“As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.” 1 Corinthians 14:34
It would seem to most message believers that if you are a male you are automatically endowed with more spiritual understanding and knowledge of the word than a female.
Women belong in the kitchen, they are to be silent in church, wash their husband’s clothing, cook his meals, and submit in all areas. Message believers are taught that women are so low and beneath men, they are not even part of creation.
Look, a woman is not even so low… She’s not even a creation in God. She’s a by-product. After God made the whole creation He took a piece off of a man and made a woman. She wasn’t even considered in the original creation. Correctly. She become a helpmate to man. And through there she’s supposed to live for that.
When a woman gets out of the kitchen she’s out of her place. Whether she’s preaching the Gospel or whatever she’s doing, she’s out of her place. Man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. Man is not a by-product of a woman, but the woman is a by-product of the man. -WMB 560715
by-product
noun
1. a secondary or incidental product, as in a process of manufacture.
2. the result of another action, often unforeseen or unintended.
You’d never look at a woman going down the street and tell what’s in her heart. See? But I wanted to say these things so that you could see why that Satan is her designer. That’s exactly right, his own son proved it, Cain. Now, she is beautiful so she can deceive. –WMB 650221
We’s all condemned through Eve through hybreeding. That’s exactly right. All of us come to that spot through Eve. Eve caused the whole human race to fall. Her and Adam are one. She… It started with the woman. It’ll end with a woman -WMB 601113
He would blast and condemn every bobbed-haired woman. How could he do anything else? He’s a prophet. And that’s the Word. He’d say, “You, Jezebels!” He’d get rough with them. Why? He’s a prophet. He’d have to stay with the Word. That’s right. You think they would stop? No, sir. They’d say, “It’s a fanatic. He’s as bad as that old Paul was, in the Bible, woman-hater.” -WMB 620513
“Brother Branham, why don’t you leave them women alone?” He said, “You know, people regard you as a prophet? Why don’t you teach them high spiritual things?” That man may be setting present. If it is, I want you to get this, brother. “Why don’t you teach them high spiritual things, where you climb, and let them climb there; instead of telling them about not cutting their hair, and the kind of dresses to wear?”
If you’re here, or hear the tape, brother. If I can’t get them out of kindergarten, how am I going to teach them algebra? They haven’t got the decency and morally–morality about them, to even let their hair grow out, and wear dress like ladies, how you going to teach them spiritual things? See? Now he… Don’t know the first, don’t know abc’s. And try to teach them something high, give them a college education, when they don’t know abc’s? Let learn abc’s first, and then we’ll–we’ll go on to that. -WMB 621210
These words have caused so much hurt, confusion, and oppression. I do not feel these views can be supported by scripture. They have done much damage and continue to do so. God did see fit to create the woman. He designed her, He gave her life, and He had a plan for her. God loved his creation so much, that when they fell, He sent his only begotten Son into the world to redeem them. The Gospel tells us that we are to go into all the world and preach the Good News unto every creature, ALL of creation. Woman was not only a part of this beautiful creation, she is also redeemed by the blood shed on Calvary.
She stands before Christ perfect and beautiful in His sight in her rightful place. Paul told us, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” -Genesis 1
The woman is not happenstance. God the Creator, the author of life is her Creator. Psalm 139 reads,
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
It was always emphasized that the woman’s head was the man. Without further context, you have an incomplete understanding.
But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God. – 1 Corinthians 11
Women are indeed under the headship of the man, however, remember in the beginning God said “it is not good for man to be alone, I will make him a helper suitable for him.” She is his helper and his companion. Proverbs 31 speaks so beautifully of the woman God created and called her to be,
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
she is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.
Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm clothes.
She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.
She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.
Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.
Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
There are many examples in the Bible of God using women in various roles. In the book of Acts when they entered in the upper room, there were both men and women praying together. “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” The men did not go up and leave the women behind, nor did the men pray while the women sat silent in a corner. They were of one accord. Mary Magdalene was the first to witness Christ’s Resurrection. Mary had been possessed with 7 devils. A regular “Jezebel” in her day. Mary walked with Christ, she sat with him and ate with Him. Mary, a woman!
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. – Mark 16:9
Example after example is given of women not only used of God, but favored of God. Mary, mother of Jesus, favored of God. Contrary to message teaching, Mary wasn’t an incubator, Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. How beautiful.
And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you! – Luke 1
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” -Luke 1
“Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. -Matthew 1:20
Mary was blessed among women, and there are many, many others that served the Lord their God and honored Him with their lives in various roles and offices. Miriam danced with her tambourine, Deborah Judged, Phoebe was a deacon in the church, and Rahab the harlot saved her whole house. I think one of my favorites is the courage of Jael.
Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. -Exodus 15:20
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. -Judges 4:4
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. -Romans 16:11
When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately. -Acts 18:26
But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died. -Judges 4:21
Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” – Esther 4
David replied to Abigail, “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! Thank God for your good sense! – 1 Samuel 25
And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. -Joshua 6:17
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. -Luke 2:36
Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. – Acts 9:36
She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” -Mark 14:8
Be encouraged my sisters, you are loved and called of God. You are part of redemption and you are called unto Salvation. Know Him, serve Him, and study His word. God created you female, and through you the beauty of His creation does shine. Consider Him in all your ways and praise Him through your works. God made you beautiful and you are found in His word. You are complete when you walk according to the calling He has chosen for you. Inside of you is a part of Him and He will lead you and guide you in this calling. Serve Him and know Him in Spirit and in Truth.
“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.”
The Bitter Belly 