As King Saul’s concubine, Rizpah lived largely as less than—less than the wives, less than any bona fide member of the royal family. Her children, though considered legitimate, were unlikely to ascend to the throne. Acquired for their beauty or political connections, concubines were unseen and unheard.
Such was Rizpah.
Scripture doesn’t record a single word that Rizpah says. But her courage, loyalty, (more…)
Resilience was not an aspiration in Achsah’s day. It wasn’t a quality to be fostered. Nor was it a trait for which people received an award at the end of the school year. It was a matter of survival.
Achsah grew up wandering the desert—packing up as the Lord led His people on, facing constant threats from enemies, walking endlessly, longing for (more…)
Many proofs support the authenticity of scripture, including its mention of the roles women played in accomplishing God’s plan. Another support is its transparency—the way it unapologetically exposes the seamy underside of its key players.
The Bible presents the good, bad and ugly, all for our instruction.
Tamar’s story, told in Genesis 38, checks both boxes. Her story isn’t pretty. Don’t look for (more…)
Imagine being a woman who has lived blamelessly before the Lord all your life, yet you are looked upon with scorn and suspicion. The reason: You are childless in a culture that views barrenness as God’s judgment. And now you are old, beyond childbearing years.
You are destined to die in your disgrace, a shame so great that even having your husband, (more…)
And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of (more…)
Many of us remember the story of Gideon, the unlikely biblical hero whom God used to defeat the menacing Midianites. Gideon went on to judge the Israelites for 40 years.
But Gideon’s death ushered in an ugly chapter for the people of Israel.
And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of (more…)