Character Studies - ElectronicGospel

Tekoitesa character study by Jeff S. SmithIntroductionCharacter studies need not be limited to single individuals at a time. Sometimes it is helpful to compareand contrast Bible characters whose lives intersected in time or circumstances, and that is the case today.The people of Tekoa lived in a village about 6-12 miles out of Jerusalem in the Judean hill country, butstill visible from the capital city. Several important Bible characters emerged from there to enjoyprominent places on the Old Testament stage, and the intersection of their character stories makes for aninteresting study in virtue.DiscussionI. TekoaA. Word Study1. lexicographers differ when they try to tell us what Tekoa (cf. y(cf. wqt) might have meant in theoriginal language, or perhaps their insights supplement one another2. Easton suggests that it means pitching of tents or fastening down 243. Brown-Driver-Briggs connects Tekoa with a “trumpet blast” 25 or stockade 26B. Town in Tribe of Judah1. what is clear is that Tekoa was a town within the territory of Judah “on the range of hills whichrise near Hebron and stretch eastward toward the Dead Sea” 272. its history seems to begin with the division of Solomon’s kingdom after his demise, whenRehoboam and Jeroboam battled for power (2 Chronicles 11:1-6, 11-12)3. because of its proximity to Jerusalem, Tekoa has been in the path of wars, conquests and crusadesa. “In 1138 the place was pillaged by a party of Turks from the East of the Jordan, and sincethat time the site appears to have lain desolate and ruined, although even in the 14th century the tomb ofAmos was still shown.” 28b. today, the original Tekoa lies in ruins of limestone, tombs and cisterns4. it is the character of the people, however, which interests usII. Some Notable TekoitesA. Joab’s Wise Woman1. at the word of Nathan, King David had proven to be very susceptible to truths taught throughparables, and so when Joab wanted to bring David’s son back out of exile, he hired a woman from Tekoato pretend herself a living parable to teach the king a lesson he would not learn any other way2. Absalom had avenged the rape of his sister, Tamar, by killing his half-brother Amnon, but hadfled in guilt from Jerusalem to his grandfather, Talmai, in Geshur (cf. Second Samuel 13)3. Joab understood that David longed to reconcile, but that legal and political concerns werepreventing it, and so he enlisted the help of an actress (Second Samuel 14:1-24)4. although the woman is truly but an actress, making herself into a living parable for the sake ofDavid’s instruction, she seems to improvise some very deep theology that goes beyond the restoration ofAbsalom, a man who would soon subvert his father’s authority and send him into temporary exilea. “God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are notexpelled from Him” (14).b. above all else, God is full of mercy and yearns to pour out compassion upon his creatures, ifonly they would cooperate and desire it half as much, for “God our savior … desires all men to be savedand to come to the knowledge of the truth” (First Timothy 2:3-4)c. a wise woman from Tekoa recognized long ago–long before this mercy became embodied inflesh and blood–that God was willing to go to great lengths to satisfy justice and redeem any man orwoman from sin1. Ezekiel 18:21-23, 30-322. Isaiah 59:1-3d. Ezekiel and Isaiah only touch the hem of the garment concerning what God was preparing toaccomplish in the person of his own son, hanging cursed upon a tree, and the only thing that keepsCharacter Studies! 147