Go and make disciples of all nations...

Hey Jael! Who are you by the way?

Wait a minute!

I’m a Bedouin (Desert Dwellers), the wife of Heber the Kenite and I feature in the book of Judges in the Bible. 

Before knowing about me further, glance through this background story.

Judges 4:6 tells us that Deborah (the Israeli Judge) summoned Barak, who God chose to be the leader of Israel’s army against Jabin’s (Canaanite King) forces and Sisera was the commander of the Canaanite army. He was a powerful and cruel man who oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Barak’s army met Sisera’s in the battle in which Sisera’s army was quickly losing, so in one last ditch effort to save his life Sisera got out of his chariot and fled on foot…

Do you know what I did?

Sisera was straight to my tent as our people were at peace with them. I showed Sisera every possible kindness, covered him with a rug to hide and comfort him. When he asked for water, I gave milk (thinking that he would sleep and he did). Sisera was exhausted and soon fell fast asleep. I took a hammer and drove a tent-peg through his head into the ground, and he died. (Judges 4:21).

Though the world calls me a female assassin, I’m a proud Israel’s heroine and received the honour of killing the captain of Jabin’s army. The great Prophetess Deborah and Barak, the Israeli army commander sang a song of the battle, and in the song, they honoured me by name: (Judges 5:24)

“Most blessed of women be Jael,

the wife of Heber the Kenite,

most blessed of tent-dwelling women...”

So, the lessons from this courageous woman’s story…

· Jael saw an opportunity, used it and put God in the front 

· She used the available tools and didn’t waste time but responded to God’s calling instantly.

· We shouldn’t be preoccupied by mundane needs, like the five foolish women (in the parable of ten virgins) who missed the one thing that was important, got distracted and arrived too late by missing the purpose of what they had long desired.

· Though Jael’s people have been an ally to Sisera and the Bible doesn’t expressly tell us about Jael’s motives for killing Sisera, we understand that she must have done for honouring the living God

In the Old Testament, God’s judgement (punishment) on the Canaanite kingdoms was carried out by the Israelites. Our calling as New Testament Christians is “the struggle not against flesh and blood but against … the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12). God equips His people for His work. He gives skills and talents to everyone. 

Are you ready to be like Jael who was not in the limelight but risked her life and used the opportunity to glorify God? Here, we are not criticizing Jael about whether using deception was right or wrong–but what’s important? Jael did based on her conviction that she needed to help God’s people. Jael knew what she had to do to defeat the enemy. As a woman and a wife, be the Jael who fights the battles with the full armour of the Lord (Ephesians 6:11-17). 

God can use anyone. His choices are something that give Him pleasure and bring Him praise.

Disclaimer: “The takeaway from the story is not murder”. 

 I was the first one to see Jesus when He rose from dead. Imagine living a demon possessed life (seven no less). That was so frightening and I was rescued from my painful life after Jesus cast out those seven demons. The healing made me love Jesus more and more and follow Him all through my life. I was one of the women who was a part of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. I have been stated in all the four Gospels with a special mention as the one present at His crucifixion and burial (Matthew 27:56).

What do we learn from Mary Magdalene’s life?

1. She was a woman of strong faith

2. Her incredible love for Jesus shows her gratitude towards the healing from Jesus

3. Though her spirit was almost weakened due to crucifixion, she was waiting to hear Jesus’s final words on the cross

4. She was blessed to hear her name said by the risen Lord

5. She was the first person to proclaim the good news of resurrection to the disciples 

6. She is the personification of dedication which is seen from her serving Jesus till the end 

7. After living an outcast life, she made the hard choice to follow Jesus instead of taking the comfortable decision of settling down and starting a new life

Take home lessons from the life of Mary Magdalene

1. We should give our time and energy to God when we receive something from Jesus’s hands like Mary Magdalene who followed Jesus, served Him and learnt from Him when He healed her

2. Jesus calls us by name like how He called Mary, but do we recognize the ways Jesus is calling us today? Are there times when God had come to us and we couldn’t recognise Him?

3. We should be willing to risk our lives like Mary and other women who were near the cross when most of the disciples disappeared to save their lives

4. Mary’s strong and unstoppable desire to be with Jesus gave her the great privilege of being the FIRST to see the risen Christ. Such desire of being with God can draw us near to Him

5. We need a total surrender and unwavering faith like Mary 

Stay faithful even when times are hard and the future results seem to be bleak.

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

In Numbers, 27:1-11, we read about the story of the five daughters of Zelophehad who were provided legitimation of a limited right of Israelite women to inherit land. 

Meghan Markle, the actor and royal spoke at the UN Women Conference in 2015 said: 'Women need a seat at the table, they need an invitation to be seated there, and in some cases, where this is not available, they need to create their own table’.

The story of the sisters can speak to our situations today.

Background

Zelophehad had five daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah; but he had no sons. Zelophehad is part of the generation who left Egypt under Moses’ leadership but died during the forty years in the wilderness and his five daughters belong to the new generation that were allowed by God to enter and possess the promised land. According to law, the promised land is to be distributed according to the names of its ancestral tribe. (Numbers 26 :55). As only men were counted in the census, Zelophehad’s daughters would be left without an inheritance. But they came forward to appeal against this regulation, brought their case to Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole community at the entrance of the Tent. (Num 27:2). They argued that their father’s name should not be cut off from the society just because he had no son and that they should be legally permitted to inherit the land portion. (v. 4) Through this act of the five daughters, we can celebrate women’s boldness as the proposal of the daughters of Zelophehad was implemented by Moses after consulting God. Zelophehad’s daughters wrote a new chapter in the history of the Bible.

What did they do?

• they dared to come out of their home which is considered as their social space
• they were not called by anyone to come into the place of holiness and authority where only the high-ranking men congregate and women did not have authority. Those men were speechless when they saw such an unprecedented situation
• they did not just come forward but spoke with determination
• they were aware of the law; they were smart and possessed the shrewdness to ask for a change in God’s law. Speaking up to authority is an active and thoughtful decision which must be weighed carefully. (Ecclesiastes 3:7)
• they believed God’s law to be just and they were not hesitant to point out the unfair nature with confidence and came out supporting their claim with convincing arguments

How does Moses respond? 

• Moses listened to them and had compassion on them 
• Moses didn’t decide on his own and he reveals his inability to admit the claims by the daughters of Zelophehad, but brought their case before God (27:5)

How did God reply?

God responded to the demand by giving a new and permanent law to secure inheritance for daughters in circumstances like this (27:6-8). 

The five sisters’ claim paved the way for the law of inheritance which is being changed forever. The new law was added to the books and women were granted the right to inherit property. “‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter.” (v.8)

Lessons learnt

• The accomplishment of Zelophehad’s daughters is considered as a milestone in women’s rights regarding the inheritance of land.
• Their act is a message for all those who believe that their destiny is fixed and provides a hope when faced with obstacles
• We are encouraged to think differently and believe in our abilities 
• Their fight is believed to be worth and absolutely what is right for women and what our rights should be.
• Our God is just and fair and He does not let women be disadvantaged.

What is our call?

The sisters never played the victim card and complained about being orphans, but they were noble, godly women who trusted that God would provide for them. Modern activists should heed the lessons from the story of the daughters of Zelophehad. They should seek meaningful change and work for what we know is right.

A thought to ponder 

• Should Christians be known for speaking their mind and standing up for what’s right? 
• When should one submit and when should one speak up?

Ultimately, we need to have the faith of these five women who had determination, diligence and God’s provision. Further, we believe what is given in Galatians 3:28, There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Bible talks about Christian responsibilities towards the environment, oppressed and disadvantaged people. If one has a passion and calling for these, they should pursue in a Godly manner.