Many non-Christians have an impression that the Bible generally perpetuates and upholds a belittling, or even oppressive, view of women. To be fair, there is plenty of poor exegesis available which seems to align with this view. I have heard teaching and sermons outside Faith Bible Church which frame women in the Bible as a mere footnote in male-propelled action or events. Occasionally, I have even heard or read about Christians outright blaming women alone as the primary originators of sin. Many secular scholars in reading the Bible, even while admitting that the gospel and the ministry and behavior of Jesus contradict these views, continue to assert that the Bible as a whole undermines the full humanity of women.
In contrast, our recent study in Genesis has revealed quite a different picture of what the Bible says about women, their value in God’s good creation, and what this means about identity for all people. By taking time to examine these stories, carefully studying their historical and cultural contexts and understanding their importance in the continuing revelation of God’s plans and promises, we rediscover women’s identity as being integral, valuable, and beloved by their Creator. In a cultural moment that tells both men and women that our value comes primarily from our personal understanding of ourselves, the Bible’s revelation of our identity in God stands in contrast not only to our own time, culture, and place, but also to the flaws and inconsistencies of our estimation of ourselves due to the sin in our own hearts. God’s view of us, as revealed in Scripture, is always truthful, loving, just, and reliable.
Exploring and contrasting the following examples of women in Genesis reveals how they viewed and defined themselves, how their culture viewed and defined them, and how God consistently viewed, interacted with, and defined them as He does all humankind.
Early in Genesis, the story of creation and the origin of sin shows differences in how Eve’s identity was defined by her culture, by herself, and by God. At this point “human culture” consisted of just one other person, Adam, who tried to deflect his own guilt in sin by blaming God and Eve, essentially saying “the woman you gave me caused my sin.” Meanwhile, like Adam, Eve wanted to self- justify, to be her own judge, and to go her own way in life, listening to Satan’s false promise that she would be wise and “like God.”
In contrast, God created Eve with intention and purpose, making her a crucial part of His plan for mankind, and an essential solution to the only thing God had deemed “not good” at creation: that Adam was alone. Notably, when Eve sinned, God didn’t address her through her husband. He spoke to her directly, calling on her to admit guilt directly. Along with punishment, God also revealed a plan for grace, and even made Adam and Eve clothes before removing them from the garden. This seemingly small detail shows a very close and tender affection in God’s view of His created people, both men and women. Even while explaining and delivering the rightful consequences of sin, God exemplifies humility, nurturing, and service.
After leaving the garden, when Eve had a son, her changed view of herself and her understanding of God is obvious. “With the Lord’s help I have had a son,” she said. This reveals that despite the gravity of her sin and the continuous pain of both her punishment and her separation from daily physical interaction with God, Eve saw God as her helper, her real and present guide in life, and the source of her continued relevance to His plan of grace.
Another story in Genesis with contrasting themes of identity is that of Hagar. As a slave, Hagar was culturally defined by the services she performed and her capability to continue performing them. When Hagar attempted to use her pregnancy with her master Abraham’s child to elevate her social position, her mistress Sarah retaliated. Hagar ran away out of legitimate fear of harsh yet culturally acceptable repercussions. In that moment, Hagar saw herself as oppressed, abused, alone, and forgotten.
But God saw her as loved, valued, and worth seeking out. He spoke to her and encouraged her, sharing His plans for her son and the future, showing His love for her and her importance, even within her cultural identity as a slave. And much like we are told that Christ died for us while we were still slaves to sin, Hagar’s position as a slave did not have to be changed before God showed His love for her.
Finally, believing God’s estimation of her, Hagar became the first person to call God a name descriptive of His personal character and His view of us: El Roi, “the God who sees.” She continued to live in this understanding, and even to return and submit to Sarah, knowing God’s promises for her and her child’s future.
A final example among the women of Genesis is in the story of Rachel and Leah. Most of Rachel and Leah’s value in their family and culture was based on their ability to marry and produce children. Their father, Laban, used them as a way to attract, and trick, a son-in-law who added to his wealth. Laban even saw their children as part of his personal wealth.
Rachel’s value was based on her beloved position with her husband, Jacob, who exhibited genuine love and affection for his chosen bride. Leah, who was not chosen nor loved, still had value in her ability to provide heirs for Jacob’s family lineage. Both sisters had an incomplete experience of what in their culture gave value to women: a husband who loved, honored, and admired them, and the ability to add children to his family.
Both Rachel and Leah seemed to see themselves primarily through what they did not have in the context of married life. Rachel was unable to have children for an extended time, while Leah did not have a loving connection to her husband. Defining themselves through what they lacked, both became envious of what the other had and behaved in jealousy and unkindness toward each other.
God used both women’s need and lack to reveal their essential dependency on Him. God observed Leah in her un-chosen and un-loved position, and He used her children to teach her that He was still loving and providing for her. For Rachel, God used an extended period of infertility to show her the same thing: that it was He who remembered, loved, and provided for her. Despite the difficulties (often self-imposed) within Rachel and Leah’s relationships to Jacob and one another, God made them an integral part of fulfilling his promises to humanity.
Our culture and our hearts give us shifting expectations and advice on ways to be seen as valuable. However, in Genesis, as in the rest of the Bible, we see consistent themes of how God created and values women, and all people. Despite our circumstances, our capabilities, our beliefs about ourselves, or how others treat us or speak about us, we know we were made to be part of God’s good creation. We were meant to reflect His likeness in a way that is set apart in the rest of His creation and to live in community with one another in mutual need, dependence, service, and betterment of one another. We know we are called to follow Him and let Him remain the judge of what is worthy and good and what is wrong and unjust, both in our own hearts and in human society. And we know that from the beginning He has had a greater plan for us, a plan for grace through Jesus Christ.
The women in Genesis illustrate how we are all directly responsible to God and directly valued by Him, in open and continuous communication and dependence on Him through His Word. From the promise of Genesis 3 and throughout the Bible we see our hope in our only mediator, the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our sin. What a firm and encouraging foundation to know our place and value before our Creator!
Amber Pullen-Morgan is a member of Faith Bible Church and a former English-as-a-Second-Language and college English writing instructor. Her writing background includes editing her high school newspaper as well as researching, writing, and presenting on multiple subjects in the humanities and social sciences. Now a full-time mom and first-generation homeschool teacher, Amber lives with her husband Austin and their two children in Four Lakes.
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