(RT for thread)
Well, here @johnmacarthur seems to be teaching from the third chapter of Isaiah. The only reference to women in power is in v. 12, where the prophet mentions governance by women as a consequence of Israel’s iniquity. Note three things:
Well, here @johnmacarthur seems to be teaching from the third chapter of Isaiah. The only reference to women in power is in v. 12, where the prophet mentions governance by women as a consequence of Israel’s iniquity. Note three things:
1) This is a *punishment* for Israel’s iniquity—not, as @johnmacarthur suggests, part of Israel’s iniquity and therefore a proximate cause of punishment;
2) Being governed by women is a “punishment” only insofar as the reversal of standard power dynamics would be a source of shame in antiquity (cf. being ruled by boys in v. 4, babes in vv. 4, 12).
Given ancient mores, i.e., the reversal is a form of mockery, imputing underlying disorder and weakness. It’s an insult, based on ancient gender stereotypes.
3) The iniquity for which Israel is punished is largely to do with systemic injustice (cf. vv. 14-15 and contemporary accounts in the book of Amos).
But @johnmacarthur doesn’t want to talk about injustice because he thinks that’s a distraction from what God cares about, not one of the main things that God cares about (cf. his statement on social justice).
So instead of talking about what the text actually means, @johnmacarthur makes up some garbage about gender dynamics and says it from the pulpit as if it has something to do with the third chapter of Isaiah.
