A study of Women in the Bible

So it's been a long while since I've posted here.
I'm not here to update on my life or to write any random posts about things right now.
Instead I am choosing this year to go back to how this blog started. As a place for Bible exploration and comments.

So I will be writing up a series of my thoughts as I read through the major stories of Women in the bible.
Being a Woman, I feel it's sometimes good to read, learn and reflect on how the Bible depicts Women and how God has created them/us to be.

This can be quite a controversial topic in our modern western culture. Many people see the Bible as suppressing Women under the authority of men. My aim isn't to debunk anyone's thoughts but simply to add mine into the mix.

So, to begin this blog post will now look at Genesis Chapter 2. If you don't have a bible on hand then you can read the chapter here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+2&version=NIV

So in this Chapter we have the creation account written for the second time, following the ending of the first chapter. It written almost like a speedy commentary on the first chapter, but including some more geographical information about the locations of rivers and such (found in verses 11 to 14). Once we see everything has been created the chapter moves to focus on Adam.

We see Adam's purpose in the garden (verse 15: to work it and take care of it). He has received his rules around what food he can eat and what he can't and his boundaries around the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil (verse 17). Then the focus moves to the fact that Adam, even though he is surrounded by God's creation is 'alone.' We see this in verse 18: 'it is not good for man to be alone, I will make a suitable helper for him.' Here we see Adam is created to be in relationship with another creature. And it can't be any creature because God specifies that he has to 'make a suitable helper.' This is also interesting because at this point God has created everything.

To deal with this problem (of Adam being alone) God brings to Adam all the animals and creatures he has created and has Adam name them. (This is an interesting idea because God hasn't seemed to name of the animals yet, he has created them and now Adam is naming them). The end result of this is that 'no suitable helper was found' (verse 20) out of all the creatures existing at this point. Here we see the phrase 'I will make' come into play. God causes Adam to fall asleep and takes one of his ribs to make the woman. This is an action that hasn't been documented yet either. God is creating life out of something he's already created. The language of creating in Genesis 1 isn't used here either, 'and God said.' Here it says made, not spoke. So this creation is slightly different. After this creation is complete Adam is woken up and he see's Eve and there's an instant knowledge that she is the helper suitable for him. This is seen specifically in verse 23, 'This is now bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man.' Then they were united as one flesh, they were naked and unashamed. The explanation of our modern term of marriage is also seen here. The man leaving his Father and Mother to be united to his wife in verse 24.

Thoughts on Eve:

She's the last creature documented to be created here. She is created unlike other creatures that she was made and not spoken and she was taken from Adam. She is to be his helper and companion, they are both created to be relational with one another and are therefore united as one.

Eve isn't like the animals that Adam sorted through to find a helper from. She is special in that she was made after finding nothing else created was suitable. She was made specially for a specific purpose which is pretty amazing if you really think about it.

To end my thoughts on the passage I guess I can say I've learnt that Women are pretty special in the slight difference that we have been created. I will be continuing next time with Sarah in Genesis 18.

Many Blessings!

2 Timothy 1:1-7

Today I began a study in Timothy. And much like the first few posts I did on this blog I am going to outline it for you!

This is what it looked like:

I began with this structure:

1. Questions

2. Observations

3. Big Ideas

4. Take it home

1.Questions

V3 - who are Pauls forefathers?

V4 - what/when/why was Timothy crying? Were these tears of grief or joy?

V5 - is this faith passed down through genetics (nature) or from his upbringing (nurture)?

V6 - reference to 1 Timothy 4:14 - what was the message here? Is the gift that of teaching?

How far apart were these letters written?

2. Observations 

V5 - it's interesting that sincere faith here is passed through women first.

V6 - laying on of hands -> appointed by church leaders but wih divine prophecy as well (reference to 1 Timothy 4:14). So his work has not only the approval of men but of God also?

V7 - is speaking of the Holy Spirit.

3. Big ideas

A letter written by an older man to a younger. They have avoid relationship - like that of a father and son.

Paul is remindingTimothy of where he has come from and what tool he has (the Holy Spirit) to help him do his work.

V6 - 'fan into flame the gift of God' -> the spark is still there and Paul is calling Timothy to action.

A reminder that it is God working through the spirit given to Timothy. This spirit is powerful outside of Timothy.

Power, love and self-discipline. Gods word is powerful, he gives Timothy the capacity to love and calls Timothy to exercise self-discipline to flee from sin and dwell on holy things. (Maybe overlapping things here and. It quiet right).

4. Take it home

We have the Holy Spirit just as Timothy did. We often need to be reminded, like Timothy, of where out origins lie, of who called us.

We have the same spirit of power, love and self-discipline. We should exercise these things. We should not be timid and remember it's God working through us with his spirit. Everything we have is God given!

So obviously I didn't answer my questions above. I am planning to take them to someone who is trained in the Bible and maybe check out my bible dictionary. But I hope this little study can be kind of instructional for your bible time. We don't always need to answer all our questions at once. God can teach us even when we don't know all the answers! 

If you have accepted the gift of Christ then you will have this spirit in you! So you hold power, love and the capacity for self-discipline.

Keep your noses in the word and go out to the world to share his love we hold. God is powerful so don't be timid! And feel blessed that God uses us to spread the message of his love and saving grace.

Many blessings!