George Menard - "For most of my life I was satisfied and involved with our religion. Later, major changes occurred in the church rituals and I began doubting the whole religion. I specifically worried about where I would go if I died without having a chance to confess to a priest."
Marriage and the Family - 20 - 6 Heartbroken Homes
Six couples who experienced the hurt of a heartbroken home and the results that followed.
#1 Nabal and Abigail
Couple Name: Nabal and Abigail
Principle Problem: Communication issues. The key to appreciating the problem is the insight we are given by one of the servants as he reports to Abigail the exchange between Nabal and David’s men. He says of Nabal, “He is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him” (1 Samuel 25:17)." TARGET="_blank">1 Samuel 25:17).
Result: Nabal nearly loses his life to David. David eventually marries Abigail.
Principle Problem: Favortism between children. There is a division in interest which quickly leads to a divergence in goals. Isaac loved Esau (Genesis 25:28)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 25:28) and Rebekah loved Jacob. From whence this division? Isaac liked the venison which Esau provided him, and Rebekah was closer to Jacob, a plain man who dwelt in tents (v 27). To put this in simpler terms, they both had their favorite because of something which appealed to them about the person.
Result: In Genesis 27," TARGET="_blank">Genesis 27, the division soon led to a distance between Isaac and Rebekah. Each is going his own way to devise blessing for the “favorite.” Neither consults with the other, but cloaked in secrecy, works out their own plan.
Principle Problem: Competition and compatibility problems beset Jacob and his favorite wife, Rachel. The incident of Genesis 30" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 30 is well known Jacob has begotten children through Leah. In a fit of envy, Rachel exclaimed, “Give me children or else I die!” The Scriptures point out that this was because of envy. Her desire then had an unholy source; it was born of envy, a desire to have what another had.
Result: Jacob and his wife have a fight, blaming each other for what God had allowed. Not only was her desire from a wrong motive, but her demand was in a wrong direction. As Jacob rightly answered, “Am I in God’s stead” She was blaming her husband instead of taking the circumstances from the Lord. How different were Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 25:21)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 25:21) who entreated the Lord and received fruit as a result.
Principle Problem: Compromise of principles. In the land of Midian, Moses finds a wife. God graciously grants them two sons (Exodus 4:20)" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 4:20) while there. He is called by God to return to Egypt. He departs with his wife and sons; he stops by the way in an inn where the strangest conceivable event takes place. We are informed that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. Follow closely what ensues. Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son, not her sons. In frustration she casts it at Moses’ feet with the epithet, “A bloody husband art thou to me.”
Result: What does all this mean? If circumcision was so important to God, why was only one son involved? It appears that Moses and Zipporah reached a family crisis with the birth of two sons. Moses, the Hebrew, doubtless argued for circumcision. To Zipporah, this was abhorrent. How was the problem resolved? By compromise. Obviously one son was circumcised to please Moses, and one was left uncircumcised to please Zipporah. Everyone was happy but God. In reality no one was happy. Her accusation to Moses proves that she was angry at the compromise and at being forced to be the circumcisor of her son.
#5 Job and his Wife
Couple: Job and his wife.
Principle Problme: Lack of sensitivity. When Job was going through his severe trial, which his wife shared in large measure, she advised him to “curse God and die.” Mrs. Job was culpable of a lack of support to her husband in this hour of need.
Result: Mrs. Job is not mentioned for the rest of Job's experience.
#6 Abram and Sarai
Couple: Abram and Sarai
Principle Problem: Heartache and sadness marred Abram’s marriage because of a collapse in headship. In Genesis 16," TARGET="_blank">Genesis 16, the long trial of barrenness finally wears upon Sarai, and she suggests a way for Abram to have children through Hagar. Abram harkened to his wife’s advice. Envy, hatred, bitterness, and strife were born into the home as well as the child, Ishmael. When Sarai complains that Abram should never have listened to her bad advice to begin with, Abram again resolves the problem by giving his wife the responsibility for decision making, “Thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee.” In other words, you take over and do as you please.
Result: The immediate and long-range tragedy from this shortsighted advice resulted in conflict between two peoples that continues to this day in the middle-east. Although Sarai was out of place, the ultimate blame lies with Abram for abdicating leadership.
Headship must be maintained in a family if all is to be in order and harmonious. Its absence will lead to an “every man doing what is right in his own eyes” condition. This is equivalent to nothing being right or wrong. Whatever the challenge and whatever the cost, a husband must maintain headship according to divine standards.
George Menard
