Iran and Womens' End Time Role

Last week, I read some very interesting thoughts in the book Women: God's Secret Weapon by Ed Silvoso. Just days after reading his revelations, I became aware of the role women are playing in the current protests in Iran. In fact, the role of women is so profound that many are calling what is happening in Iran the "Lipstick Revolution". I don't think that this was a coincidence. In his book, Ed Silvoso shared a couple of "prophetic words" that God had given him which came to pass, and I believe much, or all, of what he shared about the future role of Middle Eastern women may just be true. Friends, this is so worth reading. Take a few moments and get a fresh revelation of Psalm 68! The following is quoted exactly from the book mentioned above.

Where Satan's head will be crushed: the showdown is fast approaching, and it will take place inside the 10/40 Window. I see three reasons for this. 1) Location: The Garden, the place where Satan scored first, was inside the 10/40 Window. Most scholars place the garden in the region where Iraq and Iran are today. This is one of the least receptive regions to the gospel. Being one of the places where Satan is most firmly entrenched, it will most likely also be where he will make his last stand. 2) The condition of women: The place on earth where they are most degraded, disgraced, debased and deprived is inside the 10/40 Window...3) Scriptural evidence: Psalm 68 describes a decisive encounter between God and evil forces, in which women play a key role. The internal evidence in this Psalm points to the 10/40 Window as the battleground.

Psalm 68:11-12 says, "The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host: Kings of armies flee, they flee", and as a result, God "scattered the peoples who delight in war." (v.30)... The mention of Judah, Zebulun and Naphtali places it in modern-day land of Israel. Mention of Sinai, Egypt and Ethiopia expand the theater to the entire Middle East...

The idea of women who proclaim glad tidings defeating evil kings is so extraordinary that to make sure this novel point is not lost the next verse reiterates, "She who remains at home will divide the spoil!" (v.12) Spoils always belong to the victor...



"When you lie down among the sheepfolds, you are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its pinions with glistening gold" (v13)...this verse compares the warring women to doves lying down on sheepfolds, their wings covered with silver and their pinions adorned with gold...sheepfolds are sheepskins used to cover the floor inside a tent...even if they came from white sheep, after a period of use their color turns to gray. If silver-colored doves are placed on gray sheepfolds, they become inconspicuous for lack of contrast. Even the gold rings on their pinions do not attract attention becasue the doves lie on them. What we have here is women camouflaged as doves lying low with a treasure hidden underneath. The story of the doves reflects perfectly the reality of Muslim women today inside the 10/40 Window. The question is not will God release them as his mighty army, but how soon will they be released?




The next verse states, "When the Almighty scattered the kings there, it was snowing in Zalmon" (v.14) What is the meaning of the snow, and why is Zalmon mentioned? If multitudes of doves...descend on an area, the place will look as if it is covered with snow. This happened in a location identified as Zalmon. This little known elevation holds an important key...




Abimelech, the son of Gideon through one of his concubines, made Zalmon infamous. This evil character...killed...in order to rule (see Judges 8:32-9:6). Abimelech...defeated its army (the people of Shechem) and murdered most of its inhabitants (Judges 9:43-45). However, a thousand men and women fled to a fortified tower. At that moment Abimelech climbed Mount Zalmon to show his army how to cut branches from trees. Once they had enough firewood they transported it to the lower chamber of the tower. They set it on fire and burnt alive one thousand men and women (Judges 9:49).

Next, Abimelech went to Thebez, a nearby town, and captured it, but some of the people also took refuge in another tower. He decided to burn them alive, just as he had done to the people in Shechem. However, as Abimelech approached the tower, a woman threw a millstone that landed on his head, "crushing his skull" (Judges 9:53).



As he lay moribund, he was more distressed by the fact that a woman had brought him down than he was concerned about his impending death. Consequently, he commanded his armor bearer to "draw your sword and kill me, lest it be said of me: 'A woman slew him'." (Judges 9:54)

The reference to Mount Zalmon ties the events in Psalm 68 to the final crushing of Satan's head and the role women will play in it. The parrallels are significant. Abimelech, the personification of evil, had his head crushed by a woman...By showing his army how to cut branches that could then be used as firewood to turn an otherwise impregnable tower into a human pyre, he transformed a common tree into a devastating new weapon. This is similar to how Satan turned the tree in the Garden into a lethal weapon. Undoubtedly, his victory at Shechem gave him great confidence. Yet when he tried the same ploy a second time, a woman crushed his head before he had a chance to repeat it.

Likewise, Satan appears to be ahead of the game right now because Eve's transgression has resulted in a significant oppression of women. Consequently, he does not feel threatened by their lowly state, especially inside the 10/40 Window...Satan succeeded once and...he believes he can do it again, except that his head will be soon crushed...

When half the people in a movement...are in a hopeless position due to something immutable such as their gender, they become a loose thread to its social fabric. This is a thread that if pulled will unravel the whole tapestry of that society...(many believe) that at any time God will pull the female thread, and the social fabric of Islam will unravel.




Why would God use women for such a decisive battle? It is simple: the opening round of the fight involved the devil and a woman, not a man. Consequently, it is logical to conclude that the last round of the final face-off should also include women.

I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)


This is the victorious outcome God has in store for the culmination of the rematch between the serpent and the woman and her seed. Centuries of oppression will come to an end, and the beauty and the power of women will be on display just like the gold on the pinions of doves in flight.

This Can Change Your Life

I have four young children, and so I am sometimes asked how I find the time to read and write when people find out that I actually do these things. Most of the time, though, the question comes with a judgmental attitude, as if to accuse me of perhaps being lazy, or neglecting my children, or being selfish. I believe the root cause of this attitude, though, is envy. Perhaps the person asking has a self-righteous belief that we mothers are to sacrifice to the point of neglecting our own minds, talents and passions. Or perhaps the person asking struggles with thier own time management skills and so just cannot fathom how I can realistically do it all. Often, though, I discover or notice that this same mother, for example, who asked me how I find time to read, herself watches TV and talks on the phone much.

I have taken many personality tests, and always get the same results. Apparently only 1% of the population has my personality, so perhaps I do not realize how difficult time management can be, but for myself, I am both a doer and a dreamer. This is my personality. INJF's are visionary people who need time alone and usually enjoy reading, but at the same time they are doers because of their "J" preference for closure. I like my home to be clean and neat, but I am not willing to give up my mental nourishment time just so that it will be perfect. I have learned to let some things go for now, while my children are so young. Ten years from now, I will not feel sorry that my home was not perfect, but I would feel sorry if my mind had not grown in those years. Yet this does not mean that I am lazy; I am always on top with the dishes and laundry, and I am doing my best to clean for health and comfort.

When it comes to my children, I read to them A LOT. Obviously, I homeschool so I also spend time with them doing that. And I do my best to always be there for them, to listen to their stories and answer their questions. Even if I am in the middle of something else, I try to remind myself to stop and give them my focused attention when they need it.

I am not perfect at all....I still have room to learn much about housekeeping and child training. But my life does not revolve around these things. I agree with what I read on the Mommy Revolution site: "Life is not all about you, but it’s not all about your kids, either", "Motherhood is just part of a whole and integrated life" and "Our children are one of the many gifts we give to the world."

Today I read a story to Sarah and Peter about King Alfred, which said that he spent 8 hours a day working, 8 hours studying, and 8 hours resting. This made me think of a quote by Charlotte Mason (a 19th century British educator), "Life should be all living, and not merely a tedious passing of time; not all doing or all feeling or all thinking- the strain would be too great- but all living." We need balance.

Especially in our modern times, people often seem to look down upon those who read to learn, unless they are in school. Are our brains supposed to stop growing just because we are "grown up"? Back in the late 19th century, Charlotte Mason wrote, "The press and hurry of our times and the clamour for useful knowledge are driving classical culture out of the field; and parents will have to make up their minds, not only that they must supplement the moral training of the school, but must supply the intellectual culture, without which knowledge may be power, but is not pleasure, nor the means of pleasure.."

The press and hurry of her times? It is even worse today! Not only do our children need spiritual and intellectual stimulation, but we moms (and dads) do! Charlotte Mason called this "Mother Culture": "Is there not some need for "mother culture"? So many mothers say, "I simply have no time for myself!" "I never read a book!" Or else, "I don't think it is right to think of myself!" They not only starve their minds, but they do it deliberately, and with a sense of self-sacrifice which seems to supply ample justification. Never be without a really good book on hand...Do not think this is a selfish thing to do because the advantage does not end with yourself. . . The more you study on your spare time, the more there is in you to bestow upon your pupils."

The myth of not having time due to self-sacrifice is false. It may make us look so good, so virtuous, so Christ-like, but it is not based on truth. We need to continue to feed our minds, otherwise they will not grow. First, our minds need to continually feed on God's Word, for that is how they are transformed...that is how we grow the mind of Christ in us...that is how we think God's thoughts, which are truth. The Word of God is LIVING: it changes our minds and our lives. Charlotte Mason said that if we could only read the Bible, that itself would be a liberal education.

But that does not mean we should not read other books. Sometimes I get the feeling that some Christians believe the Bible is all we should read. But is not the Spirit alive in other believers, and still speaking through them? Honestly, the Spirit has spoken and continues to do so even to those who do not necessarily realize it. Charlotte Mason called the Holy Spirit the "Supreme Educator of Mankind", "in things that have been called secular, fully as much as in those that have been called sacred." God's truth is not *only* found in books that are explicitly "christian".

Charlotte Mason also wrote about the importance of reading "living" books. The Bible is the greatest living book (and the only perfect one, free from errors) but throughout history until today, people are writing living books. Miss Mason said that "People are naturally divided into those who read and think and those who do not read or think..." You see, reading the right books makes us think...we become "thinkers". Again, I quote Charlotte: "Mind appeals to mind and thought begets thought and that is how we become educated. For this reason we owe it every child to put him in communication with great minds that he may get at great thoughts; with the minds, that is, of those who have left us great works; and the only vital method of education appears to be that children should read worthy books, many worthy books."

But why is it so important for us to read and think? "Knowing that the brain is the physical seat of habit and that conduct and character, alike, are the outcome of the habits we allow; knowing, too, that an inspiring idea imitates a new habit of thought, and hence a new habit of life; we perceive that the great work of education is to inspire children with vitalizing ideas as to every relation of life, every department of knowledge, every subject of thought; and to give deliberate care to the formation of those habits of the good life which are the outcome of vitalizing ideas."

When we become thinkers, and are inspired by a truth or idea, we will want to develop a new habit based on that idea. And as that habit becomes a part of our life, our character is changed.

For example, say we open our Bible and read Philippians 2:14-15, "Do all things without complaining or arguing so that you may be blameless and innocent, God's children without any faults among a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world."

We read this scripture, and think about what it is saying. We are inspired by this new idea to change our habits. So we seek God's grace to not complain and not argue. As this way of living becomes a habit in our lives, our character is transformed. We are changed; and it all began with reading an inspiring idea.

The same can happen through reading anything, whether it be a work of fiction or non-fiction. Not too long ago, I was reading a great book for women, and in the discriptions of what "fallen Eve" may look like, I saw myself. I saw my weakness to become needy, mousy, and clingy. With this, my eyes were opened and then I noticed when I was literally acting out that negative habit. The book gave me a new "idea" that this behavoir was sin on my part, and because I was inspired by that idea, I began seeking God to change these negative habits of mine. As He is helping me to replace them with healthy, faith full habits, my character is changing. Reading that book has resulted in my character being transformed.

Fiction books can likewise change our lives, especially children. They love fiction, and provided it is wholesome, living books that you are reading to them, it is the foundation of true education. True literature should give our children heroes to admire. As they think about their heroes' noble actions, the children unconsciously acquire high ideals and high standards of conduct. I love what Karen Andreola wrote, "This admiration ripens their intelligence until it becomes quick to recognize noble thought and eager to receive its inspiration."

"Great character comes out of great thoughts, and great thoughts must be initiated by great thinkers; then we shall have a definite aim in education."- Charlotte Mason

God is the greatest of thinkers, and we need to read His word to think like Him. But He has also spoken to other great minds that can change our lives forever, if we will but read what they have so liberally shared. Remember, "thought begets thought". We were made with the analytical and creative mind of our intelligent Creator.

About Bible reading and scripture memory for children, Charlotte said: "The mind of the little child is an open field….where, morning by morning, the sower goes forth to sow, and the seed is the Word. All our teaching of children should be given reverently, with the humble sense that we are invited in this matter to co-operate with the Holy Spirit; but it should be given dutifully and diligently…..that the Savior of the world pleads with us to 'Suffer the little children to come unto Me", and "It is a delightful thing to have the memory stored with beautiful, comforting, and inspiring [Bible] passages, and we cannot tell when and how this manner of seed many spring up, grow, and bear fruit."

So, read to your children, and read for yourself! Realize the power of the written word to change lives.

I'll leave you all with this poem:

THE READING MOTHER

Strickland Gillilan

I HAD A MOTHER who read to me
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea,
Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,
"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath.

I had a Mother who read me lays
Of ancient and gallant and golden days;
Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,
Which every boy has a right to know.

I had a Mother who read me tales
Of Celert the hound of the hills of Wales,
True to his trust till his tragic death,
Faithfulness blent with his final breath.

I had a Mother who read me the things
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings-
Stories that stir with an upward touch,
Oh, that each mother of boys were such.

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be --
I had a Mother who read to me.

Milk, Honey and Oil Oh My!

I want to share some beauty secrets that I have recently learned with you all! These are from the book Beauty Secrets of the Bible by Ginger Garrett.

Facial Routine

1) Wash and Exfoliate

Women in biblical times loved to wash their faces in milk. This is the first step.

1 Cup powered milk (goat's milk such as the one by Meyenberg is recommended, but any powered milk can be substituted)
1 Cup quick cooking oats

Process the powdered milk and oats in blender until mixture is very fine. Store in airtight container, in cool place, for up to four weeks.

When washing face, sprinkle a small amount of the powder onto the palm of your hand and mix into a paste with warm water. Massage onto face and rinse.

"The lactic acids in the milk are a natural source of alpha hydroxy acids that help fight the signs of aging, and the oats soothe and manually exfoliate the skin. Together, these ingredients leave your skin soft and supple." (Beauty Secrets of the Bible, p. 74)

2) Nourish and Plump

One of the most ancient products known to women is honey. Women applied it to their skin, along with oils, as part of their bathing ritual.

Christopher Watt, a facial care expert, uses honey on celebrity's faces.

Apply 1-2 drops of honey to wet fingertips and massage onto wet face. Do not rinse. Pat dry.

Honey is not sticky when applied to damp skin. Honey gives the skin a beautiful glow, plumps up fine lines, it helps the skin attract and retain moisture and helps absorb the moisturizer you apply after cleansing. Packed with nutrients and enzymes, it helps counteract the harmful effects of the environment. Using honey as a routine step in your skin care regimen will help reduce wrinkles as well as aid in treating breakouts. Honey helps fight aging by helping the skin rebuild collagen and elastin and nourishes, rejuvenates and feeds skin. (p. 76 of BSB)

Buy raw honey because it has the most enzymes. The darker the honey the richer it is in mineral content.

3) Moisturize and Protect

Dryness is the leading cause of premature aging, according to experts. Skin needs moisture. Packed with nutrients and antioxidants, olive oil nourishes the skin without blocking pores. It has been used since biblical times.

Place 2-3 drops of extra-virgin, organic olive oil onto your palm. Rub palms together and pat face gently.

Science is catching up with God and now cosmetic companies are cashing in...for ex. you can buy a one ounce bottle of olive oil for $35 from a leading company...but save money and buy a twelve ounce bottle for ten bucks instead.

Your skin will not feel greasy...you will not use enough to saute yourself in but just a couple of drops. Your skin will be soft, radiant and nourished. (p. 79 BSB)

"Two notable women of the Bible relied on oil's benefits to prepare them to woo a man: Esther and Ruth. While we aren't told in scripture what kind of oil they used, olive oil is a likely candidate because of its availability in the region and its established cosmetic use. See Esther 2:12 and Ruth 3:3." (p.79)

To learn more, read Beauty Secrets of the Bible: the Ancient Arts of Beauty and Fragrance by Ginger Garrett.

I have just begun this regimen and am looking forward to the benefits I'm hoping it will reveal on my face!

As a side note, thought I'd also share the perfume I use. A while back, I accidentally found a perfume called "Virtuessence of Esther". About it is written: "Inspired by her integrity, strength and beauty, this one-of-a-kind floriental fragrance captures the heart and essence of Queen Esther." I ordered a sample, and, when I was able to afford it, ordered a bottle. It comes in a gorgeous bottle. The fragrance is soooo lovely...my hubby really likes it and I got a few compliments from others too. So I pretty much stick with this as my fragrance now. The lady who created this scent wants to create others based on biblical women. So you would also be helping her business. I spoke to her via email a little and she is a very sweet and helpful woman. You can order a free sample (just pay shipping). Here is the website: http://virtueandvalor.com/index.html

A Woman of Valor

There is a traditional view of women- that they were made as the weaker sex, created to be helpers and exemplify virtuous characteristics. But is that what God intended when He created woman?

In the very beginning, before the Fall of Man, Adam was alone and God said that was not good. So God made woman, whom He called an "ezer kenegdo". This term is often translated as something along the lines of "a helper comparable to him". Using the word "helper" is not necessarily a wrong description of woman, but what kind of help are we speaking of? What do you think of when you think of a helper? Do you think of someone inferior, someone weaker...perhaps an assistant? Well, that is NOT what woman was created to be!

The term for helper here (Genesis 2:18) is "Ezer", which is actually the word used to describe the kind of help God gives! Here are just a few examples of His help in scripture:

"I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Ps. 121:1-2)

"He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword." (Deut. 33:29b)

"But I am afflicted and needy; Hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer, O Lord, do not delay." (Psalm 40:5)

"Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, And bring him to his people; Let his hands be sufficient for him, And may you be a help against his enemies." (Deut. 33:7)

Wow! This sort of help is not that of an assistant, not that of someone inferior at all as God is surely not inferior to those He helps! This sort of help is VITAL help! Recently R. David Freedman has pointed out that the Hebrew word ezer is a combination of two roots: `-z-r, meaning "to rescue, to save," and g-z-r, meaning "to be strong."

The word "ezer" is used to describe woman twice in the book of Genesis, and in all other cases it refers to either God or military allies. In all other cases the one giving the help is superior to the one receiving the help. So it is obvious the term "helper" is not one of inferiority, but before any try to use it as one of superiority, we must consider the next word in what God called woman: kenegdo. She was an ezer kenegdo.

"Kenegdo" means "corresponding to, counterpart to, equal to matching." So adding "kenegdo" after "ezer" modifies the meaning to that of equal rather than superior status. So woman was made to be equal to man, but she was also made to help him with the kind of warrior help as that of God and military allies. This help is STRONG.

How was woman to help man? Genesis 1 says,

1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

1:27
And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

1:28
And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

God said "let THEM have dominion (rule)". God told both man and woman to be fruitful and multiply, and He told both man and woman to subdue, rule and have dominion. There were no differences in status, role, spheres, or authority given here. Man was not told to rule the earth and woman to be fruitful. They were both told to multiply and they were both told to rule. This was God's intention for men and women and this is the way it was before the Fall.

There are other scriptures speaking of a woman's strength, but they are easy to miss, for many translations use the word "virtuous" in place of the real meaning.

Ruth 3:11, Boaz tells Ruth that all the city knows she is a "virtuous" woman. The Hebrew word used to describe Ruth here is "chayil" and it means "strength, might, ability, force, army, wealth." In the King James bible, "chayil" is translated as army 56 times, man of valor 37 times, host 29 times, forces 14 times, valiant 13 times, strength 12 times, riches 11 times, wealth 10 times, power 9 times, substance 8 times, might 6 times, strong 5 times...and virtuous 3 times. And every time "chayil" is translated virtuous, it is referring to a woman. Odd? I noticed this myself, and then later read the following which confirmed my own discovery:

"Virtuous does not represent the teaching of the original text. It should be noted that the only time the word is translated virtuous is when it refers to women. This appears to be a deliberate move by translators to impose their concept of what a woman should be upon the text." (quote from God's Word to Women website)

Boaz told Ruth that she was a "chayil" woman. There is no reason to translate this a "virtuous" woman. Ruth was, instead, a strong woman, a "woman" of valor! She was strong in character, strong spiritually, and strong physically (a hard worker with great ability).

The other times this word is translated "virtuous" is in Proverbs 12:4 and Proverbs 31:10- both referring again to women. Proverbs 12:4 says that "a chayil woman is the crown of her husband." So, a strong woman, a woman of might and power, a woman of valor is she who is the crown of her husband. Saying a "virtuous" woman is incorrect and not fitting to the true meanings of "chayil".

Proverbs 31:10 says "Who can find a chayil woman? For her price is far above rubies." Who is this woman that is so worthy? Not just a woman who is virtuous, no. We could translate this sentence, "Who can find a strong woman?" or "Who can find a woman of valor?" THAT woman is worth more than rubies!

The definition of "strong" would also fit with the rest of Proverbs 31. Verse 13 says that this woman "works willingly with her hands", so she is physically strong. Verse 16 says that she considers a field and buys it, so this woman is intellectually strong. Then look at verse 17: "She girds her loins with strength, and strengthens her arms." There is that key word again: strength.

This worthy woman girds her loins with strength. The Hebrew word for strength here is "`oz" and it means:
1. might, strength
a. material or physical
b. personal or social or political

This same scripture says that she strengthens her arms. Here the word for strengthen is "'amats", which means "to be strong, alert, courageous, brave, stout, bold." Interesting. So, to strengthen one's arms does not necessarily mean to make your physical arms stronger. This word carries with it ideas of courage, boldness and bravery. In fact, if you look up the word for arms, it can mean "forces (political and military)", along with the meaning of one's physical arms.

The woman in Proverbs 31 also does have strength in character, as she "stretches out her hands to the poor and needy", and "opens her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness". Lastly, she is strong spiritually in that she "fears the Lord" (v. 30). In fact, verse 25 says that "strength and honor are her clothing".

The Amplified Bible gets much closer to the meaning of "chayil": a "capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman" (Proverb 31:10 AMP) Yes, her body is strong, her mind is strong, her character is strong and her faith is strong.

Hebrews have a song they sing about the Proverbs 31 woman, or the "Woman of Valor" as it is called in English! (ESHET CHAYIL in Hebrew) The word is translated "man of valor" 37 times, so why not go along with the Hebrews here and translate this verse: Who can find a woman of valor, for her price is far above rubies.

Here is what the Wikipedia says about the word "chayill": "The word חיל (chayil) appears in verse 10 and 29 of the passage, thought as the summary of the good woman's character. Traditionally it has been translated "virtuous" or "noble." Some scholars have suggested that it rather means "forceful," "mighty," or "valiant" because the use of the word in the Tanakh is almost exclusively used regarding warfare."

Ruth was a strong and mighty woman. A wife whose price is far above rubies and who is a crown to her husband, is a wife who is strong physically, intellectually, spiritually and in her character. She is an Ezer Kenegdo, created to bring vital help to her husband and to all other men and women on earth, as equals...working together with her husband, and with other men, and with other women to fulfill God's mandate to rule and have dominion. She fights in a uniquely feminine way, but stands alongside men as fellow warriors in this battle on earth, with all the strength and might God has given her feminine soul.

"The Lord gives instructions. The women who announce the good news are a large army." (Psalm 68:11 GWT)