Biblical Women
The study of Biblical women reveals fascinating lessons about how God used the female gender to accomplish His plans in history and also to fulfill prophecy. Women of the Bible, both young and old, have played valuable roles in pointing to Christ in the redemption story. The Old Testament if full of stories which include female saints that believed a Messiah was coming and these were credited with great faith. The New Testament women usher in a new era; a time in which mothers, wives, and daughters discover their true value in Christ. In this article, well take a look at a few of the famous females found in Bible and discover how their stories weave into God's plans for mankind. This is not an exhaustive study of how God relates to women, but this article will hopefully serve to inspire the reader to take a deep look into the stories of some of the most fascinating characters found in the Bible.
In historic times, women were often treated harshly and considered to be of lesser value than men, even though Scripture reports, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:27) But throughout the pages of the Old Testament there are stories of bold and courageous females who made their marks in history. Two Biblical women from the Old Testament and listed in the infamous hall of faith in Hebrews, chapter eleven, are Sarah, the wife of Abraham and Rahab a prostitute. Sarah was ninety years old when she bore Isaac, the son God promised would be seed of a great nation. Rahab was a prostitute who bargained with Joshua's spies for safety in the doomed city of Jericho. Both Sarah and Rahab are in Christ's genealogy. Other women of the Bible who have helped shape history include Ruth, a widowed Moabite who accepts her mother-in-laws God and people, eventually playing a part in the prophetic story of a kinsman redeemer. The story of Esther is one of the most inspiring accounts of biblical women in the Old Testament, as Esther was willing to expose her identity and die to save her people, the Jews.
When Jesus Christ walked on earth, he challenged the culture and the traditional views that placed a woman's value below that of a man. Scriptural accounts prove that Jesus placed high value on the spiritual condition of females. Perhaps one of the most fascinating women of the Bible encounters in which Christ engages a female is the story of the woman at the well. This wife of five husbands was not only a sinner whom most men, especially Jews, would never engage in conversation, but she was also a Samaritan, an ethnic group the Jews considered detestable. But Christ not only talks to this lowly character drawing water from a well, but He witnesses to her and she becomes a believer! Then, the new convert rushes to the city to testify and because of her testimony, many men came to see Christ for themselves. An unclean woman daringly approached Christ in a crowd and touched the hem of His robe. In ancient history, a woman with an issue of blood was not allowed to touch another person. The ill lady's boldness demonstrated that females, too, grasped the reality of who Christ was and we see that they possessed passionate and courageous faith. Other encounters with Biblical women found in the Gospels include Mary and Martha, the sisters Christ befriended and Mary Magdalene, a woman healed of seven demonic spirits.
The Apostle Paul followed Christ's example and treated women with respect and fairness. Paul helped establish women in church history by placing those with leadership and other key spiritual gifts in roles traditionally held by men. On his missionary trip to Europe, the first person Paul converted was Lydia, a successful Jewish businesswoman living in Macedonia. Lydia eventually hosted a church in her home which was a shocking new way to conduct worship for traditionally, only men were allowed to constitute a minyan, a worship service. Paul also worked with a couple and both the husband and wife are cited as clearly explaining the Gospel. Other Biblical women found in early church history are Tabitha, a helper who actively served others in the Christian community and Philips daughters of which Scriptures says, "And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy." (Acts 21:9)
God's redemptive plan for mankind includes giving both genders made in His image the opportunity for salvation, sanctification, and certainly the opportunity for bringing glory to Himself. When we look back through the Word, we find ladies in Scripture in a variety of roles and from diverse backgrounds, but all crucial to the Lord's plans and His purposes. The Lord used a bold queen, a poor widow with a coin, an influential business woman, a prostitute concerned for her family, and a teenage girl full of faith to further His kingdom. And while He was on earth, ladies discovered that to their Savior, they mattered. Jesus demonstrated that He valued humanity, regardless of gender and because of this, He changed the world for many women. Every female interested in discovering how her unique purpose in life according to the Lord's will should start with a study of the women of the Bible.
In historic times, women were often treated harshly and considered to be of lesser value than men, even though Scripture reports, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:27) But throughout the pages of the Old Testament there are stories of bold and courageous females who made their marks in history. Two Biblical women from the Old Testament and listed in the infamous hall of faith in Hebrews, chapter eleven, are Sarah, the wife of Abraham and Rahab a prostitute. Sarah was ninety years old when she bore Isaac, the son God promised would be seed of a great nation. Rahab was a prostitute who bargained with Joshua's spies for safety in the doomed city of Jericho. Both Sarah and Rahab are in Christ's genealogy. Other women of the Bible who have helped shape history include Ruth, a widowed Moabite who accepts her mother-in-laws God and people, eventually playing a part in the prophetic story of a kinsman redeemer. The story of Esther is one of the most inspiring accounts of biblical women in the Old Testament, as Esther was willing to expose her identity and die to save her people, the Jews.
When Jesus Christ walked on earth, he challenged the culture and the traditional views that placed a woman's value below that of a man. Scriptural accounts prove that Jesus placed high value on the spiritual condition of females. Perhaps one of the most fascinating women of the Bible encounters in which Christ engages a female is the story of the woman at the well. This wife of five husbands was not only a sinner whom most men, especially Jews, would never engage in conversation, but she was also a Samaritan, an ethnic group the Jews considered detestable. But Christ not only talks to this lowly character drawing water from a well, but He witnesses to her and she becomes a believer! Then, the new convert rushes to the city to testify and because of her testimony, many men came to see Christ for themselves. An unclean woman daringly approached Christ in a crowd and touched the hem of His robe. In ancient history, a woman with an issue of blood was not allowed to touch another person. The ill lady's boldness demonstrated that females, too, grasped the reality of who Christ was and we see that they possessed passionate and courageous faith. Other encounters with Biblical women found in the Gospels include Mary and Martha, the sisters Christ befriended and Mary Magdalene, a woman healed of seven demonic spirits.
The Apostle Paul followed Christ's example and treated women with respect and fairness. Paul helped establish women in church history by placing those with leadership and other key spiritual gifts in roles traditionally held by men. On his missionary trip to Europe, the first person Paul converted was Lydia, a successful Jewish businesswoman living in Macedonia. Lydia eventually hosted a church in her home which was a shocking new way to conduct worship for traditionally, only men were allowed to constitute a minyan, a worship service. Paul also worked with a couple and both the husband and wife are cited as clearly explaining the Gospel. Other Biblical women found in early church history are Tabitha, a helper who actively served others in the Christian community and Philips daughters of which Scriptures says, "And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy." (Acts 21:9)
God's redemptive plan for mankind includes giving both genders made in His image the opportunity for salvation, sanctification, and certainly the opportunity for bringing glory to Himself. When we look back through the Word, we find ladies in Scripture in a variety of roles and from diverse backgrounds, but all crucial to the Lord's plans and His purposes. The Lord used a bold queen, a poor widow with a coin, an influential business woman, a prostitute concerned for her family, and a teenage girl full of faith to further His kingdom. And while He was on earth, ladies discovered that to their Savior, they mattered. Jesus demonstrated that He valued humanity, regardless of gender and because of this, He changed the world for many women. Every female interested in discovering how her unique purpose in life according to the Lord's will should start with a study of the women of the Bible.
Biblical Women
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