![]() Any attempt to do so resulted in the death penalty. No man or woman was allowed to enter the inner courts to approach the king without being summoned by him. To save the Jews from destruction, Esther ordered them to fast for three days and three nights. Neither did anyone know that Mordecai, the man Haman despised, was Queen Esther’s uncle. Haman did not know that Queen Esther was a Jew as she had not disclosed this information to anyone. Mordecai refused to bow because according to Jewish law, Jews do not bow to anyone but God Yahweh. Because Mordecai refused to bow before him, he decided to destroy all the Jews. The king’s chief minister Haman plotted the massacre of Jews. ![]() When her people were on the verge of being annihilated, Esther selflessly risked her life to save them. Queen Esther, the Israeli Liberator Queen Esther, by Edwin Long, 1878, via the New Gallery of VictoriaĪn example of beauty, humility, brains, and courage, Esther is portrayed as the Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus ( Xerxes I). It takes extraordinary will, power, strength, and God’s favor to defy the odds.ģ. As they were linked to Eve’s sin that brought a curse on humanity, women had been regarded as holding secondary status. Throughout Christianity, she is an example of bravery, strength, and the epitome of female power.Ĭoming from a history that has been associated with the origins of female subordination, Deborah broke all barriers set against women. Because of this, Deborah is one woman in history acclaimed as a Christian military leader. ![]() They won the battle and Deborah was credited for this success. Knowing that he would not be credited for the victory, Barak insisted that Deborah go with him to war. Deborah summoned Barak, the Israel army commander, and urged him to do as the Lord had instructed him, summoning 10 000 soldiers to fight against king Jabin’s general Sisera. A female ruler such as Deborah was groundbreaking at the time.Ĭolor illustration of Deborah, via ĭeborah’s story is described by Andrew Curry 2008 as, “ …a radical departure from the standard biblical themes which rarely place women in roles as warriors and generals.” She is an oddity whom the Israelites trusted to lead and judge.Īfter suffering brutal oppression under King Jabin of Canaan for 20 years, the Israelites’ prayers for freedom were heard by the Lord. Her leadership was accepted and appreciated both by men of all ranks and women. Robin Gallaher (2021) estimates Deborah’s leadership as lasting 60 years quite a long time to hold onto power. Traditional Jewish chronology tells us Deborah lived in the 12th century. Holmes (2020) portrays her as a figure who promoted and encouraged intellectualism. An intellectual who was fluent in Aramaic, Egyptian, Greek, and Latin, she took over the reins after her husband’s death. That places Deborah amongst the great people mentioned in the Bible.Ī powerful woman in history with a similar position to Deborah’s was queen Zenobia of Palmyra c.a240-274A.D. The only other person referred to as both a prophet and a judge in the Bible is Samuel. She was a prophetess and the fourth judge of pre-monarchic Israel. Fearless and obedient to God, She led the Israelites to victory and out of bondage. Out of all the Biblical women in history, Deborah emerged as an exceptional military leader. Deborah, the Prophetess and Only Female Judge in the History of Christianity Deborah Praises Jael, by Gustave Dore, 1865, via When the pharaoh’s daughter discovered Moses, Miriam asked her if she could fetch a Hebrew woman to nurse the child.Ģ. When they could no longer hide him, Jochebed put Moses in a basket and placed it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. Miriam helped her mother Jochebed hide Moses for three months. Moses was born during a time when the current pharaoh had ordered the death of all newborn Hebrew boys in order to reduce the population of the Israelites. Moses went on to become the most important Jewish prophet, writing the first five books of the Old Testament and giving the Ten Commandments handwritten by God to the Israelites. She was instrumental in saving her brother Moses’ life. Her bravery shaped the course of history. She is acknowledged both in the Talmud, which is the source from which the code of Jewish law is derived, and the Torah, which means “instructions” and is made up of the first five books of the Old Testament. Miriam is the first woman in the history of Christianity to be a prophetess. Miriam, the First Female Prophetess in the History of Christianity Moses in the Rushes, illustration from JW.org
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