October 19, 2023 – Devotions – What If…?

What if They Couldn’t Find One Good Woman?

“The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.” When Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he read it. Then Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workers who have oversight of the house of the Lord.” Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.” Shaphan then read it aloud to the king. When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; she resided in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter, where they consulted her. She declared to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Tell the man who sent you to me, Thus says the Lord, I will indeed bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants—all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read. Because they have abandoned me and have made offerings to other gods, so that they have provoked me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.” 2 Kings 22:8–20 (not inclusive)

It appears that Huldah is one good woman – and isn’t it interesting that they have to go to a woman to determine the veracity of the book of the law they have found. But what is the significance of finding the book of the law? We have to go back a few hundred years to understand – actually more than that. In the 17th chapter of Deuteronomy, we read these words:

“When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me’…Also it shall be, when he [the king] sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes…”

800 years passed from the writing of these words to the birth of the prophet Jeremiah, who was born during the reign of King Manasseh. Manasseh’s reign as the King was awful – he did more to repress the teaching of the law and living as people of the law than many of the kings before him. As such, very few kings had written their own copy of the book of the law, what was either the Book of Deuteronomy, or the Torah. So it is no wonder that when this book was found, no one knew whether it was the real deal or not. And if it was the real deal, then what the book instructed was surely disaster for the people – for they were not following the teachings and instructions of the law.

King Josiah could have sent for any number of people – but he sends for a woman, Huldah. She attested to the genuineness of the scroll, and prophesied ruin for the people for not following the commands of G-d. And not only did she confirm the veracity of the book, her actions sparked a revival by the king and the people — Josiah would bring about many necessary reforms as determined by the laws, commandments, decrees and statutes of G-d. As they say, it takes just one good woman.

Pastor Dave

October 18, 2023 – Devotions – What If…?

What if Zilpah’s Name Meant Zilch?

“Then Laban said to Jacob, “Tell me, what shall your wages be?” Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel… Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” Laban said, “This is not done in our country—giving the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Laban for another seven years. When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.” Genesis 29:15-31

“When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Then Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, “Good fortune!” so she named him Gad. Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, “Happy am I! For the women will call me happy”; so she named him Asher.” Genesis 30:9-12

The trickery that Laban uses to determine that his oldest daughter is taken in marriage before the younger daughter is quite devious. This of course was the way of things – the oldest should be married before the youngest. It just so happened that Jacob loved Laban’s youngest daughter, Rachel. But Laban was a trickster, it seems – just like Jacob. In the darkness of the marriage bed, Leah is switched for Rachel – and so the deceiver has been deceived. It almost seems as if the Lord is giving Jacob payback, in a way, for his deceiving his oldest brother Esau out of his birthright and blessing from their father Isaac. What comes around goes around, they say.

Anyway, let’s clear up our story here just a bit. When Jacob flees Esau’s anger over being deceived, he travels to be with his uncle Laban. Laban has two daughters, that we know of – Leah the oldest, and Rachel. Laban had given his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid – and had given his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel. As is often the case in biblical stories, one of the sisters is barren, while the other is able to bear children. Rachel initially cannot have children, so she gives her maid Bilhah to Jacob so she can give him children for her. And when Leah stops having children, she gives her maid, Zilpah to Jacob so more children will be given to Jacob in her name. But, what if Zilpah was barren like Leah’s sister Rachel? Obviously there would have been two fewer sons – and possibly we would have talked about the Ten Tribes of Israel (though G-d would have worked this out somehow). But this story gives us insight into the lives of those who were there at the very beginning of the establishment of the tribes of Israel. As such, there were many women who came to be a part of the promise.

Pastor Dave