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What about Deborah?

Many women reference Deborah, the Old Testament "prophetess," as our exemplary when it comes to women and leadership. There is no question the Deborah performed her job well, or that God used her to deliver Israel - that's exactly God's point. There was not a single man with courage enough to take the responsibility and lead. To Israel's great shame, God raised up a woman to support the men and warn them of their cowardice.

The Botkin sisters in their book So Much More say, "The role of a Deborah is not one we should be hoping for, but one we should be trying at all costs to prevent. If our society ever sinks to the level where one Deborah is necessary, it will be a sign that God is phenomenally displeased with our culture and is inflicting a colossal curse on it. Deborah was glorified and blessed by God as a deliverer of Israel, and, in essence, what she did was to bring men back into leadership." To build a doctrine around the exception God used is Israel's history because of their sin, and refuse to take the rest of the passages in the Bible about women and leadership (1 Timothy 11-14; 1 Corinthians 14: 34-35) at face value is, as Debi Pearl says, "just as foolish as Deborah leading the armies instead of a man." (Created to be His Help Meet, pg. 120).
It may be true that women can "do just as good of a job as men, or even better." She may be more "qualified" than any other male to serve in a position of authority over men. But simply being more capable of doing something doesn't make doing it right. I may be an exceptionally good marksman, but I would still be guilty of breaking the 6th commandment if I utilized my "gift" by going on a shooting rampage. However good a woman's intentions may be, the end never justifies the means.
The very best thing a woman can do for society it to purse God's perfect design for her and willingly submit herself to the God-ordained authority of man in church (1Timothy 2:11-14; 1 Corinthians 14:34-35), civil magistrate (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ex. 18:2, Deuteronomy 17:14-20) and home (Ephesians 5:22-24). In this way, perhaps her righteousness will entreat God to revoke His judgment and shower down blessings on a nation instead. photo via

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