Hagar, the Stranger Welcomed by God Bible Ref:Genesis 16:1-16 and 21:1-21
After God promised He would make of Abram a great nation, Sarai, past childbearing age, suggested he impregnate her maid Hagar. Be careful what you ask for. Once Hagar was pregnant, Sarai regretted her scheme, and heaped so much abuse on Hagar that the weary woman fled. There, in the wilderness, the slave, whose name means, “stranger,” received a comforting message. “The Lord has heard you. God has answered you.” Hagar returned to her abusive mistress with a promise that her own son’s descendants would be too many to count
Rahab, a Harlot with a Heart of Gold Bible Ref: Joshua 2:1-24
Centuries before the tart with a heart became Hollywood fodder there was Rahab’s story. She single-handedly saved two of Joshua’s spies by hiding them, lying to the authorities, and helping the pair to escape. As shrewd as she was gorgeous Rahab knew an opportunity when she saw one. “Swear to me by the Lord, that since I am showing kindness to you, you will in turn show kindness to my
Deborah, the Warrior Princess Bible Ref: Judges 4 and 5
In a time in which it was improper for a woman to be alone in a house with a man, Deborah sat outside beneath a palm tree and judged Israel. After 20 years of oppression, it was she who summoned the military general Barak to take ten thousand soldiers and storm Mt. Tabor against their enemy Sisera. Barak answered, “If you go with me.” Deborah agreed, but told Barak he’d receive no glory. “The Lord will have Sisera fall into the power of a woman.” This prophecy would have dual meaning, for not only would Deborah be remembered as the real leader of this victory, Sisera would literally fall because of a woman.
Jael, the Woman with the Heart of a Lion Bible Ref: Judges 4:17-22 and 5: 6, 24
When the war-weary, defeated general of Canaanite forces staggered into Jael’s encampment, he couldn’t have known that through her husband the calculating woman had bonds that obligated her to Israel. She sheltered Sisera, hid him, gave him milk when he asked for water, and comforted him until he slept. Then Jael, tiny in stature compared to the fearsome Sisera, murdered him in his sleep, fulfilling Deborah’s prophecy
Ruth, the Lovely Friend Bible Ref: The Book of Ruth
Their names say it all. Ruth, believed to be a short version of “retut,” or lovely friend, was the widowed daughter-in-law of Naomi. Naomi, also a widow, was exiled from Moab because of a famine and had returned to Bethlehem after the death of her sons. She told old friends, “Call me Mara, for the Lord has made it very bitter for me.” What Naomi missed is the sweetness of a special gift: Ruth. Naomi had released her grieving daughters-in-law to return to their people, but Ruth declared, “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Fortunately for Ruth, Boaz, a close friend of Naomi’s husband’s family, noticed her charms and blessed her. Naomi hatched a successful plan to bring her kinsman, Boaz, and Ruth together. The couple later had a son, Obed, the grandfather of David. Ruth disappeared from the story, only to be remembered later as one of four women named in Matthew’s lineage of Jesus.
Bathsheba, Ref:2 Samuel 11:2, 3, 12:2, I Kings 11:31, 2:13-19, I Chronicles 3:5
Beautiful Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, bathed on her rooftop while the king of Israel watched in secret. The country was at war, and David should have been with his men, but the king had grown more self-indulgent in his mature years. He had no qualms about sending for another man’s wife, simply because he lusted for her. And Bathsheba didn’t hesitate to go to him. The king and Uriah’s wife shared a night of passion, but not without consequences. Bathsheba became pregnant, and David had her soldier- husband killed. The prophet Nathan pronounced judgment upon the king. “Thus says the Lord, ‘I will bring evil upon you out of your own house.’” The child Bathsheba carried died a week after its birth.But God had mercy on the couple. Though they’d continue to have trials, God blessed the pair with Solomon.
Esther Bible Reference: The Book of Esther
Esther was a simple orphan, raised by her cousin Mordecai, until she decided she was destined to be royalty. Hiding her Jewish identity, she became a harem contestant, and after a year of spa treatments, emerged a stunner. The king may not have been bright, but he knew how to pick a beauty queen. Smitten, he rewarded Esther with a crown. It was good to be Esther until a tip from Mordecai forced her into action. The king, who led more by whim than wisdom, was convinced by his evil minister Haman to kill all Jews. Mordecai begged Esther to intervene, even though an unsummoned appearance before the king could be deadly, even for queens. But Esther knew she had to act on behalf of her people. “If I perish, I perish,” she said. In the end her wisdom prevailed, and her bravery saved her kinsmen
Mary Mother of Jesus Ref: Luke 1:26-38, 1:39-56, 2:1-7, 2:21-38, 2:41-52, 4:16-30, 8:19-21
Mary, his mother. She literally “fleshed out” the unthinkable: Immanuel, God with us. The Scriptures tell us that the young virgin, betrothed to a carpenter, Joseph, was granted a very special favor. “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David… and of his kingdom there will be no end.” What is most notable is not the miraculous visitation, it’s that she said an unprecedented “Yes."
Mary was the first disciple of Christ. She had to believe in him before anyone else. Her faith in Jesus was not a product of her extraordinary actions.
Photini, the Woman at the Well Bible Ref: John 4: 1-30
Like Jesus, the Samaritan woman came to the well thirsty. Jesus wanted to quench his bodily thirst; so did the woman, but the story hints at deeper layers of meaning. Perhaps Jesus thirsted for souls, and the woman for at-long-last love. “Give me a drink,” Jesus said, a scandal; Jews were forbidden to share anything in common with unclean Samaritans. When she questioned him he replied, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water
Mary Magdalene Ref: Matt. 27:55-56, Mark 14:40-41, Matt. 28:1-9, John 20:18
Mary Magdalene is seen as one of Jesus’ most powerful allies. Sure, he may have had to cast seven demons out of her, or at least healed her of an undisclosed illness, but the grateful woman of means in turn led his female disciples and offered Jesus financial support. The four Gospels cite Mary as following Jesus to the end of his life, while his male disciples scattered. It was she who was brave enough to go to the guarded tomb of a convicted felon and chat with angels, and she who first encountere