 The
Proclaimer
Godly Women
First Samuel chapter four records that Eli,
high priest and judge of Israel, had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas.
Although both were priests, they were very wicked. In an attempt to win the
conflict with the Philistines, it was decided to lead the army of Israel
into battle with the ark of the covenant. Subsequently, both of Eli’s sons
were killed and the ark of the covenant was captured by the Philistines.
Upon hearing of the defeat and the death of his sons, the ninety-eight year
old Eli was shaken. But when he heard that the ark of God had been taken by
the Philistines, he evidently had a stroke and fell backward off of his seat
by the gate. The fall broke his neck and he died (read 1 Samuel 4:1-18).
The wife of Phinehas “was with child, near to
be delivered” (v.19). When she heard of the compounding terrible news of
the death of her husband and father-in-law and the capture of the ark of the
covenant, she fell to her knees, went into labor and died. As she lay
dying, the women who stood round sought to comfort her by telling her that
she had brought forth a son, “but she answered not, neither did she regard
it.” She did, however, with her dying breath name the boy Ichabod (meaning
“no glory”) and said, “The glory is departed from Israel” (v. 21). Before
dying she clarifies and reiterates this pronouncement by stating, “The glory
is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken” (v. 22).
We don’t know much about Eli’s daughter-in-law,
but it is interesting that her last concern appears to be the same as that
of Eli – the ark of God had been captured. She appears to have far more
concern about the things of God than her wicked and godless husband Phinehas.
This being so, it was evidently left to her to uphold God’s will and glory
if it was to be done in this family. At the very least, this woman endured
great pain as her husband sinned in fornication with the women who came to
the Tabernacle and as his arrogance placed demands upon those in the
community as well as, undoubtedly, upon her as well.
Today there continue to be godly women like the
wife of Phinehas; women that are married to men who may not be as wicked as
Phinehas, but who refuse to be the spiritual leaders in their family. God
makes it clear that the husband is the head of the wife (Eph. 5:23) and as
such, is to nourish her and cherish her. The word rendered “nourish” (edtrefei)
means literally “to rear up to maturity, i.e. to cherish or train.” It is
the husband that is to take the lead in helping his wife mature
spiritually.
Furthermore, Paul says, “And you fathers, do
not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and
admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Had Phinehas lived, it’s hard to
conceive of him being any better father than he was a husband. Clearly Eli
had been derelict in his duty as a father because he refused to restrain his
ungodly sons from their wickedness (1 Sam. 3:13), but the influence Eli’s
sons would have had upon their sons would have been vile indeed.
What is a woman to do when her husband refuses
to be the kind of spiritual leader in the family that he ought to be?
Certainly she must continue to subject herself to her husband as long as he
does not require of her that which is against God’s will (1 Peter 3:1). But
she must do right whether he does or not. That means she must continue to
“grow unto salvation” (1 Peter 2:2), even if he is no help in this regard.
Furthermore, the children must be brought up “in the training and admonition
of the Lord,” even if her husband will not accept this responsibility.
Thank God for such godly
women! Women who understand God’s arrangement of headship and would like
nothing better than for their husband to be the spiritual leader in the
family as God intends. But women who, when cast in a situation where their
husband is not what he ought to be, refuse to allow Satan to destroy either
them or their children. Women who do the best they can to serve the Lord
and continue to grow in grace and knowledge; women who teach their children
to love and serve the Lord to the salvation of their souls. Thank God for
such godly women, for I am a son of such a woman.
-- Clark Dugger
The Proclaimer
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