op 7 Bible Verses About Mothers

November 7, 2014 by Karla Hawkins 0 Comments

“I want my mommy!” Almost everyone has either said or heard this phrase more than
once in their lifetime, as we usually all turn to our moms in times of pain, sorrow or
excitement. Mothers often have the answers for our problems, or they know how to
take away our hurts and heartaches at even the darkest hour. Moms are doctors,
teachers, therapists, housecleaners, comforters and the best ones are spiritual leaders
throughout our lives. God’s word has many passages about mothers, including the one
found in Proverbs 31:28, that says, “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her
husband also, and he praises her.” This verse defines the ideal woman and mother who
sacrifices much for the sake of her children and family, and it is what all Christian
moms strive to achieve. In the Bible, there are hundreds of references to moms, but
the top seven verses about mothers are as follows:
Genesis 17:16 (NIV) “I will bless her and will surely give you a
son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of
nations, kings of peoples will come from her.”
Sarah, the mother of Isaac, is often considered the “mother” of the Israelite nation.
Her husband, Abraham, was called to leave his family and friends in Ur of the
Chaldeans and go to a place that God would show him. Abraham obeyed the Lord’s
call, and traveled a great distance to get to the land of Canaan where God promised
him that he would become a great nation. At the time, Sarah was barren, but the Lord
came to Abraham and told him that they would have a son, Isaac. When this precious
son was 12 years old, the Lord tested Abraham and asked him to take Isaac up on the
mountain and sacrifice him. In spite of Abraham’s horror and pain, he took his son to
a mountain in the region of Moriah and was prepared to give him back to God.
However, at the last second, God provided an alternate sacrifice, and the boy was
saved. This son of promise, and his descendants, eventually became the nation of Israel
just as the Lord said in this passage. Sarah was blessed, and many kings came from
her lineage because of her obedience to God and to Abraham.
Exodus 2:8 (ESV) “And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Go.’ So
the girl went and called the child’s mother.”
Another mother of great importance in the Old Testament is Jochebed, the mother of
Moses. We don’t know a lot about her, except that she was a slave in Egypt along with
all of the other Israelites at that time. She already had two children, Aaron and Miriam,
when Moses was born. However, Pharoah had just decreed that all Israelite male
babies should be killed, because they were becoming too large of a people group in the
land. So Jochebed hid her baby as best she could for three months, and then decided
to place him in a basket in the Nile River with Miriam as a lookout in order to keep
him safe. According to God’s plan, Pharoah’s daughter heard baby Moses’ cries, and
after seeing him she decided to adopt him as her own. Knowing that the princess would
need a wet nurse for Moses, Miriam talked to her and then went and got Jochebed to
take care of her own son under Pharoah’s protection. Jochebed obviously loved her
son greatly and was willing to go to extraordinary lengths to save him from an early
death. Then she was willing to give him up to Pharoah’s daughter to raise. As a result
of her love for her child, he grew up to free the Jewish nation from their Egyptian
captors.
I Samuel 2:19 (ESV) “And his mother used to make for him a
little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with
her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.”
Hannah was the prophet, Samuel’s, mother. She had prayed and asked the Lord for a
son for a long time, until finally the Lord granted her this request. Eli, the priest, even
thought that she was drunk, as she was weeping and praying so passionately for a son
during one of her visits to the tabernacle. In exchange for a son, Hannah promised the
Lord that she would give him back to serve in the tabernacle. This took a great sacrifice
on her part, as she had longed for a son for so long. But she followed through on her
promise, and she gave him to Eli in the tabernacle after he was weaned. For her
obedience, God blessed Hannah with several additional children, but she always
visited Samuel in the tabernacle each year and took him a handmade robe, as
mentioned in the verse above. Because of Hannah’s faithfulness and sacrifice, Samuel
grew up to be a great prophet, serving God in the tabernacle, and eventually the Lord
used him to anoint Saul and later David as kings over Israel. In fact, all of Israel was
blessed because of Samuel’s service to the Lord.
2 Kings 4:30 (ESV) “Then the mother of the child said, ‘As the
LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So he
arose and followed her.”
A rather obscure, but important mother also mentioned in the Bible, is the
Shunammite woman. We don’t even have her name, but her story is one of hospitality,
faith and blessings. She had met the prophet Elisha on one of his visits through her
city, and so she asked her husband if they could build a room for him to stay in when
he was around. For her kindness, he asked her if she wanted anything from the Lord,
but she said no, “I have a home among my own people.” However, Elisha’s servant
Gehazi told him that she did not have any children, so Elisha prayed for her to have
one and she did. A few years later, the son died suddenly of a fever, and the
Shunammite woman went immediately to seek Elisha to have him pray for her son.
She kept telling everyone that her son was fine, and in the end Elisha’s prayers were
answered. Her son came back to life, and her hospitality and faith were rewarded by
the Lord.
Luke 1:43 (ESV) “And why is this granted to me that the mother
of my Lord should come to me?”
Elizabeth was the mother of John the Baptist and a cousin to Mary, the mother of
Jesus. She was a godly woman who was chosen by God to give birth to Jesus’
forerunner. Her husband, Zachariah, was a priest in the temple, and an angel appeared
to him telling him that he and Elizabeth would be having a son. He was told that his
son should be named, John, and that he should be set apart in his service to the Lord.
When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, Mary came to visit her. The baby in
Elizabeth’s womb jumped when Mary walked in the room, and Elizabeth recognized
that Spirit of God was all over Mary. She also realized that Mary had been chosen to
carry the son of God, and she rejoiced in the fact that her cousin had come to visit her.
Both women were obviously very special, as they were hand-picked by God to be the
mothers of two exceedingly important men in the history of the world. Eventually,
Elizabeth would have to endure the sacrifice of seeing her son living in the dessert,
eating locusts and honey, dressing in animal skins and eventually being killed for the
calling on his life.
Luke 2:51 (ESV) “And he went down with them and came to
Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother
treasured up all these things in her heart.”
The most important mother mentioned in the Bible is Mary, the mother of Jesus. She
was apparently a young woman highly favored by the Lord, as well as a willing vessel
for God’s Kingdom purposes, and she was chosen to carry the son of God in her womb.
Mary was blessed to see angels on multiple occasions before and after the birth of her
son, Jesus. She also saw shepherds come to worship her baby, and wise men from the
east arrive with expensive gifts for her son. Then her husband, Joseph, received a
supernatural warning to go to Egypt and escape a death attempt against her baby,
while continually experiencing first-hand the care and provision of the Lord for her
family. So when Jesus was 12 years old, and they took him back to the temple with
them for one of the feasts, they should have known that God would do something
amazing on Jesus’ behalf. This happened when Jesus stayed behind in the temple
talking to the leaders of his day and amazing them with his knowledge and wisdom.
Even though Jesus gave his parents a “scare” by staying in Jerusalem when they
headed home, this verse states that Jesus was obedient and submissive to his parents,
and he went back to Nazareth with them after this occasion. This passage is also
significant, because it explains how Mary treasured all of these events in her heart. It’s
not clear at this point if she knew that one day she would be called upon to sacrifice
her son for the sake of mankind, but her love for her child is most evident and clear.
2 Timothy 1:5 (ESV) “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith
that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother
Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”
Eunice, the mother of Timothy, was a woman of great faith who is mentioned by the
apostle Paul in one of his letters. He refers to her as being significant, because she was
following in her mother, Lois’, footsteps. Following God was important in their family
tree, and this faith was being passed down from generation to generation. Paul
applauds Timothy’s family for their faithfulness and dedication to the Lord. In fact, he
goes on to tell Timothy that he shouldn’t “let anyone look down on him, because [he]
is young, but to set an example in life, in speech, in love and in purity” (I Timothy 4:12).
In that way, their godliness would continue as a spiritual heritage for years to come.
Eunice loved her son, Timothy, and in spite of possible persecution for their faith, she
became a Christian and taught her son to follow Christ as well. This choice could have
led them to sacrificing their lives for the sake of the Kingdom, but it was a choice they
were willing to make.
Conclusion
All of these women had passion, purpose and potential, and their offspring changed
the world, each in their own way. They had been called by God for a special assignment,
and like the mother mentioned in the book of Proverbs, they were praised and blessed
for their obedience and faithfulness. Each of the women mentioned in these seven
verses, was called upon to “give up” their son in one way or another. That requires a
special kind of love that only some women are able to give. But because of their calling
and sacrifice, all of their offspring made a difference to those around them and some
even changed the course of history. As a mother of four children myself, I have been
honored and blessed to be called a mom, and I believe that with God on their side my
children can also change the world.
Article by Karla Hawkins
God has been good to me over the years, and I have so much to be grateful for to
Him. First of all, I feel blessed to be the pastor’s wife of a thriving church in northern
Michigan and the mother of four amazing grown children. It is also very rewarding to
be a Christian author, editor and translator for the Kingdom of God. Some of my
favorite pastimes include supporting my children’s contemporary Christian band
ONLY9AM, singing on the worship team at church, traveling, and connecting with
family and friends via social media. My favorite song this summer has been “You Make
 Me Brave” by Amanda Cook from Bethel Church, as God has been stretching my
faith and walk with Him in new ways recently. When I am not working, I love spending
time with my family and especially with my precious three-year-old grandson.

Famous Mother’s in the Bible

 Eve – Mother of all mankind
 Hannah – Mother to the Prophet Samuel
 Naomi – Mother-in-law to Ruth
 Mary – Mother to Jesus
 Elizabeth – Mother of John the Baptist
What does the Bible say about moms? In the Christian church, a mother holds a special
place in the hearts of all, for without her none of us could be here in physical form and
as an expression of the will of God to have humans made in his own image. A mother is
so important to us, in fact, that God Himself gives respect to her and her place in our
world. Knowing that, what, then, does the Bible say about mothers and Mother’s Day.
Mothers are first celebrated by Adam. In the Bible it says, “And Adam called his wife’s
name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”Genesis 3:20 KJV It is in this verse,
in fact, that the term “mother” is first mentioned. The etymology of the word Eve is
derived from the Hebrew words for, to breathe, and to live. She is our breath and our
life, and we celebrate her as the mother of all mankind. So today’s mother has a great
responsibility to do what God has required of us. The Bible says, “That they may teach
the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be
discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word
of God be not blasphemed.”Titus 2:4-5 KJV Discipline is a big part of being a mother.
Even though this subject is hard to discuss, this is very important in raising children. The
bible gives us clear commands of being a mother. From teaching and training to
discipline and nurturing.THE BIBLE HAS SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF GODLY AND WICKED
MOTHERS. Here are some of the Godly mothers. Hannah, the mother of Samuel. She
promised God that she would dedicate her son completely to Him if God would give her
conception. The Bible says, “And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou
wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget
thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto
the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.” 1 Samuel
1:11 KJV Mothers should be willing to put God first and seek to dedicate her child to
the service of the Lord. The godly mother will not be so much concerned with how much
money their children make when they become adults as how faithful they will be to the
Lord and what service they will be to Him. Another Godly Mother was Mary, the mother
of Jesus. The Bible says, “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation
of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And
she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should
come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the
babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a
performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Luke 1:41-45 KJV Lois
and Eunice were also Godly Mother’s. They show the power of a mother’s influence.
Godliness was “passed on” through three generations. Lois was faithful to God, passed
 on that faith to her daughter Eunice, who influenced her son Timothy to follow God. The
Bible says, “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt
first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee
also.” 2 Timothy 1:5 KJV There can be little doubt that Eunice and, if she were still
living, Lois were encouragers of Timothy in his work of preaching the Gospel. Now here
are the Wicked Mothers. First you got Jezebel. She was a wicked idol worshiper. She
lied, cheated, and was hypocritical. The Bible says, “And it came to pass, as if it had
been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took
to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal,
and worshipped him.” 1 Kings 16:31 KJV Also you got Herodias, the wife of Herod. She
was the wife of Herod’s brother and was an adulterer. The Bible says, “For Herod had
laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother
Philip’s wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.” Matthew
14:3-4 KJV She influenced her daughter Salome to do wickedness. They teamed
together to have Herod kill John the Baptist. Not all Mother’s are wicked. We have to be
Christ-like to teach our children to be like Christ. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says, “Love the
Lord your God with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to
be upon your hearts. Given all that a mother is to her children and how respected she is
in the Bible, we can do no less than to live that example in our own lives. Think about
the gift of life that a mother gives to us, from God. Without her, we cannot become the
expression of His image here on Earth. And she risks all to give us the opportunity,to
breathe, and to live, as Eve herself did. As she is the mother of all life on Earth, so too is
our own mother the origin of our individual life. In fact, we honor God Himself when we
love and honor our own mothers. On this special day, may we thank God for the mothers
who have molded our hearts. As we honor them, we fulfill the truth of, “Her children
arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” Proverbs
31:28 KJV

By: Jeff Ellinger