his parents to lead his kingdom away from the Father of Truth (1 Kings 22:51-53).  Soon, he was in an accident that wounded him badly, and the Prophet of Truth sent word that he would die for not seeking after the Father of Truth (2 Kings 1:1-4).  Then he died when the Prophet of Truth told him the same thing again in person (2 Kings 1:15-17). 

However, his brother, King Jehoram (Yahoram), did not obey all the instructions of his parents and reversed some of their efforts to lead his kingdom away from the Father of Truth (2 Kings 3:1-3).  When he was distressed by his enemies, he sought for the Prophet of Truth to ask for help from the Father of Truth, instead of seeking the Prophets of Lies that his parents sought after (2 Kings 3:9-13).  So, the Prophet of Truth told him that the Father of Truth would deliver him from his enemies (2 Kings 3:16-19). So, King Jehoram was delivered because he disobeyed the instructions of his parents by seeking after the Father of Truth (2 Kings 3:20-25).

Athaliah was the grandmother of King Jehu (Yehu) - who he was rescued from until he was seven years old (2 Kings 11:1-4).  King Jehu stood by and allowed his grandmother to be killed when he became king, because he entered into a covenant that his kingdom would belong to the Father of Truth (2 Kings 11:12-17).  His grandmother was put to death near his house because she had led his kingdom away from the Father of Truth (2 Kings 11:18-20).  

So, parents are never to be a higher authority than the Father of Truth.

The same is true about the Man of Truth.

The Man of Truth did not do what his parent expected, so he could do the will of the Father of Truth (Luke 2:43-50).

He did not even obey his mother to come talk to her, when he was teaching people how to do the will of the Father of Truth (Matthew 12:46-50).  He would not even come out to meet his mother as she asked, when he was busy doing the will of the Father of Truth (Mark 3:31-35).  He was more interested in people hearing the words of the Father of Truth, than he was in pleasing his mother (Luke 8:19-21).

However, the Man of Truth did as his mother asked, when her request agreed with the will of the Father of Truth (John 2:1-5).  He made sure that his mother would be taken care of, while he was dying on the cross (John 19:25-27).

The Man of Truth expects the same from the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him).

When people dishonor or rise up against their parents or parent in laws, then they become enemies with them (Micah 7:6).  

Yet, the Man of Truth said that people must obey him, even if it makes them enemies with their parents (Matthew 10:34-37).  He said, that obedience to him will bring division with those who will not obey him - even between parents and their married children (Luke 12:51-53).

Those who forsake obeying their parents to obey the Man of Truth will inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:29).  They must be willing to separate from everyone who will stand in their way of obeying him in doing their part to spread the Good News about him, including their parents (Mark 10:28-30).  They must prefer to obey the Man of Truth over their parents (Luke 14:25-26).

So, James and John, who were under the authority of their father Zebedee, even though they were married, left him to come under the authority of the Man of Truth (Matthew 4:21-22).

So, leave everything and cleave to the Man of Truth!

Like Mordecai, the Father of Truth made known what needed to be done to save the people of Israel (John 11:49-51).  Like Queen Esther, the Man of Truth was willing to obey his Father even to the point of death (John 18:11-14).

The Man of Truth obeyed the commandment of the Father of Truth to lay down his life, even though he knew that it would break the heart of his mother (Luke 2:34-35).

However, the Man of Truth was also commanded to take his life back up again (John 10:17-18).  So, he obeyed the commandment of the Father of Truth when he rose again from the grave (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

So, the Man of Truth is not expecting you to do anything that he has not done himself.

Obey the Man of Truth above all others, because you believe that His Father raised him from the dead and you will be saved (Romans 10:9).  Leave the ways of this world and cleave to the Father of Truth forever (1 John 2:15-17)!

Come into the House of Truth!

 

The Perfect Woman

What defines the perfect woman?

Men often try in vain to find the perfect woman.  Women often try in vain to be the perfect woman.

Part of what makes their efforts so useless is that they do not really know what defines the perfect woman.  If a man found the perfect woman, then how would he know it?  If a woman became the perfect woman, then how would she know it?

Does the perfect woman possess a certain set of physical characteristics?  How can there be a perfect hair color?  Or eye color?  Or skin color?  How can there be a perfect height or weight?

After all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

Even if a man found a woman who he thought had the perfect set of physical characteristics, the woman would not keep that look for life.  Even if she did, her beauty would still fade in his eyes due to familiarity.

It is like a beautiful painting in the foyer of a mansion.  The visitors might be struck by it, trying to take it all in.  However, eventually the owner of the mansion will start walking by it without giving it a second thought.  Over time, he might not even notice right away if it was removed and replaced with a similar painting.

Also, the man will change over time.  Eventually, he might find a different set of characteristics more interesting, if no other reason than they are different than what he has gotten used to seeing.

In the end, beauty is vain.  It can get the attention of a man for a little while, but it cannot hold it endlessly.  The new will always wear off.  Those chasing Aphrodite will always end up disappointed.

So, what does define the perfect woman?

Perhaps it is nothing physical, but rather things like talent, intelligence, wealth, or power.  After all, these things can always benefit the man who marries a woman who possesses these things.

Yet, these things can also bring trouble to the man who marries her.  They can make the man feel intimidated by his wife - especially if he is lacking these things.  

Worse yet, what if the woman decides to use them against her husband because she is unhappy with him for some reason?  They might actually be used to enslave the man.

In the end, these things are only beneficial if they are possessed by the right type of woman.  

So, what does define the perfect woman?

Perhaps it is her personality and interests.  After all, a man is going have to live with the woman he marries.

Anyone can act in a charming way for a few hours at a time in a fun environment.  A woman can focus only on her interests that intersect with the interests of the man for a few hours at a time.

The truth is that you never really know anyone until you have lived with them for a while.  

Eventually, the woman will have a bad day and her charm will be gone.  

Her other interests will show up and so will his.  Any interests that they do not share will be exposed.

Of course, it will be worse if the woman was putting on an act to get the man to marry her.  Once they are married, she will drop the act and the conflicts will begin.

Even if the woman is genuinely charming and shares the exact same interests with the exact same level of enthusiasm as the man, it will not last.  Their interests will not always match up.

The things that the man may find charming for a few hours at a time, might become irritating day after day.  He will lose interest in some things and develop new interest in other things. 

The woman will change over time and do things differently.  Her charming personality will change.  Her interests will also change.

Even if she does not change, her husband probably will.  The things that her husband found charming when they were young, he may find irritating when he is old.

So, what does the define the perfect woman?

It is having good character in all circumstances that makes a woman extremely valuable (Proverbs 31:10).  The heart of her husband can trust safely in her, because she will do good to him and not evil all the days of her life (Proverbs 31:11-12).

The perfect woman takes care of her home.

She finds ways to make delicious meals (Proverbs 31:14).  She gets up early to ensure everyone has a good breakfast (Proverbs 31:15).

She makes sure that everyone in her house has quality clothing that looks attractive (Proverbs 31:21).  She wears attractive clothing and decorates her house attractively (Proverbs 31:22).

She manages the affairs of house wisely and is never lazy (Proverbs 31:27).

The perfect woman takes care of her business.

She looks for materials needed to put her hands to productive work (Proverbs 31:13).  She buys things that she can work with to produce useful things (Proverbs 31:16).

She never stops working in her pursuit of making high quality things (Proverbs 31:18).  Her hands are occupied with the tools of her trade (Proverbs 31:19).

She finds markets for her goods and sells them (Proverbs 31:24).

The perfect woman takes care of her community.

She does what she can to take of the poor and the needy (Proverbs 31:20). 

She is respected by all for her strength and honesty (Proverbs 31:25).  She only speaks to other people in a gentle voice with words of wisdom (Proverbs 31:26).

The perfect woman takes care of her husband.

She will always find the strength to take care of the needs of her husband (Proverbs 31:17).  She causes her husband to be honored in their community (Proverbs 31:23). 

The perfect woman is strengthen by the the appreciation of her family.

Her husband and children must tell her how blessed they are to have her in their lives (Proverbs 31:28).  Her husband must let her know that she is the most important person on Earth to him (Proverbs 31:29).  Her husband must give her what she has earned from her hard work (Proverbs 31:31).

So, what defines the perfect woman?

The perfect woman is not defined by anything other than the choices she makes.  Everything that makes her the perfect woman is within her control.  Any woman can become the perfect woman.

What is it that causes the perfect woman to make such praiseworthy choices?

It is not empty beauty or deceitful charm that causes her to be praised, but her fear of the Father of Truth (Proverbs 31:30).

She will choose to be the perfect woman even with a whirlwind romance.   Her fear of the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) will cause her to walk the path of true love, even if she had no say in who she married. 

She will honor the terms of her ketubah as long as they both shall live.  She understands that those who do not do so are liars and thieves.  

She will never even consider using the nuclear option.  She will never commit treason against her husband by departing from him (Jeremiah 3:20).

This does not mean that she is purposely reckless.  

She will seek to form the right partnership for love.  She will wait until the right time for love.  She will keep dedicating her temple until the day of her marriage.

The truth is that no one is born as the perfect woman.  

A woman can only start to become the perfect woman by being born again (1 Peter 1:23-24).  She can only become the perfect woman with the help of the Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaQodesh aka The Holy Spirit aka The Holy Ghost).

Of course, the perfect woman deserves the perfect man.

The problem is there has only ever been one perfect man - the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ).  All other men have fall short of the glory of the Perfect Man (Romans 3:23).

Her husband must also be born again to start becoming like the Perfect Man.  His only hope for obtaining the glory of the Perfect Man is to have the Man of Truth living inside of him (Colossians 1:27).

So, the perfect marriage can only come from a husband and wife forming a love triangle with the Man of Truth.  That couple can then discover something better than sex.

They can only love each other like the Father of Truth loves them when they both make the Man of Truth the ruler of their lives (1 John 4:15-16).  They can only have perfect love in their marriage when they choose to become like the Perfect Man in this present world (1 John 4:17-18).

So come into the House of Truth, and start becoming the perfect woman - or a man worthy of the perfect woman - today.

Make the Man of Truth the ruler of your life, because you believe that the Father of Truth raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Come into the House of Truth!