For Such a Time: Chosen Women of the Bible
Ed Dickerson
It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that Bible women were secondary characters, even when they played a pivotal role in a story—after all, they were “only” intentional mothers or bad girls made good—or not—or were merely in the right place at the right time. What is not so readily seen is the parallels between these lesser-known women and better-known Bible heroes. Tamar, Jochebed and the Syrophonecian woman were not bit-part players.
For Such a Time looks at 15 remarkable women and examines how the biblical authors intentionally shaped their narratives to show how their actions and outcomes parallel those of 15 well-known heroes. Author Ed Dickerson has clearly done a lot of research—and he given us an explanation of the huge significance biblical women played.
Of course, these were not ordinary women, but neither were they “perfect” women. In fact, they often acted against the conventions of their time and culture. They were women who were prepared to seize the imitative and, in so doing, have found themselves recorded among the stories of God’s faithful people as we have them in the Bible. As urged in For Such a Time, this recognition is no accident.
You might think this a book about women, for women. You would be wrong. It’s a book for anyone who has an interest in Bible characters. It makes a great a personal devotion. It is excellent for book clubs, prayer meetings or Bible-study groups. Frankly, it should be in every church library. For Such a Time is a book that will stay in your thoughts long after you’ve read the last page. And it’s a book you’ll want to share with someone.
For Such a Time is available from Adventist Book Centres.
Christine Miles is an Adventist Book Centre manager in Auckland, New Zealand.
