God's Sovereignty in the Lives of Women
God's sovereignty, defined as His absolute right to act according to His good pleasure [6], extends to all aspects of creation, including the lives of women. Scriptural accounts and theological interpretations affirm this divine authority, even while acknowledging distinct roles and experiences for women.
The Bible presents numerous examples of God's sovereign involvement in the lives of women. For instance, the blessing of God was upon the Hebrew midwives in Exodus, leading to the increase and strength of the people [3]. Psalms 46:5 declares, "God is in her midst. She shall not be moved. God will help her at dawn" [2]. Women like Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, Noadiah, Anna, and the daughters of Philip the evangelist were endowed with prophetic gifts, demonstrating God's sovereign choice in bestowing spiritual authority [8]. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is another prominent example, chosen by God for a unique role in salvation history [9]. Even her relative, Elizabeth, whose name means "the oath, or fullness, of God," was part of this divine plan [7, 9].
The New Testament further articulates the sovereignty of God in the context of women's roles and relationships. Paul, in Romans 1:26, speaks of God giving people over to "vile passions" when they reject natural order, including women changing "the natural function into that which is against nature" [5]. This passage implies a divine order that, when violated, can lead to consequences ordained by God. In 1 Peter 3:5, holy women of the past are described as adorning themselves by putting their hope in God and being submissive to their husbands [1, 4]. John Chrysostom interprets this submission as a natural order, stating that "the rule of the man is natural" and that the woman is "the glory of the man" [15]. He also notes that a "wife agreeing with her husband" is considered a blessing [13].
While some passages, such as 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-12, are interpreted by some traditions as forbidding women to teach publicly [8, 14], other interpretations acknowledge women's spiritual gifts. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, for example, suggest that women speaking in public worship, like Anna, was an "extraordinary case" justified by miraculous gifts [14]. Matthew Henry emphasizes that the duties of wives, including submission, are "fit in the Lord" and are intertwined with the privileges of the gospel [16]. The concept of God's sovereignty means that He has the power to subdue all things [10] and that His power is "sovereign" and "irresistible" [11]. This divine power is evident in the beauty and order God establishes, as seen in the church, which John Gill describes as having a beauty that is "not natural, nor acquired by her, but what is given her" [12].
Sources
- I Peter “I Peter 3:5 (BSB) — For this is how the holy women of the past adorned themselves. They put their hope in God and were submissive to their husbands,”
- Psalms “God is in her midst. She shall not be moved. God will help her at dawn. -- Psalms 46:5”
- Exodus “Exodus 1:20 (BBE) — And the blessing of God was on these women: and the people were increased in number and became very strong.”
- 1 Peter “For this is how the holy women before, who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands: -- 1 Peter 3:5”
- Romans “For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. -- Romans 1:26”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sovereignty — Of God, his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure (Dan. 4:25, 35; Rom. 9:15-23; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 4:11).”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Elisabeth — Elizabeth, the oath, or fullness, of God”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Woman — Was "taken out of man" (Gen. 2:23), and therefore the man has the preeminence. "The head of the woman is the man;" but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, "as unto the weaker vessel" (1 Cor. 11:3, 8, 9; 1 Pet. 3:7). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4, 5), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36, 37), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:8, 9). Women are forbidden to teach publicly (1 Cor. 14:34, 35; 1 Tim. 2:11, 12). Among the He”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Mary The Virgin — the mother of our Lord. There is no person perhaps in sacred or profane history around whom so many legends have been grouped a the Virgin Mary; and there are few whose authentic history is more concise. She was, like Joseph, of the tribe of Judah and of the lineage of David. (Psalms 132:11; Luke 1:32; Romans 1:3) She had a sister, named, like herself, (John 19:25) and she was connected by marriage, (Luke 1:36) with Elizabeth, who was of the tribe of Levi and of the lineage of Aaron. This is all that we know of her antecedents. She was betrothed to J”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Power of Christ, The — As the Son of God, is the power of God -- Joh 5:17-19; 10:28-30. As man, is from the Father -- Ac 10:38. Described as Supreme. -- Eph 1:20,21; 1Pe 3:22. Unlimited. -- Mt 28:18. Over all flesh. -- Joh 17:2. Over all things. -- Joh 3:35; Eph 1:22. Glorious. -- 2Th 1:9. Everlasting. -- 1Ti 6:16. Is able to subdue all things -- Php 3:21. Exhibited in Creation. -- Joh 1:3,10; Col 1:16. Upholding all things. -- Col 1:17; Heb 1:3. Salvation. -- Isa 63:1; Heb 7:25. His teaching. -- Mt 7:28,29; Lu 4:32. Working miracles. -- Mt 8:27; Lu 5:17. Enabling ot”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Power of God, The — Is one of his attributes -- Ps 62:11. Expressed by the Voice of God. -- Ps 29:3,5; 68:33. Finger of God. -- Ex 8:19; Ps 8:3. Hand of God. -- Ex 9:3,15; Isa 48:13. Arm of God. -- Job 40:9; Isa 52:10. Thunder of his power. -- Job 26:14. Described as Great. -- Ps 79:11; Na 1:3. Strong. -- Ps 89:13; 136:12. Glorious. -- Ex 15:6; Isa 63:12. Mighty. -- Job 9:4; Ps 89:13. Everlasting. -- Isa 26:4; Ro 1:20. Sovereign. -- Ro 9:21. Effectual. -- Isa 43:13; Eph 3:7. Irresistible. -- De 32:39; Da 4:35. Incomparable. -- Ex 15:11,12; De 3:24; Job 40:9; Ps 89:8.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 45:11: So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty,.... Which lies in the comeliness or righteousness of Christ put upon her; in the holiness of Christ reckoned to her; in being washed from all sin in the blood of Christ; in the graces of the Spirit being implanted in her, in which the beauty of holiness lies; in the salvation she is interested in, and beautified with; in enjoying the order and ordinance of Christ's house, and in having the presence of God and Christ with her: and this beauty is not natural, nor acquired by her, but what is given her; it is not an outward, ”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: 143 Homily XX. Ephesians v. 22–24 “Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the Church: being Himself the Saviour of the body. But as the Church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their husbands in everything. A certain wise man, setting down a number of things in the rank of blessings, set down this also in the rank of a blessing, “A wife agreeing with her husband.” ( Ecclus. xxv. 1 .) And elsewhere again he sets it dow”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 11:5: woman . . . prayeth . . . prophesieth--This instance of women speaking in public worship is an extraordinary case, and justified only by the miraculous gifts which such women possessed as their credentials; for instance, Anna the prophetess and Priscilla (so Act 2:18). The ordinary rule to them is: silence in public (Co1 14:34-35; Ti1 2:11-12). Mental receptivity and activity in family life are recognized in Christianity, as most accordant with the destiny of woman. This passage does not necessarily sanction women speaking in public, even though”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 & 2 Corinthians: And the same thing likewise one may say regarding the woman. For to her also is it a reproach, the not having the symbols of her subjection. “But the woman is the glory of the man.” Therefore the rule of the man is natural. [5.] Then, having affirmed his point, he states again other reasons and causes also, leading thee to the first creation, and saying thus: Ver. 8 . “For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man.” But if to be of any one, is a glory to him of whom one is, much more the being an image of him. Ver. 9 . “For neither wa”
- Colossians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Colossians 3:18: The apostle concludes the chapter with exhortations to relative duties, as before in the epistle to the Ephesians. The epistles which are most taken up in displaying the glory of divine grace, and magnifying the Lord Jesus, are the most particular and distinct in pressing the duties of the several relations. We must never separate the privileges and duties of the gospel religion. I. He begins with the duties of wives and husbands (Col 3:18): Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Submission is the duty of wives, hupotassesth”