Throughout the Scriptures, the role of women in the context of idolatry and licentious practices is depicted with a particular emphasis on their influence and zeal in leading others astray from the worship of the one true God. The Bible provides several accounts where women are portrayed as active participants in idolatrous practices, often with fervent zeal, which serves as a cautionary tale against the seduction of false religions and immoral behaviors.

One of the most prominent examples is found in the narrative of Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab of Israel. Jezebel is infamous for her zealous promotion of Baal worship, a Canaanite deity, and her efforts to eradicate the prophets of Yahweh. Her influence over Ahab and the nation of Israel is described in 1 Kings 21:25 : "There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel." Jezebel's actions exemplify the destructive power of idolatry and the moral corruption that accompanies it.

Another significant example is found in the account of the women of Moab, who led the Israelites into sin at Baal Peor. Numbers 25:1-3 recounts, "While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab, who invited them to the sacrifices for their gods. And the people ate and bowed down to these gods. So Israel joined in worshiping Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD burned against them." The Moabite women, through their licentious practices, enticed the Israelites into idolatry, resulting in severe consequences for the nation.

In the New Testament, the Book of Revelation references a woman symbolically named "Jezebel," who is accused of leading believers into sexual immorality and idolatry. Revelation 2:20 states, "But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols." This passage highlights the ongoing threat of false teachings and immoral practices infiltrating the church, often personified through the metaphor of a woman.

The zeal of women in promoting idolatry and licentiousness serves as a powerful reminder of the spiritual warfare that believers face. The Bible consistently warns against the allure of false gods and the moral decay that accompanies such practices. These accounts underscore the importance of remaining steadfast in faith and discerning in the face of spiritual deception.2 Kings 23:7
And he broke down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.
Nave's Topical Index

Hosea 4:13,14
They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit prostitution, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
Nave's Topical Index

The Era of Persecution
... the statue of the emperor was wicked idolatry and entailed ... Their missionary zeal
compelled them to manifest the ... find reference made to women being threatened ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/iii the era of persecution.htm

Homiletical.
... the part either of the unfortunate or of the wicked. ... There was a multitude of common
women of the lower ... Feast "the king seized a flambeau with zeal to destroy ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/basil/basil letters and select works/iv homiletical.htm

Period iv. The Age of the Consolidation of the Church: 200 to 324 ...
... was under the influence of the women of the ... had been stained with the certificates
of idolatry and bound with the consciousness of wicked crimes, ought ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iv the age of.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... intemperate measures of Laud, and the zeal of Charles ... deceitfulness and treachery
of my own wicked heart. ... confounded"he heard pious godly women mourning over ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm

A Traveler's Note-Book
... flower, the philosophy he so bravely practices gives him ... Women and children were
attracted to him, as the ... evil was considered the work of wicked spirits,"so ...
/.../merriam/the chief end of man/iii a travelers note-book.htm

What does the Bible have to say about women missionaries? | GotQuestions.org

What can we learn from what the Bible says about Jesus and women? | GotQuestions.org

Since women preachers can be just as good as men, doesn't that mean they are called to preach? | GotQuestions.org

Women: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus