DAY 1 | Introduction to the Series Opening Song All I’ve Ever Done https://youtu.be/owlQlLyN4W0 Scripture: Selected Scripture texts ​ Women The Bible contains both descriptive and prescriptive text. Much of our direct understanding comes from God’s prescriptions for victorious living. However, historical narratives are essential for our learning. Especially in the Old Testament, there are Bible characters whose lives parallel our modern-day behaviours and circumstances — we are all Adam’s children. In this series, the men from Mount Carmel will share their thoughts about ‘Women Who Knew God’ for the first week; and the women from Mount Carmel will share their thoughts about ‘Men of Faith’ in the second week. God’s Virtuous Women God created the mystical, splendid and diverse complementary nature in men and women. Men and women are created “in the image of God”, and their place in Christ abolishes any subordination of either to the other. Yet, because they are complementary, they cannot be identified one as the other. Here are some notable women and their faith. Mother of Three Nation-builders (Num 26:59) ​ ​ ​ Jochebed was the mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. She passed on three traits to them: They didn’t forget their identity as God’s children during difficult times, did not follow Egypt’s gods and they had great compassion for others. Wise Girl Beyond her Age (Exo 2:1-10) ​ ​ ​ Miriam was Moses’ sister. After her mother, Jochebed, nursed Moses for 3 months, she had to send him away as she couldn’t hide him from Pharaoh’s decree to kill every Hebrew baby. When Jochebed put Moses in the basket and into the river, Miriam diligently watched over her brother. And when Pharaoh’s daughter took the baby, Miriam was wise to suggest that a nanny (Jochebad) look after the baby. Moses grew up in the Egyptian palace under the tutelage of his Hebrew mother. When Miriam did these things, she was probably six or seven years old. Civil Rights Daughters (Num. 27:1-11) ​ ​ ​ The daughters of Zelophehad, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirza stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of Israel. They spoke and won the right to inherit their deceased father’s property. Businesswoman (Acts 16:14-15) ​ ​ ​ Lydia of Thyatira sought the Lord and God put it into her heart to support Paul. She was a businesswoman and was pivotal to the spread of Jesus’ name from Philippi. www.carmel.sg/womenwhoknewgod ​ Women who laboured hard for God (Rom 16:1-16) ​ ​ ​ ● Phoebe: a servant and caring patroness of Cenchreae church. ● Mary: a Roman Christian who worked hard. ● Junia: a fellow prisoner like Paul who knew Christ and was well known to the apostles. ● Rufus’ mother: like a mother to Paul. ● Persis: worked hard in the Lord. ● Julia & Olympas: also workers for the Lord. If you feel inadequate today, be encouraged like today’s song: Jesus is on a relentless pursuit with His invincible love, just pray to Him. Prayer Jesus, I struggle sometimes, thinking that You are just my imagination, that somehow, I’ve dreamed You up from bits and pieces of the Bible. But I want to know You in reality, Lord. I ask that You give me the discipline to listen to and obey your Word. O Christ, reveal Yourself to me and shatter my illusions of what I should be. Give me eyes to see, make my heart resonate – May I be the real person You have made me to be. In Christ’s name, amen. By Adrian Ang www.carmel.sg/womenwhoknewgod ​ DAY 2 | Lydia | Acts 16:11-15 Opening Song How Beautiful https://youtu.be/kJM0hFvz_64 Read Scripture: Acts 16:11-15 ​ Lydia from Thyatira “Women hold up half the sky” goes a Chinese saying. Theologically unsound, this saying nevertheless underscores the importance of women. In Singapore, the government is conducting a comprehensive review of issues involving equality and respect for women. Let us pray that other countries, particularly those in Asia, will do likewise. I thank God that in Carmel, our sisters are indeed a positive force, serving actively in key areas such as Sunday School, worship ministry through music and flower arrangement, prayer ministry, visitation/praying for the sick and ladies fellowship. Women in the Bible inspire us in different ways. Lydia is perhaps an atypical woman. Still, her life holds precious lessons for all of us, men included. I cite three take-aways. First, she was a godly woman. A gentile and not yet a believer in the Way. She nevertheless believed in a monotheistic Jewish God, with the concomitant religious and moral injunctions. As it was the Sabbath, she had set aside work related to her thriving business (making and selling dye for the purple cloth common in the region) to spend time with the women by the river to pray to and worship God. As there were not many Jews in Philippi, there was no synagogue in the city. It was there that her life path was changed when she met the apostle Paul and Silas, becoming, in effect, Paul’s first convert in Europe (Acts 16:6-12). Are we like Lydia, taking time to slow down to worship God on the Lord’s Day, despite any weekday preoccupations that bear down on us? Second, Lydia was an independent woman of means, a successful businesswoman who lived in her own house and managed her own household. Even before her conversion, she was self-assured and confident of her identity, subscribing to the Jewish God. When Paul preached by the river that fateful day, Lydia listened and “the Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message”. This first European ​ ​ conversion had not happened by accident. God had primed and prepared Lydia’s heart through her previous life experiences, and had brought her to the river that day and at a time when Paul and Silas also came along. This process is replicated in all conversions where God leads the convert to hear his Word, brought by someone prepared by Him. The person receiving His Word may be in different circumstances -some dire and feeling lost; others like Lydia, self-fulfilled and contented. The learning point for us is to be ready to be vessels used by God to touch lives by sharing the gospel and praying for the salvation of those whom He brings to our path. www.carmel.sg/womenwhoknewgod ​ Third, Lydia displayed practical love by expressing hospitality readily. She must have worked hard and smart to attain her wealth and standing in society. Yet, she knew that, ultimately, it was God who had blessed her with these resources, of which she was only a steward. She exhorted Paul and Silas to stay with her (v.15). This shows that Lydia was a sensitive person. She very likely sensed that Paul and Silas may be unsure about accepting home hospitality from a woman. But she showed poise and good sense in the way she extended the invitation, making it hard for Paul and Silas to say “No” and yet not coming across as being imposing. “If you consider me a ​ believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house” (v.15). In opening her home to ​ God’s messengers, Lydia stands in the New Testament in the position which is occupied by the Shunammite woman in the Old Testament (2 Kgs 4:10) who prepared a prophet’s chamber for Elisha and Gehazi. May all of us who have enough space at home be ever-ready to accommodate God’s workers “so that we may work ​ together for the truth” (3 Jn 8) ​ By Eld Ho Peng Kee www.carmel.sg/womenwhoknewgod ​ DAY 3 | Rahab | Josh 2:1-14, 6:24-25 Opening Song Hide Me Behind the Cross https://youtu.be/JdutvZo201g Read Scripture: Joshua 2:1-24; 6:24-25 ​ Coming Out of Hiding The story of Rahab is a story about hiding. She hid the spies who came to check out her city. The spies hid from the soldiers of Jericho who came looking for them. Rahab hid her faith and told it only to the Israelite spies. When the city was taken, she and her family hid in her home and were spared. Most of all, God hid his purpose in Rahab, for no one could have imagined God using someone like her. In the musical Evita, Eva Peron, the first lady of Argentina, embarks on a tour of ​ ​ Europe. When she lands in Rome, she fumes and complains to her host, “Did you hear that? They call me a whore!” His reply only adds to the sting, “It’s an easy mistake. I am still called an Admiral, yet I gave up the seas long ago.” However we tell her story, one thing stuck with Rahab: her profession as a prostitute. Josephus, the Jewish historian, tried to rehabilitate Rahab’s reputation by re-casting her as an inn-keeper, but few scholars are convinced. In all the references to her in Scriptures, she bore the title “Rahab the harlot.” (Josh 2:1; Heb 11:31; Jas 2:25) Yet, for her faith in the God of Israel and daring decisions to protect the Israelite scouts, she secured a place in the history of Israel. She is listed with great men like Moses, Gideon and Samuel, in the hall of fame as a heroine of faith. Not only that, ​ ​ she found honour with men like Abraham, Isaac and David in the genealogy of the Messiah. Jewish tradition tells us that she converted to the faith of Israel and married ​ ​ Joshua, becoming the ancestress of eight priests and prophets, including Jeremiah.