Regarding God the Father and Women

God the Father has always seen and heard women, always respected and honored them.

Why do I feel that this needs to be clarified? God

the Father, the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, does not need any defense or defender. However, there exist character slurs about Him as relates to women. Some say that He demeans, degrades, or disregards women.

Here I address this situation with definitions and examples that may be helpful.

For instance, regarding Eve - In Genesis chapters 1 and 2, the man and the woman are given equal authority over the rest of God's earthly creation as a result of bearing the image of God. The first thing the Word of God proclaims about a woman is that she is made in the image of God. Genesis 1:27 – “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Both man and woman.

(Disclaimer – there are different viewpoints on the following discussion. Some stick with the “same value, different functions” way of categorizing men and women who follow God. Some see it differently. I believe that Scripture supports my view. I have no animosity towards those who disagree with me, except when they use their view to dominate and control women. I disagree with those views.)

In Genesis chapter 2, after Adam was created, God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Ezer-Kenegdo – these are the words that have mostly been translated “suitable helper” for Adam. “Suitable helper” might sound like aide, servant, ‘less important than’ the man. But that’s not what it means.

Kenegdo means ‘corresponding to’. And the word Ezer, twice used for Eve, is three times used for other nations that Israel requested military help from, and sixteen times Ezer is the word used for God Himself as Israel’s helper, and is used consistently in a military context.

So Ezer-Kenegdo = Warrior Alongside. God made women to be warriors.

In Ephesians 6:10-18 when Paul wrote about the whole armor of God, he didn’t tell only the men to put it on – he told all believers that we are in spiritual battles every day, and we had best get suited up for them.

“Ezer” denotes assistance rendered at a point of real need, whether by God or by a fellow human being. It emphasizes effective strength supplied from outside oneself, meeting an urgent need.

“I will make a helper suitable for him.” This term establishes that the woman is an indispensable partner who supplies what the man alone lacks. God did not place Eve into a subservient position to Adam. She was a warrior corresponding to Adam.

When God created the first man and the first woman, Adam and Eve, He created them to co-rule and co-subdue the earth, to be partners in life, and reflections of the image of God. But they messed it up, profoundly, irreversibly, horribly. Not just for themselves, but for all of us. They slanted off the right pathway into an infinity away from how God intended men and women’s lives and relationships to be. And somewhere along the early history of the world, the way women are treated as a whole skewed drastically from God’s perfect plan. Very quickly in the historical story, women (usually) became minor characters in society.

Now, when I open my Bible and read it, and when I see the heart of God towards His people, I’ve taken to drawing a little heart in the margin. There are a lot of little hearts in the margins of my Bible, because the love God has for people is overwhelming.

And because I am particularly interested in God’s heart towards women, I notice clues that tell an attentive reader about God’s tenderness and care for women. Here are some places you would find hearts drawn into my Bible:

Old Testament examples of God’s care for women:

Hagar – Genesis 16 – Hagar got a raw deal because of a conflict between Abraham and Sarah that Hagar didn’t handle well. When that got her run off into the desert, she encountered God, who told her some hard truths, gave her an amazing promise, and sent her back to Sarah. The name that she gave to God based on her time with Him was, “The God who sees me.” That was her over-riding feeling, that she was seen by Almighty God.

Leah – Genesis 29 – Jacob got tricked into marrying Leah when he thought he was marrying her younger (and beautiful) sister Rachel. He didn’t want Leah, and neither did her father, who did the tricking. God valued Leah greatly and it’s evident here:

Genesis 29:31-35 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”

She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.

Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.

She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.”

The Messiah came through the line of Leah’s son Judah. She knew that God saw her and heard her. She gave up on her husband loving her, but she knew that God did.

Rahab – (Joshua 2-6) Rahab was the prostitute who helped the nation of Israel to conquer the great walled city of Jericho. God truly valued Rahab and the part she played in His plan. She became the great grandmother of King David and was mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus.

Deborah – (Judges 4-5) Deborah was the only woman we see named as a God-appointed judge for the nation of Israel. Though it’s often said that she was only made a judge because there was no man to take the job, the Bible nowhere indicates that. She was highly respected, and under Deborah the nation grew strong and threw off an oppressor.

Ruth – (book of Ruth) Ruth was called a woman of woman of noble character and was King David’s grandmother. God rewarded her excellent character.

Abigail – (1 Samuel 25) - Though she was married to a man whose name literally meant Fool, Abigail was not only beautiful and intelligent, but wise and courageous. “David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day…” This occurred before David became the king of Israel, and after her husband died, David married her.

Shunammite Woman – (2 Kings 4) She was wealthy, and kind and generous towards the prophet Elisha. She had ideas and acted on them. She humbly stood before and challenged the prophet, and later she did the same to a king. God rewarded her generosity and strength.

Esther – (book of Esther) Her extraordinary beauty and courage saved the Jewish nation from slaughter.

I could go on with more Old Testament stories of valuable women, because they fascinate me and I love their stories. God had no problem with them being strong women and strong leaders. They were Ezer-Kenegdos, warriors alongside the men, doing their part for the people of God.

And here is just one example to illustrate that this topic is not restricted to the Old Testament:

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Therefore we see that God the Father has always seen and heard women, always respected and honored them.

Here are some more passages that show God’s tender heart towards women:

(Widows in that time period were among the most vulnerable people, particularly if they did not have grown sons to care for them.)

Psalm 146:9 – He (God) cares for the orphans and widows.

Deuteronomy 10:17&18 – For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice.

Isaiah 1:17 – Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans.     Fight for the rights of widows.

Exodus 22:22&23 – You must not exploit a widow or an orphan. If you exploit them in any way and they cry out to me, then I will certainly hear their cry.

Jeremiah 22:3 – This is what the Lord says: Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows. Stop murdering the innocent!

Psalm 68:5 – Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy.

Isaiah 54:4 – You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood.

Psalm 147:3 – He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

Proverbs 15:25 – The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he protects the property of widows.

Zechariah 7:10 – Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.

Psalm 82:3 – Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.

Proverbs 31:8&9 – Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Isaiah 10:1&2 – What sorrow awaits the unjust judges and those who issue unfair laws. They deprive the poor of justice and deny the rights of the needy among my people. They prey on widows and take advantage of orphans.