WOMEN FORGOTTEN BY GOD?
July 2, 2012
Another lie I felt when I read the Old Testament, was that women were just created to bear children and be submissive to their husbands at all times, doing whatever they said. There were many instances, that I would wonder and sometimes, get a little upset.
I know because I have talked with other women who have felt the same way.
One example is that Sarah and Rebekah both had to say that they were their husband's sisters! I wonder what would have happened if they would have said that they would not tell a lie? Hmmm. Sure would have had another ending, perhaps!
I heard one Minister say that Sarah was not that interesting because all she was created for was to have Isaac, the promised seed of Abraham! I was so upset when he said that!
I think she had a very interesting life. She had to live with Abraham after all, traveling all over the place on a camel for hundreds of miles, which could not have been very comfortable. She lived in tents in the hot desert! She had to listen to the women make fun of her because she didn't have a child. Then she had to lie for her husband!
Rebekah had almost the same situation. Can you imagine being taken into the Pharoah's house. I think I would have wrung Isaac's neck when I got back to him!
Then there's Rachael and Leah. There's really not anything positive about them, just that they both competed with each other for Jacob's love and affection to see who could have the most children or who he loved the most.
The only positive thing to me that they accomplished in spite of their jealousy and competition with each other is that they brought forth 12 sons between the two of them and their handmaidens that became the nation of Israel.
But, then I started reading more Scriptures in the Old Testament and saw that women were not created just for bearing children for their husbands.
We come to the time of the Exodus after the children of Israel had left Egypt. Exodus 15:20 states that Miriam was a prophetess.
In Judges 5:4, Deborah was also a prophetess and she judged Israel at that time. YHVH used her to lead the children of Israel into victory against their enemies.
In 1 Samuel 25, Abigail convinced King David not to kill her husband Nabal and to shed blood needlessly.
Ruth believed in YHVH and became the great grandmother of King David.
Queen Esther delivered the Jewish people from being murdered.
Bathsheba told King David that Absalom had been made king and did he not say that her son Solomon would be king after him? King David said he did and that day he made Solomon king of Israel.
Then there is the story of Esther. She had to go before the king not being summoned with the penalty of death to save her people from annilhation. Seems being Queen, did not save her from that decree. But she told Mordachaie her Uncle "If I perish, I perish!" As a result, her people were able to fight against those who came against them. Even today, the Feast of Purim is celebrated to remember the Jewish people being saved from annilhation.
The most important one is Miriam [Mary] bearing the Son of Elohim, naming Him Yshua, Emmanuel, Yah is with us.
There are more instances of YHVH using a woman for more than just bearing children and having to submit to their husband. But, I am sure that you get the picture that women were not forgotten or held in disregard by YHVH. I did feel that way at times when I read certain Scriptures.
But, He valued them very much and even made laws that protected them because men did have a tendency to mistreat them.
Next time you read the Old Testament Scriptures and it seems that women were not treated right or something was unfair, think about these women.
There are some laws, that I just have to wonder about, though. But, that is for YHVH to decide, is it not?
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the Only Eloah,
be honor and glory forever and ever. Amein!"
1 Timothy 1:17
Shalom and abundant blessings,
Anna Constance