Pushback....

"The bible teaches that women had NO access to God--except through the male..."

[Note: This is a simple summary of the detailed data in the syllabus. Refer there for sources/discussion. Updated: 01/02/97]
So WS:TCP:179: "This new order [the OT male priesthood] under the all-powerful God proclaimed to the Hebrews and to all those who took the Bible as their moral and religious guide that women cannot speak to God."

This incredible quote, by a respected scholar, is amazing. Compare that with just SOME of the OT records of women 'violating' this principle (before AND after the priesthood was instituted):

Before the Levitical priesthood...

  1. God and Hagar have a dialog in the desert (Gen 21)
  2. God listened to Leah's prayers, and Rachel's (Gen 29-30)
  3. Rebekah inquired of the Lord, and He answered her (Gen 25)
  4. God spoke directly to females (Gen 16.17ff; 21.17-19)

Under the Levitical priesthood...

  1. God heard Hannah's special prayer (I Sam 1.27)
  2. The wife of Manoah had several interactions with YHWH/Angel of YHWH (Jud 13)
  3. Deborah was a prophetess and SPOKE FOR YHWH (getting messages FROM Him) (Jud 4.4ff)
  4. Miriam was also a prophetess (Ex 15)
  5. God had direct interaction with a widow (I kgs 17.9)
  6. Huldah, as a prophetess, also received direct communications from God (2 Kgs 22.14f)

Now, the above cases were situations in which women interacted verbally with God--directly. There are so many more cases in which they were major participants in the OT cult--without it looking like they were any different than the other non-Levitical males.

There just doesn't seem to be any data to support 'restricted access' to God--and plenty of cases in which it occurred (and was encouraged, e.g. vows). 

From: The Christian ThinkTank...[https://www.Christianthinktank.com] (Reference Abbreviations)