Mediate Like Abigail

The life of Abigail is given in 1 Samuel 25. In our introduction to her, we are told that she is intelligent and beautiful, a description that should not be taken lightly. Growing up I heard about Abigail maybe once or twice, but we never really discussed her in detail nor the implications of her behavior on the expectations of being a woman of God.

Beauty and Brains

Each translation has a slightly different word choice in the description of Abigail, but using the context of the passage I believe she was being described as wise and clever. When it comes to Abigail's beauty, I think it's interesting that the author creates a juxtaposition between intelligence with beauty and being mean and surly. It almost implies that one cannot be intelligent and mean or mean and beautiful. This implication hold with other passages in the Bible that tell us man looks outward while God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7) and that beauty is fleeting (Proverbs 31:30). Since it is the Holy Spirit that is inspiring this passage, I opften wonder if the word beauty is describing her heart or her physcality, or possibly both. Another interesting point about her description is that her intelligence is mentioned first. Usually the first thing listed is the most pronounced or the more important matter.

Saving the Day

We only get one chapter about Abigail but it's pretty powerful. When her husband, Nabal, is rude to David, Abigail sets things right by doing going behind her husband's back to do the right thing. She provides the hospitality that David desereved, intercedes on her husband's behalf—complete with an appology where she takes the blame for her husbands rude behavior and an isult to her husband's character—and tops it off with a little chastizing of David, as well. Abigail's actions are bold and very different from what the church typically teaches about the Godly woman's behavior.

Prepared

So, one thing the church pushes on women that Abigail does display is hospitality. The amount of food Abigail just has lying around to be given away is astonishing. Even with a grocery store 5 minutes from my house, I don't know that I could acquire that much food in the time Abigail did. Of course it is importatn to point out here that Abigail had servants to help her with this task. She did not prepare all this on her own! It is this preparedness, however, that allows her to make ammends. If I were in Abigails shoes, everyone would have died, because even if I'd thought to do what she did, I would not have had the means. It is important for us as believer to anticipate what is needed. A simple example is leaving the house early because you anticipate traffic to cut down on road rage and crazy driving.

Behind Her Husband's Back

Where things get interesting is that Abagail did not submit to her husband's decision. The way the church harps on submission, you would think the "appropriate" action would have been to stay out of it, or to ask for permission to to give David the food. Abigail does neither and is praised for being intelligent. Also, her actions save the lives of many people, since David's reaction was to kill Nabal's household. Personally, I believe this goes back to something I said at the beginning of this series: we're only required to submit to a Godly husband. In Ephesians 5, where women are told to submit, the whole relationship is compared to that of Christ and the Church. Christ is the perfect husband, He would never lead you to harm, nor ask you to do what is wrong. Christ loves His bride. Nabal did not exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and thus wasn't Christ-like, and we see Abigail praised for chosing Christ-like behavior over submission to her husband. That says something.

Correction

Not only does Abigail go behind her husband's back, she corrects David. David's revenge scheme wasn't Godly either. Abigail reminds him that vengence is for the Lord. She says o in a polite manner, but she is in fact correcting a man, the future king of Israel no less. She was not silent by any means. Upon being corrected, David—the man after God's own heart—thanks her for her correction. He recognizes his wrongness and acknowledges that she is correct. Think about that.

Happily Ever After?

After Abigail saves her household, she tells her husband what she has done—no secrets!—and upon hearing this news, he has a stroke or heart attack. Within a few days Nabal is dead. Remember, during this time, women weren't afforded many rights, so with her husband dead and seemingly no son to take care of her, Abigail was possibly placed in a difficult predicament when Nabal died. It's posssible that she had family who would have seen to her needs but likely she would have been destitute. Fortunately, David was impressed by Abigail (or felt obligated, the Bible doesn't say exactly). When he hears that Nabal is dead, he sends for Abigail and makes her one of his wives. The Bible names another woman as also being taken as a wife for David so I'm not sure if Abigail was his second or third wife, but at this point in David's life, Saul had taken David's first wife, Michal, from him. Therefore it is possible that for a time Abigail served as the first wife (meaning she would have had the most influence and power). That being said, we know David had many many wives, so I'm not sure this was a love marriage.

The Life of Leah

The Bible doesn't give us much to work with when it comes to the life of Leah, first wife of Jacob, but there are definitely tidbits to be gleaned. As one of the most relatable women in the Bible, I think it's important we look at her story and try to understand it from all angles.

Was Leah Ugly?

Many people assume Leah was ugly because when she is introduced, she is contrasted to her sister's beauty.

Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. Genesis 29:17 KJV

There are actually several reasons the author could have made this contrast, some of which don't end with Leah being "ugly." In fact, it might not even be a contrast! Below are some thoughts and research on this particular verse.

Dominant Attributes

Have you ever been in an interview where they ask you to describe yourself? Or better yet, they ask you how your friends would describe you? Think of someone you know well; what is the first word that pops in to your head to describe them? Now, thinking more broadly, if you did this exercise for everyone you know, how many times would beautiful be the first word that came to mind? Just because that isn't the descriptor that first comes to mind doesn't mean the person is ugly; it simply means other adjectives are more prominent. Even for someone as high profile as Beyoncé, this first thought that pops in to my head is not beautiful (it's along the lines of her dedication to putting on a high quality show). What we can say for a fact is that the most distinguishing feature for Rachel was beauty, but something else shined brighter for Leah.

Comparisons

Speaking of Beyoncé, can you imagine being Solange? I could definitely see someone penning a sentence like "Beyonce was beautiful, but Solange was deep." Both women are beautiful and perhaps both women are deep, but Solange is known more for her sound than her looks. Most people are average looking (that's the definition of average after all). Each of us would be the Solange to Beyoncé, but that doesn't mean we're ugly. Fortunately, most of us aren't surrounded by models, which means it's not as obvious how average we are.

What Was With Her Eyes?

Granted, a lot of speculation hinges on just want Leah's descriptor means. There's no ambiguity in the description of Rachel as beautiful, but what does it mean to be "tender eyed" (KJV)? Some translations render this as "weak eyes" (NIV, NASB). One translation actually says "Leah had lovely eyes" (Good News Translation). So what does that actually mean?

Weak eyes sounds like someone with vision trouble to me. Someone in my Sabbath school kept saying she had a lazy eye (I'm not sure where the person deciphered that). Tender eyed makes me think of someone who is gentle and meek being contrasted with someone who is more "in your face." Of course I wouldn't be me if I didn't suggest we go straight to the source!

The Hebrew text uses two words to describe Leah: רַךְ and עַיִן.

רַךְ can mean anything from tender to fainthearted. The official definition says that it means tender or soft, which by implication means weak.[1] Note that this isn't weak in the sense of failing, but weak in the sense of gentle. The same word is used in Deuteronomy 28:56 to describe dainty women and in 2 Samuel 3:39 to describe David as vulnerable. Another example is in Proverbs 15:1: the word rendered "soft" is the same in Hebrew.

The second word (עַיִן) is usually translated as "eye" but it is also translated as face, color, or presence in some places—sometimes it's even translated as fountain or well![2]

The phrase could mean anything from she had a soft presence to she had poor sight (or a lazy eye). What's more is that using Hebrew grammar and the use of the letter "waw" to join the clauses, an argument can be made to tranlsate the verse to use the disjunctive "but" or the conjective "and." Given the latter, the text would read, "Lead was tender eyed and Rachel was beautiful."< a href="#three">[3] Combining that with the ambiguity of the original text, it could actually read "Leah was of soft presence and Rachel was beautiful." We really don't know...

There are several theories about what this phrase actually means, and some of them include a belief that Leah was also beautiful.[4]

Marriage to Jacob

One of the biggest mysteries in the Bible (in my opinion) is how Leah ended up married to Jacob in the first place. There are so many questions:

1. Israelite weddings have several part—like the marriage feast. Presumably these traditions either date all the way to Hebrew traditions (meaning Laban would have honored them too) or are some combination of Egyptian and Caananite traditions with the Hebrew traditions. Either way, during that time, weddings were more than just the one day of feasting and ceremony, so did Leah have her face covered for every part of the celebration?
2. Where was Rachel? If you have identical twins and swap them, it makes sort of makes sense that the groom doesn't know the one he wants to marry is in the audience, but if they aren't identical twins, wouldn't Jacob have looked out in the audience and seen Rachel?
3. If Rachel didn't look enough like Leah to pass as being Leah in the audience, why didn't Jacob wonder were Leah was? Surely the sister of the bride would be in attendance to your wedding, right?
4. Did Rachel know the wedding was happening? Why didn't she say anything?
5. Why did Leah agree to marry a man who wanted to marry her sister? Did she have a choice?

I'm sure there are other questions to be asked, but these are the ones that popped in to my head immediately. There are equally as many scenarios that could have lead to this union.

• Jacob could have known what was happening and chosen to go alog with the cherade, knowing Laban would have to give him Rachel eventually. This would imply he also wanted Leah as a wife.
• Leah could have had feelings for Jacob despite his desire for Rachel.
• Leah may not have had any suitors and it may have been her only shot at marriage.
• The same way Abraham and Isaac sent for wives from among their own people, Laban may have thought the other men were not worthy of his daughters and thus desired both be married to a near kinsman.
• The Red Tent (a fictional novel inspired by Jacob's family and his only named daughter, Dinah) postulates that Rachel asked Leah to take her place because Rachel was afraid

Getting to Know Leah

Not much is said about Leah, but we do get a glimpse of her thoughts as she names her children.

Birth Order (to Leah)	Birth Order (to Jacob)	Name	Meaning	Leah's Comment
1	1	Rueben	Behold a son	Surely God has looked on my affliction (Genesis 29:32)
2	2	Simeon	Heard	Because the LORD has heard I was hated (Genesis 29:33)
3	3	Levi	Joined to	Now this time will my husband be joined to me (Genesis 29:34)
4	4	Judah	Praised	Now I will praise to the LORD (Genesis 29:35)
5	9	Issachar	There is recompense	God has given me my hire (Genesis 30:18)
6	10	Exalted	Zebulun	Now will my husband dwell with me (Genesis 30:20)
7	11?	Dinah	Judgment	-

There are a couple interesting things here. The main thing is that after all but one of her sons' births she makes reference to her posistion with Jacob. The inference being that she thought Jacob would love her if she gave him a son or that she was being rewarded for not being loved through children. Note that in that time (really even through modern day) a woman's only value was her ability to provide a male heir. The one child she seems to have for herself and simply praises God for without mentioning Jacob is Judah. It is from Judah that we get Boaz, David, Solomon, and eventually the Messiah. It is from Judah that we have the lineage of kings! It is from Judah that the southern region of Israel inherited the name Judea and it's inhabitants would eventually be known as Jews...

Also from Leah is the tribe of Levi, the priests of Israel. All other tribes of Israel were "lost" to Assyria;[5] so we only know of Leah's descendants today and only Leah's descendants are carrying on the legacy.

Happily Ever After?

Based on the expressions she has after each child, it would seem that Jacob never cared for Leah, but when you look at the overall story, I'm not so sure. We know that Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin, her second child and Jacob's 12th son. How long after that did Leah live? It's possible that their relationship thrived after the death of Rachel.

I make this observation because it is Leah, not Rachel, who is buried in the family tomb. Jacob chose to be buried with Leah instead of Rachel which I find odd.

Another thing I'd like to point out is that just because Jacob favored Rachel, it doesn't mean he mistreated Leah. The fact that Leah had seven children proves that something was going on between them. Now sure, it could have been "duty," but if Leah was "ugly" and truly hated Jacob could have neglected to sleep with Leah. Do you really think Solomon slept with all 1000 of his wives regularly?

I don't know that we'll ever know the exact situation for Leah, but I like to think that even though she wasn't Jacob's favorite, she still managed to live a happy life.

References and Footnotes

1. "H7390. רַךְ". Blue Letter Bible; visited May 20, 2022
2. "H5869. עַיִן". Blue Letter Bible; visited May 20, 2022
3. Paul Tanner, ThM, PhD. Hebrew Syntax. 1997-2004; visited May 20, 2022
4. John J. Parsons. "Leah's Weak Eyes". Hebrew 4 Christians; visited May 20, 2022
5. I put lost in quotations because there is a verse that says people from the other tribes moved to the southern kingdom during the split, and the tribe of Benjamin also resided there. Thus, technically these tribes still existed, but it is generally thought that they were absorbed in to Judah and Levi.

Character Study: Joseph

Summary of Joseph's Life

Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob, and the first son of Rachel. He is often referred to as a miracle child since Rachel had trouble conceiving. As such, he was favored by his father which contributed to jealousy from his brothers. Joseph also showed a prophetic gift with his dreams, was given a special coat (or tunic), and was known to tell on his brothers' bad behavior. Eventually, the brothers grew fed up with him and plotted to kill him. While his eldest brother, Reuben, only wanted to give him a bit of a scare, the other brothers got serious about teaching him a lesson and sold him into slavery while his eldest brother, Reuben, was gone. Joseph ended up in Egypt as a slave in the house of Potiphar. He is granted favor by God and favored by Potiphar during his tenure there. Unfortunately, Potiphar's wife attempts to seduce Joseph and when he refuses her advances, she cries rape. Due to her false accusations, he is thrown in prison. While in prison Joseph proves that he can interpret dreams; this gift comes in handy when Pharaoh needs a dream interpreted two years later. After successfully interpretting Pharaoh's dream, Joseph is made the second most powerful man in Egypt. He leads them in preparation for a great famine which ends up saving his family as well. During the famine, his brothers come to Egypt for food. Joseph tests the men before eventually reuniting the family in Egypt.

Unknowns

Joseph's Attitude

We know that Joseph prospered in Egypt and that he gave glory to YHWH when he interpreted Pharaoh's dreams, but does that mean he never complained or felt down in the dumps about his situation? In modern literature, Joseph's story which spans only a few chapters in one book of the Bible, could have been it's own novel. In fact it could have been a triology! I can see it now: book one would cover his birth and strained relationship with his brothers, the cliff hanger would be when they sold him into slavery; book two would cover his adjustment to life as a slave and rise to honor in Potiphar's house, the cliff hanger would be Potiphar sending him to jail for allegedly attempting to rape Potiphar's wife; and book three would cover his life in prison and rise to power under Pharaoh, culminating in the satisfying conclusion of being reunited with his family. It's a whole epic triolgy, but the Bible only gives us the Cliff's Notes version so we don't know Joseph's thought process from beginning to end.

I find it hard to believe that he kept a sunny disposition the entire time he was in Egypt. He must have been angry at his brothers at some point. Even more so, despite their strained relationship, it's possible that he looked up to his older brothers before being sold off. From a pyschological viewpoint, their rejection and betrayal had to have some effect on him. When you factor in the fact that Potiphar turned on him at the behest of his wife and the cupbearer initially forgot about him after regaining his freedom, I imagine Joseph had major trust issues.

While we may never know how low Joseph's lowest moment were or how these betrayals affected him, it's important to think about for two reasons. First, our actions to those around us have consequences. Framing the story of Joseph around how the betrayal may have harmed Joseph psychologically instead of always thinking about the success he was rewarded with, can help us be more careful about how we treat others. Instead of thinking our treatment of others doesn't matter because ultimately God will make up for it, we are forced to think about what the person loses because of us. Second, it gives us freedom and wiggle room in our own struggles. When we are in our lows, we may feel pressure to handle every situation perfectly. However, many Biblical characters experienced depression and mental health issues due to the situations they were in. It doesn't mean we have less faith or that we've failed if we feel angry at people who wrong us or sad when we end up in what feel like hopeless situations. The true testament of our faith is that we don't stay angry and sad but that with the help of the Father, we find our way back to peace.

Testing His Brothers

Once, in a Bible study on the passages surrounding Joseph's test for his brothers, we got in to a disagreement about the motives of Joseph's behavior. One of the primary causes for our disagreement was that some were convinced Joseph was "very close" to Benjamin and wanted to ensure no harm had come upon him, while others weren't convinced Joseph even knew Benjamin existed. As I studied this discrepancy of thought, I found that the Bible never confirms—or denies—that Joseph has met his baby brother; thus no one actually knows whether or not Joseph knew Benjamin. This makes the appearance and subsequent testing of Joseph's brothers quiet an interesting study!

Scenario 1: Joseph Was Worried About Benjamin

Let's hypothesis that Joseph did know Benjamin. We know for a fact that Benjamin was not part of the group that sold Joseph off so in that regard we might assume they were on good terms. At 17 years old, it's also safe to assume Joseph knew that his mother was Jacob's favorite wife and may have put two and two together that the reason Jacob favored him was because he was the son of the favorite wife. The same bitterness Leah had toward Rachel may have existed among the other wives and may have spilled into their sons as well (compounding with jealousy toward Joseph's favored status). With that in mind, Joseph may have spent his entire time in Egypt wondering if the vitriol the brothers had displayed toward Joseph had now been transferred to young Benjamin. In such a case, it would be reasonable to interpret the test as a way of assuring no harm had come to Benjamin.

Though I was one of the people who initially believed Joseph had never met Benjamin, there are a few things I found interesting that could support the idea that Joseph did in fact know his brother:

1. Joseph is stirred by the presence of Benjamin but he doesn't inquire about their mother—this could be because traditionally women were of lesser status and it would be odd to inquire about the women; but if Benjamin was born while Joseph still lived with the family, he would already know his mother was dead
2. Benjamin is given a larger portition than the other brothers—this could be because he had nothing to do with selling Joseph or it could have been that he knew who he was.
3. Joseph places the "stolen" cup in Benjamin's bag as the final step in the test. If Benjamin was the younger brother of one of the other brothers, there would be no difference in the cup being found in his sack than in the others' sacks. Joseph had no reason to believe they wouldn't protect "one of their own" as he had been the outsider not just due to favoritism but also due to parentage. Joseph could only have ascribed this same "otherness" to Benjamin if he knew Benjamin was Rachel's son (though this could have come up in unrecorded conversation during the dinner). It is also possible that Joseph never attributed his mistreatment to parentage, but to age and thus chose Benjamin because he was the youngest and clearly the new favorite of Jacob.

Scenario 2: Joseph Was Still Angry

It is possible that all the anger Joseph ever felt toward his brothers bubbled to the surface when he saw them. He may have truly been trying to trip them up, catch them in a lie, and find an excuse to use his power to punish them.

Scenario 3: Joseph Just Wanted to Make Them Squirm

When the brothers first come to Egypt, they bring money to pay for the food the receive. Despite paying, all of their money is found returned to them when they open their sacks later. This means that Joseph either ordered someone to return their money or returned it himself. It also implies that despite their treatment of him, he had already forgiven them. While he may have forgiven them over the years, he wouldn't know how they felt about him or their actions toward him. For all he knew, he may have revealed himself and they may have taken the food and never returned. It is possible that even though his brothers mistreated him, he had missed them and wanted to ensure they would not leave if he revealed himself. By taking Simeon, he had leverage that they might return. In this case, Joseph's test is to see if he can truly trust them once he reveals himself.

Relating to Joseph

When studying about Joseph, I can't lie, in the first few pages of his story, I actually related to his brothers more. I could see them viewing Joseph as a "goody-goody" or a "teacher's pet" as we would day in today's culture. I don't imagine I would have been like Judah, plotting to sell him off, but I'm not certain in my youth I would have been the one trying to put a stop to everything. Most likely, I would have been like Reuben, determined to rough him up a little to make a point and then return him home unscathed. I had to stop and think about why I could understand the brother's point of view so easily because there is in fact a spiritual reason for that.

Amos 3:3 says "can two walk together lest they be agreed?" The fact is, when we are doing wrong, the person doing right agitates us. I remember in school when no one had done the homework and that one kid in class raised their hand to boast about how they had done the work so everyone else looked bad. In truth, it's not that kid's fault everyone else looks bad. Each child is responsible for his/her own work, the same way Joseph's brothers were responsible for their own behavior (re: the bad report he gave on them).

However, as someone who often pretended to have not studied or not completed an assignment for the "good" of the class, there is also an element of social solidarity. There was an awareness that while I might be able to pass the test, my peers would fail. One could argue that they deserve to fail, but another might argue the desire for everyone to pass together. Neither would be wrong in this particular case, it's merely a different viewpoint. In my childhood I often took the latter perspective, but Joseph likely would have taken the former.

From a spiritual perspective, I believe the former is more correct. I say that because we should not "go with the flow" or try to fit in to the world when it comes to spiritual matters. When God says speak, we should speak. When God comes back, I'm not going to pretend I'm not ready becasue other people are going to be condemned. In the spiritual sense, I'm going to be the kid who says "I did my homework! I'm ready for the test!" I'm going to be Joseph calling a spade a spade when it's time to file a bad report so that justice can be done. Joseph's story is meant to prepare us for the spiritual aspect of doing the right thing, and in my youth I wasn't there yet.

I appreciate the ability to understand both sides, though. It helps me to temper myself when trying to be more like Joseph.

Book Review: Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo"

I picked up Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston from a bookstore in an airport. I read majority of it on the flight, and came back to the appendix about a month later. I don't generally like non-fiction, but I was a fan of Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and I thought the topic sounded interesting.

Summary

Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" follows the story of Oluale Kossola, also known as Cudjoe Lewis, who was stolen from West Africa in 1860 (53 years after the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade had been outlawed). It is one of the few historical narratives told from the point of view of the captured as most of the narratives come from the whites who did the capturing. In the novel, we learn of Kossola's childhood, the horrible attack on his village that led his people to be in captivity, his experience during the middle passage, the trauma he experienced in slavery, and finally his attempt at freedom after the Civil War.

Introspection

As a descendant of slaves, the book touched me in a personal way. For instance, the fact that Kossola expresses an eagerness and happiness to be called by the name he was given in Africa as opposed to the name his slave owners gave him, speaks volumes about how slavery has affected our identity. Countless experiments have proven it to be more difficult to get a job with a name that is traditionally seen as a "black person's name" or "ghetto" than it is with a more European name. This concept of being a foreigner is further seen in Kossola's longing to go back to his home in Africa after being set free. While many of us today have no knowledge of our original tribes or homeland, we are still acutely aware that this is not home. Furthermore, we see how powerful the effects of slavery were on the mentality of the slaves as those who had been born in America and raised as slaves, wanted nothing to do with Kossola and his people. Today, we call this respectability politics. Many people choose to assimilate because they believe it will be easier than the alternative.

Overall Thoughts

The personality of Kossola shines throughout the book, and despite all he endured, he remained positive. The positivity of Kossola keeps the book from being a sad and traumatic read. I think it's a great piece of history, and the implications of the story are quite profound. I think this would be a great book for structured reading, where discussion takes place and the reader is forced to think on a deeper level about the events described.

1. Sylviane A. Diouf. "Cudjo Lewis". Encyclopedia of Alabama. December 6, 2007

Colonel Allensworth

Black people have founded numerous towns across the US, both before and after slavery. Many of them, like Black Wall Street[1] were destroyed by white supremacists. However, some are still standing. Near my home is Atlantic Beach, SC, but today, we're talking about Allensworth, CA. Allensworth was the first black town in California and was founded by Colonel Allensworth. Born a slave, Colonel Allensworth rose to the highest ranking black man in the US army during his time. After his retirement he founded Allensworth, which survives to this day.[2]

References

1. Ree Hughes. "Black Owned Cities and Towns". PSALMS to God. February 7, 2015
2. Robert. Mikell. "THE HISTORY OF ALLENSWORTH, CALIFORNIA (1908- )". BlackPast. September 27, 2017
3. "Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park". California Departments of Parks and Recreation. 2020

Black Patents: Miriam Benjamin

Miriam Benjamin was a teacher in Charleston, SC when she noticed restaurants and hotels were struggling to keep up with their patrons. She invented a service button that would signal the waitstaff as well as illuminate the customer waiting for service. This design is what we currently use in flight to signal flight attendants. Mrs. Benjamin was the second black woman to receive a patent for her invention. This invention was also taken up (with modifications) by the House of Representatives!

References

1. "Miriam E. Benjamin". Black History in America; visited February 2020
2. Mary Bellis. "Biography of Miriam Benjamin, Inventor of a Signal Chair". Thought Co. June 19, 2019

Cultural Appropriation and Esther Jones

Most people struggle to understand what cultural appropriation is. The truth about the origins of Betty Boop's singing voice are a perfect example of cultural appropriation. A black woman named Esther Jones, later dubbed Baby Esther, created the iconic style of singing Betty Boop would eventually be known for. Mrs. Jones even performed at the Cotton Club. An aspiring white singer named Helen Kane attended one of Mrs. Jones' performance and began imitating her style. Shortly after, the famous cartoon, Betty Boop aired. Mrs. Kane sued the creators of Betty Boop for stealing her style, when in fact she had stolen the entire style from Mrs. Jones. This fact was proven and upheld in court, however Mrs. Jones received no money or acknowledgment for her originality. Since she was not present during the trial, the creators were able to continue using the Betty Boop cartoon. Betty Boop would go on to become the most famous cartoon in the world, even influencing Japanese Anime.

The practice of stealing art, vernacular, etc from a group of people and making money off it as though it is yours, with no acknowledgement of the true origins and no respect for the originators is the definition of cultural appropriation.

References

1. theComplex. "Photo: This is NOT Esther Jones and Betty Boop Was Not Black". Sinuous Magazine; visited February 2020
2. Brendan Wolfe. "The Fight for Betty Boop's Soul". F Yeah History. August 13, 2018
3. Ten Little Known Black History Facts". PBS; visited February 2020
4. "6 Fun Facts About Japanese Animation". Children's Museum of the Arts. August 9, 2016

Bass Reeves, the Lone Ranger

I grew up watching Westerns with my dad, and all I ever saw were white men (and the occasional abused Native American/First Nations). However, many blacks who escaped slavery actually went west, and after the civil war, this was even more of an occurrence. The west had a high demand for skilled labor and more personal freedom than the Deep South, so while there was still racism, it provided a better opportunity for black's to gain freedom and income. Despite the representation, 1 out of 4 cowboys were actually black men! In fact, it’s believed that the term cowboy was originally a derogatory term to describe black cow hands. Did I mention that the Lone Ranger might have been based on Bass Reeves, a black man? Those facts make the 2013 version of Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp playing Tonto even more whitewashed than it already is.

References

1. Michel Marriott. "Remembrance of Slave Ancestors Lost to the Sea". New York Times. June 19, 1994
2. Brendan Wolfe. "Slave Ships and the Middle Passage". Encyclopedia Virginia; visited February 2020

#MedicalBreakthrough: Onesimus

Cotton Mather is often given the credit for inoculation during the small pox epidemic. Less often is it mentioned that inoculation was already popular in Africa and the Middle East. Even less often is it mentioned that Mather didn't come up with the idea himself, but got the idea from one of his slaves. A man named Onesimus (I wonder if he was named after the Biblical Onesimus?) told Mather about the practice, used in West Africa. Other slaves confirmed Onesimus' testimony, convincing Mather to try it on the general population. So, you can thank a black man and West African slaves for the fact that you've never had small pox if you were born and raised in the US.

References

1. Matthew Niederhuber. "The Fight Over Inoculation During the 1721 Boston Smallpox Epidemic". Harvard University: Science in the News. December 31, 2014
2. Arthur Boylston. "The origins of inoculation". Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. July 2012

#CallMeMiss: Mary Hamilton

During my parents' era, the only people who were referred to as "Mr" or "Mrs" were white people. Blacks were referred to by their first name at best, "boy" or "gal" by standard, and "nigger" at worst. When Mary Hamilton was called to be a witness in a Mississippi court case in the early 60's, she took a stand against this demeaning practice by refusing to answer the judge unless he called her "Miss." A true product of the times, the judge refused and held her in contempt of court. The NAACP eventually took up Miss Hamilton's case, which went all the way to The Supreme Court (Hamilton v. Alabama, 1964)!

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Miss Hamilton, forcing courts to refer to all persons, regardless of race or ethnicity, by an honorific. This practice has since passed into common usage and you'll find it common (particularly in the South) for everyone to be addressed as "Mr" or "Mrs." All of this is thanks to Miss Hamilton's stand to make us equal.

References

1. Mary Hamilton, The Woman Who Put The 'Miss' In Court". NPR. July 12, 2013
2. HAMILTON v. ALABAMA, 376 U.S. 650 (1964). Justia; visited February 2020
3. "Hamilton v. Alabama (1964)". Wikipedia; visited February 2020

Quotes to Live By: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Racism should never have happened and so you don't get a cookie for reducing it. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian author, phenomenal speaker, and outspoken feminist. She has received numerous awards for her writing. Many of her works are set in Nigeria and some focus on the Nigeria-Biafra war. Her novel Half a Yellow Sun was made into a movie and her TEDx talk was featured in Beyonce’s Flawless. If you want to expand your thinking, she’s definitely the writer you want to read and the speaker you want to hear. (The quote above is from her book Americanah.)

#blackgirlmagic #blackwriters #nigerianwriters #blackhistorymonth #blackhistorymonth2019 #racism #feminist #blackfeminism #americanah #chimamandangoziadichie

References

1. "Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie". Encyclopædia Britannica; visited February 2019

Quotes to Live By: Colin Kaepernick

Most people don't want to change. They're comfortable and set in their ways. But in order to change, you have to be able to agitate people at times. And I think that's something that's very necessary for us to improve as a country. Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick used his platform to take a stand against police brutality in 2016 by kneeling during the national anthem. This action would lead to some creating the amazing quote “Racism is so deeply American that when we protest racism, some assume we are protesting America.” President Trump, who claimed “there were fine people on both sides” in reference to white supremacist groups who caused the death and injury of people in Charlottesville, demanded that Kaepernick be fired—and he was. Though picking up a deal with Nike, Kaepernick has yet to be re-signed to the NFL.

#football #nfl #blackhistory #blackhistorymonth2019 #kaepernick #istandwithkap #indylove #policebrutality #blacklivesmatter

Quotes to Live By: Hiram Rhodes Revels

During the canvass in the State of Mississippi, I traveled into different parts of that state, and this is the doctrine that I everywhere uttered: that while I was in favor of building up the colored race, I was not in favor of tearing down the white race. Hiram Rhodes Revels

Hiram Rhodes Revels (1822-1901) was the first Black person to be elected to the U.S. Senate. Rev. Revels ran on a platform that tried to gain ground for Black citizens without causing friction between the races, so not only did he advocate for the desegregation of schools and railroads, he also supported restoring the rights of ex-Confederates. After serving as a Senator, he became the president of Alcorn A&M.

Despite being born in Fayetteville, NC in 1822, Rev. Revels was never a slave; he was born to free parents. He moved to free states to receive his education, where he would eventually be ordained in the AME church. Before the civil war started, he was a both a pastor and principal. Once the Civil War began, he helped create *volunteer* regiments of black men for the Union army. He served as chaplain for a regiment serving in Mississippi. After the war, he stayed in Mississippi where he would go own to make history as the first Black person to be elected to the U.S. Senate. Mississippi would go on to elect Blanche Kelso Bruce, a former slave, as the 2nd Black person in Senate only a few years later.

#blackhistory #blackhistoymonth #blackhistorymonth2019 #blacksenators #blacksingovernment #blacksinhighereducation #mississippihistory #reconstructionera

References

1. Hiram R. Revels". Encyclopædia Britannica; visited February 2019

Quotes to Live By: Bryan Stevenson

There is a strength, a power even, in understanding brokenness, because embracing our brokenness creates a need and desire for mercy, and perhaps a corresponding need to show mercy. When you experience mercy, you learn things that are hard to learn otherwise. You see things you can't otherwise see; you hear things you can't otherwise hear. You begin to recognize the humanity that resides in each of us.Bryan Stevenson

Bryan Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Intiative in Montgomery, AL as soon as he graduated law school. His life has been spent overturningg wrongful convictions and exonerating innocent people who have been placed on death row. The common thread for the injustice his clients have faced is racism and poverty. A true advocate for justice, Mr. Stevenson has not only successfully defended over 125 people wrongfully sentenced to death, he is also passing on his knowledge and experience as a Professor of Law. The recipient of many awards and honorary doctoral degrees, Mr. Stevenson is also an author. His book, Just Mercy, is a New York Times Best Seller and was named one of the 10 Best Books of Nonfiction for 2014. (The above quote is from the book, which will soon be a movie!)

#blackhistory #blackhistoymonth #blackhistorymonth2019 #law #justice #capitalpunishment #justmercy #blacklawyers #mercy #brokenness #humanity

References

1. Bryan Stevenson". Equal Justice Initiative; visited February 2019
2. Bryan Stevenson. Just Mercy:. October 2014

Quotes to Live By: James Baldwin

James Baldwin (1924-1987) was a great writer. The treatment of his novel Go Tell It On the Mountain at my high school opened my eyes to the favoritism of white art and white history in the school. He used his talents to support the civil rights movement, penning several essays and novels that are ripe with insightful quotes. #blackhistorymonth2019 #blackhistory #jamesbaldwin #blackwriters

References

1. "James Baldwin". Encyclopædia Britannica; visited February 2019

Quotes to Live By: Frederick Douglass

Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is in an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob, and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.Frederick Douglass

A great writer and leader of the abolitionist movement, Frederick Douglass was the first Black person to be nominated as Vice President of the United States. He was born a slave in February 1818, but fled and escaped to freedom in 1838. He went on to serve as US Marshal for DC, Recorder of Deeds for DC, and Minister Resident and Consul General to Haiti, making him one of the first Black people to hold high government offices. #blackhistorymonth2019 #blackhistory #frederickdouglass #quotestoliveby

References

1. Frederick Douglass". National Park Service; visited February 2019
2. Frederick Douglass". PBS; visited February 2019
3. Frederick Douglass Biography". Biography; visited February 2019

Quotes to Live By: Katherine Dunham

I used to want the words "She tried" on my tombstone. Now I want "She did it." Katherine Dunham

Katherine Dunham, PhD (1909-2006) was a choreographer, dancer, and anthropologist. She used her anthropology research to bring ethnic dance styles to the stage, taking much of her inspiration from the Caribbean and Brazil. Dr. Dunham didn't stop with bringing blackness into art, she was active in our every day plight. In 1992 she orchestrated a 47-day hunger strike to raise awareness about Haitian refugees. She is a published author (she also used the pseudonym Kaye Dunn) and the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Medal of Arts.

References

1. "Katherine Dunham". Encyclopædia Britannica. June 18, 2018
2. "Katherine Dunham Biography". Katherine Dunham Center for Arts and Humanities; visited February 2019

Quotes to Live By: Mary McLeod Bethune

If we accept and acquiesce in the face of discrimination, we accept the responsibility ourselves and allow those responsible to salve their conscience by believing that they have our acceptance and concurrence. We should, therefore, protest openly everything... that smacks of discrimination or slander.Mary McLeod Bethune

I didn't plan to start Black History Month off with Mary McLeod Bethune because I think most people know who she is. Her legacy is pretty well preserved and she was one of the people I learned about as a child. However, when I read the quote above, I couldn't pass it up. Her quote says it plain and direct, we should never accept discrimination and we should never allow those who dole out discrimination to think we're OK with it.

When I posted this quote on Instagram ( follow me!), I wanted information to place in the caption about her, so I went searching for more than what came to the top of my head. Even though she's a familiar name and face, I found out a lot more than what I'd previously known. I'll share what stood out to me, but you should go back a re-read her history too.

Educator

Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible. Mary McLeod Bethune

Everyone knows she was an educator and that the school she founded eventually became the school we know today as Bethune-Cookman University. What I didn't know is that she actually went to seminary school and originally sought do missionary work.[1] The young adult group at my church is currently doing small groups with The Purpose Driven Life and throughout the book, the author talks about how worshipping God and doing God's work isn't always the traditional or obvious methods. Dr. Bethune[2] may not be classified as missionary by most people, but she touched many lives and was able to proclaim the gospel while fighting social injustice. Fighting social injustice is missionary work.

When She Lived

I knew she was "from way back," but I never really processed what time period she lived in. Black history figures are usually categorized as slave era (i.e., Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman), civil rights era (i.e., Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Rosa Parks), or modern (i.e., Barak Obama), but each of these eras cover large periods of time. I think this is one of the reasons we have so much trouble understanding the effects of slavery and racial discrimination on our country today. When I looked at Dr. Bethune's biography and saw the dates in which she lived and operated, I discovered a whole new layer of connection.

• She was born in 1875 in the south, which means her parents were slaves and had only been free for about 12 years when she was born.
• Since she had 16 siblings and was one of the youngest siblings, there's a high probability that some of her siblings also worked as slaves in their childhood
• She moved to Florida, where she opened a boarding school, in 1904, just 1 year after my grandfather—not my great-grandfather, my grandfather—was born.
• She died in 1955; my dad was 5 years old and my mom was 2.

Where She Lived

Possibly because her role in founding Bethune-Cookman is what I knew her best for, I always thought she was born and raised in Florida. To my surprise, she was born in Maysville, SC, just 1.5 hours away from my own hometown. Not that it matters to most of y'all, I found it quite interesting that her life took her from Maysville, SC to Central Florida, while mine took me from Conway, SC to Southern Florida.

Businesswoman and Entrepreneur

I always thought of Dr. Bethune as an educator, but she was actually a businesswoman, too! She co-founded an insurance company and co-owned a resort.

NCNW

She also founded the National Council for Negro Women, which still exists today. I didn't know this even existed. "NCNW’s mission is to lead, advocate for and empower women of African descent, their families and communities."[3]

References

1. Debra Michals, PhD. "Mary McLeod Bethune". National Women's History Museum. 2015
2. "Mary McLeod Bethune receives honorary doctorate". Central Florida Memory, via University of Central Florida; visited February 2019
3. "Our Mission". National Council for Negro Women; 2018
4. Mary McLeod Bethune. "Quotes". Brainy Quote; visited February 2019

Rehoboam

Rehoboam, 1st king of Judah, is discussed.

Introduction

Rehoboam is the son of Solomon and Naamah. He becomes king of Israel upon Solomon's death. 1 Kings 14 tells us that he took the throne when he was 41 years old and reigned for 17 years. Most sources site the begin of his rule to be 931bc, which would mean he lived from 972-914bc and was king from 931-914bc. Some scholars date the split of the kingdom to 922bc.^[1] This would place Rehoboam's reign from 922-905bc, and his birth in 963bc. The bulk of Rehoboam's reign is given in 1 Kings 12, 1 Kings 14:21-31, and 2 Chronicles 10-12.
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Relationship with God

Kings were to lead by example, and whether the king followed God's law or not directly effected the state of the nation. Thus each kings' relationship with God is clearly defined. Rehoboam's relationship with God appears to be pretty bad. Rehoboam causes the kingdom to split by not listening to the elders. God sends word to Rehoboam through a prophet named Shemaiah to cease fighting with the northern tribes, however, Rehoboam fights with them for his entire reign (1 Kings 12:22-24 and 1 Kings 14:30). This tells us Rehoboam didn't listen to God. In 2 Chronicles 11:16-17, we learn that under Rehoboam, Israel followed the ways of God for 3 years. Considering the fact that he reigned for 17 years, this isn't a lengthy period of faithfulness. 2 Chronicles 12 confirms that while Rehoboam had brief moments where he submitted to God, his was known for his ungodly behavior.
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Family History

As the son of Solomon, Rehoboam was also the grandson of David and Bathsheba. He is thus descended from the tribe of Judah, which makes him a descendant of Boaz and Ruth.

Given the timeline, Rehoboam would have been about 2 years old when David died. One of my grandfathers died when I was 2 (about to turn 3) years old and I have no memory of him; however I still managed to pick up some of his habits. Likely, Rehoboam wouldn't have retained any memories of David, but it would have been possible for him to pick up some of David's mannerisms, quirks, and habits if he was around him long enough.

Rehoboam's mother is named Naamah. Naamah was not an Israelite, despite God specifically commanding kings to marry Israelite women. Her ties to Ammon and paganism likely influenced both Solomon and Rehoboam.^[2]

Rehoboam marries many women, like his father. The details of his marriages are listed in 2 Chronicles 11. Many of these women are quiet closely related to him, though not close enough to be defined as incest biblically. Maachah, the daughter (or granddaughter) of Absalom (Rehoboam's uncle who tried to steal the throne), becomes Rehoboam's favorite wife. Although Rehoboam has 28 sons and even more daughters, it is Maachah's son who succeeds him on the throne. Maachah's son is called Abijah, Abijam, and Abia throughout the text.

Battles and Wars

Egypt

In the fifth year of his reign, the city of Jerusalem is attacked by Shishak, the king of Egypt (1 Kings 14:25). Shishak, which is also written Shishaq, is generally identified as Egyptian pharaoh Shoshenq I. Interestingly, Shisak is the first pharaoh mentioned by name in the Bible. The account of Shishak launching an attack on Jerusalem is listed in the history texts of Egypt, as well.^[3][4]

Shishak brings a considerable army for his attack and is able to raid the Temple of all of its treasures. Although it is not mentioned, I have to wonder if this includes the Ark of the Covenant; after all the ark is not mentioned again after it is placed in the Temple under Solomon's rule. The Israelites were likely devastated by such a defeat, and were not able to replace the expensive treasures from before. Instead, Rehoboam replaces everything with brass replicas.

Note that some sources do not identify Shoshenq I as Shishak, instead they suggest Shishak should be identified as Thutmose III.^[5] This would require a significant change in the timeline as Thutmose III was pharaoh of Egypt from 1479–1426bc.^[6] On the other hand, Shoshenq I was pharaoh of Egypt from 945–924bc. Using the generally agreed upon date that Rehoboam began his reign in 931bc, his 5th year would have been 926bc, 2 years before the end of Shoshenq I's reign.^[4]

Cases have also been made for Rameses II to be the pharaoh called Shishak. Reading the different hypothesis is quite interesting.If you are interested in Biblical timelines and/or matching Biblical events to secular events, you should look up the information on which of these kings actually his Shishank.
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Israel

It isn't surprising that Rehoboam would have been furious when the northern kingdom split from him. I can't think of a single point in history where part of a country decided to form it's own sovereign nation and the original king (or president) didn't fight to retain the territory. Some of this is about pride, but many times, it's also about wealth and power. The northern kingdoms consisted of 10 whole tribes as opposed to Judah's 2 tribes. The loss of these 10 tribes robbed Judah of both wealth and man power, something no nation wants to lose. Rehoboam did just as one would expect and went to war with Jeroboam.

Liberty taken with the depiction of Rehoboam
the Bible does not give a description of Rehoboam.

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Related Posts

References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 605. 2014
2. Elizabeth Fletcher. "Naamah, wife of Solomon". Women in the Bible. 2006
3. Associates for Biblical Research. "What evidence has been found of the Egyptian king, Shishak?". Christian Answers. 1999
4. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Sheshonk I". Encyclopædia Brittanica. July 2, 2010
5. Elizabeth Mitchell, PhD. "Will the Real Shishak Please Stand Up?". Answers in Genesis. March 2, 2012
6. Peter F. Dorman and Margaret Stefana Drower. "Thutmose III". Encyclopædia Brittanica. July 1, 2010

Lot

Lot is one of the Biblical figures with quite the questionable character. There are 3 main topics that come to mind when thinking of Lot: him being spared from the destruction, him offering his daughters to the mob, and his daughters raping him. The sons of Lot and his daughters establish the nations of Moab and Ammon.

Introduction

Disclaimer: Liberty taken with the depiction of Lot.
Please remember the Bible does not
specify a description for most individuals.

Lot is the focal character when we learn about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He is the nephew of Abraham and the father of the Moabite and Ammonite nations. During the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot loses his wife, who turns into a pillar of salt because she disobeyed the angels and looked back.
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Memorable Moments for Lot

There are 3 main topics that come to mind when thinking of Lot: him being spared from the destruction, him offering his daughters to the mob, and his daughters raping him.
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God Spares Lot

We know that generations earlier, Noah was spared due to his righteousness, but Lot isn't exactly described as righteous during the passage. So why did God spare him?

In the context of the passage, we know that Abraham pleaded for the salvation of city. This prompted God to promise not to destroy the city if 10 righteous people could be found in the city. Some may argue that God's conversation with Abraham prompted Him to spare Lot, because Lot was the only righteous person in the city and He had promised not to destroy the righteous. Of course this isn't explicitly said. It doesn't seem like Lot was so righteous God felt compelled to save him.

Another possibility is that Lot earned his salvation by protecting the angels. The angels did not go to Sodom seeking Lot, which hints that it wasn't in the original plan to spare him. They were content to stay outside in the city as homeless people do, but Lot forcefully persuaded them to stay with him. Lot knew that they would not be safe if they stayed outside. Not only does Lot provide them with shelter and food, when the mob of men come for the angels, Lot stands in their way. Regardless of Lot's method to protect the men, he shows both bravery and a strong faith to stand against so many men. Perhaps this is what convinced God to spare him. After all, it isn't until after this ordeal that he is told to leave the city.

A final possibility is God's favoritism at work. God favored Abraham, and Lot was Abraham's nephew. It is possible that during the intercession, Abraham asked God to save his nephew. Today, when we hear bad news about a certain location, our first instinct is always to pray for family and friends we know in that area. Abraham was in such a position with God that God may have granted his request. This seems likely when we look at Genesis 19:29.
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Lot Offers Up His Daughters

One of the craziest things to wrap your head around when reading the Bible, is Lot offering his daughters up for what reads to be gang rape. Many non-believers (and ex-believers) site this as one of the "more gruesome" passages in the Bible. As I try to explain to people when discussing the Bible, you can't take one passage and make a conclusion. The Bible is intricately layered and a continuous story. People often treat it like a series of stand alone short stories, but that's not really how the text is meant to be read. There are several passages after the story of Sodom and Gomorrah that condemn rape, as well as, premarital sex. Note, while Lot is spared it is strongly implied that he is spared because of Abraham, not himself. The text never claims Lot to be perfect in his actions.

This is an important layer of this passage; people often get distracted by the theme of homosexuality in the destruction of the city. This leaves people at a loss when the topic of the Lot's daughters comes up. In most cases, believers have no explanation or come back for this problem. Some try to excuse Lot's behavior, or use it to further condemn homosexuality by suggesting Lot's alternative is "better" than homosexuality. Others lose faith because they agree that Lot's treatment of his daughters is horrible. Then there are those who simply ignore the issue all together! Yet, there is a clear explanation in the Bible.

In Deuteronomy 22, God explains the punishments for sexual encounters between a betrothed woman and a man who is not her betrothed. From rape to consensual sex, God makes it clear that none of these are to occur (rape is blamed on the man and consensual sex carried the death penalty for both parties). Genesis 19 mentions Lot's son-in-laws, which mean his daughters were either betrothed or already married at the time. If they were already married Lot lied (he says they are virgins), and offered them up for adultery. If they were simply betrothed, he still offered them up for adultery based upon Deuteronomy 22:23-26. Either way, the God condemns Lot's behavior, His condemnation just isn't found right there in Genesis 19.

Lot's "alternative" is not a good versus bad; it is still defined as bad. Many try to turn this into the lesser of two evils, but evil is evil in God's eyesight. Both homosexuality and adultery were punishable by death in God's law, so Lot's actions don't reflect God's wishes at all. What we see is Lot trying to protect his guests. Perhaps Lot was aware of their angelic status and chose to protect them over his daughters, or perhaps it was out of custom (letting harm come to a guest in your home was not proper). For all we knew, Lot expected the angels to protect his daughters and never intended to give up his daughters. Regardless of motive, we know that Lot's choice is not one that God would agree with.
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Lot's Daughters Commit Incest

Lot became a man of questionable character when he offered up his daughters to be gang raped, which makes it seem like poetic justice that in the end his daughters end up raping him. Each daughter gets their father sufficiently drunk enough to seduce him in the hopes that they will become pregnant to carry on their father's line.

When Noah escaped the flood, he and his children were the only people left alive, but when Lot and his daughters left Sodom, there were still people in various locations outside the city. Genesis 19:27-28 confirms that Abraham was close enough to see the fire reigning down on the city. Abraham was also close enough to Ur to send his servant there in search of a wife for Isaac. Why were Lot's daughters convinced there were no men to marry them and produce heirs? This whole scenario sounds like something we would watch unfold on daytime TV or something.

In his drunkenness, Lot fathers sons for both of his daughters: Moab and Benammi. Moab's descendants became the Moabites, while Benammi's descendants became the Ammonites. Neither group was particularly liked by God, though there are a few famous Moabites throughout the Bible.
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Character of Lot

The above already establishes the questionable nature of Lot's character, but we also see that Lot doesn't want to leave behind the sin-filled city-life. When told to escape to the mountains, Lot bargains his way to escape to Zoar, a suburb of Sodom,^[1] instead of to the mountains as instructed (eventually he leaves Zoar for the mountains). Lot is described as just in 2 Peter 2:7. From the English version it is possible that just is used to mean only, as in "And delivered [only] Lot;" however, the original greek uses the word δίκαιον which means "righteous."^[2][3]

The description of Lot as righteous can be hard for a believer to accept. We ask why is this man who did just a thing considered righteous? Throughout the Bible God gives us plenty of examples of righteous men who are just as much guilty of sin as the next person. The only man not to commit a sin was Jesus. Noah gets drunk, Abraham lies, Moses doubts, Jacob steals... What made these men righteous is not that they were perfect and everything they did was correct, but their enduring faith in God.

Like the others mentioned, Lot had the option to do a lot worse than what he actually did. He could have left the angels in the street overnight. He could have handed them over to the mob instead of offering up his daughters (that was basically a lose-lose situation). When the angels told Lot to leave, he wasn't sold on his ability to get to the mountains which reflects doubt in God's ability to make it possible, but he left nonetheless. He convinced the Lord to allow him a smaller journey, just as Moses convinced Him to let Aaron be the mouthpiece. In the end, however, Lot got up the next morning and left. He didn't stick around doubting that judgement would come.

These are all traits that make Lot righteous. I think Lot is a great example of a person who meant to do right, but his actions came out a bit muddled. Lot was raised in a city of confusion and sin, so it makes sense that some of his ideas would be warped as well. This is important for us today; we live in a secular society that teaches us many things that God declares evil are actually good. In our earnest to do good, we are also likely to do or say something that is not in agreement with God. The good news is, like Lot, God will meet us where we are. If our heart is right, He will show us our misguidance and set us on the right path. When it tough situations we must call upon God and think through the whole situation before offering up our daughters, so to speak.
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Other Posts About Lot

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References

1. MacDonald, William. Farstad, A. ed. Believer's Bible Commentary. 1995
2. "2 Peter 2:7". Bible Hub. 2016
3. "1342. dikaios". Bible Hub. 2016