Real Diamonds & Precious Stones of the Bible

Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Pearlie Braswell-Tripp.

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Rev. date: 06/18/2013

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Contents

Acknowledgements

Introductio   Real Diamonds & Precious Stones Of The Bible

Chapter One   Real Diamonds In The Rough

Chapter Two   Precious Stones Of The Bible

Chapter Three   188 Real Women Of The Bible Precious Stones

Chapter Four   Mrs. Adam (Eve) Who Is Lilith?

Chapter Five   Who Was Mrs. Noah?

Chapter Six   Sarai (Sarah) Mrs. Abraham

Chapter Seven   African Edenic Women Of The Scripture

Chapter Eight   Ruth & Naomi

Chapter Nine   Book Of Esther

Chapter Ten   Six Marys, Martha & Elizabeth

Chapter Eleven   Ten Bad Women Of The Bible

Appendix A   Scriptures

References

Acknowledgements

I Would Like To Acknowledge All Women

Diamonds

Great Women of The Bible

According to Proverbs 31:10-31:

10.   Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11.   The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12.   She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13.   She seekth wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

14.   She is like the merchants’ ship; she bringeth her food from afar.

15.   She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

16.   She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17.   She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

18.   She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19.   She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

20.   She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

21.   She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

22.   She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

23.   Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

24.   She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

25.   Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26.   She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

27.   She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28.   Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29.   Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30.   Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

31.   Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Diamonds

Women of Admirable Character

In The Bible

1.   Noah’s Wife

2.   Mary (Mother of Jesus)

3.   Queen Esther

4.   Abigail (Wife of Nabal and King David),

5.   Abishag

6.   Anna

7.   Deborah

8.   Dorcas

9.   Elisabeth

10.   Eunice

11.   Euodias

12.   Hannah

13.   Joanna

14.   Lois

15.   Lydia of Thyatira

16.   Martha

17.   Mary Magdalene

18.   Milcah

19.   Phebe

Diamonds

The New Testament Women

Mary is worshipped as the mother of Jesus. Mary Magdalene was the first to know that Christ was raised from the dead. Elisabeth, mother of John the Baptist, receives her own revelation from an angel about her son and his mission. The unnamed Samaritan woman of John 4:1-42 who gives Jesus water to drink and then converts her whole town to Christianity is an important story of faith. Priscilla and her husband, Aquila, are important in Paul’s many journeys. She is always mentioned first and was likely the driving force in organizing many branches of the early church. She is the first to be mentioned as a faithful companion in Paul’s last letter. The women of the Bible when carefully studied are all powerful in their own ways and wield the kind of influence that we recognize today as so important.

Sermon On The Mount

Sermon On The Mount is the greatest sermon Jesus ever preached. The Lord’s prayer, the beautitudes, and the golden rules are in the sermon. Jesus delivered this sermon on a mountain near Capernaum. Tradition ascribes the site to an extinct volcano named Karne Hittim. Jesus sat while delivering the Sermon on The Mount. Sitting connatated authority, so rabbis often sat while teaching. The Sermon on The Mount is in the 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of Matthew. You can read most of the Sermon here. It’s divided into 5 sections listed below:

●   Beatitudes—Teachings that begin with blessed. These were meant to comfort suffering believers.

The Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13)

9.   After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10.   Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11.   Give us this day our daily bread.

12.   And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13.   And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Beatitudes

In Christianity, the Beatitudes (anglicized from the Matthean Vulgate Latin section title: Beatitudines) are a set of teachings by Jesus that appear in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The term Beatitude comes from the Latin adjective beatus which means happy, fortunate, or blissful.

The teachings are expressed as eight blessings in the Sermon on The Mount in Matthew. Four similar blessings appear in the Sermon on The Plain in Luke and are followed by four woes that mirror the blessings.

Each Beatitude consists of two phrases: the condition and the result. In almost all cases the phrases used are familiar from an Old Testament context, but in the Sermon Jesus elevates them to new teachings.

Together, the Beatitudes present a new set of Christian ideals that focus on love and humility rather than force and exaction. They echo the highest ideals of the teachings of Jesus on mercy; spirituality and compassion.

Biblical Basis

While opinions may vary as to exactly how many distinct statements the Beatitudes should be divided into (ranging from eight to ten), most scholars consider them to be only eight. These eight of Matthew, follow a simple pattern: Jesus names a group of people normally thought to be unfortunate and pronounces them blessed.

Matthew

The eight beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12 during the Sermon on The Mount are stated as Blessed are:

●   Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. (5:3)

●   Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.(5:4)

●   Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (5:5)

●   Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (5:6).

●   Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (5:7)

●   Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (5:8)

●   Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (5:9)

●   Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10)

In Matthew, these are followed by what is often viewed as a commentary (When men shall revile you), which R.T. France considers based on, (Isa. 51:7).

Luke

The four beautitudes in Luke 6:20-22 during the Sermon on The Plain are stated as Blessed are you.

●   Blessed are you: the poor: for yours is the Kingdom of God.

●   Blessed are you: that hunger now: for ye shall be filled.

●   Blessed are you: that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

●   Blessed are you: when men shall hate you, and when shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the son of man’s sake.

The four woes that follow these in Luke 6:24-26 are as stated as Woe unto you:

●   Woe unto you: that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

●   Woe unto you: that are full now! for ye shall hunger.

●   Woe unto you: that laugh now! For ye shall mourn and weep.

●   Woe unto you: when all men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets.

Analysis and Interpretation

Each Beatitude consists of two phrases: the condition and the result. In almost all cases the phrases used are familar from an Old Testament context, but in the sermon Jesus elevates them to new teachings.

Together, the Beautitudes present a new set of ideals that focus on love and humility rather than force and exaction they echo the highest ideals of his teachings on spirtuality and compassion. The term the meek would be familiar in the Old Testament, e.g. as in Psalms 37:11. Although the beatitude concerning the meek has been much praised even by some non-Christians such as Mahatma Gandhi, some view the admonition to meekness skeptically, e.g. Friedrich Nietzsche saw the verse as embodying what he perceived as a slave morality.

In Christian teachings, the works of Mercy, which have corporal and spiritual components, have resonated with the theme of the Beatitude for mercy. These teachings emphasize that these acts of mercy provide both temporal and spirtual benefits. The theme of mercy has continued in devotions such as the Divine Mercy in the 20th century.

The peacemakers have been traditionally interpreted, not only live in peace with others but do their best to promote friendship among mankind and between God and man. St. Gregory of Nyssa interpreted it as godly work, which was an imitation of God’s love of man.

(Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). (KJV).

Sermon On The Mount

●   New laws—Contrasts the old law of Moses with the new law of Christ. A brief summary of Christian doctrine.

New laws and Old Laws:

Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the Kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven.

●   Murder—You have heard that the ancients were told, You shall not commit murder and whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, you good-for-nothing, shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, you fool, shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

●   Reconcile Your Differences—Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown in prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

●   Adultery—You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go to hell.

●   Divorce—It was said, whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

●   Making False Vows—Again you have heard that the ancients were told, You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.

But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

But let your statement be, Yes, yes or no, no. Anything beyond these is of evil.

●   Go The Extra Mile—You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

●   Love Your Neighbor—You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (KJV)

The Golden Rule (KJV) (Matt. 7:12) Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Introduction

Real Diamonds & Precious Stones

Of The Bible

There are 188 women mentioned in the Bible, Old and New Testaments. In my attempt to simplify how we read and interpret a complicated book like the Bible, I am writing things from the Bible in parts. In this book Diamonds, you will read about women that I have compared to jewels. There are Women of Honor, Notable Women, Great Women, Women of Character, Strong Women, Beautiful Women, Famous Women and Infamous Women. These women are true Diamonds In The Rough. I say they are diamonds in the rough because they lived all the way back in the Bible days where women had no rights at all. They could not even speak in the church. They would have to keep silent until they reached home and then talk to men about the service. (1 Cor. 14:34): Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. (1 Cor. 14:35): And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. Some women are polished gemstones, some are natural uncut, unpolished, some are rough, but polished and some are blood diamonds, like Jezebel. You will recognize each gem.

Women now have an organization named National Organization For Women (NOW). They were organized in 1966. The National Organization for Women is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States. NOW has more than 500,000 contributing members and more than 500 local and campus affliates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Since their founding in 1966, Now’s goal has been to take action to bring about equality for all women. Both the actions NOW take and its position on the issues are principled, uncompromising and often ahead of their time. NOW is a leader, not a follower, of public opinion.

The Founding of NOW

Setting The Stage

In 1880, Mrs. H. Griswold wrote in a letter to Susan B. Anthony: Words fail to convey the bitter hatred I have for the foul demagogues who would take from me the freedom they claim for themselves. In 1909, Emma Goldman wrote A New Declaration of Independence, in which she declared the self-evident truth that all human beings irrespective of race, color, or sex are born with equal rights. About a decade later, Margaret Sanger explained the morality of birth control in a speech so titled.

By the post-World War II era, such strong feminist voices were dwindling in number and volume; the momentum of the feminist movement that won suffrage and expanded women’s rights in the early 20th century had waned. A negative media blitz proclaimed the death of feminism and celebrated the happy, suburban house wife.

But with the rise of the civil rights movement, feminists again made their place in the political arena. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 came to congress, and feminists lobbyed hard for the addition of an amendment prohibiting sex discrimination in employment. After much debate, the Act was passed with just such a prohibition in Title VII—added by a congressman who hoped to defeat the Act by including sex. But Title VII was still a shallow protection for women in the workforce.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was formed in 1965 to implement Title VII of the Civil Rights of 1964. Though future NOW president Aileen Hernandez and founder Richard Graham fought hard as EEO commissioners to enforce Title VII’s prohition on sex discrimination, they were ultimately out numbered 3-2, and the EEOC decided in September of 1965 that sex segregation in job advertising was permissible.

A month later, at a conference on Title VII and the EEOC, Dr. Pauli Murray—a law professor at Yale and a member of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women—denounced the EEOC and its stance permitting Help Wanted Male and Help Wanted Female segregated job advertising. Betty Friedan, author of the eye-opening book The Feminine Mystique, immediately contacted Dr. Murray—one of many historic linkups that led to a reemergence of the feminist movement in the U.S.

The Third National Conference of Commissions on the Status of Women

Friedan and Murray were among hundreds of representatives at this conference in Washington, D.C., on June 28-30, 1966. The theme was Targets for Action, and many of the delegates wanted to pass a resolution demanding that the EEOC carry out its legal mandate to end sex discrimination in employment. They were told that they had no authority, not even to pass a resolution, but they were determined to take action.

Betty Friedan attended the conference as a writer and observer and had been closely watching the efforts of Graham and Hernandez to enforce Title VII. Friedan has said that both commissioners and EEOC attorney Sonia Pressman Fuentes were "privately suggesting the need for an organization to speak on behalf of women in the way civil rights groups had done for Blacks.

Determined to put the theme of the conference into practice, Friedan and others invited frustrated conference participants to discuss alternative strategies. Friedan wrote the acronym NOW on a paper napkin. Some 15-20 women assembled in Friedan’s hotel room that night. Among them were: Catherine Conroy, Inka O’Hanrahan, Rosalind Loring, Mary Eastwood, Dorothy Haener, Pauli Murray, and Kay Clarenbach. Loring recalled the group’s anger over what was happening at the conference, and how they could change it: There was a lot of feeling building in a lot of women then, and… they were more-or-less ready. With time running out, more of the dissidents gathered during the final conference luncheon and began planning the formation of the new organization.

Gene Boyer, recalling the hurried meeting over lunch, said, Catherine Conroy pulled out a five dollar bill from her wallet and, in her usual terse style, invited us to ‘put your money down and sign your name.’ NOW was a reality and I think we all felt somehow we had participated in a significant beginning.

Analoyce Clapp wrote, "28 women met to set up a temporary organization for this purpose: To take action to bring women into full participation