Black Lives that Made the Bible 2 - Women

Intro - God used black women to help shape history

· All lives matter, but not every life makes history.

· Definition of matters – to be of importance: SIGNIFY

God Made ONE Race – Human Race

· God created one race – the human race

· GOD SAID - “Let us make man-kind in our image” (H120 = “Adam”)

Genesis 1:27 (NLT)

Genesis 1:27 NLT

27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Why did God create us? To govern the earth, not abuse each other.

· To be fruitful, multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. (V.28)

· God did NOT create us to discriminate, put down, or judge one another as being greater or lesser, whether based on race, gender, or both.

Race = physical, Ethnicity = cultural

· Race is based largely on physical attributes – skin color, hair texture

· Ethnicity is based on traditions, language, nationality or cultural heritage.

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-race-and-ethnicity.html

Moses’ Wife Was Black

Moses marries one of the daughters of Reul’s (aka Jethro’s) that he rescued from a band of robbers.

Ex 2:21 (NLT)

Exodus 2:21 NLT

21 Moses accepted the invitation, and he settled there with him. In time, Reuel gave Moses his daughter Zipporah to be his wife.

21 Moses accepted the invitation, and he settled there with him. In time, Reuel gave Moses his daughter Zipporah to be his wife.

· Zipporah – means “little bird”[1]

Midian – east of Egypt

Miriam and Aaron Complained About Moses’ Wife’s Nationality

Numbers 12:1-2 (NLT)

Numbers 12:1–2 NLT

1 While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. 2 They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the Lord heard them.

1 While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman.

Criticized – H1696 דָּבַר, דָּבַר, דָּבַר [dabar /daw·bar/] v[2] = speak against

Cush = Ethiopian, Sudan, southern Saudi Arabia

2 They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the Lord heard them.

Spoken – H 1696 דָּבַר, דָּבַר, דָּבַר [dabar /daw·bar/] [3] - declare, command, warn, threaten, promise, tell

Lord Heard – H 8085 שָׁמַע, שֶׁמַע [shamaʿ /shaw·mah/] [4] - discerned, understood

It may mean the Lord Discerned what they were really saying…

NOTE:

The timing – The prophetic anointing was already released on 70 national leaders as well as Medad and El-dad.

The place = Hazeroth was the place the Israelites moved to after judgement fell on the nation for the gluttony of quail. Apparently, God’s people did not learn their lesson about complaining to God…

Mixed Marriage = Spiritual, Not Natural

· Church had race problem – God did not

· 4,000 years later the church still does – God still does not

· God had to choose between church leadership that was wrong and a marriage that was right – God chose the marriage.

Miriam’s religious jealousy was cloaked in racism

The primary offense was religious jealousy disguised under the cloak of racism. It was as if Miriam was saying she was better than Zipporah and that God could not speak through “foreigners”.

Miriam was indeed a prophetess – Gid DID speak through her during the parting of the Red Sea at the beginning of the Exodus, so she really had no grounds for jealousy.

Irony – people want to be in positions of leadership – and be used of God in powerful ways, by speaking FOR God while speaking AGAINST the fellow man.

Hypocrisy claims to speak FOR the Creator while speaking AGAINST His most prized creation - people!

Proper attitude – Miriam and Aaron should have welcomed Zipporah if she was already included in God’s plan of prophesying, rather that actively opposing not only her but Moses – God’s anointed.

Life Lesson: God can use Whomever He chooses

God can use more people than you, God’s Kingdom is bigger than you, your family, your circle of friends, your prayer group, your house church, your denomination, your country, and your race.

God is bigger than our personal opinions, religious bias, political affiliation.

Punishment – Bother Aaron and Miriam brought themselves under the judgment of God.

Last days outpouring of God’s Spirit on ALL People - Acts 2

Both the prophet Joel and the Apostle Peter prophesied that God would pour out His Spirit upon ALL flesh – and young men from all nations will have both the ability and opportunity to prophecy and speak for God in this earth! (Acts 2).

King Solomon’s Wife Was Black

Shunamite Woman

Another example of what is referred to as a “Mixed Marriage” is found throughout an entire book of the Bible called “The Song of Solomon” or “The Song of Songs” or The Best of Songs”.

· The story encompasses a graphic depiction of two lovers who eagerly anticipate their honeymoon.

The Groom

· The man portrayed in this book is none other than King Solomon, the richest and wisest man on earth for generations.

The Bride

· The Shulamites came from the Jewish tribe of Dan. So although King Solomon and the Shulamite woman are tribal neighbors, her dark complexion made her look as if she was from another part of the world.

· Ethiopian Jews claim descent from the tribe of Dan, who migrated south to the area of Sudan.

The Marriage

· Although he had several wives and many concubines, there was something obviously extraordinary about this particular woman. She did not look like all the other women, and as a result, was prone to be stared at.

Song of Solomon 1:5–6 (NLT)

Song of Solomon 1:5–6 NLT

5 I am dark but beautiful, O women of Jerusalem— dark as the tents of Kedar, dark as the curtains of Solomon’s tents. 6 Don’t stare at me because I am dark— the sun has darkened my skin. My brothers were angry with me; they forced me to care for their vineyards, so I couldn’t care for myself—my own vineyard.

5 I am dark but beautiful, O women of Jerusalem— dark as the tents of Kedar, dark as the curtains of Solomon’s tents.

6 Don’t stare at me because I am dark— the sun has darkened my skin. My brothers were angry with me; they forced me to care for their vineyards, so I couldn’t care for myself—my own vineyard.

Dark – H7838 – “black” (in every instance)

· The bride is embarrassed at her dark skin. In contrast to modern standards of beauty, the ancients regarded light skin as most attractive.[5]

The Shulamite Woman was referred to by her groom as:

· Beautiful among women

· My beloved

· My perfect one

· Bride

· My love

The Song of Songs, therefore, should be taken as it stands. It is a song of love and an affirmation of the value of the bond between a man and a woman. In this way it adds greatly to our appreciation of God’s creation.[6]

King Solomon’s marriage is prophetic of Jesus and the Church – the Bride of Christ

Closing – God used black women to reach the Bible and make history!