Old Testament Women in the Bible Every Child Should Know
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash
Children’s Bibles tend to cover popular stories like David and Goliath, Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, or Noah and the ark–all featuring men. It’s no secret that men dominate a lot of the “leading” stories from the Bible. There are only 2 books of the Bible that are named after women (Esther & Ruth), which are both found in the Old Testament, but did you know the Bible highlights many other females from different walks of life and social statuses?
God used women in the Bible to point back to his greater story of redemption. God used women in a patriarchal time period where women were largely considered as powerless and secondary. Although it may not seem obvious, women played significant roles in many biblical narratives and their actions changed the course of history.
Children ought to know more about females from the Bible–not only do their stories tell of the importance of women at the time, but it tells of God’s magnificent character. God used females to accomplish remarkable things when the culture at the time did not see a women’s value. We see females accomplishing God’s work from creation all the way through the New Testament times of Paul’s missionary journeys. And we see God working through females today.
We urge parents to spend time studying the women of the Bible with their children. If we pay attention to the lives of the females in the Bible, we will open up a lens into how God loves and uses mothers, widows, young people, old people, the ordinary, the rejected, the sick, and the most unlikeliest of people to do amazing things. Their stories are relatable to both girls and boys because their lives are a testament that you don’t need to be revered as important or mighty to be called by God–you only need to be created by Him to be used by Him.
Eve – First woman & mother
Eve’s story can be found in Genesis
The first female God created
Sin entered the world through Eve eating from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
The first mother to birth a child
God’s redemption story begins through Eve
Eve teaches us
As the first woman ever created, we see that God created women in His image and there is incredible value in that. Eve was also given an incredibly important role as Adam’s helper. Rather than sit below Adam, she was Adam’s right hand to help him in the garden of Eden. She is also the first to sin, yet we see the beginning of God’s redemption story as He promises to save His children through her. We see God’s forgiveness and His grace for us all as sinners. As the first mother to bear children on earth, she would eventually have a descendant (Jesus) be birthed into the world as our savior.
Sarah – Abraham’s wife & mother of Israel
Sarah’s story can be found in Genesis
Sarah was barren for most her life
God promised her husband Abraham would be the “father of many nations”
Sarah eventually bore Isaac at age 90
Sarah teaches us
Sarah is a classic version of someone who doubted God and took matters into her own hands. God promised that nations would be born through her and Abraham, yet she was barren until she gave birth at age 90. Before We see that in the end, God’s promises are true and she eventually gives birth to Isaac at age 90. While she wavered in her faith, as many of us do, we see how there was nothing Sarah could do to earn any favor from God or bring about His blessings. God is always faithful in the things He promises and we can hold true to that today as well.
Shiphrah & Puah – Hebrew midwives in Egypt
Shiphrah & Puah’s story can be found in Exodus
Hebrew midwives in Egypt during the time of slavery
Defied Pharaoh’s orders to kill newborn sons of Israelite women
Nation of Israel was able to multiply because of their obedience to God
Shiphrah & Puah teach us
Although their names are only mentioned briefly in Exodus, we see that their actions in obeying God instead of man (Pharaoh), led to the nation of Israel multiplying in a time that would have been genocide for Israelite babies. Moses was also born during this time and he would eventually be the deliverer of the Israelites out of Egypt one day. God blessed these women for their faithfulness and obedience to the Lord by giving them families of their own. As we trek on faithfully through our circumstances, God will honor and reward us for obeying and trusting in Him.
Esther – Orphan turned queen
Esther’s story can be found in Esther
Jewish and orphaned girl living in Persia
Beautiful and virtuous
Chosen as queen by King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) of Persia
Saved God’s people from potential genocide
Esther teaches us
We see through Esther’s life that a seemingly ordinary girl, with no parents, living as a Jew in Persia, came across a magnificent story of bravery. Esther was estimated to be 14 years old when she was chosen as queen. Several years down the line, she risked her life by approaching the King, when it was culturally not allowed and dangerous. Esther had to use wisdom and tact as a female in order to carefully approach and convince the king to spare her people from destruction. We see for Esther’s story that God divinely uses specific people in specific places for a specific reason. She was secretly Jewish until she had to convince the king of Haman’s evil plans, showing yet again that God defies cultural norms of society to bring about His perfect plan.
Ruth & Naomi – Faithful women
Ruth & Naomi’s story can be found in Ruth
Ruth was married to Naomi’s son before they both became widows
Ruth was a Moabite and a foreigner who decided to worship the God of Israel and stay with Naomi when she could have returned to her family
Ruth eventually marries Boaz and becomes part of the family line of David
Ruth & Naomi teach us
Ruth was loyal to Naomi as a daughter-in-law and moved back to Bethlehem with her, even though Moabites were looked down upon by Israelites. She shows us how an unlikely person, widowed, poor, and even gleaning in the fields for food (as the less fortunate would do back then) was able to be a part of God’s bigger plan. Ruth and Naomi find their redemption when Ruth marries Boaz and bears a son. She joins the family line of David, which eventually plays a part in the family line of the Messiah. God reminds us that He can use just about anyone to accomplish His will, and many times it is the lowliest, the forgotten or the unfortunate that are chosen.
Hannah – Samuel’s mother
Hannah’s story can be found in 1 Samuel
Deeply desired a child but was barren
Devoted to the Lord during a time in history when Israel was not
Passionately prayed for God to give her a son whom she would devote to serve the Lord
Gave birth to the prophet Samuel
Hannah teaches us
Hannah’s life shows us that God hears our prayers. Hannah wept bitterly, endured insults, and still persistently honored God and prayed for a son. She faithfully followed through on her word and gave Samuel to be raised in the temple to serve the Lord. Just like Hannah, children can go before God and pour out their hearts to Him and He will listen. We see that Hannah’s son, Samuel, grows up to be a prophet who plays a key role in bringing the nation of Israel back to God. He also helps transition Israel into a kingdom with the reign of Saul and then David. Like many of the mothers in the Old Testament, we see the fruit of God’s blessing carry through multiple generations after these women. We can have hope that if we are faithful to trust and worship the Lord, He will do things much bigger than we could ever dream or imagine.
You Might Also Like:
Modeling the Gospel to Your Kids in the Everyday
New Testament Women in the Bible Every Child Should Know
sources:
Daughters of Grace by The Daily Grace Co.
https://www.gominno.com/parents/amazing-women-from-the-bible-to-inspire-girls/
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/women-of-the-bible-old-testament/
