Esther: a foreign-land example with three issues — she was in a foreign land, followed Mordecai's lead, and had authority only by the king's command.

Esther is difficult to use for the debate because: (1) she was in a foreign land (Persia), not under God's instituted Israelite authorities; (2) she consistently followed Mordecai's instructions — he led behind the scenes; (3) all her authority came by command of the Persian king, not from holding a regular position of authority. She was a hero, but she doesn't weigh heavily on the question of women as heads of state.