Forgotten Huldah

Who would have rule over me?  Would it be this pastor?  Would it be Todd?  What happens when they disagree among themselves?  Would it be other pastors all over the continent? I have been in churches where blatant lies have been preached as in Once Saved, Always Saved.  Should I still have been ruled by that pastor?  Maybe I should have never left the Catholic Church and have kept myself under the rule of the local priest and ultimate devotion to the Pope!

The point I was trying to bring to this pastor's attention was the inconsistency on his part.  If one wants to preach against one form of practice (in this case Christmas) that has its roots in paganism, then it would appear to me that the person should teach against ALL forms of modern practices that has its roots in paganism!  We shouldn't celebrate birthdays, we should throw out our wedding rings and refuse to name the days of the weeks which are named after pagan gods!

Here is something else rooted in paganism.  If there is a married man reading this, does your wife wear lipstick?  Lipstick was used to symbolize whether a prostitute was willing to perform oral sex.

What about eye makeup?  Eye makeup is rooted in paganism.  Jezebel, the pagan Zidonian, and wife of the wicked King Ahab is described as wearing it.

Does one like wind chimes?  Wind chimes were used to protect from evil spirits.

Does this pastor tell women they should not wear makeup because it has its roots in paganism?  What about celebrating birthdays?  Birthday cakes were made as early as the times of the Artemis worshipping Greeks who shaped rounded cakes in honor of the moon goddess.

My point is, there are many things we participate in that has its roots in paganism.  I didn't realize that one could be selective in his pick and ignore the rest.  This is not to mention that Christians who celebrate Christmas are not worshipping some idol, nor is one who celebrates someone's birthday giving honor to the mood goddess! 

There is nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of Christ on a certain day.  In this case it happens to be Dec. 25th where it is celebrated in America.  In Europe it's celebrated on the 24th.  It can be celebrated in July for that matter.  Someone asked,

"I have asked for evidence in the Bible for the early church or Jesus or the apostles celebrating this Dec. 'birthday'. It seems like it is so important to many people and only a few who do not see an urgency to stake so much on a religious holiday. If it's that important to do, where are God's instructions for us to follow?"

Answer? No, there is no record. But there is also no record of them performing wedding ceremonies. No record of conducting a funeral service as we have it. There is no record concerning wedding anniversaries, and nothing about bridal or baby showers. There is no actual Church service that shows use of musical instruments, nothing about offering plates, or song books. There is no record of choirs, no prison ministries for sinners. There were no church buildings owned by Christians, no baptismal tanks for immersion of converts, that was done in streams, rivers, or natural ponds. We could go on and on and list the things NOT FOUND in the practice of the apostles and use the absence of these to place bondage upon believers. 

But we must have Bible for the sin or evil that is in a thing. 

What about the birth of Jesus, is there evil in this event?

The Bible doesn't say anything against celebrating birthdays. 
It is not pagan to celebrate birthdays.
No one will go to hell for celebrating birthdays.
It is not a sin to celebrate your new birth in Christ on its annual day.
People in the Bible did count their birthdays otherwise they would not have known how old they were.

If God does not specifically condemn something, then man has no authority to create a law and bind it upon others for obedience and faith.

Okay, So What Does Huldah Have to do With This?

I put the story of Huldah up because God didn't tell women to check their brains at the door or have men rule over their conscience and thinking or voicing their proclamation of the whole counsel of God.  Women are not forbidden to question the teachings of men or to try and get further understanding, or even pointing out their inconsistencies.  I didn't realize that asking valid questions to discuss certain issues to better understand them was sinful. What is more ironic is telling a woman not to correct him and telling her to shut up and stamp it with 1 Tim. 2:12 shows their inconsistencies as well.  Here is what I mean. There are women who are approached by men with teachings that are not Biblically sound and women will refute their false teachings.  There are women who are engaged in conversations with men who come to them and claim no one has a free will, that they are born in sin, that once someone is saved they are always saved regardless of their behavior after salvation, and how some people are predestined to hell, etc. etc..  But yet these same men who tell women to shut up, bang them over the head with 1 Tim. 2:12, and call them "Jezebel," have never chastised these women to shut up when discussing these issues with other men!  We have their stamp of approval to come against false doctrine or inconsistencies with other men as long as it does not involve them?  Isn't this called a "double standard?"

I want to mention one woman I would love to meet.  Her name is Huldah.  You might not be familiar with her, but she is mentioned in the Bible.  Most likely you have never heard of her in any sermons.  If you want to know anything about her, you'll have to read the Bible for yourself. 

Does anyone know that Huldah was the first woman to practice textual criticism on the Bible?  She was the first person to interpret its text for men in power!  Wow, I wonder if she was ever slapped with 1 Tim. 2:12 and called a Jezebel.

Huldah was called a "prophet."  She was a prophetess, so was Miriam, Deborah, Isaiah's wife, and Huldah who we don't hear much about.  She is mentioned in 1 Kings 22 and repeated in 2 Chron. 34.  She was the key player in Judah's history.  During Josiah reign, the nation of Israel was in need of a revival in recovering its rootage.  The temple was being repaired when workers found a scroll.  The workers brought the scroll to Josiah for him to read.  Josiah became grief-stricken and tore his clothes.

King Josiah sends the men listed in verse 12 to "enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah." He needed to determine what "the words of this book that is found" actually meant. He needed an interpretation, so he sent his men to talk to God’s man. Except that God’s man was a woman.

Notice that Huldah is called a prophetess and that she is married. Did God call her? Would God call a prophetess against the will of her husband? Did Shallum think he was blessed to have such a wife or did he sulk in a corner because "women should know their place"?

"Thus saith the LORD God of Israel" – this woman was speaking for God, and she was speaking to men in authority. I personally think it’s a hoot that she says, "Tell the man that sent you to me." That man was King Josiah! But compared to her communion with God, she was obviously not impressed who this man was.

Huldah, a woman, interpreted the scripture and pronounced God’s judgment.

Huldah "authorizes" the Book. She declares the words of the Book to truly be the words of God. For the first time in recorded history, a writing is declared to be scripture. And Huldah, the female prophetess, was the one to do it!

Those men never doubted Huldah’s authority or pronouncement. They promptly returned to the King and told him all.

"The authority to pass judgment on this initial entry into the canon was given to a woman. At the beginning of the Bible we find Huldah; in her we discover the first scripture authority . . . How could we have lost sight of her all these years" (Swidler, p. 1783)

Look at the context of Huldah’s story. Josiah had blamed Judah in the past because of their fathers (II Kings 22:13). But Huldah rebuked those in the present (II Kings 22:17) for forsaking God.

And Huldah not only declared the authenticity of the Book, but she also interpreted its words. She prophesied against that present generation.

This passage and its sister passage in Chronicles, indicate three things.

  1. The King and the High Priest recognized Huldah as a legitimate authority to speak for the Lord God of Israel.

  2. Huldah had the authority to endorse the Book as God’s words.

  3. Huldah had the authority to interpret those words and apply them to that present situation – both to men and the nation.

What authority God gave that woman! There is another woman who had authority.

What do conservative Christians do with Huldah? They ignore her.

Conservative Christians often do not have a biblical view of women in the ministry because they do not study the roles that women actually had in the Bible. Many actually believe and teach the women are not to have authority over men in any area of life – secular or religious. That belief, however, cannot be supported by scripture.

Part 2 -  So What Exactly is a Prophet/Prophetess?

Many will say that a prophet only prophesies but never preaches, or teaches, or evangelizes. That might be a surprise to the Prophets Jonah and Moses who did all three.

The words prophet and prophesy and all its forms occur almost 700 times in the Bible. Of course, not all mentions are about the prophets of God. Many are about false prophets.

THE FIRST FEW TIMES THE WORD PROPHET IS MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE:

1.  The first prophet mentioned is ABRAHAM.

Genesis 20:7 tells us, "Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee,"  So here we learn that a prophet makes intercession for the sinner.

2. The second prophet mentioned is AARON. 

Exodus 7:1-2 tell sus, "And the LORD said unto MOses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.  Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharoah," Second we learn that a prophet speaks the words of God to others, as they are given to him.

3.  The third mention is that of the prophetess MIRIAM.  Let me repeat that.  The third time prophets and prophecy are mentioned the prophet is a woman. 

Exodus 15:20-21 tells us, "And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.'  There are many instances of music and prophecy in the Bible. This is the first.

HERE ARE SOME OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PROPHETS:

1.  BIBLE PROPHECY COMES FROM DIRECT COMMUNION WITH GOD HIMSELF:

Oh, oh. Here is another prophetess – a married one at that. Prophets are also sent to judge Israel.

Judges 4:4 "And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time."

3.  THOSE IN AUTHORITY OVER THE NATION GO TO PROPHETS TO HEAR FROM GOD.  PROPHETS REPRESENT THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY OF THE WORD OF GOD.

1 Kings 22:7 "Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?"

4.  PROPHETS TELL THOSE IN AUTHORITY WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.

2 Chronicles 15:8 "And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD."

7.  PROPHETS CAN ALSO WRITE THEIR PROPHECIES.

8. PROPHETS PREACH THE WORD OF GOD.

Jeremiah 19:14 "Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy."

10.  WE SHOULD HEARKEN TO GOD'S WORD THROUGH TRUE PROPHETS.

1 Corinthians 14:3 "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort."

Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Anna are named prophetesses of the Lord. Others would include Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3), Philip the Evangelist’s daughters . . .

Part 3.  How Does The "Women keep Silent" verse (which is normally taken out of context) Apply to All This?

Huldah is such an important figure, but she is all but forgotten. Her fellow prophetess Deborah is also overlooked. Why? I believe that good men have misinterpreted key passages concerning women in the Body of Christ.

Now, I am a Bible Believer. Paul is clear that pastors and deacons are to be men. And while I think that most female preachers are silly, there is no prohibition against such. Being a preacher is not the same as being a pastor. Does not a woman "preach" every time she witnesses? Doesn’t the Sunday School teacher also preach to her class?

Shouldn’t a woman with knowledge of the scripture be allowed to teach ANYONE who is willing to learn? Why are you reading this if you disagree with that last one?

One of the things the perverted Bibles do is change pronouns. They want God to be gender neutral rather than male, and they want words like 'man' to be people or persons.

 But anyone who has been taught English grammar correctly knows that words like 'man' and very often even 'he' are gender inclusive words - they refer to both genders, not males only.

 Gender inclusive language is all through the Bible. We ladies would be in trouble if this verse was only about males.

LET'S LOOK AT GALATIANS 6:1-7 TO REALIZE THAT WORDS LIKE "BRETHREN"/"MAN"/"HIMSELF" ETC., TO NOT MERELY REFER TO MALES ONLY, BUT TO MALES AND FEMALES ALIKE NORMALLY:

Galatians 6:1

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."  (Does this verse apply to men only or also to women?  The answer is that it applies to BOTH men and woman.)

 Vs. 2

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."  (Does this verse apply to men only or also to women?  The answer is that it applies to BOTH men and woman.) 

Vs. 3

"For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself."  (Does this verse apply to men only or also to women?  The answer is that it applies to BOTH men and woman.)

 Vs. 7

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."  (Does this verse apply to men only or also to women?  The answer is that it applies to BOTH men and woman.)

NOW LET'S LOOK AT 1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-14 TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND HOW GOD USES BOTH MEN AND WOMEN IN THE BODY OF CHRIST TO FULFILL HIS MIGHT PLANS.

 Vs. 1 

 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant."  (Is Paul addressing males only in this verse or are women included and do women have spiritual gifts too?)

 Vs. 3

"Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."  (Is Paul addressing males only here, or are women included?)

Vs. 4,5,6

 "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all."  (Is Paul addressing males only in these verses, or are women included?  Does the Holy Spirit give spiritual gifts to women?  Does "all in all" include women?)

Vs.  7,8,9,10,11

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;  To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."  (Does this verse apply to men only or also to women? )

LOOK AT WHAT PAUL SAID EARLIER IN THE BOOK OF 1 CORINTHIANS, WHERE HE MENTIONS THAT THERE ARE CLEARLY BOTH MEN AND WOMEN PRAYING AND PROPHESYING IN THE CHURCH.

NOW LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING VERSES TO LEARN IF MEN AND WOMEN BOTH ARE BLESSED WITH SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND PROPHECY:

 Vs. 12

"Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church."  (For men only or for women as well?)

1 Corinthians 14:27

"If any man speak . . ."  (Paul is addressing ALL members of the church.  In this chapter he lists the rules for speaking in tongues, which apply to both men and women.)

 Now comes the pivotal passage about women keeping silent.

Now after saying that females may prophesy and speak in tongues, what does Paul mean here? The context is obvious. Paul is speaking of the husband-wife relationship, just as he is in I Timothy. The passage in question is NOT a male-female passage; it is a husband-wife passage. The last verse verifies that.

Now let's look at the 1 Timothy passage which parallels to the above 1 Corinthians 14:34-45.

Let's look at 1 Timothy 2:9-10

"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works." (Wives are not to dress to draw attention to themselves, but to adorn themselves with good works.)

 Notice the parallel to the Corinthians passage.

This is all in the confines of a husband and wife relationship. Ideally, the husband is to teach his wife, and she is to shut up and listen to him - not argue, not disagree, but listen.

If the husband has got something wrong, then God is to correct him. He is the authority in the house. The wife is to pray, shut up, and trust God. That doesn't mean, however, that a wife can never teach her husband - only that she does it when he allows it. If he allows it, she has NOT usurped his authority. "What do you think, Honey?" is all that it takes.

 It is a wise husband who know when to listen to his wife and when not to. But a wise husband ASKS.

The context is between a HUSBAND AND WIFE.  Because Eve was deceived, wives became subject to their own husbands.

 This verse is not about spiritual salvation, but rather physical salvation.

 So what does this mean?

It means that a wife's mouth should be subject to her husband - especially in church. There is nothing worse than a woman contradicting or arguing with her husband in front of the brethren. It is a shame!

 It also means that a husband can allow his wife to speak and teach. If he allows it, no authority has been usurped.

Authority in General When Sharing the Word of God

What I find interesting concerns the word "authority." Some people seem to have this idea that a person must have many titles attached to his name or some ordination in order to be "authorative" when it comes to expounding on the word of God. All Christians have their authority from Jesus - not in the sense to rule over anyone, but his/her responsibility to teach others about Christ. No Christian needs titles, ordination, letters of recommendation, to instruct others in the word of God.

Conclusion

The above should be very much self-evident of the truth presented. I have read comments such as:

"How can the women know the truth when the men can't stand up for it.  Before long, the women are using facebook as their pulpit, teaching men and rebuking them and say they need no longer a covering or heard and man has no authority."

Or:

"Godly women who can keep silent who is patient, obedient, meek, gentle and most of all puts faith and trust in the Word speaks much more louder than a woman who thinks she has to have the last word, and has to teach the ignorant man and show him his error.

Or:

Women shouldn't be teaching because they are easily deceived.

It is well obvious that men can be easily deceived just as women. It doesn't take a lot of reflection to realize this truth.

I am amazed at all the twisting of Scripture for private interpretation about women and how they are applying it to a woman's activity on such means of communication as Facebook.  I didn't realize the Christian men ruled Facebook and how women are to conduct themselves there.

These men are using Scriptures that are meant for a wife and husband relationship in the home (were it concerns raising their family and a wife's conduct towards her husband), and the wife and husband relationship in the church setting.  It has nothing to do with allowing men in general, who is not the husband, to boss around the wife that is not his - and telling her she can't teach other people about the gospel from those who would pervert it.  How would the man feel if another man told his wife to shut up, call her a Jezebel and slap her with 1 Tim. 2:12?  They should pay attention to their own wives instead!  No where in the word of God does He forbid a woman (single or married, and those wives with unsaved husbands) to keep their mouth shut in the sense that they are forbidden to use every opportunity, by any means of communication, to not let sin go un-rebuked and witness to men.  Maybe they should keep their focus off the other man's wife and read how the body of Christ is supposed to function together as a family.

As stated above, Paul does prohibit women from having authoritative teaching position in the church as a pastor.  Remember, it's a church setting.  There are certain rules to follow in a "church setting," just as there are different rules in the "home setting" between a husband, wife and children.  HOWEVER, there are related Scriptures that show ALL Christians, which include men and women, who are verbally allowed to spread the gospel message.  ALL Christians, men and women, are to contend for the faith.

Jude 1:3-4 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I want to say that I do not have any feelings of hate or animosity towards the men mentioned above.  I love them in Christ, and always will, but I will not let them take authority where they have no authority.  The only one with authority, above all, is Christ, then my husband, then guidance from my elder, only if it clearly is in subjection to God's word.

Word to the ladies:  If you have ever been harassed by and wrongfully accused by certain men who tell you the 'women keep silent and do not speak' verses as they take this verse out of proper context in order to try and keep you from sharing God's truths, then I hope this Biblically meaty article encourages you to gently help show such men that this is clearly not the Lord's will, and that God instead fully desires for women to share the Gospel and contend for the faith.  I hope this article has helped reveal even more clearly to you the wonderful way that God has used faithful women in the past and up to today for His amazing and mighty purposes. 

To the men:  I hope you will speak the truth in love with any man that you might know who struggles with this subject and have been led to believe that only men are to contend for the faith while women are not to.  I believe this is important because such men are seeking to hinder some faithful women of God from sharing truths and are thereby causing false gospels to spread among the lost and thereby jeopardizing more souls to hell.  

I also would like to say that the Bible teaches that the cowardly will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 21:8). This verse does not only apply to cowardly men, but also to cowardly women. God does not want us to be lukewarm, but expects us to be 'hot' and bold in sharing the gospel and contending earnestly for the truth. We are under the authority of Christ and are commanded to fulfill the Great Commission and preach the gospel in season and out.

The Pharisees who had great education used to get so upset with Jesus since Jesus spoke with great power, boldness, and authority and the people followed Him in great numbers. They asked Jesus 'by what authority do You do these things?' since they were trying to belittle Jesus, but Jesus saw through their schemes and put them right back in their place.

We have God's authority to preach boldly and confidently and are commanded to do so. It does not take a Bible degree and great education - it just takes the power of the Holy Spirit, knowledge of His truths, and a heart that truly loves God and man.

So to me it seems like men who are trying to prevent women from boldly standing for truth may actually be breaking a serious command of God and most likely causing women to be cowardly which goes completely against Rev. 21:8.

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First and foremost, I am thankful for God's word and I wish to thank the brothers and sisters whom I have gleaned and compiled this study. You may take this material and freely distribute to those whom you think will benefit from this study in God's word.