The 8 Most Important Women of the Bible

From great military heroes to prophets, there are many important figures in the Bible who are recognized for their strength and character. While many think of men first when it comes to these strong figures, there are also a number of important women in the Bible who inspire, not only because of how they lived but also because of their rock-solid faith, even in some of the toughest of circumstances. Unfortunately, too often, women’s stories have taken second place to the interests and needs of male Biblical writers and males leaders in Christian churches, but this didn’t mean their stories weren’t important, especially in the eyes of God. By definition, a strong woman is fearless when it comes to facing hard situations. They are confident in who they are and what they believe, and in their example of fearlessness, they encourage others to be courageous and make a difference. Here are the eight most important women in the Bible and what we can learn from them.

Mary, Mother of Jesus

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Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus, commonly referred to as Mary, Mother of God, Saint Mary, Virgin Mary and Blessed Virgin Mary, is one of the most admired figures in Scripture and considered by many to be the greatest of all Christian saints. She was a willing servant who trusted God and obeyed His call. While her life held great honor, her calling also required great suffering. Though there was joy in motherhood, there was great pain in the privilege of being the mother of the Messiah. Despite these things, she responded to God with great obedience and submission to His plan. Her life never robbed Jesus of His glory, for her mission was to witness the glory of the Son of God.

Ruth

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Ruth’s story captivates and significantly challenges many. She’s a widow from an enemy nation with no prospects. Yet, God moves so mightily in her story and uses it to encourage millions. At the beginning of the book, Ruth is living in her home in Moab; a place and people that the Israelites frowned upon. On top of that, she had lost her husband and was living with her widowed mother-in-law. She also lost her husband without a child, some believing she may have been barren. The pain Ruth must have been in was immense but she didn’t allow her past to hold her back. Ruth showed remarkable faith for such a young believer. Faith that there was still a purpose for her ahead. Faith to believe that God was who He said He was. And faith to believe that God would provide for her and Naomi. Her bravery, faith and obedience can encourage us to be better followers of Christ.

Esther

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Esther is an inspiring story about a remarkable woman who was willing to risk her life to save her people. She was a woman of principle who was willing to put the lives of others ahead of even her own life. She was an outstanding example of serving others even under the most stressful circumstances. Jesus Christ said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Most of the time our lives may be pretty routine, but all of us have a few defining moments when we may be called on to put godly principle above personal benefit. What will you do when you encounter defining moments in your life? Esther shows all of us the way, and we can be inspired by her example.

Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene was the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus and continues to be one of the most mysterious and controversial figures in religious history. She has been portrayed throughout the centuries in a number of ways, being considered as loose, Christ's wife, wealthy, a chief disciple, adulterer and a feminist icon among other descriptions. Many popular depictions of Mary Magdalene don't do her story justice or speak her truth as a true disciple of Christ. Though she has been reinterpreted over and over again, she remains a potent and mysterious figure. When Mary and the other women, along with the twelve joined Jesus, they were taking a serious risk. Jesus was spurred into action after the arrest of John the Baptist. Much of John the Baptist's ministry took place on the east bank of the Jordan in Herod's territory of Parea. When John was imprisoned, Jesus took up his ministry in Herod's territory of Galilee which was viewed by Herod, not only as a challenge but also a threat. Despite the risk, Mary Magdalene was committed to Jesus' ministry.

Eve

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Eve was the first woman on earth, first wife and the first mother. She is known as the “Mother of All the Living.” And even though these are rather remarkable accomplishments, little else is known about Eve. Like many noteworthy mothers, even though Eve’s accomplishments were significant, for the most part they were overlooked. We learn from Eve that women share in God’s image. Feminine qualities are part of the character of God. God’s purpose of creation could not be fulfilled without the equal participation of “womankind.” Just like we learned from Adam’s life, Eve teaches us that God wants us to freely choose to follow and obey Him out of love. Nothing we do is hidden from God. Likewise, it does not benefit us to blame others for our own failings. We must accept personal responsibility for our actions and choices.

Elizabeth

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The inability to bear a child is a common theme in the Bible. In ancient times, barrenness was considered a disgrace. But time and again, we see these women having great faith in God, and God rewards them with a child. Elizabeth was such a woman. Both she and her husband Zechariah were old, she past child-bearing years, yet she conceived through the grace of God. The angel Gabriel told Zechariah the news in the temple, then made him mute because he did not believe. Just as the angel foretold, Elizabeth conceived. While she was pregnant, Mary, the expectant mother of Jesus, visited her. The baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy on hearing Mary’s voice. Elizabeth gave birth to her son who became John the Baptist, the prophet who foretold the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Rachel

Illustrators of Bible Pictures and What They Teach Us/WikiCommons

The marriage of Rachel in the Bible was one of the most captivating episodes recorded in the book of Genesis, a story of love triumphing over lies. Rachel stood by her husband during her father’s deceptions; every indication was that she loved Jacob deeply. Rachel gave birth to Joseph, one of the most important figures of the Old Testament, who saved the nation of Israel during famine. She also bore Benjamin, and was a faithful wife to Jacob. He loved Rachel passionately even before they were married, but Rachel thought, as her culture had taught her that she needed to bear children to earn Jacob’s love. The truth is, we don’t need to perform good works to earn it. His love, and our salvation, comes through grace.

Hagar

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Hagar means ‘stranger’. She was from Egypt, never fully accepted into the tribe. The first theme of Hagar’s story is that nothing is impossible with God. God had promised Abraham he would be the father of many nations, so when Sarah became post-menopausal she looked for ways to make this happen. She did not trust in God enough to leave the matter in His hands. Sarah was unable to bear children, and so, following a common practice of the time. Sarah offered her servant to Abraham. When Hagar became pregnant, Sarah grew jealous and threw her out of their home. An angel found her alone in the desert. He promised a blessing on her child, naming him Ishmael, which means “God hears”. In response, Hagar declared: “You are the One who sees me.” Hagar returned to Abraham’s household, 14 years later, Sarah bore her own son and again, forced Hagar and Ishmael to leave. They returned to the desert. God again heard their cries. They survived and prospered. Ishmael sired a great nation as God had promised. Hagar represents women in the Bible who are excluded or despised. This might happen because they are childless in a society that valued mothers, as Sarah was at first or a slave in a hierarchical society, as Hagar was at first.