What’s happening in Paradise now?

THE WAITING ROOM
(What’s happening in Paradise now?)
Author
Lois Delnay
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THE WAITING ROOM
A Fallbrook Bible Ministries Book
All rights reserved
Copyright © 2009 by L. Delnay
No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, or mechanical, including photocopy,
recording, or any information storage and retrieval
system without permission in writing from
Fallbrook Bible Ministries, 522 Del Valle Drive,
Fallbrook, CA. 92028
ISNB 1449595588
EAN-13 9781449595586
Printed in the United States of America
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http://loisdelnaybooks.blogspot.com/
http://www.gettoknowyourbible.org/
http://storyofruth.blogspot.com/
http://goldcoffin.blogspot.com/
These are just a few sites for you to read:
Cover Design by Wesley Miller
Interior Design by Wesley Miller
FALLBROOK BIBLE MINISTRIES
3
DEDICATION
To my Webmaster and good friend Wesley Miller
who has always enjoyed following the adventures
of women in the Old Testament
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THE WAITING ROOM
CHAPTER ONE
PARADISE is the place that contains the souls of
all people who believed in Jesus Christ as their
Savior from the time of Adam and Eve until the
crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the
Christ. When those Old Testament believers died,
their spirits went into heaven, and their bodies
went into the earth, but their souls went into
Paradise ... in the heart of the earth.
As our story opens. Paradise has just been
transported by clouds into the second heaven, and
we find a group of ladies who have gathered
together in what they call "THE WAITING
ROOM."
"WOW! That was an exciting trip from the
heart of the earth to this place!"
"Yes ... and the cloud that carried us here didn't
make any stops along the way either!"
"Do you ladies have any idea where we are
now?"
"We must be in the second heaven, because we
don't have our resurrection bodies yet".
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"What makes you say that? We all have new
bodies."
"Yes we do have new bodies, but they don't
reflect the glory that our resurrection bodies will
have some day in the future, so these must be
temporary."
"Do you ladies realize that we no longer can
watch unbelievers across the great gulf that was
between us and Torments while Paradise were still
in the heart of the earth?"
"Oh yes ... I remember that after Jesus was
crucified, buried and resurrected He came down to
us in the heart of the earth and declared His
victory over Satan. When He finished speaking to
those of us in Paradise and in Torments, He
returned to earth to teach His disciples about the
events that were about to take place after His
ascension into heaven."
"Since we can't see our Lord Jesus now, does
anyone know where He is? After bringing us here
He wouldn't have gone back to earth again, would
He?"
"No ... He has not returned to the earth. Didn't
any of you hear the angel Michael announce that
Jesus, in His glorified resurrection body, is now
seated in the third heaven?"
"I did see Michael come into this waiting room,
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but I guess I wasn't paying close attention to what
he said."
"He told us that Jesus is defending Church Age
believers who are alive on the earth at this time
against Satan's daily accusations regarding their
sins and their acts of human good as well ...
neither are acceptable to God. God considers
those believers whom He's defending righteous in
His eyes because they were identified with Jesus
Christ at the very moment of their salvation."
"Do any of you know how long we are going to
have to wait for our resurrection bodies?"
"No, but we can be certain that the waiting
period will be at least seven years, because right
now a bride is being prepared on earth for our
Lord Jesus Christ."
"What do you mean by a bride for Christ?"
"The way I understand it, His bride will be
ready to meet the Lord when a certain number of
believers in the Church Age has been completed,
and only God the Father will know when that
number has been reached. The only thing we may
know is that at a particular time His bride will be
caught up from the earth to meet Him in the
clouds, and He will take her to heaven."
"Those events will certainly be exciting, but
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since we have at least seven years to be in this
waiting room, how would it be if some of you tell
us about your experiences on earth?"
"Sounds like a worthwhile way to spend our
time ... how about beginning with you, Esther?
Please tell us how you, a Jewish girl, happened to
become queen of Persia?"
Esther was pleased to tell her story to them, and
she began:
"I shall never forget that awful night when
Jerusalem was invaded and destroyed by the
armies of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. My
parents were killed in the invasion, and I lay
crying in a comer of what had once been our
home. In the midst of my sobbing, I heard the
voice of my uncle Mordecai. He had found me
huddled in the darkness, and he comforted me and
said he would care for me as if I were his own
daughter.”
We heard loud voices and creaking boards as
the enemy soldiers approached. They bound us
and took us along with many of our people to
Babylon. My uncle and I were both sad to realize
that we would never again be able to return to
Jerusalem.
The journey to Babylon was a very long and
difficult one, but Mordecai assured all of us
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captives that we would see that the Lord's purpose
in allowing these things to happen would

to focus on his words of encouragement, and when
I looked back on our lives some years later, I
certainly did appreciate how wonderfully the Lord
had protected us every step of the way and
brought glory to Himself as well.
When we reached Babylon, some of our men,
including my uncle, were singled out to be trained
for the king's service. After eleven years of
preparation, Mordecai was given a position of
great honor ... he sat in the King's Gate and was
able to get acquainted with some of the people
who came there every day to discuss current
events and to hear news of important issues
regarding the Persian Empire.
On one very special day that I will always
remember, I heard the voices of strangers who
were mingling about the palace. I learned that they
were very important people who had been invited
by king Ahasureus to see his treasures and the
beauty of his kingdom, and those guests were
being taken on a tour that would end with an
unforgettable week-long banquet that would be
held in the king's magnificent gardens ... those
gardens were considered to be one of the seven
wonders of the world.
By the end of the week of merrymaking, the
king and his guests were beginning to feel the
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effects of the fine wines that had been so
generously served to them. The king suddenly
took a notion to send for his beautiful wife,
Vashti, and show her off to his guests. She
refused to come, because she said such a request
was definitely contrary to Persian etiquette.
The king became furious and demanded that his
lawyers find out if such a law actually existed.
While they scrambled through the books,
Memucan, the king’s most trusted chamberlain,
suggested that he might consider issuing a decree
that would prevent Vashti from ever coming into
his presence again; because if he did nothing,
every Persian wife would laugh at their husband's
authority. Making such a decree and signing it
with the king's own ring, the official seal, the new
law could never be reversed. Memucan also
suggested that if it would please the king he might
choose a new queen from among Persia's most
beautiful women.
The king carefully considered the words spoken
by his chamberlain, and he ordered that a search
be made for a new queen. A number of beautiful
young women were selected, and Mordecai made
sure I was one of them, but he warned me not to
tell anyone that he and I were Jews. The other
ladies and I were taken into a house near the
palace and were to remain there for a year while
being made presentable to appear before the king.
Every day, my uncle watched outside the house
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and asked about my welfare.
After the year had expired, we were presented
to the king. You can't imagine my excitement
when the king chose me to be his new queen.
After a brief coronation ceremony, I was excused
from the king's presence, and as I was walking out
of the room, Mordecai approached me and said,
'Esther, you must warn the king right away,
because two of his trusted servants have just been
arrested and are being questioned to find out
which of them has been planning to assassinate
him.’ I looked back at the king and saw that he
was wondering what my uncle was saying to me,
so I immediately returned to his side and said
quietly in his ear: 'Your majesty, it has just come
to Mordecai’s attention that Bigthan and Teresh,
two of your trusted servants, have just been
arrested, one of them has been planning to
assassinate you!’
The king immediately stood to his feet and
demanded that the two men be brought in. When
questioned by the king, the two, white-faced and
trembling, pleaded for mercy and said, 'Yes we are
guilty, your majesty, but please don't execute us!"
The king waved his hand impatiently, called for
his personal guards and gave the order to remove
the traitors from his sight and hang them for the
evil they were planning to commit against him.
After the prisoners were dragged away by the
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guards, the king gathered his composure again and
said, 'We've had enough unpleasantness for one
day, so now I'd like to promote a man who has
pleased me to an office of dignity for his years of
faithful service.' A man by the name of Haman
presented himself to the king ... bowing and
smiling, as he accepted the honor that the king
wished to bestow upon him. He was advanced to
a position above all the princes of Persia ... he was
now the king's Prime Minister. Little did Mordecai
and I realize how great an enemy Haman would
become to us, as we witnessed that special
ceremony in the palace that day."
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CHAPTER TWO
"Not long after Haman became Prime Minister
of Persia, I heard loud voices coming from the
street below my window, and they seemed to be
coming from the direction of the King's Gate. I ran
to the window, and to my surprise I realized it was
my uncle who was doing all the shouting. He was
covered with sackcloth and ashes were smeared all
over his face!
I immediately sent for Hatach, the king's
chamberlain who personally waited on me, and I
asked him to go down and question my uncle and
see why he was carrying on in such a disgraceful
way. Hatach spoke to Mordecai and then returned
to me without any explanation except that my
uncle wanted to see me right away. I put a veil
over my face and went down into the street.
Mordecai was happy to see me, and we talked
privately for a short time. He said, 'Esther, this
situation couldn't be worse for either of us,
because when I kept refusing to bow down to
Haman, he had me investigated and found out that
I was a Jew. Some of the other servants have been
scolding me for treating Haman with disrespect,
but I told them I disliked the man because he was
an Amalakite and I was a Jew. They told Haman
about it, and he has used his influence with the
king to destroy me. Haman's wife Zeresh
suggested that he build a scaffold ninety feet high
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on which to hang me for insulting him. Not only
that, but Haman went to the king and convinced
him to destroy all the Jews in his kingdom,
because he said they refuse to obey Persian laws.
And that's not all ... he promised to put $20,000 in
the king's treasuries if he would make a decree to
execute all Jews! Here's a copy of the decree!
Don't think for a moment that you can escape
because you live in the palace ... remember that
you also are a Jew!'
I carefully considered my uncle's words and
then replied, 'Of course I'll do whatever I can, but
the king has not sent for me during the past thirty
days, and if I present myself without being called,
and he doesn't hold out his golden sceptre to me,
my life will be in danger for that reason alone! Oh
well, I'll go to the king, and if I perish, I perish.'
I prayed to the Lord asking that His will be
done, and then I stood just outside the king's
chambers where he could see me. He was
absorbed in a scroll that he held in his hand, but
when he saw me, he laid the scroll aside and held
out his golden sceptre in my direction. I walked
over and touched the top of the sceptre, and he
said, 'Come here and sit beside me, Queen Esther.
I'm sure you have something important to say to
me, so ask what you will, and I will grant your
desire ... even up to half my kingdom.' Then I
replied, 'Your majesty, I wish to have you and
Haman attend a special banquet that I'd like to
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prepare in your honor.' Haman was standing
nearby, so the king turned to him and said, 'we
will both be happy to attend, won't we Haman?'
Haman was beaming and nodding vigorously in
approval, and then he bowed before us and left the
room.
As I was leaving the king's chambers, I saw
Zeresh, Haman's wife, standing in the courtyard
waiting for Haman to join her, so I hid behind a
pillar close by so I would be able to hear their
conversation. Haman said to his wife, 'my dear,
I've just received an invitation to accompany the
king to a banquet that Esther wants to prepare for
him. I know this is a great honor, but it still
disturbs me when I have to look at Mordecai day
after day, sitting in the King's Gate and not
showing honor to me!'
Meanwhile, Mordecai was assigned to duty
inside the palace, and he overheard something that
he wanted me to know about.
The king had been having trouble sleeping, and
he thought reading some dry material might make
him sleepy, so he asked to have the book
containing chronicles of recent events in the
kingdom brought to him. Harbonnah, the king's
chamberlain, was standing by and the king called
to him and inquired, 'I've just been reminded of
how Mordecai saved my life when two of my
chamberlains were planning to assassinate me ...
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has anything ever been done to honor Mordecai
for that service to me?' Harbonnah replied that he
wasn't aware of any such honor being given to
Mordecai.
Suddenly the king was distracted by Haman
who had just entered the bedroom, and the king
said to him, 'Haman, if you were in my place, how
would you honor a man with whom you were
extremely pleased?' Thinking that he was the man
the king was referring to, Haman replied, 'Your
majesty, I would have a royal robe placed on such
a man, and seat him upon one of your own horses.
Then I would place a royal crown upon his head
and instruct a prince to lead him through the
streets of Babylon and announce loudly that the
man was being honored by the king.'
The king applauded Haman for his suggestion
and then said, 'Haman ... what a great idea! Now
I'm appointing you as the perfect official to show
my people how I wish to honor Mordecai for
saving my life!"
Haman was devastated when he heard the king's
order! Now he had to honor the man he personally
despised! However, regardless of his personal
feelings, Haman carried out the king's command
and then he went home to tell Zeresh about it.
Three days after the king had accepted my
invitation, the banquet was ready. The king came
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dressed in his royal robes, and right on his heels
was Haman with his proud and haughty manner.
During the feast, Ahasureus smiled with approval
and said to me, 'Esther, I'll give you whatever you
desire ... even up to half my kingdom.' It was an
ideal time to make a request regarding my people,
so I replied, 'I'm very pleased that I have found
favor in your sight, your majesty, and I do have a
request to make on behalf of my people ... the
Jews who live in your kingdom. An order has been
sent out that they must die because of one man's
hatred toward them, and toward my uncle
Mordecai in particular. If my people were marked
out to be servants of the Persians or sold as
bondmen, I would have said nothing, but I must
plead for their lives, because they have been
scheduled to be executed. Haman also is planning
to hang my uncle on the scaffold he erected
recently.
The king sat up rigidly and asked me who and
where the man was who has the audacity to desire
such a terrible thing. I glanced over at Haman and
then replied to the king, 'this wicked Haman who
sits before you has done this, your majesty’. The
king rose up quickly, stormed out of the room and
went down into his garden.
Sensing that evil was determined against him by
the king, Haman fell across my couch and pleaded
with me for his life. The king suddenly returned,
and when he saw Haman sprawled across my
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couch, he demanded, 'what is the meaning of this
outrage? Will this person compromise the queen
in my very presence?' Then he said to his servants,
who were in attendance, 'Take this man out of my
sight and hang him on the gallows he prepared for
Mordecai!'
After Haman's execution, the king's wrath was
pacified, and that very day he gave Haman's
properties to me and promoted Mordecai to the
position of Prime Minister.
The day after Mordecai's promotion, he and I
went to speak to the king and asked him to spare
the lives of our people. The king saw us waiting
for permission to approach him, and when he held
out his golden sceptre in our direction we entered
his chambers and stated our request. He replied,
'Esther ... I have great respect for both you and
your uncle, but the decree regarding the Jews has
been sealed with my official ring, and I'm
powerless to alter it; however, I do have a
suggestion you might try ... I will write a letter and
seal it with my ring, telling your people to get
ready to fight on a particular day against those
who want to destroy them. You could copy the
letter and distribute copies of it throughout the
land.'
My uncle and I agreed to the plan, and
Mordecai appointed men to go with him to
distribute the letter and encourage all the Jews in
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the kingdom. The Jews courageously fought
against their enemies, and when the Persians saw
their faith, many of them believed in the Lord. In
the palace alone, the Jews killed five hundred
men, and even the rulers of the provinces helped
Mordecai and his people to overcome their enemy,
and they took the ten sons of Haman and hanged
them on the scaffold where their father had been
executed.
At long last, peace reigned in Persia, because
the Lord protected the Jews in the land of their
enemies. Every year since that time, the Jews
celebrate the Feast of Purim to remember the
wonderful deliverance of the Jews in Persia."
The women applauded and said to Esther, "That
is a fantastic story about your life! How
marvelously the Lord protects and delivers those
who trust in Him! Who wants to be the next one to
tell about their adventures ... how about you, Jael?
Don't be bashful ... we know its hard to follow a
story like the one Esther just told, but please tell
us about your life.”
Jael accepted the challenge and began to tell the
others about her life on earth:
"It was difficult for all of us after Moses and
Joshua died, but before Israel had kings, the Lord
provided twenty-two judges to help us fight
against our enemies during a period of several
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hundred years. Two of those judges were Barak
and a woman by the name of Deborah who
worked side by side with him.
Jabin, the king of Canaan, had been Israel's
enemy for twenty years, and then the Children of
Israel cried out unto the Lord, and he provided
these two to lead them against the Canaanites. The
captain of Jabin's army was a man known as
Sisera, who had nine hundred iron chariots with
which to use in battle.
Barak took ten thousand of our men and went
out to fight the Canaanites, and, because the Lord
was with them, they were victorious over their
dreaded enemy. However, Captain Sisera had
managed to escape during the battle, and he ran
away on foot until he came close to our tent. You
see, my husband Heber was a Kenite who had
separated himself from the Canaanites, so Sisera
thought he could safely hide himself under our
roof.
I just happened to be standing in the doorway of
our tent when I saw Sisera running down the road,
and I called to him, 'Turn in here, my lord! Don't
be afraid!' He came inside to rest, and I covered
him with a shawl. He lay down and asked for a
drink of water, as he was very thirsty. I took water
and another warm garment to him, and then he
said, 'Stand in the doorway of the tent, and if
anyone comes to inquire if you have seen a
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stranger today, tell him you have not.' Then Sisera
fell into a deep sleep.
I knew that this man was an enemy of Israel, so
while he slept, I quietly took a tent peg and a
hammer in my hands, and without disturbing him,
I was able to drive the tent peg through his
temples and into the ground, and Sisera died.
Meanwhile, Judge Barak had been traveling
around the countryside looking for Sisera, and as
he drew close to our tent, he saw me standing in
the doorway. Barak leaned forward on his horse
and shouted, 'Has any stranger passed this way
today?' Without hesitating, I answered, 'Come
inside my tent, and I will show you the man for
whom you have been searching!' Barak
dismounted and ran into our tent ... there he saw
his enemy Sisera lying in a pool of blood with the
tent peg through his temples.
The death of Sisera was Israel's final victory
over the Canaanites that day, and I was happy to
have been able to help our people against one of
their worst enemies."
"Oh, Jael ... that's a great story! You used
craftiness and a little of your female logic to good
advantage!"
"Speaking of female logic, do any of you know
what this woman from the city of Abel did when
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Joab, the captain of King David's army, was about
to destroy her city because of one man? She not
only used logic, but she also was very wise."
"Oh, please tell us about it!"
The woman was a bit reluctant at first, but then
she agreed to tell the others about her experience:
“Some of you ladies probably lived during the
time that King David ruled Israel, so I don't have
to tell you that Israel had many enemies. Joab was
David's nephew and also a man in whom the king
placed a lot of confidence as the chief general in
Israel's army. Joab had been searching for a man
by the name of Sheba, the son of Bichri from the
tribe of Benjamin. Sheba had successfully
persuaded a number of men in Israel to forsake the
king and follow him, but the men who remained
faithful to David followed Joab, and they pursued
after Sheba.
Sheba and his followers found refuge in our city
of Abel, and when Joab found out where they
were hiding, he and his fighting men came to Abel
and began to break down the walls in their effort
to capture Sheba. In attempting to save our lives, I
shouted out to Joab: "Please stop and listen to
what I have to say, Joab!' He heard me and
shouted, 'Woman ... this is Joab speaking ... I'm
waiting to hear what you have to say to me!' I
quickly replied, 'There are a great many innocent
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and peace loving people in this city, and we are all
faithful to the king. Why do you want to destroy
the Lord's people because of one man?'
Joab shouted back, "It is not our purpose in
coming here to destroy people who are faithful to
the king, but we must capture and kill a man by
the name of Sheba who has found refuge in your
city. That man is responsible for leading a
rebellion against King David. Deliver him to us,
and we will go away and leave you in peace.
I had to think of something in a hurry, so I
shouted back, 'Please stay on your side of the wall
for just a short time and we will deliver Sheba to
you!’ I was able to convince some of the men who
were with me to cut off the head of Sheba, so after
carrying out that unpleasant task, they threw
Sheba's head over the wall to Joab and his men.
To announce his victory, Joab blew a trumpet and
then returned to Jerusalem with his men."
"Whew! That was a rather bloody experience
for you, but we can all be proud of how you
delivered your city from certain destruction!"
"As long as we were just thinking about King
David, maybe Abigail would like to tell us her
experience with David."
Abigail was happy to tell about her encounter
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with David and how her life was changed:
"My experience with David took place while
Saul was still king of Israel. David and four
hundred men who were loyal to him found
employment on a very large sheep ranch that was
owned by my husband Nabal. Nabal was a very
wealthy man, but also a very unreasonable and
cruel person.
David and his men had been shepherds over our
flocks of three thousand sheep and three thousand
goats for quite a few months without receiving any
wages for their services, so when David heard that
Nabal was shearing sheep in nearby Carmel, he
sent ten of his men to find Nabal and ask him for
food and wages.
David's men located Nabal, and when he asked
what they wanted, they told him how they had
been working on his property, protecting his
flocks from harm, and now David had sent them to
ask for food and wages for their services. Nabal
laughed at their request and said, 'I do not know
anyone by the name of David, whom you say is
the son of Jesse of Bethlehem! For all I know, this
David may be a runaway servant! Do you expect
me to take the food and water that I've provided
for my shearers and give those provisions to a
total stranger? I'll do no such thing!'
David's men rode back to camp and reported
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what Nabal had said to them. David became so
angry that he left two hundred of his men in
charge of their supplies, and he said to the other
two hundred, 'Grab your swords and saddle up ...
we're going to Carmel to kill Nabal and his entire
family as well!'
Meanwhile, one of Nabal's shepherds saddled a
donkey and came to warn me and our household
what David was planning to do. I was sure that
David had good reason for wanting to kill my
husband for his refusal to pay, but I couldn't stand
by and see my family destroyed, so I asked my
servants to load food and wine on two donkeys,
and I would ride on ahead of them and intercept
David and his men before they reached our house.
As soon as I caught sight of David and his men,
I lighted off my donkey and threw myself across
the road ... right in their pathway. David stopped
and asked what was wrong, so I said, "I am
Abigail, Nabal's wife, and I sincerely apologize
for the way he has treated you regarding food and
wages. Nabal is a very cruel and unreasonable
man, but I've been told that you are an honest and
reasonable man and that the Lord has appointed
you to be king over Israel. I have brought food and
wine for you and your men, and I trust that you
will accept this gift. Surely, it should cause no
grief to you if you should change your mind about
shedding blood to avenge the wrong my husband
has done to you.'
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David replied, 'Blessed is the Lord God of Israel
for sending you to meet me, and blessed is your
good advice that has prevented me from avenging
myself I! We will gladly accept the provisions you
have brought for us ... now, return to your home in
peace.'
During my absence from our home, Nabal had
been preparing a magnificent feast that was fit for
a king, and by the time I arrived, he had consumed
a great deal of wine, and I could see that he was
very drunk, so I decided to wait until morning to
tell him what I had done to keep David from
carrying out his plans to destroy us.
By morning, my husband was sober, but when I
told him about David, he suffered a severe stroke
and was unable to move or speak. Ten days later,
Nabal died.
When David heard that Nabal was dead, he sent
for me, and I consented to become his wife."
"These testimonies have been very interesting
for all of us. Next I'd like to find out if any of you
ever had the pleasure of getting to know Solomon?
We have heard about his great wealth and the
fantastic wisdom given to him by the Lord."
"Well, I knew Solomon, but while I can't really
say it was a pleasure to know him, it certainly was
a memorable experience for a young woman like
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me to spend a short time in his presence."
"Excuse me, but aren't you the famous
'Shulamite woman' who had the courage to refuse
Solomon when he attempted to add you to his
harem of seven hundred wives?"
"Yes, I am the one you've heard about, but
please let me tell the story in my own words:
I was very much in love with a young shepherd
who wanted to marry me, so I brought him home
to meet my family. My mother was a widow, and
my two brothers took care of her. When I asked
their permission for my shepherd and I to marry,
my brothers became very upset. They said I wasn't
old enough for marriage, and they threw my lover
out of the house and ordered him not to come
back!
I was heartsick, and one night when I couldn't
sleep, I dressed and went out into the street,
hoping to find someone who could tell me where I
might find my beloved. After wandering around
for a short time, a policeman stopped me and
asked why I was walking around the streets alone
in the middle of the night. He didn't want me to
get into any trouble, so he took me home. My
brothers decided to keep me occupied by making
me work in our vineyard, keeping the little foxes
away from the grapes that were growing
profusely.
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One day, while performing my duties in the
vineyard, I saw a magnificent chariot coming
down the road, and it was headed in my direction.
As it came closer, I could smell the scent of myrrh
and frankincense, and fragrant powders were
being cast into the air that resembled great pillars
of smoke. I knew immediately that the chariot
belonged to King Solomon. About a dozen
soldiers surrounded the chariot to protect the king
as he toured the countryside checking on the status
of the land he had leased to farmers.
I had the odd feeling I was being watched, and
when the chariot stopped right where I was
working, one of the soldiers approached me and
said the king was the man in the chariot and he
was attracted to me and asked if I would be
willing to go with them to the palace, because
Solomon wished to talk with me. I was most
anxious to leave the vineyard so I agreed to go.
Also, I hoped that in other surroundings, I might
meet someone who could tell me where to find my
beloved shepherd.
I was not taken into Solomon's harem, but into
a house next door where the palace servants
lived ... they were known as the 'Virgins of the
Harem' or sometimes referred to as the 'Daughters
of Jerusalem', and they were given the task of
making me presentable to the king. While bathing
and perfuming me they had many questions to ask,
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so I told them about my shepherd lover and how I
hoped to leave the palace soon and search for him.
Apparently they had grown rather fond of me,
because they said they would follow me if I went
away.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and Solomon
appeared ... dressed in all his glory ... the sight was
breathtaking! Then he came close to me and
kissed my hand and said very dramatically, 'As my
eyes look upon your beauty, my love, I can only
compare your person with the magnificent horses
in Pharaoh's chariots!'
A bit frightened, I drew back, and while trying
to free my hand from his grasp I replied, 'Please
don't look upon me, your majesty, because I've
been working many hours in the sun, and my skin
resembles the black tents of Kedar.' The Daughters
of Jerusalem interrupted: 'Oh no ... we would
compare your skin to the delicate, white curtains
of Solomon!'
Not to be outdone by his servants, Solomon
began to use other descriptive words to describe
how beautiful he considered me to be. I was
slightly sickened by his manner toward me, and I
pleaded with him to stop forcing his attentions
upon me, because I was formally engaged to
another man. However, no matter what I said he
would not be discouraged, because he was so sure
I wouldn't be able to resist his charm, and he
29
spoke even more flattering words.
In desperation, I pretended to be on the verge of
fainting, and I begged to be excused and permitted
to go outside for a breath of fresh air. He was a
little reluctant, but gave his consent and then
watched me from a window as I walked along the
path that led to his gardens. I heard the voice of
one of his queens, and saw him turn his attention
away from me, and I heard him say, ‘My dear ...
how long have you been listening and watching?"
She replied, 'Long enough to know that this
Shulamite woman presents no competition for
me ... watch me now while I dance for you!'
Meanwhile, I heard the voice of my beloved, so
I ran to the gate and called his name. He quickly
climbed over the wall, swept me up in his arms,
and we sped away in his humble chariot and
headed for my house.
My brothers saw the cloud of dust behind us,
and they said, 'It's our sister and that shepherd of
hers ... if she has been defiled, we'll lock her up
permanently, but if she has kept herself pure, we
will build a beautiful house for them' Then my
mother said to them, 'I raised her as a proper
child!'
Our chariot came to an abrupt stop, and we
heard the conversation that took place between my
mother and brothers. I bravely defended myself
30
and said, 'Even though I spent a few hours in
Solomon's house, I have not been defiled. My love
is only for my beloved shepherd,'
After hearing my words, the three of them
gladly gave their permission for my beloved and
me to marry."
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CHAPTER THREE
"So far we've heard some wonderful stories from
four of our Jewish women, but there are two
Gentile ladies here in the waiting room with us
who were married to famous Jewish men who are
in the direct line of David. Perhaps we can impose
upon them to share their earthly experiences with
us."
"I'll bet one of them is a lovely lady over there
by the name of Rahab who became the wife of
Salmon... am I correct?"
"Yes, that's me, and I'm happy to have an
opportunity to tell you about my life:
You probably know that the Lord made a
promise to Moses that He would give all the land
of the Moabites into the hands of the Children of
Israel, and after Moses died, the Lord confirmed
His promise to Joshua.
Before the Israelites were ready to attack our
city of Jericho, Joshua sent two of his men into the
city to spy out the land. I operated a rope-making
business, and my house was located right next to
the city wall and right by the city gate, so when
the two spies entered Jericho, they ran into my
house for protection. Then someone came to tell
me that the king's men were searching for the
spies and were on their way to my house, so I
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immediately hid the men among stalks of flax on
my roof.
When the king's men arrived, they asked me if I
had seen the spies. I lied and said, 'Two strangers
stopped here earlier today, but I didn't know who
they were; however I did see them going through
the city gate just before it was closed for the
evening. If you act quickly, you should be able to
find them.'
After being sure the king's men had gone out of
the city, I hurried up to the roof to inform the spies
and to make plans for their escape. I said to them,
'I know that the Lord has given this land to the
Children of Israel, and we have heard how the
Lord dried up the Red Sea for you and also how
you destroyed the two kings of the Amorites on
the other side of the Jordan River. When our
fighting men heard about that, they lost all
courage to fight, and the people of Jericho became
extremely frightened. I know that the LORD your
God is truly God in heaven and in earth, and I pray
that you will show kindness toward me and toward
all my family when you come to destroy this city
and that you will spare our lives.'
The spies assured me by saying, 'If you promise
not to tell anyone else about our being in Jericho,
we will not take your life or the lives of any of
your family members.'
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I was sure they would keep their word, so I
opened a window above the wall and gave them a
heavy scarlet colored rope on which to climb
down and escape. Then I warned them: 'Flee into
the mountains and hide there for at least three
days, and as soon as you see the king's men enter
the city, be on your way.' They replied, 'we will
keep our promise to spare you and your family
when we come back to destroy Jericho. As soon as
you see that our men are about to come into the
city, hang this scarlet rope from your window, and
when the soldiers see the rope, they will not
destroy your house or any of its inhabitants.'
I'm confident that the Lord protected me and my
family when Jericho was destroyed because we
trusted in Him as our Savior!'.
"That's a fabulous story, Rahab ... who wants to
be next?"
"The logical Gentile woman to follow Rahab is
none other than this beautiful Ruth, who was the
wife of Boaz. Are you ready to tell us about your
life, Ruth?"
"Yes I am, and I'd also like to remind you that
Boaz was the son of Rahab and Salmon:
I grew up in the land of Moab, and when a
certain family had to leave their home in
Bethlehem because of a famine in Israel, they
34
settled in the small town where I lived. The Jewish
family consisted of a father, a mother and two
boys who were just about my age. The boys and I
became very good friends, and their mother whose
name was Naomi was well thought of by everyone
who knew her. After five years, the boys' father
died, and Naomi had the responsibility of raising
her two sons. When the boys grew up, they
married women in our town ... in fact, I was one of
those women, and my friend Orphah was the
other.
After we were happily married for ten years,
both our husbands died very suddenly! After that
tragedy, Naomi told us she had decided to return
to her home in Bethlehem, because she found out
that the famine in Israel had ended. Orphah and I
were very sad to think of Naomi leaving us, and
we begged her to take us with her, but she said, T
have no more sons for you to marry, and you are
both still young and attractive ... surely there are
some fine, eligible young men here in Moab who
would be happy to have you as their wives.'
Orphah chose to stay in Moab, so she kissed
Naomi and went back to her home, but I pleaded
with my mother-in-law to let me go to Bethlehem
with her. She tried to comfort me and said, 'Ruth,
why don't you follow Orphah’s example ... she has
gone back to her people and to her gods, and you
should do the same.' I replied, 'I rejected the gods
of my people many years ago, and the God of
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Israel in whom you trust is my God now.
Wherever He leads you, I will go also!' When
Naomi heard that, she agreed to take me with her.
The people in Bethlehem who had known
Naomi years ago were very surprised to see her,
and they said, 'Can this really be you, Naomi?' She
replied sadly, 'I'm not the same person you
remember, because my husband and both my sons
died in Moab; however, there is still one joy in my
life, and that is having a beautiful daughter-in-law
like Ruth, with whom the Lord has blessed me.'
After we got settled, Naomi expressed a desire
to find a husband for me, and when she
remembered that her husband had a wealthy
relative by the name of Boaz she made plans for
me to meet him. It was barley harvest time in
Bethlehem, and Naomi knew it was customary for
land owners to allow the poor people in the land to
gather the grain that would be left in the fields
after harvesting, so she sent me out into a field
that belonged to Boaz.
Boaz had gone into the city to take care of a
business matter, and when he returned to see how
his workers were progressing with the harvest, he
glanced my way. Our eyes met for a moment, and
the young woman who was working along side of
me said, 'That's Boaz ... he's the owner of this
property.'
I saw Boaz talking to one of his men, and
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shortly after that the man approached me and said
Boaz wanted to speak to me.
Boaz was a tall, attractive man, and when he
spoke to me, I was slightly embarrassed, so I
dropped my eyes from his gaze and asked shyly,
'Why do you show special favor to me? I'm a
stranger in your land.' He replied, 'I've been told
how you left your home in Moab with Naomi and
that you have come here to care for her. You knew
nothing about our people or our God, but I
understand that you have put your faith in the
Lord God of Israel, and I'm sure He will reward
you for your faithfulness.' I replied, 'Sir, I am
sincerely grateful for your generosity and kind
consideration.' Then he said, 'at mealtime, please
come up and eat with my workmen, and whenever
you are thirsty, you may share the water they have
drawn for themselves. I want you to know that I
have instructed my men not to trouble you in any
way.' Again I thanked him, and as I was walking
away, I overheard him instruct his men to be sure
to leave enough grain for me to take back to
Naomi.
My sack was overflowing when I left the field,
and after going to the barn and winnowing the
grain, I went home and gave it to Naomi_ When I
told her about my meeting with Boaz she
exclaimed, 'Thanks be unto the Lord who has
graciously provided food for us, and I want to
remind you that Boaz. is a close relative of my late
37
husband.' 'That's wonderful', I replied, 'he told me
I could go into his field every day and work
alongside his servants until the end of barley
harvest.'
With a gleam in her eyes, Naomi exclaimed,
'We have a custom regarding property in Israel
that I'm sure is unfamiliar to you, but many years
ago the Lord gave a portion of land to each tribe
of the Children of Israel, and that land was to
remain in their own family. The father in the
family was the rightful owner of the land, and
after his death, his eldest son would inherit it. If
the son died and left no son of his own, the man's
widow would inherit the land. The closest male
relative of the father could marry the widow if he
wished to, and then he could purchase the land
from her. After that, the property would be
inherited by their son, etc.'
In amazement I asked, 'Are you saying that I am
now the owner of my late husband's inheritance?'
Naomi replied, 'Yes, Ruth ... your husband was
our eldest son, and since you are his widow and
have no children, the inheritance is yours! I'm
hoping that Boaz will want to marry you and buy
the land, but we must find out if he'd like to do
that.' I replied, 'I'll do exactly what you tell me to
do, Naomi.'
Then Naomi told me her plans ... I was to return
that night to Boaz' threshing floor. When Boaz and
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his men finished work and while it was still
daylight, it would be customary for them to go
inside the barn and choose a spot on which to lay
their bedrolls, and then go back to the house for
supper.
I changed my clothing and followed Naomi's
orders. I found a good place in the barn where I
could hide and not be seen when the men came in
with their bedding, and I saw Boaz pick a spot at
the end of a large heap of grain. When the men
came back and I was sure they were all sound
asleep, I carefully placed myself at Boaz' feet and
pulled a little of his cloak over my shoulders.
At midnight, Boaz awoke. He was startled to
find someone lying at his feet, and he said quietly,
'Who are you?' I replied in a soft whisper, 'I am
Ruth, your servant. If it pleases you, place the flap
of your robe over me, because you are a close
relative of Naomi.' Boaz whispered, 'The Lord's
blessing be upon you, Ruth! Everyone in
Bethlehem knows that you are a virtuous woman
and that you have not come to Israel to look for a
rich man. While it is true that I am a close relative
of your late husband, there is another man in the
city who is more closely related than I. In the
morning, I will arrange a meeting with him and
ask if he wishes to do the duty of a kinsman
toward you. If he refuses to do so, I will be more
than happy to do it. Now, you just relax and stay
where you are until daylight when the men return
39
to the field, and try not to let any of them see you.
Before you go back to Naomi, spread your apron,
and I will fill it with barley.’
Naomi was overjoyed with the news and also
very grateful for the barley I had brought home.
She said excitedly, 'Now we'll just have to wait to
see how Boaz' plan turns out... I know he won't
rest until this matter of the kinsman is resolved.'
Early the next morning, Boaz went into the city
and selected ten men to join him just inside the
gate where he was certain that the man of whom
he spoke would appear. They didn't have to wait
very long, and Boaz called to him, 'Hello there,
friend! Please sit beside me for a moment... I have
something important to discuss with you.' As soon
as the man seated himself, Boaz questioned, 'Have
you heard that Naomi, our dead uncle's wife, is
back in Bethlehem? She wants to sell a parcel of
land that belonged to her deceased husband. Their
eldest son married a Moabite woman and had no
children by her, so since you are the nearest blood
relative, I wanted you to be the first one to have an
opportunity to redeem the land. If you decide not
to, I'd like to know, because I am the next eligible
man.' The man responded emphatically, 'I will
redeem it!'
Boaz then went on to say, 'Wait ... there is one
more thing you need to know ... the day you
redeem the inheritance from the widow Ruth, you
40
will also be obligated to marry her, and I'm sure
you understand that any son born from such a
marriage would be given the inheritance in order
to keep the land in our uncle's family.'
The man was shocked when he heard that, and
said, 'What? I can't do that without destroying my
own inheritance! I will not redeem our uncle's
land!' Then he took off his shoe and gave it to
Boaz to seal their agreement and said to him, 'Buy
it for yourself, Boaz!'
After accepting the shoe, Boaz looked about
him and said to the others, 'You men are
witnessing today that I have bought all that
belonged to our uncle and to his son as well.
Furthermore, I am declaring before you that I will
take Ruth to be my wife, and as the law states, her
deceased husband's inheritance will be passed on
to our son.'
The men replied, 'Boaz, we have witnessed all
that you have declared in our presence today.
May you and Ruth have a wonderful life together!'
Well, as you know, Boaz and I did have a
beautiful life together, and we had a son whom we
named Obed, who became the father of Jesse, the
father of David, Israel's greatest king."
"Oh, Ruth ... your story is like icing on a cake
for the rest of us! Thank you so much for making
our time in the waiting room a very pleasant one!"
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The End
A Fallbrook Bible Ministries Book
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Notes:
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Notes:

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