PCC Scroll: Women of the Bible - Gomer

This issue is about love. It is very fitting to look at the life of Gomer. She was the wife of Hosea the Prophet, a man of God. Hosea did not pick Gomer to be his bride, God did. God said to Hosea, “Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms,” Hosea 1:2.

Hosea married Gomer as God had instructed. Gomer conceived three children, two sons and a daughter. The first son was conceived by Hosea. The Bible says, “She conceived and bore him a son,” Hosea 1:3 (NKJV). However, we do not know from the Bible who she conceived the other two children by. We just know that she conceived.

Like all those in sin, Gomer found herself enslaved; she was enslaved to the stronghold of whoredom.

But, the God of love instructed Hosea the Prophet, the man of God who was her husband, to go and buy her back out of bondage and whoredom. Hosea had to go and pay the price for getting his wife out of the prison of whoredom. Hosea paid a price for love.

As God had instructed him, Hosea the Prophet went and paid fifteen shekels of silver, which is about 4/10 of an ounce in silver, and five bushels of barley to buy his wife out of slavery.

Hosea brought Gomer home, and he advised her that she would stay with him and not engage in whoredom. He told her, “You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man—so, too, will I be toward you,” Hosea 3:3.

Now, that is love with unmerited commitment. We learn from Hosea and Gomer some very important love lessons. Love is merciful. Love has a price. Love has boundaries. And, love is faithful at all costs.

This is the kind of love that God has for each of us. God has committed to love us even though we are without merit. Because of love, Jesus paid the price for each of us by dying on the Cross for our sins.

PCC Scroll: Men of the Bible - Abraham

Name: Abraham

Meaning: Father of many nations

Work: He was a tender of livestock

Character: Abraham was a man of faith who followed God even in the most challenging of circumstances

Sorrow: Abraham compromised God's instructions

Triumph: Abraham obeyed God and God blessed him with a son in his old age

Scripture Reference: Genesis 12-23

When God called Abraham to leave his family and go to a place where He would send him, Abraham had no idea where that place would be. Nevertheless, Abraham obeyed God. He was known as “the friend of God” because he obeyed God even to the point of nearly sacrificing his only son. Obeying God takes great faith because we cannot always rationalize what He is asking us to do.

Our story, like Abraham's story, is one that has been built on faith. We have followed God blindly. Like Abraham, we have sometimes compromised God’s instructions because we have doubted it was God who was leading us. Yet, God, who loves us so much, is willing to time and time again reconfirm His promise to us who are heirs of Abraham. The land, the promises, and the blessings are our inheritance. We should look back at the promises that God promised Abraham. God promised that He would be merciful to Abraham and his descendents forever. God promised He would make Abraham’s name great and make him a blessing. God promised He would bless those who blessed Abraham and curse those who cursed him. God promised He would establish His covenant as an everlasting covenant between Him and Abraham’s descendants for generations to come. God promised He would be Abraham’s God and the God of the descendants after him. God promised through Abraham’s offspring, all nations on earth would be blessed because Abraham had obeyed Him.

What an example to live by. In the face of killing his son, risking death in Egypt, and giving his wife to Pharaoh, Abraham was a man with character. He determined he would hear, believe, and obey his God no matter what the cost. People of the Most High God, let us be like Abraham. Let us believe, obey, and be called a friend of God so that we too will be blessed and receivers of God’s promises to Abraham.

PCC Scroll: Women of the Bible - Tabitha

Name: Dorcas, also called Tabitha

Meaning: Gazelle

Work: Made clothes for the needy widows and children of Joppa

Character: A giving woman

Sorrow: She died

Triumph: Peter raised her from the dead

Scripture Reference: Acts 9:36-43

With the theme of sacrifice prevalent in this quarter’s newsletter, Dorcas is a great woman to profile. Dorcas sacrificed her time, energy, and resources to help the widows and poor of Joppa. In this aspect, she exemplifies James 1:27, which says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

In the opening of her story, the Bible describes her as a disciple. Her reputation was that of someone who did good and helped the poor. In her story, Dorcas became sick and died. Her community was distraught. She was so important and loved that her community sent men to Lydda, which was twelve miles away, to find Peter who was ministering there. When Peter came, weeping widows showed him the robes and clothing Dorcas had made for others. Peter sent everyone out of the room, got on his knees and prayed, and commanded her to get up. Many heard of the miracle of her being raised from the dead and believed.

Dorcas’ unselfish work earned her the love of her community. We must remember that widows had no way of making a living during those times. In her service, she provided a basic necessity to them. It was her love for God that compelled her to show love to her fellow man. Dorcas is a model we can use as we serve our communities to demonstrate the love of Christ. She demonstrated charity, which the Bible defines as love. Since 1834, churches have formed “Dorcas Societies,” which focus on humanitarian work through activities such as clothing the poor. This is a fitting tribute to a woman who used her sphere of influence to serve God.

If we each followed Dorcas’ model and ministered to the poor, widow, sick, oppressed, underrepresented, etc., it would be a marvelous display of God’s love. The only sacrifice it would take is our time and resources. In her, we see an example of a woman who illustrated the Word of God with action. I know I have a lot of ideas of what I could do to help, but here is a woman who backed her thoughts and talk with action. The part of Dorcas’ story that stands out to me the most is the time she sacrificed to help those in need.

Today, we are experiencing financial uncertainty. Many people are losing their jobs and homes. I am sure we all know someone who is impacted. It is the perfect opportunity to sacrifice of our time and resources by giving to charity, which is what Dorcas did. In this move, the Word in us becomes alive and dwells among those who are hurt, marginalized, and underrepresented.

PCC Scroll: Men of the Bible - Judah

Name: Judah

Meaning: Let Him (God) Be Praised

His Character: He was a leader among his brothers.

His Sorrow: He and his brothers sold Joseph into slavery.

His Triumph: He received the choice blessing from his father, Jacob, over his three older brothers. Judah would be the greatest of the Tribes and through his lineage King David and Jesus were born.

Scripture Reference: Genesis 37:26-36, 38, 42-45

Judah was the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. He was a natural leader among his brothers. This leadership was displayed when he interceded for Joseph by suggesting the brothers sell him into slavery instead of murdering him, when he took responsibility for Benjamin returning home from Egypt, and when he offered himself into slavery for Benjamin. He was a man who acted decisively in high-pressure situations.

Like all humans, Judah had many weaknesses. He and his brothers were jealous of Joseph because Joseph was his father’s favorite. This jealousy led to the brothers plotting to kill Joseph; they sold him into slavery instead. He also did not follow through on his promises to his daughter-in-law, Tamar, out of fear for his son, Shelah. In the end, he was forced to confess his sin against her.

On his deathbed, Jacob blessed Judah. Blessings held spiritual power and were prophetic. Jacob called Judah a lion and said his brothers would bow before him. Jacob proclaimed the staff of leadership would not be taken from Judah or his descendants.

Judah’s name is synonymous with praise. The first time the word praise is found in the Bible is at Judah’s birth (Genesis 29:35). “…Now will I (Leah) praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.” The word is found most frequently in the Psalms.

Yadah is a Hebrew word for praise. It means, “To give thanks, laud, praise.” Halal is another Hebrew word for praise. It means, “To praise, celebrate, glory, sing (praise), boast.” The word Halal is the source for the word Hallelujah. Hallelujah is simply translated as “Praise the Lord!” A more correct translation is “Let us praise Yah.” Yah is a short version of Yahweh, the Israeli name for God. God is “He who causes to be.”

Praise is one of the most powerful weapons we have, but we utilize it the least. Whatever we deal with would be easier to handle if we would Let Him (He who causes to be) Be Praised.

PCC Scroll: Women of the Bible - Jochebed & Pharoah's Daughter

Name: Jochebed

Meaning: Jehovah is Glory

Her Character: Her fierce love for her son, coupled with her faith, enabled her to act heroically in the midst of great oppression.

Her Sorrow: To live in bondage as a slave.

Her Joy: That God preserved the son she surrendered to him.

Key Scriptures: Exodus 2:1-10, 6:20; Hebrews 11:23

Name: Pharaoh’s Daughter

Her Character: She courageously and compassionately saved a child from death.

Her Sorrow: That her adopted son, whom she had taken care of for forty years, had to flee his home in Egypt in order to escape Pharaoh’s wrath.

Her Joy: Being a mother to Moses.

Key Scripture: Exodus 2:1-10

Puah and Shiphrah were Egyptian midwives who lied to Pharaoh. They told him that Hebrew women had babies so fast that they could not get to the births in time. Why did they lie? Pharaoh had ordered them to kill any Hebrew boys they helped deliver. The midwives lied to save innocent lives. The Bible says God was good to the midwives because they feared Him.

Jochebed, who was also the mother or Aaron and Miriam, recognized that Moses was a special child, and she hid him for three months. After she couldn’t hide him anymore, she placed him in a basket in the Nile River. A young Miriam, another powerful Woman of the Bible, watched to see what would happen to him.

Pharaoh’s daughter, some believe her name may have been Hatshepsut, came to the Nile to bathe. She sent her maid to investigate a basket in the reeds, and she saw Moses and had pity upon him. Miriam, who was standing watch, approached Pharaoh’s daughter with an offer to find a Hebrew nurse for the baby. Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses, but his mother, Jochebed, was able to nurse and care for him until he was seven.

Women of the Bible practice their faith in big and small ways. Some risks their lives for their faith while others bring God's Word to their communities. Many women wisely turn their difficulties over to God, trusting that he will provide. No matter how they express their faith, God is pleased and responds to them. These women provide us with role models as women whose faith overcame their individual struggles. They turned to God as should we.

Four women (two midwives, a slave, and a princess) and a young girl played roles in the saving of one of the Bible’s great leaders, Moses.

PCC Scroll: Women of the Bible - Woman at the Well

Name: Woman at the Well

Her Work: Many Samaritans of the city of Sychar believed in Christ because of her testimony while others believed after hearing Christ’s words.

Her Character: Her character and inner integrity led her to easily become enlightened and transformed in the presence of Christ.

Her Sorrow: She was shunned by society because of her promiscuous behavior.

Her Triumph: Christ revealed the revelation that, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth,” to her.

Key Scriptures: John 4:5-42

The story of the Woman at the Well (The Woman of Samaria) is a familiar story. The unnamed woman lived in a city of Samaria called Sychar. The women of the village would gather to collect their water during the cooler periods of the day. The Bible says the unnamed woman went in the sixth hour, which is noon. At this time, it would have been very hot. The unnamed woman chose a time when she would avoid the gossip, stares, and condemnation of the other women in her city.

One day, as she made her way to the well, she was surprised to see an unknown man resting near the well. She recognized him as a Jew and wondered why he had chosen the Samaritan Road to travel. Since there was hatred between Jews and Samaritans, Jews avoided the region. She was surprised when he requested a drink from her. She was surprised because men did not address women in public, and He was a Jewish man speaking to her, a Samaritan woman.

After their conversation, the woman wanted the water that Jesus offered her. He then told her to get her husband, and she answered that she had none. Christ then revealed to her that He knew who she was. He knew her past, but His offer for living water was in spite of it. It is at this point in time that she realizes she is talking to no ordinary man. When she went to share her news with the city, she left her water pot and her past behind.

Her story reminds us that God is not a respecter of persons. He will reveal Himself and save whom He chooses. Christ did not reveal Himself or His revelation to a fine, upstanding, righteous citizen of the city. He revealed Himself to a woman many people probably didn’t want to be seen with in public.

God has a way of meeting us where we are. He reveals our weaknesses and reprimands our behaviors in an honest and loving way. The living water Christ gave her refreshed and satisfied her in a way that no carnal pleasure could. Jesus did what many of us would not do. He spoke to a person who society had given up on and judged to not be worthy. However, despite all of our pasts, God has seen fit to give us His living water.

PCC Scroll: Men of the Bible - Jesus

Name: Jesus

Meaning: Yahweh [the Lord] is Salvation

His Character: Jesus was fully human and fully God. He is the creator of the universe and the sustainer of life.

His Sorrow: To come into a world that denied His divinity.

His Triumph: After His resurrection, Jesus rose with all-power. He took upon Himself the sin of humanity. Through Him, we have the gift of eternal life.

Key Scriptures: The Gospel of John

As modern-day Christians, we know Jesus as many names. We know Him as the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Son of David, the Lamb of God, the Son of Man, the Prince of Peace, the Lord, and our Savior. We know Him as the Christ, which comes from the Greek word “Christos,” which means the Anointed One. He is known as Immanuel, which means God with us.

His life and ministry are chronicled in the four gospels. In John, the writer focuses on the divinity of Christ. It begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men…And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,” John 1:1-4, 14.

Throughout John, Jesus used the phrase “I am,” to describe who He is. It was a term used to illustrate His pre-existence and deity. “I am,” is familiar because it is the name God gave for Himself in Exodus. In John, Jesus says,

  “I am the bread of life”

John 6:35

  “I am the light of the world”  John 8:12

  “I am the door”

John 10:9

  “I am the good shepherd”

John 10:11

  “I am the resurrection,

and the life”

John 11:25

  “I am the way, the truth,

and the life”

John 14:6

  “I am the true vine”

John 15:1

To further illustrate Christ’s divinity, the Gospel of John tells of miracles and signs. These miracles include turning water into wine at a wedding feast, healing an official’s son who was dying, healing a lame man at the pool of Bethesda, feeding fish and loaves to 5,000 with little, walking on water, restoring sight to a blind man, and raising Lazarus from the dead.

As Christians, the most important miracle Jesus completed was the resurrection after His crucifixion. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, He gave us all the gift of eternal life. His death provided atonement for the sins of the world. As the Bible tells us, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.

Jesus’ life is an example to us all. He is the ultimate example of obedience to God. When faced with the limitations of His flesh, He turned His will over to God’s will. Through His humanity, He was tempted as we are tempted, yet He remained sinless.

Jesus is the ultimate example of God’s love for each of us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” John 3:16.