Stoned-Campbell Disciple

I am of the persuasion that God’s people must embrace the entire Story of God. Individual passages have to be read within their contexts (both historical and literary) and in light of the beginning and the end.

Sometimes I find brothers and sisters that want to discount part of the Story. They will (and we have all done this) even embrace a position that conflicts, even outright contradicts, with the Story. I find this to be the case when it comes to the matter of women. What do we do with the myriads of women who are not silent, who are not hidden, who are leaders in every sense of the word, who are teachers of God’s people, whose voices have been preserved in Scripture by the Holy Spirit and exercise authority over the entire people of God every time one is brave enough to read their words or examples.

One way of handling them is to get rid of women leaders in the Bible. This is what was done in a discussion I recently had. Just declare these women are great examples of “usurping authority!”

I was stunned by this generalization made broadly but Miriam was the immediate referent. My reply to this brother’s interesting and amazing comment.

“Are you sure that is how you want to characterize Miriam?”

I have read some interesting things from the old traditional perspective, but this one is among the best.

“You state: “I would think that Miriam better fits the poster as an example of usurping of authority, than that of a good example of leadership.” Then you state: “Numbers 12 would seem to be an indictment on her, to the extreme.”

“See brother you say you are not sexist but these claims are not only factually wrong, but both are sexist to the core because how you frame the issue. Let’s start with Numbers 12. You conveniently forget – or simply have not read – that Numbers 12 is an indictment on AARON and Miriam, that is on both a man and a woman. It is not a rebuke of a woman because a woman stepped out of her “assigned role.”

“Miriam is not swatted because she is female (this is where your sexism is blatant!). Both Aaron and Miriam were out of line. But the text does not say that God had not called both Aaron and Miriam to leadership. The issue in Numbers 12 has nothing to do with women “usurping authority” over a male. The issue is, pure and simple, the leadership of Moses. Aaron and Miriam are leaders among God’s people and both exercise authority. Why claim this text is about women when it is no more about Miriam than it is about Aaron?

“But brother, it is a fact the Holy Spirit PRAISES Miriam, very differently than you. Note what the inspired prophet asserted about Miriam, along with Moses and Aaron. “I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery, I sent you Moses to lead you, also Aaron and MIRIAM” (Micah 6.3).

“God SENT Miriam to lead Israel! Stated point blank ****. God did not send Miriam alone, nor for the record God did not send Moses alone either. God sent Moses to lead. God sent Aaron to lead. God sent Miriam to lead.

“Further you are wrong on Exodus 15. Miriam does lead the women, but the women are addressing the whole congregation of Israel which is in fact in worship. She SUMMONS (imperative) the assembly to “Sing to Yahweh” (15.21). The “them” in v.21 is a MASCULINE (emphasis, not shouting) pronoun Miriam is not singing and leading only the ladies, she is leading the MEN. Just as the Spirit testifies in Micah 6.”

Miriam, my friends, cannot simply be cast aside as a “usurper.” She saved Moses himself as a child. She was a powerful leader among God’s people. She is part of the Story along with Deborah, Huldah, the nameless women in the Psalms who proclaim God’s message, Anna, Priscilla, Phoebe, Junia, Euodia, Syntyche and a host of others. Her “New Testament” counterpart is known to most as “Mary” the Mother of Jesus … a pretty important person.

Blessings and Shalom

Related Articles

A Biblical Register of Roles God Has Called Women

Huldah Who? The Forgotten Ministry of a Lady Prophet

Deborah, The Prophet Like Moses

These are the Day of Rebekah …

Faithful Men/Males or Faithful Persons? What Did Paul Say in 2 Timothy 2.2?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 20th, 2026 at 4:32 am and is filed under Ministry, Women, Worship. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.