Women in the Old Testament: Conclusions

For the past several months, I have shared with you the lives of the women in the Old Testament. We have seen the things we can learn from them and the things we need to avoid through the mistakes they made. We have also discovered ways we could be better and impact our families, communities, nations and the world at large.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)

We have seen God’s agenda for creating the woman: “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18). This is very significant because helpers are important for the growth and increase in the people they help. For example, when Jesus was about to ascend to Heaven, He promised His disciples that He will send the Holy Spirit who is the Helper to them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:4‭, ‬8). Prior to Jesus’ death and Resurrection, He told His disciples this: “I have told you these things while I am still with you. But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.” (John 14:25‭-‬26 AMP). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the universal church has grown even in the midst of Oppression and persecution.

Imagine a woman as the helper suitable for the man! God made the woman for more. Although through the Old Testament, we see women who underwent societal oppression making them vulnerable, we also identified women who made maximum impact in their families, societies and nations. Whenever a woman availed herself, God worked amazing things through that woman. Remember, God made the woman to impact the world. Anytime women face oppression, know that it is not the plan of God.

You can go back and read all the posts on women in the Old Testament. There were a few women whose accounts were not published but will form part of the compendium that will be released later. Watch this space!

If you have any question that has been unanswered throughout this series, please comment under this post or send me an email via michaelandmaryagronah@gmail.com. Visit our website www.michaelandmaryagronah.com for more Bible blogs and also to check up on our bookstore. God bless and see you in the New Testament!

Jehosheba: The woman on rescue mission

There are many great men and women who are celebrated today because they risked their own lives to save the lives of other people who were facing persecution. For example, Nazi Germany’s state sponsored Holocaust killed about six million European Jews. During this mass murder operation, there were people who risked their lives to save the Jewish people and this included a Polish woman named Irena Sendler. Irena Sendler successfully rescued 2,500 Jewish children out of the Ghetto in Warsaw, Poland. Her brave action saw the lives of 2,500 people saved. Irena Sandler might not be a household name because until recently,  not many people heard of her heroic act. Similarly,  there were men and women who risked their lives to rescue others in the Bible. These people knew that their action was tantamount to death if they were caught, but they did it anyway. One such woman in history is Jehosheba. Her name might not sound familiar to you and it is possible that you might not have heard any sermon that ever mentioned her name. Jehosheba risked her life to save her brother’s son. The son she saved, rose up to become the king of Judah. 

But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. (2 Kings 11:2 NIV)

In a previous post, we considered how Athaliah, the mother of king Ahaziah deliberately wiped out the royal family when she realized her son Ahaziah had been killed. Athaliah was brute and she wasn’t ready to spare a soul. She was so wicked and heartless that she was ready to kill her own grandson and any other person who identified as a royal. The opposite of Athaliah is Jehosheba. While Athaliah’s vengeance cared less of her own family members, Jehosheba’s compassion led her on a dangerous mission. She could have been killed by Athaliah if her action was found. Jehosheba went on a rescue mission. The story of Jehosheba’s rescue of Joash is recorded in 2 Kings 11:2 and 2 Chronicles 22:11. The 2 Kings 11: 2 account states that, “But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.” In 2 Chronicles 22:11b we get to know that, “Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him.” Thus, Jehosheba was not just an aunt to Joash, she was also the wife of the priest, Jehoiada. 

In other words, both Athaliah and Jehosheba were public figures. Athaliah was the mother of the late king and Jehosheba was the sister of the late king and the wife of the priest. These two women all had some sort of power. Athaliah used her own power to take away lives. Jehosheba, on the other hand, used her power to save a life. Jehosheba’s compassion is a typology of the compassion God has for us. Jehosheba saw in Joash a helpless baby who was likely to be killed by a heartless woman. Jehosheba risked everything to hide Joash and his nurse. The wicked Athaliah could have killed Jehosheba for that rescue mission, but Jehosheba still went ahead and saved a soul. Six years after this rescue mission, Joash, then seven years old, was crowned as a king (2 Kings 11:21). The evil Athaliah received the wages of her sins, she was killed (2 Kings 11:15‭-‬16). King Joash had his own flaws but he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him (2 Kings 12:2). Joash did some major repairs on the temple of God in Jerusalem (2 Kings 12:1-16). 

The story of Jehosheba teaches us to have compassion for the poor, weak and vulnerable. We also learn that whatever position we find ourselves can be used to save lives or to waste lives. We identify that sometimes, taking the stand for the good could be risky but it pays off in the long term. Jehosheba teaches us that women can play significant roles even if they work in the background. You don’t necessarily need to be the queen to fight, you can be the wife and still be a warrior. Women who look forward to a bigger stage to do exploits might end up doing nothing but those who create their own opportunities even in the unlikely situations would be celebrated. Don’t be comfortable in your small space, be a Jehosheba who identifies the wrong and fix it with the right. 

Asenath: The wife of Joseph

Getting married is a big thing and most couples spend a fortune to prepare for their big day. It comes with massive preparation and making sure that everything is done perfectly. Recently, most couples are resorting to wedding planners so that the load of planning will be taken away. Obviously wedding planners do charge enough fees to cover up for their services. How would you feel if you had your marriage planned by the highest authority of the land? Technically, you are saved from all the pressure of planning, and the financial burden that comes with it. One person who had such a surreal marriage experience is Joseph. His past was filled with painful experiences. He lost his mum while he was still a child. He was sold as a slave by his own brothers. He was convicted and imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. But, God wasn’t done with him yet. While in prison, God opened a great door of dream interpretation ministry and that officially launched Joseph into his career. The day he left the prison, he was crowned as the prime minister of Egypt. As a great personality, he needed a wife that matched his current position. There comes Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. 

Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:45) 

Asenath’s upbringing was totally different from Joseph’s. She would have been prepared as an important lady, with religious beliefs of her father. Definitely, Asenath was not prepared to be married to an ex-convict who rose to become prime minister. Joseph’s past was not relevant to the Egyptians. Therefore, Asenath wouldn’t have been worried about stigmatization. I believe Joseph would have been vindicated of the wrong accusations laid on him by Potiphar’s wife. Joseph’s life changed totally. “Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:45). Asenath and Joseph’s marriage was arranged by the Pharaoh of Egypt. It would have been a national ceremony.  Joseph had a task to ensure that Egypt survives the impending famine. Asenath had a task to ensure that her husband is well taken care of and ready for his assignment. “Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” (Genesis 41:50‭-‬52).

Asenath might not be listed as a heroine in the Bible, but we cannot forget the important role she played in Joseph’s life. She might have accepted the God of Joseph as her God which meant the denial of her father’s gods. In the future, the children of Asenath and their descendants became part of God’s bigger story. Manasseh and Ephraim became two important tribes in Israel. There are many women who play background roles in the lives of their husbands. Such women are barely seen. They work backstage and since we don’t focus on the backstage events, we always fail to acknowledge them. If the world doesn’t celebrate you, it doesn’t mean you are not an amazing person. Asenath supported the work of Joseph and ensured that the home was well taken care of as Joseph went throughout Egypt to collect grains. Whether you play backstage roles or onstage roles, know that your service is keeping the world a better place. Remember, “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Be serviceable now, tomorrow might be too late.

I will make a helper suitable for him

After the animals were created by God, Adam was assigned the task of giving them names: “Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name” (Genesis 2:19). That must be a lot of cognitive work, naming the different animals. In Genesis 2:20, we are told that Adam gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. Imagine Adam living alone in the vast Garden of God and managing all the animals and vegetation. Definitely, he must have been super busy and in all his busyness, no animal was a suitable helper for Adam. Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18).

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)

One lesson from God’s original intention of marriage is the fact the God identified the need for the man to have a helper. The woman is a helper to the man. God saw that it was not good for the man to be alone in the Garden, and therefore brought in the woman. Before God brought Eve to Adam, God already gave Adam a task of taking care of the Garden. Adam was a full time husbandman and a steward of the Garden of Eden. He ensured that the animals and plants were well taken care of. Therefore, God brought in Eve to help Adam with the task assigned to him. However, many people in marital unions have gone for helpers that do not have assigned tasks. Some men are yet to identify their purposes in life and no helper comes to do nothing. If the couple are running different assignments, there is bound to be a conflict.

Eve was sent to help Adam in fulfilling his purpose and vision. In the same way, Adam was expected to ensure that Eve remained in the purpose and call of God. Don’t you think God was aware when the serpent deceived Eve? Why did he blame Adam? “But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” (Genesis 3:9,11). Adam had a task and Eve was his perfect helper to help him work this task. However, the devil saw an opportunity to engage Eve in a conversation and ultimately deceived her to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve in turn gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Adam’s helper became Adam’s greatest fall. What could have been wrong? The devil used deception to lie to the woman. The devil told the woman that “God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). This was a big lie because God had already created the man and the woman in His own image (Genesis 1:27). So Eve did not need the fruit to be like God. This deception is still used by the enemy to fight against God’s plan of marriage.

The woman taken from the rib of man has never been inferior to man. In fact, a helper is either of the same strength as you or better still stronger than you. The fallen man has been found guilty of maltreating the woman but at the beginning, it was not so. The woman was a co-steward in the business of the man. When we identify that we are working together as a couple to advance the purpose of our assignment, certain conflicts will cease and the enemy will be kicked out of our home. 

Dear God, help us to know that you created both the man and the woman to work together to achieve your purpose.  Help us to understand our roles in this assignment in order to know what to do at every point in time. I pray that couples will understand the principle of “suitable helper” and be ready to work together to achieve your purpose in Jesus’ name.

Marriage and God’s plan of eternity

In the Garden of Eden, God saw the good in everything He has created: the land, the vegetation, sun, the moon, the animals and fishes and man. According to the author of Genesis, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31). God was satisfied with the world of His hands and declared their goodness. The sun worked in the day, the moon at night, the land was separated from the waters, the different types of animals beautified the world, and man was set to be the ruler of the created things. Definitely God had a good plan! Only an excellent designer can create a beautiful world and put things in their right places. The earth, the moon and the sun are a wonder and their existence can only be proven with scripture. Science has lots of questions about the existence of our world.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)

As the narrative of Genesis moves on, we are given a detailed account of how God made the world and the things in it in Genesis chapter 2. Suddenly, the narrative takes a different momentum: “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). Thus, God identified the need for man (the male person) to have another person comparable to him. Man had all the animals,  the trees, the fishes and all creation at his disposal, yet God said it is not good for the man to be alone. The very first institution God established is marriage and the last institution that God will spend eternity with is the church which is the bride of the Lamb. 

In fact Paul admonishes us in Ephesians that “the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:23‭, ‬25‭-‬27). In Revelation 19:7, the scripture states that “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”

Marriage is a picture of God’s relationship to mankind. It is a type of what we will experience in eternity. The fact that there are no marriages in eternity does not mean we should not enjoy our marriages on earth. The institution under severe attack in our days is marriage. Contrary views about marriage and raising children have caused broken homes. Divorce is no more abhorred but preferred. This week, we shall consider some lessons on God’s plan for marriage. 

Dear God, help us to understand marriage in the light of your word. Help us to enjoy our marriages to the fullest. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.