Breath of his breath, and bone of his bone …
… she was the powerful companion God had brought out from the one to make them two together
This series of Bible studies seeks to retell the stories of women who were divinely called and empowered to do great things. Many of them rose to the occasion, and a few very famously did not. Often, the tragedies and triumphs in their lives are missed, and their stories are told from perspectives other than with the honor and dignity they deserve.
After excavating their narratives from millennia of obfuscation, now meet the freshly restored, valiant, vivid (and sometimes villainous) women of the Bible.
Eve, ‘Ezer Kenegdo
Eve is most often remembered as the one who plunged all of humanity into sin, corruption and death, much like the ancient Greek myth about Pandora and her ill-fated box.
But the truth about Eve does not even come close to that description. She was God’s gift to humankind, the one called a “suitable strength,” a powerful companion come as God’s crowning gift to humanity
This thirty-page book includes the retelling of Eve’s story, a fifteen-question Bible study, and link to a twenty-minute multi-media presentation of the first half of Eve’s story, the beautiful world God placed her in, and the perfect relationships she was to enjoy.
“It is not good for the human being to be alone”
Most would view Genesis 2 as the Bible’s introduction of Eve.
In fact, whole theologies have been developed on the supposition that another, unnamed, woman was created in Genesis 1 (later identified as a creature named Lilith) who ultimately rejected Adam as her husband, thus prompting God to create a second woman for the man in Genesis 2.
Yet, to discover Eve’s beginnings, our introduction to the mother of humankind does come in Genesis 1.
If we view Genesis 1 and 2 as a single creation account portrayed as first an overview and next as a close-up of humankind’s story, we see God’s great love and joy as the Lord anticipated the climax of God’s creative undertaking.
In this account, it is made clear both humans have come from the same source, the same lump of clay, sharing even the same original breath of life. Having been formed from one substance, the first man and woman would also, in a particular way, be a lasting metaphor of the triune God, for Jesus was of one substance with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
As the three-in-one God is fully divine and fully equal within the one Godhead, so women and men are both completely equal in attributes and character. They share equally in God’s blessing; share equally in God’s mandate to be fruitful, to fill their world; share equally in developing and governing the earth; and share equal authority in caring for the world. In God’s original design, men and women were not to rule each other, but rather, together were to tend and befriend the world God had given them.
This month’s free Bible study on a woman in the scriptures is available through signing up to the newsletter below. What’s included:
- Access to all the Bible studies that have been made available so far.
- One new study each month.
- Early announcement of new books, published by the author.
If you are using your mobile phone, use the link below to sign up:
