Introduction
In the not too distant past, I shared with a few young men some of the wisdom that I gained the hard way. I will be addressing an interesting teaching regarding the differences between men and women… but in a unique way. This writing is aimed more at a younger group, but is definitely applicable to all ages.
The Difference Between Man and Woman
As believers in an unbelieving world, can we follow the examples of relationships and marriages that we see around us? It seems clear to most that we can’t follow the Hollywood example. Some family examples may be worth following. But, is there a model, or some teaching that will help us to understand how we need to form our male/female relationships? The answer is yes! The Scriptures show us, in many ways, how we are to relate to one another. Some of the Scripture’s teachings are readily apparent, and some are not so apparent. Many of the Word’s lessons are positive, as in, “this is what you should do.” Some of the lessons we find in the Word are negative, “this is what you should not do.”
I am going to share a concept that we are all familiar with in a fashion, but what I am going to share is contained in God’s Word in the most amazing way. We hear from pastors and teachers and others that a marriage should be God centered. Each gives his or her reasons and is probably correct. There is more. Here is what the Hebrew language teaches:
One of the Hebrew words for man is the word ‘eesh‘. Woman is the word ‘eshah‘. In the Hebrew language there exists an element that is foreign to our own language. This element is, much like the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, a picture based meaning. In other words, the letters that make up the Hebrew aleph-bet each are based on a picture of something tangible and concrete. To us, what is an ‘R’ other than a letter? Or a ‘G’ other than a sound? To the Hebrew, an Ayin is an eye. In the ancient language, a Pey is a mouth. These letters/pictures hold meanings that are used as a building blocks that are put together to form words, sentences and eventually books. These pictures, that teach us much about the word, have become called ‘word pictures’. Ever hear the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words”?
The word man, ‘eesh‘, is made of an aleph, a yod, and a shin. (Remember, Hebrew reads from right to left.) The pictures are: aleph, an ox or that which is strong, or the leader or first; yod, a hand or fist, that which does work; shin, teeth, that which devours or destroys. Therefore, the word picture for a man could be, “a strong hand against (or for) destruction.”
The word for woman, eeshah, is made of an aleph, a shin, and a hey. The picture for hey is a window meaning, “behold”. This letter is also used to make a word feminine, meaning, “that which comes out of…” (remember Eve’s “birthday”?) The word picture for woman could be “beheld by the first devourer.” (Remember the serpent in the garden?)
Another word that we have already covered, and didn’t know it, is the word ‘fire’. Fire is aleph, shin, the strong devourer. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that both man and woman contain ‘fire’. Hmmm. You take out the yod in man, and the hey in woman, and you come up with ‘fire, fire’. Yet another word just appeared. Yod, hey spells ‘Yah‘, one of the names of God in the Scriptures.
With these two new words in mind, lets re-examine man and woman. With man, the letter yod is in the middle of the word ‘fire’. This changes our word picture to, “work in the midst of fire”. Woman, on the other hand, is one who “comes out of fire”.
In the context of male/female relationships, we know there is a fire that works in both the fellow and the lady. Especially in a new and budding relationship, emotions are high, desire is hot, and the chemistry is explosive. This heat is there by God’s design. However, fire can be good, and it can be bad. Food is usually much better when it’s cooked. A winter night is much more pleasant around the fireplace. But, we watched in horror a few years ago as fire destroyed the lives of thousands in New York. Also, the Word tells us about a lake of fire.
As we look at our word pictures we see that when God is not a part of the male/female duo, we have “fire, fire”, a fire that will consume us. On the other hand, when the man and the woman come together as God designed, they proclaim the presence of God. Even though there is fire, God is there!
Man is the one who works in the fire, taking responsibility for the union. He leads and shapes the relationship to bring glory to God, and to love and protect the woman, providing for her needs. The woman is the one who comes out of the fire. Her condition coming out of the fire depends on how the man leads the union. If he leads with Godly wisdom, she will come out of the fire refined and shining. Any other leadership will bring her out of the fire singed, burnt and smoking.
The Jewish sages agree with this interpretation of these Hebrew words, pointing out that the presence of God is the Shechinah presence: the presence of God that dwelt in the Temple in the most holy place. Also, they agree that without the presence of the Shechinah, expect a union consumed in fire.
Proverbs 31:10
An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.
Cling to the Words of our Father, as they are life to those who hear them and do them.
Shalom!
