What other biblical examples show God using unexpected means to achieve His purposes? Setting the Stage: The Wise Woman of Tekoa “Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” (2 Samuel 14:3) Joab’s plan hinges on an unnamed woman from a small village. Her wisdom and courage soften David’s heart and pave the way for Absalom’s return. The scene reminds us that God often advances His purposes through people and methods no one sees coming. People No One Expected • Rahab the Canaanite prostitute — “Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute…because she hid the messengers” (Joshua 6:25). • Gideon the fearful farmer — “With the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver you” (Judges 7:7). • Ehud the left-handed Benjamite — “The LORD raised up Ehud…a left-handed man” (Judges 3:15). • Jael, a tent-dwelling woman — “She drove the peg through his temple…and he died” (Judges 4:21). • David the shepherd boy — “The battle is the LORD’s, and He will deliver you into our hand” (1 Samuel 17:47). • Esther the orphaned exile — “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). • Cyrus, a pagan king — “Thus says the LORD to His anointed, Cyrus…to subdue nations before him” (Isaiah 45:1). Animals and Objects Turned into Tools • A donkey that talks — “Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth” (Numbers 22:28). • Ravens that cater — “I have commanded the ravens to provide for you” (1 Kings 17:4). • Jawbone of a donkey — “With a donkey’s jawbone I have slain a thousand men” (Judges 15:15). • A shepherd’s staff over the Red Sea — “Stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it” (Exodus 14:16). • A great fish for a runaway prophet — “The LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah” (Jonah 1:17). • Five loaves and two fish — “What are five barley loaves and two fish for so many?” (John 6:9) yet Jesus feeds thousands. Strategies That Defied Human Logic • Jericho’s silent march — “When the people heard the trumpet, they shouted…and the wall fell” (Joshua 6:20). • The widow’s last flour and oil — “The jar of flour was not exhausted and the jug of oil did not run dry” (1 Kings 17:16). • Seven dips in the Jordan — “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times…and you will be clean” (2 Kings 5:10). • Thirty-three years in Nazareth — “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). • Salvation through a Roman cross — “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18). • An empty tomb seals it all — “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen!” (Luke 24:5-6). Takeaway From Tekoa’s wise woman to the risen Son, Scripture continually shows a God who delights in overturning expectations. Whether through obscure people, humble objects, or counter-intuitive plans, He proves that “the foolishness of God is wiser than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). |
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