Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.

by Autumn Dickson

At the beginning of chapter 8, we find Samuel getting older. He made his sons judges, and they were corrupt. The people went to Samuel and asked for a king. Samuel didn’t like that much, and he turned to the Lord. Here is the Lord’s response.

1 Samuel 8:7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

The people wanted a monarchy instead of a theocracy. They wanted to be like other nations despite the warnings that Samuel gave them. He warned them of all the problems that come with a king, but they insisted.

We’re not in the same situation as the Israelites. None of us are asking President Oaks to give us a king, but there are still lessons for us here. Let’s look at some details.

Israel wanted a king; they wanted someone who would rule over them. The irony here is that if you had asked Samuel whether the Israelites had a king, he would have answered, “Yes.” The Lord was meant to be their king. The Lord had a mouthpiece, a messenger for how He wanted His kingdom ruled, but He was meant to rule over His own people.

So when the Lord says that the Israelites rejected Him, He is accurate. They had a king, but they wanted a different kind of king.

There are a lot of parallels we could find in our own lives. Rather than explicitly stating the parallel, I rather just give one potential manifestation of this parallel.

The Lord has come before each of us and promised to bless us. He wants to make us kings and queens, priests and priestesses. He wants to make us like Him. He wants to shower us with warmth and promises. He wants to open our eyes and show us everything. There is so much to be had as heirs of God.

All of that sounds pretty wonderful. Unfortunately, these things don’t just get bestowed upon us. We have to grow into it.

So when we are faced with the decision of opening our scripture app or social media, we often find ourselves on social media.

The Lord comes and says, “Let me be your king. I won’t ever betray you. I won’t take from you; I only want to give. I want to show you all that you can become.” The Lord comes and warns us, “Taking a different king can be dangerous. The king will take your children, and it will take the best parts of what you have. It only serves itself; you will be its servant.”

And yet, like the Israelites, we insist on choosing social media. We choose a different king. We choose a king that robs us of moments with our loved ones. We choose a king that does have the power to take our children away from us. We choose a king that is only looking to profit itself, and we make ourselves slaves to it.

Why?? Why do we do this??

And it’s interesting. The Lord doesn’t mind if we have a mortal king. In Mosiah 29, Mosiah tells his people that it would be fine to have a king if they could guarantee that their kings were righteous. The Lord doesn’t mind if we have social media, TV, video games, or any other of these other banal activities. The Lord can utilize these tools to enhance our life and make it better.

The problem comes when we essentially reject the Lord for something pathetic. If you had asked the Israelites if they were rejecting their God, I wonder what they would have said. Maybe they would have told us, “We’re not rejecting our God. We will still follow our God. We just want a king too. Having a king doesn’t mean that we don’t worship God.” If you ask us if we’re rejecting God when we pull open something vapid instead of something inspiring, we would probably answer that we’re not rejecting God.

Perhaps that’s true. Perhaps you’re not outright rejecting God.

But have you ever tried to connect with someone who was too busy on their phone? Have you ever gone to someone for help only for them to be too distracted to love you? Have you ever done this to someone else?

Perhaps you’re not turning to that person who is seeking a connection with you and saying, “Stop. I don’t like you. Go away. I hate you.” But aren’t you still rejecting them? Don’t you feel rejected when it happens to you?

So we can tell ourselves all we like that opening instagram instead of the scriptures isn’t rejecting God, but isn’t it? He’s trying to connect with us. He’s trying to draw us higher, and we turn away. That is rejection too.

I’m not describing a world where we become monks that don’t take part in any other type of material. Social media isn’t evil. I just think it’s wise to take inventory of who is ruling us. Our phones often do this cool thing where it keeps track of where we’re spending our time. Look at your phone. Where did you spend your time today?

And as a sidenote, this isn’t a message about social media. I’m sharing an example that shows an overarching principle. What is ruling us? Is it God?

As I was reading about the Israelites choosing a king, I thought of all the pain that was coming to them. I thought of everything we would read about Israel and the trials that were coming. If they could have seen what was coming, would they have chosen differently?

If we could see what our kings would bring us, would we choose differently?

The Lord has warned us about how to spend our time. He has warned us about what to invite in and what to leave be. Who is your king? What is your king taking from you or giving to you?

I testify that there are many good things to enjoy in life, but only one King who is willing to give rather than take. I testify that the Lord knows what He is talking about in how He directs our lives. I testify that you don’t have to verbally reject the Lord to be cutting Him out of your life, and that being careful of what we choose will bless us in the long run. It may seem easier to choose something else, but it’s not.

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

by Autumn Dickson

The story of Hannah is almost too much for me. Hannah struggled with infertility. She went to the tabernacle and prayed her heart out. She told the Lord that she would dedicate her son to Him. Her prayer was so intense that Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk. He tells her the Lord will grant her petition. She goes home, and it is fulfilled. She conceives a son.

Hannah kept him until he was weaned. This could have happened as early as 24 months and as late as five years old. After he is weaned, she takes him to Eli. She reminds Eli that she was the woman who was fervently praying for a child before, and then she says this.

1 Samuel 1:27-28

27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

Hannah leaves her son with Eli. She gets to see him annually when they go to the tabernacle to make their sacrifice. This is the part that makes my heart desperately ache. I have two children who currently fall within that age group, and I can’t imagine dropping them off and only seeing them once a year. I am quite certain that it would kill me.

But Hannah had promised her son to the Lord, and she stuck to that promise. Samuel went to Eli at the temple.

Samuel goes on to do incredible things in the name of the Lord. He became the first centralized prophet to Israel in a long time. His ministry is marked by attempts to pull the Israelites out of apostasy and idolatry. He helped Israel transition to a monarchy first with Saul, and then he later anointed David and protected him from Saul. He was known as a great prophet like Moses.

When I attempt to put myself in Hannah’s shoes, I think there is really only one testimony that would bring me any semblance of peace in the midst of handing my child over.

The Lord can do better with him than I can.

Luckily, I don’t think most of us are facing a time where this sacrifice is required of us. We don’t drop our kids off at the temple and dedicate them to the Lord, but there is still a lesson here for all of us.

The Lord can do better with your loved one than you can.

That doesn’t just apply to our children. The Lord can do better with your sister, brother, friend, parent, cousin, grandchild, niece, nephew, spouse, or anyone you love. We can “hand them off” to the Lord and be at peace that the Lord can take them on a journey that’s going to be better than the one we can take them on.

What does that look like? I can think of two different ways that we can hand our loved one over to the Lord.

1) We closely follow what the Lord has in store for them.

I can think of two contrasting examples that depict one principle: I have two family members that strayed from the gospel for a while. They had zero interest in taking part of what the Lord wanted them to have.

The first relative was forced to go to church. As long as he lived under the roof of his parents, he would be attending church. His father was adamant about it. And you know what? One day, this relative of mine went to church and one of the speakers said something that reached him. He was no longer forced to go to church because he didn’t have to be.

My second relative went a different route completely. Her mother received the impression that she should allow her to stay home. This was the right way for my second relative. Because of her personality, forcing her to go would have only caused her to hate it more. It wouldn’t have fixed anything. In all honesty, it would have made things worse.

Two different approaches that teach a principle when placed side by side: We don’t always know what to do, but the Lord does. We may think we know what to do, but we have to let go of trying to control the situation and turn to the Lord for what’s going to be best for our child. If one of my children grows to hate the church, my knee-jerk reaction would be to force them to go as long as I could in a desperate attempt to draw them back. And perhaps that’s the right answer, but the key is to turn your loved one over to the Lord and follow the path that the Lord has in store for them.

Even if part of that path means letting them choose a different path for a while, it’s going to end up being the most powerful path if we’re following the Lord. Even if that path takes them on a journey like the prodigal son, that journey may be the very thing that makes them so powerful in the end. It may be the very experience they need to finally develop a relationship with a Savior who can watch over them.

Fear is natural when we worry about our loved ones, but we can hush our fears and lean on the promises of the Savior. His atonement reaches wide and far. It can turn sin into stepping stones. Consequences become opportunities to turn to the Savior. The Savior has earned our trust. We can lean on Him and let Him lead.

2) Sometimes trusting the Lord with your loved one is an internal battle.

Hannah’s path looked a little different than both of my relatives. She wasn’t trying to save Samuel. In many ways, she was simply letting him go. Sometimes that is the path we have to take. Even when our children are young, we can’t really control them. It can be easier to force them to do something when they’re little. However, even then, control is often an illusion.

As they get older, the illusion disappears and you have to hope they’re wise enough to follow the Lord.

But no matter how we hope, sometimes they take a different path.

Sometimes the Lord is going to seem rather silent on the matter when we’re desperately trying to save our loved one. That isn’t a sign that you screwed up or that He doesn’t love them; sometimes, that loved one is simply going to choose what they’re going to choose regardless of the path that you choose to take.

Sometimes turning your loved one over to the Lord means seeking out the Lord’s will for them; sometimes turning your loved one over to the Lord means finding peace in the midst of being powerless to help them (at least for a time). Even if the Lord is silent, that doesn’t mean He doesn’t have a plan. It likely just means there isn’t anything you can do to help that plan along at this point. When there is nothing you can physically do to help your loved one, you do what Hannah did. You let go and trust that the Lord has a plan for them.

Just like with Hannah’s situation, I think a knowledge of my Savior’s power and love is the only thing that would bring peace. I can’t change anything externally, but I can orient my heart towards the Savior and let His promises enable me to hope.

I testify of a Savior who does have a plan. He has the Plan of Salvation which included the creation, fall, and atonement, but He also has individual Plans of Salvation for each of us. He knows exactly where your loved one is. He has steps to take and action to follow through on, and He will do so. It may take a long time, longer than you want or even imagine right now, but the Lord’s plans can stretch that far. You can trust Him to take care of them, and you can put that burden down and rest. That doesn’t mean you don’t mourn, but it does mean you simultaneously carry the Savior’s promises in your heart so that you can keep going. I testify that He will fulfill His promises.

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.

by Autumn Dickson

Ruth was a woman in an extremely vulnerable position, and she placed herself in an even more vulnerable position with Boaz. Let’s talk about it, and let’s talk about how it relates to us.

Ruth was a Moabite who followed her mother-in-law to Bethlehem. She was not originally part of God’s people, but she voluntarily chose to be a part of them at great risk to herself. She was vulnerable as a widow, and she was stepping into a life of poverty by following after her mother-in-law instead of going back to live in her father’s house. Not only did she face poor circumstances and the necessity of providing for herself and Naomi by gleaning the fields, she likewise faced potential ridicule and social rejection because of her foreign status.

But she wanted to be with Naomi and follow after the God of Israel, so she chose that sacrifice.

After spending some time in Bethlehem, taking care of Naomi and gathering up meager amounts of food from hard work, Ruth put herself in an even more vulnerable position.

Boaz, a respected and wealthy man in the area, had taken note of Ruth and took steps to make sure she was okay. After hearing about Boaz watching out for Ruth, Naomi encourages Ruth to essentially propose to Boaz. According to the direction of Naomi, Ruth follows Boaz to the threshing floor one night, uncovers his feet, and goes to sleep there. Boaz wakes up and finds her, and she asks him to essentially take her under his wing. She asks him to marry her and bring her into his protection. Boaz agrees to do so if another relative relinquishes his first claim upon her.

In order to understand the vulnerability that Ruth found herself in, it’s important to understand the context of the threshing floor. Threshing floors were not inherently evil; they were community spaces where people went and prepared their different grains to finish the harvesting process. However, threshing floors were associated with a celebratory period that sometimes got out of hand. It was a male-dominated space, and there was drinking. It was not uncommon for prostitution. Let it be known, it was also common for wealthy men to sleep there and protect their grain piles. Boaz wasn’t there to get in trouble; he was there to protect his grain. And yet, I want to highlight the potential danger for Ruth.

Naomi trusted the integrity of Boaz and sent Ruth anyway. Beyond just protecting her, here is an extra thing that Boaz did for her.

Ruth 3:14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.

So Boaz protected her in every sense of the word. He could have taken advantage of her and probably gotten away with it. He could have thrown her to the wolves and ruined her reputation. As an outsider, she already faced scrutiny. She could have been branded a loose woman and made herself ineligible for future marriage. Regardless of whether it’s just or moral that he had the power to do this is a question for another day. The fact remains that he did have power to do so, and he didn’t. Not only did he avoid taking advantage of her, he also protected her from potential shame.

If we generalize some of these ideas, we might find some personal parallels in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Here are a couple of reflections.

1) Boaz didn’t actually have a responsibility to take care of Ruth.

It is important to note that Boaz didn’t have to legally take care of Ruth. In ancient Israelite custom, a brother of the dead husband would marry the widow and buy the land to keep the inheritance in the family. Boaz was a more distant relative. He was eligible but not required. It wasn’t expected of him. In fact, the relative who was closer to her wanted the land but refused when he found out he would also inherit Ruth.

Boaz married Ruth. He went above and beyond what was required of him to protect her.

And how poignant is that?

Christ was eligible to save us but not obligated. He chose to do it. He wanted to protect us.

2) She had nothing to offer Boaz except loyalty and need.

Boaz didn’t reap any benefit for marrying Ruth other than receiving her love and gratitude. Even beyond the fact that he didn’t have a legal obligation, he was essentially bringing on “dead weight.” I understand that sounds heartless, but let me expound.

Boaz had the option of marrying advantageously. He had to pay to get the land that had belonged to Ruth’s previous husband; it didn’t just come to him. He could have married someone that would have contributed to his own wealth or social standing without any complications of marrying a foreigner. Not to mention, any children he had with Ruth would be considered heirs of her first husband. That’s why the other relative had refused. It endangered his personal estate. Boaz was willing to pay the price for kindness.

Obviously Ruth had value as a human being. However, when she is logically compared with other options, she isn’t bringing much to the table.

Sound familiar? We hold very limited benefit in the traditional sense. Even as long-term investments, the Lord gives us everything we have and then gives us more when we try to serve Him. We don’t offer much. And yet, Christ knows the value of being loved in return. Boaz recognized a woman who would add much more to his home despite the costs. He watched her love Naomi, and he knew that she would be the kind of person that brings joy.

Christ is willing to pay the price of kindness, and He recognizes that investments don’t necessarily bring joy. Our loyalty and gratitude and willingness bring joy.

3) And then, of course, the point I highlighted before: Ruth was vulnerable and Boaz protected her.

Ruth could have been ridiculed and rejected. She was already prone to it because she was born a Moabite. It became that much more dangerous when she voluntarily chose to approach Boaz on the threshing floor.

Someday we will stand vulnerable before the Lord. Someday we will live in a time where secrets are shouted from the rooftops. What secrets are you worried about? What do you want protected and kept private?

I testify of a Lord who “forgets” our sins when we repent. I believe in a Lord who is willing to cover for us and take us under His protection. I believe in a Lord whose name is so powerful that we don’t have to fear rejection and ridicule. He covers us when we approach Him in faith and humility. He doesn’t despise our weakness; He honors it by taking it upon Himself.

I testify of a Lord who pays the price of kindness and simply wants our love in return. It brings Him joy. Do not withhold it from Him. Do not withhold yourself from Him. He loves you.

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

by Autumn Dickson

The book of Judges records a time period in which Israel had no centralized prophet. There was apostasy and partial restorations as the Israelites would sway into worshipping like the Canaanites did. The Lord sometimes sent judges to help Israel against their enemies. These judges were charismatic, military leaders. Some of the judges would save all of Israel; other judges were more regional.

Gideon was one of these regional judges, primarily protecting Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Ephraim.

Gideon is interesting because he struggled with his faith in the Lord, and yet, the Lord was merciful. There are plenty of instances in the scriptures where the Lord doesn’t seem to respond to that very well. Right after the Red Sea parted, the Israelites demanded a sign of Moses to show his favor with God. They were complaining and challenging Moses to show a sign. The place was named Massah as a memorial to their lack of faith. When Zechariah was told that his wife would have a son, he didn’t believe it because she was old. He was struck as a mute. Thomas the apostle was likewise rebuked for his lack of faith.

Gideon receives not just one, but multiple signs from the Lord. The angel burns up his offering to the Lord. His blanket is covered with dew while the ground is dry one night; his blanket is dry while the ground is wet one night. As he stands in the camp with his 300 men to go against the Midianites, the Lord encourages him to go spy on the Midianites and see what they’re saying in order to receive comfort. He does so and overhears a Midianite sharing a dream in which a barley loaf came and flattened a tent. The Midianite’s companion interprets it as God helping Israel defeat them. Here is Gideon’s response.

Judges 7:15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

Multiple signs! God continually blesses Gideon and gives him signs to encourage him along. In fact, Gideon didn’t even ask for the last sign. The Lord just gave it to him, and He gave it to Gideon in a powerful way. It would have been one thing to send a dream to Gideon about defeating the Midianites. It would have been easy for Gideon to wonder if it was just wishful thinking. In comparison, hearing the mighty Midianites have a dream and interpret it as defeat by the Israelites was much more powerful in calming Gideon’s fears.

So why did Gideon get multiple signs while others seem to be rebuked for asking for the same thing?

I think there are a lot of reasons because the Lord works according to individual circumstances, but I want to talk about two potential reasons that can be applied in our own lives as we work to approach the Lord.

The first reason the Lord was willing to work with Gideon is because the Lord is wise enough to understand that Gideon didn’t have much of a relationship with the Lord. The fact that his father had a Baal altar implies that Gideon’s family had fallen into idolatry. How much did Gideon know about God? We know Gideon had some knowledge of God because he asks about the deliverance from Egypt, but how much had Gideon experienced God? There’s a difference. How much could the Lord reasonably expect Gideon to trust Him? The Lord knew Gideon, but did Gideon know the Lord?

The Lord isn’t looking for blind, obedient dogs. He is looking to have a true relationship with us. The fact that Gideon was cautious about running into danger isn’t a sign that Gideon is faithless; it is more an indication that Gideon did not yet know the Lord.

So what does this teach us about our own lives? The Lord will not begrudge us the time it takes to learn how to trust Him; He doesn’t mind allowing us to approach Him until we’ve built up a number of encounters and start to understand His character.

David fought off two wild animals before he fought off Goliath. We recently read about Moses whose trust in the Lord was extremely fragile in the beginning; Moses grew to the point where he encouraged the Israelites to have faith in the face of certain death even though he did not yet know the plan for rescue. The Old Testament gives us a front row seat to watching people experience the Lord and grow in their trust of Him.

In contrast, imagine a powerful stranger coming up to you and saying, “Trust me.” When you ask them why you should trust them, they respond with, “Because I told you to.” Um…what? You may not immediately hate them or be wary of them, but you’re not going to give them your darkest secrets or social security number (or hopefully you won’t…).

The Lord understands that He is a stranger to us; He is the one who put the veil there. He understands that we need experiences with Him before we’re ready to run into danger when He asks. Once again, He isn’t looking for blind, obedient dogs. He wants His children to be wise and consciously and voluntarily choose Him.

He gave Gideon experiences because Gideon likely hadn’t had many previously. He was patient with Israel. He was patient with Moses. The Lord has no problem being patient. If He seems impatient in specific scenarios, we can usually assume it’s for the benefit of the person He is working with. He is trying to get their attention or get them moving.

Which leads me to my second reason: The Lord allowed Gideon to approach Him multiple times for signs because Gideon’s heart was soft.

Over and over and over and over and over we read about the Lord responding with intensity in response to a hard heart and responding with mercy and encouragement to a soft heart. Gideon’s heart was obviously soft. Look at this verse.

Judges 6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

Gideon approaches the Lord so humbly. When the angel gave him a sign, Gideon immediately built an altar unto the Lord. That night, Gideon went and took down the altar of Baal according to the direction of the Lord. We see this multiple times with Gideon. He approaches the Lord in humility and asks for help knowing the truth. Gideon was willing to follow the truth and power and peace; Gideon was just trying to make sure he was looking in the right direction before moving forward.

It is only when we’ve closed our heart off to that truth and power and peace that the Lord shakes the earth to reach us.

I think of the Egyptians that saw all the same signs as the Israelites but didn’t bother to ask whether they should follow after the same God as the Israelites. I think of Rahab and her people. The Canaanites were all terrified, but it didn’t change who they put their faith in. Only Rahab was willing to follow the Israelite God and was spared because of it. You would think that people would open their eyes and ask, “Is there something here?” You would think that they would pause long enough and open their hearts so that the Lord could speak to them.

Gideon asked, but Gideon was likewise prepared to follow through. This was part of why the Lord was so willing to encourage him along.

I testify of a Lord that responds with wisdom. He knows what He is doing. He will not condemn us for approaching Him for reassurances if we’re doing so with the intent to follow after Him. He doesn’t even condemn us when we struggle; His intensity is not a sign of condemnation. It’s a sign of God’s love in trying to reach us! However the Lord is working in your life, you can take it with the perspective that He is trying to do what’s best for you. I’m grateful for a Lord who is wise and can train me so purposefully and deliberately.

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.

by Autumn Dickson

In a day and age where many are curious as to why women can’t hold specific positions in the church or be ordained to priesthood offices, reading about Deborah the prophetess can be confusing. Here is a verse that describes her as a prophetess.

Judges 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

If Deborah can be a prophetess, can we have a prophetess in our day? What does it even mean that she was a prophetess and what are the implications for women in the latter days?

I think it’s important to note that I’m not an official representative of the church. However, I’d like to share some of my own perspectives and interpretations surrounding Deborah and what it means as a female Latter-day Saint.

But first, some context.

Judges is a book of scripture that describes the time period when Israel had no king. Joshua, the prophet after Moses, died, and there was no prophet that directly succeeded him. We don’t know exactly how long it took before the Lord called another centralized prophet (Samuel), but educated guesses suggest 300-450 years.

As a society, they had the Law of Moses, and the government could be described as a tribal confederation. Despite having a law given unto them from God, they often fell in with Canaanites and found themselves in varying levels of apostasy.

Sometimes, in response to the Israelites finding themselves in trouble, the Lord would send a “judge.” The way that we define “judge” is not necessarily accurate in this particular book of scripture. In this context, a judge was a charismatic military leader that would help Israel. There were some major judges such as Samson; there were other minor judges that would help regions rather than the entire nation of Israel.

So who was Deborah?

Deborah was one of the major judges sent by God to help Israel. She was a judge in every sense of the word. She was a military leader, but people also literally went to her for guidance to settle their problems. She was also a spiritual leader over the nation of Israel.

Was she a prophet? The scriptures describe her as a prophetess, and she led all of Israel politically and spiritually. But was she a prophet in the way that we define “prophet” in our day?

At this point, I think it’s important to clarify what it means to have a prophet.

Definition One. The way that we usually define “prophet” in our church in the Latter-days is unique. It’s not just someone who studies the scriptures and knows them really well. It’s not just someone who receives revelation. When Latter-day Saints speak of prophets, we are often describing the man who has the authority to speak for God on behalf of the entire church. He is the only one with spiritual jurisdiction to lead (under Christ) the church. He holds all of the priesthood keys.

And yes, he is a male.

We don’t know if that will ever change. I don’t know if it’s doctrine that means this particular role will always be male, or if someday the Lord will use His unchanging love and wisdom to adapt His church according to circumstances as He has throughout the course of history.

But there is also a broader definition of this term, “prophet.”

Definition two. Anyone can have the spirit of prophecy which is defined as a “testimony of Christ.” We know that Jerusalem had centralized prophets in ancient times as well as lesser “prophets” who would also be sent by the Lord to teach and call upon people to repent. I am not a prophet in the sense that I hold all the priesthood keys or can define doctrine on behalf of the Lord for the entire church. However, I have come to view myself as a prophetess within my own family. Beside my husband, I lead our home. I receive revelation on behalf of our kids and what we need to do. I learn the will of the Lord for our family. I fulfill so many of the “prophetic” responsibilities often associated with prophets; I simply do it within the context of my own family. Most importantly, I am a witness of Christ to my family.

What kind of prophetess was Deborah? With the information we’ve been given, I feel pretty safe assuming she was the second kind of prophet. The Lord had declared that priesthood responsibilities would go through male descendants of Aaron and the tribe of Levi. Deborah was not ordained nor did she hold any keys.

So Deborah was a prophetess but not necessarily how we often define it in our day.

Perhaps there are some who are disappointed by this news. Perhaps there are some who hoped that because Deborah was a prophetess, we could have one in our day. Perhaps there are some who cling to the idea that things will change and long for the day to see a prophetess lead the church. I don’t know whether that will be a thing. If anyone has any insight into that particular doctrine, feel free to comment. But as far as I know, we don’t know.

Here’s what I do know.

Deborah doesn’t need to be disappointing. In fact, if we understand her properly, we should be exultant. If we understand what the Lord would like to bestow upon His daughters and His sons, then we would hold no fear. Deborah is excellent proof of what the Lord would have all of us do.

Deborah may not have been a prophetess in the modern sense of the word, but guys! She was still a prophetess! She was a national leader, and people followed her. She changed Israel. She made a difference. She has been regarded with respect by millions who learned about her generation after generation.

And she didn’t need the priesthood keys to do it.

The Lord is wonderful and wise and set up a priesthood organization with offices and keys. I know that can be a painful sticking point for some. I understand that. I’m personally grateful for this organization, but I can simultaneously understand why it’s painful. But that’s not really my point today.

My point is that you have all that you need to become everything God wants you to become, and He has much more in mind for you than you have for yourself. This has implications for men too. About 3-5% of men will hold priesthood keys at any given time in the church. That number jumps to 10-20% of men who will hold priesthood keys at some point in their lifetime.

BUT YOU DON’T NEED KEYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CHANGE THE WORLD.

No one came to Deborah and ordained her as a prophetess. The bible doesn’t tell us how she rose to that role, but I have my guesses as to how it happened.

It happened because she was a faithful daughter of God who chose to follow the Lord wherever He chose to lead her.

Following the Lord and handing your life over to Him in faith (female or male) does not mean you will be recorded for people to pore over your life story for generations to come. It doesn’t mean you’ll be famous or even particularly loud. But if that’s what you’re looking for, then you’re in the wrong place anyway.

I love the example of Deborah, if for no other reason than her story means that I can be a powerful tool for the Lord regardless of what mankind recognizes in me. Regardless of whatever official roles I’ve been given, I could part seas or change lives. Really what it comes down to is what the Lord wants for me and what He’s trying to teach me. Having enough power to change the world isn’t really the question here; the Lord will give me everything I need. The true question is whether I will give my life over to Him in whatever capacity He asks.

I have as well as I can, and I love my life.

I testify that we have everything we need to do everything the Lord wants us to do and become everything He wants us to become. I likewise testify that He has much more in mind for you than you have for yourself. If you (female or male) feel left out because you can’t be or aren’t a bishop, then hold tight. The Lord has much bigger plans for you. He loves you so much. You are so important to Him. It would be silly to ask more from Him when He already plans on giving you everything that He has.

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

by Autumn Dickson

How could I not take some time to speak about Rahab? She was incredible. Here is our introduction to Rahab.

Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

Rahab was a prostitute who hid Israeli spies as they were coming to look at Jericho. In exchange for hiding them, she asked them to spare her and her family. They gave her a red cord to put in the window, and all of Jericho was destroyed except for her and her family.

In order to understand precisely why she was so great, it’s important to understand the background she was born into.

Jericho was getting utterly destroyed. There have been times throughout history where the Lord helped His people conquer without utterly destroying everything. Jericho was not one of those times. The land of Canaan was “full” of sin to the extent that destruction was necessary. It was so filled with misery that it needed a clean slate.

Except for Rahab.

The fact that she’s a prostitute during this time period isn’t unsurprising. What she’s had to go through is not a sign of her moral failings but of her society failing her. We can see the type of person she is from her reactions.

She is willing to follow the Lord after hearing the testimony of others.

She wants to save her family, not just herself.

She utilized her circumstances for the Lord’s work.

These are not the only reasons Rahab is incredible. The fact that she married is also amazing when you learn what trauma she likely accrued because of her circumstances. This is not a comprehensive list of her good qualities, but I specifically chose these ones. These qualities are what make her like the Savior.

Rahab is a type of Christ. Let’s talk about a couple of things in her life that reflect the Savior.

1) She is willing to follow the Lord despite what the society around her is doing.

Rahab could have been blinded by her own society. She could have followed what everyone else was doing and simply been afraid. Imagine if the rest of the Canaanites had the heart that Rahab had. Imagine if all of them had approached the Israelite army and were like, “We heard how your God protected you and took care of you. We would like to follow Him too.” Imagine if all of us were able to look at what was going on around us and be willing to follow a better way.

The Jews were not especially righteous when Christ came to fulfill His mortal ministry. In fact, many of them were evil. If Christ had been born to any other nation, they would have recognized Him as God. Some of the Jews of this time period were too wicked to see Him for what He was. Jesus broke a lot of their made up rules. He followed the Law of Moses perfectly, but He broke a lot of the rules that they had built up around that law. He looked at society and knew there was a better way to live.

2) She wants to save her family, not just herself.

Rahab could have followed the spies out. Perhaps that would have been easier than sitting in her home and hoping all the soldiers followed the direction to spare her. We don’t know all the reasons why Rahab stayed, but we do know she sought out her family and brought them into her home where they could be protected too. She cared enough about her family that she sought saving them too. Maybe she even felt that being saved wouldn’t be worth it if her family couldn’t be saved too.

Christ’s heart also pushed Him to look beyond Himself. Christ is the only One who was perfect enough to go to heaven. He could have come down here, lived perfectly, and gone on to live in heaven forever, but He loved us too much. He put Himself through difficult things in order to save us too. He was concerned with saving His family. He obviously didn’t think heaven was going to be good enough without us despite our many failings. He loved us, and looked beyond Himself.

3) She utilized her circumstances for the Lord’s work.

It was actually important that Rahab was a prostitute. With all of the tension in the air from the Israelite army, it would have been difficult for the spies to get into Jericho. Because she was a prostitute, it allowed them to enter into the city. It wasn’t as uncommon for strangers and foreigners to visit brothels in comparison to visiting repectable houses. Not to mention, Rahab’s house was within the city wall and allowed them to escape.

Now, the fact that she was a prostitute did not mean that the spies went undetected. Somehow, the residents of Jericho noticed the spies and they came knocking. Rahab hid them on the roof before helping them escape. This is actually also an important reflection of Christ.

Only Christ was in the correct circumstances to save us. Because of His birth, He held power that no one else had. He had the ability to save us because of His circumstances.

But, it was still ultimately His decision to save us.

Rahab’s circumstances put her in an ideal situation to save her family and help the Lord’s work, but her choices and faith were absolutely key as well.

Sometimes our circumstances make it difficult to believe that we could ever be like Christ. Sometimes what we’ve been through or are currently going through make us think that we can’t serve. Sometimes our circumstances are the very things that put is in a position to be like Christ.

I testify that like Rahab, we are all given opportunities to be like our Savior. I also testify that like Rahab, following the Lord and His prophet will ultimately save us. It doesn’t matter where we started; we can make choices that will put us in line with the Lord’s people. He can save us, and He can utilize us if we’re willing to leave our old lives behind.

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Joshua 1–8; 23–24 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Joshua 1–8; 23–24 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.