When I first picked up this book, I expected a scholarly, thoughtful examination of the issue of women in the church. What I discovered was an incredible study of God's Word, sweeping me from the perfection of Creation, through the tragedy of the Fall, to the recovery of perfection for all of us ("...slave nor free, male nor female...") through the power of the Jesus Christ. More than a "good read," this book provides the open-hearted reader with a spiritual experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Bilezikian gives very thorough biblical background to the history of famous and lesser-known women in the Hebrew Bible. He writes a very methodical book beginning with God's creation design, through the Fall, the Old Covenant, and into God's new covenant with mankind through his gift of Jesus Christ, his son. The thing that I liked most about this book was the format that Bilezikian uses. I like the way he will focus on one verse at a time, and then give mini-lessons that pertain to the context, content, and interpretation of the verse in relation to the bigger picture. After hearing so much about some people's beliefs of the place of a woman in the church and family, it was very good to hear a more egalitarian belief with biblical references and scripture to back it up. I would highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with issues of women's place in today's society.
