In Defense of Sarah

We worship the God of Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah. If you're at all familiar with the Old Testament stories, you know that God called the childless Abram and Sarai from Ur of the Chaldees to begin the family that would become his chosen people, the Israelites. Throughout the narrative, God renewed his covenant with Abraham's descendants, coming to each of the chosen sons in turn with the statement that he was "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." The wives of these three patriarchs were just as much chosen of God as their husbands. In a few cases God actually intervened for them or addressed them directly. In Defense of Sarah is the story of the earliest matriarchs, who stood by their husbands in helping to establish what would become the Messianic line. They gave birth, nurtured their sons, and often made controversial decisions to preserve the legitimacy of the line. Their actions at time cause difficulty in interpreting scripture in a way that makes sense to our twenty-first century minds. This book strives to look back far into the past to examine the beliefs and practices of the times in order to better see how these heroines can provide an example for our own lives. You will also examine some of the common teachings regarding these women. In some cases they may have been misunderstood or misrepresented. Here is an example from Sarah's life: Have you ever heard Sarah described as "lacking in faith," or "getting ahead of God"? Then why does God honor her in Hebrews 11—known as the "faith chapter"? If you want clarity concerning these questions, and more, and about the highs and lows of Sarah's life, In Defense of Sarah is just the book you've been waiting for. The product of 30-plus years of research and independent Bible study, this book will guide you in a search for answers directly from God's word. Dr. Chaplin's quest for the truth began while listening to sermons with her Bible open. When some of the messages she heard seemed to contradict what she was reading, she started to dig deeper. She read through the Bible in several versions—including Spanish and French—but she didn't stop there. Believing that some of the answers lay in the customs of the time, she expanded her search to history, geography, culture, archaeology, and word studies. Years of involvement in the church and homeschooling communities, Christian schools and universities, Bible institutes, and evangelistic campaigns have enhanced her knowledge of biblical stories and doctrinal issues. Her background includes a degree in English composition and years of teaching college level research and argumentation essays. These experiences have served her well for the research end of the project. Jeanette first developed a series of lessons based on her findings, presenting them to women's Bible study groups in Arizona and Oregon. The studies were well received, and interest was expressed by other churches. Due to this favorable reception, she began to develop the material in book form. In Defense of Sarah is the first. Forthcoming books in this first series will cover the stories of the other matriarchs.