• About Us
• Church Family
• Pathfinders
• Online Magazine
• Church Location
• Site Map

Book Review

Really Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs

The sequel to Bad Girls of the Bible.

 
This book looks at the stories of Bathsheba, Jael, Herodias, Tamar, Athaliah, the witch at Endor, the woman caught in adultery and the bleeding woman that came to Jesus.

As you read these stories you will see woman who were Bad and Proud of it - Bad for a Good Reason - Bad and Not Condemned - or they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

So often we look to the inspiring people in the Bible - but what can those who made mistakes teach us.

The Medium of En Dor - women are often more spiritually sensitive, and the world encourages a spirit of religious tolerance.  But what does God say in such situations.  God tells us that the dead know nothing, and that we should not try to contact them - such actions lead us direct to the evil angels and the devil.  God says NO.

Jael pierced a man's head with a nail - how often have we pierced people's hearts with our sharp words.

The woman caught in adultery - no matter how you dress it up adultery goes against God's laws; it breaks trust and hurts adults and children.  The woman stood before Christ - we will all stand before the judgement seat of God.  Jesus said to those who brought the woman to Him, that the person without sin could be the first to throw a stone.  We need to remember that none of us have the right to condemn anyone - that right is only attributed to Jesus.

Athaliah - in this story we see success - power - ambition - control - highlighted.  She was the daughter of Jezebel, and she mirrored her mother in her evil ways, murdering even her grandchildren.  As you read this story you will see the fallacy of my way or the highway, and in its place God first and family first.  Prov16:25 states 'there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end it leads to is death'

Bathsheba's story highlights seduction - adultery - murder.  Bathsheba & David's first son died - Jesus the innocent Son of God also had to die.  Psalm 51 was written by David after he repented from this sin.  God later said that David was a man after his owns heart - No matter the depth of our sin, God can and will forgive our sins.  We need to accept the forgiveness that God offers.

Herodias - the influence of a mother on her daughter - like Athaliah there is no record that these women acknowledged their sin.

Tamar - Judah, her father-in-law, did not treat her fairly - just as his sons had not treated her as a wife deserves.  Deception by each of the players in this story is seen, however when we look at the descendants of Jesus Tamar is mentioned.  God worked through their deception.

The Bleeding Woman - The story of this woman is so sad.  She was removed from society because of her medical condition.  She was considered by society as unclean - and probably by most people as either she or her parents having sinned and the disease, she was suffering was a result of that sin.  However, Jesus elsewhere talking about someone else said that this belief was wrong.  How often are each of us condemned by others unfairly.  Just as Jesus recognized when the woman touched Him - Jesus is aware when we are judged unfairly, and Jesus is there for us.

These and more lessons are to be learnt as you read this book and look at the lives of Really Bad Girls of the Bible.

Picture Credit
https://koorong.com/product/really-bad-girls-of-the-bible-liz-curtis_9781601428615

Copyright © 2025 Thornleigh Seventh-day Adventist Church