Archetypal Woman

There are two archetypal women in the Bible, Mary and Jezebel. Both as daughters of Eve, exemplify what woman can be in her best and worst forms. The anti-dote to Jezebel is encouraging women to be like Mary. The most powerful role a woman can play is the righteous mother. The world needs this more than it knows, more than even the Church knows. In fact the Church today often lies about this, and allows Jezebel to rule in its midst in many contexts. 

It's fascinating to me how much of the advice in the modern Church to women is to be like Jezebel. That is, to be the woman who leads her man, leans on her her power, and places herself in compromising positions. 

But the Scriptures are clear on the righteous role of women is to seek after motherhood: 

"11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control" (1 Tim. 2:11-15). 

It's common to see media pieces dealing with "working mum" guilt. How women struggle not being with their kids. All sorts of advice is given to these women to cope with it. I feel for women who can't afford to stay at home. But for most women this is a choice. They want a certain house, status, career or high standard of living. 

To put these things before motherhood, before, raising your child, is the modern siren call to women. The Jezebel lure. It's no wonder women struggle with guilt following this call. 

The Bible's response to the guilt that comes with this lifestyle is simple: just submit to your husband and focus on being a mother in the home. Men, it's our job to help this happen. 

This is not to denigrate women. It is to recognise that a mother such as this was necessaeyvto the incarnation of the Lord Jesus and the salvation of the world. That  is incredible. It wasn't a working woman God needed, it was a humble, ordinary mother, willing to raise her son. 

The more women we have like this, the better chance we have of seeing the kingdom of God extended in our day and beyond in this broken culture.