Unique and intriguing, Famous but Nameless focuses on the Bible's anonymous supporting cast, highlighting important character strengths expressed in their words and deeds. Author Mark Hendrickson's studies of lesser-known individuals from the Old and New Testaments offer tales rich with lessons that can instruct, inspire, or guide. Optional questions for discussion follow each story, suitable for Sunday school classes, Bible study groups, or personal reflection. Including figures as diverse as Samson's mother, the crew on Jonah's boat, Pilate's wife, and Paul's jailer, this collection revisits forty-five Bible episodes from a fresh, insightful perspective. Although written from a Christian perspective, Famous but Nameless highlights character attributes that anyone can admire. "What a great expression of love! [It] will bring blessings to each one who reads it." Rev. Larry Bernard, O.F.M. ". . . inspiring stories with lessons in moral character to teach our children." Cheri Hollenbaugh, veteran home-schooling mom. ". . . understandable. . . engaging . . . Mark has lifted up the unnamed of long ago and in so doing helps to lift us up as well." Rev. Dr. Gary F. Lewis
FAMOUS BUT NAMELESS
Lessons and Inspiration from the Bible's Anonymous CharactersBy Mark W. HendricksoniUniverse, Inc.
Copyright © 2011 Mark W. Hendrickson
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4620-5509-8Contents
Preface.......................................................................................................ix1. Abraham's Eldest Servant A story of devotion..............................................................12. The Pharaoh Who Promoted Joseph A study in wise leadership................................................53. Pharaoh's Daughter A compassionate heart..................................................................94. Joshua's Troops at Jericho The genius of discipline.......................................................125. Samson's Mother An illustration of spiritual receptivity..................................................166. The Servant of Kish and Saul The importance of being prepared.............................................197. The Woman Who Hid Jonathan A tale of great courage........................................................228. The Man Who Discovered Absalom Hanging in a Tree A paragon of integrity...................................269. The Quick-Thinking Woman from Abel Executive ability in the clutch........................................2910. The True Mother The essence of mother-love...............................................................3211. The Man of God from Judah and the Old Prophet from Bethel A hard lesson in obedience.....................3512. The Widow at Zarephath Taking the leap of faith..........................................................4013. King Ahaziah's Messengers and Captains Knowing who holds the aces........................................4414. The Indebted Widow Tapping into hidden resources.........................................................4815. The Shunammite Woman The greatness of a big heart........................................................5116. Naaman's Friends Lessons in love and loyalty.............................................................5517. A Humble King of Israel Deferring to a higher authority..................................................5918. "A Poor Wise Man" The priceless power of wisdom..........................................................6219. The Crew on Jonah's Boat The noble code of public service................................................6520. The Reformed Ninevites Mending one's ways before it's too late...........................................6921 The Shepherds at the Nativity Ready and willing...........................................................7222. The Faithful Leper When faith becomes conviction.........................................................7623. The Confident Centurion Understanding who's in charge....................................................7924. The Gadarene Madman Goodness behind the mask of madness..................................................8325. The Woman with the Issue of Blood "... faith as a grain of mustard seed".................................8626. The Greek Syro-Phoenician Woman from Canaan The importance of persistence................................8927. The Father of the Lunatic Son Never give up!.............................................................9228. The Two Blind Men Insisting on good......................................................................9529. The "Sick of the Palsy" and His Four Bed-Bearers The power of perseverance...............................9830. The Wise Scribe Valuing truth above popularity...........................................................10131. The Widow Who Gave Two Mites A most generous giver.......................................................10432. The Samaritan Woman and the Men of Sychar The beauty of unprejudiced minds...............................10733. The Samaritan Leper The grace of gratitude...............................................................11134. "A Certain Nobleman" The nobility of humility............................................................11535. The Oldest Man in the Mob Getting the beam out of one's own eye..........................................11836. The Man Born Blind Refusing to compromise the truth......................................................12237. The Unknown Host of the Last Supper Priceless prudence and discretion....................................12738. Pilate's Wife Heeding spiritual intuitions...............................................................13139. The Just Malefactor Defending innocence..................................................................13540. The Centurion at the Cross Catching a glimpse of divinity................................................13841. The Man Lame from his Mother's Womb Receiving the gospel with joy........................................14242. The Ethiopian Eunuch Seeking God diligently..............................................................14643. The Church that Prayed for Peter The might of collective consecration....................................15044. The Disciples Who Stood by Paul Church in action.........................................................15345. The Jailer of Paul and Silas A noble heart in a surprising setting.......................................15646. Epilogue What about you?.................................................................................159Appendix: A Few Who Didn't Make a cut........................................................................161(Endnotes)....................................................................................................165
Chapter One
Abraham's Eldest Servant (Genesis 24:1-67)
A story of devotion
How would you like to be in a position to make a choice that would affect the entire course of history? Do you think you might feel a little pressure not to flub it?
Abraham put his eldest servant in that position when he commanded him to travel to Abraham's native land, Mesopotamia, to pick a wife for Abraham's son, Isaac. Mercifully for the servant, he probably didn't have a clue that he was about to play such a vital role in shaping the future of Judaism and Christianity, and hence the course of human history, but still, he was under a lot of pressure to perform. After all, Isaac was the only child of Sarah and Abraham, the "miracle boy" who was born when Sarah was ninety years of age and Abraham a full one hundred. Clearly, the selection of the right wife for Isaac was crucial to Abraham's legacy and lineage.
You may wonder why Abraham assigned such an important task to a servant. For Abraham, it was a matter of simple obedience. Decades before, God had commanded Abraham (then named "Abram") to leave the land of his birth. In all the years that followed, God never cancelled or modified that order, and so faithful Abraham was resolved not to return there under any circumstances.
Abraham's submission to the divine will was total and unshakable. When God had told him to move to a new country, he moved. When God had told him to sacrifice his son, he obediently prepared to carry out that grim deed, until divine intervention spared the boy at the last minute. With a track record of such unflinching obedience to God (followed always by great blessings) it was perfectly consistent for Abraham to set aside his personal opinions in the matter of selecting Isaac's mate.
In Abraham's day, paternal pride and concern about one's legacy would have led most men to oversee and micro-manage the critical mission of selecting an appropriate wife for a beloved son. Delegating such an important task to another person, no matter how close and loyal, might have seemed risky, and perhaps even a dereliction of parental responsibility. Abraham, though, remained completely obedient to God. He resisted the temptation to allow human will or his own personal preferences to interfere with God's plan. He commissioned his servant as his proxy, entrusting him with performing this vitally important task so that Abraham himself could remain obedient to God's command and not go back to the land that God had told him to leave.
The Bible narrative promptly makes it clear that Abraham's eldest servant was the right person for the job. Before setting out to find a wife for Isaac among strangers in an unfamiliar land, he did exactly what his master would have done—he prayed: "God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham."
We see through this brief, simple prayer that the servant was totally devoted to his master and dedicated to his appointed task. Like Abraham, the servant placed his full trust in God's guidance and disposal of events. The servant's prayer was loving, humble, and selfless. He asked nothing for himself, but only for God to help him help Abraham.
Another noteworthy aspect of the servant's prayer was his clear sense of expectancy. Abraham had assured him that God "shall send his angel before thee," and the servant trusted his master's word. Armed with a firm trust in God's abilities and reliability, this anonymous servant found who he was looking for—Rebekah—on his very first day in the city of Nahor. His faith-filled prayer had been answered and answered quickly. "Ask and it will be given to you."
And how did the servant know that Rebekah was the one? Showing great wisdom, the servant had prayed that he find an eligible woman with a kind and loving heart. He prayed to meet a woman who, when he asked her to draw water from the well for him, would do so gladly and would even offer to draw water for his camels. When Rebekah did exactly that, and the servant perceived her to be pure and chaste, too, he knew that he had found Isaac's bride.
The servant then asked if he could lodge with Rebekah's family that night. Yes, she replied, they had room for him. She then hurried home and alerted her family. Rebekah's brother, Laban, hastened to the well and escorted Abraham's servant home.
Upon arriving at the house, the hosts brought food to Abraham's servant. Although he most likely was quite hungry after his journey, he declined to eat before explaining to Laban and to Rebekah's father, Bethuel, for what purpose he had come to Nahor. He told them that his master, Abraham, had sent him to find a wife for Isaac. Then the servant related God's role in bringing Rebekah to his attention and showing him that she was indeed God's choice for Isaac. Perceiving the hand of God in this matter, Bethuel and Laban gave their willing consent to the proposed marriage.
Through his devotion to his goal, his fidelity to Abraham, and his trust in God, Abraham's servant successfully fulfilled his important mission. He was loyal, trustworthy, and consecrated to his appointed task. He lived in accord with the precept "thy will be done." "Well done, good and faithful servant!"
Optional Exercises
1. Review: List the positive character traits that the servant expressed.
2. (For Bible study groups and Sunday schools): What other characters in the Bible expressed some of the same qualities?
3. Self-examination: How do you rate yourself in terms of the positive character traits in this episode? If you need to improve, how can you go about it?
4. Questions for group or class discussion:
A. Can arranged marriages turn out as well, or even better, than when two people choose each other?
B. Could you ever trust anybody else to pick your mate?
C. Why was Abraham's servant's search successful?
D. What made the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah work so well?
E. What determines when you should do an important task yourself and when you should delegate it to someone else?
F. Have you ever felt the pressure that you had to succeed or disaster would ensue? How can you handle that oppressive feeling of pressure to succeed?
Chapter Two
The Pharaoh Who Promoted Joseph (Genesis 41:1-43)
A study in wise leadership
The Old Testament has several accounts of mighty kings who, although they were not Israelites, honored the Hebrews' God in various ways and appointed wise Jews to high office. King Ahasuerus promoted Mordecai to be his second-in-command; King Nebuchadnezzar decreed the death penalty for any of his subjects who bad-mouthed the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; King Darius decreed that throughout his kingdom everyone should fear and reverence "the God of Daniel. For he is the living and eternal God ... and his power shall be for ever."
Similar in stature to these monarchs whose names the Bible records for posterity is the man who was Egypt's pharaoh at the time when Jacob's son Joseph was in jail after having been falsely accused by Potiphar's wife. The Bible doesn't identify this ruler by name, and modern scholars haven't been able to determine with certainty which pharaoh this was. His name is irrelevant to us. What matters are the choices he made and the qualities he expressed.
When Pharaoh asked Joseph to interpret his dreams, he discerned that Joseph was an honest man, not a charlatan trying to trick him with a made-up interpretation. Pharaoh sensed that God really had revealed the future of the next fourteen years to Joseph. So sure was Pharaoh that Joseph's words were true that he immediately promoted him to be the governor over all of Egypt's affairs, second to Pharaoh himself "only in the throne."
This ruler was bold and courageous. He was a true leader. It didn't matter to him if some of his deputies and advisors thought it scandalous, reckless, or improper for him to bestow such broad powers on a foreigner—especially one just plucked from prison! He trusted his own inner voice, the intuitive sense that told him to trust Joseph's interpretation of his dreams.
It was a gutsy call to elevate this stranger to chief administrator of all Egypt immediately—even before Joseph's predictions for seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine had begun to be fulfilled. Only years later was Pharaoh's elevation of Joseph spectacularly vindicated when events played out exactly as Joseph had foretold, and Egypt prospered under his guidance.
In addition to having spiritual intuition, the courage of his convictions, and the ability to make executive decisions promptly and decisively, this pharaoh possessed the admirable quality of gratitude. Pharaoh was deeply grateful for Joseph's role in saving Egypt from disaster—so much so that when Joseph's family came to Egypt in a desperate search for food, Pharaoh treated them with great generosity. To Joseph's family, Pharaoh declared, "the best of everything in Egypt is yours" and to Joseph himself he said, "have your father and your brothers live in the best part of the land."
Future pharaohs would deal harshly with the Hebrews, reducing them to captives and slaves, but this enlightened pharaoh, like Kings Ahasuerus, Nebuchadnezzar, and Darius, rose above nationalistic prejudice. All of these wise biblical rulers were willing to trust and promote those who were honest, helpful, and wise, regardless of whether they were "outsiders."
How many managers, executives, political leaders, etc., today are willing to promote outsiders—the employee who didn't attend the "right" schools or the "right" church or who wasn't part of the old-boy network—on the basis of merit rather than on pedigree or prestigious connections? The man the Bible refers to simply as "pharaoh" showed that enlightened and successful leadership consists of choosing one's lieutenants on the pragmatic basis of who can get results. He ran Egypt like a meritocracy, and his country was blessed as a result.
This pharaoh had the ability to discern character, the willingness to trust his instincts, the decisiveness to act accordingly, and the graciousness and magnanimity to give generous rewards for services well rendered. Pharaohs are usually thought of as "bad guys," but the pharaoh who promoted Joseph had admirable qualities that would have attained success in any age.
Optional Exercises
1. Review: List the positive character traits that this pharaoh expressed.
2. (For Bible study groups and Sunday schools): What other characters in the Bible expressed some of the same qualities?
3. Self-examination: How do you rate yourself in terms of the positive character traits in this episode? If you need to improve, how can you go about it?
4. Questions for group or class discussion:
A. Can you think of other examples from history (either biblical or non-biblical) when a wise leader appointed someone he outranked to make important decisions?
B. How practical is it to delegate the most important decisions to a subordinate?
C. What enabled Joseph to correctly foretell the future? Who else in the Bible did this?
D. What qualities should a great leader have? What kind of person should hold leadership positions?
E. How do you measure success for a leader?
Chapter Three
Pharaoh's Daughter (Exodus 2:1-10)
A compassionate heart
Throughout the Bible, the dark forces of evil conspired to kill God's prophets and blot out the spiritual light that God's appointed messengers brought to the human race.
The New Testament tells about the slaughter of male children ordered by King Herod in his failed attempt to snuff out the life of the Savior—the prophesied "king" whose kingdom, unbeknownst to the paranoid Herod, was not of this world.
Moses, too, was born under similar circumstances. Egypt's pharaoh at that time was dismayed at the rapid multiplication of the Hebrew people, so he hatched a cruel plan to shrink the Hebrew population. He issued a decree ordering all Hebrew midwives to kill newborn Hebrew males. Heroically, courageous midwives such as Shiphrah and Puah undermined Pharaoh's murderous policy. They defied his order, placing obedience to God above obedience to a mortal ruler.
Many of us learned in Sunday school that Moses' mother laid her three-month-old son, Moses, in a little ark that she had fashioned, setting it in the reeds by the bank of the river. Providentially, Pharaoh's daughter, accompanied by her maids, came down to the river to wash. Spotting the ark, she commanded a maid to bring it to her. When she opened the ark and little Moses started to cry, "she had compassion on him." Even though she recognized the infant as a male Hebrew child, she decided to care for him.
That is when Moses' sister, who had been lingering in the area to see what would become of Moses, stepped forth and offered to find a Hebrew nurse for the child. One suspects that Pharaoh's daughter could see through the "coincidence" of this young Hebrew girl just "happening" to be there and knowing of a Hebrew woman who could nurse the babe. She would have to have been pretty dense not to put two and two together. It was compassion, not dullness, that impelled Pharaoh's daughter to arrange for Moses' mother to nurse her own son and then, after he was weaned, to raise him as her adopted son.
Thus it came to pass that Moses' great career was jump-started by the kindness and compassion of a woman with a tender heart. We don't know if Pharaoh's daughter was haughty or vain in her dealings with others, but she understood the universal language of love. When given the choice, she chose life for Moses, shielding him from her father's heartless decree. She might have been what we call a pagan, but she was merciful and compassionate. She saved Moses and the world was blessed as a result. Hats off to Pharaoh's daughter! She knew the right thing to do, and she did it.
Optional Exercises
1. Review: List the positive character traits that Pharaoh's daughter expressed.
2. (For Bible study groups and Sunday schools): What other characters in the Bible expressed some of the same qualities?
3. Self-examination: How do you rate yourself in terms of the positive character traits in this episode? If you need to improve, how can you go about it?
4. Questions for group or class discussion:
A. Can you think of other cases in which someone defied the authorities to extend mercy and compassion to someone?
B. One label that gets attached to some people is that they are "accidents"—their parents didn't want to have a child, but they arrived on the scene anyhow. Are they really "accidents," or could it be that God wanted them to be born and He has a purpose for them?
C. Did Pharaoh's daughter commit an act of civil disobedience? When should we disobey the laws of government or the rules of a business or organization to which we belong?
D. This woman disobeyed not only the ruler of her country, but her own father. When should someone disobey a parent?
Chapter Four
Joshua's Troops at Jericho (Joshua 6:1-20)
The genius of discipline
Joshua's exploits give Christians lots to think about. Unlike the Bible's second Joshua ("Yeshua" or "Jesus," the Prince of Peace) the Bible's first Joshua was a mighty warrior who wiped out whatever pagans and pagan beliefs stood in the way of the Israelites as they advanced toward their God-appointed destiny.
The Old Testament Joshua must have been a spiritual giant, closely aligned with God, for how else could he have stopped the sun and moon's arc across the sky?
One of Joshua's most famous victories was the conquest of Jericho. After marching his troops across the river Jordan, the waters of which had receded before the Ark of the Covenant, much as the Red Sea had parted at Moses' command, Joshua issued some of the most unusual instructions ever given to an army preparing to capture a city. For seven days, the troops were to maintain a strict silence while they marched around the perimeter of Jericho's walls. On the first six days, they were to march around the city once, and on the seventh and final day, seven times, all without uttering a syllable.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from FAMOUS BUT NAMELESSby Mark W. Hendrickson Copyright © 2011 by Mark W. Hendrickson. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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