Yahweh Had Very Generous Women Servants
Exodus 36:6-7 reads,
36:6
Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, "Let neither man nor woman make anything else for the offering for the sanctuary." So the people were restrained from bringing. 36:7For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.Yahweh's people, including women, were very generous with their willing-hearted offerings for Yahweh's tent of meeting. Learning from them Yahweh's people today should likewise be very generous with their willing-hearted offerings for Yahweh's works.
Yahweh Appoints Prophetesses In His Congregation
Exodus 15:19-21 reads,
15:19
For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea. 15:20Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances. 15:21Miriam answered them,"Sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously:
The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea."
That Miriam was a prophetess in Yahweh's congregation shows that Yahweh appoints prophetesses in his congregation. Those women so appointed should serve in this capacity, doing Yahweh's works as he has allotted to them.
Serve Yahweh By Praising Him In Song, Dance And Musical Instrument
It should also be noted that the women served Yahweh in praising him by song, dance and musical instrument. It is therefore in order for women to serve Yahweh by praising him in song, dance and musical instrument.
Women Served Yahweh At The Door Of The Tent Of Meeting
Exodus 38:8 reads,
38:8
He made the basin of brass, and its base of brass, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the tent of meeting.It should be noted that there were women who ministered at the door of the tent of meeting, performing activities such as were performed therein. In other words, wherever it is that Yahweh appoints a woman to serve him is the place or position that the woman should serve him. Yahweh is the one who gives various gifts for service to him, and those gifts should be used as Yahweh has gifted them.
Women Can Make Nazirite Vows To Separate Themselves To Yahweh
Numbers 6:1-21 reads,
6:1
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 6:2"Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to Yahweh, 6:3he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of fermented drink, neither shall he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried. 6:4All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skins.6:5
"All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come on his head, until the days are fulfilled, in which he separates himself to Yahweh. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.6:6
"All the days that he separates himself to Yahweh he shall not go near a dead body. 6:7He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his separation to God is on his head. 6:8All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh.6:9
"If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he shall shave it. 6:10On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting. 6:11The priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make his head holy that same day. 6:12He shall separate to Yahweh the days of his separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering; but the former days shall be void, because his separation was defiled.6:13
"This is the law of the Nazirite: when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting, 6:14and he shall offer his offering to Yahweh, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, 6:15and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and their meal offering, and their drink offerings. 6:16The priest shall present them before Yahweh, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering. 6:17He shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its meal offering, and its drink offering. 6:18The Nazirite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings. 6:19The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaved the head of his separation; 6:20and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. This is holy for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.6:21
"This is the law of the Nazirite who vows, and of his offering to Yahweh for his separation, besides that which he is able to get. According to his vow which he vows, so he must do after the law of his separation."It should be noted from 6:2 that the vow of a Nazirite is not confined only to men, but can be partaken of also by women. Service to Yahweh is not the exclusive preserve of men but includes also women.
Validity Of Vows To Yahweh Made By Women
Numbers 30 reads,
30:1
Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded. 30:2When a man vows a vow to Yahweh, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 30:3Also when a woman vows a vow to Yahweh, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father’s house, in her youth, 30:4and her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father holds his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand. 30:5But if her father disallow her in the day that he hears, none of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul, shall stand: and Yahweh will forgive her, because her father disallowed her. 30:6If she be married to a husband, while her vows are on her, or the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul, 30:7and her husband hear it, and hold his peace at her in the day that he hears it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she has bound her soul shall stand. 30:8But if her husband disallow her in the day that he hears it, then he shall make void her vow which is on her, and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul: and Yahweh will forgive her. 30:9But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, even everything with which she has bound her soul, shall stand against her. 30:10If she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath, 30:11and her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and didn’t disallow her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand. 30:12But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband has made them void; and Yahweh will forgive her. 30:13Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. 30:14But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows, or all her bonds, which are on her: he has established them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. 30:15But if he shall make them null and void after that he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity. 30:16These are the statutes, which Yahweh commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father’s house.
Merciful Yahweh Accepts The Service Of Divorced Women
It should be noted that Yahweh is very forgiving. For he accepts the service of even divorced women - presumably duly divorced on account of their past uncleanness, that is, sexual sin against their former husband. We too should likewise have the merciful heart that Yahweh has, and should acknowledge that even divorced women duly serve him and that he accepts the service of such women. In other words, all human beings, even servants of Yahweh, have sinned against Yahweh. Nevertheless, in his service, he still uses sinful human beings, provided they strive to walk in his way of righteousness, forsaking sin.
Don't Speak Against Yahweh's Servants Without Cause
Numbers 12 reads,
12:1
Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. 12:2They said, Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t he spoken also with us? Yahweh heard it. 12:3Now the man Moses was very humble, above all the men who were on the surface of the earth. 12:4Yahweh spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out you three to the tent of meeting. They three came out. 12:5Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth. 12:6He said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Yahweh will make myself known to him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream. 12:7My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house: 12:8with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Yahweh shall he see: why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? 12:9The anger of Yahweh was kindled against them; and he departed. 12:10The cloud removed from over the Tent; and, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow: and Aaron looked at Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. 12:11Aaron said to Moses, Oh, my lord, please don’t lay sin on us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have sinned. 12:12Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb. 12:13Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, Heal her, God, I beg you. 12:14Yahweh said to Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn’t she be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again. 12:15Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days: and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in again. 12:16Afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.
Don't Be Conceited On Account Of Being A Woman Servant Of Yahweh
The lesson Yahweh taught Miriam is one that all servants of Yahweh ought to learn, not just women servants of Yahweh. For Miriam and Aaron thought that as Yahweh had spoken to them they were perfectly entitled to use their opinions in speaking out against another servant of Yahweh on a matter whereby the other servant of Yahweh had not disobeyed Yahweh! For it is not against Yahweh's word for a man, even a servant of his, to marry an additional wife, seeing that Moses married a Cushite woman in addition to his Midianite wife, Zipporah. Women servants of Yahweh should therefore not become conceited on account of Yahweh using them in his service. They are to remain humble and give due respect and honour to other servants of Yahweh, especially those of a higher rank in Yahweh's service, such as Moses was higher in rank to both Miriam and Aaron.
It Is Sin And Folly To Speak Against Another Servant Of Yahweh Without Cause
It should be noted that it is sin and folly to speak without cause against another servant of Yahweh. And those who so speak are likened to dead humans, as stillborn babies. And Yahweh punishes for such sin and folly, for those who so sin and act foolishly are unclean before him!
Yahweh Shows No Partiality Between Men And Women Servants Of His
Deuteronomy 17:2-7 reads,
17:2
If there be found in the midst of you, within any of your gates which Yahweh your God gives you, man or woman, who does that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh your God, in transgressing his covenant, 17:3and has gone and served other gods, and worshiped them, or the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of the sky, which I have not commanded; 17:4and it be told you, and you have heard of it, then shall you inquire diligently; and, behold, if it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in Israel, 17:5then shall you bring forth that man or that woman, who has done this evil thing, to your gates, even the man or the woman; and you shall stone them to death with stones. 17:6At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he who is to die be put to death; at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. 17:7The hand of the witnesses shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from the midst of you.Surely Yahweh shows no partiality. He appoints into his service both men and women. He also reproves his servants when they err, both men and women. And when the sin is one worthy of death, such as idolatry, he doesn't exempt either man or woman, but treats them both alike. Women servants of Yahweh should therefore faithfully serve him and not faithlessly depart into idolatry.
Deborah, The Wife Of Lappidoth, A Powerful Woman Servant Of Yahweh
Judges 4-5 reads,
4:1
The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, when Ehud was dead. 4:2Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles. 4:3The children of Israel cried to Yahweh: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. 4:4Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 4:5She lived under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill-country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.4:6
She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, Hasn’t Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded, saying, Go and draw to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 4:7I will draw to you, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand. 4:8Barak said to her, If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go. 4:9She said, I will surely go with you: notwithstanding, the journey that you take shall not be for your honor; for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. 4:10Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went up ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.4:11
Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh. 4:12They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to Mount Tabor. 4:13Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles, to the river Kishon.4:14
Deborah said to Barak, Up; for this is the day in which Yahweh has delivered Sisera into your hand; hasn’t Yahweh gone out before you? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. 4:15Yahweh confused Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled away on his feet. 4:16But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, to Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; there was not a man left. 4:17However Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 4:18Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don’t be afraid. He turned in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 4:19He said to her, Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. She opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. 4:20He said to her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man does come and inquire of you, and say, Is there any man here? That you shall say, No. 4:21Then Jael Heber’s wife took a tent-pin, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground; for he was in a deep sleep; so he swooned and died.4:22
Behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek. He came to her; and, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent-pin was in his temples. 4:23So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. 4:24The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.5:1
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,5:2
For that the leaders took the lead in Israel,For that the people offered themselves willingly,
Bless you Yahweh.
5:3
Hear, you kings; give ear, you princes;I, even I, will sing to Yahweh;
I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
5:4
Yahweh, when you went forth out of Seir,When you marched out of the field of Edom,
The earth trembled, the sky also dropped,
Yes, the clouds dropped water.
5:5
The mountains quaked at the presence of Yahweh,Even yon Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
5:6
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,In the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied,
The travelers walked through byways.
5:7
The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased,Until that I Deborah arose,
That I arose a mother in Israel.
5:8
They chose new gods;Then was war in the gates:
Was there a shield or spear seen
Among forty thousand in Israel?
5:9
My heart is toward the governors of Israel,Who offered themselves willingly among the people:
Bless you Yahweh.
5:10
Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys,You who sit on rich carpets,
You who walk by the way.
5:11
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water,There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of Yahweh,
Even the righteous acts of his rule in Israel.
Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.
5:12
Awake, awake, Deborah;Awake, awake, utter a song:
Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.
5:13
Then came down a remnant of the nobles and the people;Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.
5:14
Out of Ephraim came down they whose root is in Amalek;After you, Benjamin, among your peoples;
Out of Machir came down governors,
Out of Zebulun those who handle the marshal’s staff.
5:15
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah;As was Issachar, so was Barak;
Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet.
By the watercourses of Reuben
There were great resolves of heart.
5:16
Why sat you among the sheepfolds,To hear the whistling for the flocks?
At the watercourses of Reuben
There were great searchings of heart.
5:17
Gilead abode beyond the Jordan:Dan, why did he remain in ships?
Asher sat still at the haven of the sea,
Abode by his creeks.
5:18
Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death,Naphtali, on the high places of the field.
5:19
The kings came and fought;Then fought the kings of Canaan.
In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo:
They took no gain of money.
5:20
From the sky the stars fought,From their courses they fought against Sisera.
5:21
The river Kishon swept them away,That ancient river, the river Kishon.
My soul, march on with strength.
5:22
Then did the horse hoofs stampBy reason of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones.
5:23
Curse you Meroz, said the angel of Yahweh.Curse you bitterly the inhabitants of it,
Because they didn’t come to the help of Yahweh,
To the help of Yahweh against the mighty.
5:24
Blessed above women shall Jael be,The wife of Heber the Kenite;
Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
5:25
He asked water, and she gave him milk;She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
5:26
She put her hand to the tent-pin,Her right hand to the workmen’s hammer;
With the hammer she struck Sisera, she struck through his head;
Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.
5:27
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay;At her feet he bowed, he fell;
Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
5:28
Through the window she looked forth, and cried,The mother of Sisera cried through the lattice,
Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?
5:29
Her wise ladies answered her,Yes, she returned answer to herself,
5:30
Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil?A lady, two ladies to every man;
To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments,
A spoil of dyed garments embroidered,
Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?
5:31
So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh:But let those who love him be as the sun when he goes forth in his might.
The land had rest forty years.
When A Vacuum Of Leadership Arose In Israel Yahweh Appointed Deborah His Prophetess To Fill It
It should be noted that at the time of Deborah and Barak leaders had ceased to exist in Israel. At this time Yahweh made Deborah, wife of Lappidoth, a prophetess, and appointed her ruler or judge of Israel! In other words, Yahweh shows no partiality in the person that he appoints as ruler over his people. When a man is most appropriate for this position he appoints a man. When a woman it is who is most appropriate for this position he appoints a woman. Yahweh appoints the person most appropriate for the task at hand, without making any distinction between man and woman!
It Is Yahweh Who Appoints Women As Rulers Or Shepherds Over His Congregation!
It should therefore be clear than women can indeed rule or shepherd over Yahweh's congregation. For those who so rule or shepherd are those Yahweh appoints, according to the wisdom that he gives them. Therefore, today, when Yahweh appoints women as rulers or shepherds in his congregation or assembly, all in Yahweh's assembly should accept Yahweh's appointment and rule by these women!
In Service To Yahweh Women And Men Are EQUAL!
It should also be noted that in the case of the above battle, Yahweh chose to deliver the highest prized scalp into the hands of a woman, rather than that of a man. In other words, Yahweh uses the person most appropriate for performing the task at hand. Sometimes it is a man, sometimes it is a woman. The point is that women should not be excluded from serving Yahweh in whatever manner Yahweh appoints for them, seeing that Yahweh uses them in whatever manner he chooses at any given point in time.
The GREAT Legacy Of Deborah's Rule Over Israel
It should also be noted that Deborah's legacy in Israel was quite great indeed. For, as a result of her rule in Israel, the land had rest for a period of forty years! In other words, good rulership or shepherding in not the exclusive preserve of men. Even women servants of Yahweh can rule and have ruled very effectively. For provided they rule according to Yahweh's word he ensures that all goes well among his people. Women servants of Yahweh should therefore serve according to Yahweh's word, that Yahweh may do good to his people and even reward these women servants with a great legacy, even as that of Deborah's.
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