Faithful and Fruitful Marriage – The Robe of a Husband (Josh 24:14-15)

 - A Redeemed Culture #8

 

Introduction – In previous times, what a man wore sent a clear message to the world around him of his vocation or vocations.  One of the noblest garments, worn by kings, clerics, educators, and judges, was a robe.  We have already spoken of the “offices” of husband and wife in the work of cultural dominion.  We might want to think of these offices in terms of a robe, something objectively put on by a man or a woman in a ceremony of vow-taking.  What does it look like to wear the robe of a husband?

As we consider again the importance of husbandry, helpmeet, and marriage, I am reminded of 1 Thess 1:2-10, 4:1-2 as I speak to this particular local body.  This church upholds these teachings and gladly submits to them.  The exhortations of the elders this morning is to do so ‘more and more,’ never thinking you have yet fully attained the goal Christ has set before you.

 

As For Me and My House – Joshua, speaking to Israel in his last days, declares where his family stands.  Heads of households must imitate Joshua, and the greater Joshua, Jesus, in speaking and living as covenant heads.

A Dominion-Taking Husband – Joshua was a type of a Culture-Redeemer.  He had been called upon by God to lead Israel into the Promised Land and take that land for the glory of God.  At the end of his life, Joshua-the-Warrior, still knows that the bedrock of success is not in the strength of an army, but in the strength of a family and that family’s commitment to the Lord.  He also understands that he must speak for and take complete responsibility for his entire family.  He understands headship.

Adam’s Great Fall (Gen 3:12) – Joshua stands in direct contrast to Adam.  Adam is also approached by God.  Following a great family catastrophe, God asks Adam how he came to find himself in such a situation – and Adam points the finger and blames his wife.  Even worse, he points his finger and blames God for his wife.

Jesus, the Greater Joshua, and the Second Adam (2 Cor 5:21) – Jesus took full responsibility for His Bride before the Father (Eph 5:25-27).  There is no finger pointing.  This second Adam looked at the sin of His bride and took it upon Himself.  Christ could only do so by means of being our covenant head.  It is our covenantal union with Christ that allowed Him to become a curse for us (Gal 2:20, 3:13-14).

 

Grace and Strength for Headship (Josh 1:5-9) – Joshua’s great statement of devotion does not come out of the blue.  Chapter 24 is a renewal of covenant with Jehovah, and it begins with a history of all that Jehovah has done for Israel.  In light of what God has done and given, Joshua speaks.  Joshua knows that he is walking in the grace and strength of the Lord promised to him in the beginning of this book.  God promised him protection (v5), and then exhorted him to be a man who devoted himself to God’s Word (v7), not only to be a hearer, but a doer.  Joshua is doing that when he takes Jericho, and when he is speaking as a husband/father in 24:14f.

 

A Picture of Masculine Worship (Josh 5:14-15) – Whether or not this event occurred in private, the retelling is done publicly and is to be imitated publicly.  What does a man, a husband, a father, a warrior, do when he is formally brought before the living God?  He does not simply worship God “in his heart.”  Joshua fell on his face and worshipped.  He took off his sandals, for he knew he was on holy ground.

Leading Your Family in Worship – Too many men have let their wives lead in devotion, piety, and worship.  And over the centuries, piety has taken on a very feminine look so that men do not want to lead, or even be there, whether personal family devotions, or the corporate church gathering.  As we continue to grow in corporate worship (understanding that we too have been summoned before the “Commander of the army of the Lord”), it is the men who must lead.  Our “Amens”, our uplifted hands, our psalm-singing, our prayers, must be filled with the sound of faithful women and devoted children, but obviously led by men who, filled with the Spirit, full of reverence and fear, heart and heartiness, know that they are involved in a service of worship before the living God-of-armies.  It should be obvious that they are prepared, practiced, and ready – and that they have prepared their families as well.

 

Wearing This “Robe” Means Something – If you were in a government building and a man dressed in a black robe approached the front of the room, you would know who he was and what he was going to do.  Husbands – you are wearing a robe.  It means –

Settled Responsibility – You are taking full responsibility for your wife and your entire family.  You gladly submit to the whole counsel of God (remember – he fashioned that robe you are wearing).  He initiates with the call, “we will serve the Lord,” and then he leads the charge in every way.  He provides for her food, clothing, and any tools necessary to care for the family in her role.  He takes responsibility for her loveliness in every way.

Repentance of Excuse-Making – Masculinity means making no excuses, even when you have a good one.  If your house is a wreck, if your children are a wreck, if your finances are a wreck, if your wife is a wreck, the buck stops with you, the head, the husband.  You are the head of your wife – that is what that means.  As a father and husband, you must learn to repent for the family in ways no other family member can.

 

Like Joshua – We are called to take the land, like Joshua.  This must start with our home, like Joshua.  This means we must understand what it is to worship, like Joshua.  We must learn to receive what the Lord has given to us, like Joshua.  Repentance and faith are the gifts of God – and he receives us now where we are and not where we should have been.  Like Joshua, we find ourselves in a time of renewal – we must look back at what the Lord has done and say with him, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Dave Hatcher – May 22, 2005