Women in Scripture

Women in Scripture
(Part 1)

The Prophetess Deborah.
(2654 - 2694)

The Prophetess Deborah was the fourth of the Judges who ruled over Israel. She is one of the seven Prophetesses whose prophecies are recorded in the Bible. Deborah lived in the Mountains of Ephraim, between Ramah and Beth-El, where she held Court under a Palm Tree. The entire Jewish nation respected this great prophetess.

The wisest of the Elders of Israel explained that she sat under a palm-tree to show to the world that the Jewish people was all united and turning their eyes again to G‑d, like the leaves of the palm turn upward together, towards heaven. It was fortunate that Deborah had such a tremendous influence. For even the strongest and noblest of the men of those days had given up hope of turning the tide against the Canaanites' oppression and idolatry.

When Deborah was sure that the people of Israel had truly returned to God, she sent for Barak. Barak was the most influential man in Israel at that time. Deborah instructed him to raise an Army of 10,000 men, and gather them at the foot of Mount Tabor.
Barak was to lead his Army against the Canaanites to free Israel from their oppression. Barak refused to attack the Canaanite Army unless Debora when with him. He believed that only with the help of God, and the inspiration of Deborah would his Army have any chance of defeating the Canaanite Army.

Because of his lack of faith, Deborah told him that she would go, but that the glory of the Victory over the Canaanite Army would not be his, but would fall upon a woman (Jael). It was Jael who actually slew Sisera (the leader of the Canaanite Army) by luring him into her tent where she fed him and gave him wine to drink. When he fell asleep, she drove a tent spike through his temple killing this evil man who had caused so much horror for the Nation of Israel.

Debora's prophecy came true because it was Jael that received all the glory for the victory, and Deborah even glorified Jael in the "Song of Deborah."

In the end, Debora's goal was accomplished and she and Barak led the Jews through forty years of peace. All that Deborah accomplished was through the direct leadership and blessing of God!
This Story of Deborah is recorded in the Book of Judges, Chapter 4, King James Bible.

4) And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

5) And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

6) And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

7) And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

8) And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

9) And she said, 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. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

10) And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

11) Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.

12) And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.

13) And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

14) And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

15) And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

16) But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

17) Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

18) And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.

19) And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.

20) Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

21) Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

22) And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

23) So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

24) And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.


My take from this Story of the Prophetess Deborah is that God was quite willing for a woman to have authority over men, and to be a leader of the Jewish Nation! God Himself chose Deborah, and God Himself blessed Deborah and her leadership over the Jews.

p.rehbein

I have always believed that God will choose whom He will to do what He wills without regard for their being man or woman. There are several examples in Scripture that bear this out. The one most given is Galatians, Chapter 3, verse 28.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Another one that I find to be revealing is Ephesians, Chapter 2, verse 10.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

I believe that when God looks at us He does not see a man or a woman, nor does He place limitations on what they can do for Him, how they can serve Him. He sees loving, faithful, obedient children who long to do His will, and to serve Him. It is man that places limitations on the children of God. In my opinion, that is wrong.

I am aware of what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy, Chapter 2, verse 12:

But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

And I believe the Apostle had his reasons for this statement. However, I have searched, and continue to search Scriptures for the one Scripture where God says that He forbids women to have authority over men, and that they are not to teach, but to keep silent. I believe the Prophetess Debora reveals exactly how God sees those who love Him and are obedient to Him. He sees them as someone He can send forth to do His will.

These women were certainly serving God, however they were not formally ordained into offices. And there's where the dividing line lies. The Church (OT & NT) never ordained women as rulers and teachers. And that's what the Body of Christ has followed ever since. Until sects like Shakers and others began with the opposite, followed in the 1960s by liberal theologians in the errant mainstream protestant denominations.

And this thing about looking for a bible example of something and then make a doctrine out of it. Can be "used" in many ways, can it not?

Sure beats making Doctrines out of things which have no Biblical basis whatsoever.

Amen?

We certainly are to listen to the spiritual teachings in all scripture. In this case, a woman is put in a leadership position and we are told that God created women to act as the one who helps and supports the leadership of men. We need to know what the polies of the Lord are in order to follow Him, so we need to find why this seeming discrepancy. God never disagrees with God.

A closer examination of this tells us the men lacked faith, Deborah did not. So the Lord values faith above all else to establish leadership.

I have witnessed what women in leadership have done to the education institutions, media, government and churches. The evidence for why women should Never be in ledership is obvious. I agree with God.

Its better to have men rule society
And lead the church. History is all the evidence needed.

True as that is, one will yet be in error if one thinks that these scriptures can be used as a cloak to ordain women in the Church. That's the bottom line.

So, let's go with polygamy then?

Now yer cookin.

All the gay tulip-men are too busy running around dinking one another.

Amen on that. We need to discern the will of God.

It's not always the church-ordained ones that end up doing the actual leading.

@Platosgal is another fine example of a woman that can be and is used by God.

Muchas Gracious

Interesting point of fact

I was studying for the ministry at Four Square Life Bible college in the way back( 4 square was founded by a woman) and during the study where the demonation tried to prove it was Ok for women to be in leadership. The scriptures they were trying to mis- interpret -Was the actual Proof of the error!

Convicting me that God has an order and Women in leadership is out of order- no matter what the world says
I stand by the WORD of God

Correct. Although Deborah was formally a judge (in the sense of a court of law). However, when it came to providing leadership to Israel, she insisted that Barak do his job. So Deborah knew her limitations, and in her song she said "My heart is toward the governors of Israel".

But it was the woman Jael who turned out to be the heroine in that situation. God has no doubt used women throughout history. At the same time He has forbidden women from assuming certain roles. And there is no ambiguity in this.

Yet Deborah praised Barak when he did not really deserve any praise.

Now here is an honest woman making an honest observation. It seems that whenever women are allowed to take a leadership role, they abuse their power instead of working for the general good. This is not to say that men do a far better job.

Take Marxist-Racist Kamala Harris as an example. The first thing she had to say is that America is evil and racist, while the very fact that she has illegally obtained her position as VP contradicts her.

Kamala Harris Takes Veiled Shot at Trump, Trashes America as a Racist and Xenophobic Country After Meeting with Asian Community in Georgia (VIDEO)

If men do not step up to the plate and fill the leadership role they are created to fill, then the Lord gives us women who will do that.

As tribesman points out, it is not how God wants men to act, but our Holy God will use women for His good if men will not fill that role.

Men are especially told to fill the leadership in the family worship of God, few are filling that role.

Truly humbly women who respected and honored God's order.