Five Chosen Women of the Old Testament: A Practical Study

By Deborah HS Chai

This Bible-study material is the product of much time and seeking spent in quietness before God, reading the Word, and listening to the Holy Spirit. It can offer a life-changing exercise for anyone who is hungry for the truth and willing to partner with the Almighty in faith and obedience.

Why have these women been included in the Bible? Surely it is for our good, so that we can learn from their lives. And the author finds great peace in being egalitarian in perspective and wants to see many others become secure in their identity in Christ, being sure of oneself, being rooted and established in the love of Christ, per Galatians 3:2629: "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christs, then you are Abrahams seed, and heirs according to the promise." (NKJV)

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490825144

Deborah HS Chai

Deborah Chai is a Christian educator and has been serving God in the prayer and worship ministry and marketplace ministry for many years, having experienced personal revival in her late teens at school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She aspires to see more growth and pleasure in learning in the Christian community.

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Copyright © 2014 Deborah HS Chai.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-2513-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-2514-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014902042

WestBow Press rev. date: 02/26/2014

Contents

Introduction

How to use this material

1. Rebekah

2. Rachel

3. Deborah

4. Ruth

5. Esther

6. Rebekah

7. Rachel

8. Deborah

9. Ruth

10. Esther

11. Summary and conclusion

A special note

1 Peter 3:4

…rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. (NKJV)

Introduction

Modern women are blessed to have many others who have gone before us, in history, to learn from. We find women who have led exemplary lives documented in the Bible. This is an attempt to study, and learn from five women in the Old Testament, namely Rebekah, Rachel, Deborah, Ruth and Esther. 1 Peter 3:4 has been instrumental for me during challenging moments, reminding me of what is truly valuable in the eyes of God, and all of Scripture has been and will be ‘the rock on which I stand’.

Four of the women are Jewish and one is a Moabitess, whom God chose and raised up to cling on to another Jewish woman, who became a matriach, a grandmother in substance, leading to the birth of king David, and then Jesus, many generations later.

These studies will certainly not be feminist in perspective, but will be balanced with regard to the importance of men and women. However the focus here will be on the women, and what we can learn from them, their triumphs and their failures. Let’s look through the eyes of the resurrected Christ as we look at these women figures, in grace and truth (see John 1:14).

While this is a series of Bible studies primarily for women, men are welcome to study with us too, and contribute their insights :)

May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all!

Deborah Chai

August 8, 2013, Hong Kong

How to use this material

There are two main parts in this material, namely a set of questions and a set of questions with answers. Group leaders need to prepare well, with prayer and careful reading of the selected Scriptures that tell the stories of each of the five women. Group members also need to read the Scriptures and attempt the questions before discussing them in the small group. I would suggest using this material in groups of 3-6 people, with people taking turns to facilitate. It would be good training ground for future leaders.

The non-negotiables

We need to accept the Scriptures as infallible, and the character of God unquestionable, i.e. He is good, and holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, full of justice and mercy. Only then, will we be able to receive and appropriate the promises in the Bible, and walk in faith and obedience. In other words, we need to lay down any form of selfish pride, to walk in relationship with the living God.

The good news of Jesus Christ

The Christian believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, who sent Him to die on the cross for the sins of the world, and raised Him from the dead, releasing His Holy Spirit to all who would call on His name (see John 3:16). Our souls are saved for eternity, as our sins have been paid for, when Jesus gave His life on the cross. Our lives are made new, redeemed, and ‘the power of cancelled sin is broken’ forever. These are the words of an old hymn, which rings true for all time as Satan works hard at deceiving whoever he can deceive, and hold in bondage. We need to constantly remember that sin was cancelled when Jesus died, and the power of sin over us is broken when we believe in this good news! We are in the world but not of the world when we submit to the Lordship of Christ, and He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (see 1 John 4:4). We are reconciled to God and become overcomers in Christ!

Invitation

Let’s look into the Word of God seriously, and determine to grow in