Part A:
Eve - She was made by God from Adam's rib and was the very first woman. She tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit, which they both ate, and set in motion the hardships for all of mankind. Because they had eaten the forbidden fruit, God banished them and made it painful to have children. The fruit allowed them to see both good and evil. Story of Temptation
Sarah - Abraham's wife. God came and visited them to tell Abraham and Sarah that, while the were old, they would bear a son. When hearing this, Sarah laughed and when God questioned her about it she quickly denied it. God then responded saying, "no, but you did laugh," essentially calling her out on it, because God had been good to them and they knew that all things were possible through Him. Her son is Isaac. Story of Doubt
Hagar - She was an Egyptian servant of Abram, whom Abram's wife, Sarai, gave to him so that she may conceive them a child, for she was barren. Once Hagar conceived a child, Sarai was unpleased by Hagar's contempt for her and delt with her harshly causing Hagar to flee. An angel then appeared to Hagar telling her to return to her master Sarai and to name her son Ishmael.
Rebekah - Abraham sent his servant to get a wife form his sone Isaac in a specific land. Once the servant was there he prayed to God, asking that the woman he was to find would come up to him offering water to he and his camels so that he would know whom to bring back with him for Isaac to wed. That woman was Rebekah; and when the servant told them he was to bring her back with him they wanted to wait 10 days, but Rebekah said she would depart immediately. Isaac and Rebekah were wed and Isaac loved Rebekah with all his heart. Abraham gave all he had to Isaac and God blessed Isaac. Rebekah birthed 2 sons, Esau and Jacob. And these two son's were to one day be two nations, with the older serving the younger. Esau was the favorite of Isaac and Jacob was the favorite of Rebekah. Rebekah helped Jacob trick his father Isaac into giving him the blessing, and birthright, that was to be bestowed upon Esau, and then she helped Jacob escape the wrath of his brother.
Story of Faith
Rachel - Jacob loved Rachel and vowed to her father that he would work for him for 7 years so that he could marry her. But on their wedding night, her father tricked Jacob and instead of Rachel he brought Jacob her older sister Leah to lay with, confirming the marriage. So Jacob had to serve another 7 years before he could marry Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. She bore him his favorite two sons, Joseph and Benjamin.
Leah - First wife of Jacob and was the first to bear him a son. She was tormented within because she knew that no matter how many sons and daughters she gave him, Jacob would never love her as much as he loved her sister Rachel.
Potiphar's wife - Joseph, son of Jacob, was a servant to Potiphar, and Egyptian officer to Pharaoh. Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph and all that Joseph did, so he put all at he had in Joseph's charge. Potiphar's wife then tried to seduce and sleep with Joseph and he would refuse her day after day. One day she grabbed him by his garment and demanded that the lay with her. Joseph fled from her, leaving his garment behind. When she saw that she had his garment she lied and told the men of the house, and later on her husband, that Joseph had slept with her and when she cried out he ran away. Potiphar became enraged and imprisoned Joseph.
Jephthah's daughter - Jephthah was a leader in a great war against the Ammonites. He made a vow to the Lord that if the Lord would deliver the Ammonites to his hand, then whomever would come out of his house to greet him when he returned, he would offer up as a burnt offering. Well Jephthah defeated the Ammonites and when he returned it was his only daughter that greeted him. He wept telling her of his promise to God and she understood, telling him that he must do as he had promised. However, she asked if she could first climb the mountains for 2 months so she could weep for her virginity, which her father granted. When she returned 2 months later, Jephthah did as he had promised and his daughter died a virgin. Story of Faith
Delilah - She was the love of the invincible strong man Samson. Lords of the Philistines knew of this and told Delilah to seduce Samson so they could see where his strength came from and could defeat him, and if she did so they would pay her. So Delilah asked Samson where his strength came from and he told her that if he was bound with 7 fresh bowstrings that hadn't been dried he would be as weak as any man. So while he was sleeping she bound him in the 7 fresh bowstrings that had not been dried and yelled "the Philistines are upon you Samson!"But he snapped the bowstrings, for it was not the secret of his strength. She asked him again and he said if he were bound with new, never been used rope he would be as weak as any man. So while he was sleeping she bound him in the rope and yelled that the Philistines were upon him, but again he snapped through them. So she asked him again, and he said if 7 locks of his hair were woven and fasten tight with the pin he would be as weak as any man. So while he was asleep she wove 7 locks of his hair and again called out, but he broke from that as well. Delilah asked him day after day until she vexed him to death. So Samson told her the truth, that if his head were shaved he would be weak. So while he was sleeping she shaved his head and began to torment him and saw that he was weak and gave him over to the Philistines. Story of Betrayal
Hannah - Barren wife of Elkanah. Every year he would go and sacrifice and worship in the name of the Lord and would give a portion to his wife Peninnah and all her children and a double portion to his wife Hannah because he loved her (even through she would not have children). Because the Lord had closed her womb, Hannah became irritated and she wept and would not eat. After they had eaten and drunk in their place of worship in Shiloh, Hannah was so deeply distressed she decided to pray and weep to the Lord vowing that if He gave her a son she would give Him all the days of his life. The priest, Eli, saw this and thought she was drunk and so he went over and spoke to her only to find out that she was not drunk, nor had she drunk, but was pouring out her soul about her anxiety and vexation. Eli then said that he hoped she had found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Hannah bore a son and named him Samuel.
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| Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo Forbidden Fruit |
Part B:
The witch of Endor - Saul was fighting against the Philistines and became afraid when he saw their army so he called out to God, but God did not answer. So he sent his servants to find a medium, which they found in Endor. Saul disguised himself and visited her at night. When he asked her to summon the dead spirit of Samuel (for Samuel had recently passed) she responded by telling him how Saul had cut mediums off from that land and asked him why he was laying a trap for her death. Saul responded by reassuring her that no harm would come to her, then she summoned Samuel's spirit. When she did this she knew the man was Saul and screamed, but Saul reassured her again and he spoke to Samuel. Samuel told Saul that the Lord had turned from Saul and given his land to king David and that Saul was to die soon. The woman then urged Saul to eat after he was stricken on the ground with fear, and so she cooked for him.
Bathsheba - David saw a beautiful woman bathing and demanded her, so his servants took her and David slept with her and impregnated her. This woman, Bathsheba, was married to a man named Uriah who was a soldier in David's army. David urged Uriah several times to go home to his wife, but Uriah would not leave his men, so David commanded that Uriah be put at the front of a terrible battle and then have everyone draw back son that Uriah would be, and was, killed. David then married Bathsheba and she bore him a son.
Esther 1 - Esther was a Jew, although she told no one at first, who came to live with her cousin Mordecai after the death of her parents. The king of this land was not pleased with his wife so he commanded that all the young virgins of the land be gathered up and the one that pleased him most would be his new queen. So Esther was forced to go through the long process at the kingdoms palace to find the king a new queen. The king loved Esther more than all the other women and she became queen. Mordecai was a servant at the gates, which he worked everyday, and one day found out that two men were plotting to kill the king. So Mordecai told Esther who told the king and the two men were hung and the situation was recorded.
Esther 2 - The king promoted Haman to his second in command and all the servants at the gate were to bow to him, but Mordecai refused. This angered Haman and so he sought to destroy all of Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the kingdom. So Haman tricked the king into signing a decree to kill all of the Jews in the kingdom, and Mordecai informed Esther of Haman's plans. Esther was afraid to talk to the king without being summoned, for the punishment was death, but she kew she had to so she could save her people and she found favor in the king and her life was spared. She decided to ask both the king and Haman to dinner that evening and when they attended she decided to ask them to dinner again for the next evening, for she became afraid to tell the king of Haman's plans. After the first dinner, Haman went to the gates and became annoyed that Mordecai still would not bow down to him, so he devised a plan and had gallows made up to hang and kill Mordecai.
Esther 3 - At the second dinner with the king and Haman, Esther finally told the king that Haman sought to destroy her people. The king became enraged and left to think. While he was gone, Hana begged the queen for his life and the king returned to find Haman falling on the couch where Esther was sitting. The king demanded Haman be hung immediately and so he was hung on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai whose words had saved the kings life. The king then gave Mordecai Haman's position and Esther begged the king to revoke the decree. And so it was done and the Jews were saved. Story of Bravery
Susannah - She was a righteous woman married to an honorable man named Joacim, and they lived in a big house where everyone would gather and the house had a garden. Everyday at noon Susannah would walk in the garden and 2 elders would watch her do this everyday and their lust and impure thoughts grew for her, and so they decided hey would watch everyday together until they saw her alone. One day, as she took a bath alone, the 2 elders who had been hiding sprung out and confessed their lust for her and told her that she must sleep with them, and if she refused then they would lie and tell everyone that they saw her with a younger man. Susannah decided she would rather be punished by them than by God, so she refused them and cried out, and the elders cried out against her. The next day, everyone gathered at Joacim's house for a trial to put Susannah to death and the elders told their lie and the people believed them, so Susannah was to be put to death. But she cried out to the Lord and the Lord heard her and spoke through a young man named Daniel who told everyone the elders were lying. Daniel demanded the elders be split up and when Daniel asked them, separately, what tree she had been under, both gave a different answer and their lie was exposed and they were put to death. An innocent life was spared.
Mary and Elizabeth - Elizabeth was married to Zechariah and she was barren and they were both advanced in years. An angel, named Gabriel, appeared to each of them and told them they would have a son. Gabriel was then sent to a virgin named Mary, betrothed to Joseph, to tell her that she was now pregnant with Jesus, the son of God. Mary then went to visit her relative, Elizabeth and when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting the baby leaped in her womb. Both women had strong faith in the Lord. Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist.
Mary and Anna - Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem for registration and while there she gave birth to Jesus. After a certain amount of time, Jesus was to be presented to the temple and there was a prophetess there, named Anna, who never departed from the temple, night or day. She gave thanks to the Lord upon seeing the baby and spoke to them about redemption.
Herodias -Herodias had a grudge against John the Baptist because he told king Herod that it was not lawful to have and marry his brothers wife (for Herodias had previously been Herod's brothers wife), so Herod had John imprisoned. On Herod's birthday, at his party, Herodias' daughter danced for the king and it pleased him and he told her that she may have anything that she wanted, so she asked her mother and her mother said that she wanted the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter. The king immediately felt sorry for this because he liked John, but his oath to his guests could not be broken so he had John beheaded and gave the girl John's head who then gave it to her mother, Herodias.
Martha and Mary - Jesus entered a village and Martha welcomed him into her house. While Martha was serving, her sister, Mary, was sitting at the Lord's feet listening to his teachings. Martha asked the Lord if he didn't care that her sister left her to serve alone and told Jesus to tell Mary to help her. But Jesus told Martha that she was anxious and troubled with many things but her sister, Mary, had chosen the right decision which would not be taken from her. Mary was the woman who anointed Jesus with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. Now Lazarus, Martha and Mary's brother, had grown ill and was dying, so the women sent word to Jesus to tell him and ask for his help. Jesus loved them and so decided that he must go to them. Lazarus died before Jesus arrived and once Jesus got there he spoke to both Martha and Mary, who told him if he had gotten there sooner their brother would still be alive. But Jesus told them that Lazarus will not die and he went out his tomb and said "Lazarus, come out" and the man who had died came out and lived again.
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| King Ahasuerus and Haman at Esther's Feast by Rembrandt |
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