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“Calleth Herself a Prophetess”

Revelation 2:20

Female preachers are always fakes. God has never called, and will never call any woman into the work of preaching the gospel. That fact should be obvious to anyone who has read the Word of God.

Never in a Bind

When all other excuses and explanations fail to justify disobedience to the Word of God, we are told, “When there are no men to do the work women must.” But God almighty is never put in a bind. He is never compelled by circumstances to change his mind, or alter his purpose. With regard to the salvation of his elect, God’s purpose is crystal clear. There is a multitude of sinners in this world, scattered through all the nations of the world, whom God has chosen to save from eternity (Ephesians 1:3-6). The Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed that chosen multitude by the shedding of his blood, and has obtained eternal redemption for them (Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 9:12). At the appointed time of love, God the Holy Ghost will regenerate and call each of those chosen, redeemed sinners by effectual, irresistible grace, creating life and faith in them (Psalm 65:4). The means by which he will do this is the preaching of the gospel (1 Peter 1:23-25). And those by whom God is pleased to send the gospel through the world are men, chosen, gifted, and called of God himself to the glorious work of the gospel ministry (1 Timothy 3:1-7). None but men are called of God to this work. No woman has ever been called of God to that work; and no women ever will be called of God to be a pastor, preacher, missionary, evangelist, or deacon in his church.

Prophetesses

What about all those prophetesses spoken of in the Bible? We read in Luke 2:36 of a godly old woman, by the name of Anna, who was a prophetess. In this day of utter disregard for God’s Word, in which women are being ordained and sent out by almost all religious denominations as deacons, preachers, missionaries, evangelists, pastors, and theologians, I must say something about the fact that Anna and other women were called prophetesses. Were it not for the universal confusion in the religious world about female preachers, I would pass over that fact with little comment; but the fact that such confusion prevails compels me to speak. There are a few instances of female prophets (prophetesses) in the Scriptures, both before and after the coming of Christ: — Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 15:20) — Deborah, the wife of Lapidoth (Judges 4:4), — Huldah, the wife of Shallum (2 Kings 22:14), — and this woman, Anna, at the time of Christ's birth. Later, in the Book of Acts, we read about four daughters of Philip the Evangelist, who were prophetesses.

Men Only

Does this mean that it is proper for God’s church to ordain women as deacons, missionaries, preachers, evangelists, and pastors today? — No! The Word of God absolutely and clearly forbids such nonsense. The teachings of Holy Scripture in this regard are so plain that error here is without excuse. These are Offices which, by

God’s order, are for men only. This is not a matter of sexism, male chauvinism, or anything of the kind. It is a matter of reverence for God and obedience to his Word (1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:11-12).

Woman’s Place

In all things godly women are modest, gladly living in subjection to their husbands. Believing women are not rebels to God, his order, or his Word. Just as men are to be in subjection to Christ, and to all who are put in authority over them, just as deacons, elders, and churches are to be in subjection to their pastors, just as children are to be in subjection to their parents, women are to be in subjection to their husbands. In the house of God women serve in subjection to men. They are never to be placed in a position of dominance over men.

Worshippers of God

What about those women who are called “prophetesses” in the Scriptures? Do we just ignore them? No. But we do not build our doctrine upon obscure statements. We build our doctrine upon the plain instructions of Holy Scripture, given in the place or places where the subject under consideration is taught. The fact that there were prophetesses in the Old Testament and through the Acts of the Apostles does not nullify the prohibitions given in the inspired Church Epistles of the New Testament forbidding female preachers. However, when the Word of God speaks of female prophets, and of women prophesying, that does not imply that they were preachers. The word “prophetess” was used in ancient times much like we use the word “worshipper” today. We might say of such and such women, “they worship God.” That would be the same thing as saying “they prophesy.” The word “prophesy” does not necessarily mean “instruct,” “foretell,” or “preach” in any public way. The word is used commonly to speak simply of worship, praise, and witnessing (1 Samuel 10:10-11; 18:10; 1 Kings 22:10-12; 1 Corinthians 11:5; 1 Corinthians 14 and 15). — A prophetess was a woman who worshipped God, praised him, and bore witness to him.

The word “prophetess” in the Old Testament does not refer to female preachers, but simply to women who were singularly known for their worship of and service for God. Sometimes the word is used simply to speak of a woman who was the wife of a prophet (Isaiah 8:3). — Yet, even if those Old Testament women spoken of as prophetesses actually stepped into a pulpit and preached, that does not nullify the specific prohibition of the New Testament concerning female preachers (1 Corinthians 14:34; 1 Timothy 2:11-12).

Jezebel

The only female preacher ever spoken of in a church in the New Testament was that wicked woman at Thyatira, who called herself a prophetess, but whom our Lord calls “Jezebel” (Revelation 2:20). That is exactly what all self-appointed female preachers are properly called, because they are seducers and deceivers of men’s souls. When God sets women up as rulers over men, in any capacity, it is an act of judgment, not an act of grace (Isaiah 3:12). In the church and kingdom of God there are no female preachers.

Don Fortner

Pastor Fortner’s