For Such a Time

The Bible is not a haphazard collection of anecdotes.

The stories and their cast of characters are not included on a whim. 

In the Bible God intervenes decisively in the lives of His people. We can trace His hand at work through stories of the Old Testament heroes Moses, Samuel, King Solomon, and the New Testament champions Peter and Paul as He directs the course of human history. But God does not limit Himself to working through men alone. Dickerson shows that for every hero found in the Bible there is a corresponding heroine.

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. Clearly, these were not ordinary women. They did not fit the image of the “perfect woman.” They had little in common with the “ideal woman” pictured in Proverbs 31; but they did share one crucial characteristic with that woman–initiative. They were women who did not hesitate to roll up their sleeves and play an active role in shaping their destiny–even when it meant defying convention.

The Bible is a complex Book and God often surprises us and confounds our expectations. For Such a Time is a thoughtful study. Prepare to be inspired, astonished, and delighted!

Chapter Content:

Introduction

Chapter 1: Matthew’s Quartet

Chapter 2: Tamar

Chapter 3: Jochebed

Chapter 4: Rahab

Chapter 5: Deborah

Chapter 6: Ruth

Chapter 7: Hannah

Chapter 8: Abigail

Chapter 9: Bathsheba

Chapter 10: Woman of Shunem

Chapter 11: Esther

Chapter 12: Mary of Nazareth

Chapter 13: Different as Night and Day

Chapter 14: Rags to Righteousness

Chapter 15: The Syrophonecian Woman

Chapter 16: Mary of Bethany

Chapter 17: Mary of Magdala

Chapter 18: What I Learned

'Ed has a high view of Scripture and he has immersed himself in the biblical narratives where these enterprising women appear. He highlights elements in the text and explains them without adding to the stories; he doesn’t embellish the stories with fiction. Through Ed’s writing, I learned many new things, even some astonishing things. (More on this in my next post). And my understanding of these women—and how God worked through them and blessed them—has been enriched.

 As with any book, I don’t completely agree with everything it contains, but the few points where I have a different view are very few. Also, there is no denominational bias in the writing.'

...

 Ed ends each chapter by comparing the featured woman with a male Bible character. For the most part, I didn’t find the comparisons compelling. I asked Ed about this and he explained, “I wanted to pre-empt any notion on the part of the reader that ‘she did well, for a woman.’ I wanted to point out that these women did well by any measure, often overcoming greater obstacles than the men did.'

...

  'For Such a Time is well-written and conversational in style, and aimed at the average reader, especially American readers. (There are several analogies used in the book about American institutions such as the Oval Office and Pony Express.) I am glad I read it. It is a short yet worthwhile book for anyone wanting to learn more about these Bible women, their part in the history of God’s people, and the implications of God’s responses to their actions.'

  -    Margaret Mowczko, Click here to read the complete review.  https://margmowczko.com/for-such-a-time-review/