The Husband’S Perfect Wife

The Husband’s

Perfect WifeProverbs 31:10-31

The Husband’s Perfect Wife

REST IN PEACE—

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN


“If you are for pleasure, marry. If you prize rosy health,

marry. A good wife is heaven‟s last best gift to a man; his

angel of mercy; minister of graces innumerable; his gem

of many virtues; his box of jewels; her voice, his sweetest

music; her smiles, his brightest day; her kiss, the

guardian of innocence; her arms, the pale of his safety;

the balm of his health; the balsam of his life; her industry,

his surest wealth; her economy, his safest steward; her

lips, his faithful counselors...and her prayers, the ablest

advocates of heaven‟s blessing on his head.”


The author of this morning‟s text knew

well the peace & tranquility wives bring.


PROVERBS 31:10-31

The author of this morning‟s text knew

well the peace & tranquility wives bring.


Proverbs 31 was not composed by Solomon.



“The words of King Lemeul. An oracle that his mother

taught him” (v 1, ESV).





We don‟t know who King Lemeul was.





We don‟t know who King Lemeul was.

It doesn‟t matter, for this are Spirit-inspired words.





These words were originally taught to King Lemeul by his

mother.






mother.

This is likely a poem that King Lemuel‟s mother prepared to

teach him whom he should marry.






mother.



This poem is an acrostic.






mother.



This poem is an acrostic. Therefore, it would have been easy

to remember.


PREDICTABLE

PROFITABLE

PRAISEWORTHY

The perfect wife is:


THE HUSBAND’S PERFECT

WIFE IS PREDICTABLE

vv 11-12


Some things in this world are quite predictable.



King Lemuel‟s mother taught them that The Perfect Wife is

predictable.



King Lemuel‟s mother taught them that The Perfect Wife is

predictable.

“The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no

lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the

days of her life” (v 11-12, ESV).


The husband will never have a lack of gain.



The KJV translates this as “he shall have no need of spoil.”




The word is sometimes used—as seems to be the case

here—to mean “dishonest gain.”




The word is sometimes used—as seems to be the case

here—to mean “dishonest gain.”

The idea of trust goes quite well with “dishonest gain.”



The Perfect Wife is predictable, for she makes her living

honestly.



The Perfect Wife is predictable, for she makes her living

honestly—She is never going to take advantage of

someone.


The husband knows that his wife will do him good & not

evil all the days of her life.




She never brings reproach upon her husband.




She never brings reproach upon her husband.

No matter what the situation, The Perfect Wife will do the

right thing.


Because The Perfect Wife is so predictable, the heart of

her husband trusts her.


Because The Perfect Wife is so predictable, the heart of

her husband trusts her.

He never has to worry about what she‟s doing.


SISTERS, HOW PREDICTABLE

ARE YOU?


The New Testament calls upon wives to be predictable.



“As the church submits to Christ, so also wives should

submit in everything to their husbands” (Eph 5:24, ESV).





The Perfect Wife is predictable—she submits to her

husband “in everything.”





“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if

some do not obey the word, they may be won without a

word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your

respectful and pure conduct” (1 Pt 3:1-2, ESV).





“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if

some do not obey the word, they may be won without a

word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your

respectful and pure conduct” (1 Pt 3:1-2, ESV). The

Perfect Wife is predictable—she always has “respectful

and pure conduct.”


TRUST IN A MARRIAGE IS SO

IMPORTANT.


TRUST IN A MARRIAGE IS SO

IMPORTANT.

How predictable are we?



WIFE IS PROFITABLE

vv 13-27


“She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.

She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food

from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides

food for her household and portions for her maidens.

She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her

hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with

strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that

her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out

at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands

hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and

reaches out her hands to the needy.


“She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her

household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed

coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among

the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and

sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at

the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks

well to the ways of her household and does not eat the

bread of idleness” (vv 13-27, ESV).


These verses present a shrewd businesswoman.



It‟s intriguing that these verses present a businesswoman

in a patriarchal society.





Scripture only presents a handful of women who worked in

business.






business.

Lydia was a “seller of purple goods” (Acts 16:14, ESV).






business.


Both Aquila and Priscilla were “tentmakers by trade” (Acts

18:1-3, ESV).






business.


Both Aquila and Priscilla were “tentmakers by trade” (Acts

18:1-3, ESV).

Women typically had no means of being self-sufficient.


WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE OF

THIS WOMAN?


“WHY IS THIS WOMAN

INVOLVED IN BUSINESS?”

The more appropriate question to ask is:


The text answers that question: “Her husband is known in

the gates when he sits among the elders of the land” (v

23, ESV).




23, ESV).

The elders played an important role in ancient Israel.




23, ESV).


According to the Law of Moses, they judged many cases &

even carried out the death penalty in some.




23, ESV).




The Perfect Wife has a husband who is fulfilling an

important role among God‟s people.




23, ESV).




The Perfect Wife has a husband who is fulfilling an

important role among God‟s people. Sitting at the city‟s

gates, he is unable to provide financially for his family.


WHAT APPLICATION CAN WE

MAKE FOR TODAY?


WHAT APPLICATION CAN WE

MAKE FOR TODAY?

The husband is fulfilling his role & The

Perfect Wife is helping him.


In this passage, we have the fulfillment of woman‟s

creation.



creation.

“It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him

a helper fit for him” (Gn 2:18, ESV).



creation.



The Hebrew word for “helper” basically means “assistant.”



creation.



The Hebrew word for “helper” basically means “assistant.”

The Perfect Wife is assisting her husband so that he can

sit at the city‟s gates.


SISTERS, ARE YOU A

PROFITABLE WOMAN?


SISTERS, ARE YOU A

PROFITABLE WOMAN?

Are you helping your husband?



WIFE IS PRAISEWORTHY

vv 38-31


The Perfect Wife receives praise from three sources.



“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband

also, and he praises her: „Many women have done

excellently, but you surpass them all.‟ Charm is deceitful,

and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is

to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let

her works praise her in the gates” (vv 28-31, ESV).



“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband

also, and he praises her: „Many women have done

excellently, but you surpass them all.‟ Charm is deceitful,

and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is

to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let

her works praise her in the gates” (vv 28-31, ESV).

She receives praise from her children, from her husband,

& from her works.


It‟s very telling that The Perfect Wife‟s children &

husband praise her.


It‟s very telling that The Perfect Wife‟s children &

husband praise her.

They know her like no one else, but they praise her.


The husband says to his Perfect Wife: “Many women

have done excellently, but you surpass them all” (v 29,

ESV).




ESV).

I‟m not convinced that this text is pure hyperbole.




ESV).


It would be difficult not to agree with the husband.




ESV).


It would be difficult not to agree with the husband.

This is a one-of-a-kind woman.




ESV).


I‟m persuaded that each husband should be able to say

these words to his wife.




ESV).




But, doesn‟t the wording here making that impossible?




ESV).





That‟s the point.




ESV).





That‟s the point. Every wife should surpass every other

woman in her husband’s eyes.


The works of this woman also praise her.



It seems that the husband praises his Perfect Wife in the

city‟s gates so that everyone can hear.





That isn‟t necessary, for her works praise her.





That isn‟t necessary, for her works praise her.

Yet, his testimony dovetails perfectly with his wife‟s works.


Our works speak volumes about us.



“Through his faith, though he died, he still speaks” (Heb

11:4, ESV).



“Through his faith, though he died, he still speaks” (Heb

11:4, ESV).

The Perfect Wife‟s works speak volumes about

faithfulness to God & dedication to family.


WHAT DO YOUR WORKS SAY

ABOUT YOU?

Education

The Husband’S Perfect Wife