Biblical Women that Inspire Us
A judge who led armies, a queen who risked execution, a girl who outsmarted Pharaoh. The women of the Bible weren't on the sidelines — they were at the center of God's story.
Being a woman in the Bible was not easy. They had to navigate through a strict patriarchal society where men held most legal, political, and religious power. Even though men had a lot of power, women had great influence over men, their families, and some found favor with God. When we read about these women, we see they inspired the people who lived with them in biblical times, but they have also inspired women, men and children today. Women in the Bible have made an impact in biblical times as hard-working professionals like a judge, a full-time mother, a wife, a queen, and a faithful daughter-in-law.
There were so many women who did brave, remarkable things. God used them to fulfill His will and purposes. Mary, a young woman of faith with moral purity and profound humility, was a person God used to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies. The Messiah had to be a descendant of King David and both Mary and her husband, Joseph, possessed the required royal and ancestral lineage (Luke 1:32). When the angel told her of her miraculous calling, she humbly submitted to God's will to be the mother of Jesus.
Another inspiring woman is Deborah. Women can be inspired by her since she was the only female judge of Israel. God used her as a prophetess; she revealed a divine direction to the Israelites and commissioned the military commander Barak to lead 10,000 troops against the Canaanites. Deborah received direct instructions from God to do it (Judges 4:6-7). Barak refused to face the Canaanites unless Deborah accompanied him to the battlefield (Judges 4:8). She did just that. She was brave enough to stand on the front lines which gave him the confidence to obey God's commands (Judges 4:9).
It was not easy being a woman, but God made it possible for women to do some of the same things that men do. God had His reasons. He did it with other women in the Bible. One woman was Esther. She was raised by her older cousin Mordecai after her parents died (Esther 2:7). She became Queen of Persia by King Ahasuerus. She risked her own life by approaching the king to expose his top advisor – Haman – of his wicked scheme (Esther 7:3–6). He tricked the King into signing a decree that would exterminate all Jewish people in the empire.
Despite her husband’s King Ahasuerus order that all officials bow down and pay homage to Haman, Esther’s cousin Mordecai refused, citing his Jewish faith (Esther 3:1-2). This defiance enraged Haman, sparking the plot against the Jews (Esther 3:5-6). What Esther did was brave. She stepped in and saved her people from total destruction and demonstrated the power of courageous leadership by exposing Haman's evil plot.
Another honorable woman that inspires us in the Bible is Miriam. She is known as an influential biblical figure, recognized as a prophetess and the older sister of Moses and Aaron. She is celebrated for her role in saving the infant Moses from the Nile and leading the Israelites in song after crossing the Red Sea. Miriam saved Moses when Pharaoh ordered the drowning of Hebrew baby boys (Exodus 1:15). She defied Pharaoh's decree and saved Moses by bravely approaching and suggesting to the Egyptian princess who found baby Moses in a basket the woman to nurse him (Exodus 2:5-10). After agreeing to Miriam's request, the princess hired Moses’ mother Jochebed to nurse and care for Moses until he was old enough to be raised in the royal palace. What Miriam did could have easily cost her her life. She continued to be bold in faith as she got older. She took on the role of a prophetess, leading the Israelite women in songs of praise and dancing (Exodus 15:20-21).
This is an encouragement for ladies today. They can be bold in their faith, do remarkable things, and possess a quiet, steady assurance on God and be used today to accomplish His plans.