Editor’s note: Enjoy this devotion written by Ingrid Faro, author of Redeeming Eden.
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Have you ever noticed how rarely women are the main focus of sermons or teachings outside of women’s groups? For many of us, both men and women, this has left a blind spot in how we read the Bible and even see ourselves. When we look with fresh eyes, we find women purposefully placed in Scripture. Their brave words and courageous actions move the story of redemption forward in surprising ways.
From the very beginning, God’s Word shows us that women are vital to His mission.
Bestselling author, Jacob Wright notes, “Throughout the National Narrative, women introduce the major epochs and their central themes... Indeed, women figure prominently across the entire biblical corpus: from the matriarchs who create the nation to Esther who saves it.” I missed Scripture’s significant portrayal of women until I began teaching a graduate class on “Women in the Old Testament,” and discovered their pivotal roles.
In the creation story, God makes humanity in His image as male and female for the purpose of ruling in this earth as God’s royal family (Genesis 1:26–28). The next chapter reveals what ruling together as man and woman is to look like, using two key Hebrew words: ezer and tsela.
The first word, ezer, generally translated “helper,” is used in Genesis 2:18 and 20 to describe the relationship God intends for man and woman. According to Mirriam-Webster Dictionary, in English, “helper” means “one that helps, especially: a relatively unskilled worker who assists a skilled worker usually by manual labor.” The problem with this translation is that sixteen of the twenty-one times ezer occurs in the Old Testament, it refers to the LORD, God as our “helper” (e.g. Deuteronomy 33:26-29; Psalm 33:20; Psalm 115:9-11; Psalm 121:1-2). The remaining three times, ezer is used in military contexts referring to fellow soldiers in battle. To think of God or a fellow soldier or a woman as an assistant is misunderstanding the relationship.
- As God comes alongside us, He intended women, like fellow soldiers, to come alongside each other as powerful partners and strong allies to accomplish His purposes.
The second word, tsela, generally translated “side” is used in Genesis 2:21-22 to provide more imagery of how man and woman are to serve alongside each other. Of the forty times tsela occurs the Old Testament tsela, thirty-six times it refers to the sides of sacred space:
- Temple walls and entrance (1 Kings 6:5, 8, 15 [2x], 34; Ezekiel 41:5, 6 [4x], 7, 8, 9 [2x], 11, 26)
- Tabernacle sides (Exodus 26:20, 26, 27 [2x]; 36:25, 31, 32)
- Holy of Holies (1 Kings 6:16)
- Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:12 [2x], 14; 26:35 [2x]; 37:3 [2x], 5)
- Altar of Incense (Exodus 30:4; 37:27)
- Altar of Burnt Offerings (Exodus 27:7; 38:7)
Each of these are holy places where God makes His presence known. If one side is missing or wobbly, the structure cannot stand. Scripture portrays man and woman as the corresponding sides of sacred space.
Both man and woman must be fully present alongside each other for the fulfillment of God’s purposes in the earth.
Throughout Scripture, women are highlighted as “ezers” and “tselas,” vital to God’s mission. Ordinary women — mothers, daughters, widows, foreigners — take a stand in moments of crisis, injustice, or grief, and their choices ripple across generations, changing history.
Think about Sarah. Alongside Abraham, she wrestled with doubt and hope, yet her faith opened the way to birth life from her dead womb (Hebrews 11:11). Or remember the Hebrew midwives in Exodus. Shiphrah and Puah defied Pharaoh’s cruel command to kill every newborn male Israelite and God honored them for their courage (Exodus 1:17). Following their example, a slave mother, her young daughter, and Pharaoh’s daughter also defied Pharaoh’s command, saving the life of a yet unknown helpless slave baby boy (Exodus 2:1–10). Without them, there would be no Moses to save the Israelites from slavery. This little slave daughter, Miriam, grew up into a leader and prophet, singing a song of victory with her brother Moses after crossing the Re(e)d Sea (Exodus 15:20).
Consider Rahab, who risked her life to hide Israel’s spies (Joshua 2:1–21). She had no status, no spotless record, but her faith grafted her into the people of God and the family line of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). Deborah, a prophet and judge, called general Barak to move into action against the oppressive Canaanite king, and rode alongside him into victory (Judges 4:4–10).
Ruth, a Moabite widow, clung to Naomi and to God after tragic loss. Through her loyalty and bold faith, she married Boaz, the son of Rahab, and became a mother in the line of David. Hannah turned the grief of her barrenness into prayer and a vow to the Lord, and birthed Samuel, whose life reshaped Israel’s future (1 Samuel 1-4). And Bathsheba, often misunderstood, overcame her trauma to stand courageously alongside the prophet Nathan to secure Solomon’s throne and God’s promises (1 Kings 1-2).
These women did not set out to be heroes. Most of them were not seeking recognition or power. They simply stepped into the moment God placed before them with faith and audacious bravery. And through them, God’s purposes broke through.
What does that mean for us today?
It means that God sees us too. He values our faithfulness, even when unnoticed. He honors our courage, often soaked with tears and fears. He can use our small acts of obedience to alter the course of lives around us.
These women remind us that history is not only shaped by kings and prophets, but by mothers rocking babies, widows clinging to hope, sisters protecting brothers, and women who choose to trust God when the odds are stacked against them.
Perhaps you feel overlooked, underestimated, or unseen. Remember, so did many of the women in Scripture. Yet God wove their faith into His story of redemption. And He is still doing that today — with you.
So take courage. Be bold when the moment comes to speak truth or extend compassion. Stand firm when the status quo needs to be challenged. Trust that even in ordinary faithfulness, God is working extraordinary things.
The women of Scripture whisper to us still: Your life matters. Your faith matters. And your small steps of obedience can change destinies.
Watch the Video
i. Jacob L. Wright, Why the Bible Began: An Alternative History of Scripture and Its Origins (New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2023), 357.
Written for Devotionals Daily by Ingrid Faro, author of Redeeming Eden.
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Your Turn
Women, you matter! The world may indicate that women are lesser than men, but God’s Word says that women are invaluable partners in the fulfillment of His purposes on earth!