Basic HTML Version
standing example of leadership and
basically righteous conduct. Women
are equal with meo: 8oth make mis–
takes! Read the story in Numbers 12
and you'll find Aaron was in on the
deal (although he's mentioned sec–
ond-"Miriam and Aaron").
lf
we
a re going to find fault with people,
men and women alike (which is ob–
viously a bad habit to follow, since
Satan is the accuser), it seems to me
that
1
remember a little boo-boo
Aaron pulled regarding a golden calf
or something like that (Exodus 32).
Jesus may have had reference to this
kind of thinking when He said, "He
that is without sin among you, Jet
him first casta stone at her"-in the
defense of an accused woman!
And speaking of that judgment of
Jesus: Haven't you ever wondered
why the men, who in their righteous
pomposity brought the woman
"caught in the act" to Jesus, didn't
also bring the man involved?
It
wouldn't have made any difference:
Jesus' judgment was a matter of
principie, not sex!
Stamp of Approval
Now let's talk about Rahab, even ifshe
was a harlot. Here was a woman, who
by the exercise of
faith
(Heb. 11) not
only saved her own life and t hat of her
family, but aided in the fulfillment of
God's promise of lsrael's occupation
of the Jand. Being in a position to hear
a ll the news of thc day, she could
perceive that the future was with
God's Israel. She determined to be–
come·a part of that future-a danger–
ous and daring as well as faithful deci–
sion. Sbe aided and abetted Israelí
spies, outfoxed the secret police of
Jericho, and survived the downfall of
thatcityin theonly house left when the
walls fell flat!
If
that's notan examplc
of courage you can profit from, no
matter what your sex, then maybe you
lack guts--<>r finesse--<>r faith--<>r
all three!
At any rate, God certainly put His
stamp of approval on Rahab, citing
her as one of the examples of faith in
Hebrews 11 and including her in the
genealogy of Jesus Christ. Let him
who is without sin cast the first
stone.
And what about Deborah, proph–
etess and female Judge
in
Israel, who,
36
when there seemed to be no men among
the boys of Israel, not only withstood
the enemy, but devised a plan of attack
to conquer? She made no accusations,
started no liberation movements just
for females, made no attempt to prove
she was "equal"- she already knew
she was. She dealt from strength, not
frustration. She comforted, consoled,
encouraged and inspired "Sweet
Lightning" (Barak) todo bis job with
faith . She strengthened and sup–
ported-and those a re not unequal re–
sponsibilities. And shewon!
Sometimes in tbe scope of the sto–
ry we forget the act of another
woman in that day of need: Jael. Not
many women, and
no man,
could do
what she did that day. She enter–
tained the enemy's commanding gen–
eral in her tent , and when he was
refreshed and sound asleep, she drove
a tent nail through one temple and
out of the other into the ground!
(This act should be judged
in the
context
of the book of Judges.
lt
's not
recommended for Christian women
today!) So ended anotber occupation
of Israel by the concerted action, in–
direct and direct, of
two great
women!
Overcoming Prejudice
Naomi and Ruth fell on hard times.
Since they were living in a foreign
country, the death of their husbands
proved a catastrophe. But with ster–
ling character, determined action
and clever conduct, honest, hard–
working and undoubtedly beautiful
Ruth, with the help of ber mother–
in-law, , won her place in history.
Would that all mother-in-law/
daughter-in-law teams could get
a long as well!
Suffering under the stigma of be–
ing a woman, Ruth carne penniless to
the land of her former husband .
Overcoming every prejudice with pa–
tient calm, she not only restored her
family fortunes by marriage to Boaz,
but became the grandmother of Da–
vid and an ancestor of Christ. No
maJe ever achieved a similar record!
But the principies she used are appli–
cable to all, and she herself will un–
doubtedly stand tall in the Kingdom
of God! 1 doubt very much that she
ever despaired of being "just a
woman."
Take Esther for example. Here
was a woman who proved beyond a
shadow of doubt that beauty and in–
telligence can share billing in one
character. Cast into tbe web of inter–
national intrigue, with the extermi–
nation of her own Jewish race hang–
ing in the balance, she had to act
with uncommon brilliance in an un–
common situation. She proved
equa/
to the task!
The winner of a worldwide beauty
contest, tender in age and experience,
offspring of a despised race, having
powerful enemies to boot, she didn't
exactly have everything going for
her. She was faced with a unique
dilemma of history-and, but for her
wise and courageous conduct, many
of you would not be alive today.
Fasting, praying, seeking counsel
from her uncle and trusting God
completely, she put her li fe on the
line for her entire nation-AND WON!
She cleverly maneuvered Haman
into a trap that caused him to be
hung on the same gibbet he had built
for her uncle Mordecai. She so ingra–
tiated herself in the eyes of her hus–
band, Emperor Ahasuerus, that he
managed to change the law of the
Medes and the Persians from a death
sentence for all Jews to a carte
blanche. Let's face it, fellows, even
though we must be this woman's
equal, we never could have done
that!
But the principies she employed,
we can
al/
employ! Faith, patience,
intelligence, willingness to listen to
counsel, fasting, prayer, determina–
tion, guts!
Snapped Shower Cap
Abigail has long been a hero (or
should
J
say heroine?) of mine. Her
example in the face of extremely
frustrating life circuinstances gives
confidence and helps prevent precipi–
tate action in times of stress. Abigail
was married toa no-good, bombastic,
self-righteous, demanding, selfish
bigot named Nabal (the very mean–
ing of bis name in English is "fol–
ly"!). David and bis guerrilla band
were surviving in the bilis nearby..
They had protected Nabal's flocks
from bandits, brigands and maraud–
ing animals. They wanted sorne food
in return.
The
PLAIN TRUTH May 1979