Books in This Series of Study Notes on Women in the Bible
by
Drs. Monique van Helvoort
Rahab, Scarlet Woman (Book 1)
Leah and Rachel, Becoming Matriarchs (Book 2)
Eve, of Mankind (Book 3)
The ideas, insights and suggestions contained in these books are not intended to substitute for professional consulting. The author respects each individualās right to make their own decisions.
Table of Contents
Dedication 9
Acknowledgement 11
Understanding Women in the Bible: Study Notes on Her Personal Message and on the Universal Message of Her Life 13
Chapter I How to Read the Study Notes on Women in the Bible 23
Chapter II Structure of Each Book 29
Chapter III Eve, of Mankind 31
The Official Biblical Text of the Book of Genesis, King James Version (KJV), with Regard to Eve 31
Ishahās Daily Life Story: an Imaginary Tale 45
Eve, of Mankind: the Meaning of Her Name 57
My Study Notes on Eve 61
Eve, the Spirit 61
Eve, the Woman: Her Choice 71
Finger Pointing, Non-Accountability, Non-Love 89
The Ten Commandments and Eve 93
Regret and Forgiveness 101
Eve, Mother of Cain and Abel: the Evil and the Good of the Fruit She Chose to Eat 103
Through the Eyes of Love 115
Eve, Mother of Mothers 119
Cleansing of Eve 123
Eveās Desire 127
The Message of Eve, of Mankind 137
Eveās Future: the Promise that Was Given to Her 141
Chapter IV The Universal Message 145
Genesis 145
Eve: the Different Levels and Messages to This Biblical Character 159
Chapter V Beyond the Eve-ning; a New DayāEveās Daily Life Story: an Imaginary Tale 161
Sources of Knowledge 175
About the Author 177
Dedication
To Tante Evie, through the eyes of love.
Acknowledgement
For those who carry the human race.
Understanding Women in the Bible: Study Notes on Her Personal Message and on the Universal Message of Her Life
Meet Eve, of Mankind
Introduction
In the first book on a female biblical character, Rahab: Scarlet Woman, I shared with you that as a young girl, I understood a rare principle: I can do and be everything I want to do and be. That principle has stayed with me all my life, and was the foundation for going forward with this series, Study Notes on Women in the Bible, with the aim of helping readers to understand these women and to learn from them. It is my wish that you enjoyed learning something for yourself through that most unexpected characterāRahab, a harlot. I know I did, as I also did from studying two feuding sisters who became so important to a whole nation in Leah and Rachel: Becoming Matriarchs. They gave me insights into their lives and they shared their life lessons with me, for me to write down. They all are formidable women of the Bible. Now it is Eveās turn, as she wanted to be in the third bookāyet the fourth person in these study notes. In the Bible she is first, together with Adam.
I have studied the Bible intensely since 2006. It is something that I consider a big achievement, according to my own measurement of success. On my own, through others by listening and speaking to them, and by learning to listen to Godās voice better and better, I live and learn to live in a healthy and happy way. One day at a time.
I live in Aruba and was born in CuraƧao, in the Caribbean Islands. I went to school here, and studied later in the Netherlands and received a bachelorās degree in two teaching subjects. I later studied governance and received my masterās degree. While studying the Bible, I have come to realize that Solomon should have been awarded a double PhD in governance.
I choose to read and study the Bible in English (King James Version), and as aiding tools I have Bibles in different languages and different translations. Our daily language in Aruba is Papiamento; the instructional language in most of the schools is Dutch. We are closely affiliated with the US, so English is used on the whole island, as is Spanish. All three and even four languages are part of these study notes and my insights, and together they lead to this series on Women in the Bible.
The first message that my heavenly Father gave me in specific words, in 2006, came through clearly: they were āpara ketoā in Papiamento, our native language; in English that is well known as ābe still.ā And so, I didāI stood still and listened and observed. It was only later that I encountered the biblical text āBe still, and know that I am Godā (Psalm 46:10 KJV). That was a moment when I was silencedāat awe, reallyāas it made God, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit in me all so very real; and at the same time, reality became unreal. Does that make sense to you? If it does not, it might after you have read about Eve and get to know her, as I met her for the purpose of this book in early 2019. Indeed, I am writing about the same Eve whom people make jokes about. The Eve who offered the forbidden fruit to her man, Adam. The Eve who is blamed by people for giving women a bad reputation. The Eve who sinned and caused her manāand therefore all of mankindāto sin. She seems to be a woman with flaws. She seems to be the one who made the big mistake which caused all of the worldly women to have this ongoing male-female debate. She is the one who made the mistakeāor is she? Is she all that bad? What is my and your part in all of this? Is Adam so gullible a mate that he cannot think for himself? Is she powerless and dependent on man? Are all of us women gullible because of that? If she was, and we know that it was silly, then do we repeat that silly act?
The study notes that I share in this book are written for women and girls, but are actually of the same value for men. I wrote down my study notes so that 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, as it pleases you, to read these study notes. 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 beliefāas āI can do and be everything I want to do and be,ā and āI stand on my own two feet.ā These two messages I received from my late (earthly) dad.
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 that they can do everythingāas it was created in them.
I emphasize that the same principle counts for men. And yes, in the same way, women can learn lessons from the male characters in the Bible. It just so happens to be that I am a woman, and therefore 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 othersāthat is, who wishes no harm on others, and takes her or his own development as a person into her or his own hand; who is willing to enhance their...