What Does the Bible Say About Women Pt. 4 - OT Women
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Intro
Today, we’re talking about Women in the Old Testament. Last week, we talked about what the Old Testament said about how the lineage and the land/wealth were passed down through the generations. We also talked about the kinds of laws set in place that protect women. Specifically, how Torah laws are better for the women of the ancient world than the laws of other nations.
Today, we’re going to talk about specifically the kinds of roles that women engage in within the nation of Israel. So, let’s get started.
What kinds of roles, offices, and positions of power do you think women held within the nation of Israel?
Deborah – Judges 4-5
What role, office, and position did Deborah hold during her time of leadership over Israel?
She served as a Judge, prophetess, and an overall leader of the nation
Talking first about judges, What is meant in the Bible when it says “Judge?”
This is someone who dispenses justice and frees God’s people from people like the Philistines.
In the book of Judges, we have this cycle. People do bad, God raises up a nation to punish them, Israel cries out, God sends Israel a judge, the judge frees Israel from oppression, the land is at peace, the judge dies, and the cycle repeats.
Read Judges 4:1-10
How does Judges 4 describe Deborah as a leader? What kinds of words are used and what are something you notice? Verse 4 calls her a prophet; verse 4 says she was already leading Israel at the time and didn’t need to be raised up like all of the other Judges; verse 5 shows that she dispensed wisdom, and wasn’t just a military leader; verse 6 says that she commanded military leaders such as Barak and they listened to her; verse 8 shows that Barak is hesitant to go without her leadership.
Read Judges 5:6-7 + 31
This passage seems to indicate that during the time of Sisera, the trade routes were dangerous and the economy was doing poorly. That is until Deborah came along and fixed it! A reign of 40 years was seen as an ideal length of leadership. Good kings in the OT reigned 40 years and that same ideal length is reflected in Deborah’s time as leader.
Does Deborah have any glaring flaws or shortcomings of character? No!
Can the same thing be said about Moses? Joseph? Samson? Gideon? Or most of the kings of Israel? NO!
The only other people that I can think of during this time period that compare would be Joshua and Samuel. So Deborah is among the greatest leaders in Israel’s History!
What does this say about how Israel viewed a woman as a Judge?
Notice that it’s talked about normally. It’s not a huge “God had to do this crazy thing in order to raise up a woman judge.” It’s just a normal, expectation that a woman could and did serve as a judge.
Women as Monarchs
So we have the office of Judge that were occupied by women in Israel’s history. Israelites didn’t have any issue with Deborah serving as judge. Another office/role that was occupied and seen as a normal occurrence was that of a Monarch. Specifically, the Sole-leader of Israel. A Queen. Not Queen as in “wife of the king,” but rather, the sole ruler of the nation.
Read 1 Kings 15:11-13 – Here Maakah was queen mother over Israel
Read 2 Kings 11:1-3 – Here Athaliah was queen over Israel for 6 years.
Were these good queens or bad queens? Bad of course! However, was it because they were women or because they deviated from Torah? It’s because they deviated from Torah.
Some will say, “See! These two queens were terrible. See what happens when you put a woman in charge!” However, if that’s the line of reasoning, then just look at how many bad Kings there were over Israel that were men! There were way more bad kings than there were bad queens! This is more of an issue of absolute power corrupting a person to deviate from God’s design rather than if it was a male or female ruler.
In Israel, it was conceivable to have a woman leader. The Bible, and this “issue,” is very “matter-of-fact” according to the text. There is no commentary from the Bible as to why a woman was a ruler. And they were bad because they abandoned Torah.
Notice that it’s talked about normally. It’s not a huge “God had to do this crazy thing in order to raise up a woman ruler.” It’s just a normal, expectation that a woman could and did serve as a Queen.
City Builders, Sages, Artists
City Builders
Read 1 Chron 7:23-24
What role in society did Sheerah serve?
What does this imply about the duties and functions that women could serve?
Sages
2 Sam. 14 speaks of a wise, unnamed woman from Tekoa who speaks to the king and provides him advice, resulting in the avoidance of a huge catastrophe.
2 Sam. 20 speaks of a wise woman who prevents Joab from accidentally destroying an important city in Israel’s history.
1 Sam. 25 talks about Abigail averting David’s attempt to destroy a city by making him see the stupidity of what he was about to do.
These stories provide examples of wise women who provide advice and the kings actually listened to them! When the kings listened, good things always happened.
What does this say about the duties and functions that these women served?
Artists
Miriam (Exodus 15); Deborah (Judges 4:7+12); Hannah (1 Sam. 2); and Mother of King Lemuel (Proverbs 31) are all songs/poems attributed to women.
What does this say about the duties and functions that these women served?
Women as Prophets
Deborah (Judges 4-5); Miriam (Exodus); Holdah (2 Kings 22); Isaiah’s wife (Isa. 7:3-4 + 8:3); Female Prophets in Ezekiel 13
How do you think the Bible talks about these women? Do you think they are seen as a huge “Oh my Gosh a woman prophet!” or do you think it was more matter of fact?
If it was more a matter of fact, what does that say about how people felt about having women serving as prophetesses?
Read Joel 2:28-29
What does this say about who will be able to prophesy?
Note also that Peter quotes this in the New Testament. He even says that it has been fulfilled! So, this seems to indicate that the existence of male and female prophets will become more common than it was already! And not just male and female, but rich and poor, and young and old! Sure, men and women tend to lean more towards different fields of work or interests, but nowhere in the Old Testament does it say that women are excluded from any sort of role, function, or service outside of a priest or in Israel’s military. These were for reasons related to blood sanctity and clean vs uncleanness in Torah’s Law code. It would be presumptuous to say that women were excluded from a position in Israels history. If you can find me a “thus saith the Lord” law/code/decree in the Old Testament saying anything to the contrary, I’d love to hear it. Because I honestly can’t find a single instance outside of Priest or Israel’s military.
From anything we’ve talked about today, was there ever a time in the Scripture that rebukes or castigated the woman in any of these roles or functions?
The only instance that I can think of is in Amos 4:1 where Amos rebukes the Cows of Bashan for oppressing the poor and needy. But not that this is a very select group of women – Specifically the women from Bashan – and says nothing about the wider scope of women in general. God takes great care to care for women all throughout the Old Testament and is always sure to chastise people who treat women unfairly. Just look at the prophets that talk about mistreating widows and orphans.
Take Away
How does this impact your understanding of what the Old Testament does and does not say about women?
How has this changed your perspectives overall?