What does the Bible say about matriarchy?

Moreover, this was not the only symptom of Israel's low condition in these inauspicious days. For if outwardly they were ruled over by their enemy, what was the state of government within? Committed to the hands of a woman! At the outset, as the Word of God teaches us, the oversight of the church locally was committed to elders, appointed for this purpose by the apostles or their delegates, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The order of the assembly, in that which pertained to it locally, fell to their charge. Dropping for a moment man's imitation of this divine institution, would there be any exaggeration in saying that the tendency to entrust government, wholly or partially, into the hands of women is becoming increasingly marked amongst the sects of Christendom in the present day? It is even boasted of, and Christians go so far as to state and seek to prove that such a condition of things is of God, and shews the flourishing state of the church. They quote Deborah in favour of their opinion, but let us see what she was like.

Deborah was a remarkable woman, a woman of faith, one deeply impressed with the humiliating condition of the people of God. She sees that it would be to the shame of the leaders in Israel, that God should entrust a post of public activity to a woman in their midst. She says to Barak: "I will surely go with thee; notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour, forJehovah shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." (v. 9) But, in all her exercise of authority for God, to the confusion of this people rendered effeminate by sin, Deborah maintains, in circumstances which might have proved a great snare to her, the place assigned by God in His Word to woman. She would not, otherwise, have been a woman of faith. This chapter gives us the history of two women of faith, Deborah and Jael. Each maintains the character in keeping with the position assigned by God to woman. Where does Deborah exercise her authority? Is she seen, as other judges, going in circuit over the land of Israel, or placing herself at the head of the armies? Nothing of the kind; and it is not without reason, it seems to me, that the Word says: "She dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah... and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment." (v. 5) Prophetess and judge though she was in Israel, she did not step out of the sphere God had assigned to her. Instead of going to Barak, she sent and called him to her where she dwelt.

Moreover, this was not the only symptom of Israel's low condition in these inauspicious days. For if outwardly they were ruled over by their enemy, what was the state of government within? Committed to the hands of a woman! At the outset, as the Word of God teaches us, the oversight of the church locally was committed to elders, appointed for this purpose by the apostles or their delegates, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The order of the assembly, in that which pertained to it locally, fell to their charge. Dropping for a moment man's imitation of this divine institution, would there be any exaggeration in saying that the tendency to entrust government, wholly or partially, into the hands of women is becoming increasingly marked amongst the sects of Christendom in the present day? It is even boasted of, and Christians go so far as to state and seek to prove that such a condition of things is of God, and shows the flourishing state of the church. They quote Deborah in favour of their opinion, but let us see what she was like.

Deborah was a remarkable woman, a woman of faith, one deeply impressed with the humiliating condition of the people of God. She sees that it would be to the shame of the leaders in Israel, that God should entrust a post of public activity to a woman in their midst. She says to Barak: "I will surely go with thee; notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour, for Jehovah shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." (v. 9) But, in all her exercise of authority for God, to the confusion of this people rendered effeminate by sin, Deborah maintains, in circumstances which might have proved a great snare to her, the place assigned by God in His Word to woman. She would not, otherwise, have been a woman of faith. This chapter gives us the history of two women of faith, Deborah and Jael. Each maintains the character in keeping with the position assigned by God to woman. Where does Deborah exercise her authority? Is she seen, as other judges, going in circuit over the land of Israel, or placing herself at the head of the armies? Nothing of the kind; and it is not without reason, it seems to me, that the Word says: "She dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah … and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment." (v. 5) Prophetess and judge though she was in Israel, she did not step out of the sphere God had assigned to her. Instead of going to Barak, she sent and called him to her where she dwelt.

It was a day of great weakness, as is disclosed in the song of Deborah, when she said, "Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?" Besides, Israel was judged by a woman, "Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth." When rule is in the hand of a woman it is evidence of failure on the part of the man. Not only is the husband the head of the wife, but the man is the head of the woman in the divine order, and headship involves leadership.

There was no man in Israel able to take the place of judge among them, so that a woman, Deborah, had taken this responsibility (v. 4). It was an abnormal state of affairs, but if men fail in their responsibility, God does not fail, and He will use a woman to accomplish His ends. Deborah's name means"the word," reminding us that it is by the word of God that our true deliverance comes. This is a fitting answer to the pride of human understanding and discernment, which have no basis in pure truth. Deborah was not a military leader (v. 5), but she sat in quiet retirement under a palm tree between Ramah (meaning "height") and Bethel ("the house of God"). Ramah would speak of her dwelling above the level of her surroundings, as we also ought to. Bethel reminds us that the house of God was an important matter to her, as indeed should be the case with every believer today. In such a place she was able to give good advice to those who came to her for judgment.

She was a prophetess, a married woman, and judged Israel in a day of declension (Judges 4). Israel was in a very low condition and Deborah was raised up, when the courage of man had utterly failed, to break the yoke of foreign oppression. It is in times of declension that woman comes forward and it is a sign of the low condition of things. However, we must notice that even Deborah sought to keep her proper place. She dwelt under the palm tree and Israel came up to her for judgment. She called Barak and told him to go forth against Sisera's armies as the Lord had commanded. When Barak would not go forth without Deborah she consented to go along with him, but told him the journey would not be for his honor for the Lord would sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. Her words would indicate that if it was a matter of shame for Barak that a woman should slay Sisera, it was not less a matter of shame that a woman should be forced by the men's backwardness to judge Israel. Her faith and courage inspired and helped Barak who was evidently a timid man. Thus sisters can help timid brethren. Deborah did not lead Barak, but went with him and encouraged him on.

What a sad day it was in the history of Israel when there was not a single man with any initiative, with any energy or desire to do right. So Deborah arose, a prophetess indeed in Israel, sitting and judging Israel under a palm tree. It is always a sad reflection upon the brothers when a sister has to take the initiative and show them what is right. Yet it was so in the days of the judges, but then the book of Judges shows a day when everything is upside down, nothing is as it should be, nobody seems to know what to do.. So it was in Deborah's day, but she arose and took the initiative, she gathered the army together and she gave direction to Barak, and what a wonderful triumph was secured for Israel in her day. I believe that this shows a holy woman of God with some idea of what is necessary, some idea of what is needed to be done. Thank God that Deborah was able to do it. What a wonderful woman! The result was that the enemy was discomfited and overcome and a great triumph was secured amongst the people of God. Deborah was a holy woman.

Once again we are confronted with something that is unusual. Previous to this record we found that the Lord raised up men to lead and to guide and to fight for Israel in their need, but here we find Deborah, a woman, a prophetess, sitting under her palm tree and judging the nation of Israel. This was a very, very unusual condition of things. It indicated that men were somewhat wanting in leadership, in courage and in direction from the Lord.

In ancient times there were great women leaders of Israel. Miriam was one (Micah 6:4). Deborah was another (Judges 4:4). This makes it all the more remarkable that in Christianity, while women have an honoured place, leadership is reserved for men.

We have said already that three times Priscilla is mentioned first and three times Aquila is mentioned first, indicating the proper balance between husband and wife. Where Scripture speaks about the husband being the head, it does not mean that he is a tyrant, that he is overbearing, not at all, he is responsible for direction and control in his home, a very, very responsible position indeed. The wife has her place of honour in being subject to her husband, and being under his control and guidance, so contributing to what Scripture indicates is a Christian home set up in order for the glory of Christ and of God.

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord" (Eph. 5:22). This is the Divine order. The husband is the head of the wife, and while she is free to make suggestions for consideration of her husband, yet in matters of importance he is to make the final decisions. He is wise if he leaves to her the many minor decisions of homemaking, and to act with due consideration of her preferences also. But it is her very glory to know how to submit with gentle grace and cheerfulness, even if her wishes are not followed.