A daughter of Herod Agrippa and
the younger sister of Bernice, Drusilla,
a professing Jewess, may have been named for Emperor Caligula’s sister. Her great-grandfather, Herod the Great, murdered Jewish baby boys in his effort to
destroy the newborn Jesus, the promised Messiah.
When only fourteen
years old, she married King Azizus of Emessa. A year or so after her
marriage, Felix,
the Roman governor of Judea, persuaded Drusilla to leave Azizus and to marry
him illegally.
Mentioned only once in Scripture, Drusilla was
present when the imprisoned Apostle Paul gave his defense of the Gospel before
Felix. She heard firsthand the Good News of Jesus Christ. “Several days later FELIX AND HIS WIFE
DRUSILLA, who was Jewish, went to the place where Paul was kept under guard. THEY
sent for Paul and LISTENED while he spoke to THEM about having FAITH IN CHRIST
JESUS.” (Acts
24:24 CEV). Drusilla, however, did
not respond to Paul’s message. And the apostle’s words so frightened Felix that,
to please the Jews, the governor returned Paul to his confinement under house
arrest.
Drusilla lived a shameful, wasted life. Before
her forty-first birthday, she died a horrible, violent death. While she and her
only child, Agrippa, were in Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying under
burning lava Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as Drusilla and her son.
Drusilla’s name means “watered by the dew”.
Acts 25:13-17, “A
few days later King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, visited Caesarea to welcome
Festus to his new post. After several days, Festus brought up Paul’s case to
the king. “I have a man on my hands here, a prisoner left by Felix. When I was
in Jerusalem, the high priests and Jewish leaders brought a bunch of
accusations against him and wanted me to sentence him to death. I told them
that wasn’t the way we Romans did things. Just because a man is accused, we
don’t throw him out to the dogs. We make sure the accused has a chance to face
his accusers and defend himself of the charges. So when they came down here I
got right on the case. I took my place in the courtroom and put the man on the
stand.” (MSG);
Acts 25:23, “The
next day everybody who was anybody in Caesarea found his way to the Great Hall,
along with the top military brass. Agrippa and Bernice made a flourishing grand
entrance and took their places. Festus then ordered Paul brought in.” (MSG);
Acts 26:30-32, “The
king and the governor, along with Bernice and their advisors, got up and went
into the next room to talk over what they had heard. They quickly agreed on
Paul’s innocence, saying, “There’s nothing in this man deserving prison, let
alone death. Agrippa told Festus, “He could be set free right now if he hadn’t
requested the hearing before Caesar.” (MSG)
As
the daughter of Herod
Agrippa I and the older sister of
Drusilla,
Bernice was born about A.D. 28
into a racially mixed family. At age thirteen she was married to Marcus,
the son of Tiberius
Julius Alexander. Marcus died, and she next married her uncle, Herod of
Chalcis. They had two sons, Berniceanus and
Hyrancus. Widowed again about
A.D. 48, Bernice was the subject of incestuous scandal when she became a
consort of her own brother, Agrippa II. Years
later, she married a third time to Ptolemy, king of Cicilia. The marriage,
however, did not last, and she returned to her brother. She was later the
mistress of the Roman emperors Vespasian and
his son Titus.
Bernice,
a woman of strong opinions, was once a dauntless defender of the Jewish people.
Some sources report that she even risked her own life to intercede on behalf of
the Jews. So strong was her faith that history records at one time she shaved
her head and walked barefoot in keeping a vow to God. However, her lifestyle pulled her away, and
Bernice evidently abandoned her Jewish faith.
When
Agrippa and Bernice went to Caesarea with Festus on state business, Agrippa
agreed to hear the case of a prisoner, the apostle Paul. Bernice
heard Paul argue his case for Christ; of Jerusalem.
Bernice represents
all those women throughout history who have heard the gospel, yet have chosen
to reject Christ. She embraced a sinful life that caused the deterioration of
her character – a character that could have been changed by Jesus Christ,
making her useful in the Kingdom.
Bernice name means “victorious” or “carrying off victory”
Many may not understand why I chose these two
women, but let me explain. I truly believe that you can learn from bad examples
just as well as you can learn from good ones. And these two women indeed set bad
examples for us as Women of God to learn from today.
I find it so amazing
that Drusilla has a name that means “watered from dew” (which comes from
heaven); and Bernice’s name
means “victory
or carrying off victory”, and yet neither of
these women lived up to their names or their faith.
I’ve come to discover that we’re often quick to
talk about unsaved women, or unbelieving women, but what about the ones who
Know what the Bible says and live contrary to it anyhow? Are we really any
better than they?
However, sisters, Drusilla was without excuse, and so are we. She listened as Paul discussed the importance of morals, discipline and the coming Judgment, and still she deliberately decided not to change a thing about her lifestyle. And if we are to be brutally honest, many of us have responded the same way. Because had we adhered, we would no longer be in that relationship, drinking that, smoking that, thinking that, saying that, speaking that, feeling that, acting or living secretly like that. We would instead be able to show forth the fruit of repentance, the actual manifested evidence of a changed life, behaviors, attitudes, thoughts, speech and deed. But like Drusilla, it’s been years later and still many of us remain the same.
In addition, Drusilla’s life reminds us to marry well. Not wealthy and rich, but Well. Marry a man who knows the voice of God, hears and heeds it. A man of conviction for himself, his wife and children. A man that lives by faith. A man of wisdom, who makes wise decisions. A man that even when he is wrong, is sensitive enough to the Holy Ghost to repent, turn, change and get it right. A man that doesn’t risk the eternity of his family because he’s too stubborn to change, or too scared of public peer-pressure and opinion. And might I add, getting close enough to change, or being ‘bothered’ a little by what he hears preached/taught, is not enough. Felix LISTENED to Paul FREQUENTLY, for TWO YEARS, and still did NOTHING to better himself or his household. Sisters, you have no one else, but yourself, to blame if this is the man you say ‘I Do’, to.
Another lesson ladies: Drusilla perished…WITH HER SON! Please know, what we do and leave undone, affects our children. It’s important to keep them physically safe, but we are also charged to keep them spiritually safe. Think about it, how far away could their son have been from the voice of Paul’s teaching, since he was a child in the same household as his parents? Can you imagine the impact on a child to hear his parents hear the Good News of the Gospel, to hear what thus saith the Lord, to hear the lifestyle that you’re supposed to live, AND YET, he sees the very opposite in this his own parents lives. Makes you wonder, are we setting the proper example in our homes before the eyes and ears of our children? In our absence, if asked, would our children be able to honestly say that who and what their parents are in church, is the same at home? Is our leadership the same? Is our beliefs the same? Is our conduct, speech, and habits the same? Is our dress attire the same? Is our marital relationship the same? Is our reputation, character, integrity and spirit of excellence the same? Or are we dysfunctionally functioning spiritually bipolar in private than we do in public?
Drusilla was of Jewish descent, and yet her faith died. Drusilla, died. Her son died. Her husband died. And yet her name means “watered by the dew”, yet she died in spiritual drought. Sisters, don’t let this be your legacy!
Now, as for Bernice, she is yet another piece of work. And to start, let me say these are 2 SISTERS. In other words, all this mess is in the SAME FAMILY and in the SAME HOUSEHOLD. Which admonishes us sisters, not only to look out for the well-being of ourselves, and our own personal households, but to look out for the welfare of our FAMILIES AS A WHOLE.
I taught my daughters as babies, you two are responsible for you two. I don’t care how many friends, best friends, or boyfriends you have, you are your sister’s keeper. When she’s wrong tell her; when she’s mean, tell her; when she’s lying, tell her; when she’s being stupid, tell her; when she’s making bad decisions, or has a bad attitude, tell her. She doesn’t have to agree, but she will not be left in the dark. Expose her to herself, before she hurts herself further or someone else. My daughters, as sisters, were to keep each other in check and in line. After all, that’s what sisters do. We don’t sit on the sideline and watch our sisters lose at the game of life. No, we let her know when she’s acting immature, crazy, childish, spiteful, or even sinful. Too bad Drusilla and Bernice didn’t have that kind of relationship or concern for one another’s well-being.
And might I add, let’s do this not just for our NATURAL sister’s sake, but for our SPIRITUAL sister’s sake as well.
Furthermore, Bernice didn’t exactly get the whole marriage thing quite right. And let’s be honest sisters, many of us haven’t. If that were not the case, many would not be on their 2nd, 3rd, and 5th marriages right now. And some of us even on the first one, are struggling to keep it afloat! But Bernice was something else! She failed in her marriages, failed in incestuous relations with her brother, and then failed further in becoming the mistress of a father/son duo. And they think reality TV is something crazy!
With that said, women, please regard yourself and your BODY better. You are not KFC, no man should be coming to you for legs, thighs, and breasts. You are not a HOTEL, men should not be coming to you checking in and out at their convenience. You are precious, valuable, special, and treasured. And above all else, you are the personal, private property of God and the residence of the Holy Ghost! Know this, never forget this, and always treat yourself like this. Don’t discard your self-respect, self-worth, self-value and self-esteem. You are worth much, in fact the price paid for you was made in blood and life, therefore, do not lower yourself for a pennies worth of a man’s attention. The more you give pieces of yourself away, the cheaper you’ll feel each time you do. And when something continues to cheapen, it eventually has no value left and therefore it’s discarded as garbage. Don’t you dare allow something like that to happen to you as God’s Kingdom Daughter!
And not only that,
but Bernice was much like her sister Drusilla. She heard Paul, and worse yet,
the Scripture says in, Acts 26:30-32, “The king
and the governor, along with Bernice and their advisors, got up and went into
the next room to talk over what they had heard. They quickly agreed on Paul’s
innocence, saying, “There’s nothing in this man deserving prison, let alone
death. Agrippa told Festus, “He could be set free right now if he hadn’t
requested the hearing before Caesar.” (MSG)
Let me highlight a portion for you, “…THEY QUICKLY AGREED ON PAUL’S INNOCENCE, SAYING, “THERE’S
NOTHING IN THIS MAN DESERVING PRISON, LET ALONE DEATH…”
Bernice (much like
Drusilla) were in prominent positions, mostly because they came from a family
of prominence, and thereby married into prominence. They were, as we would say
today, in leadership positions. Which makes them very dangerous when they have
the authority to make decisions concerning someone else’s life, or they have
the privilege to be a part of that decision making process. When the Scripture
says “…THEY QUICKLY AGREED ON PAUL’S
INNOCENCE…”, that included Bernice. She heard
him, agreed that there was nothing guilty about him, and yet did nothing. In
fact, once this is all said and done, Bernice disappears from the pages of
Scripture altogether.
However, I would be
remissed if I didn’t also include that also like Drusilla, Bernice was a mom.
She had two sons. Which is why I must reiterate women, it is vital that we
protect our children physically and spiritually. Think about it: What must her
sons have thought of all they heard and saw in their mothers day-to-day
behavior and lifestyle choices? Likewise, what must our children think of all
they hear and see in church, but see and hear the very opposite lived out in
our lives at home as leaders?
Drusilla died a
violent death, with her son, unchanged. Bernice dies from off the pages of
Scripture with nothing else to be said concerning her. Sisters, do you really
want this to be what’s left of you when life is all said and done?
It is my prayer that
today, women, you’ll allow Drusilla and Bernice to teach you to be good women,
good wives, good mothers and good leaders. I pray today that you self-exam, and
self-evaluate, and make changes where you know they are needed. Ask God to show
you what you’ve either been blind too, or deliberately shielded your own eyes
from.
Today challenge
yourself to be better than yesterday, and better tomorrow than today. Don’t die
having had the chance to change, but refusing it. Tomorrow is not promised to
any of us, so today is the best day to make change the order of your day.
These were 2 women
who willfully, deliberately ignored God. And the word ‘ignore’ is defined as, ‘to disregard intentionally; to fail to consider
something as significant.’ Can you even imagine
someone treating God and His Word like that? To intentionally disregard Him and
fail to even consider Him and His Word as something significant. However,
ladies, we treat God like this every time He says stop but we say go; every
time He says don’t but we do; every time He says wait but we proceed; every time He says he's not the one and yet we say 'I Do'. Every
time we go against the Word of God we are willfully and deliberately choosing
to ignore God and will end up no better than Drusilla and Bernice as a result
of our disobedience. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want this to be the
closing chapter on my life told as a horror story for future generations. And I’m
certain you don’t either. So ladies, let today be the day we check ourselves
(and our sisters) when necessary. Which means, no more straddling the fence; no more living
with one foot in heaven and one foot in hell; no more compromise; no more
falling short; no more disregarding God as insignificant.
If we are to be known
for anything, let us be known as Women of Faith; Women of Prayer; Women in the
Will of God; Women Who Help Other Women; Women of Fasting; Women of Obedience;
Women of Excellence in Wifehood, Motherhood and Sisterhood; Women of Discipline; Women of God!
Sisters, Drusilla
and Bernice went down in history, but for all the Wrong reasons. Let’s make
sure our legacy goes down in history too, but for all the Right reasons!
“Never ignore a
nudge or whisper from God.”
“We live in a
generation where people ignore God and then blame Him for the chaos that
results.”
“When God says ‘No’,
don’t ignore Him. He knows what you don’t know. You will rejoice later.”
(Marcus Gill)
“To be entirely
safe from the devil’s snares, the child of God must be completely obedient to
the Word of the Lord. The driver on the highway is safe, not when He reads the
signs; but when He obeys them.” (A.W. Tozer)
“We may ignore,
but we can nowhere evade the Presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He
walks everywhere incognito.” (C.S. Lewis)
“Ignoring the
Signs is a good way to end up at the wrong Destination.”
“One never Accomplishes
the Will of God by Breaking the Law of God, Violating the Principles of God, or
Ignoring the Wisdom of God.” (Andy Stanley)
“Sin is not only
a series of actions, it is also an attitude that ignores the law of God. But it
is even more than a rebellious attitude. Sin is a state of heart, a condition
of our inmost being. It is a state of corruption, of vileness, yes, even of
filthiness in God’s sight.” (Jerry Bridges)
Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit
"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)
"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)
"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)
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