Every once in a while, I encounter someone who has a problem with me being a woman “daring to teach men.” I’ve even had death threats over this issue! At first, my only inclination was to say one thing: “Deborah!”
But then, I figured that wasn’t enough, and so I dove into the Bible to locate every single scripture I could find on the subject, and here is the end result:
Can women teach men? According to Scripture, they can.
While some Bible passages might sound a little confusing, we must remember to look at the context, and compare them to other passages.
The question that begs to be asked is this: If YHWH caused Balaam to be taught a lesson by a donkey (Numbers 22), why couldn't He use women to teach men? YHWH can and will use whomever He wishes! Check out scriptures such as 2 Kings 22:1-20, Joel 2 and all the ones mentioned below - and then ask yourself:
If a woman can be a disciple like Junia or Tabitha/Dorcas; a deacon like Phoebe; evangelists like Euodia and Syntyche; or a judge over all Israel like Deborah (Judges 4:4, 5), why can't she be a "teacher of men?"
And ask yourself whether the following women weren't being used by God:
Miriam who was Prophetess and sister to Moshe (Genesis 24:15, 19), the Daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27:1-11); Ruth (Ruth 1:1-4:22); Huldah (2 Kings 22:3-20); Esther (saved the Jewish nation, Esther 4:1); Anna (Luke 2:36-38); the woman at the well; Phoebe (Romans 16:1); and Philip's daughters (Acts 21:9). YHWH uses whoever is on His path to get HIS TRUTH out to the world! He even included Moshe's and Aharon's sister, Miryam in his list of "leaders":
Micah 6: 1 So listen now to what ADONAI says: "Stand up and state your case to the mountains, let the hills hear what you have to say." 2 Listen, mountains, to ADONAI's case; also you enduring rocks that support the earth! ADONAI has a case against his people; he wants to argue it out with Isra'el: 3 "My people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me! 4 I brought you up from the land of Egypt. I redeemed you from a life of slavery. I sent Moshe, Aharon AND MIRIYAM to lead you.
Who was YHWH talking to? Only men? No! He was talking to HIS people! Women are people, too! We can see that YHWH gave blessings and commands to both "male and female" right from the beginning:
Genesis 1: 27 So God created humankind in his own image; in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them: God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air and every living creature that crawls on the earth."
Exodus 15:20 And Miryam the prophetess, the sister of Aharon, took the timbrel in her hand. And all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miryam answered them, "Sing to YHWH, for He is highly exalted! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!"
For plenty more on this sensitive issue, please check out my article on The Refiner's Fire.
I'm just gonna post this here.
ReplyDeleteIn your study about the 7th month, being the "turn of the year", which you claim proves the civil year starts in this month, your so wrong it isn't even funny.
The "turn of the year" simply means that the 7th month was the exact half way point in the calendar year, and the phrase "turning of the tear" was a known expression in old times and modern times to signify that the halfway point had been reached. No scripture anywhere claims that the 7th month is the start of any type of year.
Okay, whatever you say! It would have been nice if you posted your comment under the appropriate article.
ReplyDeleteWow this will be a big blow if not bigger to church of Christ. who insists that woman don't have the Right to teach preach ahead of a man when with the assembly. All of this Christian denomination will not seize to go against the living word YAH lol
ReplyDelete