Achsah - Being Bold

Hear the story of Achsah 

Transcript

Copy Transcript Copied

SPEAKER_00 0:00

It's been a while since I've done a podcast, but I am working on a girls' Bible study, and the topic of our Bible study is lesser known women of the Bible. So I want to take a minute tonight and talk about Axaw. So Axel is one of those women in the Bible whose story can be easily overlooked because there's only a few verses in the Bible devoted to her. Her story is found in Joshua 15, 16 through 19, and then it's repeated again in Judges 1, 12 through 15. Although her appearance in scripture is brief, Axel demonstrates remarkable courage, wisdom, and boldness. She was willing to recognize what she needed and ask for it, even in a culture where it was significant for a woman to make such a request. Axal was the daughter of Caleb, one of the twelve spies of Moses sent to explore the promised land. Caleb was known for his tremendous faith and courage. While most of the spies focused on the giants and fortified cities they saw, Caleb believed that God was able to give Israel the land he promised them. Years later, some of the same courage can be seen in his daughter. Caleb announced that whoever captured the city of Carath would receive Axaw as his wife. O'Taniel accepted the challenge, captured the city, and married Aksaw. Aksaw was then given land by her father, but she quickly recognized something important was missing. The land Aksaw received was in Negev, a dry region where access to water was extremely important. In an agricultural society, land alone was not enough to guarantee prosperity. A family needed water for drinking, for the livestock, for the crops, and for everyday life. Without a dependable water source, even a valuable piece of property could be difficult to use successfully. Axo understood this reality and realized that if her family was going to thrive on the land she had been given, they needed access to the springs. Her thinking was practically her thinking was practical. It was about what was necessary to make the land productive and sustainable. It was not a request as a simple desire or a requirement for more possessions. Axel approached her father and said, Give me a blessing, for thou hast given me south land, give me also springs of water. That's found in Joshua fifteen nineteen. This simple request demonstrates an incredible amount of boldness. Axel was grateful for the land that she had received, but gratitude did not prevent her from acknowledging that she still needed something else. She understood the value of what she had been given, but she also understood the reality of its limitations. Rather than remain silent and attempt to make do with inadequate resources, Axel spoke up and asked her father for what would allow her family to flourish. Her actions became even more meaningful when they are considered within the culture in which she lived, which I mentioned briefly earlier. Ancient Israel was a patriarchal society, which men generally held greater legal, economical, and social authority. Landownership and inheritance were often connected to fathers, husbands, and sons. Although the Bible records women who exercise influence and make important decisions, Axel's willingness to approach her father concerning land and resources was significant at the time. She did not simply leave the matter to the men around her, she didn't ask her husband to go ask her father, she didn't ask some other man to go ask her father. She recognized the need herself and was willing to speak up about it. Axel's boldness should not be confused with disrespect or greed, because in that society that could be considered disrespectful. She did not approach Caleb with an entitled attitude, complain about what he had already given her and say it wasn't good enough. Instead, she respectfully asked him for a blessing that would make the land more useful. Caleb's response shows her request was reasonable. Rather than becoming angry and criticizing her daughter for asking for more and complaining that she was asking for too much, he gave her both the upper and the lower springs. Axwell asked boldly and her father responded generously. The importance of Axel's request extended far beyond her immediate comfort. Water meant crops could grow, livestock could survive, her household could prosper, the springs would continue providing for her family long after the original request was made. It was a request that would ensure future generations could have access to the same promise she had. Axel was not nearly thinking about what she needed at the moment. She was thinking about the future. Her boldness had the potential to affect her household and her future generations. She understood that receiving an inheritance was one thing, but having resources necessary to make the inheritance fruitful was a separate issue. Axel's story remains relevant because many women struggle with the fear of asking for what they need. Sometimes women worry about speaking up and how it'll cause them to appear demanding, ungrateful, difficult, or even selfish. Axel demonstrates gratitude and boldness can exist together. She could appreciate the land her father had given her while still recognizing that she needed something else to go with it. She could respect her father while still making this request. She could live within the expectations of her culture without allowing these exploitation expectations to completely silence her. Her story can be applied to a believer's relationship with God. Caleb was an earthly father who generously responded to his daughter's request, while scripture teaches that God invites his children to bring their request before him. Jesus says in Matthew seven, seven, ask and it shall be given to you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Axal's story provides a beautiful picture of what it looks like to recognize a need and have enough confidence to ask for the provision. Sometimes make God may give you some land, but you might still need the springs. A person might receive a calling, but they still need the wisdom to fulfill it. God may open a door, but provision may still be necessary to walk through it. Someone may be given an opportunity to minister, but need strength, resources, direction, courage, anything that they need to walk through that door. Axel reminds believers that their recognizing a need does not demonstrate lack of faith, lack of gratitude, or anything like that. Sometimes faith is demonstrated by having enough confidence in the one who provides to simply ask. Axel's story occupies only a few verses of scripture, yet her example carries on an important message. She recognized what was necessary, understood the value of what she was asking for, understood the value of what she was given, and had the courage to speak. For a woman living in her time, that willingness to advocate for herself and her needs and her household were especially meaningful. Because Axel was bold enough to ask, Caleb gave her not only one source of water, but both the upper and the lower springs. Her story reminds women that they can be grateful for what they already have while being courageous enough to ask for more. Axel was thankful for the land, but she was bold enough to ask for the springs. You can be thankful for what God has given you, but be bold enough to ask for what you need to go along with that. So I just wanted to leave that with you tonight.