Value of Ladies
Good Morning,
I happened to be reading the book of Genesis during the same week that we had our annual missions conference when I noticed similarities regarding the treatment of women in heathen cultures of today and the early years in the book of Genesis.
Genesis 34:2 “And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.”
vs. 3 “And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.”
vs. 4 “And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.”
vs. 6 “And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.”
vs. 7 “And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done.”
vs. 8 “And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.”
The man raped Dinah, then wanted her for himself. The young lady became a thing to be bargained; the relationship did not involve a man and woman in love.
The entire situation was terrible to the sons of Jacob (her brothers).
vs. 31 “And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?”
The heathen tried to bargain for her and to negotiate a deal, a deal that treated the young lady (who had already been exploited once) as merchandise. The brothers negotiated the situation to allow them to kill all of the men in the city.
One of our missionaries told of how their tribal customs treated women as no better than dogs — to be used, traded, and told where to go and with whom to sleep. The idea of love and family values was totally non-existent in that culture. In so many third-world nations, young ladies are often molested, and the respect or love that would seem normal in a Christian culture is not found.
A missionary friend told me of a twelve-year-old girl who had been attending his church who came to tell him goodbye. He asked the reason why. She explained that she was turning thirteen and was to be sold. (Child prostitution and slavery are commonplace in Vietnam.)
As we read the Bible, we can see how God's Word brings great honor and protection to women. In the story of Dinah, we find family protection and the refusal to make merchandise of the sister. In the story of Abraham’s servant going to get a bride for Isaac, the final decision to go or stay was given to Rebekah.
Genesis 24:57 “And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.”
vs. 58 “And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.”
Jesus taught men to love their wives as Christ loved the church “and gave Himself for it…” (Ephesians 5). Again, husbands were commanded to “love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” (Colossians 3:19)
Nothing has exalted women like Christianity. Nothing has provided freedom and respect to ladies as much as the teaching of our Lord. Yet, women’s rights advocates fight to do away with any scriptural instruction or practice. Do not interpret the mistreatment of women during the Dark Ages and the teaching of Catholicism to apply to Bible-reading Christians — the two sets of people are light years apart! The priests of Catholicism and the Protestant leaders of the Dark Ages knew little of Christianity and Bible-based values.
Observe the treatment of women in the Middle East. Women are not allowed to attend school, drive, or go outside without an escort; women are little more than slaves. Note the manner in which godless men in America make merchandise of women through pornography or prostitution. Godless, Bible deniers have pressured the general populace to put men in ladies restrooms; Christian values offer privacy, protection, and respect for ladies. The cultures without a Bible-based foundation have placed women in harm’s way through the military; America, when she was under the rule of Bible-based conscience, never allowed such an atrocity to take place. The reasoning was not to disrespect women, but to impart a total respect for them. We have read of Molly Pitcher and others who risked their lives in times of necessity and served in military situations. Simply explained, men with Bible-based views did not want to risk their women being in such dangerous situations — for women were highly regarded and cherished. (Also, logically, a woman does not have the physical strength of a man.) But the logic of sending men to war was more than a physical difference; the difference was that women were respected and protected. Bible-based cultures taught boys to hold the door open for ladies and to allow a lady to walk first into a situation of safety but last into a dangerous circumstance. Not only did I teach my boys to go down the escalator first in case mom or sister slipped, but I also taught them to allow the lady to go first when riding up the escalator in case she stumbled back. How is it demeaning to a woman to always be placed first in the safest situation and to allow the man to take the risk?
Only the society without the teaching of Jesus pulls women down to the world of men. Only a people who have thrown out the Bible turn women into sex objects and merchandise to be sold in pictures or reality. Christ and the Bible do more to honor and respect ladies than any earthly culture. Cling to the Word of God; for It alone can place society in balance and perspective.
Every missionary is a friend to the girls and adult women when he brings Christ's story of love and forgiveness to the heathen.
Pastor