Some of the hardest working members of any local congregation of the Lord’s people, are women! Much of their work is done with few words of praise; if fact, much of their work is unnoticed! In this article and those that may follow, an effort will be made to look at “God’s Woman!” It should be noted that the word “woman” is singular and not plural. It takes a brave man to write on “God’s woman;” therefore, it is with “fear and trembling” that I write. Nevertheless, let us begin the words addressing the singular woman: “God’s Woman!”
When God looked upon his creation, he saw that all was good, but not just “good,” but that it was “very good,” (Gen. 1:31). At one point in creation God looked upon it and said; “… there was not a man to till the ground” (Gen. 2:5). This work, of tilling the ground, required man; therefore: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). Having created all things which “man” would need throughout his existence upon this earth, God looked upon the man whom he had created, and God saw that all was well, save man; for man was without a “help meet.” Here is what Moses wrote: “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Gen. 2:18). With this action, creation was completed! It was the woman, that was the crown jewel of creation: God’s woman!
It is of great interest to read the statement made by Adam: “And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Gen. 2:23). The reason for this interest is twofold; 1) that this statement is attributed to God by Jesus, when he said in response to the Pharisees who asked: “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” (Matt. 19:3). Now, pay attention to what Jesus said: “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, (5) And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?” (Matt. 19:4-5); and 2) it proves by implication, that Adam was inspired when he spoke the words: “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh;” thus, Adam’s words were God’s words! The closeness, the relationship, between God’s man and God’s woman is seen in these words: “they twain shall be one flesh?” When it comes to marriage, there is “God’s woman!”
But “God’s woman” is more when it comes to being a servant of God! Here we turn our attention to the words of the apostle Paul. He wrote: “The aged women likewise, …” (Titus 2:3). The word of interest is “likewise.” It is the Greek, “hosautos” and means: “in like manner” (Thayer). This would then appear that the same requirements of “the aged men,” are to be found in “the aged women!” What are these requirements? They are: “be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience” (verse 2). Then, in addition to these, Paul would write: “the aged women:” “that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; (4) That they may teach the young women …” (verses 3-4). Strong would use a word that, in this day and time, is not looked upon with kindness; Strong would say, “old men” and “old women.” Age may be a relative term; for instance, if people lived only forty years, the “old” folks might be only thirty-five years old; while if it is the case, that people lived to an age of eighty, then, an “old” person might be seventy. You can see the relative nature of the word “age.” If you are fifteen, “old” might be forty! Then wisdom says that we, adults, do not look at the world and age through the eyes of the mature folks. Even here, note “old” people have wisdom! Nevertheless, Paul wrote: “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things.” But Paul did not stop with these words: “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, (5) To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed”(verses 4-5). In these words, we have found “God’s woman!” It should be the aim of every woman to grow “old” with each of these qualities!
One of the failings of our time is that “the aged women” have not taught the “young women” how to be ladies! One of my sayings is: “Not all women are ladies but all ladies are women!” It appears to this writer, that great efforts have been made to make our young females into young males. God’s woman is a mature lady!
Frank R. Williams