There is nothing sweeter than a young mother holding her newborn baby in her arms. Yet this noble occupation of motherhood is slighted as inferior by many in our society. What has happened to us! Without mothers we would lack the nurturing care of the home and our race would soon become extinct! Adam realized this after the curse of death fell on him when he called his wife’s name Eve, “because she was the mother of all living” (Gen. 3:2020And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. (Genesis 3:20)). The realization of how life could continue when he was under the sentence of death was a greater blessing to him than his blessing the first time he saw his wife and said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Gen. 2:2323And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. (Genesis 2:23)). There is something better for young women to look forward to after their wedding day; it is the day they hold a newborn in their arms.
God instituted the natural order of the family. We do well to adhere closely to His model. It will be to our detriment if we depart from it. Our society emphasizes work and pleasure so much that the importance of an orderly home is considered menial and unworthy of those with so-called “better qualities.” The birth rate in many nations is falling. This creates innumerable other detrimental consequences, such as a reduced work force and a high concentration of elderly people. These things are only secondary results on which it is not our purpose to dwell.
In writing on this subject, we could speak as those who find it objectionable that women are taking the place of men. This is certainly wrong, but I would like to address the subject from the point of view that the greater error for women is for them not to fulfill their own role of being nurturing mothers in the home.
The Attack on Women
When Adam and Eve fell into sin and became servants to Satan, God probed the causes of their sin and gave His judgment on each of them. At that time, among other things, He said to the serpent (Satan), “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” To the women He said, “I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Gen. 3:15-1615And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. (Genesis 3:15‑16)). These two statements from the Lord are at the core of the issue of “motherhood.” Enmity was not put into the woman’s heart but into Satan. The promise of a seed that would bruise the head of Satan was given to women. The birth of the Lord Jesus was the fulfillment of that promise. Satan sought to destroy Him right from the time He was born. At the cross when Jesus died, He bruised Satan’s head, overcoming the power of death as a man. He ascended into heaven and Satan can no longer reach Him. But He returned to heaven without having progeny (Isa. 53:88He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (Isaiah 53:8)). One of his last acts while on the cross was to provide for the care of His mother.
The hope of women in Old Testament times was to be the mother of the promised seed. The Virgin Mary fulfilled this role. Nevertheless, the enmity of Satan against women continues. The focus of attack now is to hinder women from multiplying a seed for Christ. In this unabated conflict, a door of opportunity is open for mothers. It is specially given to them to multiply a seed for Christ. Though the sorrow and pains of childbirth were not removed at Christ’s coming, the New Testament gives a special promise to mothers. “The woman, having been deceived, was in transgression. But she shall be preserved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and holiness with discretion” (1 Tim. 2:14-15 JND). The Lord will preserve the godly woman who submits to her role of bearing children, and the children that are born and brought to the Lord will live on in blessing with Christ long after Satan is bound. The mothers will be the victors in this conflict.
First the Natural;
Then the Spiritual
The Lord Jesus was the firstborn of His mother Mary. He in resurrection became the beginning of a new creation. This answers to what Adam looked for when he named Eve. “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual” (1 Cor. 15:45-46). It is through the preaching of the gospel concerning how Christ died for our sins and was raised again from the dead that we partake of His spiritual life. But it is impossible to have this spiritual life without first having the natural. This is where the door of opportunity is open for mothers: first, to have children, and then to bring the children to the Lord as Saviour. Children that are brought to know the Lord in this way will not only live a few years under the curse of sin and die; they shall be part of the family of God. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-2625Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25‑26)).
In this regard, we remind those who cannot have children of their own that there is still the opportunity to bring souls to know the Lord. This better part of the two roles is still yours to fulfill. The Lord says in Isaiah 54:11Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 54:1), “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.”
Children
In the New Testament after our Saviour Jesus Christ had annulled death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, we have the instructions given to Timothy, “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Tim. 5:14). Women who faithfully fulfill this role are a great blessing to their families and also to the church. It is used to preserve the local assemblies over the years till the Lord comes. This is not to say that everyone should have a large family. This misses the mark. Parents should have the number of children they can properly bring up for the Lord, and “happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.” For this reason the husbands are to “dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Peter 3:7). Raising a family for the Lord is the work of two parents. It can only be done through diligence and prayerfully following the instructions in the Word.
Some young couples like to postpone having children to enjoy life without the responsibility of children. While we admit there may be special cases, it is best to have children when you are young. Others may seek to refrain from having children because of all the wickedness in the world. It is true the Lord said concerning Judas that it would have been better if he had never been born. But the Lord is able to keep us from falling (Jude 24). It is not faith to avoid having children because of evil circumstances in the world. May the Lord give us to see His delight in having children (Prov. 8:3131Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. (Proverbs 8:31)), as well as the blessing it brings to our own homes. “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate” (Psa. 127:35).
To the Elder Women
The major part of the role of mothers commences after the children are born. The work of mothers is caring for those in the home with the object of nurturing and teaching the children to enter adulthood well equipped for the time when they will follow the Lord on their own. Psalm 131 speaks of a weaned child who not only has a personal relationship with the Lord, measured by self-control, but also has in view the good of the people of God. The elder women are given the role of helping and teaching the younger mothers. Paul wrote to Titus that the elder women were to be “teachers of what is right; that they may admonish the young women to be attached to [their] husbands, to be attached to [their] children, discreet, chaste, diligent in home work, good, subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be evil spoken of” (Titus 2:45 JND). We would encourage the elder women to fulfill this much needed role.
D. C. Buchanan