Single People of the Bible
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Posted: Tuesday, February 03, 2009

by Mogama
http://www.mogama.info

Before we downgrade or downplay the place of single people in the Church, let’s take a quick look at some 19 outstanding singles of the Bible who are role models for the single life:

Miriam was the senior sister of Moses, who helped her prominent prophet brother with some aspects of leading the people of Israel. Miriam helped organize Israelite women into the first choir recorded in the Bible.

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Elijah became the most influential prophet of Israel after the Israelite monarchy was split into two kingdoms, the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judah in the south. Elijah was the national prophet to the northern kingdom. Elijah is distinguished as one of only two individuals in the Bible who went to Heaven without dying physically.

Elisha was mentored by Elijah, and he succeeded Elijah as prophet to the Kingdom of Israel. Unlike his predecessor, who was a man of the wild, Elisha freely associated with everyday people. His many miracles resemble the later miracles of Jesus. Elisha was probably the most Christ-like prophet of the Old Testament. He practiced New Testament virtues like giving your enemy food and water.

Jeremiah was specifically ordered by Yahweh not to marry. He preached for about 50 years, leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army.

Daniel was one of a handful of people in Scripture of whom nothing negative is said. Like Joseph before him, Daniel became a master of dreams with prophetic overtones. The book named after him has become indispensable to students and scholars of Bible prophecy. And children at church remember the story of “Daniel in the Lions’ Den”.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, commonly known as “the three Hebrew boys” displayed brave and courageous devotion to Yahweh in the face of death by burning. The three youngsters were miraculously delivered by God from King Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace.

John the Baptist was cousin to Jesus and six months Jesus’ senior. John was much like Elijah — removed from people and very pointed and confrontational in his preaching. His purpose in life was to prepare the nation of Israel for the arrival of the Messiah, and to introduce the Savior to the world. His greatest honor was to baptize Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

The Apostle John may have been single, because there is no mention of his wife. He authored five books and letters of the New Testament, including the Gospel of John and the prophetic book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible. His main themes were truth, light, and love. He became known as the Apostle of Love. Before Jesus died on the cross, He left His mother Mary in the care of John, who became the last of the New Testament apostles to die.

Mary Magdalene was a single woman who supported the ministry of Jesus all the way. She was the first individual Jesus appeared to after He rose from the dead, and she was first to report the news of Christ’s resurrection to the apostles. Some call her the first evangelist.

Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha were probably unmarried. These siblings remained devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Of course, Lazarus became famous as the guy whom Jesus brought back from the dead after he’d been dead for 4 days, the miracle which precipitated the arrest and murder of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul was by far the most accomplished Christian of the New Testament, surpassing even the apostles who physically walked with Jesus Christ. He wrote half of the New Testament’s 27 books and letters, and he became the most successful missionary and church planter. Without Paul, the faith that Jesus introduced would have probably remained little more than a sect within Judaism. Paul made Christianity a universal faith by taking the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Barnabas was the man credited with being the first to accept Paul, while the Church was still skeptical of Paul, who used to harass and kill Christians before he was converted. Barnabas mentored Paul, gave him credibility, and went with Paul on the first missionary journey, when the two men planted several churches among the Gentiles.

Timothy became Paul’s most trusted spiritual son. Timothy was the biracial son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. As a youth, Timothy became an able Christian leader, who pastored the famous Church of Ephesus, the same church pastored by John the Beloved, the same church where Mary the mother of Jesus was member.

Lydia was a wealthy business woman, who accommodated Paul and his missionary team in the city of Philippi, where Paul planted the most mission-minded church of his career. Lydia became a charter member of the Philippian Church, and she was probably a leader there.

Jesus Christ remains the most famous single ever. He is the #1 role model of what it means to live the single life. The Church, which is the movement that Christ founded, needs to remember that our Founder was a single man. This historical fact should motivate every church to find ways to make singles an important part of the ministry, rather than unintentionally sidelining singles in our good efforts to promote marriage.

This list doesn’t even include Naomi and Anna, widows who remained single for the rest of their lives. Singles deserve our respect, not our suspicion and sympathy.
Mogama (Moses Garswa Matally) is graced with one loyal wife and three lovely children. He is a native of Liberia and the author of Refugee Was My Name, a memoir of his flight from civil war, and life in a refugee camp, before migrating to the United States. Also known as Brother G, the founding pastor of Church For All holds an Associate in Computer Technology from Owensboro Community & Technical College, a Bachelor of Theology from Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Website http://www.mogama.info;email mogama@gmail.com.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)
» left by Teresa Ortiz
4 years 31 days ago.
188 fans.
Hi Mogama, very well put together, even though it was a list, your commentary made it flow like a story. It is true, us married people tend to be focused more on our families and not the things of God. just as Paul said in Corinthians, we obviously don’t have the gift of remaining single. Again, very good job and I hope it encourages single Christians, there is a special blessing in being single. God knows the heart, whether being single is not their calling and in serving Him, he will bring their spouse in due time.

Blessings to you! Teresa
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» left by Mogama 4 years 31 days ago.
120 fans. Follow Mogama on twitter!
You are so right, Teresa. To affirm the singles in our church, we have set aside Singles Sunday about once every quarter. Our goal is to let our Christian singles know they are complete as they are, even if they never get married. Thanks for your input. ~mogama~
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» left by Teresa Ortiz 4 years 31 days ago.
188 fans.
What a wonderful thing to do! Praise the Lord! I am sure it inspires them to step out all the more in faith and service.
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» left by Gary W. Halsey Sr.
4 years 31 days ago.
57 fans.
Wow Mogama, what a great article, and I agree with Teresa, (another one of my favorite writers), you have made a list, but it really does read like a story…I am not single, at least for the last 27 years, but this would seem to be a effective way to make your life with God, he is there when you are lonely, he is there when there is despair, and what a companion…..wow……great article, and even though I am not single, this would indeed relate to allot of singles…..Great job, your friend and fan in pen…..Gary.
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» left by Mogama 4 years 31 days ago.
120 fans. Follow Mogama on twitter!
Yes, Gary, my heart really goes out to the singles, who often feel so much pressure to get somebody, anybody. They need to know and remember that they are complete just as they are, without a man or woman. Thanks for your input. ~mogama~
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» left by Jennifer from Pine Bluff, Arkansas 3 years 269 days ago.
Yes it was very good. This monthI will spek at my church Living Single, and save. How arre youn spending your life with the Lord.

Doc Lee
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» left by MaryR
from San Antonio, TX 1 year 66 days ago.
Thank you for taking the time to point out the singles in scripture. I often feel incomplete as a single. I’ve been praying for a spouse for 8 years. Today, my boyfriend, who I’ve only been dating a few months, broke up with me because he is being stationed out of state. I admit I feel very discouraged. I’m so tired of being single and alone. I know God has purpose in this season of singleness and he will change it when he’s ready. I just pray that he gives me the grace to go through it with the right attitude. Until then, even though I’m tempted to get very disappointed, I’m determined to wait expectantly with patience and composure.

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» left by Mogama 1 year 66 days ago.
120 fans. Follow Mogama on twitter!
Oh my dear Mary, I can almost feel the weight of your discouragement as I read your comment. But then I see the light of dawn with you when you said, “I’m determined to wait expectantly with patience and composure.”

May the grace of God hold you and keep you right in the arms of faith where hope does not disappoint. I pray that God matches you with a true lover after God’s own heart. It is still possible, my dear. It is possible. ~mogama~
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Mogama is a fan of:
Connor Davidson
Steve Kovacs
David Tanguay
Joel Hendon
Jack H. Schick
Gary W. Halsey Sr.
Teresa Ortiz
Edward Rhymes
Paul Schroeder
Kwan Ho Kim
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