• We are finishing today our series on “Prisoners of Hope” and how women were in the very center of that hope in more ways than one, just as Paul in 1 Tim. 2:15 was highlighting.  We have looked carefully at how this was proven down through history in Old Testament times and also in New Testament times before Paul was raised up as apostle of the Gentiles.  But what about after that, what about during Paul’s ministry?  What does the Bible say about that?  In our study today we see that there are 18 women referred to by name in the Acts and in Paul’s letters, about one third of all of those listed by name by Paul. That in itself would not be too remarkable perhaps in itself, but that in nearly all cases the women mentioned are highlighted in the strongest of “positive” terms.  Even the last words he wrote in 2 Timothy, his final letter, were about a woman, Claudia.  What a fitting way to finish our study of “Prisoners of Hope”, to see Paul so strongly exalting the many women who served with him in ministry!

• Today we continue our short series on “Prisoners of Hope”, in support of Paul’s often maligned statement in 1 Tim. 2:15.  He refers there to Gen. 3:15-16 but explains his comment there about women on an encouraging note, namely, that women bearing the judgment given to Eve after her rebellion may be “saved in (lit. “through”) childbearing IF they continue in faith …”  This is apparently meant to be taken very positively though many have take it to be a strongly negative teaching against women in general.  In today’s study we focus on the women at the open tomb, Mary Magdalene and the others.  They proved that they were dedicated to our Lord in his life, yes, but now also in his death.  They came early to the tomb to prepare his body for permanent burial.  They found the tomb open however and the Lord was no where to be found.  But he did appear to them as they returned from the tomb and most graciously demonstrated to them that he was indeed alive and that they together with the disciples would see him alive again shortly.  So rather than fear they were to have great joy!  Amen.

• We continue today in the “Prisoners of Hope” series with our long expected teaching on the Virgin Mary.  Mary and her betrothed husband Joseph are the focus of God’s great work to launch the final phases of his completion of the promises given in Genesis 3 regarding “the Seed of the Woman”.  God does bring forth his Son and it is accomplished exactly in accord with his eternal plan.  Mary’s conception will be miraculous indeed and will be by the Holy Spirit.  Gabriel’s announcement of this is a wonder to behold.  After visiting her cousin Elizabeth and hearing her inspired words concerning her son John still unborn but even then aware of the work of God in Mary’s womb, her song of praise is perhaps the greatest of those found in the Bible.  John, while still unborn and unnamed except by the angel Gabriel, had already begun his ministry of “announcing” the presence of the Son of God!  Amen.

“Prisoners of Hope”, is our continuing theme today and our focus will be on a great man of God who was also a priest, and his wife, a godly woman, named Elizabeth.  Their son, born in their advanced age, would be given in God’s good timing and would be named “John” as the angel Gabriel announced directly to Zachariah.  John would go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah according to the last prophecy given to Israel before the 400 year cessation in prophecy begins after Malachi’s prophecy.  That prophecy would begin to be fulfilled by John as God sends him forth to “prepare the way of the Lord” and to make “a people for his name”.  Elizabeth’s great “song of praise” is central to this chapter and her confidence as “a prisoner of hope” is so telling.

• “Prisoners of Hope”, this is how the prophet Zechariah described the often downtrodden and persecuted people of his select nation of Israel.  Today we continue a mini-series on the work of God through believing women in the Old Testament.  Our focus today is on Esther, a godly woman raised as an orphan by her uncle Mordecai in the nation of Persia.  Through an amazing series of events where the Lord God overrules the hearts and intents of many, Esther becomes the wife of the King of Persia and orchestrates the saving of the Jewish nation in bondage there.  In addition, all indications are that the son of the King and godly Esther is Cyrus, who will not only deliver the children of Israel from death at the hand of the evil and satanic Human, but also provide directly for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.  God directed him to do it and he did.  Indeed, as the apostle has written, “she shall be saved in [THE] childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”  And so be it!

• “Prisoners of Hope”, this is how the prophet Zechariah described the often downtrodden and persecuted people of his select nation of Israel.  Today we continue a mini-series on the work of God through believing women in the Old Testament.  We have seen and will continue to see today how women were absolutely central to God’s developing plan of redemption.  From Sarah to Rahab to Ruth and then finally Jehosheba God worked miracles through these women to deliver ultimately the fulfillment of the Gen. 3:15-16 promises regarding “the seed of the woman”, Israel’s coming Messiah.  This all illustrates so well how Paul’s teaching regarding women in 1 Tim. 2:15 would be brought to pass.  This is not a dispensational teaching but is true for all times and dispensations.  Indeed, as the apostle has written, “she shall be saved in [THE] childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”  And so be it!

• We will now enter into a multi-part series on the hope Paul expresses in 1 Tim. 2:15.  He refers to Gen. 3:15-16 but now adds, as an interpretation and application, that women may be “saved in (lit. “through”) childbearing IF they continue in faith …”  There is much discussion among commentators regarding the meaning of this as on the face of it there is a perceived offense against women in general here.  Contemporary views would cast these verses that way, but, as we will attempt to show here today and in the next two studies, the Old Testament and the New Testament including Paul in his various letters are quite clear on the many blessings attending to women even in this fallen world.  Indeed, as we shall see, God’s perspective on the relationship between men and women emphasizes that marriage is ordained for blessing and not for curses.  Today, we introduce this great subject with our introduction to “Prisoners of Hope”, Part 1.

• In chapter two of Paul’s first letter to Timothy, Paul wrote that for the sake of order in the churches, women should not follow the lead of some women in the Ephesian assembly who had taken over the teaching function from the ordained men who had been duly appointed to that function. 
  In this section he begins the teaching regarding women teaching men by going all the way back to the book of Genesis and what occurred in the Garden of Eden so many years before. Those events revealed what was so relevant the circumstances in Ephesus.  We finish that teaching today with an emphasis on verse 15 where it says simply this: “… she shall be saved in [the] childbearing.”  The point here is that though childbearing had become a great burden for Eve and would be for all women to follow her, there would also be great blessing for her and all mankind.  So, he concludes, in the woman’s God-given nature as distinct from man’s, there would be even “deliverance” in the bearing and then raising up of the next generations. In this way, the burdens brought upon her by God in response to her transgression would be the very source of her “salvation” or “deliverance”.  He states it this way: “she shall be saved … if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”  All believing women would surely agree with the apostle.  But it is the women and not the men that are qualified by Almighty God for this most critical role — and privilege! Amen.

The principles governing the church meetings are addressed with firstly an exhortation to the men regarding prayer: it should be without doubt and wrath controlling.  Secondly, the women, instead of using the meetings to show off superficial and worldly adornments should reveal their inner godliness by good works.  In addition, there was a serious issue at Ephesus with some women trying to take control of the teaching from the appointed men.  Paul goes to Genesis 3 for his main point that the men should be leading in the teaching and the women were not to interfere.  He shows how God made the first couple different from each other in essential ways.  The man Adam was made as head over the creation and also over Eve when she was formed from his side.  The woman, Eve, was made explicitly to complement the first man.  So their natures being so different but complementary, their functions must also be different.  The man is the “head” as it were and the woman is the “heart”.  The hierarchical structure of authority in the created world is necessarily to be reflected also here in the church order. Next time we will finish the teaching by looking more deeply into the subject of how God has used women and uses them today.

• In verse 17 of chapter 1 of Paul’s first letter to Timothy, Paul writes: “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”  This verse contains the “context” for the rest of the letter.  All else will be in the light of God’s glory as exclaimed here to son Timothy.  Several times he then expands on this statement, for example in chapter 2 verses 5 & 6: “For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”  In the light of this he commands Timothy to fight a good fight against the forces of evil, the false teachers being right in the middle of that battle.  That prophecies were given at Timothy’s commissioning sanctions his ministry in a special way: “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.”  It was clearly Paul’s hope and expectation that  by the power and support of Almighty God Timothy would prove himself well on the battlefield.