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JOANNA

  MEANING OF NAME: The Lord gives graciously. STORY IN BRIEF: A wealthy woman who worked in the courts of Herod Antipas. Her husband, Cuza, was also the estate manager of Herod Antipas. Joanna followed The Lord on missions, supported His Ministry with her gifts, and was privileged to have witnessed the resurrection of Jesus. These happened after The Lord delivered her from demonic obsessions. Obviously, Joanna would have attempted winning Herod Antipas over to Jesus. But her Spirit probably was dared when Herod beheaded John for Herodias and Salomey. SHORT BACKGROUND ON HEALING: Healing, from ancient Bible days, was seen more as spiritual than physical. Egyptian physicians would often drill holes in the heads of patients in order to create an exit for these "ailment-causing spirits". There were medical doctors, yet most patients were rather sent to the priest-physicians. REFERENCE SCRIPTURES: Luke 8:1 – 3; 24:10 (and Matthew 14:1 – 12) Luke 23:7 – 12
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ANNA

MEANING: Grace. SORROW: As a widow, she would probably have been among the most vulnerable members of society, with no one to provide for her financially or to take care of her if her health failed. JOY: That her own eyes beheld the Messiah she had longed to see. STORY IN BRIEF: Anna, a Prophetess from the tribe of Asher, became a widow after seven years of marriage. She spent whole of her widowhood fasting and praying to God. Anna worshipped in Herod's temple. This temple had tour segments - the outer court for Gentiles or non-Jews; the inner court divided into Women's and Israelites'; the Priestly court for the Leviticus Priests which also surrounded the temple. Anna could only access the Women's court yet God was merciful to her - She witnessed the Messiah; while Anna worshipped in the temple one day, Someon came holding the baby Jesus in his laps. REFERENCE SCRIPTURES: Luke 2 : 22 - 38
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ESTHER

  NAME MEANING: Ishtar,” - the Babylonian Goddess of Love; Persian - “Star”; Hebrew - “Hadassah,” Means “Myrtle”    CHARACTER:  An orphan in a foreign land, she was willing to conceal her Jewish identity in a bid for a pagan king’s affection.  Esther seemed willing to made moral compromises by sleeping with the king and then taking part in a wedding that would necessarily have required her to pay homage to foreign gods. Even so, she displayed great courage in the midst of a crisis. Prior to risking her life for her people, she humbled herself by fasting and then put her considerable beauty, social grace, and wisdom in the ser vice of God’s plan. STORY IN BRIEF: Vashti - Queen of Persia, disobeyed Xerses' order that she presented herself before the noble festive gathering in Persia. So the King banished her. Now is the time for her replacement. Esther, a Jewish orphan and cousin to Modecai, was part of the King's harem. She successfully won the King's heart and b...
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REMEMBER THE LORD !

  ” Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me…” Isaiah 46:9. Often times, we blame our stagnancy or retrogression in life on the devil, curses or some covens elsewhere rather than taking a self-check on our own attitudes to see where we miss it. It’s worth noting that forgetting God’s goodness and the kind gestures shown us by others is also a sin that can hold one back in life. Jesus, having this insight, would always give attributes to the Father in Him as the doer of His works. The following paragraphs reveal more on the need to remember the positives. “For God  is  not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, …” Hebrews 6:10. If forgetfulness is unrighteous, then remembrance is righteousness ! One personal attitude I’ve always thanked God for is that, I always dwell on the positives of people ignoring their errs no matter how hurting it could be. And this should be every believer’s ...
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HERODIAS

  NAME MEANING : Heroic CHARACTER : A proud woman, she used her daughter to manipulate her husband into doing her will. She acted arrogantly, from beginning to end, in complete disregard for the laws of the land. STORY IN BRIEF : Herod, the great accomplished much for his subjects yet committed so much atrocities also. He build completed great projects, including building the temple. But he killed the Jews, and his own wife. Even on his day of death, he ordered for the killing of the Jewish leaders though they were finally saved after his death. Herodias was his granddaughter. Yet she got married to another son of his, Philip Herod. Herodias lived in Rome with her husband. But when Antipas Herod visited them, things took a different turn. Herodias got attracted to his husband's brother - Antipas, who was the governor over some states. The two then divorced their partners and became couples. Now John, the baptist whose message of righteousness hurt Herodias, got imprisoned later by ...
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RIZPAR




Rizpar was one of Saul's concubines. She stood and witnessed the gruesome murder of her two sons -  Armoni and Mephibosheth. 

More disdainful to her is the fact that the two were not burried; they were left to rot contrary to the prevalent tradition of burrying the dead within the next 24hours. 

With sorrow, Rizpar spent days and nights with the corpses ensuring that they were neither swamped nor dragged away by any animals. Soon enough, King David noticed her discomfort, and was moved by her attitude; David ordered for the burrying of Rizpar's sons, the remains of their father, Saul and that of Jonathan.

BACKGROUND: 

Joshua promised that Israel would be at peace with the Gibeonites. But Saul broke that oath, killing as many Gibeonites as he could in his time. In retallating, the Gibeonites asked David for seven of Saul's son whom they murdered in the presence of Rizpar.

LESSONS:
 
1. Customes can be broken; protocols are skipable. If only we consistently remain loyal and faithful to God, our expectations will be met. 

2. God never asked David to release Saul's sons to the Gibeonites; the Bible does not record anywhere that rain finally fell because David positively affirmed the request of the Gibeonites. But like Virginia Owen indicates in her book, " Daughters of Eve" , it is clear that God takes pleasure in honourable burial so He swiftly responded to the prayers of the people following the burrying of the Suals.

BIBLICAL HISTORY ON BURIAL:

In Bible times, the dead were burried soon after they died; it never took more than twenty four hours for people to burry their dead. First, the corpse is washed and smeared with good smelling preservative ointments. Mourning which could span seven days following the burial was done, sometimes, by professionals too. The corpse was burried in a cave or a tomb. And every other relation of this person was buried in that same tomb.  

REFERENCEE SCRIPTURE:

2 Samuel 21: 8- 14, John 11: 17, 39, 44., Genesis 49:29-32, Jeremiah 9:17, Matthew 9:23, 
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