Jezebel, Is Her Spirit Living Within Modern Women Today?

Behind every good man is a better woman. We have laughed at this thought for many generations, perhaps through all centuries.

Many husbands, go along to get along, accepting that it will be the women who set the social scene of acceptance, that we somehow, instinctively "know". My husband puts a great deal of trust in me. Perhaps your hubby does as well. For the male readers, do you not trust your wives to hold your best interests at heart?

If Jezebel was just a trusted wife, why does she hold such a remembered place through the ages? Why has her very name become an insult to women? What great misdeed did she do?

Through scheming she is responsible for the death of prophets. Isn't Moses responsible for death? Isn't King David? Yet, they are heroes.

Did she influence her husband away from God? Did she lead him to serve others instead?

Ahab was not committed to God. He was swayed by public opinion. Today, he would follow the current trends and latest polls. He was moody, sullen and childish. Was this her fault? She did not betray him or herself.

Is this not still going on today? Are women not still leading men astray? Taking them down a new path? Are men still not, making halfhearted attempts to serve God, giving lip service?

Some readers may not be familiar with her background, some may need a refresher. Her Biblical story can be found in the 1st and 2nd chapters of Kings.

She was known as a princess, with hidden powers behind the throne. Think about this........don't all women have such a power? Is it not a standing joke, ' if the wife isn't happy, no one is happy'? Even in the most of modern times, men still, desire to please their women folk. Equality, aside..........THIS is the way that it is. Men desire to please women. Women desire to please men. It is the dance that we all dance.  This is the rawness of the dance, that we desire and wish to be desired.  We want to be influential.

Jezebel has been described as a ' painted woman'.........she must have used the cosmetics of her day. Do not the most of us do this, whether or not we go 'under the knife', or go for botox injections? Most of us, use everything available in our affordable arsenal to compete. Anti-aging, the best colors in the best blends, the best formulations, the most affordable ingredients in our beauty arsenals. Do we not as a whole, spend millions of dollars, to present our best selves?

Do we not, take pride in the power that we wield over our loved menfolk? Ladies, don't we? At the salon, in our kitchens, at the park, in the office...........don't we somewhere boast?

We want to look fashionable. Careers are made on this. The cosmetics and fashion industries are a gold mine for those deeply involved in them.

It does seem that if you marry a fisherman, you must learn to fish. If your husband is a hunter, you learn to handle guns. If your husband is into drag cars, you learn to love the smell of gasoline.

I have felt such things myself. It seems so unfair. I encourage my own daughters, to be true to themselves first. A woman gives up so much of herself to partner with a man. He gives up so little. Or does he..........

The truth is.....my hubby has followed me in many more subtle ways. He has learned to appreciate tomatoes growing in the garden, hand painted t-shirts crafted by his children, hospital visits, church programs, school plays, back yard cookouts, the power of my will , the strength of my resolve, he has learned not to anger me. He has done things, secured things, and built things that serve my interests. Are these things any less than what Jezebel asked?

Many wives live daily with a husband who is not a spiritual leader, but more suited to following. Ahab was such a man.  He did not have a strong faith.  He needed a strong woman as his wife. He chose the wrong woman.

She has no special powers. Not those of a spiritual or political nature, how did she lead a man astray? Perhaps, just perhaps, she is more like Eve than many of us have dared to think.......perhaps......she is more like you and me.........

Even with our faith, we have been wrong. We have drawn battle lines. We have spread dissension, taken sides, divided.......persuaded others with our anger.

Don't we today, divide the congregation with our own thoughts? Do we not have different ideas to the running of the spring or summer Vacational Bible School themes? Do we not bring different ideas to the ladies council, benevolence committees? Do we not today, pick sides? Do we not today, draw divisions within our neighborhoods? Our PTAs, our book clubs, our gardening societies, our debates, do we not impose our own self will?

She had a painted face.......we have lip liner, eye shadow, and blush.

She had corsets, we have the wonder bra, the up-lifter, the sports bra, the second skin.

She used every weapon of her day.................so do we.

How is she different?

Have we as women really progressed? For our increased shouting, our heard and forceful voices, have we really become more than Jezebel ever was?

Perhaps, it is her honesty, her acceptance of knowing what she was, that we can not match.

Some call her a witch. She took over the vineyard in a ruthless and deadly scheme. She did this for the benefit of her husband, it was he, who desired it so badly, that he could not eat . She meant to prosper him. Don't wives today, attempt to still husbandly disappointments? It would upset me, if my hubby was to distraught to eat!

They say she brought vileness to the church. As a worshiper of Baal, she was never part of 'the church'. It was Ahab, a weak man, who brought her among the Israelites.

If God is God , and I do believe that He is, how could a mere woman overpower Him? I do not think for a minute that I could displace God.

Perhaps, Jezebel, used her personal resources to benefit herself. Maybe, she presented her causes in their best light. Maybe, she told her tales in the best light to represent herself. Perhaps, she did the very best with the resources that she had. Maybe, her best resource was her own self.

Jezebel, did what she needed to do, to survive. Right or wrong, she addressed her immediate needs. Is she really that different from a modern, up-to-date, educated woman? Do we not preach this very thing, use every weapon in your arsenal? Ladies, come on, do we not teach our daughters assertiveness at every turn? Do we not teach 'girl power'?

Have you thought once, at any time, what ........'girl power' is?

Jezebel, like Cain lives in all of us. The difference that separates us, is who we are committed to.

We should not be so quick to condemn them for what we are. The story would not be the same without them, nor would the lessons we are to learn.

Tamarajo 9 days ago

I think every woman is influential whether or not we use this for good or bad is up to us. It does go to show how desperately evil a gift gone bad can be.

I also think that she represents one of womens greatest weaknesses and that is the illusion of thinking we are in control or that we can control and overpower events and unpleasant situations either by manipulation or angry outburst.

I don't know that she was so inclined to please her husband in killing the poor man for his garden as much as she was determined to show up her husband.

There is huge difference between being assertive and being cruel, manipulative, and controlling. True assertiveness requires none of these things.