Women of the Bible

Question: Women of the Bible and their accomplishments

Answer: Of course a person could write a book or I should say many books on this subject. In fact, I have two in my library. One is Intimate portraits of WOMEN in the BIBLE by Lee Roddy, and the other is God’s Leading Lady by T.D. Jakes. Jakes is also the author of The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord, and Woman, Thou Art Loosed! and others. I am sure there are many more books out there like these. I have also answered another question that covers a similar topic: Does God Love Women?

Here is a summary some of the women of the Bible and their accomplishments:

Anna met Jesus when He was only eight days old, as He was being brought into the temple for the ceremony of circumcision, and to be presented to the Lord, by Joseph and Mary. “Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:36-38) Anna was rewarded by God, by being the first woman to tell the world about Jesus the Redeemer!

Huldah was a prophetess of the Old Testament. “.So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second quarter.) And they spoke with her. Then she said to them, “Thus says the LORD: . you can read the rest her prophecy that came true to the very details in 2 Kings 22:3-20.

Dorcas or Tabitha became sick and died, but was raised from the dead for her good deeds, and as a result, many people believed in the Lord Jesus. “At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good woks and charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. And since lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.

But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.” (Acts 9:36-42)

Eunice was a woman of great faith and the mother of an early Church leader known as Timothy. Paul spoke very highly of his mother and also Timothy’s grandmother who were believers. Evidently, either his father had died or was not a believer. Paul mentions these as being the reason Timothy had faith. “I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.” (2 Timothy 1:3-5)

There are some women like the two above that are only given maybe one reference, but that reference speaks volumes as to the influence they had on the early Church, and on us as we meditate on their devotion and service. “So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.” (Acts 12:12) When Peter was miraculously let out of jail by an angel, he went to the very house where people had been praying for him, it was the home of Mary the mother of John Mark. Her home was open for prayer meetings and Bible studies, even at great risk to her own life. She was willing to share her wealth with believers, so they could spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!

We could go on and on with many more such references, one especially would be well worth your study and that is Mary, the mother of Jesus. You can read about her in our Four in One Gospel part 3. There are so many more we could study about, but I only have space here to give their references. Maybe you could look these up in your Bible, and do more research on them:

• MARY, the mother of Jesus: Matthew 1:18-25; 2:11-23; 13:55; Mark 3:31; 6:3; Luke 1:26-56; 2:5-19, 22-51; 8:19-21; John 2:1-12; 1925-27; Acts 1:14.
• Mary, Lazarus’s (who was raised from the dead by Jesus after he had been dead for four days) sister, or Mary of Bethany, references: Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-45.
• Mary Magdalene, seven demons were cast out of her, references: Matthew 27:56:61; 28:1; Mark 15:40, 47; Luke 8:2; 24:10; John 19:25; 20:1, 11, 16, 18.
• Salome, follower of Jesus, references: Matthew 20:20-24; 27:56; Mark 10:35-41; 15:40-41, 16:1; possibly John 19:25.

Old Testament women:

• Bathsheba/Bathshua, one of King David’s wives, references: 2 Samuel 11:1-27; 12:1-25; 1 Kings 1:31; 2:13, 18-19; 1 Chronicles 3:5.
• Esther, the queen, reference: book of Esther.
• Hagar/Agar, Abraham’s body servant and second wife, references: Genesis 16:1, 3, 8, 15-16; 21:9, 14, 17; 25:12 Galatians 4:24-25.
• Hannah, Samuel’s mother, references: 1 Samuel 1:1-28; 2:1-10, 19-21.
• Leah, one of Jacob’s wives, references: Genesis 29:16-32; 30:1-21; 31:4, 33; 33:2-7; 34; 35:23-26; 46:15; 49:31; Ruth 4:11.
• Naomi was the mother of Ruth, and Ruth, reference, the book of Ruth, Matthew 1:5.
• Mirian, Moses’ sister, references: Exodus 2:4-10; 15:20-21; Numbers 12:1-15; 20; 26:59; 1 Chronicles 6:3; Micah 6:4.
• Rachel, one of Jacob’s wives, references: Genesis 29:6-31; 30:1-8, 14-15, 22-25; 31:14-19, 33-35; 33:1-7 35:16-20, 24,; 46:19, 22; Ruth 4:11; 1 Samuel 10:2; Jeremiah 31:5; Matthew 2:18.
• Rahab, the harlot, that received the spies and showed that she had faith in the God of Israel, references: Joshua 2:1-21; 6:22, 23; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25.

We could go on and on with these wonderful women of the Bible, but hopefully this will whet your appetite for more research and study.

Thanks for the question,

Gary T. Panell

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