Preached in Pune, India
Questions and Answers
Psalm Chapter 91 presents the world as a battle ground where various evils occur. The passage mentions about the “terror by night“,”arrow that flieth by night“, “pestilence“, and “destruction“. Woe to him that walks about with blindness in such a terrible place. Apostle Paul described the situation as a war with evil spiritual forces of darkness-“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph.6:12).
In those ancient times cities or nations use to have fortresses or towers. These were places of safety. They were characterized by thick walls and high raised portions on the wall wherein a watchman would stand to observe and alert people in case of any approaching danger.
In case of danger and you were outside the gates, you would run into the fortress for your protection.
As a Born Again child of God you also need to live in the fortress of God’s Word. This world is dark and our true protection lies in the revelation of God’s counsel to our lives. When one develops a closer walk with God he or she will live by the speaking of God in his life. When God reveals his counsel to you, that gives you joy and out of that joy comes strength. The revelation of God’s will gives you sight to see and walk not as a blind man but one who sees. That is not the situation for many people. Their lives are open for the devil to play around with. They are naked before forces of darkness. But a believer walks with God and is actually hidden in Christ – “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col.3:3).
When you live by the counsel God reveals to you, what you do is being done in the name of the Lord. As a believer “whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col.3:17). That name is your protection and no amount of devils can defeat that. The name of the Lord is his presence and hedge around you; it is your ultimate tower of protection – “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Pro.18:10).
Now, having explained the above, let us read Psalm 91. Note that the word used in the Hebrew text for “secret place” is sether sithrah and refers to a shelter of protection. It is because of this that other versions like NIV states, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty“. When you read the whole chapter you will realise that the shelter being referred to is actually a fortress or tower. The Jerusalem Bible puts it very well as follows:
If you live in the shelter of Elyon and make your home in the shadow of Shaddai, you can say to Yahweh, ‘My refuge, my fortress, my God in whom I trust!
And verses 14 and 15 continues to say:
I rescue all who cling to me, I protect whoever knows my name, I answer everyone who invokes me, I am with them when they are in trouble; I bring them safety and honour.
These verses clearly strike a chord with what we read in Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe”.
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Question:
“I thought that the Word or Logos (the Theopany Body) became literally flesh and that was the flesh body of Jesus Christ. Does it mean that the Body dwelleth in a Human body which was Jesus’ body? Hope you will give me the difference between these two statements. God bless”
No, the Word did not transform itself into flesh as a foetus in the womb of Mary. Again no, at the baptism of Jesus it was not the Word Body entering another (human) body.
In the New Testament the Word Body vanished (i.e. ceased to exist) in order for the Word to now be expressed through a human body. That human body had to grow and feed. When Jesus was born as a baby he breastfed just like all babies. That was not a theophany breastfeeding; it was a normal human body being prepared. It had to grow in stature until such a time when the Spirit would indwell it so that it would now be the new mask of the invisible God (Col.1:15, Heb.10:5). When Jesus began his ministry the power and glory of the Word was manifest through his ministry. That was the Word becoming flesh! Like in the words of Paul, “God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim.3:16). On page 22 of his book on the subject of the Godhead Richard Gan puts it in this good simple way:
“In the old, the LOGOS was expressed in and through a spirit body; in the new, the LOGOS was expressed in and through a human body…”
And on page 24:
“The newborn baby Jesus became a living soul and grew up to express the Life of God. From thence there was no longer any manifestation of the Spirit (Word) Body. Theophany ceased but the WORD was still with God.”
In Hebrews 1:1-2 we read that “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son”. So, in that Old Testament era the Word would at one time take on a manner or form or body of what appeared like fire and at another time like a cloud. That doesn’t mean when it appeared like a cloud then the cloud was an incarnation of the previous manifestation of fire. The fire is ANOTHER FORM through which the LOGOS manifested or expressed itself. Hebrews 1:1-2 thus makes it clear that the body of Jesus was another (and actually the final) form through which the Word would manifest.
On his baptism we read that “the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him” (Mat.3:16. That is what indwelt Jesus on his baptism, the Spirit of the Word, which is God (cf. Joh.1:1). When that Spirit was in Christ it manifested the Spoken Word of Life – “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him” (Joh.3:34); “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (Joh.6:63).
May I conclude with these words: if the body of Jesus was the theophany-turned-human, the question arises: what will become of that ‘theophany-turned-human’ when Christ hands the kingdom back to the father so that God may be “all in all” (1 Cor.15:28)? Please note that in the Old Testament when God manifested in form of fire, the fire wasn’t God. When God manifested in elements of dust fashioned into a human body like he did to Abraham, the dust or body of flesh was not God! When God was done with his use of that body, the dust went back to the ground, the theophany ceased until another time that there was need for its manifestation.
Questions asked during India visit
Question No.5
“Was Jesus God when he was a baby?”
In Acts 2:36 we read that, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ”. This one passage of Scripture shows us that there is God and there is Jesus the man and it is God who made Jesus both Lord and Christ. Secondly, the verse also tells us that Jesus was not Lord and Christ from eternity or from birth but that he was made Lord and Christ at a certain time of his life.
It is important to know that Jesus was a ‘mask’, so to speak, or a body, through which the invisible God manifested. Like Paul stated in his letter to the Colossians, Jesus was “the image of the invisible God” (Col.1:15). However, he did not become that body or mask right from birth. The body had to be prepared until such a time when the glory of God would manifest through it : “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith…a body hast thou prepared me” (Heb.10:5). Jesus grew in “stature” (Luk.2:52) and when he was about thirty years of age, he was ready to be endowed with that Spirit without measure (Joh.3:34).
At his baptism when the Spirit of God came into him God declared “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mat.3:17). From that time mankind saw the God of heaven living among them through Jesus. It was for this reason he was named Emmanuel which means “God with us” (Mat.1:23), and Thomas called him, “My Lord and my God” (Joh.20:28) . That was the mystery of godliness – “God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim.3:16).
It is when that glory of God began to manifest in Jesus’ life that the Word was made flesh. The Word being made flesh does not mean the Word became blood cells, skin, or muscles as a fetus! Rather, it refers to the manifestation of the power of the Word through the flesh, that is, “God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim.3:16). The Amplified Version phrases it this way – “He (God) was made visible in human flesh“, and in the NIV it states, “He appeared in a body“. Yes, God appeared in that body WHEN it was fully prepared for its work (Heb.10:5). John wrote that “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY” (Joh.1:14). That refers to the power of the Word that began to manifest through the Lord and made people to behold the glory of God. That cannot be said to have occurred when Jesus was born as a baby or during his childhood years.
The following is a report of my recent visit to India and Singapore. The first part of the report (for the India visit) has been written by Brother Hubert D’souza my host.
Report by Pastor Hubert D’souza
The 9th of April 2019 was a great day with lots of excitement in the hearts of the saints at Faith Assembly church in Mumbai. It brought joy to us as we saw Brother Andrew Phiri of Zambia arrive at the airport. The flight arrived almost 20 minutes before its scheduled time.
Pune
The first convention meeting was scheduled in Pune, a city that is about 180 kilometres from Mumbai. A two day meeting was organised on the 10th and 11th April 2019. The church at Pune is led by Pastor More together with Brothers Balerao and Sona Dethe of Ahmednagar. This convention was organised at the Christi Seva Ashram Swargate Pune, a beautiful place with cool greenery in the campus. We started off from Mumbai by car by 5:30 AM and reached Pune around 10:00 AM.
We had four sessions in two days. It was a true feast around the Word of God. The large number of people that gathered from far and wide confessed that it was a great time of spiritual blessing. The messages left us spell bound in understanding “the mystery of His will”. On both days it was a good time of music, melody and worship with God’s anointed Word.
Finally the end of the two days meeting winded with a benediction by Pastor Balerao of Ahmednagar. In returning to Mumbai we started off at about 9:00 pm after having dinner in a fine restaurant in Pune. We reached Mumbai safely around 1:30 am.
Welcoming brother Phiri in Pune with a bouquet of flowers
Note: I was particularly touched to see some believers who had traveled great distances to attend these meetings. There was Sister Valentine D’souza (a former Catholic nun) who despite being badly sick had traveled from Mangalore to Mumbai and then to Pune. Through these meetings I also noticed how far our books and website ministry has reached out to many people. A number of them expressed their testimony of how they have been blessed. Others have made efforts to print out and distribute various articles on the website. The efforts are so much appreciated.
End of meetings and all set to drive back to Mumbai. From L-R: Flossy Dsouza, Andrew Phiri, Bhalerao, and Hubert Dsouza
Mumbai
The 12th, 13th and 14th of April 2019 were the scheduled dates for the Mumbai meetings, three consecutive evening services suited for the busy Mumbai crowd. The venue was Faith Assembly Church. All the services were packed and every one rejoiced in the meetings. The last service was a Sunday service and was a fully packed service.
The story of ‘Lot standing at the gate’ was an eye opener to all of us. There were saints gathered from Mangalore, Bangalore, Pune and Ahmednagar to hear the message of the hour.
It was indeed a precious moment around the Word of God.
Delhi
On the 15th of April 2019 we started our journey to the capital of our country (Delhi). Brother Phiri and myself started the journey by the Rajdhani Express to New Delhi. After 16 hours of travel we reached New Delhi and were received by Brother Sanjeev Emmanuel, the Pastor of a local church in Delhi.
With Bro. Sanjeev Emmanuel
The 16th and 17th of April 2019 were the two lovely days of fellowship. Seekers of Truth and believers gathered at the pastor’s residence for fellowship. The saints were blessed and enriched by the Word of God. Brother Phiri expounded on the message ‘The Speaking of God’ and everyone was delighted in the truth of the scriptures.
It all came to an end with a typical Biryani dinner (Indian Style).
Utter Pradesh
The next day,18th of April 2019, we started off to Uttar Pradesh. By afternoon we reached Bhaisya. We were received by the local pastor, Brother Gulzar Masih, and the members of the church. Pastor Gulzar Masih’s house was under renovation and he did so much work to expedite everything just in order to make our stay comfortable. It was a warm climate yet some unexpected rains had made the climate cool and windy.
This place is a village with lots of greenery and fields in the background. The saints were very hospitable and kind. Brother Phiri was so much loved and taken care of. He was also made to indulge in a variety of Indian cuisine and sweets. The two days of meetings in Bhaisya were a great delight and a time of feasting around the Word of God. The believers were found rejoicing in every aspect of the revelation expounded. Brother Phiri spoke on a message of “Stiring up the Faith in You”. It was beautifully expounded with illustrations.
The only problem brother Phiri had was how to communicate with the saints. Hindi is the only language spoken and understood in this place and so interpretation was the only way of relating with people. The two days were amazing and every bit of it became a cherished memory.
In one service in Bhaisya, my message took a turn. I decided to speak on the issue of Law and Grace. At the end of the service I understood why that happened. An Adventist couple came forward to testify of their desire to be in the faith. They asked for a place where they could start fellowshiping where the precious truth they heard was being taught. The couple requested that I pray for them and I gladly did that. I pray that the Lord may help them grow and become fruitful in the faith.
The next day, 20th April, we started off to Sata Keda, another village which is about 30 kilometers from Bhaisya. We all headed to a river where water baptisms were arranged. It was a quiet place and peaceful environment. About 16 persons got baptized in the river and put on Christ. They were men, women, youngsters and even old grannies.
This was a very touching moment as these people gave their lives to Christ. After this baptism service we all headed to the prayer service where a lot of ministers and saints gathered to hear the word of God.
Brother Andrew Phiri spoke on living a consecrated life in waiting on the promise of the coming of the Lord. The saints rejoiced and received the Word gladly in their hearts.
This gathering ended with a sumptuous meal prepared by the church elders. After talking and sharing for a while we then started to Rampur the next destination.
We went to the home of Pastor Nazaad Masih, a renown pastor in the area who has labored for Christ for over 40 years, preaching the gospel and proclaiming the Message of the Hour. A truly humble servant of the Lord.
Pastor Nazaad Masih
After a cup of tea and snacks we gathered at the home of one of the church elders – Brother James – for an evening service. This area is a small town in Rampur and is a historical place in the state of Utter Pradesh. Brother James is the church elder and worship leader of the Rampur church. He is a loving and caring brother in the Faith. It was a small gathering of about 25 to 30 people and Brother Phiri encouraged them on how to walk the Christian walk and be grounded in the present truth. After the service we had a typical north Indian meal for dinner. They had been informed to use less spice in the food for our visitor but yet brother Andrew Phiri appreciated the Indian delicacies. We were made to stay for the night in one of the brother’s home where we had a causal discussion for a couple of hours and later we went to bed.
The next day being a Sunday, on 21st April, we started off to a village where the church is located. This Kashipur church was built by Pastor Nazaad Masih. We were welcomed with great enthusiasm. This place was a real village with fields and greenery all around. Beautiful small village houses, it was a great pleasure to visit these people and meet them in their homes. The church service started at about 10:30 am and the worship service was characterized by good Hindi classical songs, and the saints worshiped God from all their hearts. We were welcomed to the stage and Brother Phiri ministered from the Word of God. The church was packed to capacity with believing saints and ministers from various churches.
The message spoken by Bro. Phiri was a great blessing to all the saints in Rampur.
After ministering in this church one thing that I kept being told by people was, “My questions have been answered!” I spent time to teach on the nature of the Serpent in the Garden of Eden. After the services a group of zealous brothers, most of them youthful, took me out to a quite place under a tree where they expressed so much joy of what they had learned. It was a good time of fellowship and asking questions. I pray that God may establish His children in India and around the world in the revealed truth of Scripture.
There was lunch prepared by the church members for all the people gathered. The people gathered from far and wide and assembled for this morning and evening services. The evening service started at about 4:30 pm and went up till 7:00 pm. We gave a token of our love and appreciation to Pastor Nazaad Masih for his faithful service unto the Lord for over 40 years. This gesture was highly appreciated. That evening we had the meals at one of the members in the vicinity, who belongs to the church.
Truly every bit of time we spent in Kashipur (Rampur) was a memorable one. The next morning we boarded a train back to Delhi and then to Mumbai. That morning we visited another Pastor from Rampur Pastor Malan Masih. We had a short visit to his place where we had a short prayer and then we went to the railway station to board the train to Delhi. At Delhi we were received by bro Sanjeev Emmanuel to his home and then the next day we took a train back to Mumbai and were back home after a 15 day journey in the mission. Many thanks to Bro. Andrew Phiri for his precious time with the saints in India.
Pastor Hubert D’souza
Singapore
From Mumbai I traveled to Singapore through Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. I arrived in Singapore on 26th April feeling so weary and tired. I was received by Brothers Richard Gan and Jonan Gan. At Changi airport I was astounded at the beauty of the airport. It has been rated the best for the seventh time in a row and it sure deserves the rating. I was especially stunned by an artificial waterfall structure.
With Brother Richard Gan at Jewel Changi Airport
However, what was more important for me in this prosperous city-state was spending some time of prayer and fellowship with Brother Richard Gan and saints at the Prophetic Revelation fellowship on a Sunday before proceeding home to Lusaka. This ministry holds a special place in the hearts of many people around the world and I was thankful to have had another time of visiting for the third time now.
I came to know of Brother Gan’s ministry in 1999. In that year a Pentecostal reverend had warned me not to read his white ‘Prophetic Revelation’ books, telling me that they were just not right. The reverend however recommended that Spoken Word books by Brother Branham were fine to read. One day I was with a friend in the reverend’s home. He reached out to pick a Spoken Word book, and as he also wanted to pick a ‘white’ book on the shelf, I echoed the warning to him, “Don’t take those white ones, they are not good!” Here I was, preventing a person from reading that which I had never read nor understood myself! Well, from the same bookshelf I decided to pick a golden-colored book. It had a strange title which I didn’t understand – “THE FINALE”. Although strange, the book was alright for me as long as it wasn’t in white color!
That evening I began to read the book and everything was too new. Then came an experience that frightened me. I went into a trance and saw a man walking barefoot in a dark corridor of a house. In his hand was a torch. He screamed saying, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!” I woke up from the experience and went on my knees praying and repenting. Later I came to realize that the author of the book which led me to the truth was the same one for the white ones. What could it be but a real illustration that we should not judge a book by its cover.
Bookshelf at Prophetic Revelation prayer hall
We had two services in Singapore during which I preached on a message titled The Speaking of God.
Notice board
The video messages are available both on our YouTube channel (For Your Edification) and the Prophetic Revelation website.
Bro. Jonan Gan leading praise and worship during the church service
I flew back home on 30th April, arriving on 1st May. My first week back home I felt sick from the stress of the journey but later recovered. Our prayers are now towards Malawi, where I will be travelling next for a series of meetings. May the Lord bless all who love His appearing. Amen.
Preached 25th April 2019 | Singapore
Questions asked during India visit
Question No.4
If it is wrong for Christians to wear jewelry, why does Ezekiel 16:11-12 say that God decked Israel with ornaments and bracelets?
The counsel of God is perfect. What God requires of us is and will always be right. However, time and again man always drifts from the original plan or perfect will of God. An example of this is how man started engaging in divorce. Divorce was never part of God’s perfect will but because of the hardness of man’s heart He permitted it (Mat.19:8). When God permits something, even a vain thing that is unprofitable to man, it is in hope of something better to come, and also for eyes of man to see and learn. “For the creature”, Paul writes, “was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope” (Rom.8:20). It is for this reason that although God knew about the imperfectness of the Old Testament Law He still let it take full course. He permitted the Law of Moses so “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rom.3:19). The Law was to show man that even when he knew the good thing to do he was insufficient to perform true righteousness (Rom.7:19).
Another example of God permitting something which is not His will can be found in the life of David. He had many wives. We know that God was never the author of polygamy. For “they twain shall be one flesh… they are no more twain, but one flesh” (Mat.19:1-8). But, how could God say to David, “And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom…and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things”? (2 Sam.12:8-9). Does this sentence mean God sanctioned the polygamous marriages of King David? How about the scripture which says that God had put a lying spirit in Ahab’s prophets (2 Chro.18:21-22); would God lie?
It is important to know that God is everywhere and sovereign and therefore, whatever He permits the free-will of man to do, even when it is a terribly evil thing, that is by implication His cause! Is it any surprising then that in Isaiah He declared saying, “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things” (Isa.45:7)?
In Genesis chapter 35 we read about God telling Jacob to go to Bethel. Jacob knew that the gods and type of garments his family wore weren’t pleasing to God. So he commanded them saying “Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments” (v.2). Surely a spiritual person is able to discern the perfect will of God. When Jacob’s family heard the instruction, they did more than they were told for “they gave to Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand , and all their earrings which were in the ears” (v.4). Why did they put off the earrings if there was nothing wrong with wearing them? And would all Israelites follow the example of Jacob’s family through time? Not so. Later there was a nation of Israel which time and again got attracted to the vain beauty of pagan nations. Their hearts coveted after that and yes God gave them the vanity they desired but with consequences! Yes, God can permit an undesirable thing but there will always be consequences which follow.
Here is another case: wasn’t it considered a curse for women to lead people? “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths” (Isa.3:12). But was it not God who raised Deborah, a woman, to lead the nation of Israel. Does that mean God is pleased with women being in leadership or being preachers? Many who are blind to the simple truth of Scripture would say so, but Deborah herself knew that this was against normal order when she said to Barak, “I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman” (Jud.4:8-9). The sins of Israel were many and God permitted that.
In the time of Ezekiel, the infidelity of Israel against God’s Law was thus illustrated: “I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head” (Eze.16:11-12). But what resulted from this beauty of Israel? The scripture continues: “But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was”(v.15).
In the New Testament Christ came to restore man to the perfect will of God. To all those who walk in the Grace God has given us through Calvary we have left the “shadows” of the Law behind us because the Light of God’s Truth has shined upon us. We don’t take pleasure in carnality. We are the Bride of Christ “whose adorning [is] not that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold” (1 Pet.3:3). We surely can never hide in shadows of the night like prostitutes and thieves when the Day-star has dawned upon us!
Be assured that if the family of Jacob upon conviction of the word they received from Jacob about some holy place they were to go to, gave up their earrings and garments, Eve who was in Eden, in the very presence of God, a pure daughter of God, would have never perforated her nose or ears to try to look beautiful! If the Fall had not occurred Eve would still have been alive today and there certainly wouldn’t be any paint on her lips or eyebrows!
Preached 25th April 2019 | Singapore
Questions asked during India visit
Question No.3
In the Bible we read about how God judged or cursed people with diseases, disasters, or how he caused death upon them. However, the judgement passed on the Serpent in Genesis Chapter 3 was strange: The Serpent was changed to a different kind of animal, a snake. Why was this so?
Note:The response below assumes that you know the truth about the Serpent Seed doctrine. If you don’t, please read a book by Richard Gan titled The Original Sin. It is available here or send us a request for a printed copy of the book (Email voiceoftheword@live.com).
We should first understand the truth about the sin that Adam committed in the Garden of Eden. We know that the woman was deceived by the Serpent and not the man (1 Tim 2:14), but the Scripture also states that through man sin and death entered the world (Rom.5:12-14). So, if Adam was not deceived but yet committed sin, what was his transgression?
It is important to remember that in Eden God had made a man and a woman to become one flesh. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” says the Scripture (Gen.2:24). Becoming one flesh as husband and wife is accomplished through sexual intercourse; like Paul exclaimed to Corinthians, “know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh” (1 Cor.6:16). By this law it is gross confusion when a person commits adultery and this sin was punishable by death in the Old Testament. Although under the old covenant divorce was permitted a divorced woman could not return to again become wife of her former husband. That would be a great abomination which would pollute the land of Israel (Deu.24:1-4, Jer.3:1). All such undesirable things were brought about by the Fall. And events of the Fall in Eden have important lessons for the church which Paul illustrates as a bride of Christ.
In one passage of Scripture (2 Cor.11:1-3) apostle Paul expressed his concern over the prospective marriage between Christ and His Bride. He compared the espousal to that of Adam and Eve but he feared that what happened to Eve might also occur to the Bride of Christ. [Note: If the Original Sin committed in Eden merely involved the eating of a literal fruit from a tree (as traditional theology presents) won’t Paul be way out of context to compare eating a mango, guava or whatever fruit, to a nuptial matter?]
Our interest in 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 should be to ask, What was Paul’s “fear”? This is what we read in 2 Corinthians 11:2-3: “for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” Why is there an emphasis of “ONE husband“? Would it not have sufficed to only state that “I have espoused you to a husband” or “I have espoused you to Christ your husband”?
Paul’s fear was that the espousal to “one husband” would be spoiled like what had been done to Eve by the Serpent! Any reasonable mind listening to Paul’s words would next ask, “to whom was Eve espoused and what was the role of the Serpent in spoiling that espousal?” Well, in Eden Eve had been espoused to Adam but before he could come into her, she became one flesh with the Serpent. When that happened Adam lost her. However, to redeem her, he committed intercourse with her and hence was numbered with the transgressors.
In all this we should see that Adam was not deceived into the sin. He knew the consequences of what he had done, and he did it to lay the sin on himself and hence save Eve from destruction: Adam was a son of God and God’s program for Earth was to manifest through him. God would not destroy him. By taking the iniquity of Eve on himself he both polluted the land and brought death on it, but also took everything into suspense, so to speak, because the woman now had TWO HUSBANDS, and one of them was a son of God! That could simply not be permitted.
How would God resolve this deadlock? To simply curse the erring serpent with a disease or even killing it would never erase both the memory and fact that Eve had become one flesh with the Serpent. In her blood Eve would still be a wife of TWO HUSBANDS. The only way to retain her status as a wife of “one husband” was to change the Serpent from one kind of specie to another. This transformation completely de-arranged the DNA of the Serpent so that whatever blood had become one with Eve no longer had a creature from which it came! That which was one with Eve had ceased to exist. The anatomy of the Serpent was so changed that no trace of it has been fathomed. Its the “Missing Link”; the serpent-kind was completely eliminated from the Earth, leaving neither root nor branch of its memory! In this way there was no more chance of further intermingling between human beings and serpent creatures. Clearly the intermingling between Eve and the Serpent had set a bad precedence which would have recurred between future children to come. That one curse halted all that.