ACHSAH Episode 3 (The Who's Who Book Club Podcast)

The podcast discusses the life, legacy, and lessons of women in the Bible. The spotlight is on Aksha, the daughter of Caleb. Caleb and Joshua were different from other men of their generation and were able to enter the promised land. Aksha's story focuses on her thinking rather than her appearance. After the battles, she urged her husband to ask her father for a field, showing her insight and planning for her family's future. Her father gave her the springs of water she requested. The story emphasizes the importance of confidence and boldness in asking God for what we need. Hello there, welcome to the Who's Who Book Club podcast, where the book here is the Bible and the Who are the women written therein. Week after week, one woman's life, legacy, and lessons we can learn are examined. Who am I? I'm glad you asked. Cheryl Turnbull, your host. Greetings to you wherever you may be in the world. Welcome back to another episode, Another Woman in the Spotlight. Before I introduce who we are discussing today, let me ask a series of questions. Remember the 12 spies Moses sent to spy out the land? Remember only two of them came back with a positive report. That's right. I assume you said Joshua and Caleb. Well, the woman in the spotlight today is the daughter, the only daughter to Caleb. Her name is Aksha. She we know very little about beforehand, but we learn about her after the reward of winning her hand. Like always, you need background knowledge before we analyze who the discussion is about. So let's start there. Joshua and Caleb was of a different spirit than the men of their generation. That is a powerful statement. I'll say it again. Joshua and Caleb was of a different spirit than the men of their generation. Now think about that. Me and my generation, there are many people. You and your generation, there are many people. But for us to be considered the only two of our generation that did a certain thing is mind-blowing. How do we know that they were of a different spirit than all the men of their generation? The Bible tells us that they were the only two that were able to enter the promised land of their generation. Everybody else was younger than these two men. The 40 years that they wandered in the wilderness, it was not just about them as a whole being punished, but also them that were not what they should be, dying off. Right? Everybody didn't die the same day. So wandering in the wilderness was many factors taking place, lessons being learned, and yet people were dying off, and everyone in their generation died off except these two. That tells us that Caleb was of a different cloth. That tells us that he was head and shoulders above men of his generation. We know him to be a warrior, right? He and Joshua saw things being nothing too hard for their God to do. Or there were others who just didn't believe. They didn't have what it takes to believe that God could do what he had been showing them he could do. So Caleb, he's a different cut. He's a different breed. It is this man's daughter that we're talking to you today. So when it all began, the Israelites leaving Egypt under Moses, Caleb was 40 years old. So with them wandering in the wilderness 40 years, that would make him 80 or in his 80s, if that's not the exact age. But in commentary, they have he as well as Joshua around the age of 40 or 42, but Caleb, 40, when it all started. So wandering in the wilderness 40 additional years, we know he's in his 80s. So by the time the woman in the spotlight, Asha, today is being discussed, it is at this time when the battles had been fought, had been won, and he started to get up in age. At the time that this was happening, it was the divvying up of the land, the allotments were being given out. And Joshua gave Caleb land that's called Hebron. And that's where he settled. But being still in good shape, he was interested in another city to conquer. But we can assume having some age on him, he was making sure that his daughter was secure as well. So instead of him leading the charge, he made an announcement. He who lead the charge, bring back the victory to the city called Debir, you can win the hand of my daughter in marriage. Let's look at that. Since the Bible doesn't describe her to us, we know the young men who were already warriors, fighters. They would find her hand to be worthy of, even without us knowing her character, her features, because she is the daughter to the man, Caleb. That would make her noteworthy for them to be willing to risk their lives for. For women who would be listening to this women's discussion, and it triggers you that she was the reward of a man, we understand very well that in that day, in that age, that women were considered property. I don't want that to be where you focus at. What I would like for you to know, especially you who are women of God, to understand that the principles still exist today. That whether you're married or desire to be married, you are the man's reward. You are the icing on the cake. The Bible says that a woman is the man's glory. So if you see a haggard woman and she is married, it is to his account that she is not carrying off well her glory. Because she is his glory. So that's the principle that I would like for you to look at versus that she was the reward given to a man. So the man who won her hand, let's talk about him. The man who won her hand was her first cousin. You know, in Leviticus, when God started writing the different laws, I think it's either Leviticus or Deuteronomy, where he starts to tell them that, you know, marrying, close relations, to cut that out. That's the part that would have bothered me. We just got through talking about women being considered property back then. But I would have had a problem marrying my cousin. All right? But that's what was done in that day. And a first cousin at that. Because who she married was the son to the brother of Caleb. And so there are many things to look at the story if you're going to handpick what it is that you want to focus on. But what I like about the story is here's a woman that her life legacy and the lessons is all about the way she thinks instead of the way she looks. That is an awesome thing, that you would leave a legacy, and what's celebrated about you is your thinking. This woman's disposition, this woman's practicality is so remarkable that the Bible leaves a story for us to know. So again, we know nothing about her before the battle. But after the battle, yeah, we get a chance. We get a good glance into the mindset of Asha. So after the battle was won, she, the Bible tells us, went to him, came to him. She urged him to ask her father for a field. In the kingdom of godly debate, there's always a debate. And someone would probably say maybe the word urge is not the case. But the Bible tells us that she came to him, she urged him, and then she dismounted her donkey. So let's use critical thinking. Let's look at this in our mind's eye. Do you see yourself on a donkey, and you just say, hey, Jojo, ask God for land. And you just get off. No, no, no. When she came, she found it pressing enough. There's an urgency in that statement that she would come to him, urge him, ask my father for a field, and then dismounted her donkey. And check this out. All in the presence of her father. The verse, it tells us in Joshua chapter 15, verse 18, that after she urges him, her father then asks her, what do you want? So that's the urgency of it being pressing on her that he gets this done. She wants him to know, yeah, you fought the battle. Yeah, you won my hand. But ask for more. She had insight for down the road for her family. You know, Proverbs 31, verse 16, speaks about the proverb woman, and it tells us that she considered a field. This would be the very same as Arsha, that she considered a field. And when she considered the field, what does that mean? When you are thinking about buying, you want to buy smartly. And that's what we're going to see her request becomes. Because after her father asked her, what do you want? She says to him, give me a blessing. Give me a blessing. Give me springs of water. That means she had been thinking. While they were doing the fighting, she was doing the thinking. That whoever wins me, we need land. And then land that can be watered. So her father did just what she asked. He gave her the upper and lower springs of water. Just like the father of the Bible. He always gives more than what you expect. She asked for springs of water. She didn't know if she would get the request. She didn't know if it's too lower or too upper. She don't have a clue. But her father, appreciating that she would come with confidence to ask for this, he gave it where it would be well watered. And that's just like the father of heaven. He gives us more than what we expect. He gives with the invisible intelligence that what he gives, it is a complete gift. The story is written in two places. In Joshua chapter 15, like I said, and in Judges chapter 18. What's interesting about that is, when we talk about things that are written in the Bible that shows up in one place that was written in another, is usually Old Testament. We talk about types and shadows. And you find the spiritual applications in the New Testament. But in the case of this story, it's the same wording. And in the same wording, it is written in the Old Testament twice. That is not by happenstance. That is strategic. Why would it be strategic? Because this woman, with confidence, is asking her father for something. The Bible tells us in James that you have asked and not been given. Why? Because you pray amiss. You pray off target. I would like you to answer you. What are you asking the father? How big is your request? Are you thinking outside the box? You know, the king of everything is our father. This girl knew she could boldly come up and ask her father for what she will. It should be the very same for us. The very same. So, when she got the blessing, she must have had the mindset to plant a vineyard. We don't know, but we truly know she is growth-minded. She just didn't want the land. She knew it needed to be watered. Your response today, for the questions that I would ask you, I want you to answer these things for yourself and then revisit them in your prayer time. What confidence do you go to God with? When you ask him for something, is it just lip service? Or do you have real confidence that he will do, he will give what you have asked? You know, the Bible tells us that if you come before the father boldly, doubting not, you can have that thing that you pray for. That's something that you should remember every time you go to the throne, asking him for something. Caleb's love empowered Asha. The empowering love of a father will do that. It is the same for our heavenly father, that he empowers us on every level. He wants us to live to the fullest of life. And you can do that. You don't have to wait to die and receive it in the by-and-by. You can live life to the fullest here. When you know who you are, whose you are, and to understand that what you desire, God's got it. Pray in a myth. People have done it for years. And people now know very well to affirm a thing. The Bible called it declaring or decreeing, right? Speaking or writing a thing. That's one thing to say it and repeat it over and over into manifestation. But you first got to ask it. Yeah, the lessons that we can learn from the life and legacy of Asha is staggering. Powerful as anything that you would ever want to consider for basic living. The next thing I would ask you, how large is your request? Do you just pray normal things that you could see happening if God would do it for you? Or do you pray the impossible? What this young lady asked her father was a hard thing. Because back in that day and time, women did not own land. She and another group of young ladies are the only two that's reported in the entire Bible that were land owners. You know, I remember once hearing a minister in Texas talk about how they bought a home. And the home they were so excited about and decorating and everything. And about a year later, a check came in the mail. And he wondered, what is this check for? To realize that not only did he buy that house, but the land that it was built on came with it. That was astonishing. Because here in the U.S., to buy land when you buy a home is not the norm. You could buy a home, but they usually do not give you the rights to the land. There are lots of land that you can buy, yes, but it's not a given when you buy a home. You are the owner of the home, but not the land. This young lady became a land owner. Her confidence, striking confidence. I hate to see any envy and jealousy among anyone. But it really can show up with people who declare to be the children of God. In the sense of, you can have two believers side by side praying. One is asking for watermelons. The other one is asking for peanuts. And the peanut requester will get so upset with the one that's praying for watermelon. But the Bible says that you can ask the Lord for a hard thing, and He will reward you. Nothing is too hard for Him. Your mindset is what you need to make sure that it's in the right place. You need a growth mindset, you and me. My mother used to say, a fellow can not do no more than his mind allows. Yeah, it being written in two places, Joshua and Judges. I think the repeat is strategic. As I start to take us to close, I want to ask you questions that you can question yourself further. Whoever would win your hand? What comes with? What comes with? Other than your possessions, other than your physical attributes, what is your capacity? What is it that you bring to the table? You know today they tell you, in these different conversations on YouTube, that the high value, and I'm putting air quotes here, the high value man is not interested in a woman's job. But how she's going to elevate him is what he's interested in. And that's exactly what happened in this story. Urge my father to give you land. And as he did so, she understood that is not good enough. She did not want to be deprived and just move into his house. She wanted them to grow for the better. She was thinking of a family life down the road. She was having so much more to show for it. I don't want you to pray on this. I want you to ask the father for big ticket items. I want you to stand boldly before his throne with confidence that he will do what he promised. That he never falls short of his word. Asha, the woman in the spotlight, like all the others, she is teaching us from days of old to today. How large is your request? How large is your imagination? How further beyond are you looking at a picture? Or are you just at the door? Versus being able to see right through the house, that back door. Seeing deep the foundation to the roof line. How large is your request? What are you asking the father? He can do big things, mighty things. Today, the life that was lived that's worth our examining was Asha. She, her father, and his empowering love. It's not just a story of once upon a time. But the father of the Bible wants to be the father of you and me. There's a song that used to be sung, what he has done for others, he'll do for you and me. If you enjoy hearing about the different women of the Bible brought to you here on the station, follow me on YouTube. The Who's Who Book Club Podcast, where you can hear these stories that I bring to you, these women in its entirety. I enjoy being a part of your Sunday. Because I know that you do not have to live a life to learn from it. I feel sorry for the slews of people who cannot view God as a father. Based on their own natural circumstances. Maybe your life is like mine. I grew up without a father in the house. But some people had the father in the house and yet he still was absent. Some people know of abuse. And therefore they just cannot wrap their heads around God being a father. But he said if your father on earth know and will give good gifts, what do you think of me? Ask him. Ask him a hard thing today. Because whoever gets you should get your full capacity. That that you bring to the table that no other can bring starts with you. So today, Asha, the woman in the spotlight. I hope you enjoyed what you heard today. I'll see you next week. Ciao for now. Well that's it for today. I hope you enjoyed the discussion. Thanks for joining me. And remember a life lived is worth examining. Your host for the Who's Who Booklog Podcast. Meet you here next week. Ciao for now.