WOMEN OF DYNASTY, DYNAMIC PRAYER, DESTINY

FOUR GREAT MOTHERS OF THE BIBLE!

Each year, as we celebrate our mothers, it’s always a delight to look at some of the amazing
women in the Bible and the major role they played in the chain of events, which gave us the
Greatest Story Ever Told!

We all know and believe we have the greatest mom ever, and that is as it should be!!However,
how did some of the more unlikely women of the Bible ended up affecting so much that means,
literally the world, to so many?

The answer is – we don’t know! God chooses whomever He pleases to do whatever He wants in
the Timing of His Own choosing, period! As He says “My Ways are NOT your ways”, declares the
LORD.

Therefore, in honor of some of the more impactful mothers of the Bible, let’s take a look at four
mothers briefly: RAHAB, RUTH, HANNAH and of course – MARY!

Rahab and Ruth were women of Dynasty.

Hannah was a woman of Dynamic Prayer.

Mary – the mother of Jesus – a woman of Destiny!

RAHAB, a woman of Dynasty:

The story of Rahab, the gentile prostitute, begins in Joshua Chapter 2 as she comes on the
scene when Joshua sends two scouts into Shittim to view the land of Jericho for the Israelites.
The King of Jericho found out about it and sent his secret police into the town to find the
Joshua’s men.

Rahab had heard of the Mighty God of Israel, as had all the people in that region who
encountered God’s General Joshua, to their everlasting misfortune! The two men showed up at
this prostitute’s house, whose heart had been on fire after hearing about this Great God in
Heaven. We all know the rest of the story - Rahab hid Joshua’s scouts from the pagan King of
Jericho and saved their lives.
 But what is so relevant to her story is her testimony
here….as we pick up the passage from Joshua 2:9-15
(AMP) “And she said to the men, I know that the
Lord has given you the land and that your terror is
fallen upon us and that all the inhabitants of the
land faint because of you.

     10For we have heard how the Lord dried up the

water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of
Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the
Amorites who were on the [east] side of the Jordan,
Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.

     11When we heard it, our hearts melted, neither

did spirit or courage remain any more in any man
because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in
heaven above and on earth beneath.(A)

     12Now then, I pray you, swear to me by the Lord,

since I have shown you kindness, that you also will
show kindness to my father's house, and give me a
sure sign,

     13And save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all they have, and
deliver us from death.

     14And the men said to her, our lives for yours! If you do not tell this business of ours, then
when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.

     15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the
[town] wall so that she dwelt in the wall.

So, Joshua’s army spared Rahab and her family.

But look at her words closely:

- She heard of the mighty deeds of the Lord

- She heard of the Judgment of the Lord
- She had a broken heart before the Lord
- She had to have had an encounter with Him because NO ONE testifies (vs. 11) about the
LORD you GOD, without knowing Him intimately
- She hailed Him as the God of Heaven and Creator of the Earth
 - She heralded Him as the Plumbline of Truth in making the scouts swear to spare their
lives….which they did!

All of this represents a completely changed woman from her former occupation! Even though
Scripture still called her Rahab the Harlot in Joshua 6:17 (AMP), let us fast forward to the New
Testament to see how the Holy Spirit describes the new creature who was in the only group of
people saved from destruction in Jericho!

SO WHAT HAPPENED TO RAHAB?

She is mentioned in James 2:25 as a woman who was made right by her act of hiding Joshua’s
men.

Then she has a surprising appearance in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11:31 (ESV) “By faith
Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a
friendly welcome to the spies”

Even more exciting than her appearance in the Hall of Faith is Matthew 1:5 which places Rahab
directly as the mother of the great Kinsman- redeemer himself – Boaz! Who is Boaz? Read the
next section on Ruth.

Of all the great Tribes of the Israel and the nobles and elders, the Lord chose a poor little
Gentile harlot – Rahab – to be the great-grandmother of none other than – KING DAVID! AND if
that was not big enough, Rahab’s husband Salmon goes all the way back to Abraham!

Rahab is one of the most Godly and exceptional heroines of the Bible!!

RUTH, another woman of Dynasty:

We all know Ruth, the Moabite woman as the daughter in
law of Naomi. The latter left a famine in Judah with her
husband Elimelech and they lived in the heathen territory
of Moab. Naomi had two sons named Mahlon and
Chillion. Both men married Moabite women. Within ten
years, all three men died leaving Naomi a widow with two
widowed pagan daughter in laws!

Moab holds a distinction as one of the most evil areas in

the Bible. They practiced Human sacrifice to their pagan
gods Chemosh and Milcom, which King Solomon also got
involved in after his heart turned to his lusty women and
away from God! Moab and Ammon were also
descendants of Lot’s two daughters with their father, Lot! These people had absolutely NO
favor with the Lord.

Naomi’s two daughters – in- law Ruth and Orpah were free to leave after their husbands died
and Orpah did just that. She went back to her people and their pagan demonic gods. But Ruth
had observed her Godly mother in law and clung to her. It was almost as if she had a special
calling on her life.

Her great testimony is famous throughout the millennia and is used in sermons, weddings and
more as the epitome of love and dedication!

Here is what Ruth, who had grown up seeing her evil people sacrifice babies to Chemosh and
Milcom, said as she clung to Naomi:
16
But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go
I will go and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my
God.  17Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more
also if anything but death parts me from you."  18 And when Naomi saw that she was
determined to go with her, she said no more. (Ruth, Chapter 1:16-18)

It is my opinion, based on Biblical revelation, that Ruth had seen a lot of compromise in her
extended family. Here is the brief scenario – she came from a pagan Moabite religious
background. It bothered her. She had a different spirit (like Caleb).

Both her husband and his brother married Ruth and Orpah from this culture of Chemosh. We
don’t know if these men, Naomi’s sons, followed the one True God of Israel. But we do know
after they died, Ruth’s sister in law Oprah…I mean Orpah went back to the pagan gods she
never fully left!

GOD’S LINING IT UP:

This could explain her clinging to Ruth, because if people knew how ABSOLUTELY VILE and
DISGUSTING baby and human sacrifice to Chemosh, Molech and other of those gods of the time
were, you would want out of there too!! It is still amazingly incredible to me that King Solomon
dirtied his soul with this sickening practice for one of his 1000 plus wives or whatever!

Now we know why Ruth cleaved and did not leave! We all know her words by memory, if we
grew up through the Sunday school system: “Where you go, I go. Where you stay, I stay. I will
follow you. Your God will be MY GOD! Where you die, I die!”

This is absolutely incredible!

We see the Mighty Hand of God lining things up His Way again!
Here is the second Gentile woman, from a non believing background, chosen by God to be part
of His Plan! What was this plan? Well, as we know from the Book of Ruth, Ruth married a very
kind and generous man named Boaz.

Boaz’s mother was none other than Rahab; the prostitute rescued by the Greatest General who
ever lived – Joshua, son of Nun!

Rahab appeared to be long dead when Ruth came on the scene but the fact remains; she was
Ruth’s mother in law. As we now shall see, both Rahab and Ruth are Foundations of God’s
Dynasty on Earth!

After Rahab’s son Boaz married Ruth, they had a son named Obed. Obed’s son was Jesse who
had a little shepherd boy named – DAVID!

Thus began the greatest regal Dynasty in History – all connected to two unlikely, simple women
who saw the world around them, relented, repented and repaired to the rejuvenating love and
salvation of the Holy One of Israel!

HANNAH, a woman of Dynamic Prayer:

We have all known and/or heard stories of mothers who prayed for their children all their lives.
Some pray for their salvation or their
coming back to the Lord. Many pray for
life and career circumstances, or a
family issue. No matter what, there is
nothing like the prayers of a mother!

Honore de Balzac said “the heart of a

mother is a deep abyss at the bottom
of which you will always find
forgiveness”…and so a mom prays.

George Elliot said “A mother's yearning

feels the presence of the cherished
child even in the degraded
man”….there is nothing like a mother
praying for a lost son or daughter, who
has been caught up in the vortex of
worldly sin.
I love this Irish proverb “A man loves his sweetheart the most; his wife the best, but his mother
the longest”!

Then there is this Jewish proverb “God could not be everywhere and therefore He made
mothers”.

All of these underscore the character of a mother, whose heart is always for her children. So
when Godly Hannah could not have a child, and most likely, was beginning to feel less than a
woman, she did the only thing we know how to do in a crisis – PRAY!

The setting is the Shiloh where the Lord’s Presence had been. Many came from the tribes of
Israel up to Shiloh to worship the Holy One of Israel as will be required of the Nations during
the 1000 years reign of Jesus Christ. Just as an aside – even with Jesus sitting on His Throne in
the Temple in Jerusalem, there will be people still being born etc. who will rebel and REFUSE to
go up to Jerusalem and worship Him, annually! No need to tell you what will happen after that!

At this time, God’s priests were the sons of Eli – Hophni and Phinehas and He had in mind a
Godly man to be His next priest! The reason for this is the following: Hophni and Phinehas
made some American Televangelists look like Snow White! Their aging father Eli, a major
minister of the Lord, never disciplined his sons, and contrary to the Law, participated in their
skimming MORE than their portion of the priestly food! Not just the corruption and bribery, but
old Hophni and Phinehas were sleeping with every woman they could…violating the Holiness of
God – RIGHT INSIDE THE TEMPLE.

God knew He would take them out at the right time, but first He had to raise up His own man!

Into this world, stepped a humble, frightened woman…a woman scorned by many (except her
husband Elkanah) ….Hannah!

HANNAH’S PRAYER:

Here is her prayer which was so fervent that the insufferable Eli, who ignored his sons’
transgressions, accused Hannah of being drunk!

From 1 Samuel 1:10-11 (AMP) “And [Hannah] was in distress of soul, praying to the Lord and
weeping bitterly.  She vowed, saying, O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of
Your handmaid and [earnestly] remember, and not forget Your handmaid but will give me a
son, I will give him to the Lord all his life; no razor shall touch his head”.

Let’s take a closer look at the methodology of her prayer because it contains lessons for not just
moms, but anyone whose heart seeks after God and feels a tremendous burden to intercede or
simply beg for HELP! We look at it seriatim, in bullet form order:
 - Hannah was in deep, gut wrenching sorrow at being childless and all that went with it.

- Hannah began praying, with tears in complete brokenness before the Throne.

- Hannah sought a quid pro quo, almost!

- Hannah then made promise in her supplication.

- Hannah fulfilled her promise after Samuel the future Prophet was born, when God
answered her prayer!

There had to be complete brokenness before the Lord for Him to open up Heaven and release a
baby to be born to Hannah. You see this all through her prayer. However, while her belief and
faith that God could do what she asked, what was even MORE impressive was her selfless
sacrifice and devotion to God!

God not only made her complete as a woman of God and a mother, but He was glorified
because of His Grace to this humble woman. In a sense, Hannah is similar to the next Great
Mother in the Bible, whom history will talk about until the end of time! Like Mary, Hannah gave
her son to the Service of the Lord. Unlike Mary though, Hannah’s son was not God Who became
man!

MARY, a woman of Destiny:

A lot has been written about this young woman who was chosen by the Holy Spirit to carry the
Lord Jesus during His onetime incarnation as God Who became man, so that the world may be
saved! The name Mary is derived from the Hebrew word Mariam and means “wise woman”!

From the beginning of Mary’s rendezvous with Destiny, she carried herself with wisdom,
understanding and obedience. Nothing she did suggested otherwise!

In the male-dominated culture she came from, where women could not even read the Torah,
Mary’s God- anointed wisdom helped her through the most difficult time when it became
known this most likely young woman was pregnant while engaged to a man called Joseph!

A few incidents in her life may have had her scratching her head, yet she remained humble and
obedient, yet full of boldness and determination! Witness the following:

- There was the time, when He was 12 years old that He disappeared after a short visit to
the temple. Jesus was missing as the family were all heading back home from
Jerusalem!!! Jesus’ answer (to Mary) for being found teaching and interacting with the
elders in the Temple (while he was 12!!!) is priceless: “I must be about my Father’s
Business”!

- During the wedding in Cana (John 2: 1-11), Jesus’ reaction to Mary’s may have seemed
harsh to the unsaved eye but …well, here is Verse 10 “Jesus said to her, [Dear] woman,
 what is that to you and to Me? [What do we have in common? Leave it to Me.] My time
(hour to act) has not yet come”. Mary was acting like any good mother would by
thinking her Son would make it right when the wine ran out!! He did!! She completely
ignored what He said in Verse 10 and went ahead telling the wedding hosts to do
whatever Jesus said to do!

- Jesus refused to see Mary and her other children in Matthew 12:46-50 because we all
know his four brothers and two sisters did not believe in Him while He was alive! In fact
quite the opposite! They thought He was mad and tried to take charge of Him and take
Him home…so He just wanted to have nothing to do with them at that time. You would
think Mary would know better since she was told at the Conception, who Jesus really is!
But her mortal side won out here, for the time being.

- Contrary to some beliefs, Mary did not live and die a Virgin. She had other children. Her
sons with Joseph (after the Firstborn Jesus was born) were James, Jude, Simon and
Joses. His two sisters are not named. It is recorded that none of them believed in Him at
the time. In fact when the Lord was dying on the Cross, He looked at His young Disciple
John (NOT His own brothers) and told him to take care of His earthly mother – Mary!
This was Jewish custom and NOT Jesus declaring her as equal to Him or as some call her
“co- redeemer”! Again His own brothers were nowhere to be seen because they did not
believe until after the Resurrection. The eldest of the four, James, later ran the main
church in Jerusalem and was killed by the Pharisees while Jude’s book is a masterpiece
in only 25 verses!!!

These incidents throughout the Life of the Greatest Man Who ever lived do not detract from
the heart of His earthly mother. Like Hannah, her true heart was revealed in her prayer (now
called the Magnificat).

MARY’S PRAYER

While Hannah’s prayer was out of despair and brokenness at first and then praise later on,
Mary was just aglow with Praise to Abba Father for His Amazing Grace in choosing such a
humble woman, from poor origins, as her to be the vessel through which Christ the Savior of
the World was to be born.

This prayer speaks for itself without commentary….remembering it is from the heart of the
greatest mother who ever lived, who gave birth to the Savior Himself, yet needed His
Redemptive act on the Cross to save her, just as He saved all the rest of us!

Amen.

Here is the Magnificat from Luke 1:46-55 (AMP):

46
And Mary said, My soul magnifies and extols the Lord,
     47And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

     48For He has looked upon the low station and humiliation of His handmaiden. For behold,
from now on all generations [of all ages] will call me blessed and declare me happy and  [a]to be
envied!

     49For He Who is almighty has done great things for me--and holy is His name [to be
venerated in His purity, majesty and glory]!

     50And His mercy (His compassion and kindness toward the miserable and afflicted) is on
those who fear Him with godly reverence, from generation to generation and age to age.

     51He has shown strength and made might with His arm; He has scattered the proud and
haughty in and by the imagination and purpose and designs of their hearts.

     52He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree.

     53He has filled and satisfied the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away
empty-handed [without a gift].

     54He has laid hold on His servant Israel [to help him, to espouse his cause], in remembrance
of His mercy,

     55Even as He promised to our forefathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

Amplified Bible  (AMP)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by  The Lockman Foundation

English Standard Version  (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by  Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Images courtesy: BING

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