Hello dear Ladies,
Today we have the final installment of this series. I hope and pray that you all have been inspired and encouraged in your life of hope and trust in Jesus.
Four Women That God Chose to be in the Lineage of His Son, Jesus Christ
by Shari Hervold
Bathsheba
In the last three installments of this series, we have looked briefly at the stories of three women in the lineage of Christ Jesus, God's son. I trust you've found their stories interesting and inspiring. If you didn't read about any of them, you may do so by clicking on their names: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth.
The fourth and last woman mentioned in the lineage of Jesus is the former wife of Uriah whom we know as Bathsheba. If you recall, Bathsheba was the very beautiful woman who David lusted for, took to bed and impregnated, then had her husband killed so that he could wed her. Some have cast her as a seductress, but I take issue with that. 2 Samuel 11:4 tells us that David sent his men to get her (he was the king and she had to come) and when she came to him he lay with her. David is cast as the actor and she the one acted upon. Dr. Larry Richards calls it outright rape. David had other wives and many sons, but Bathsheba lay aside fear and advocated for her son to succeed David as king and won David's promise to do so. She further acted courageously on Solomon's (her son) behalf when it looked like another son was going to claim the throne. Even though her marriage began on the weakest of foundations, she had the strength and fortitude to put that behind her and be a good wife and mother. It is said that Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs as a dedication to his mother who strongly influenced his life.
Matthew gives us a quartet of women whom we would least expect to see in the genealogy of Christ. Yet, we learn from them that when God wants something done, He will enable it to happen and He used ordinary, imperfect people as His instruments through which to work. His grace and mercy cover all sins and He can turn mistakes and unwise choices into blessings. Whatever it is that God lays on your heart to do, there's not an excuse that you could use that God hasn't already heard...and He simply replies that: "My strength is made perfect in weakness," (2 Corinthians 12:9). Nothing or nobody, saint or sinner, can thwart God's plan for your life. If you doubt that, just remember these four, less-than-stellar women chosen to be in the lineage of Jesus Christ our Savior!
Reflection: You can become a child of God by accepting Christ's death as penalty for your sins, and acknowledging Him as your Lord and Savior. He will come to live in your heart and give you eternal life. I encourage you to do this now!
