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(I'm inserting this sidenote in the middle of this series because it has great bearing on why some women acted they way they did, and it marks a stark difference between the godly woman and the Jezebel of the church.)

The first thing to understand is that men and women were created equal. Both were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) In His image He created them, both male and female He created them. Man was not given dominion over woman as in the dominion given to both over the earth and all creation in the earth. (Genesis 1:26,28-30) Woman was created for Man to be a Helpmeet for him. The Hebrew word ‘azer is translated helper or partner. Its meaning goes deeper than just “help”. Used in this tense it means to “make complete” or to “make whole that which was incomplete” or “supplying that which is lacking”. There is nothing in that definition to indicate weakness or inferiority of a woman.

However, Satan was more crafty than any wild creature that the Lord had made. He seduced the woman and deceived her. She fell for his line and then gave the forbidden fruit to her husband who chowed down just like it was good…knowing full well that he was eating what was forbidden by God.

God went searching for the couple, calling out to them. After a bit of finger pointing and shifting blame, God pronounced judgment against the couple and against Satan. The result? The serpent would slither on the ground cursed more than all the animals of the earth. God proclaimed enmity between the woman’s seed and the serpent’s seed. The man had to work for a living and fight all the pests, thorns and thistles for the food to provide his family and forever the human physical body would grow old, wear out and die. And the woman’s judgment? This is the crux of this discussion. The woman would have increased pain and groaning to bring forth a baby. And she would be eager (have a physical yearning, feel an urge) for her husband and he shall rule over you. Which is what Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 14:34 “The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.”

A woman’s rights and privileges were established for the Hebrew woman when the daughters of Zelophehad asked for their father’s inheritance. Their story is in Numbers 27. Their father died in the wilderness leaving no male heirs. His daughters were distressed that his portion would go to others in their tribe and Zelophehad’s line would have nothing. Moses went to the Lord and God said they most certainly shall have the land. God set the precedence which held true for Hebrew women down through the ages. Thank you, God! But this was not the case in the other nations of the world. Women were chattel, could not own property, had no rights. (An excellent example of how women in the Mid East were treated is to read Esther, then compare Ruth.) Therefore, the Hebrew women’s rights were highly unusual and very attractive to the women of other nations. An outline of wifely rights, privileges and economy is found in Proverbs 31.

But what does Proverbs 31 have to do with submission?

Everything. This instruction is not from man, but is from the Lord. Obedience to Him and loyalty to Him should be our daily goal. When we please the Lord, we are pleasing to His people and He creates beauty out of ashes. It is not for the glory of the husband, or for the glory of oneself, or the glory of the children. It is solely and only for the glory of the Lord that we obey His commands.

Is it restrictive? Is it demeaning? Does it in anyway make us inferior? On the contrary, that Hebrew word Chayil depicts the power and might and strength of the King’s army, the knowledge and perception and discernment of the King’s judges. How can that possibly be inferior?

Being submissive to the husband is not being subordinate, but rather it is giving the husband the “last word.” When a final decision must be made and the husband and wife are in opposing corners, it is the wife’s responsibility ordained by God that she agree with her husband without rancor. It is being more Christ like in that Jesus submitted His will to God, recognizing that His authority came from God Who sent Him. Likewise, we respect our husbands and submit to their rightful authority as decreed by God to Eve in Genesis chapter 3.

Hebrew women had substance and were greatly valued. Deborah was a judge. Huldah (2 Kings 22:14) was a prophetess who advised the King’s advisors (they went to her home to consult her—now how powerful is that?) The women of Jesus day studied at the synagogue; were disciples of Jesus (Mary sat at His feet); Luke 8 names several women who were followers and who supplied Jesus out of their own resources; were apostles such as Junia (Romans 16:7); and were numbered among the original one hundred twenty believers that gathered in the upper room to wait for the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. On the other end of the spectrum is Paul’s dissertation concerning gullible and needy women in 2 Timothy 3:6-7. “6 These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself "truth." 7 They get exploited every time and never really learn.”

This is the type of woman Paul warns against being allowed to teach in 1 Timothy 2. The letter was written to the young Pastor of a church of Gentiles. Understanding that the Greek culture did not value women as the Jews did left Gentile women without education, without privileges and rights as Jewish women had. Therefore, the women in that church were excited about learning, and must have shouted out questions in order to learn more. However, this is not a well-publicized fact and the man-dominated society for the past 6,000 years preferred to keep women “barefoot and pregnant” so to speak. The chaos is what Paul was admonishing against. Just as the apostles admonished against False Teachers, warning against them. They were an abomination to Jesus in His letters to the churches in Revelation.

Paul was teaching a Pastor of ignorant of the Lord and ignorant of Scripture people. The proof of this is in the problems the church at Ephesus had: 1. false doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3-7; 4:1-3; 6:3-5); 2. disorder in worship (2:1-15); 3. the need for qualified leaders (3:1-14) and 4. materialism (7:6-19). There were worse problems in Corinth such as a man living with his father’s wife. These problems are really no different from today.

The real travesty of Christiandom is that there are not enough theologically solid Christian men doing what God called them in public to do and that is preach and teach the Gospel, if there were, there would be no need for women preachers/teachers. And if Christian women were doing what God called them publicly to do that is teach their children in the Lord as the mother of King Lemuel of Massa did, then there would be plenty of good theologically solid Christian men doing what God called them to do. The responsibility (or should I say “fault”?) is ours, dear sisters.Perhaps to be completely fair, the responsibility is that of parents so caught up in worldly things that they have not brought up their children in the ways of the LORD so that they will not depart far from it when they are old.

"God's Words For US" from Cecelia Lester

Renew a Right Spirit