In the 1970s, a radical sector of the feminist movement created this phrase and idea: “The Future is Female.”  More than forty years later, in 2016, the first female presidential nominee for a major political party, adopted and repurposed this phrase, as a rallying cry for her political aspirations and voting base.  Regrettably, (based upon a Republican win), Mrs. Hillary Clinton was defeated; largely by white women who wholly rejected her candidacy. Some stayed away from the polls and others opted to vote for a unqualified, misogynistic, racist alternative.  Out of the entire American voting block, only black women, as a united voice,  chose (93%) to cast their collective vote for the first female presidential candidate of the United States.

So, the question at hand is this:  Is the future female, and if so, what are the implications for women (and men) in the 21st century, as we navigate the murky waters of our country’s problematic politics of sex, race, and the other “isms” which paralyzed the nation’s progress.

Perhaps the story of a powerful, prophetic, gifted, and confident woman will assist us in our query: Is the future female?

Definitions:

Canon – a list of religious writings deemed authoritative, sacred, and holy

Oracle – a communication from a deity (a god or God) on a particular matter.  Often the prophet is called “the oracle” of God.

Prophet – A prophet is a person not a microphone.  He (she) is a person endowed with a mission on the power of a word not his [her] own that accounts for his [her] greatness; but, also with temperament, concern, and character to convey a divine view. (definition by Abraham Heschel in “The Prophets.”).

Torah – The Torah is instructive, revelatory, and sometimes judicial.  Torah is the first five books of Scripture and all that is in them:  story, song, genealogy, legal material, and lessons from the ancestors.  Torah (little t) is instructive and legal.  Torah is then the first five books of the bible, their teachings; but, it can also refer to other Old Testament teachings in total, as divine revelation.  In the mystical sense, the Torah can be seen as the embodiment of divine Wisdom and for some, the Word of God.

And Now, THE WORD from Our Sponsor (2 Kings, Chapter 22, 1-20: (audio bible)

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Imagine a time where a nation completely lost her way.  The spiritual moorings are gone, and the people turned their backs on their religious traditions, and all they held as sacred is rejected.  While God was on their lips, God was not in their hearts.  Instead, influenced by other pagan cultures, they gave their attention and affections to the gods of their own understanding.  Their sacred spaces were desecrated.  There were prostitutes in the temple and decadent ways in the house of the Lord.  The holy became common and the common became profane.  There was only a remnant who truly kept the past traditions of worship and righteous living, which their elders established in the land of their forefathers and foremothers.

The kings who swore they would uphold the ways of their ancestors, instead gave themselves and their people (Israel) over to apostasy.  It is in this setting, King Josiah, took the throne and interfaced with the prophet, Huldah.

King Josiah was the son of King Amon and grandson of King Manasseh, both described in Scripture, as evil rulers.  Like his great grandfather, King Hezekiah, Josiah is hailed as a faithful king in Israel.  But, if King Josiah’s father and grandfather were reprobate kings, from where did King Josiah obtain his faithfulness and devotion to God?  Perhaps from mother, Queen Jedidah, whose name means “beloved” in Hebrew.

While there is nothing told of her story in the book of Kings, except her parentage, we have the right to assume that King Josiah’s love for God and his religious traditions came from somewhere in his genome.  If his father and grandfather were unholy rulers, then perhaps his great love and faithfulness to God was modeled by his own mother.  Is it a coincidence, when searching for the prophet who could authenticate the holy scroll, Josiah overlooks the prophets Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk, choosing instead Huldah, a woman?  We think not!

Dr. Renita Weems writes:  “Until 621 B.C.E., no writing had been designated as Holy Scripture.  The scroll discovered in the temple, containing as it did warnings and thoughts to be from the prophet Moses…………….”  (Huldah, the Prophet (Deuteronomistic) Woman’s Identity).
King Josiah, the great grandson of Hezekiah, ascended to the throne of Israel at the tender age of 8, after his father, King Amon, was assassinated.  By the time he matured, he inherited a throne which sat over the apostasy of Israel, promoted by his father Amon and his grandfather, Manasseh.  Israel, during the years of his father, and before, abandoned the ways of Yahweh and begin to worship other gods, especially Baal and Asherah.

King Josiah, the Great Reformer, centralized the government of Israel, reinstated the Levite priests in the temple, cleaned out the shrines of false gods and brought much needed religious reform to the nation of Israel.  When his workers begin to cleanse the temple and destroy the idols, they found an important document (the scroll) which none of them could identify or decipher.  It is in this setting, King Josiah interfaces with the prophet, Huldah.

Dr. Renita Weems writes:  “She has been called by some “the first biblical text critic.”  Others have dubbed her, “the founder of biblical studies.”  She is the first figure in Scripture, male or female, whose contributions to biblical history centered on verifying a written document as sacred and holy writ……Despite the role she played in aspiring the canon, she is one of the most overlooked figures in the Bible.”  (et.al., Weems)

The exact content of the book/scroll which the temple workers found was not specified; however, some scholars believe Huldah verified the book of Deuteronomy, or portions thereof.  If so, this prophet was responsible for the canonization of the “heart” of the Torah.  [Deuteronomy instructed Israel how to live intentionally as God’s people, in response to God’s mercy.  The 10 commandments, in Deuteronomy, are cast as a plea to obedience from God to God’s people.  [In Deuteronomy], the concept of covenant is expressed as relationship between God and Israel.  There is concern for justice, especially toward the weakest members of Israel’s community.  The influence of Deuteronomy cannot be exaggerated.  Deuteronomy is [also] one of the most quoted books of the New Testament. – Harper Collins Bible Dictionary – Paul J. Achtemeier]  This is the scroll which Huldah prophetically verified and authenticated.

Speaking on God’s behalf, Huldah motivated King Josiah to continue the reform of the temple and institute the holy scroll as sacred scripture.  Huldah’s outstanding work as God’s prophet sets her apart from the other Old Testament female prophets (Miriam,  Noadiah, and Isaiah’s wife) because her oracle has been preserved in Scripture.  Besides verifying the originality and importance of the holy scroll, many scholars believe Huldah may have been a teacher of biblical studies to women.

Huldah’s prophetic accomplishments are both notable and extraordinary.  Huldah authorizes what will eventually become the very core of Old Testament scripture and a major influence to the New Testament.  “Her validation of a [biblical] text will become the core of Scripture for Judaism and Christianity and stands as the first recognizable act in the long process of canon formation.”  (Women in Scripture – Meyers, Craven, and Kraemer).

As we have posited many times before, “Every woman has a story and every woman’s story matters to God.”  In the case of Huldah, the prophet, not only does her story matter to us, inspire us, instruct us, and empower us; but we can say emphatically:  IF NOT FOR THIS PHENOMENAL WOMAN……………………………………………..

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

Therefore, THE FUTURE IS FEMALE, because without Huldah, the core of the Torah may never have been verified and established as sacred text.

Therefore, THE FUTURE IS FEMALE, because Huldah knew her divine assignment and confidently prophesied as the oracle of God.

Therefore, THE FUTURE IS FEMALE, because Huldah partnered with King Josiah to secure sacred documents which would continue to bless Israel and the world.

Therefore, THE FUTURE IS FEMALE, because Huldah’s story shows us God does and will continue to use women (us) to transform the earth.

Therefore, THE FUTURE IS FEMALE, because we are God’s daughters, and like Huldah, we are on divine assignment for the kingdom of God!

Questions  for our consideration:

Where do you think Huldah got her confidence from to confront a king and feel assured of the authenticity of the scroll?

In what ways does Huldah’s story inspire you to take up or continue your divine assignment?

How do you feel about the statement:  The Future is Female? What are some of the unique ways in which, you believe, God is using women as the future?

Final Considerations:

“The way to achieve your own success is to be willing to help somebody else get it first.” – (Iyanla Vanzant)

“I’m not a one in a million kind of girl, I’m a once in a lifetime kind of woman.”  (Unknown)

“No one is here ahead of their time.” (Unknown)

Sending Prayer

Holy God who created us, as women, in Your divine image,

We give ourselves to You – our lives, our families,  our work, our worries, our hearts

Shape our minds, Oh God, that we may see ourselves, as You see us

Full of potential, full of possibility, full of grace, full of compassion, full of love, full of hope.

May the light of Jesus shine ever so bright in us, that we may reflect His brilliance, and the world may be transformed by our love for Him.

In the matchless, mighty, magnificent name of Jesus, we pray.  AMEN!

“The enclosed materials are the property of Maxine E. Garrett and Tabitha’s Daughters Bible Empowerment Series.  They may be used by you with our permission, which may be revoked at any time.  All copies of the materials must include the following notice:  “These materials are Copyright [2018] Maxine E. Garrett and Tabitha’s Daughters and is distributed with permission.”