Listen:  108.1

There were so many women used mightily of the Lord in the Bible.  In his book, “The Life and Times of All the Women of the Bible”, Herbert Lockyer lists over 400 women, including some good, some bad, and some described, but not named.  Let’s look at a few of the more significant women in the Bible.

Rahab was a harlot in Jericho who hid two spies of Israel when they came to spy out the land before waging war against them.  As a reward for her kind deed, she and her family were spared by Israel’s army as we read in Joshua 6:17, “And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.”

Deborah was one of the thirteen judges of Israel.  Judges 4:4 tells us, “…Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.”  She was used mightily of the Lord to defeat Sisera, the captain of the army of Jabin, the king of Canaan.  In fact, when Sisera was on the run, another woman, Jael, was the one who actually killed Sisera.  She tricked Sisera and gave him milk to drink, which caused him to get sleepy.  We read in Judges 4:21, “Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.”

Hannah was a barren woman that longed to have children.  We read in 1 Samuel 1:11 that, “…she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.”  The Lord heard her prayer and gave her a son, Samuel.  Hannah was faithful to her promise to the Lord as we read in 1 Samuel 1:27-28, “For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.”

In the genealogy of the Lord Jesus in Matthew, chapter one, four women were listed by name.  They were Thamar, Rachab, Ruth, and Mary.  Although she was not named, Bathsheba is included in this list as the one “that had been the wife of Urias.”  It was very rare for a woman’s name to be included in someone’s genealogy, yet the Lord saw fit to include these noble women.

Mary Magdalene was the first one to see the Lord Jesus after His resurrection as we read in Mark 16:9, “Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.”

The Lord Jesus gave a high commendation to Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha.  He said in Mark 14:8-9, “She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

When Apollos needed spiritual guidance, we read in Acts 18:26, “And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”

We read of the daughters of Philip in Acts 21:9, “And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.”

The Apostle Paul wrote of Phebe in Romans 16:1, “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea.”

I have listed only 14 women here.  There are so many more women the Lord saw fit to use throughout the scriptures.  I’m sure you can think of many more and realize the Lord has used many women throughout the ages to fulfill His purposes.  (108.1)