Celebrating Amazing Women

March is Women’s History Month and what better time to think about strong and heroic women in the Bible. Women who are truly amazing.
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Melanie Rainer wrote in a March 2020 blog “It can be easy to read the Bible and only see the stories of the amazing men — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Elijah and Elisha. David and Solomon. Peter and 

Janet Starkey

James and John. But the Bible has stories of incredible women too. Strong and brave women who led armies and challenged kings. Prophetesses who heard and obeyed the voice of God. Wise women who made difficult decisions and led the people back to God. Loyal women who stayed faithful to God even when their situations were perilous. Women who did the right thing no matter what everyone else was doing, and changed the course of history forever.”

There is much more to the women highlighted — here is a summary of their stories:

Shiphrah and Puah were Hebrew midwives (Exodus 1) who, through their courage and boldness, defied the Pharaoh’s orders to execute all newborn babies in Egypt. They, along with others, hid the babies and saved hundreds of lives. They followed and trusted God and were blessed for their loyalty and obedience.

Rahab was a Canaanite living in Jericho who trusted in God (her occupation is up for debate). She hid and saved two spies from Israel who’d entered Jericho to see if they could conquer the city. She showed herself to be brave, bold, strong, and loyal to God in spite of great danger to herself and her family. When the ‘walls came tumbling down’ she and her family were saved. Mother of Boaz, she was King David’s great-great-grandmother.

We know of Ruth as the widow who choose to stay with her mother-in-law, Naomi, refusing to allow her to remain alone, likely in poverty. She was humble and kind but also bold and strong in the way she provided for herself and Naomi. She became Boaz’s wife and was King David’s great-grandmother.

Prophet and a judge, Deborah was known as a strong and brave leader — faithful to God. She followed the Lord and listened to his word even when others were doing evil.

Esther was a brave and strong queen. Her story reads like a soap opera with all of its twists and turns but ultimately, in the face of great danger, she trusted in God and saved the nation of Israel.

Faithful and trusting in God, every one of these women along with so many more, showed themselves to be brave and strong in very dangerous situations. What other lessons can we learn from the strong women of the Bible? Who are the amazing women in your life?

In His Name, Janet