Noadiah

Noadiah is only mention in Nehemiah 6:14. She was an evil Prophetess that apparently pronounced curses instead of blessings. You will remember that Noadiah is mentioned amongst Tobiah and Sanballat - they were the individuals conspiring to hinder and sabotage the work and building of the wall. She was NOT working for the Lord, enough said.

Isaiah’s Wife

Isaiah’s wife referred to in Isa. 8:3 is a subtle reference. The word used as Poetess or Prophetess is simply referring to a Prophet’s (Isaiah’s) wife who was to have a child. It was referring to her in the formal sense, not prophetical sense. It was referring to her as one would address my wife: Did you meet the Reverend’s wife-Dawn. The way Reverend is used here, is the exact same way Prophetess is being used in Old Testament times; however, periodically it also referred to her from the prospective that she was used by God to affirm his word. If your read through this passage, Isaiah’s wife did none of the terrific and terrifying signs associated with the Prophets of the Old Testament but rather - herself  (like Mary the mother of Jesus) was included in prophesy fulfillment.

Further, she was mentioned within the confinements of a prophesy about Christ being born. The name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (which means: Haste to the spoil, speed to the prey), which prophesied the speedy victory of the Assyrians over Syria and Israel was being predicted. Jewish law required that everything had to be confirmed by the mouths of two witnesses; Zechariah and Uriah were well-known men during this time. They were used to confirm the signs being given by God - through a similar sign - the Prophet Isaiah’s wife (the Prophetess) having her own child which would be named: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. 

Please note, she is mentioned in passing with no specific or direct leadership, preaching, teaching or pastoral role assigned to her. When individuals approve and support such conduct that is clearly out of line with the teaching of the scriptures, the church becomes like a car that is slightly out of alignment. Over time, it will get worst with every bump and pothole hit while driving does more damage. If unchecked, severe damage occurs making the problem a costly one. I heard it said another way, “All major issues started as minor matters.”

NEW TESTAMENT TEACHING

No where is it written, supported or proclaimed that women are to Teach, Preach or Pastor in the Church. It’s imperative that we pickup at this point to demonstrate that God is ‘constant’ and ‘consistent’ throughout the scriptures.

So that we don’t have to delay my point any further, here are the scriptures that Pastor John MacArthur sites as the most widely misapplied scriptures when dealing with Women trying to validate their role as a Teacher, Preacher or Pastor:

Act 2:17 (original meaning of prophesy: Speak a Word)

Act 21:9 (Four Daughters of Philip who prophesied)

1 Cor. 11:5 (woman should not have her head uncovered); and

Gal. 3:28 (There is neither Jew nor Greek…male or female…all one in Christ); and

Luke 2:36 (Prophetess ‘Anna’ who was in the Temple)

Chosing Anna for a moment: Luke reveals a great deal about this woman in his writings. First: we learn who her Father was - Phanuel from the tribe of Asher; Second:she was well up in years, Third: she was a widow who had been married at a very young age; Fourth: she was a virgin prior to meeting and marrying her husband; Fifth: she had not been with any other man before or after the death of her husband.

Why is this information important, because it sets up the CONTEXT of her role and title. The word ‘Prophetess’ used in regards to Anna means: To foretell or act as an Inspirer. Not Teacher, Not Preacher and certainly Not Pastor. She was a ‘For Teller’ meaning that she would tell what was to come that would have already been prophesied by the PROPHETS. Notice that we never read anywhere a statement like ‘Law of the Prophetesses’; ‘Law of the Prophets and Prophetesses’ or ‘Prophesied by the Prophetess(es)’. If God meant for women to be in Ministry Leadership Roles, where is the evidence? I suggest to you it’s just the opposite. We have overwhelming proof and instructions supporting the teaching that women are to be submissive, subjective to their own husbands learning under his teaching; they are to submit themselves to the leadership of men in leadership positions (e.g. Teachers, Deacons, Preachers and Pastors). One more time for good measure: God has always honored and celebrated women through out the new Testament, so why didn’t he have a woman to write a verse, chapter or book? What about a Psalms? Or Proverbs? Ruth and Ester are NAMED AFTER a woman, but were not written BY a woman. I’ll tell you why, because God ALWAYS operates within the boundaries of his own law, and his divine design for the man and woman. God created woman to be the HELPMATE. Her role under this titleis a powerful role. Proverbs 31:10-31 paints a portraitof a submissive, creative, helpful, thoughtful, loving, ministering, godly woman, wife and mother. She is a woman who HER HUSBAND can trust her all the days of her life. This simple means she is not trying to usurp his authority. She’s not going behind his back and trying to undermine him or crush his ability to reign as her ‘Kurios.’

Paul make this very clear in 1 Timothy 2:9-11; 1 Cor. 9:13-14; 1 Cor. 10:1-15; and 1 Cor. 11:8-9.

“The eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But God…has revealed them unto us…by his Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”        

Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the alter are partakers with the alter? Even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Then Paul goes on to say “…I abused not my power in the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:13-14).

Then in 1 Cor. 10:1-15, Paul runs down a litany of examples we should recall about being disobedient and how God dealt with the Children of Israel in the wilderness. He calls to our remembrance a few of the errors that caused many to be killed; amongst them were: Idolaters, Fornicators, and Murmurs. Desiring to operate beyond the scope of your authority is fornication (not just a sex sin), and lusting after a POSITION instead of God is adultery. In fact, this was the very reason why Korah was killed. He longed for the authority that Moses had which led him to challenge his authority openly. Sound familiar? Eve having a conversation with the serpent in the garden; apparently she desired to be MORE and the devil knew it and dangled it before her which caused her to sin. 

Paul nails this pervasive attitude down with a clear understanding of who the woman was created for. He says, the man was not created for the woman, but instead, the woman was reated for the man. This is consistent with God’s Divine Design from the beginning when he placed her in the garden after Adam was made.

Youmay recall Paul admonishing both men and women on the topic of marriage that we should be even as he is (unmarried and serving God), but if we can’t we should marry. He exhorts to man that it is better for him to marry than burn, and to the women (especially virgins), it is better for them to marry rather than become busy bodies. He tells the women that when they marry - they are supposed to be concerned with the matters of their own husbands. This is consistent again with God’s divine design for the woman as a helpmate.

What is also very revealing is how God dealt with each of their disobedience prior to expelling them from the garden. God began with calling out to Adam who he gave headship and leadership to. It was not until after Adam told God it was the woman’s fault which God have given him, that God spoke to the Woman. She blames the serpent, God doesn’t even ask the serpent his thoughts but immediately pronounces judgement starting with the serpent, then the woman and finally dealing with Adam. I’d love to talk more on each of their sentences but am restrained by time and the topic’s focus - Women Preachers. But it should be mentioned that God started judgement with the lease to the more important according to their roles and authority.

Here’s another very important point for us not to miss, after God made clothing for Adam and the woman, he expelled them from the garden. It was at this time that Adam NAMED the woman - Eve. This is very important, so don’t miss it. This is inline with God’s Divine Design and Roles for the man and woman. Adam naming Eve established his authority over the woman, even as God had given him dominion over the animals, fish, birds and the earth. He gave them (Adam and Eve) dominion but Adam was given permanent headship even over Eve. This is important for several reasons. The most important among them is later when Paul begins to theologize the scriptures he reiterates this several times and several ways that women are to: be submissive, subject to their own husbands, and they should learn in silence.

Later in 1 Cor. 11, Paul says,

“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God; Every man praying or prophesying having his head covered, dishonors his head. But every woman that prays or prophesys with her head uncovered dishonors her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shaved, but if it be a shame for a woman to be haven, le her be covered. For the man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman: but all things of God.”

Peter comes along (1 Pet. 3:6-7) and reminds us that Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord (Kurios) which means: Surpremacy or one who is supreme in authority; Kurios lends itself to such titles as: God, Lord, master or sir. Additionally, Peter tells men to honor their wife and treat her as the weaker vessel. Sarah called her husband ‘lord’ which is to be in one of the most submissive postures a woman can be in. She called him ‘lord’ because of her position as his helpmate, and his position as having surpreme authority given to him by God - over her.

 These passages are so clear that it takes deliberance to misunderstand them. Both Jesus, Paul and Peter were exceptionally plain in their language. God made man to have dominion over the earth and over the woman. God created the woman to have dominion under the headship and submissive to her husband. With this understanding in mind, Teaching, Preaching and Pastoring was never in God’s plan for the woman.

I know women who can preach the ‘horns off a billy goat’ (as Dr. Tim Winters would say), but no one is saying they don’t know HOW to preach. The bible does not support nor encourage nor authorize women Teachers, Preachers or Pastors. I tell folk to just read their bibles for themselves and ASK the Holy Spirit to direct them in their understanding. Because we are moving in the direction, where the role of women is becoming a diminishing role; what I mean by that is - women are no longer comfortable in their divine designed roles. They want to be more, they want more. After having power, influence and authority how could anyone expect them to ‘stand down’ and return to their godly divine designed role? I’ll tell you, God expects them too. This is only one of many desire from her nature that God expects her to control and get under control to prevent her from rising up and usurping man’s authority in the Church and Home.

IN CLOSING

Many will want to argue with me or this article…I’ll save you from yourself, you don’t have to. God’s word is simple and plain enough to be understood by a child, and certainly by an intelligent adult seeking God’s Will for his/her life. All I would ask any woman who professes God calling them into the ministry of Teaching, Preaching or Pastoring… how are you being submissive and silent (Hesukio) if you are the Teacher, Preacher or Pastor? How are you aligning (Hupitasio) under Christ and your husband. God called you to be a good helpmate, in this role is all the fulfillment any woman desires. But it takes a godly woman to see it, and more importantly - to be it.