In the next series of articles we are going to focus on certain doctrinal issues that are rooted in the book of Genesis. The meaning of anything is tied up in its origin. Genesis is a book of origins and shows us the meaning of life, clothing, sin, etc. The meaning of marriage is no exception. When Jesus was questioned about marriage, he referred his inquisitors back to Genesis as Matthew 19:4, 5 shows. Why? Because Genesis discloses the way marriage was intended to be. If we want to restore something, we do not look at how it has been corrupted over years of degeneration, but rather we go back to when it was first created. Genesis shows marriage in its uncorrupted state! For someone to suggest that marriage (as revealed in Genesis and restored by Jesus in Matthew 19) was not given for all men of all times is to suggest absurdity and rebellion against God's word. The laws that originally governed marriage in the creation are the same laws that govern marriage today. Jehovah's law of "a man leaving father and mother" could only be understood as a law given for successive generations as the first couple did not have a father and mother to leave (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5). When you consider marriage, think about:

• The historical meaning. God took dust and made man (Gen. 2:7). He then took a rib of man and fashioned woman. Husband and wife are "one flesh" sexually because they were of "one flesh" historically.

• The original unit. The original marriage unit consisted of one man to one woman for one life. Any other arrangement (two men, two women, one man to many women) is a perversion of God's law and destructive to society (cf. Rom. 1:24-27; Lev. 18:22).

• The importance of marriage. ". . .the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. . ." (Mal. 2:14, 15). Malachi, like Jesus, refers to the original Genesis record. One important point of marriage is procreation-not of offspring, but "godly offspring."

• The devastation of divorce. Divorce is destructive! God didn't create the marriage union to have it divided by man. The God of creation hates divorce and so should we (Mal. 2:16).

• The fulfillment of roles. Since God is creator, he sets the rules. His rules on roles are no opinion but doctrine. Many husbands and wives have varying and contradicting opinions as to what constitutes their behavior. The question is, "Are you willing to accept your role as God gave it?" If a couple cannot write down on paper what God expects of them in marriage, they are not ready for marriage. The woman's role is that of submission and respect to her husband, ". . .Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you" (Gen. 3:16). Some may incorrectly deduce that submission was a curse for Eve's sin; however, Paul, in discussing headship, refers to Genesis and shows that submission was because man was created first and woman for man (1 Tim. 1:12-14; 1 Cor. 11:3, 8, 9). This does not mean that man is superior to woman any more than the Father is superior to the Son (see Phil. 2:5-8). Man's role is headship which models Jesus' example. He is to love his wife as himself (Eph. 5:25-33); understand his wife (1 Pet. 3:7); and provide for the family's physical and spiritual needs (Is. 38:19; Eph. 6:4; Josh 24:15; 1 Tim. 2:8; 3:4, 5). What is your marriage patterned after?