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I had planned out a novel plot hat basically was about a princess whose father dies in war and she has to guide the kingdom. With the verses in the Bible about men being the leaders, do you think that would be biblical?
So, questions like these are important!
We have to remember the culture of those in the Bible, the context of the verses, and what was happening. God raises up women to become amazing leaders who will speak His truth, light and freedom into this world. Just think about Esther. Sure, she was under Xerxes, but she still made a difference in a place of semi-power and definite influence.
Considering there are even women prophets in the Bible, I don’t see how having a queen would be wrong. 🙂Queen are not unbiblical, or at least they are no more unbiblical than kings. Kings aren’t recommended in the bible, but they’re not exactly wrong. Still, in the bible, whenever a king died, he was replaced by a male relative, not female. To the best of my knowledge, the bible teaches, not that women cannot be in authority, just that they should not be in authority over a man.
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Well, Isaiah 3:12 talks about judgment on the wicked including children being the oppressors and women ruling over them. At the very least, a woman ruling a nation is less than ideal. But for your story, if the king died and then there is the possibility of it being the princess’s duty to step up and defend her land…maybe until a cousin arrives, or maybe there’s a law requiring her to get married so there can be a king… I don’t think it would be a sin for her to rule, especially in such a case, but for the long term it would probably be more Biblical to have a male ruler.
INTJ - Inhumane. No-feelings. Terrible. Judgment and doom on everyone.
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Thank you all for your input! It is really helpful.
I think it’s important to remember the context of passages in the Bible. The people of Israel were continually sinning against God without repentance. The men were captivated by sinful women. They intermarried with women from other nations who followed false gods and that really put the people of Israel into an oppressive state. They were swayed by the people they married who weren’t following God. If you read later on in Isaiah 3 it says: “The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, strutting along with swaying hips, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.” The women were obsessed with image, fine things, and sin and that led the men to do the same.
But women can be leaders who fear God, respect others, are quiet and not ‘flirting with their eyes’, wise, kind, and blessed by God.
Men are always looked upon as stronger and more capable of leading. Man was the first being on earth created by God. So it makes sense that kings would be on thrones rather than queens.
And, as to what Daeus said, he has a good point as well. God didn’t wish to give the people a king. He wanted them to rely on Him alone and not need an earthly ruler. But He also loves us and recognizes our sinful, human nature and He provides.Hopefully some of this makes sense. 🙂
Great story idea! Write it. But remember that God’s design is for men to lead and for women to be a help meet. So the princess can rule, but she has to be able to see how it’s not the best design. God’s design.
I blog on story and spiritual things at mkami.weebly.com
Think of Deborah— she was a leader. She had to step up and lead because Barak was being weak. But that does not mean that women generally should be leaders. Those were far less than ideal circumstances, and may I remind you that she did not actually go into battle. One very practical reason that women shouldn’t ideally lead is because they are more easily led by their emotions than men. I’m not disparaging them. (I am one). But it’s true.
One way to still carry on your story plot as you want it without promoting women leading is to maybe make it so some conniving advisor who thought it would work to his advantage practically forced her onto the throne, or something of that sort. Maybe she didn’t choose it— but it was her duty, because the men who ought to have led were being weak (or maybe got assassinated) and if she didn’t take the throne everything would go to ruin, or maybe the political powers that be forced it on her for their own selfish gain. Don’t let me put words into your mouth— but think about it. Show somehow that these are not ideal circumstances.Carrying on with the manipulative advisor idea …
What if he was the princesses’s tutor who had taught her from birth. He could appear to be a nice gentle man, but one with unsatisfied ambition. Suddenly, the king dies. What does he do? Convinces his pupil to take the throne (using every power he has to ensure she does) and then uses his influence with her to essentially control the kingdom himself (Oh no! Anything but that!). Come along some innocent young fellow who discovers the evil tutor’s plot and helps the princess fight his tyranny and restore peace to the kingdom. They succeed and live happily ever after. The end.
Hey, I would read it.
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If you think back to the Middle Ages, often times, if the king had no son, then his daughter would rule.
Personally, I think that having her rule the country is fine, but then,
if your questioning it, you might want to ask your pastor.WIP - Decisions
Kapeefer til we're old and greyHi, Jada!
This is a question that I’ve struggled with a lot myself, and it’s one of my ongoing investigations. For me, the answer is yes. The MC in my current WIP is the heir-apparent and will be queen of a nation. So, for me, I think it’s is totally okay and cool to have a queen or princess in your book who leads. I don’t think there’s a problem of women leading period, but I think women are more effective as different types of leaders than men, if that makes sense at all. Now, what exactly that looks at, I’m not sure yet. (Still trying to figure it out!)
Biblically, I think God has used both men and women to be leaders, and some great examples of that have already been brought up. Leadership is a spiritual gift. Just something to chew on and think about. While it may not be the “common” thing, does that mean it doesn’t happen and it isn’t supported by God?
A book that I read recently that really helped me out was Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge just as far as the “purpose” / “role” of women goes. Definitely would highly recommend it. 🙂
I think it’s really easy to try and come up with a one-time, perfect answer for gender-roles, but from my experience, they’re pretty messy and complicated.
Hope this helps (maybe a little?).
~Sarah
"When enemies attack your kingdom you don't flee you show them why it's your kingdom. With your lightsaber."
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