The Syrophoenician Woman

The Syrophoenician Woman

Scripture References: Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30

ABOUT HER

• She was a Canaanite from the region of Tyre and Sidon
• She was a mother with a demon-possessed daughter
• She was desperate for help from Jesus

HER OUTER WOMAN

Read Matthew 15:21-28

Culturally

• Non-Jewish, a Gentile
• “Mark tells us that the woman of Canaan was Syrophoenician by race -the Phoenicians having merged with Syria. Later, the little country was taken over by the Greeks, and consequently by culture and language she was a Greek. The Greek is also identified with Gentile (see Romans 1:16).” -Frances Vander Velde, Women of the Bible

Functionally

• She approaches Jesus the way the Jews did “Have mercy on me, Son of David” (Matt 9:27 -the two blind men, Matt 12:23 -demon oppressed man healed, Matt 20:20 -blind men)
• “The Syrophoenician woman was a mixture of several races and a true Gentile (see Mark 7:26 for her nationality). She had no claim on Jesus as the Son of David, and when she addressed Him as such, He answered her not a word.” -J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary
• Remember the Gospel of Matthew highlights Jesus, King of the Jews. When Jesus responds to the disciples saying, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” he is causing her to face this fact while at the same time testing her faith. Jesus ministered to everyone differently.

“Because of all we know of Christ’s love and compassion, we cannot believe that He meant to ignore altogether her cry for help. Often the problem of unanswered prayer is acute, but He who ever hears the pleas of those who seek Him always answers prayer in His own best way. Perhaps with this Gentile mother, His repulse was meant to try her faith, which proved to be a faith accepting no rebuff.” -Herbert Lockyer, All the Women of the Bible

How do you respond to God’s apparent silence? David in Psalm 35:22 ESV responded this way, “You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!”

TALK TO THE LORD!

Jesus is always quiet on purpose. Do you presume it to be a bad thing? It is wise to wait on the Lord for the revealing of His purposes and plans while seeking Him earnestly when He appears to be silent and not to assume the worst or give way to vain imagination.

HOW NOT TO RESPOND WHEN THE LORD IS SILENT:

1. Don’t make stuff up (lose touch with reality, create a false peace)
1. Nehemiah 6:8 ESV “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.”
2. Deuteronomy 29:18-19 NLT “...so that no root among you bears bitter and poisonous fruit. Those who hear the warnings of this curse should not congratulate themselves, thinking, ‘I am safe, even though I am following the desires of my own stubborn heart.’ This would lead to utter ruin!
3. “Worry is nothing less than the misuse of your imagination.” -Ed Foreman
2. Don’t lean on your own understanding (Coming up with your own conclusions)
1. Proverbs 3:5 ESV “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
2. “Always beware when you can reasonably account to yourself for the action you are about to take, because the source of such clear reasoning is the enthroning of human understanding.” -Oswald Chambers, Our Portrait in Genesis
3. Don’t be wise in your own eyes (Allowing pride to be your guide)
1. Proverbs 3:7a ESV “Be not wise in your own eyes.”
2. Jeremiah 17:9 NIV “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
3. “Unless we get hurt right out of every deception about ourselves, the word of God is not having its way with us.” -Oswald Chambers
4. “Pride is the hidden cause behind destroyed relationships, stunted spiritual growth, and thwarted emotional healing.” -Priscilla Shirer, Gideon
4. Don’t go out alone (Doing your own thing)
1. Isaiah 52:12 ESV “For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”

HOW TO RESPOND WHEN THE LORD WHEN HE IS SILENT:

1. Wait for the Lord’s revelation (Do not make a presumption)
1. Philippians 4:5 NKJV “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand”
2. Philippians 4:8a NKJV “Finally, brothers, whatever is true...think about these things.”
2. Acknowledge God’s ways in the situation (state the facts of what you DO know)
1. 2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”
2. “I claim the fulfillment of God’s promises, and rightly, but that is only the human side; the Divine side is that through the promises I recognize God’s claim on me.” -Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest
3. Seek wisdom from the scripture you DON’T already have (search the facts of what you DON’T know)
1. Proverbs 2:2 NKJV “So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;”
2. Proverbs 3:13 NKJV “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding;”
4. Do things God’s way (Don’t go forward alone, without God)
1. Galatians 5:25 NIV “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
2. Galatians 5:25 NLT “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”
3. “Extended times of prayer are not meant to change God’s mind but to align our thinking with His. Jesus never set His agenda and then asked God to bless it. He only did what the Father told Him to do (John 5:19).” -Sharon Jaynes, A Sudden Glory

What she had going against her was: her race (Canaanite), her gender (woman), the disciples (pushing her away), Jesus Himself was silent

• In her place one would most likely sink away brokenhearted and discouraged.
• “Before you’re tempted to wearily cast aside your jersey and quit, keep in mind our team wins.” -Beth Moore, Daniel
• What are things that come against you in your pursuit of God that you need to acknowledge and deal with. We all have them. Write these things down. Don’t let life pass by and miss out on the purposes of God for your life!

“Jesus was drawing out from her an understanding that would be helpful not only to her in this situation specifically but to us in all generations historically.” -Pastor Jon Courson

HER INNER WOMAN

After Jesus addressed her religious “talk” and responded to the disciples after His silence this woman crying out to Him, we see her respond from the heart saying in verse 25, “Lord, help me.”

Then Jesus goes a level deeper in her heart with his response in verse 26! The Jews referred to the Gentiles as dogs “kyon” and Jesus used a derivative of the word dog “kynarion” meaning “little dog” with the meaning of a pet.  In my opinion he used a softer term of the word to speak more respectfully to her.

“Jesus was saying, ‘It isn’t reasonable for the children to be starving when the pet dogs are being fed’” -Pastor Jon Courson

Then came her response! She had a humble response and did not allow PRIDE to hinder her intimacy with Jesus. Jesus goes back and forth with us to draw us OUT. He desires interaction with us, for us to be enlightened in the truth, to know what we believe and why. Read Ephesians 1:15-23

What was Jesus teaching the disciples? This woman could not come to Him as a Jew, but she could come to Him by faith.

“Now our Lord leaves the land of Israel for the first time during His public ministry. This is interesting because He came to Israel as her King. When He sent His disciples out, He instructed them to go into the cities of Israel but not beyond her boundaries. Then the Lord was rejected by Israel, and there arose a conflict. The breaking point between Jesus and the religious rulers came only a few verses ago. What happens? Jesus Himself steps over the boundaries of Israel and lays down another great principle. He will now receive the Gentiles.” -J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary

FAITH: Read Romans 4:1-25 and Galatians 3:21-29

“Many women were ardent followers of Jesus during His earthly ministry, but he said only of this one distressed mother, ‘Woman, great is thy faith.’” -Frances Vander Velde, Women of the Bible

Life Lesson

Persevere in your requests for the Lord. Have a breakthrough!

This woman had a breakthrough with Jesus! What did it take? What did it require of her?

Face resistance, stay in God’s presence, persist dialogue with Jesus, maintain a heart of humility (confessing what we don’t deserve), receive what Jesus gives us by faith

Discussion Questions:

1. In what areas do we tend to “give up” in with God in prayer? If we quit, what are we possibly missing out on?
2. What most impressed you about this woman?
3. What is a desire or request that you want to ask God for (that you feel comfortable sharing)?

Rebekah

Women of the Bible

Rebekah

Scripture References:

Genesis 22:23; 24; 25:19-28; 26:6-35; 27; 28:1-9; 29:12; 35:8; 49:31; Romans 9:6-16

Her God Story:

Read Genesis 24:1-14

Abraham knows the influence of a wife and wants to make a wise decision concerning his promised son! Who you marry is the SECOND most important decision in your entire life. Remember Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding!

Proverbs 18:22 NKJV

He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD.

Rebekah means “ensnarer” .

Rebekah was a captivating woman and had a lot of influence.

Rebekah is first mentioned in Genesis 22:20-24 in the genealogy of the descendants of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. Nahor had a son named Bethuel who was Rebekah’s father and Laban was Rebekah’s brother.

Rebekah was the wife of Isaac.

She was the first woman in the Bible mentioned to have twins named Esau and Jacob.

In Genesis 24:5 the servant asks Abraham “what if.” Most people take relationship matters into their own hands because they think “well what if…” and they choose not to be wise. Always seek to be WISE when it comes to relationship matters because relationships can be detrimental to us.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB

Trust in the Lord will all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

In Genesis 24:6 –Abraham says “BEWARE”. We need to beware when it comes to major decisions in our lives and not make them carelessly. We need to take a lot of thought and prayer and consideration. We need to seek the book of Proverbs for wisdom and insight.

In Genesis 24:7 –Abraham is saying the Lord who did all of this…He will do this too! Don’t forget all that God’s done in your life. He never wants to stop working that way in yours.

In Genesis 24:8  we see that Abraham thought through the situation and considered “Okay, if she’s not willing, STILL don’t take Isaac back there.” He still chose to be wise about this and remain in the place God called him.

Proverbs 16:9 NASB

The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

Like Abraham, as a parent, be praying for your children’s future spouses now. Be powerfully involved in the spiritual realm for this HUGE decision. It will also prepare your heart for when the time comes and then there will be joy. You will be involved.

24:11  - Rebekah walked right into God’s plan for her life when she was doing what she was supposed to be doing when she was supposed to be doing it.

Luke 16:10 NKJV

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

God is in the details! Ask Him for the ability to see Him working in the details.

God was preparing Rebekah to be the wife of Isaac. She didn’t know this. A lot of times God is preparing us for something we are unaware of. 

Esther 4:14 NKJV

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

When it comes to a marriage partner we need to let God do the choosing! Our job and responsibility is to be faithful to Him and listen to His direction and walk in prayer and in the Spirit. He will bring about circumstances that are His will that we will find ourselves simply walking in.

Read Genesis 24:15-28

Rebekah had a servant’s heart. We need to take each day and let it be of utmost importance in our minds and hearts because each day turns into a week, which turns into a month, which turns into a year, which turns into our life.

Day by Day (Secrets to Success)

-Spending time with God in prayer… do what He asks you to.

“Success is when preparation meets opportunity.”

Principles taken from Charles Stanley’s book How to Reach Your Full Potential for God:

Have a balanced schedule including these things:

1.                        Prayer and the Word

2.                        Church (Worship with fellow believers)

3.                        Family and Friends

4.                        Work

5.                        Relaxation and Rest

6.                        Sleep

7.                        Fitness and Health

Things I must do:

Things I should delegate:

Things I should ignore:

Ask these questions about your schedule: What stresses me? What makes me feel hurried, anxious, or rushed? What am I doing as a result of others insisting that I act or behave in a certain way? Is their insistence justified against what God has called and purposed for me to do?

Reevaluate your schedule periodically.

THIS IS HOW GOD STORIES HAPPEN!  It is when we are doing everyday life. It takes time.

God WANTS to give us stories to tell and testimonies to share.

Read Genesis 24:45-60

24:48 –God WANTS to guide you in the right way and He will be FAITHFUL to do it!

1 Thessalonians 5:24 NKJV

He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Rebekah had COURAGE. She was courageous to follow the adventure God had prepared for her and step out in faith.

Her marriage and motherhood:

Read Genesis 24:61-67

24: 67 –God can use marriage as a tool of comfort and healing.

Read Genesis 25:19-23

A pattern of barrenness appears in the lives of the people God calls and chooses. What was their response? PRAYER. God closes the “womb” or closes doors in our lives and allows for barrenness in our life so that we will pray.

Read Genesis 25:27-28

A huge mistake as a parent is showing favoritism. There is no partiality with God. We need to be sensitive to this with our children because it’s very painful to the core of their being.

Romans 2:11 NKJV

For there is no partiality with God.

Read Genesis 26:6-11

Learn from the scriptures and don’t repeat the same mistakes! Here Rebekah makes the same mistake that Sarah does. They both receive a PROMISE from God but do not WAIT ON THE LORD to let it unfold. They start manipulating the situation and use their own devises, scheming and deceiving to try to make the promise of God happen. It ALWAYS leads to pain.

God did not ask Rebekah to do any of this. You never see her seeking God concerning what He told her was going to happen. She never inquired of the Lord. She schemed and planned to fulfill her purposes and brought strife into the home. The ends never justify the means.

Review Genesis 27

The result? Jacob had to leave! Now she couldn’t be with the son that she loved.

Life Lesson:

Let God take the initiative and follow His lead.

Summary:

   “Some people are initiators. They help get the ball rolling. Rebekah would easily stand out in this group. Her life was characterized by initiative. When she saw a need she took action, even though the action was not always right.

    It was Rebekah’s initiative that first caught the attention of Eliezer, the servant Abraham sent to find a wife for Isaac. It was common courtesy to give a drink to a stranger, but it took added character to also fetch water for ten thirsty camels. Later, after hearing the details of Eliezer’s mission, Rebekah was immediately willing to be Isaac’s bride.

    Several later events help us see how initiative can be misdirected. Rebekah was aware that God’s plan would be channeled through Jacob, not Esau (Gen 25:23).  So not only did Jacob become her favorite; she actually planned ways to ensure that he would overshadow his older twin.  Meanwhile, Isaac preferred Esau. This created a conflict between the couple. She felt justified in deceiving her husband when the time came to bless the sons, and her ingenious plan was carried out to perfection.

   Most of the time we try to justify the things we choose to do. Often we attempt to add God’s approval to our actions. While it is true that our actions will not spoil God’s plan, it is also true that we are responsible for what we do and must always be cautious about our motives. When thinking about a course of action, are you simply seeking God’s stamp of approval on something you’ve already decided to do? Or are you willing to set the plan aside if the principles and commands of God’s Word are against the action? Initiative and action are admirable and right when they are controlled by God’s wisdom.”  -taken from Life Application Study Bible, Personality Profiles

Don't Forget

"And He said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while'" (Mark 6:31). Have you gotten to a quiet place with the Lord lately? Just you and Him? "And they all ate and were satisfied" (Mark 6:42). Have you eaten of His Word until you were satisfied? If you've been down and discouraged or feel like you are far from victory, the FIRST thing to ask yourself is...have you spent time with Jesus? Real time. Time in His presence where His Word jumps off the page and into your heart?
If you feel far away from the Lord right now, remember... "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You" (Psalm 86:5). Call upon the Lord...be refreshed in the REALITY of His presence! The more we live day by day apart from experiencing His presence, the more we live weak and hungry lives. We all are going to find a way to meet our souls needs somehow...let's not turn to idols but to the true and living God!
If there is one MAIN THING the enemy goes after...it's your time spent with the Lord. Remember that...

Is God Waiting?

Sorry I have a cold so my voice is a little funny :o)