THESE WORDS OF JESUS WERE LIFE-CHANGING FOR ME DURING A RECENT FIERY TRIAL OF FAITH

During an intense three-month battle for my health, the words of Jesus concerning the woman who had been bent over for 18 years became a significant source of faith and encouragement that catapulted me into complete victory (Luke 13:10-16). Jesus said that she “ought” to be healed and the Greek word from which “ought” is translated is edei, a very strong word that speaks of “necessity” and could be translated as “must.”

My Fiery Furnace

Beginning on November 22 of last year,  I was suddenly hit with a series of health challenges that began with a serious bladder infection followed by an enlarged prostate that completely blocked my urinal flow. This resulted in six visits to the ER, three visits to a urologist, and having six different catheters inserted before the urologist finally decided to do surgery. This was followed a urinary tract infection that hospitalized me for one week and delayed prostate surgery. This was followed by the Covid virus which delayed the surgery a second time. I finally had prostate surgery on February 27.

Now, three months later, I can testify that I am in better health than before going through this fiery furnace. My faith is also stronger, and I am more convinced than ever that God wants His people well. Jesus’ words to the bent-over woman in Luke 13:10-16, that she “ought” to be healed, played a major role in building my faith for a complete recovery.

Jesus Explained Why She “Ought” to be Healed

Beginning at Luke 13:10 we read the story of Jesus teaching in a synagogue one Sabbath day and a woman was there who had been bent over for eighteen years, caused by a spirit of infirmity. Jesus called out to her and said, Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity. He then laid His hands on her and she was made straight and began glorifying God.

The ruler of the synagogue was angry because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. He exhorted the people that there are six days for people to work and come and be healed on any of them, and not on the Sabbath day. Jesus responded by calling the ruler of the synagogue a “hypocrite” and then said,

Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?

Jesus, first of all, presents a logical argument for why this woman ought to be healed, and he uses a Hebrew form of argument known as Kal Vechomer, meaning “from the lighter to the heavier.” The lighter premise, which they all accepted, was that it was right to loose their animals from the stall on the Sabbath and lead them away to water. Jesus then moves them to the weightier conclusion by pointing out that if this is the case with animals, then how much more should this woman, whom Satan had bound, be loosed from her bond on the Sabbath day. This was a powerful Kal Vechomer argument.

Jesus then gave the Biblical basis for why she “ought” to be healed, pointing out that she was a "daughter of Abraham." As a daughter of Abraham, she was a rightful heir to the covenant blessings promised to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 12:1-3), which obviously included healing.

That Abraham had a healing ministry was made clear when Abimelech, King of Gerar, took Sarah into his harem after Abraham told him Sarah was his sister. Suddenly, all the women of Abimelech’s family and kingdom became barren and unable to have children.

Genesis 20:7 tells of God appearing to Abimelech in a dream and rebuking him for taking Sarah. He then said to him, Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet and he will pray for you and you will live. Genesis 20:17 says, Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his female slaves, so they could have children again.

The words of Jesus concerning this woman, reveal that being a daughter of Abraham brought more than the mere right or privilege of being healed. It created a necessity and obligation. In the words of Jesus, she “ought” or “must” be loosed from the bondage of Satan on the Sabbath day.

I Told God that I “Ought” to be Healed

I recall lying in the hospital bed day after day with an intravenous tube inserted in my left arm and a catheter inserted up my urethral tube and unable to turn to the right or left. But in that condition, I meditated on this passage for hours and found my spirit lifted and my heart overflowing with gratitude and praise.

I also reminded myself and the Lord of Galatians 3:29, which reads, And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. I would say to the Lord,

Lord, I “ought” to be healed for I am a son of Abraham through faith in Jesus the Messiah. Healing is as much mine as the bent-over woman in Luke 13, and even more so, for through faith in Jesus, I am also a son of Almighty God. Lord, I “ought” to be healed!

God brough me through the urinary tract infections and Covid and I was able to go home, but still wearing a catheter. The day arrived for my surgery and Sue drove me to the hospital at 5:30 am with my heart at rest and my mind at peace. I was convinced that I “ought” to be healed. 

When the surgeon walked in I said to him, “I am here in great peace today, for I have great confidence in God and I have great confidence in you.” He responded by stepping to my bedside, taking my hand and praying in the name of Jesus for a successful procedure.

It was a successful procedure and I was released the following day. As I walked out the front door of the hospital, I felt that all of nature was praising God. Indeed, while in the hospital I had asked God if there was a particular Scripture for me for this time. Immediately, Isaiah 55:12 had come to mind, which reads,

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
The mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

That has been my experience. My heart today is overflowing with thanksgiving for what the Lord has done. At 77 years of age, I have returned to my daily two-mile prayer walks and I am in better health now than before this ordeal. I just had my regular Veterans Administration physical, and the doctor said I am doing great and have no need of any medications.  Hallelujah!

My Word to You

Having gone through this ordeal, I am more convinced than ever that God wants His people well: physically, mentally, financially, and in every area of life. So, if you are suffering ill health in any area of life, and you are a child of God through faith in Jesus, “You 'ought' to healed!”

Put your case in His hands. If you do not see an instantaneous miracle, don’t be discouraged. Delay does not mean denial. Mediate on His goodness and trust Him to show you His personalized plan for your healing. Trust him to guide you to the right medical people who will help you regain your health. 

Meditate on Luke 13:10-16. Read it over and over. Incorporate it into your conversations with God. Remind yourself continually that you too are a son or daughter of Abraham through faith in Jesus, and that you “ought to be healed!”

Dr. Eddie Hyatt is an author, revivalist, and Bible teacher. His books on how America was birthed out of the Great Awakening are very timely for this critical time in the nation's history. 1726: The Year that Defined America, and others, are available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.

HOW YOU CAN BRING HEALING TO A DEEPLY DIVIDED AMERICA

The young 25-year-old Methodist preacher and revivalist, George Whitefield, arrived in America in 1738 with a prayer on his heart that “the 13 divided Colonies would become One Nation under God.” He was very aware of the deep lines of division and hatred that ran between the various groups, but he was hopeful that he would see those lines erased as he preached the message God had given him for America.

The Deep Divisions of Colonial America

Most do not realize the deep divisions that existed in colonial America between the Anglicans who settled Virginia, the Puritans who settled New England, the Baptists who settled Rhode Island, the Quakers who settled Pennsylvania, and so on.

Back in England, the Anglican Church, as the official state church, had harassed and imprisoned Puritans, Baptist, and Quakers, even putting some to death. In Virginia, the Anglicans made their church the “official” church of the colony and jailed Baptist preachers who ventured there to preach. Puritans detested Anglicans because of how they had been treated, but they persecuted both Quakers and Baptists: evicting them from their colony, jailing them, and even putting some to death. Baptists and Quakers did not get along and considered Puritans and Anglicans to be apostate Christians and part of the false, harlot church of Revelation.

It seemed that these groups could never reconcile. Their history was too long and their pain too deep. God, however, had an answer. His answer was a great, spiritual awakening based on the preaching of the gospel wherein Jesus was presented as the central object of faith.

Whitefield Confronts the Divisions

Whitefield had an oratorical gift that attracted thousands to his open-air meetings . In Philadelphia, he preached from the steps of the courthouse to crowds estimated at 10-12 thousand at a time the population of Philadelphia was around 13,000. According to Benjamin Franklin, the impact on the city was transformative. He wrote,

The multitudes of all sects and denominations that attended his sermons were enormous, and it was a matter of speculation to me, who was one of the number, to observe the extraordinary influence of his oratory on his hearers. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing religious so that one could not walk through the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 79).

Whitefield addressed the divisions of the colonists head-on. In one of his sermons, for example, as he was preaching in the open air to thousands, representing various sects and denominations, he pretended to converse with Father Abraham, whom he pictured as looking over the banister of heaven at the gathered multitude.

Looking heavenward, Whitefield cried out, “Father Abraham, are there any Anglicans in heaven?”

The answer came back, “No, there are no Anglicans in heaven.”

“Father Abraham, are there any Puritans in heaven?”

“No, there are no Puritans in heaven.”

“Are there any Methodists in heaven?”

“No, there are no Methodists here either.”

“What about Baptists or Quakers?” 

“No, there are none of those here either.”

“Father Abraham,” cried Whitefield, “What kind of people are in heaven?”

The answer came back, “There are only Christians in heaven, only those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb.”

Whitefield then cried out, “Oh, is that the case? Then God help me, God help us all, to forget having labels and to become Christians in deed and in truth” (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 80-81)!

Sectarian Walls are Broken Down

Under the preaching of the Gospel and a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, differences were melted and denominational walls were broken down. For the first time, the divided colonists began to see themselves as a single people with one Divine destiny, “One Nation Under God,” as Whitfield had prayed.

By his incessant travels, Whitefield made the Great Awakening America’s first national event. It was the first time the scattered colonists of various denominational and theological persuasions had participated together as one people in a single event.

Historian, Benjamin Hart, points out that when Whitefield visited America for the final time in 1770, even the Episcopal (Anglican) churches, which had initially rejected him, opened their doors to him. He goes on to say,

The true Spirit of Christ had dissolved sectarian differences. America considered itself to be a nation of Christians, pure and simple, as Whitefield noted with satisfaction. “Pulpits, hearts and affections,” he said, were opened to him and any preacher of whatever denomination who had a true Christian message to share (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 87-88).

The late Harvard professor, Perry Miller, surely had Whitefield in mind when he wrote, “The Declaration of Independence of 1776 was a direct result of the preaching of the evangelists of the Great Awakening.” Through Whitefield’s ministry the Divided Colonies of America became the United States of America.

We Hold the Key

If we are to see deeply a divided modern America saved, it must begin with those who name the name of Christ. The promise of a national healing in II Chronicles 7:14 puts the responsibility squarely on our shoulders by listing certain conditions that are to be carried out by God’s people. The passage begins by saying, If My people, who are called by Name . . ..

In John 17:21 Jesus prayed for the unity of His followers, that they may all be one, as You, Father, are in me and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may know that You sent Me. If there is to be any healing of the political, cultural, and ideological divisions in America, there must first be a healing of the deep divisions that exist in Christendom.

This does not mean we will all form one institution or organization. That has never been God’s plan. His plan is diversity but within a unity that is centered in Him. We will keep our distinctive labels as Baptist or Presbyterian or Assembly of God, but our primary label will be that of Christian—followers of Christ.

This happened in Colonial America to such an extent that a British-appointed governor in Connecticut wrote to his superiors in England, “If you ask an American who is his master, he will tell you he has none, nor any governor but Jesus Christ” (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 81).

What You Can Do

Be bold in your Christ-centered faith as you reach across denominational lines. Without compromising truth, show love to those who hold different doctrines and attend different churches than you. Don't waste your time with those who merely want to argue, but be willing to have a dialogue with those who are teachable and willing to listen. And in the midst of it all, ask God to pour out His Spirit as promised (Acts 2:17) and that another Great Awakening that will roll across the land like a giant tsunami wave,

 

This article is derived from Dr. Eddie Hyatt's book, 1726: The Year that Defined America, available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com. For information on bringing his informative, inspiring “Save America” presentation to your , city, contact him at dreddiehyatt@gmail.com

WAS THE APRIL 8 SOLAR ECLIPSE REALLY A SIGN FROM HEAVEN?

To listen to Eddie's presentation of this topic on his podcast, click this link.

https://dreddiehyatt.podbean.com/

Speaking of the end of the age, Jesus said, And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars . . . (Luke 21:25). The Greek word translated "sign" in this passage is semeia, and it refers to a "miraculous sign." 

Semeia, for example, is the word used for miracles that Jesus performed, such as the turning of water into wine and the multiplying of the loaves and fishes. It is the word used by Luke in describing the miraculous healing of the man who had been a cripple since birth (Acts 2:16). In its definition of the word, Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, calls it "wonders and miracles" and "signs portending remarkable events about to happen.”

Does the April 8 Eclipse Meet this Criterion?

The solar eclipse that occurred at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus was a miraculous sign. According to both Luke 23:44 and Mark 15:33 this eclipse lasted for three hours--from 12 noon to 3 p.m. There is no natural explanation for this extended time of darkness. It was truly a miraculous sign.

By contrast, the solar eclipse that occurred on April 8 lasted only four minutes, just as predicted by the astronomers. If it had lasted for even 15 minutes the world would have been aghast and I would have been asking, “God, what is going on here?” Everything about the April 8 eclipse can be explained by the natural movements of the sun, moon, and earth. It was not a miraculous sign.

If this is the case, then why all the messages and warnings from Christians about this eclipse being a sign and warning from God? I am sure many people are very sincere in their speculations about the eclipse, but I am made to wonder if some of the more bizarre theories were formulated to get more followers and clicks on Facebook and Twitter. Could it also be that we need to guard against "superstition" in our modern Pentecostal and charismatic churches?

Solar Eclipses and Superstition

From the dawn of human history, people have looked in wonder, awe, and fear at solar eclipses, comets, meteor showers, and other celestial phenomena. The ancients considered such phenomena to be omens of good fortune or of impending disaster and death.

Kings and emperors would go to war or make peace depending on how they interpreted such phenomena. According to the historian, Herodotus, a battle between the Medes and Lydians was interrupted by a solar eclipse in 585 B.C. Both sides interpreted the darkness as a sign the gods were displeased, so they made peace.

The Roman historian, Dio Cassius, tells how a bright comet with a long tail streaked across the sky in a.d. 79. Such a phenomenon was considered a sign of the death of a king and Cassius considered it an omen portending the approaching death of the emperor, Vespasian.

When this was mentioned to the emperor, who was sick at the time, he brushed it off and said the omen was for the Parthian king with whom he was at war. Alluding to the comet's long tail, Vespasian insisted the omen could not be for him, for he was bald. Nonetheless, he died shortly thereafter.

This human fascination with the heavenly bodies, and superstition as to how their movements affect mankind, is the root of all modern horoscopes, zodiac signs, and astrological tables, which hold millions in bondage and fear

We Are Not to Live in Superstition and Fear

This sort of superstition and fear of heavenly phenomena was not to be a part of God’s people. God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, Thus says the Lord, “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven for the Gentiles are dismayed at them” (Jeremiah 10:2). God wanted His ancient people to trust Him and not live in fear of heavenly signs as did the heathen. 

The following prophecy by Isaiah was given in regard to the approaching fall and destruction of Babylon. The Babylonians were known for their study of astronomy, which they mixed with astrology and superstition. This prophecy shows that God was not impressed with their astrological activity. He spoke through Isaiah,

You are wearied with your many counsels; let now the astrologers, those who prophesy by the stars, those who predict by the new moons, stand up and save you from what will come upon you. Behold, they have become like stubble, fire burns them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame (Isaiah 47:13-14; NASB).

The only star we are to follow is the “Bright and Morning Star,” which is a designation for Jesus in Revelation 22:16.

The Star of Bethlehem

Yes, the magi (wise men), who were probably Babylonian astrologers, were led by a “star” to the new-born Messiah (Matthew 2:1-2; 9). Some have surmised that this was a comet. This cannot be for there is no natural explanation for the description of how this “star” behaved in guiding them to the newborn Messiah.

Matthew, for example, says, The star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child lay. A comet, as we know them, would not guide someone to a specific location and then remain stationary. This was a miraculous sign for these seekers of truth from the East, letting them know they had found the Messiah.

This was God’s supernatural GPS system leading these pagan truth-seekers to the precise location where Truth had been born. This was not an affirmation of their astrological practice, but simply a demonstration that God honors honest seekers of truth.

Keep Your Eyes on the Son

I believe that when the “signs” of Luke 21:25 begin to occur it will be obvious for all the world to see, for there will be no natural explanation for them. So, I advise against trying to predict the future based on a naturally occurring eclipse, comet, or meteor shower. We will get a much better sense of the future and God's will for our lives by prayerfully reading our Bibles, listening to the Holy Spirit, and letting Jesus be our example and guide. As my friend, Pastor Myles Holmes, says, "Keep your eyes on the Son, not the sun, moon and stars."

 Dr. Eddie Hyatt is an author, revivalist, and Bible teacher with a passion to “Save America.” His book, 1726:The Year that Defined America, documents the influence of the Great Awakening on the founding of America and the ending of slavery on this continent, and is available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.

DONALD TRUMP, THE BIBLE, AND CHRISTIAN NATONALISM

President Donald Trump’s endorsement of the “God Bless the USA Bible” has been met with a storm of criticism. Some are calling it “sacrilege” and “heresy” and others claiming he is taking advantage of people’s faith for the sake of money. Others claim that by associating America with the Bible he is promoting Christian Nationalism, which they insist is a danger and a threat to American democracy. 

I am not writing here to speculate about Trump’s motives in partnering in the promotion of this Bible. My concern is the widespread ignorance concerning the major role of the Bible in the founding of America. A 1982 article in Newsweek magazine, entitled “How the Bible Made America,” showed the Bible’s impact on the founding of America in vivid fashion. The authors wrote,

For centuries, the Bible has exerted an unrivaled influence on American culture, politics, and social life. Now historians are discovering that the Bible, perhaps even more than the Constitution, is our founding document: the source of the powerful myth of the United States as a special, sacred nation, a people called by God to establish a model of society, a beacon to the world (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 7).

The Continental Congress Opens with Bible Reading

The earliest immigrants to America were children of the Reformation, which means they held to the principle of sola Scriptura, or “Scripture alone.” This meant that they saw the Bible, not the pope or bishop, as their primary guide for faith and morality. The Bible was the book, more than any other, to be read and applied to all of life.

The Great Awakening (1726-70), which had a profound impact on the 13 colonies, produced an even greater love and respect for the Bible. The Bible was, in fact, the most popular book in America at the time of its founding. Even her most nonreligious Founders regularly quoted from the Bible.

It is, therefore, not surprising that when the First Continental Congress met on September 5, 1774, they opened with an extended time of Bible reading and prayer. Rev. Jacob Dusche, who became their chaplain, began by reading the entire 35^th Psalm to the assembled delegates, which included George Washington, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, and others.

The reading of that Psalm had a powerful impact on all those present. John Adams described their heart-felt response in a letter to his wife Abigail. In describing the reading of that Psalm, he wrote,

It was enough to melt a heart of stone. I never saw a greater effect upon an audience. It seems as if heaven had ordained that Psalm to be read that day. I saw tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave pacific Quakers of Philadelphia. I must beg you to read that Psalm (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 108).

Dusche became their chaplain, and every subsequent session of this Congress was opened with Bible reading and prayer.

Congress Endorses the First English Bible Printed in America

The Founders’ respect for the Bible was also highlighted by their endorsement of the first English Bible printed in America in 1782. The producer of the Bible, Robert Aitken, had written a letter to Congress in which he asked for that government body’s sanction of his work. In the letter, Aitken called this Bible, “a neat Edition of the Scriptures for the use in schools.”

Congress enthusiastically responded to his request and offered the following recommendation to be included in this first English Bible printed in America.

Resolved: That the United States in Congress assembled, highly approve the pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as subservient to the interest of religion as well as an instance of the progress of the arts in this country, and being satisfied from the above report, of his care and accuracy in the execution of the work they recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the United States and hereby authorize him to publish this recommendation in the manner he shall think proper.

Washington Takes the Oath of Office with His Hand on a Bible

George Washington’s great respect for the Bible was affirmed by his nephew, Robert Lewis, who served as his secretary and lived with him while he was president. Lewis said that he had accidentally witnessed Washington’s private devotions in his library and that on those occasions he had seen him in a kneeling posture with a Bible open before him, and that he believed such to have been his daily practice.

It is, therefore, not surprising that when it came time for Washington to be sworn in as America’s first president, he insisted on taking the oath of office with his hand on a Bible. There was no precedent that he should do this. It was a declaration on his part that the Bible would be the ultimate source of wisdom and guidance for his administration.

Shortly thereafter Washington delivered his first inaugural address. It was no surprise to his audience that his speech was filled with references to God and the Bible. At the close of the ceremony in New York City, he and Congress proceeded to St. Paul’s Chapel where they participated in a worship service with more quotes and readings from the Bible.

The Bible Helped Shape America

The founders respect for the Bible was verified in a ten-year project to discover where they got their ideas for America’s founding documents. This exhaustive study found that although they quoted ancient writers of Greece and Rome and contemporary writers of the Enlightenment, the single most cited authority in their writings was, by far, the Bible (Hyatt, America’s Revival Heritage, Second Edition, 69).

The Bible was the lens through which they interpreted everything they read and studied. The well-known Catholic scholar, William Novak, has said,

Everywhere that reason led, Americans found the Bible. If they read Francis Bacon, they found the Bible. If they read Isaac Newton or John Milton, they found the Bible. In Shakespeare, they found the Bible. In the world of the founders, the Bible was an unavoidable and useful rod of measurement, a stimulus to intellectual innovation (Hyatt, 5 Pillars of the American Republic, 16).

Andrew Jackson, America’s 7^th president, understood this. He once gestured toward a Bible and declared, “That book, sir, is the rock on which our Republic rests.” Teddy Roosevelt, America’s 27^th president, said, “No other book of any kind ever written in English has ever so affected the whole life of a people.”

This is not to say that they lived up to the Biblical standard. Far from it! However, they all agreed that the Bible, particularly the teachings of Jesus, was the moral standard and goal toward which all should strive. This was a major contribution to American exceptionalism. Yes, it was the Bible that made America great!

A Bible Awakening

So, my concern is not that Donald Trump is promoting the “God Bless the USA Bible.” It is the traditional King James Version, and the publisher has added historical documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, to merely highlight the impact of the Bible on those documents.

My concern is that so many in Washington D.C. no longer respect the Bible as a source of moral wisdom and guidance. For example, in 2019, the Democrat National Committee (DNC) unanimously passed a resolution affirming atheism and declaring that neither Christianity nor any religion is necessary for morality. In other words, “We don’t need the Bible.”

This rejection of Biblical truth has left the nation adrift on a sea of moral uncertainty where decisions are made based on personal feelings and subjective reasoning. With no transcendent moral guide or authority, the nation is plummeting into a chasm of political and moral chaos.

Our only salvation is a national spiritual awakening that will restore reason, common sense, and a respect for God’s word. Such an awakening will restore a respect for the Bible as held by the Founders and expressed by Abraham Lincoln who in 1864 commented on the Bible, saying,

In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man's welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.

The claim by many that associating the Bible with America is dangerous is ludicrous and divorced from history. It is the opposite that is true. This generation’s rejection of the Bible as a source of wisdom for life and guidance for morality is the very thing that is destroying her.

This article was derived from Dr. Eddie Hyatt’s books, 1726: The Year that Defined America, and America’s Revival Heritage, Second Edition, available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.

WHY JESUS APPEARED FIRST TO A WOMAN AFTER HIS RESURRECTION

 

During the forty days between His resurrection and ascension, Jesus appeared to different disciples at various times, and on one occasion appeared to over five hundred of His followers at once (I Cor. 15:3-8). The gospel writers, however, are very clear in noting that it was Mary Magdalene to whom He appeared first after His resurrection.

The importance which the Gospel writers attach to this fact indicate that it was no accidental occurrence, but that Jesus purposely appeared first to Mary. Jesus knew that actions speak louder than words and He appeared first to Mary in order to make a clear statement about His estimation of women and their involvement in His kingdom.

We must remember that neither Jewish nor Roman courts of law in the 1^st century would allow the testimony of a woman as evidence. The ingrained cultural prejudice toward women was also expressed in a prayer that Jewish men prayed that included thanks to God that he was not born a Gentile, a slave, or a woman.

By appearing first to Mary Magdalene, Jesus was cutting through all the disdain and prejudice of his male disciples toward his female disciples. He thereby declared His equal acceptance of women and confirmed their ministry by sending her forth as the first witness and preacher of the most important event in all of human history.

The Apostle to the Apostles

When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, He gave her certain, specific instructions. Matthew 28:10 records His words to Mary: Go and tell my brethren.... In other words, He sent her on a specific mission defined by the words, Go and tell.

Interestingly, the New Testament word apostle literally means "one who is sent" or "a sent one." Mary, therefore, was a "sent one" and as such received the first apostolic commission from the Lord after His resurrection.

Mary’s apostolic commission was to go and tell the male disciples—the Twelve--that Jesus had risen. This raises the question as to why Jesus did not tell them Himself. Although He later appeared to the Twelve, He required that they first hear the news of His resurrection from the mouth of a woman. This is why that throughout history Mary has been called “the apostle to the apostles.”

By appearing first to Mary and sending her on an apostolic commission to announce His resurrection to the male disciples, Jesus was making certain truths stunningly clear.

1.    1) God values the testimony of women as much as men.
 2)  Women are not to be confined to the nursery and the kitchen.
 3) God-called women will teach men as well as other women and children. 
 4) Men need to be willing to hear the word of God from the mouth of a woman.

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

"But," some will ask, "what about Paul's admonition in I Corinthians 14:34 and I Timothy 2:12 for women to be silent?" First of all, anything that Paul said must be interpreted and understood in the light of what Jesus said and did in relation to women, which was always positive and affirming. We must remember that Jesus is Lord, not Paul!

Secondly, a doctrine should not be formulated without giving equal consideration to the many Scriptures that show women functioning in leadership roles. From Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament, to Mary, Lydia, Phoebe, Priscilla, and a host of other women in the New Testament, there is overwhelming Biblical evidence of women functioning on every level of leadership that cannot be ignored.

Finally, it is more than likely that the restrictions of these two verses are related to local, cultural situations and are not universal edicts pertaining to the whole Church. These restrictions are, rather, on the same level as Paul's instructions concerning the wearing of veils (head coverings) in I Corinthians chapter 11 and his admonitions for believers to greet one another with a holy kiss (a handshake or hug will do just fine in most cases).

To See True Revival, We Must Acknowledge the Gifts of Our Sisters

We must remember that it is the risen Lord, not the church, that calls and assigns gifts and ministries. The authority to minister is rooted in one's possession of a divine call or gift. Ordination is simply the Church's recognition of that gift.

When John Wesley was challenged as to why he gave recognition to uneducated men and women preachers, he replied, "Because God owns them in the conversion of sinners, and who am I that I should withstand God."

Much of the Church has refused to recognize the gifts of its female members and has, thereby, violated Paul's command in I Thessalonians 5:19 not to quench the Spirit. As a result of this disobedience, many gifts have lain dormant while millions have perished without Christ and the Church has languished in defeat.

It is Time for Action

It is time for action! It is time for the church to obey God and recognize the gifts and callings in its female members. It is time for women to rise up and be obedient to the call of the risen Lord to “Go and tell.”

For more information about the role of women in Christianity get Dr. Susan Hyatt's groundbreaking book, In the Spirit We're Equal 2nd Edition, available from Amazon and at the Hyatt's website at http://eddiehyatt.com.