Breaking Free-Part 6

Life has been busy these past few weeks and just finishing the lessons has taken a chunk of time. Since I haven't found the time to review the lessons as thoroughly as I want, I've put off blogging about it. I figure that at least when the study is over I'll have some free space in my brain, but for now I have two weeks to finish one week of lesson so here is a much delayed review of lesson six.

Day 1: Ashes Instead of Honor: 2 Samuel 13:19 - "Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornamental robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went"
Isaiah 61:3- "To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness. The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."

This lesson is a study on Tamar who was a daughter of a King. She was violated and remained a desolate woman though still a daughter of a King. She tears her robe and covers herself with ashes and this is the only time in scripture where a woman as opposed to a man covers herself in ashes. Ashes are associated with man's mortality and need for God's mercy. The lesson discusses how we as women mourn over many things including sin, destruction, the future etc. Yet, our lives change in quality by our belief in who and what we are. Unfortunately for Tamar her emotions remained unchanged and she lived as a desolate woman. This lesson concludes with Psalm 45:13-15 and an exhortation to allow God to restore our true identity in Him.

Day 2: To Be A Bride - Isaiah 61:10 -"I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."

It begins with Ephesians. 5:25-33 which explains that marriage is like the relationship between us (the bride of Christ) and the bridegroom and that God created marriage so that we can comprehend this.
The bride follows her bridegroom into the wilderness Jeremiah 2:2;Isaiah 41:18 and the bride of Christ has made herself ready for Christ. (rev 19:4-8) Part of this involves knowing and studying our groom. (Psalm 45:1-15)

Day 3: To Be Beautiful - Song of Songs 4:1 - "How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful!" Ephesians 5:32 "This mystery is great, but I am speaking in reference to Christ and the church."

The basis of this lesson was to help women realize that the childish dream of their fairy tale comes true in Christ. It explains that in Song of Solomon the lover responds not in a selfish way, but she acts as a mirror and sees herself as her lover sees her. The lesson compares Exodus 33:18-23 with Song of Solomon 2:14 in how Christ hides His own in the cleft of the rock. A main point of the lesson is that Christ sees all the beauty we have and when we walk with Him we become mirrors of how He sees us. (Ecclesiastes 8:1)

Day 4: To Be Fruitful - Isaiah 54:1 - "Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,' says the Lord."

• The first point of the lesson is that barrenness does not imply sinfulness: Luke 1:5-7; Acts 10:15.
• A second point is that "An unhappy woman usually needs a change of heart more than of circumstances."
• A third point of the lesson is that sometimes disappointment in God is a result of small thinking. Isaiah 54:1-5 is an example of how a barren woman can have more "children" than a married one.
  
• A fourth point is that God often applied the physical truths of the OT as spiritual truths in the NT. In this case it is offspring: Genesis 9:1 & Matthew 28:18-19; Exodus 1:6-13 & Acts 8:1-8.
• The fifth point is that older women are supposed to teach the younger Titus 2:3-5, 11-15.

Day 5: To Live Happily Ever After - Matthew 25:21 - "Come and share your master's happiness!" Isaiah 61:1-3

• John 13:3-17 - Christ guarantees that if His followers put into practice what He demonstrates to them they will be blessed.
• John 15:1-11 - Christ promised that the disciples joy would be full if they obeyed Him and continued to abide in His love.
• Biblical joy can come from the awareness of the grace of God. The greek word chara, meaning grace, is used and this word reflects rejoicing and experiencing a depth of joy.
  
• It ends with Matthew 25:21- Christ wants us to enter and share in His joy (NAS)/ happiness (NIV).

Well. That is it for this week. Until next time.