Reclaiming our Stories: Bilhah & Zilpah

By Sarah Locke

Read more of Bilhah's and Zilpah's stories: Genesis 29:24, 29; 30:3-13; 31:33; 32:17, 22; 35:22, 26; 37:2, 46:18, 25

It is not fair to lump these women into one story. Each woman is a unique and wonderful child of God, who has her own story and own gifts. Unfortunately, we do not hear those stories from the Bible. We do not hear about Bilhah's kind eyes or Zilpah's grace and beauty. We do not hear if one is younger or older, if one is taller than the other. We do not know who their parents are or their ethnic origins. We know their names and that they were pawns in the story of a fight between two powerful, jealous, and longing sisters. 

I recently read an article saying that it is about time that we tell stories as they are, instead of how they are romanticized to be. It was in reference to the time of slavery, but I think (and I believe theologian Phyllis Trible would agree) that we need to do this biblically as well. For that reason, you will read words and phrases in this post that might be difficult (especially regarding slavery and sexual assault). 

Bilhah and Zilpah were slaves to Rachel and Leah, hostages in their own time. They were taken from their homes and trafficked by Laban, and given to his daughters. Even in the case that Bilhah and Zilpah were Laban's daughters and Rachel and Leah's half sisters (which is a rabbinic tradition), they were obviously his daughter by one of his rape victims, not by his wife, as they were not given the same respect and dignity of Rachel and Leah. 

As if Bilhah's and Zilpah's dignity is not stripped enough simply by being slaves, they are raped by Jacob and bear him four children. Their children will be ripped from them and taken as Leah and Rachel's. Later, when Rachel dies, Bilhah is raped by Leah's oldest son, Reuben (Genesis 35:22). 

This sounds difficult and harsh. Perhaps we can write it off as being "just the way things were in Biblical times." But this "tradition" of raping slaves and then further enslaving their children was a common practice in this country well into the late 1800s. Here in Jacksonville, Zephaniah Kingsley, Jr. (of the Kingsley Plantation in the Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve) was known to be a "lenient" human trafficker. Yet, his first "wife" Anna was trafficked from Havana, Cuba when she was 13 years old. He had three other "wives" that he trafficked from various places and had a total of nine children with them. We're told that he educated his children "to high standards," but never freed them or his "wives," even upon his death. Anna, his first "wife," is buried in an unmarked grave in the Arlington area. 

I tell this story to emphasize that the story of Bilhah and Zilpah is not an isolated incident from thousands of years ago. The story continues into the 19th century in the chattel slavery system and even today, as generations of Black men are enslaved in the prison industrial complex. 

I wish we had more of Bilhah and Zilpah's stories. I wish we knew about their origins and their favorite foods. But we can continue to hear their story in the lines between Leah and Rachel, and tell how this story continue today. It is a small way to give them their dignity, as precious children of God, to remember them as such. 

Questions to consider:

How much do you know about Jacksonville's history? 

How is history told in "whitewashed" or "watered down" ways? For example, describing a slave-owner as "lenient" or describing a 13 year-old slave as a "wife."

How can we tell stories more honestly, even if they are difficult? 

Judges & Ruth: An exploration of God's faithfulness

Judges

The book of Judges recounts traditional stories that span a critical period in Israelite history, from the death of Joshua to a tragic and costly civil war. After an incomplete conquest that leaves much land in the hands of Israel's foes (ch. 1), Israel follows a recurring pattern of disloyalty to God followed by oppression by its enemies. Israel then cries out in repentance and the Lord sends deliverers, the so-called judges. These judges are military leaders (chs. 2-12) or, in the case of Camson, a solitary champion (chs. 17-21). [From the Harper Collins Study Bible introduction to the book of Judges.]

The book presents twelve leaders: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, and Samson.

Day 1 - Judges 1 Israel's failure to complete the conquest of Canaan 
Day 2 - Judges 2 Israel's disobedience 
Day 3 - Judges 3 Nations remaining in the land 
Day 4 - Judges 4 Deborah and Barak 
Day 5 - Judges 5 The song of Deborah 
Day 6 - Judges 6 The Midianite oppression 
Day 7 - Judges 7 Gideon surprises and routs the Midianites 
Day 8 - Judges 8 Gideon's triumph and vengeance 
Day 9 - Judges 9 Abimelech attempts to establish a monarchy 
Day 10 - Judges 10 Tola and Jair 
Day 11 - Judges 11 Jephthah 
Day 12 - Judges 12 Intertribal dissension 
Day 13 - Judges 13 The birth of Samson 
Day 14 - Judges 14 Samson's marriage 
Day 15 - Judges 15 Samson defeats the Philistines 
Day 16 - Judges 16 Samson and Delilah 
Day 17 - Judges 17 Micah and the Levite 
Day 18 - Judges 18 The migration of Dan 
Day 19 - Judges 19 The Levite's concubine 
Day 20 - Judges 20 The other tribes attack Benjamin 
Day 21 - Judges 21 The Benjaminites saved from extinction

Ruth

The book of Ruth, a short narrative with a pastoral tone, is one of the most beautiful pieces of literature in the Bible. It is different than most other narratives, because it focuses on one family instead of national or international affairs. According the rabbinic tradition, the main theme is chesed (Hebrew), loyalty or faithfulness arising from commitment. This chesed is usually seen as an allegory about God's faithfulness to the human community. It is personally one of my favorite stories in the Bible.

Day 22 - Ruth 1
Day 23 - Ruth 2
Day 24 - Ruth 3
Day 25 - Ruth 4

Reclaiming our Stories: Leah

By Sarah Locke

Read more of Leah's story: Genesis 29:14-25; 30; 31:19, 30-35; 35:16-26

Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were (Lovely? Weary? Tired? Tender? Soft? Delicate? Weak?), and Rachel was graceful and beautiful (Genesis 29:16-17). 

Last week, we explored quite a bit about the younger of Laban’s daughters, and, like the preference given in the Bible, we will discuss the elder this week. 

This theme of the younger being favored seems to be repeated a few times in Genesis: we heard about Jacob being the younger but favored twin of Rebekah’s boys, and now we notice that Jacob favors the younger daughter of his uncle. The pattern will continue with Jacob’s favorite son being one of his youngest, Joseph. It seems to cause nothing but trouble for our ancestors. 

But what I want to focus on this week is the description of Leah’s eyes in Genesis 29:17. There is no consensus about what this word ועיני לאה רכות in Hebrew means for our English translation. As you saw in my translation above, it could mean anything from “lovely” to “weary.” Whatever the correct translation might be, it seems to be contrasted or compared to Rachel, who was graceful and beautiful. 

What does having “weak” or “weary eyes” even mean? Can she not see very well? Is she partially blind? This seems less likely because she is being compared to Rachel’s outward appearance. So what could it mean to have weak appearing eyes? Perhaps they are small or not as striking as her sister’s. 

I find the interpretation from the Rashi commentary to be really compelling. A Rabbinic tradition says that Leah was to marry Jacob’s older twin brother Esau. It would make sense, historically and in terms of family ties. Rebekah had two sons, and her brother Laban had two daughters. Anyone would expect them to be good matches to join the families closer together (disregarding the general squeamishness 21st century readers feel about cousins marrying). When Leah found out that she would be arranged to marry Esau, the hunter who is rough and ungodly, she spent most of her time weeping and praying to God to change her husband. And from the story we see in the canon, God allows Leah to marry Jacob even before Rachel does, changing her fate and ultimately making her the mother to many nations. 

Whether the rabbinical tradition is simply “Biblical fan fiction” as we like to call it, or if it may ring true, we know that Leah was the unfavored by Jacob, but perhaps the more favored by God. If we, like the ancient writers, equate fertility with God’s favor, she seems to be in abundance. 

Perhaps despite her weak eyes, she is able to see more clearly God’s plan for her and even her place in Jacob’s household as a mother and partner. 

When has comparison gotten you in trouble? Is comparing yourself to others ever beneficial? What does God have to say or do about rivalry? 

Reclaiming our Stories: Rachel

By Hannah Bardin

Read more of Rachel's story: Genesis 29:14-25; 30; 31:19, 30-35; 35:16-26 

Writing about Rachel was surprisingly hard. I spent hours reading commentaries and watching videos and sermons about Rachel and Leah trying to get a handle on what I would write. Nearly everything I found cast Rachel in one of two roles: the beautiful, demure, patient younger sister, or the bitter, jealous, spiteful wife. Rachel, according to the Bible, is both. She’s complex and multifaceted, and her story is deep and meaningful. She doesn’t have to be watered down or simplified for her story to mean something. 

Rachel is the beautiful younger sister. She’s described as beautiful in the moment we’re introduced to her. She does wait fourteen years to marry the love of her life. First she’s told she has to wait seven years to marry Jacob, and then at the last moment her father swaps her out for Leah at the wedding. She wants to have children so badly that at one point she yells to her husband, “give me children or I will die”. She’s always described as Jacob’s favorite wife, despite how long it was before she was able to have a son. When she finally gives birth to Joseph, she says “God has taken away my reproach. May the Lord add to me another son!”, and she eventually has another boy. She’s remembered by many as a matriarch of the faith, and her tomb remains a landmark for many. 

Rachel also has some less desirable traits. She initially offers up her maid to serve as a surrogate because she was so envious of Leah’s sons. When she screams to Jacob, “give me children or I will die”, he tells her to take it up with God, because Jacob isn’t the one preventing her from having children. When her maid, Bilhah, gives birth to her second son, she names him Naphtali, because Rachel has “had a great struggle with [her] sister, and [she has] won.” Toward the end of her life, she and her family flee from their homeland, and she secretly steals her father’s house gods. Not even Jacob knows that she’s taken them. She hides her superstitions and shame from everyone. She’s far from the perfect, beautiful sister that some characterize her as.

I think it’s important to recognize that we often only get a fraction of Rachel’s story. Like many women in the Bible, her story is sometimes simplified to make it more palatable or to fit a narrative. How often have you felt like you have to simplify yourself to fit a mould? Have you ever felt that your complexities make you unusable, whether by God or by people? Where does that stem from? Rachel was a deeply complex, deeply meaningful Mother in the Bible, and God is persistent in her life. What’s to say that God isn’t actively working in yours? 

Season of Growth - Redeemer Episcopal Church

Matthew 9:35 - 10:23

³⁵Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. ³⁶When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. ²These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;⁴ Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

⁵These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, ⁶but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. ⁹Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, ¹⁰no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. ¹¹Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. ¹²As you enter the house, greet it. ¹³If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. ¹⁵Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

¹⁶“See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; ¹⁸and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; ²⁰for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ²¹Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; ²²and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.²³When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

___________________________________________

This sermon was preached for God's people at Redeemer Episcopal Church in Jacksonville, Florida on June 14, 2020. As God can speak to us in many times and places, I hope that this word might speak to others in many times and places. You can read the sermon below, watch the entire worship service at this link, or listen to the recording of the sermon at this link. 

Let us pray. 

God of sowing and reaping, healing and reconciliation, reveal to us your desire for us. Make your presence known to us so that we might be empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news, cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.

Welcome to the season after Pentecost! I find the seasons of the church year to be pretty incredible. I know that I have talked about the church calendar before. And I know that the liturgical calendar is no accident, and that it took many people over a long period of time to come up with the readings and patterns for what we now called the Revised Common Lectionary. But, with very few exceptions, they seem to have gotten it right. Advent and Lent are two of my favorite seasons because of the way the readings are structured and we are able to anticipate what is coming next in God’s story of Christ Jesus. 

But the season after Pentecost— what some people would call "ordinary time” or the “down time” of the church— is really something special too. I certainly wouldn’t call it “ordinary time.” If we really focus in on the stories God is telling during this time, we will be able to see this as a time of extraordinary grace from our extraordinary God. 

This is the first Sunday that really kicks of the season after Pentecost. There is a theme in "time after Pentecost” readings. We’ll hear a lot of parables— in fact, out of the 22 Gospel readings on the Sundays in the time after Pentecost, ten of them will be parables that Jesus tells his disciples. And every other reading is about what Jesus did in his life of ministry— feeding people, walking on water, exorcising demons, healing people— and about Jesus’ teaching like the Beatitudes and the greatest commandment. 

So it absolutely makes sense that we would kick off this season with these readings. Two weeks ago, we had the birthday of the church, when the Holy Spirit descended upon hundred of people and they were able to speak to one another and prophesy about God’s glory. Now we have a whole season telling stories of how God has equipped and continues to equip the church for God’s mission in the world. 

Two Sundays ago, God said, “I give you the gift of the Holy Spirit” and now, today, God says, “Here’s what it looks like to use that gift.” 

What it looks like is what the Gospel tells us that Jesus did — he went out to all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 

It looks like Jesus who had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

It is no coincidence that these words are echoed in the next few verses when Jesus calls his disciples to go out into the world. 

There are other places in the Bible where Jesus’ command or teaching leaves us scratching our heads and wondering what we are supposed to do, like the many parables we will hear this season. But this is not one of those places. 

This mission is not one that they must work out on their own. Jesus gives specific instructions on where to go and who to visit, on what to say and what to do.

He gave the disciples authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. And he gives them these instructions: As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.

We were given the gift of the Holy Spirit at our baptism. Using the gift of the Holy Spirit looks like liberation and healing, not just by Christ but by his disciples as well. 

The disciples are called to imitate the teacher. A disciple is, by definition, just like an apprentice, called to follow behind the teacher and imitating what they do until the disciple is able to do the same thing. 

That’s what it means to be a follower of Christ in this day and age too. We are called to the same things to which the disciples where first called. To follow Christ is not just to observe him and his actions, not just walk next to him throughout our lives. To follow Christ is the first action in becoming his disciple, the next step is to imitate him. God’s grace is given to us so freely not so we can stay the same and do nothing, but so that we can live into that grace and proclaim that grace through our actions as imitations of Christ. 

The season after Pentecost’s liturgical color is green. It symbolizes the growth that we are called to experience during this time. Growth that both calls us closer to God and calls us to being more like Christ. And my beloved siblings, this growth is difficult. This growth is sometimes painful. But it is growth that is so desperately needed in this world. We need more people who imitate Christ in this world.

Growing into an imitation of Christ is going to take a lot of work, and we are going to make mistakes along the way. But God has given us the gift of God’s very presence in the Holy Spirit to assist us, to cure every disease and every sickness. God has given us the Spirit so that As we go, we might proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.

God is calling us to this difficult work of reconciliation, healing, and liberation. Because this world needs it. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, Jesus says. 

So over these next few weeks and months, remember that we are in the time after Pentecost, the green season, the season of growth. And as we become more acutely aware of the growing pains of our world, our government, and our society, God is inviting us to recognize the growth places and the growing pains in our own lives, in our own journeys as we work toward imitating Christ and God’s work in the world through the Holy Spirit. 

Amen. 

Reclaiming our Stories: Rebekah

By Tobi Fleck 

Read more of Rebekah's story: Genesis 24; 25:21-34; 26:1-17; 27 

Genesis 24:57-61

They [Laban and Bethuel] said, “We will call the girl, and ask her.” And they called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will.” So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “May you, our sister, become thousands of myriads; may your offspring gain possession of their foes.” Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels. And followed the man; thus the servant [of Abraham] took Rebekah and went his way.

At the beginning of my internship, I had the wonderful experience of working with one of the local Jewish Rabbis on an interfaith project. After the project was finished, she told me that I was free to stay in touch, as she understood how difficult transitions to new cities could be. This prompted a continuing resolution to myself that whenever possible, I would attend Shabbat on Friday night. While there were many parts of Shabbat I loved, one practice stood out to me. During the Avot, not only are the male ancestors (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) named, but so were the women! Every Friday, we remembered Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah. Naming them every Friday rekindled my curiosity as to the stories of these pillars of faith. 

So, here’s an overview of the beginning of Rebekah’s story. Abraham, being very old and having watched his wife Sarah die, sends out his trusted servant, whose name we do not know, with specific instructions to travel back to Abraham’s homeland in search for a wife for Abraham’s son, Isaac. It cannot be someone of Canaanite descent, but must be someone from Abraham’s own tribe. Once the Servant reaches Abraham’s homeland, he prays to God for success in his task and asks for signs. And, sure enough, almost as soon as he was done praying, a woman, our Rebekah, walks up and fulfills all of the signs he asked of God. Better yet, she was indeed of Abraham’s kin!

The Servant goes with Rebekah to her family home and shares his story with Rebekah’s family. The whole story, from Abraham commissioning him to go forth, to his conversations with God, and Rebekah’s role in fulfilling it all. 

And then, we get to the part that still amazes me. Rebekah is asked for her consent. We hear her voice said “I will.” Now, in today’s day, that might seem like a no-brainer. Of course it would be her decision if she’d go and marry someone she’d never met, who lives in a different country. But in scripture, rarely do we hear of women making these choices, let alone literally hear their voices say the words. Rebekah’s voice here is important, and important to acknowledge. 

There are tons of discussion questions that could take place around the story of Rebekah. Questions surrounding Abraham’s choice to find a kinswoman for his son’s wife. Questions around the rivalry between Israel and Canaan. And how that might relate to modern day rivalries. Or maybe questions about times you have asked God for help in a task- times you’ve asked for signs and have they been given to you. 

Often, we only hear one side of a story, particularly the dominant, privileged side, but today I want you to ask yourself: Whose voices do I hear often? What stories do they tell? Whose voices don’t I hear? What stories might they tell? And how has this played into the entrenched racism rampant in our own country? 

White folx: There are many resources out there to help you begin to hear other voices, other lived experiences. I would encourage you to take some time this week to pick up a book, or download an audio book, or visit a website, and listen to voices you’ve not heard before. 

Reclaiming our Stories: Lot's Wife

by Alexandria Long

Read more of her story: Genesis 19:12-29 

Two angels arrived in Sodom in the evening and were invited to spend the night at Lot’s home.  Due to the depravity and wickedness of the men in Sodom, the angels were used by the Lord to destroy the town.  Lot, his wife, and two daughters were taken away from the town and told not to look back and to flee to the hills to survive.  Lot only wanted to go to a small, nearby town however, because he said he would die if he went to the hills.  The angels agreed.  As they were fleeing, Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.

That’s all we have for Lot’s wife.  She is not named in the Bible, although some Jewish traditions (the Midrash) have named her “Edith.”  She doesn’t argue with the angels, she doesn’t defend the men or their actions in the town, and she certainly doesn’t offer up anyone else to be raped, like Lot did with their two virgin daughters.  She definitely doesn’t rape anybody herself, like Lot’s daughters do to Lot after the destruction of the Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding area.  She actually doesn’t say a word.

I thought, when I picked Lot’s wife to reflect on her story, it was going to be a story about a test of faith and Lot’s wife failed.  She turned into a pillar of salt because she didn’t have faith or trust in God.  And, it’s true that some commentaries say that.  Women in Scripture reads, “Salt preserves her in a fixed state.  Is this symbolic of her still being tied to the security that city culture is assumed to offer?”  Some traditions come in super aggressively, saying Lot’s wife disobeyed the angels and looked back because she was betraying her secret longing for that way of life (Schrafstein, Torah and Commentary), while some opinions are kinder, saying she was checking on her daughters.  All the text says is: The angels said, “Flee for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the Plain; flee to the hills, or else you will be consumed,” (Genesis 19:17).  Lot’s wife looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).  All the traditions and commentaries are just offering opinions and conjecture that the Bible certainly doesn’t have.  

There’s no real judgement or test in the Bible.  It wasn’t about her faith or her past sins.  The angels cautioned the humans to keep running and not to look back so they wouldn’t get distracted.  A natural disaster courtesy of God’s judgement and wrath was about to rain down on that area and any human still in the area was going to be consumed.  The text says “sulfur and fire,” and the Lutheran Study Bible says this could have been an earthquake with associated fires and natural bitumen deposits.  Lot’s wife becoming distracted and hesitating wasn’t about her faith or sins, it was about her getting caught up in an explosion in an environmental disaster because she didn’t flee the area.  The biblical text does not comment on Lot’s wife: she’s just another human, in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught up in an act of God.

How have natural disasters affected you or your faith community, especially when they’re blamed on God’s judgement for perceived wickedness (e.g. hurricanes and tornadoes being blamed on God for people accepting gay marriage)?  How do you react when life just happens, when you’re caught up in something damaging through no fault of your own and you just have to learn how to deal with it?  What does it mean to your faith or your outlook on God, that the oppressed and the oppressors are treated the same in this story? (The entire area was destroyed; those who sinned, those who were innocent, elderly, children, all animals, etc).