Ezer
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18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.
God names the first women “Ezer Kenegdo”
God names the first women “Ezer Kenegdo”
Does Ezer Kenegdo only apply to married women? If that is the case then it does not apply to 60% of women and girls in America. Let alone all the women and girls world wide.
Does Ezer Kenegdo only apply to married women? If that is the case then it does not apply to 60% of women and girls in America. Let alone all the women and girls world wide.
What does God mean by “Ezer Kenegdo”?
What does God mean by “Ezer Kenegdo”?
Kenegdo: literally means “according to the opposite of him.” The idea is Women are the best match to partner with men to accomplish the mission of God.
Kenegdo: literally means “according to the opposite of him.” The idea is Women are the best match to partner with men to accomplish the mission of God.
Does the English word “helper” capture the meaning of the Hebrew word “ezer”?
Does the English word “helper” capture the meaning of the Hebrew word “ezer”?
What connotations does the word helper carry in our culture?
What connotations does the word helper carry in our culture?
Carolyn James writes in here book Half the Church. “The focus on the wife as her husband’s helper has led … to practices that communicate that women are second class citizens at home and in the church. None of this is true. There is nothing second class about God’s vision for his daughters, and the ezer holds the clues.
Carolyn James writes in here book Half the Church. “The focus on the wife as her husband’s helper has led … to practices that communicate that women are second class citizens at home and in the church. None of this is true. There is nothing second class about God’s vision for his daughters, and the ezer holds the clues.
Merriam-Webster Defines helper as one that helps - especially : a relatively unskilled worker who assists a skilled worker usually by manual labor.
Merriam-Webster Defines helper as one that helps - especially : a relatively unskilled worker who assists a skilled worker usually by manual labor.
Does helper capture well what God means? Is this the message we want to send to all women?
Does helper capture well what God means? Is this the message we want to send to all women?
How do we determine the meaning of a word? Word usage determines its meaning.
How do we determine the meaning of a word? Word usage determines its meaning.
4 and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”).
7 And this he said of Judah: “Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him in to his people. With your hands contend for him, and be a help against his adversaries.”
26 “There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty.
29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs.”
1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!
5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!
19 Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: “I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have exalted a young man from among the people.
20 I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
21 My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.
22 No enemy will subject him to tribute; no wicked man will oppress him.
23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries.
24 My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted.
9 O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;
9 He destroys you, O Israel, for you are against me, against your helper.
In these passages who is the helper - ezer?
In these passages who is the helper - ezer?
Sisters God has given you a name he bears. Ezer!
Sisters God has given you a name he bears. Ezer!
Sisters you image God as Ezers.
Sisters you image God as Ezers.
What does this mean? The connotations for “Ezer” in the Hebrew mean strength or might and hero or warrior. The sense of the meaning then is a mighty warrior coming to help.
What does this mean? The connotations for “Ezer” in the Hebrew mean strength or might and hero or warrior. The sense of the meaning then is a mighty warrior coming to help.
Carolyn James writes “Descriptions of the woman as dependent, needy, vulnerable, deferential, helpless, leaderless, or weak are—to put it simply—wrong. Such definitions betray cultural biases and I fear a deep-seated misogyny. The ezer is a warrior. Like the man, she is also God’s creative masterpiece—a work of genius and a marvel to behold — for she is fearfully and wonderful made. The ezer never sheds her image-bearer identity. Not here. Not ever. God defines who she is and how she is to live in his world. That never changes. The image-bearer responsibilities to reflect God to the world and to rule and subdue on his behalf still rest on her shoulders too.
Carolyn James writes “Descriptions of the woman as dependent, needy, vulnerable, deferential, helpless, leaderless, or weak are—to put it simply—wrong. Such definitions betray cultural biases and I fear a deep-seated misogyny. The ezer is a warrior. Like the man, she is also God’s creative masterpiece—a work of genius and a marvel to behold — for she is fearfully and wonderful made. The ezer never sheds her image-bearer identity. Not here. Not ever. God defines who she is and how she is to live in his world. That never changes. The image-bearer responsibilities to reflect God to the world and to rule and subdue on his behalf still rest on her shoulders too.
Sisters you are an Ezer - a helping mighty warrior.
Sisters you are an Ezer - a helping mighty warrior.
Receive your name from God. Jesus reclaimed this identity for you.
Receive your name from God. Jesus reclaimed this identity for you.
Lets join together with God and rule and subdue furthering God’s Kingdom.
Lets join together with God and rule and subdue furthering God’s Kingdom.