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At times, I wish that I could have followed the advice of my human father and mentor in the ministry, Rev. Percy N. Manuel, Sr. who gave me counsel shortly before his home-going in 2004. In front of witnesses, he urged me not to involve myself in addressing the rebellion in the churches that has opened the flood gates of professed Christian women ascending to roles of authority over men. His pure motive was to see me fight only battles I could win. However, I had not sought this battle, the Lord brought it to me (Ezekiel 2:1-3:11)!
As I pointed out in the September newsletter, the Lord called me on my hypocrisy and inconsistency in seeking to restore men halfway. Preaching, teaching and acting on God´s Word as it is written meant addressing the proper roles of men and women in the home and churches was inevitable. Besides that, the hope of our families and community hang in the balance unless the Church does step up as one to honor and bring God´s Word to bear on the matter. Therefore, if I lose this battle, we all lose since only great suffering follows after.
When did God change? Indeed, the prophet Malachi records the Most High God as saying to Israel, '"For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore, you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob,'" (Malachi 3:6, NKJV). To that day nor to this hour has the tiny number of people called the Jews been destroyed from the earth, though many evil men have tried and continue to threaten trying, because God is honoring His promise to their fathers. They broke His convenant, but God continues to honor His promise to preserve and finally bless the Jewish people forever (Jeremiah 30-31)!
God is immutable. That is, He is unchanging in His nature and plans. He does not have to change because He gets it right the first time, every time! He is all knowing and omnipotent! He is not a sinful man that He lies either. The writer of Hebrews relates that God gave an oath only to overwhelmingly demonstrate the immutability of His promise to us who believe (Hebrews 6:9-20)! Later, concerning the unchangeableness of the Gospel doctrine, the writer of Hebrews stresses the immutability of the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:8-16)!
So, when and where in the Bible does God announce a change in the roles of men and women He ordained in the beginning for the home, Tabernacle, Temple, synagogues or churches which all represent environments He met with His people assembled? Will someone tell me falsely that it happened when Miriam, the sister of Moses was recognized as a leader in the wilderness? She was honored as a part of the leadership team of Moses, but directly led only women (Exodus 15:20-21). When Miriam overstepped her bounds, God Himself dealt with her (Numbers 12).
Did God change with Israel´s priesthood? No! He called only Aaron and his sons to serve Him as priests (Numbers 3:10). No women were ever called. Prior to and current with the priesthood, the husband/father served the priestly function in his home (Genesis 8:20, 12:7, 26:23-25, 35:6-7; Deuteronomy 6:1-9)!
Perhaps, God changed His plan for male and female roles because He used Deborah as a prophetess in the book of Judges. Deborah was a leader in Israel by virtue of her office and stature as a prophetic voice of God during His reign as King (1 Samuel 8:1-9). By the way, just like today, the men of Deborah´s day were spiritually weak (Judges 4:1-10)! Maybe God changed during Israel´s monarchy when a few queens rose to rule. No! God never chose even one of those wicked women (see 2 Chronicles 22-23 for an example).
Surely, God´s change happened when beautiful and godly Hadassah became queen Esther in the mighty Medo-Persian Empire. Hardly, since Israel was in captivity and Esther ruled only under her husband, king Ahasuerus. He had married her after demoting the previous queen for refusing to come to him at his request. This blatant disregard for the king´s headship led to his issuing a decree affirming God´s to Eve in Genesis 3:16 (Esther 1:13-22).
Did Jesus Christ, Son of the living God change His Father´s pattern established since Adam? No and neither did any of His male apostles! It is reading into the texts to assert that the woman at the well who testified to men or the women Jesus told to go tell His disciples of His resurrection is a change permitting a woman to take authority over, preach or speak to men in the worship assembly. Scripture is consistent with itself. There is no evidence of this change anywhere else in the New Testament.
What about Phillip the Evangelist´s four virgin daughters that prophesied? Funny, that is all Scripture says (Acts 21:9). Again, one must read into Scripture that these virgins exercised their gifts in authority over men. Just because they prophesied does not have to mean this at all. Much of biblical prophesying takes place one on one or in small groups. In most cases the prophet or prophetess simply report what the Lord has said (Acts 21:10-14).
For a certainty God changed when He changed the Law for Gentiles in the New Testament. Absolutely untrue! For He did not change the Law, but only made it clear that Gentiles did not have to obey its Jewish specific terms and rituals to in effect, become Jews to become Christians (Acts 15:1-29). We do not try to keep the Law in order to be saved either. It is fulfilled in us as we walk in the Spirit (Romans 8:1-4; Galatians 1:6-5:25).
To Be Concluded Next Issue
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