Rahab, Scarlet Woman

Study Notes on Women in the Bible Series

DRS. Monique Van Helvoort

• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Year: 2019
• eBook ISBN: 9781640883468
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

It is the prostitute Rahab that lures in the spies of God. Not the king of Jericho, but a harlot that lives
in the poor parts of the city who understands the choices between life and death, of right and wrong.
She reveals herself in this book as she fearlessly welcomes them and their God into her business.
Spies and prostitution all described thousands of years ago in the Bible and still present today.
The harlot is still and waits for God, who guides her into a Promised life.
Could there be a message for you?
Relive the biblical facts and imagine it as Fiction coming to your life.

RAHAB, SCARLET WOMAN

Study Notes on Women in the Bible Series

Drs. Monique van Helvoort

Prologue

JC: The verdict of mankind does not dictate the state of your mind.

Dedication

To my late dad, Wim: a tremendous earthly father; a wise man.

Acknowledgement

Not many words necessary; I count my blessings. From north to south, from east to west, above and beyond, neither space nor time,

Cheo danki.

Women in the Bible: Meet Rahab, Scarlet Woman

Study notes on her personal message and on the universal message of her life

Introduction

As a young girl, I understood a rare principle: “I can do and be everything I want to do and be.” I interpreted that knowledge in a childlike way. During my adult years, the principle stayed with me, with some varieties in interpretation. In my twenties, I realized that some people considered this principle to be “arrogant.” For the life of me, I could not understand why. It was much later that I learned that because they did not think that they could do anything they wanted, it was upsetting to them to hear my convictions. It was in no way my intention to upset anyone; on the contrary, the inner knowledge of this principle assisted me greatly in what I thought that I should do. It did not take anything from someone else; I was very ready to share my knowledge and beliefs and let them bring their own gifts to the table.

After some good results because of this knowing that I could do anything, I went through a negative experience in later years in my enthusiasm for sharing what I knew and what I could do and be. The negative experience was that not everyone wants to learn or to know what they can from someone else. Besides that, I learned that not everyone has to receive all the knowledge and instruction that I have. Solomon—yes, the king in the Bible—was clear about that. In Proverbs, he shares with us that we should share our knowledge with those who want us to, and not with scorners and/or wicked people. I have to admit that it was a hard lesson for me to learn, but I did. So now, my new philosophy is that I still can do and be everything I want to do and be, and that I discern whom I share this principle and my knowledge with.

I have known about the Bible since I was a young girl. My parents were Roman Catholics, and I consider myself a Christian. I had a children’s Bible that I got for my Holy Communion, one with beautiful illustrations. Especially, the pictures of Bathsheba and Samson I found impressive. I only started studying the Bible intensely in 2006 as an adult woman. I use different versions and different translations, as well as different languages, to study the Word. It took me one year to read the whole Bible in the King James Version, and since then it has never left my side.

The study notes I share in this book are written for women and girls, as well as men, to learn from and through the women in the Bible. I wrote down my study notes so the reader can decide if they want to receive this knowledge through this book. It was my choice to write down my insights, and it is your choice to read the study notes as it pleases you. I write in each book from the point of view of a woman in the Bible, for two reasons. The first is that I myself am a woman. The second is that I have realized that people still convince girls and women that they are limited, which is completely untrue in my belief, as “I can do and be everything I want to do and be.” I wanted to share life messages for and from women of the Bible, as the Bible is the oldest universal bestselling book, so that women know they can do everything. I empathize that the same principle counts for men. And yes, in the same way, women can learn messages from the male characters in the Bible. It just so happens to be that I am a woman, and I chose the women in the Bible for this purpose.

To clarify the principle that you and I can do and be anything you and I want to do and be, I have to add that this principle holds true for everyone who has a positive mindset towards others; that is, who wishes no harm on others, and takes her or his own development as a person in her or his own hand; who is willing to enhance their knowledge by learning from others; to put it plainly, for those who believe in God.

So, I decided to share with you my insights and my study notes on some female characters in the Bible and life as it is described there. In each book, I present you with my study notes on one persona—a short fictional version of her life, the factual version from the Bible, and derived from that, her personal message for us as readers. This is followed by a fictional version of her new life after she has learned her personal lesson.

As God’s ways are unbeknown to me, the book received an additional part. While studying the persona, God gave me an added message with regards to the woman in her specific context. Therefore, I also share with you the message I perceived from the context that she lives in as described in the Bible. I call that part a universal message.

Each book has one character or persona that is described in my study notes. The choice for the biblical character has been mine, and it is not in historical order, or in order of their Christian status of being well-known. The choice is led by what I tend to call my inner voice.

It is my privilege to share my study notes on women in the Bible, on their stance, their capacities, and their abilities, the choices they made, the mistakes they made, the flaws that are described, and the good characteristics they have. To put it plainly, they are described just as the men in the Bible are, with their accomplishments and with their failures, for us to learn from.

As a woman or as a man, I can learn from their lives, as these personas and their lives are descriptions on some level of my own life. So, the life stories are from the Bible, and I share with you my study notes and my interpretations of the biblical texts on these women and on their life’s message. Their first achievement is that their life was so prominent that it is described in the best-sold book in the whole world for the last many centuries.

I intend to shed my light on seven of these women, each having their own book. Leah and Rachel are waiting to be introduced to the world, as is Eve. I am well aware that there are more than that, and that the most famous ones are not the first ones you will be introduced to. The different characters represent a message—a lesson, if you will—...

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