Women of the Bible: A Legacy of Faith

There is no limit to what God can do through you if you give your life to Him.

Women play a significant role in the Bible. Some of them are familiar, while others remain largely unknown. Heidi Wysman looks at who they are and how their individual stories helped shape the greater story of the Gospel for Real Hope | The Podcast.

“Leave a legacy of faith to your family and people around you,” Heidi encourages. “Remember that God is at work in your life no matter what season you’re in. He’s working on a stunning tapestry, which is still unfinished.

“Know that God loves you. He is merciful, just and kind. If you’re feeling discouraged on your journey, consider Ruth’s life, or Jochebed’s, Esther’s or Mary of Bethany and remember that God works for the good of His people.”

Jochebed

By faith Moses, after his birth, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful and divinely favored child; and they were not afraid of the king’s (Pharaoh’s) decree. HEBREWS 11:23 (AMP)

Jochebed is one of the outstanding mothers of the scriptures. She was the mother of Aaron, Moses and Miriam (Exodus 6:20; Numbers 26:59). To protect Moses from Pharaoh’s command that every male Hebrew child be killed, she placed Moses in an ark of bulrushes on the river. After Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the baby, Jochebed became his nurse, and she was allowed to keep Moses until he was weaned. (Many scholars believe that this process continued as she cared for the boy until approximately 8–12 years of age.)

In this brief time, Moses learnt Hebrew history, developed loyalty to his people, and understood the call to deliver them. It was long enough for Jochebed to impart to Moses knowledge of the God of heaven and earth.

God used her courageous acts to position her son in the house of Pharaoh.

The author of Hebrews records that his parents ‘were not afraid of the king’s (Pharaoh’s) decree’ (Hebrews 11:23). The God of Israel was more real to Jochebed and her husband than was the king of Egypt. Jochebed exemplifies courage to fear God rather than man, as well as a steadfast faith in God’s promises and providences.

God honoured her unwavering faith by delivering the Hebrews from Egyptian enslavement through Moses, and by placing her other son, Aaron, as high priest. Her daughter Miriam rose to prominence among the Hebrew women and Jochebed’s entire tribal family was selected by God to lead the rituals of worship for His people. Jochebed means ‘Jehovah glorified’. She certainly lived out her name to bring glory to God!

Jael

Most blessed of women is Jael, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Most blessed is she of women in the tent. JUDGES 5:24 AMP 

Jael was a fearless woman whose courage and prompt action resulted in a big victory for Israel. Her story demonstrates how God loves to use the seemingly insignificant people to accomplish His purpose. Israel had turned away from following God and was being oppressed by the Canaanites. So, God raised up judges to bring the Israelites back to Himself. One of these judges was a prophetess named Deborah.

On a word from God, Deborah called for Barak, Israel’s military leader, and instructed him to go to battle. She prophesied to him that God would deliver Sisera, the Canaanite military leader, and the Canaanite armies into his hands. Barak fearfully replied that he’d only go if she went with him. Deborah agreed to accompany him; however, she prophesied that God wouldn’t deliver Sisera into Barak’s hands. He’d be delivered into the hands of a woman.

Jael was not an Israelite. In fact, Jael’s husband was a friend of the Canaanite king. As a result, on the day of battle it was only natural for Sisera to seek sanctuary from her. She greeted him and assured him not to be afraid. He enlisted Jael’s assistance in hiding him, directing her to lie to everyone who came looking for him. Jael offered him milk and advised him to rest. Sisera fell fast asleep, exhausted. Then Jael grabbed a tent peg and a hammer and drove the tent peg through Sisera’s temple.

Thus, Sisera was ‘delivered into the hands of a woman’, and Jael secured a victory for Israel. To celebrate their victory, Deborah sang a song of victory for Israel. In her song, she praised Jael for killing Sisera, paying a high tribute to this brave woman by calling her ‘most blessed is she of women’. God also chose Jael, a non-Israeli lady, to deliver Israel. At times we may feel insignificant, but be encouraged, God delights to use individuals that others dismiss as insignificant to reveal His glory.

Esther

For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]? ESTHER 4:14 (AMP)

In the face of certain destruction, an orphaned Jewish girl in a new position of power risked everything to save her people.

Have you ever been asked to do something that was difficult and felt like saying, ‘Why me?’ When Queen Esther’s uncle Mordecai proposed that she utilise her power to prevent the extinction of her people, Esther may have thought that way.

No other Jew, according to Mordecai, had such access to the king. Perhaps God had intended for Esther to be queen in order to put her in a position to prevent such a horrific evil from occurring and save her people. Esther was aware of her obligations. She requested that everyone observe a three-day fast, which would have likely included fervent prayers to God for deliverance.

So, when Esther walked into the king’s throne room, she was wrapped not just in a beautiful robe but also in the prayers of God’s people. It wasn’t just the king in that room; God was there too. We must remember that God is always with us, working behind the scenes, arranging opportunities and possibilities for us.

We have a God who loves and cares for us. We can rejoice in the fact that even in life’s trials, God is faithfully at work in our lives and will carry us through every day.

Mary of Bethany

She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was continually listening to His teaching. LUKE 10:39 (AMP) 

My favourite lady in the New Testament would have to be Mary of Bethany. I have personally gleaned so much from her life. Mary is one of the well-known siblings whom Jesus loved. She is the sister of Martha and Lazarus. These three were Jesus’ close companions. Their house was a place for Jesus to rest and relax.

In every biblical story of Mary of Bethany, she is found at Jesus’ feet:
Jesus visits Martha and Mary’s home (Luke 10:39)
When Lazarus died (John 11:32)
At Simon’s house for dinner (John 12:3)

One lesson I learnt and applied to my own life was how she placed value on listening to the words of Jesus. The Bible says she ‘seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was continually listening to His teaching’ (Luke 10:39 AMP). You see, Mary did this because she needed Jesus. She was fully aware of her spiritual condition.

Jesus had the answers to questions she didn’t even know she needed to be asking.

Mary did not just hear what Jesus said. She listened with her ears as well as her intellect and devoured everything Jesus said. In those moments, there was nothing or nobody that could get her attention. Mary clung to the one thing that would last far beyond this life into eternity – the living Word.

Your heart has a God-sized hole in it. Nothing else will do. Anything else you try will not work. Being positioned at Jesus’ feet demonstrates not only how much Mary worships Him but also how much she needs Him, is yielded to Him, and is devoted to Him. Jesus is asking us to live with reverence in our hearts and a strong desire to know Him more. If you don’t believe you have a need, you will never ask for more of Him!

The Unknown Woman

For she said to herself, ‘If only I touch His garment, I shall be made well.’ MATTHEW 9:21 (ESV)

There’s a wonderful story of faith in the Bible about a woman who for twelve years had suffered haemorrhaging. The Bible doesn’t mention her name, and yet her story of faith and courage lives on some two thousand years later.

Because of the constant bleeding, under the Jewish law this woman lived in a continual state of uncleanness that would have brought upon her social and religious isolation. But then she heard about Jesus and all the mighty works He was doing. She said to herself, ‘If only I touch His garment, I shall be made well’.

It took great courage to push through a crowd that had rejected her for years. Her method was so unorthodox.

But if she had conformed and accepted the rules, traditions or restrictions being placed upon her, she would never have been healed.

This woman and Jesus’ response to her courage and faith show that God is not attached to a particular way of doing things. To the curious crowd pressing about Jesus, there was no power imparted. But this suffering woman who touched Him in faith received healing – physically, socially and spiritually.

There is never a situation or condition too hopeless for Jesus. He is alive, He heals the sick, cleanses the leper, opens the eyes of the blind. Allow that spark of hope to flood your heart and fill you with a faith to step out, to touch Him, to encounter Him afresh. The good news is that Jesus always engages those who are determined to encounter Him.

Abigail

Then David said to Abigail, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me, and blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.’ 1 SAMUEL 25:32–33 (NASB)

Abigail is a lesser-known heroine in the Bible who God used to be a truth-bearer to calm a hostile situation (1 Samuel 25). She was an ‘intelligent and beautiful’ woman, married to Nabal, a man described as ‘harsh and evil in his dealings’ (v3). After Samuel died, David moved into the desert of Maon where he met the household of Nabal. David and his men treated Nabal’s shepherds with kindness. Yet, when David asked Nabal for kindness in return, the man harshly declined: ‘Who is this David?’ (v10).

When David received this report, he grabbed his sword and told 400 men to strap on theirs. There is no doubt what he planned to do. However, God in His grace sent Abigail to intervene. She acted swiftly, and she spoke honourably to David. She took control of the situation that would be dangerous for them all.

She didn’t just sit around and blame her husband or remain stuck in fear.

Abigail had the courage and strength to shoulder the blame for something she didn’t do. She begged forgiveness on behalf of her entire household, and God used that moment to show David how wrong it would be to take revenge in his own way and kill these innocent servants.

While she admitted that her husband was a man of bad character, she reminded David that his life was in the hands of God. Abigail’s humble response turned David’s heart. David immediately recognised her wisdom as from the Lord and followed it. In fact, he admired her so much that, when God struck Nabal dead, David asked Abigail to be his wife (v39).

God fought for Abigail, just as He so faithfully fights for us still today. He did not leave her on her own but gave her great favour in the sight of David.

Ruth

But Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God.’ RUTH 1:16 (AMP)

Ruth’s journey began after she buried her husband. Ruth followed her mother-in-law, Naomi, despite Naomi’s repeated attempts to have her return to her family (vv11–13). Unlike her sister-in-law, Ruth clung to Naomi. She turned away from the easier path to walk the path of love and faith. It’s this love and determination that gave Ruth a hope for the future, even when things appeared hopeless for Naomi.

Redemption is always possible, even against all odds. Ruth had no reason to believe she deserved anything. She had faith that God would provide, and God performed a miracle act to redeem Ruth.

He took a hurting outcast and healed her, supplied for her, and provided her with an amazing love in Boaz.

In your life, redemption is possible. God has a plan for you that outweighs where you’ve come from or what you’ve been through. God brought Ruth and Boaz together, and they had a child together. And that child would be in the lineage of Jesus, the Saviour of the world. Ruth, a Moabite, was a part of Christ’s lineage.

Feature image: Photo by Canva Pro

Subscribe to listen to this series and others on Real Hope | The Podcast.