Why this Website on Christian Women?
Why now?
This question turns our attention to someone truly remarkable. She is not a shadow of history, nor a figure confined to the past, but a living influence whose legacy stretches across centuries. Few have so profoundly shaped both the household of Christ and the Israel of old. Her imprint runs like a thread through the very fabric of Western civilization, guiding its rise and sustaining its course. And yet, the full weight of her life—her conduct, her aspirations, her achievements—has not been spent. Her influence still presses forward, reaching across time with a strength that has not faded.
This is none other than the Woman of Proverbs 31. She stands as a radiant standard—a figure of light against which all lives may be measured. For Christian women, she is an enduring model of virtue and strength; for men, a mirror reflecting wisdom, stewardship, and honor. Generations have looked upon her and marveled, astonished at her balance of tenderness and power, of diligence and faith. Again and again, her example has been proclaimed—echoing from pulpits, whispered in households, taught in classrooms—and the effect is always the same: hearts are stirred, adversaries silenced, and the truth she embodies gleams with undimmed brilliance.
Woman of Proverbs 31: Redemption
But is “wonderful” the right word for her? In the English tongue, the word too often falls short. In Scripture, the term translated “wonderful” is the Hebrew pala—a word steeped in awe. It speaks of what is extraordinary, surpassing, beyond the reach of human strength or reason. It is the language of the miraculous, of the marvelous, of the works of God that leave mortals hushed and trembling.
In American culture, however, “wonderful” has grown thin with overuse. We employ it casually—for our freedoms, our heritage, our prosperity, our comforts, even for a pleasant day. Indeed, our nation has been richly blessed, our achievements vast, our influence far-reaching. And yet, because the word is used so broadly, it often strikes the ear as common, gentle, unremarkable. But in its biblical sense, pala is anything but common. It is a word that lifts us from the ordinary into the realm of the divine. It startles. It overwhelms. It silences pride and fixes the gaze upon the Almighty.
Thus, when we speak of the Woman of Proverbs 31 as “wonderful,” we must not hear the faint echo of a casual compliment. We must recover the weight of pala. She is not simply admirable, not merely impressive—she is extraordinary, a marvel, a living testimony to the wisdom and power of God. Her life is not a human achievement alone, but the handiwork of the Divine, wrought in faith and crowned with glory.
In the Hebrew, the word is pala. It is the word that captures the extraordinary METHOD that God restores, comforts, equips, and lifts up this Wonder of a Woman. If ever there were an unshakable argument that God Himself intends to raise up womanhood—the very crown of His creation—this Woman IS that argument. She is the epitome of His mercy, the vessel of His forgiveness, the radiant emblem of His wondrous grace. She stands as the miraculous exemplar of His handiwork—not in part, not in shadow, but in the redemption of the WHOLE woman.
And yet, how strange it is that the Church of Jesus Christ has so often turned a blind eye to this truth. The necessity of proclaiming the redemption of man AND the redemption of the WHOLE man is treated as a foreign tongue among pastors, commentators, and theologians. But let a different matter arise, and many of these same voices rush forward to declare that women, throughout the long centuries of Western Civilization, were chained and silenced—denied education, barred from achievement, confined to hearth and chamber, captives to the lusts and control of men. Loudly they bemoan this alleged failure of the “Church” to “liberate” womanhood from such “bondage”.
But when, O Church of Christ, will you cease drifting after every wind of doctrine? When will you stop bowing before the restless tide of modern feminist ideology, or repeating the weary refrains of reworked and redacted history? When will you awaken from your horrid neglect of those unchanging economic, social, and political laws of human action that God Himself inscribed on the heart, as Paul testifies in Romans 2:14–16? For in neglecting them, many have blinded themselves to the blazing truth that Solomon saw so clearly: the Woman of Proverbs 31 was no passive figure, but a master of enterprise, a steward of wealth, a genius of economic activity, a living demonstration of God’s wisdom at work in the marketplace as much as in the home.
The Woman of Proverbs 31:
The Model of God’s Intent and Grace
This Woman silences the arguments from both sides of the aisle. She was a “woman of God” whose strength did not spring from pride, but from a humble heart laid low before His throne. With quiet yet unyielding resolve, she upheld, maintained, advanced, and defended the Faith with a power that few in all of history could rival. She was no “perfectionist,” chasing after a flawless image. Far from it. God Himself broke her heart—indeed, He shattered her—until only humility remained. And out of that humility flowed a current of strength that marked every work of her hands and every step of her life.
Nor was she some restless “overachiever,” driven by human ambition or the thirst for praise. No—hers was a “Calling”, a summons from God that pioneered a doctrine for all Christian women after her. Her legacy was not secured by her pen—she left the writing to others—but by the sheer weight of her accomplishments. What makes her stand apart is the wisdom of her Priorities: what she held to be most important, and the sacred order in which she pursued them.
And though she was no “partisan”, she was deeply political—political in the truest sense. She was no servant of faction, no tool of party. Rather, she moved at the level of nations. History itself bears witness: she preserved the Hebrew Republic at least once, and more than that, she rose as the “herald” and “inspiration” of an entirely new kind of civilization. Her life was nothing less than the rebirth of a new way of being, a new order of living. By comparison, what is partisan politics but dust in the wind? Chaff swept away by the storm, while her legacy stands as wheat gathered into the storehouses of God’s providence.
What “Pala’” Creates
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. – Isaiah 9: 6-7
Isaiah calls the coming Messiah “Wonderful.” In its original Hebrew, whether pele or pala, this word is far more than a casual compliment; it is a declaration of the extraordinary. It conveys the miraculous, the surpassing, the works of God that defy human understanding—whether in the life of Christ Himself, in His people, or in the world He sustains.
One of the greatest lessons within these pages is that the Holy Precepts of the Lord—though simple in appearance, humble in expression—are, in God’s hands, miraculous instruments of grace. Each command, each principle, has the power to transform, to reorder, and to bring forth fruit beyond human expectation. As the sweet psalmist of Israel declared in Psalm 119:18.
“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”
The Hebrew word for “wondrous” here is פֶּלֶא (pele), signifying a wonder so extraordinary it lies beyond human ability or comprehension. It is not the overt miracle of Christ raising Lazarus from the dead—though that too displays divine power—but a quiet, pervasive, almost hidden wonder, where God’s grace moves through the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary.
A striking example of this principle is found in the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He fed the crowds of five thousand men, plus women and children:
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. – Matthew 14: 19-21
Imagine yourself among that crowd. You sit on the green mountain meadow, stomach growling, eyes tracking every movement of the Teacher whose words brought you here. He takes the bread and fish, lifts them toward heaven, blesses them, and begins distributing through the hands of His disciples. Your mind races. “Will there be enough? What if they run out before they reach my section?”
And yet, there is no dramatic fanfare. No trumpets blare, no fireworks, no sensational spectacle. Christ continues, calmly breaking bread, handing it out, and feeding the crowd as if nothing extraordinary were happening. The tension builds quietly, almost imperceptibly, until the miracle is complete: twelve baskets of leftovers, and a crowd completely satisfied.
Then it dawns on everyone—the ordinary has been transformed into the extraordinary. This is a pala moment: miraculous, beyond human expectation, yet subtle, almost hidden at first. It is not the thunderous display of power we often imagine; it is God working quietly, profoundly, and with perfect precision. A wonder that astonishes without shouting, a miracle that nourishes both body and spirit.
It certainly did not seize your attention while He was performing it. You might have seen Him breaking the bread, passing the fish, and thought it all entirely ordinary. Yet, as the baskets were counted and the crowd found itself fully fed, amazement swept through everyone. The wonder revealed itself only in hindsight.
The miracle, in its execution, looked perfectly natural. It blended seamlessly into the landscape of the mountain meadow, into the flow of the crowd, into the ordinary rhythms of human action. To the eye, nothing stood out. It was not until the results were laid bare—twelve baskets of leftovers, every hunger satisfied—that the full truth emerged: this was no ordinary act. This was a supernatural work of God, quiet, unassuming, and yet infinitely beyond human capacity.
We might call it a providentially miraculous act of God—a miracle that flows with the laws of nature, yet far surpasses them. It participates in the ordinary world, yet bends it, fills it, and transcends it. It is subtle, yet unmistakable; hidden in plain sight, yet utterly revealing the power and grace of the Creator.
Another striking example of God’s providential power is found in the severe outbreak of emerods—cancers and malignancies—that struck the private organs of the Philistines. This was no random plague, no indiscriminate disease. It targeted only the enemies of God, appearing only in cities where the Ark of the Covenant was brought. Each outbreak followed the Ark’s movement, erupting in precise order as the sacred vessel passed from city to city.
It was an extraordinary and miraculous visitation of God’s Presence in wrath—an act that far exceeded human ability, beyond the reach of natural law, yet perfectly executed according to divine intent. Interestingly, the mechanism may have been natural: plagues often traveled by fleas carried on rats—the very animals the Philistines offered in golden form to the Lord as trespass offerings, one golden rat for each city of the Philistine Pentapolis. Yet even in this natural vehicle, God’s hand guided the plague with unerring precision.
What is particularly remarkable is the targeted nature of the affliction: God struck the sexual organs of those immersed in immorality and debauchery—the very organs designed to express covenantal love and intimacy. The plague was not arbitrary; it was deliberate, measured, and fully aligned with God’s justice. In this, His power is revealed: able to operate through natural means while accomplishing supernatural, targeted justice beyond human capacity or comprehension.
The Key to Pala
The key to pala is that it often appears entirely natural. Every element seems ordinary, each piece something that could—or has—occurred elsewhere. Yet when combined, these elements become a singular, wondrous act of God, executed with pinpoint precision. Each component, taken alone, could never achieve the timing, the purpose, the flawless harmony of the whole. This is the hallmark of pala: the miraculous hidden within the ordinary, the extraordinary woven into the fabric of the natural world.
We see pala vividly illustrated in another remarkable series of events—events directly relevant to the central theme of this work: the extraordinary influence of Solomon’s teaching. Through the books he authored, the sermons he preached, the instruction he pioneered, the research and study he shared with his people, and the songs, proverbs, and psalms he composed, Solomon shaped the minds and hearts of his generation—and generations yet to come.
And yet, it was his judicially supernatural acts of wisdom and discernment that made all this possible. God granted him extraordinary (pala) insight into the hearts of men. This divine wisdom was not abstract; it was practical and precise. It guided his counsel, sharpened his evaluation of evidence, and informed judgments studied and admired by kings and queens across the earth. What appeared at first glance to be human intelligence was, in fact, a wondrous work of God—hidden in plain sight, yet profoundly transformative.
Pala: Normal in Operation…
Extraordinary in Effect
Solomon’s wisdom was nothing less than pala—miraculous, precise, and divinely orchestrated. Consider the singular judicial act with the two harlots, a case that tested not only human logic but the discernment of God’s appointed king. Every word, every gesture, every judgment flowed with extraordinary precision, revealing a truth far beyond ordinary human capacity.
And then there was the Queen of Sheba. She came, a ruler from a distant land, drawn by whispers of Solomon’s insight. As she observed his public pronouncements, the wisdom embedded in his teachings, and the majesty of his court, she marveled. She beheld not merely human skill or intellect, but a divine wonder—a pala—that testified to God’s hand shaping history through one extraordinary life.
And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built…she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom: Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard…Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice. – II Chronicles 9: 3, 5, 6, 8.
Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him…And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment. – I Kings 3:16, 28.
Scripture is clear: those who “consume” Solomon’s wisdom—his own people and surrounding nations alike—were utterly awestruck at the profound scope and depth of his extraordinary insight, his pala’. They compared him to the greatest thinkers of the day, and in doing so, they recognized something beyond mere human talent. This wisdom was supernatural, a divine gifting, a living testament to God’s hand at work. Proverbs makes it abundantly clear: such wisdom causes men and women to pause, to marvel, and to wonder if God Himself is the source of the insight they behold.
“Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.” — Proverbs 8:34
This verse captures the extraordinary purpose of Solomon’s wisdom: it undergirded the exercise of governance with a providential power far beyond ordinary human capability. Pala’ was not merely intellectual brilliance—it was a divine mechanism for the stewardship of nations, for the establishment of law, and for the flourishing of God’s people.
THAT IS WHY ISRAEL WAS GIVEN AN ENTIRE SYSTEM OF WISE (pala’) GOVERNMENT—one that would endure for centuries, shaping nations, inspiring awe, and beckoning immigrants to her borders. Israel’s reputation, grounded in the true God of the earth, stood in bold contrast to the emptiness of other religions and idolatries.
This same pala’ was at work in the Woman of Proverbs 31. She was instrumental in the transformation of Israel in her day—a transformation whose effects continue to resonate across generations. Don’t believe it? Consider it: first humbling, then astonishing, and finally overwhelming, if you dare to follow the trail of her influence.
Watch closely, and behold the wonder of it all.
Scripture is clear “consumers” – his people AND surrounding nations – were awestruck at the profound scope and depth of Solomon’s extraordinary wisdom and understanding (pala’). As the text tells us, they were making comparisons between him and the very best thinkers of the day. This is the reason the wisdom is considered a supernatural gifting of God. It is an example of pala. Proverbs makes this abundantly clear to see such wisdom, is the cause men and women begin to wonder if God’s Presence is responsible for the insights of such wisdom.
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Such wisdom as this verse from Proverbs 8:34 explains, provides the providentially and extraordinarily powerful undergirding for the exercise of “government” (“watching daily at my gates”) in the earth.
THAT IS THE REASON GOD GAVE ISRAEL AN ENTIRE SYSTEM OF WISE (pala’) GOVERNMENT! Better to have a providentially miraculous wonder (pala) of a system of government that endures for centuries…
- … causing nations to marvel
- … beckoning immigrants to flow to Israel
- … giving Israel reputation for having the True God of the earth as their Lord, to the embarrassment of all other religions and idolatries.
This pala’ was the powerful work of the Lord upon His servants. The Woman of Proverbs 31 was responsible for the transformation of Israel in her day…a work that continues to grow in the earth. Don’t believe it? One thought: it’s humbling, then amazing, then overwhelming, if you dare to pursue it.
Watch …and behold the wonder of it all.