The Biblical Role of Women Part VIII

Role of Women Main Page

It’s been a while since I’ve written under this title. Actually, I had planned to leave the original series with seven posts; but further study and the popularity of this series, has led me to conclude two things:

1. The Creator, in these latter days, is restoring the role of women to HIS original design.
2. Women are desperately seeking the freedom to live out their God-given purpose within the perfect and holy boundaries of the Torah (Bible).

I’ve received many emails in regard to my original seven posts. Some were cries of elation and jubilation at the prospect of real freedom and balance. Others were notes of skepticism or a fear of women taking over the assemblies. And a few were a mixture of both, but with a heart set on openness — a sort of  “let’s wait and see.”

In light of this, I am compelled to continue with this series. While I certainly don’t have all the answers (in fact, I have more questions than anything else) I do have a heart to share my journey with you.

Woman, Builder of the House

 The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands. (Pr. 14:1)

 Have you ever thought of yourself or the women in your life as “builders?” I imagine that most of us naturally think of men when construction comes to mind. After all, they are usually our contractors, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians. But, in Biblical and Hebraic thought, it is the women that build the House of Israel. Let’s once again consider the story of Ruth. Notice the words that the people and the elders at the city gate use when they bless the union of Ruth and Boaz:

 All the people who were in the court (gate), and the elders, said, “[We are] witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. (Ruth 4:11)

 While men may be the primary builders of physical houses, women build the house of their husbands and the House of the LORD. Obviously, men play a very important role in this process as well, but our focus is to explore how it is that women build. Do you recall how YHWH created the woman? In Part I, we looked at how YHWH formed/molded Adam. (He literally came from the dust of the earth.) In the beginning, both man and woman were within the one Adam.

In the eyes of the Creator, this wasn’t good or tov. So, you know the story, He took a rib from Adam and built (banah) Chavah (Eve). As a quick aside, notice that she came from his SIDE, not his feet where she would be “beneath” him. Nor did she come from his head, implying that she would be “above” him. She came forth from Adam’s side (tsala) as a perfect and coequal partner.

YHWH built Chavah. This Hebrew word for build, banah, is the same word used in both of the verses I quoted above in Proverbs and Ruth. The one who was built is the one who builds. She does this in several ways that I will enumerate shortly. But in order to grasp why this is true, we must first remember God’s design and function for women. In Part V, we discussed that women are a living parable of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, men will reflect the characteristics of our Heavenly Father. Together, they are conformed into the image of Yeshua. But as I’ve mentioned multiple times, God is One. Thus, we are NOT trying divide God into male and female. However, the ONE God did sovereignly choose to reveal Himself in ways that our little peon brains can understand.

What do we see in the witness of Creation? Nearly every creature on earth comes together as male and female to produce life. The natural things are meant to teach spiritual truths. (I Cor. 15:46) Therefore, it should not be surprising that in Hebrew, the Holy Spirit and all of His manifestations are in the feminine. Likewise, all the references to God being our Father and Husband are masculine. The One true God is neither male or female, He is a Spirit. But in order for finite humans to reflect His magnificence, it takes both a male and female.

I only belabor this point because there are some that think it is evil or some type of goddess worship to refer to God in the feminine. This is a result of ignorance of the Hebrew language. People fear what they do not understand and they like to throw stones at those that challenge the high places of their minds (tradition). Many false gods are male; does this make referring to God in the masculine something akin to Baal worship? Of course not, but the converse is also true.

To take a line from Brad Scott, if we would just look outside our window to see the natural everyday things of Creation, many of our theological debates could finally be put to rest. The natural IS a picture of the spiritual. Moreover, Scripture declares that God’s Creation does indeed testify of His power and divine nature:

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Rom 1:20)

 In order to build and not “tear down,” a woman must walk in the Seven Spirits of God (Is.11:2). Wisdom is the first of the seven, which implies raw materials, innocence, immaturity, and potential. English speakers usually think of knowledge as the building blocks to wisdom; but in Hebrew, wisdom comes before knowledge. Wisdom leads one to  the maturity of knowledge. Knowledge (da’at) is self-sacrificing, intimate, and capable of reproduction. (See the Creation Gospel for a more in depth analysis of the Seven Spirits of Adonai. Or click here for an audio introduction)

The second Spirit is binah or understanding. (Is. 11:2) Binah takes the raw materials of wisdom and begins to separate and distinguish like kind. In other words, binah begins to banah (build). As you’ve probably guessed, the Hebrew root of banah has the same consonants as the word binah. You can think of binah as organizing and counting the costs for a home construction. It is in this spirit that a woman builds.

 Key 1: A woman begins to build with the spirit of binah,
 -- the spirit that separates and discerns.

Upon What Does She Build?

Pro 4:5-9 (NASB) Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will watch over you. 7 The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding. 8 Prize her, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. 9 She will place on your head a garland of grace; she will present you with a crown of beauty.

The Spirit of Binah compels a righteous woman to discern between good and evil. But without a strong foundation, she cannot expand the House. This is where her counterbalance (the male) becomes a necessity. Men and women were meant to work and labor together in marriage and in the assembly. Each is a part of the whole. The man, being the image of the Father, is like the woman’s rock or foundation stone.

Consider the Hebrew word for rock, eben. This word is pictographically the Father (av) and the Son (ben) put together. There is no firmer foundation than that! Any other foundation would be like building upon sand.^[1] Upon this foundation, a woman begins to build the home of her husband. She guards the home against evil and expands the tent with fruit (children). She is a nurturer, comforter, encourager, teacher, and revealer – all qualities of the Holy Spirit.

In Biblical thought, the tent is expanded with the birth of sons. It is sons that go forth and carry on the name of their father. But the daughters are what build upon these firm foundations. We can see this in the natural with an analogy of human reproduction. A man provides the seed (Word). The seed finds the egg (pierced heart) and once united, life begins to grow or “build” inside the womb. Both the “works” of the male and the female are necessary for life. Dr. Alewine has some brilliant insight into the “choosiness” of women in this process. It seems as though the woman’s body uses the Spirit of Binah to discern whether and if an embryo will be carried to full term. (All without the conscious knowledge of the woman!)

To carry this analogy a step further, consider the millions of seeds (words) a man gives a woman to choose from. Out of what seems to be an infinite number of possibilities, she (usually) only picks one seed (idea/word) at a time. She then devotes her full attention to see it nourished, protected, and brought to maturity. Are you beginning to see how the Spirit of Binah operates?

A woman takes the unlimited possibilities and potential of a man and surrounds it like the Holy Spirit. She is the container for his strength, his seed. Together they build their house and the House of Adonai.

Dr. Diana Dye also has some great teachings on how a “woman builds.” You can find them here and here. She uses the imagery of the Tabernacle and Temple to further the analogy we’ve been building upon (pun intended). It’s quite a fascinating prospect. The very first letter of the Bible is an enlarged bet, the pictograph for a tent or house. From the very first letter of the Bible, the Creator has made known His intent and purpose in creating us and giving us His Word.

His top desire is to enlarge, expand, and BUILD His House. In my Father’s house are MANY mansions. The Holy Spirit went through great pains to carefully delineate how the Father’s House is to be constructed. Studying the Tabernacle and the Temple gives one a foretaste in not only how to approach the King, but in how to build (or rebuild) one’s body, family, and assembly. It’s really powerful.

For our purposes here, consider the fact that the House must be carefully maintained, repaired, cleaned, and at times, even rebuilt from the foundation up. This teaches one that our homes and our temples (bodies) will require this same diligent care. This might manifest in various areas and stages of child rearing, marriage building/counsel, financial/support/growth, or even physical/spiritual cleansing. Think of all the areas that are the “house.” Working from the inside out, this is your physical body, your family, your assembly, and the greater body of God’s people. Sometimes a demolition is what is necessary in order to rebuild upon the Rock. Do you need a fresh start? A clean slate? Remove everything that offends and rebuild; it’s never too late. Rebuild your marriage. Rebuild your relationship with that family member, coworker, or assembly leader. Restore the House.

Key 2: A woman builds upon the firm foundation 
of the man (especially the Son of Man).

Key 3: Sometimes the house must be rebuilt.

What Fills the House?

As a living example of the Holy Spirit, a woman will (usually) be what sets the tone for the atmosphere of the home, assembly, and workplace. Far more than men, women determine whether the house is filled with shalom or has a lack thereof. “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” is a saying that speaks a truth that has not escaped the masses. As a picture of the Holy Spirit, women are called to be long-suffering with their husbands, children, and the greater assembly. They are meant to be the ones that can bring correction and instruction with tenderness, sensitivity, and gentleness. This is the very reason that YHWH entrusts women with the most fragile of all human lives: infants.

Women are designed to lead, guide, and teach the immature with patience, love, and mercy. This physical picture is also true in the spiritual realm (think: spiritual babies). The lost, seekers, new believers, and those that haven’t grown past the formative years of the faith usually respond with growth (building) when the message is delivered with the tender mercies of the feminine aspect of God. Obviously, both men and women can operate with this quality through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. However, the natural representation of this is revealed in the female.

The Holy Spirit is commonly said to be the “wooer” of our souls. It is gentle, merciful, and tender.^[2] From the heart of the Most Holy Place, the Presence of God would fill the Tabernacle/Temple of God. This “Presence” is often referred to as the “Shekinah Glory,” another feminine term that expresses the One True God. We will look more closely at the Shekinah and other feminine aspects of Elohim in a later post. For now, let’s think of the correlation between the Holy Spirit filling God’s House and a woman filling her home with her presence. There is a reason that we say “a woman is the heart of the home.” Consider the Temple:

 Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the house. (2 Chron. 7:1)

 In a similar way, a woman will fill her house, but she will be tested in the matter of what “spirit” she fills it with. Will it be the Ruach HaKodesh or will it be another spirit? A woman must choose (it’s always a choice!) to walk as a victor over her nephesh (flesh), emotions, hormones, and circumstances. When you choose to be the “victim” instead of the “victor,” you are in effect stepping on the blood of Messiah. He has either provided the Way or He hasn’t. His grace is sufficient or it isn’t. I know it doesn’t always “feel” this simple. But the truth is that we always have a choice even in areas where we feel completely out of control.

Every time a woman is able to exercise self-control over her lower nature (flesh/nephesh), she reflects the image of God as she was designed. She becomes a holy witness to her husband, children, family, friends, and assembly. Like the Holy Spirit, her presence “woos” people to the Father. Under her tender care, the immature feel safe to explore, learn, and prosper. This stage is necessary for every believer in the God of Israel to grow into maturity. If they are built up as strong panels in the house by the Spirit, they understand (binah) why the flesh must be put on the altar (death). The Father’s instructions require maturity in the Spirit, because the letter kills (the flesh). This is liberty! And it produces humble and gracious vessels that desire to set other captives free.

 The Torah is spiritual, but we are carnal. (Rom. 7:14) In order to bring liberty to the captives, we must be free from bondage. Prisoners only propagate more prisoners. Thus, allowing the letter of the law to kill anything and everything but the flesh only leads to bondage or a “Torah Terrorist.” Flesh focuses on flesh, not the Spirit.

In order to be a (spiritual) light, one must allow people the freedom to grow into the Father’s commandments. This spiritual work of the Spirit is uniquely portrayed in the natural by the nurturing aspect of women. A woman builds the House…

 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace. (Ps. 144:12 KJV)

Key 4: The Holy Spirit fills the House of Adonai. 
The woman fills her house with a “spirit” as well. 
A wise woman will build with the Holy Spirit 
which brings the liberty needed to grow and mature.

 The Voice of Wisdom

 Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; At the head of the noisy [streets] she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings: “How long , O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge? Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. (Pr. 1:20-23)

  Turning toward the feminine voice of God (as manifested through His daughters) enables one to be filled with the Spirit. And, it makes the Father’s words to be made known unto us. In other words, there is intimacy, not just rules. The sixth Spirit of God is knowledge (Da’at). (Is. 11:2) It is a mature spirit of sacrificial love. No longer is the focus on what the Lamb has done for me, but what I am willing to do for the Lamb. In order to reach this place of maturity, a person must first learn to move through and with the first Spirit of Adonai, Wisdom (chokhmah).^[3] Da’at is so intimate that it causes reproduction (both physical and spiritual). Knowing this should give one a deeper understanding (binah) of Yeshua’s words in Matthew.

 “Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Mt. 7:20-24)

 Can you see both the masculine and the feminine clues in these verses? Look at these keys words.

Masculine:                         Feminine:

• Fruit (seed inside)             Prophesy
• Words                                  Hears
• Action                                  Casting out demons
• Father                                  Performing Miracles
• Heaven                                Wisdom
• Lord                                     Building
• Rock                                     House

These verses strongly hint at how the House of the LORD is built with strength. How will it remain when the storms come? The House must be operating with both the masculine and the feminine working together. Only together, as one, can the true image of Elohim be displayed in the natural realm. That is where life comes forth. This is a House of Strength. The above example in Matthew is just one testimony of the truth that was birthed in the beginning.

 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth,” (Gen. 1:27-28)

Key 5: A woman filled with the Holy Spirit enables 
the immature to hear (know) the Words of Adonai.

Have you ever noticed that most of the denominations that are leery of (or against) the Spirit’s activity such as gifts and miracles are also usually against women operating in any “seen/outward” role in the home or assembly? Do you believe that this is a coincidence? The Holy Spirit is THE feminine expression of God. If natural women are silenced, is it surprising that the supernatural Spirit is also quenched? The Spirit (feminine) is what brings the intimacy of “I know you.” She is shouting from every corner; will we heed her voice?

But the converse is also true. Those that forsake the masculine, forget that the foundation IS the Word, the Rock. The Spirit doesn’t supersede the written Word. Ignoring what has been solidly penned beforehand for our instruction (Torah) is just as detrimental to “building.” Without the hard and firm masculine foundation, one builds on sand, as a mere “hearer” only. This is what it means to be a practicer of “lawlessness.” How many assemblies do you know of that embrace the works of the Holy Spirit on the one hand, but speak evil of the law (Torah) on the other?

Without the balance of the Father’s instructions, one can become intimate with an unholy spirit. This spirit may imitate what is holy unto YHWH, but in reality only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Only by building upon the foundation of “it is written,” will one be able to discern (binah) the difference between the harlot and the righteous woman.

 Balance is the answer. Working SIDE by SIDE as male and female, we reflect the image of Elohim. Real godly fruit increases and the tent (House) expands. The WISE woman (Bride) builds her house…

In Part IX, we will take this building aspect of women one step further by looking at those that FIRST received the Torah and the Gospel.

Here is a recap of the  5 Keys:

 Key 1: A woman begins to build with the spirit of binah — the spirit that separates and discerns.

 Key 2: A woman builds upon the firm foundation of the man (especially the Son of Man).

Key 3: Sometimes the house must be rebuilt.

Key 4: The Holy Spirit fills the House of Adonai. The woman fills her house with a “spirit” as well. A wise woman will build with the Holy Spirit which brings the liberty needed to grow and mature.

Key 5: A woman filled with the Holy Spirit enables the immature to hear (know) the Words of Adonai. Like the Holy Spirit, she brings intimacy to the relationship.

For previous articles click here; the next article in this series is Part IX.

^[1] Mt. 7 and Lk. 6. Interestingly, the context of Yeshua’s parable is about being both a hearer and a DOER of His Word. This same message is repeated in the Proverbs 4 chapter that I suggested for you to read.

^[2] But like a concerned mother, the Holy Spirit can also manifest with great power and fierceness. We will look at this aspect of the Spirit in a later post.

^[3] See Isaiah 11:2 and The Creation Gospel workbook one by Dr. Hollisa Alewine.