Male & Female – He Created Them

This is going to be a long read, so I suggest you grab a cup of tea, and settle down comfortably.

Some time ago I had the misfortune to listen to an interview with Joel Webbon, a Christian Nationalist Pastor, who claimed that America is under a ‘Curse of Feminism’ and went on to assert that God would not bless the nation until women are forced out of all positions of leadership, and be replaced with white males.

I also listened to the interview that the head of the Christian Nationalist Movement, Doug Wilson gave to CNN, where he wrote off women as mere vehicles for producing children, nothing too special about that.

I have to believe neither of them have ever read Genesis, how woman was created as a ‘helpmeet’, and equal partner for Adam, because the load of running creation was too heavy for him. Before we hear of Eve, however, in Chapter v 27, “So God created man ion His own image; in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them.”

The story of creation continues in Chapter 2: v 18: “And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

Not under him, not in subjugation, but comparable. Enter the serpent, and it is round about here that people tend to go wrong. God did not punish Adam and Eve for eating the apple, He outlined to them what the consequences of that action were – ugly, tough consequences that we bear the brunt of today. But nowhere does He say the woman is less than the man, or the man more than the woman. In fact, the role of the woman is highlighted because of the enmity between her and Satan – there is nothing more powerful than women on their knees making intercessions with their Father in heaven. Almost every revival in history has come about as a result of prayerful women going about God’s business and trusted to do so.

Adam, after the Lord had told them what they had unleased on themselves, in verse 20 called his wife “Eve, because she is the mother of all the living.” He recognised her role and responsibility, as did the Lord because thereafter He made them both tunics of skin, a blood covenant with His children, both, equal.

I started to write this piece the day I heard those interviews, but I had to stop. The words that were flying from my fingers were not those of which, as a follower of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I would be proud when calm returned.

These guys are so far from understanding the nature of God. A cursory look at the Gospels will show us Mary Magdalene, from whom seven demons were exorcised, given a place at the table with the disciples. She was as trusted as they were. Mary and Martha, with their brother, Lazarus, were part of Jesus’ inner group and others whose names are not mentioned. Not as servants, but as disciples, taught as the men were. That was pretty revolutionary in those days.

At Jacobs’s well, we see Jesus restoring a fallen woman, privately away from the hoardes, and she went on to become the first evangelist. We see how He dealt with the woman caught in adultery, with respect, restoring her honour.

Our Lord gave women position and dignity. Why should we think any of that has changed?

And then, whoopee, I found this scripture in Hosea 4 v 14 and yelled a ‘yay’ and a ‘Halleluia’ heavenwards.

“I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry,

Nor your brides when they commit adultery,

For the men themselves go apart with harlots,

And offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot,

Therefore, people who do not understand will be trampled.”

Take that, I thought!

Of course, the whole can of worms opened all over again when it was announced that Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, is the 106^th Archbishop of Canterbury.

At the end of the 70’s, early 80’s, I was a member of the Swaziland Diocese Anglican Synod, and privy to the ongoing discussions and arguments for and against the ordination of women. I was ambivalent in the beginning, old teachings and attitudes well entrenched, but soon I became convinced that, in God’s eyes, there is no difference in the anointing of men and women when it comes to His work.

I truly believe that God equips us all, and if He choses a woman to play a role, so be it. If he choses a man to play a role, so be it. If he choses a child, so be it.

One of the things I love about scripture, is how it so often narrates how God, and Jesus during His ministry years, flip everything on its head, especially the prejudicial teachings and laws of the pharisees.

So, let’s look at a couple of flips. Job 42, vv 13 – 15 tells an interesting tale:

“He also had seven sons and three daughters. (Notice the spiritual numbers: 7 = completion; 3 – completeness, wholeness and divine significance, evidenced strongly in the trinity)

And he called the name of the first, Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third, Keren-Happuch. In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance amongst their brothers.

This was a precursor to what happened in Numbers 27; vv 1- 11

Then came the daughters of Zelophehad….

And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders of the congregation, by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying:

“Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the Lord, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons.

“Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.”

So Moses brought their case before the Lord.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right; you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father’s brothers, and cause the inheritance to pass to them.

And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘if a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.”

This possibly is the first law under which women were granted equal status.

Another important scripture is the prophesy of the prophet Joel 2 vv28-29, quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost:

And it shall come to pass afterward

That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and daughters shall prophesy,

your old men shall dream dreams

your young men shall see visions,

and also on My menservants and on My maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

No distinction between the genders, only reinforcement of their equality in receiving God’s spirit.

John 1:12: But as many as received Him, to them, He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

The New Testament has many similar statements, where no discrimination under heaven is evident.

Acts 1:14: These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers.

When we go further in Acts, in chapter 21 we read of the 4 virgin daughters who all prophesied. Same as the apostles did. A mark of leadership. No difference.

Paul talks about the leaders of various churches throughout his epistles. Romans 16 v 1: Phoebe, a servant of the church; vv4,5 Priscilla and Aquila who have a church in their house, ie lead the church.

1 Cor 1:11 we meet Chloe and her household; 2 Corinthians 6 v 18:

I will be a Father to you and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

I told you, you needed to sit down with a cuppa! On we go!

Phillipians 4 vv2,3 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.

And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the Lamb’s book of life.

Galatians 4:3-7,

Even so, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent for the His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

If we cross reference to Romans 8 v 14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” We have already seen that women have been led by the Spirit to prophesy, so it would seem that the term ‘sons’ is generic for ‘all flesh’, as is ‘brethren’.

1 John 3 from verse 1 again implies that God uses whom He will to perform the tasks needed to expand His kingdom, there is no differentiation in ability between men and women.

Writing in the New Spirit Filled Life Bible, Freda Lindsay* and Jack W Hayford* write thus:

“This reference to Philip’s daughters’ (Acts 21:9) each exercising the gifts of prophecy makes clear that women did bring God’s word by the power of the Holy Spirit and that such ministry was fully accepted din the early church. This is reinforced by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:5 where he directs 1) that a woman may “prophesy”, but 2) that she must be properly “covered”, that is rightly related to her husband or other spiritual authority, a regulation incumbent upon all spiritual leaders – male or female (1 Timothy 3:1-13).

It is puzzling why the place of women in ministry is contested by some in the church. Women had an equal place in the Upper Room, awaiting the Holy Spirit’s coming and the birth of the church (Acts 1v14). ….

…. Though the place of men seems more pronounced in the number who filled leadership offices, there does not appear to be any direct restriction of privilege.

Note: 1)the direct mention of Phoebe as a deacon in Romans 16v1

2) John’s letter to an “elect lady” with instructions concerning whom she allows to minister in her “house” ( a designation for early church fellowships)

3) Chloe and Euodia (1 Cor 1 v 11; Philippians 4 v 2) seem to be women in whose homes believers gather. The method of designation suggests they were the appointed leaders in their respective fellowships. 

The acceptance of women in a public place of ministry in the church is not a concession to the spirit of the feminist movement. But the refusal of such a place might be a concession to an order of male chauvinism, unwarranted by and unsupported by the Scriptures. Clearly, women did speak – preach and prophesy – in the early church (see 1 Tim. 2 vv 8-15).”

I couldn’t put it any better.

My tea is now cold – I hope yours is not!

*Freda Lindsay, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Christ for the Nations Institute

*Jack W Hayford, Founder and Chancellor, The King’s College and Seminary, Pastor Emeritus, The Church On The Way Van Nuys California.

New Spirit Filled Life Bible, New King James Version, ©South Africa 2008 by Lux Verbi (an imprint of NB Publishers) Cape Town.