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Women biblical leaders in the Old Testament, while women are not generally at the forefront of public life in the Bible, those women who are named are usually prominent for reasons outside the ordinary. For example, they are often involved in the overturning of human power structures in a common biblical literary device called "reversal". Abigail, David's wife, Esther the Queen, and Jael who drove a tent peg into the enemy commander's temple while he slept, are a few examples of women who turned the tables on men with power. The founding matriarchs are mentioned by name, as are some prophetesses, judges, heroines, and queens, while the common woman is largely, though not completely, unseen.
The First Matriarch Sarah of the Bible - the Old Testament
Sarah is best remembered for being Abraham's wife and mother to Isaac. Because of this, she is also known as the first matriarch of the faith, the wife of Abraham for she was one of the four matriarchs of the Jewish nation. Sarai was very tenacious, and doggedly aligned her dreams with Abraham’s and followed him with determination. Sarai knew her wifely duties – before these duties were ever spelled out by Moses or in the Torah. She was obviously very adept at running a large household – when Abram went to rescue his nephew Lot from the Assyrians, he left Sarai to run the estate, which consisted of 318 servants, not including the livestock, cattle, and herds. She was originally called Sarai. In the narrative of the covenant of the pieces in Genesis 17, during which God promises Abram that he and Sarai will have a son. "And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her" Genesis 17:16 (NKJV).
Sarah, like many women today, was doubtful of the supernatural power of God because of her age, she was ninety years old. When the promise was repeated, Sarah expressed her doubt in sarcastic laughter and laughed at the idea when she overheard the angels tell her husband that they would be blessed with a child. "And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid" Genesis 18:10-15 (NKJV).
But, as prophesied, she became pregnant with Isaac and she nursed him herself. Abram is renamed as Abraham and Sarai is renamed as Sarah. She is widely referred to as Sarah Imeinu, “Sarah Our Mother.” Sarah gave birth to Isaac, her one and only son, the long-awaited bearer of Abraham’s legacy. With deep joy, Abraham and Sarah hosted celebratory feasts in honor of their precious child. "And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac. Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age" Genesis 21:1-7 (NKJV).
Although Sarah only had one child, her legacy came from the fruit of her womb through Isaac who had many generations. Sarah was beautiful and brave but had her flaws in her treatment of Hagar and her propensity to lie when caught in a fearful situation. But the Bible recalls her faithfulness to her husband and the Lord and honors her with commendation in Hebrews 11. For these reasons, she is an inspiring matriarch of the faith. "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore Hebrews 11:11-12 (NKJV).
Sarah didn't understand like many women of faith, today can't comprehend how the Great "I Am" can be in the midst of the circumstances and situation because He is working everything out for their good despite what the enemy says or naysayers. The First Epistle of Peter praises Sarah for obeying her husband. She is praised for her faith in the Hebrews "hall of faith" passage alongside a number of other Old Testament figures. Lastly, she was described as faithful, beautiful, loving, steadfast, authoritative, caring, submissive, obedient, stubborn, hospitable, fearless, and loyal. Volumes have been written about her, as her heroic life has been told throughout the ages, and her personhood is revered in both Judaism and Christianity. She is notably one of the most important female figures in the world’s history, through whom the nations of the earth were to be borne and blessed. "Rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror" 1 Peter 3:4-6 (NKJV).
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