Who Is Hephzibah? By Mesu Andrews

Mesu Andrews

One of the college pastors at our local university contacted me recently and asked if I’d be willing to meet with a short-term exchange student in her ministry.

I’m pushing mid-fifties, so I said, “Why does your student want to meet with me?”

She laughed and said, “She’s struggling with her name. I thought you could help.”

With a name like Mesu, I thought maybe she needed someone who could relate to a crazy first name. I asked what the girl’s name was.

“Hephzibah,” my friend said. “I knew you were writing about Hezekiah’s wife and felt you could give her a new perspective on the biblical name.”

I can’t tell you how excited I was to meet a real Hephzibah—my favorite name in the Bible.

Jewish Tradition

When I first read the name Hephzibah, I researched its meaning: the Lord’s delight. Immediately transfixed, I began researching how to become Hephzibah in the Lord’s eyes. Unfortunately, the Bible only mentioned her twice (2 Kings 21:1; Isaiah 62:4). Jewish tradition told a bit more of her story.

2 Kings 21:1 tells us she was Manasseh’s mother, so we can extrapolate her position as Hezekiah’s wife, but only Jewish tradition calls her Isaiah’s daughter. After more study on Isaiah 62:1-4, I felt certain enough of his role in her life to base a whole book (Isaiah’s Daughter, releasing January 16, 2018) on Jewish lore.

“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent…The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married.” Isaiah 62:1–4

A Father’s Love

In many chapters before, Isaiah prophesied Israel’s (Zion’s) judgment, desolation, and destruction. Now, in these verses, he finally gets to announce the restoration of God’s beloved Jerusalem and calls the sacred city, Hephzibah. I believe—as did ancient Rabbis who passed down the story—Isaiah likened God’s love for the vindicated, new Jerusalem to the love he felt for his own daughter. 

The love of a father for his daughter is different than a father’s love for his son. Not greater—just different. A father feels a ferocious need to protect his daughter. A desire to provide. And when she comes of age, he yearns for her to be cherished by a husband as she should be loved.

A Name to Cherish

As I recounted this Scripture, and the precious status of the name, to the college-girl-Hephzibah sitting before me, she said through a smile, “I never understood why the prophet Isaiah called Jerusalem by my name.” She walked a little taller out of the coffee shop that day, and I said a silent prayer. Lord, I hope that today, in this moment, I am Hephzibah in Your eyes. Because I believe we can all be called Hephzibah, delight of the Lord, as we walk through each day.

About the Author

Isaiah's Daughter
by Mesu Andrews

Gifted Bible teacher and award-winning author Mesu Andrews reaches into the pages of Biblical prophecy and Hebrew tradition to unearth a rags-to-royalty story of the devastated orphan, Ishma—meaning “desolation”—in Isaiah’s Daughter (Jan. 16, 2018, WaterBrook). At just 5 years old, Ishma’s life crumbles around her when Israelite soldiers violently kill her family and take her into captivity. Upon her release, the royal prophet Isaiah welcomes her into his home where she meets Prince Hezekiah (Hezi)—a boy who has also experienced great tragedy. Ishma and Hezi bond in their suffering, and as they grow in age, so does their love for each other. Aware of their developing relationship, Isaiah adopts Ishma as his daughter and presents her with a new name that will qualify her to marry royalty—Hephzibah (Zibah), meaning “delight of the Lord.” Hezi and Zibah marry, but after difficult times of barrenness, Assyrian aggression, disease and challenging prophecies from Isaiah, Zibah learns that loving her husband will require more of her than she ever imagined.

Re-Defining Creative by Mesu Andrews

Mesu Andrews

When someone asks me, “Are you creative?” my mind flashes to the half-full closet of half-finished craft projects in our spare bedroom. But, remarkably, my answer is, “Yes. I was created to be creative.” Believe it or not, you’re creative too! Read on to see if you agree…

God is distinct as Creator with the ability to create from nothing. He brings into being something that previously didn’t exist.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”            Genesis 1:1-2

He continued creating the sky, land, seas, plants, animals—but when the Creator created man, He did it a little “creatively.”

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”    Genesis 1:27

Don’t you wish you could have seen Adam and Eve BEFORE sin? The perfect image of God on earth—unscarred by sin—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin marred them. Sin marred the image of God in human form.

Blemished by not broken, God’s image still forms the core of every newborn, and it is this core of God’s image that distinguishes us from animals and angels.

“You have made [humankind] a little lower than the angels and…You made them rulers over the works of your hands...”            Psalm 8:5-6

So, what do you and I do that our dogs can’t do? Well, I’m a pet-lover, not a theologian, so I don’t know all the ins-and-outs of the body, soul, and spirit. But I know this:

Because I was created in the image of my God:

• I can create.
• I am creative
• You’re creative too.

This post is a creation. I used letters, a computer, and the internet to communicate it, but the thoughts were a creative process made possible because I was created in the image of my Creator.

And creation is a PROCESS: inspiration and imagination that leads to revelation. We participate in this process—as writers, teachers, moms, dads, problem-solvers of all kinds—with the Creator Himself. How cool is that?

Sin may have marred the divine image of original humanity, and it most certainly strained the fellowship of our Holy God with His Creation—but through the righteous blood of Jesus I’m renewed day-by-day in both His image and in fellowship with Him.

So, let me be the first to ask…Are you creative?

Can you think of other creative pursuits besides writing?

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• God’s image in humans was flawed by sin, but it still forms the core of every newborn.
• Blemishedby not broken, God’s image in us distinguishes us from animals and angels.
• Inspiration and imagination lead to revelation. We participate in this process with the Creator Himself.

About the Author

Mesu Andrews’ deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for her readers. She and her husband, Roy, enjoyed fourteen years of pastoral ministry before moving to the Pacific Northwest to pursue the next step in God’s calling. They enjoy visiting their two married daughters and a growing tribe of grandkids. Both enjoy the cozy warmth of a fire on rainy Northwest days. Mesu loves movies, waterfalls, and travel.

Biblical fiction is her favorite genre to read and write. Her first novel, Love Amid the Ashes (Revell, 2011), won the 2012 ECPA Book of the Year in the Debut Author Category. Love’s Sacred Song (Revell, 2012), the Song of Solomon story, received a 4 ½ star rating from RT Reviews. And Love in a Broken Vessel(Revell), the story of Hosea and Gomer, is available now and received a 4 ½ star TOP PICK rating from RT Reviews.

The Shadow of Jezebel

Princess Jehosheba wants nothing more than to please the harsh and demanding Queen Athaliah, daughter of the notorious Queen Jezebel.

In the Shadow of Jezebel
by Mesu Andrews

Her work as a priestess in the temple of Baal seems to do the trick. But when a mysterious letter from the dead prophet Elijah predicts doom for the royal household, Jehosheba realizes that the dark arts she practices reach beyond the realm of earthly governments. To further Athaliah and Jezebel’s strategies, she is forced to marry Yahweh’s high priest and enters the unfamiliar world of Yahweh’s temple. Can her new husband show her the truth and love she craves? And can Jehosheba overcome her fear and save the family–and the nation–she loves?

With deft skill, Mesu Andrews brings Old Testament passages to life, revealing a fascinating story of the power of unconditional love.

God's Grace and Blessings by Mesu Andrews

After the last ACFW Conference, I had to write a fan letter to a favorite author of mine, Mesu Andrews. Like me, Mesu has chronic health issues, so I told her how much it meant to meet her. Her response to me was so inspiring, I asked if I could share it with you. Here it is, reprinted with her permission. ~ Angie

I love to hear about God's triumphs in other people's lives. And believe me...I see your life as a triumph because you haven't given up. It would be so much easier to give up. I know. Those days when you wake up and want to pull the covers over your head and just stay there... But you don't. You get out of that bed, and you walk around the back yard, and you don't fall down, and you take another step, and you keep going to the doctors, who look at you like you're crazy. Ugh. I know. And you don't give up. It's grace. God's grace. All of it. What a blessing to hear another story confirming His work in another life like my own struggle. I hate that you're going through it, but I love that He's bringing you through it--triumphantly, on your knees. ;)

Continue in the direction He leads, dear one. That's all I can say. I must confess I laughed when you wrote, "...you're a successful author." How odd to think of myself that way! Ha! I still have so much to learn and struggle with the same insecure whispers that have always tried to rob me of God's best. Perhaps "success" for me will come when I can finally rest in Him fully. No more struggling or striving to do more, be more, live better. Perhaps that's when our healing really comes. ;)

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Your life as a triumph because you haven't given up. Click to Tweet
Continue in the direction He leads, dear one. Click to Tweet
"Success" for me will come when I can finally rest in Him fully. Click to Tweet

About Mesu Andrews

Mesu Andrews’ deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for her readers. She and her husband, Roy, enjoyed fourteen years of pastoral ministry before moving to the Pacific Northwest to pursue the next step in God’s calling. They enjoy visiting their two married daughters and a growing tribe of grandkids. Their Rottweiler-pitbull, Bouzer, snuggles at Mesu’s feet while she writes, and both enjoy the cozy warmth of a fire on rainy Northwest days. Mesu loves movies, waterfalls, and travel.

Biblical fiction is her favorite genre to read and write. Her first novel, Love Amid the Ashes (Revell, 2011), won the 2012 ECPA Book of the Year in the Debut Author Category. Love’s Sacred Song (Revell, 2012), the Song of Solomon story, received a 4 ½ star rating from RT Reviews. And Love in a Broken Vessel (Revell), the story of Hosea and Gomer, is available now and received a 4 ½ star TOP PICK rating from RT Reviews. The Shadow of Jezebel is scheduled for release in March 2014.

Love In a Broken Vessel
While unfaithful Israel breaks God’s heart, Gomer’s broken spirit tests Hosea’s faith—an epic journey of intimacy, rejection, and betrayal.

Deserted by those who love her and betrayed by the gods she once worshiped, Gomer lives a bitter existence…until one day her childhood friend reappears—Hosea. But is it too late for Gomer? Is her heart too broken to capture even a drop of love? While unfaithful Israel breaks God’s heart, Gomer’s broken spirit tests Hosea’s faith. Can the two find faith in Yahweh’s power to love?

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/embed/nI5Cav_ApPI?rel=0

Is Biblical Fiction Fact or Fancy? by Mesu Andrews

I've been thinking about genres lately. One genre that I really enjoy is Biblical fiction. But how can we, as writers, write fictional tales based on a factual -- and holy -- book? Today Mesu Andrews tackles the tough questions. ~ Angie

Biblical Fiction. The term itself seems like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? The Bible is truth! Not fiction. Every biblical fiction author I’ve met would whole-heartedly agree. We write about the absolute Truth of God’s Word, adding the context of culture, history, and supporting characters to create a story that will imprint the message of Scripture on readers’ hearts.

So how much biblical fact qualifies as biblical fiction, and how can we ensure fiction never overshadows biblical facts?

Our first step is to recognize the wide spectrum of storytelling style in this genre. In Jill Eileen Smith’s first series, Wives of King David, she wrote the familiar biblical stories of Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba in bold strokes of fabulous detail. These women’s lives were well-documented in Scripture, and Jill brought the setting and culture alive with her research.

On the other hand, Davis Bunn and Janette Oke wrote a series, Acts of Faith, in which most of the characters were fictional, but they placed them in the early days after Jesus’ resurrection. Using real biblical characters as minor players and scriptural events as secondary to the plot, these proven masters of the craft wrote a series of biblical fiction that tugged at New Testament lovers’ heartstrings.

Both strategies would be deemed biblical fiction. The reader must determine which style of storytelling he/she desires. Which leads us to the crux of the issue:

Why write biblical fiction when the stories are already written in the Bible?

The Bible is the most exciting Book ever written! Each story is full of emotion and tension. Each character experiences crisis at a gut-wrenching level and makes life-altering choices.

But 99% of us don’t feel that excitement when we read the Bible, do we?

Why? Because most of us don’t understand the context in which the words were written. 

We don’t know the author or the audience, the occasion of the writing, or the standing of nations at that time. We’re thinking of our grocery list, a soccer game, the lost car keys.

The real value of biblical fiction is to place readers in the setting of the characters. Smell their smells, taste their tastes, hear their sounds. When we realize biblical characters didn’t live in a bubble, but they were surrounded by real people like us, it helps us identify with them more readily and allows God’s Word to sink more deeply into our hearts. Bible characters were surrounded by hundreds of people not recorded in Scripture, lived hundreds of days not chronicled, and imagined a gazillion dreams never expressed. But that imagination has purpose.

Good biblical fiction should always rouse the reader's curiosity and drive them back to God's Word for answers. A novel is never a substitute for Scripture. It's a bridge to transport the reader into the cultural setting in order to learn from the stories in God’s Word. 

I believe all inspirational fiction differs from the general market because it seeks to do more than entertain. Christian fiction seeks to inspire. As a biblical fiction author, I hope to entertain, inspire, and educate. My husband uses this fabulous word with his classes, and I’m stealing the term. I hope biblical fiction provides…Edu-tainment!

What are your thoughts on biblical fiction? What elements make up good biblical fiction? What authors do you enjoy most?

Mesu Andrews is an author and speaker who has devoted herself to passionate study of Scripture. Harnessing her deep love for God’s Word, Andrews brings the biblical world alive for her audiences. Mesu and her husband, Roy, have two grown children and (Praise God!) a growing number of grandkids. They live in Washington, where Roy teaches at Multnomah University. They have a Rottweiler-pitbull named Bouzer who keeps Mesu company while she writes. She's published two books, Love Amid the Ashes and Love's Sacred Song. Two more are scheduled for release with Revell in March of 2013 and 2014. 

Love's Sacred Song was released March 1, 2012. For young King Solomon wisdom came as God’s gift, but sacred love was forged through passion’s fire.

Check out  the Love's Sacred Song book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYCpTmNVCQo

Connect with Mesu on her website or Facebook.

Too Sick and Tired NOT to Write by Mesu Andrews

Welcome to Fortifying Friday at Seriously Write. Guest author Mesu Andrews is here today to share her journey to publication. Her path is a great example of God having his own plan for our writing careers. I (Dawn) was blessed by her story, and I have a feeling you will be too.

Too Sick and Tired

NOT to Write
by Mesu Andrews

In 1996, I was a busy pastor’s wife with two active little girls and a growing speaking ministry. I didn’t have time to be sick. When an annoying flu bug was diagnosed as fibromyalgia eighteen months later, our family adjusted to Mommy’s new normal.

A slower pace provided me more quiet time with Jesus, and I was intrigued by the Song of Solomon. Reading all eight chapters every day for a year, an incredible story unfolded, and it became my most popular retreat topic. Just one problem. My audiences wanted it in written form.

I bought a “how-to” book and wrote my first proposal. I purchased airfare to Baltimore and attended a writers’ conference. All three critique appointments, two editors and an agent, begged me to stick with speaking. I was crushed. Returning home, I filed the Song of Solomon proposal under “F” for Failure and kept writing devotionals.

My health plummeted in 2002, and I spent six months in bed. The “people ministries” that once filled my days—Bible studies and weekends retreats—were now infrequent. God’s Word was burning inside me, and my laptop became the release valve. During these months, I wrote Solomon’s Song, my first full work of fiction.

By November of 2003, Mayo Clinic added two more chronic conditions to my already weary body, and I prayed, “Lord, will I ever teach Your Word again?” I meant teach as in: “speaking in front of a group” because my writing still felt awkward and ineffective. I just didn’t communicate as well through my keyboard as I once did in person.

In 2005, daily migraines began, but each week I let the Lord whisper through His Word, and He often provided a life-lesson that I included in my growing devotional ministry. Positive feedback poured in, and people seemed to prefer the stories over my carefully researched Bible facts…go figure!

I bought another “how-to” book, wrote a non-fiction devotional proposal and flew to California in hopes of securing an agent. The Lord was gracious and answered my prayer. For three years, this fabulous, committed agent knocked on every publisher’s door. The answer was still No.

My heart grew content with ministry through e-devotionals, but my wise and tenacious friend challenged me saying, “You’re a fiction writer. Resurrect your Solomon novel.”

“I’m not a novelist!” I protested. “I’m a Bible teacher. I write Bible studies and devotionals.”

She stopped all my protest with a single reply. “Didn’t Jesus use parables to teach? I think it was the Pharisees that recited Scriptures.”

Only our dearest friends will push that hard for our own good.

At that moment, I became a student of fiction. Now, my novels and devotionals teach through story. The Song of Solomon proposal eventually secured my first contract with Revell, but it’s the second book to release (Working Title, Love’s Sacred Song, March 2012, Revell). My debut novel, Love Amid the Ashes (March 2011, Revell), chronicles Job’s troubles and triumphs.




Mesu's greatest delight is to share God's truth through well-researched, compelling stories of real men and women who lived in biblical times. As an author and speaker, she illuminates the sometimes shadowy characters of Scripture, helping audiences and readers experience God's Word in living color.

To find out more about Mesu and her books, please visit: http://www.mesuandrews.com/