Queen of the South

Hi friend in Christ!

Happy Women’s History Month!

This month, as we celebrate women who have shaped history, I want to highlight some inspiring women, named and unnamed in the Bible. Some biblical women you may know well. Others are perhaps new to you. I briefly mention them, so I encourage you to read their fascinating stories later to learn how and why God used them. For your reference, I have included Bible chapters and verses.

The Bible is one complete story that reveals God’s ultimate plan of the promised Messiah. Women were instrumental in this plan. Such as Eve, the first woman and mother (Genesis 1-4). The matriarchs Sarah (Genesis 16-20), Rebekah (Genesis 24-25), and Rachel (Genesis 30 & 35). The courage of Esther (Esther 17) and Deborah (Judges 4). Even women of ill repute, such as Rahab (Numbers 6:2) and the woman at the well (John 4), were integral to God’s plan.

During Jesus’ three-year ministry, the focus is often on the twelve disciples. But did you know that Joanna (Luke 8:3) and Susanna (Luke 8:1-3) were unsung “heroines” who funded His ministry? Or that Mary Magdalene (John 20:18),  known as the “disciple of disciples,” was the first to witness His resurrection?

Other women were healed because of their faith. The woman with the issue of blood simply touched Jesus’ hem (Mark 5:25-34). And the demon-possessed girl was healed because of the faith of her Canaanite mother (Mark 7:24-30).

In addition to these women, another figure is briefly mentioned in three chapters. Although rarely chosen for Sunday school lessons, Jesus speaks highly of her when responding to the scribes and Pharisees seeking a “sign.”

Matthew 12:39 records Jesus’ words, “But he answered and said unto them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.’” Verse 42 continues, “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them; for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.”

Meet the Queen of Sheba.

Both Yemen and Ethiopia claim this noble woman as their daughter. We may not know for certain where her kingdom was located, but we do know that the land she ruled was rich in spices, gold, and precious stones. Like most monarchs of the time, she had servants at her disposal and thousands of camels for trade and travel. We can also infer that she had good moral character, free of envy, jealousy, and covetousness.

The Queen of the South, as Jesus called her, did not seek to harm others for personal gain. Instead, she sought wisdom from a king who had a relationship with the Lord. 1 Kings 10:1 reads, “When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.”

I want to sit with this verse for a bit. The queen visited Solomon not just because he was wise, but because he was wise and had a relationship with the Lord.

Where and from whom do you seek wisdom? What hard questions are you prepared to ask, even if you do not like the answers? In a world inundated with “information,” godly wisdom is more important now than ever.

Her majesty traveled over twelve hundred miles to meet the man who wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). Could this be why Jesus said the Queen of the South would condemn this generation?

The generation that followed Jesus witnessed miracles, but still did not believe He was the Son of God. Yet, this queen, who merely heard of the greatness of Solomon, left her land and palace with gifts of spices and gold to bestow upon this unknown man. Her train (a grouping of camels) took over three months to reach Jerusalem.

In Matthew 12:39-42, Jesus compared this faithful queen to those who walked with Him, ate the food He provided, and received healing. She believed without seeing, while scribes and Pharisees rejected the wisdom and miracles before them.

Perhaps they were concerned about their authority. If Jesus were truly the Son of God, how would that impact their livelihood and position in the church? Are we any different? What are we afraid of losing by believing in and following Jesus? The answer is we lose nothing. In fact, we have everything to gain.

Let’s return to Sheba and Solomon in 1 Kings 10:13, it reads, “King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested, besides what he gave her according to his royal bounty. Then she turned and went to her own land together with her servants.”

This claimed daughter of Ethiopia returned to her home with knowledge of the one true God. Today, Ethiopia remains a predominantly Christian nation.

As we celebrate women’s history month, let’s reflect on the Queen of the South’s example. Seek godly wisdom and share it with family and friends so they, too, will follow Jesus.

Here are three ways to seek wisdom like that of the queen whom Jesus named in high regard:

1. Strive for good moral character. Colossians 3:5 reminds us, “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed.”
2. Read and study the Bible so you can recognize whether the person you seek wisdom from has a relationship with the Lord. Remember Matthew 7:16, which says, “You will know them by their fruits.”
3. Share the knowledge and truth of God you received with others so they may know Jesus.

May God keep you and bless you,
Tika

What I am reading: The CIA Book Club: The Secret Mission to Win the Cold War with Forbidden Literature by Charlie English. As a lover of books, I am excited to learn how the CIA smuggled books into communist countries to promote democracy.

Notable Quote: I thought it appropriate to end Black History Month with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  At the March on Washington, A. Philip Randolph introduced Dr. King as the country’s moral leader. This quote upholds the title Randolph bestowed upon him. “I have decided to stick to love; hate is too great a burden to bear.”

Just for fun: This adorable six-month old is turning 55 on March 14^th! I am not sure where the time went, but it went LOL.