Has your life ever taken an unexpected turn, leaving you feeling hurt and stuck? In The Bathsheba Battle, Natalie Chambers Snapp helps women find healing and hope when things haven’t gone as they had planned. Bathsheba, typically misrepresented as an adulteress, is one of the most misunderstood women in the Bible. Despite an unexpected turn in her story, which resulted in tragic circumstances … circumstances beyond her control, there are glimmers of hope in her story. By studying her life, readers will find healing from their own painful pasts and hope for living the free and full lives God intends.
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Bathsheba is a person in the Bible who I felt like I understood until I read The Bathsheba Battle by Natalie Chambers Snapp. The author does an excellent job giving new perspectives on the whole person of Bathsheba and not just the adulteress she is often portrayed as. This book delves into the topic of forgiveness, anger, and shame. It gave me a lot to think about and I am glad that I read it.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Most of us are familiar with the story in 2 Samuel 11-12 that tells the story of David and Bathsheba but it is through this book that I have begun to better comprehend this story. Bathsheba experienced shame, fear, and great suffering and I have a whole new understanding of her dilemna. She knew that the penalty for refusing to answer the King’s summons could be severe and her husband wasn’t there to protect her. She went and we know what occurred but have we ever really considered what she truly felt? I feel sure that her fear, shame, and grief was overwhelming but what about the anger? She surely struggled in her ability to forgive King David.
Author Natalie Chambers Snapp has done an admirable job in sharing modern-day experiences and comparing them to David and Bathsheba’s story. The Bathsheba Battle has twelve chapters, among them Turning Away from Shame; Turning Away from Anger; Turning Away from Comparison; Turning Away from Fear; Permission to Grieve; Forgiving Others— and Yourself; and Turning to Hope. At the end of each of these chapters she has chosen appropriate scripture for Turning to God and listed Questions for Reflection or Discussion to help us further expand our understanding.
This book is filled with many nuggets of wisdom and many wonderful statements and I especially love her reminder that ‘David and Bathsheba both could have given their anger permission to turn them away from God. Instead, they chose to seek God rather than run from Him.’
This is a book that touches on many of the human emotions that we experience as humans: shame, anger, fear, grieving, forgiveness, and hope. The Bathsheba Battle is perfect for personal bible study but I can see it being used in a woman’s Bible study group.
I received a complimentary digital copy from the author but I am not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts.
This was really an amazing book. The author broke down the story of Bathsheba, and I am so glad I had a chance to read it! So many people portray Bathsheba as an adulteress but that is not the case at all! The author goes into detail what exaclty happened in this story of Bathsheba and David. The book talks a lot about forgiveness and how forgiveness is really not for the other person, but for us. We are the ones who suffer when unforgiveness takes place in our hearts. The book also talks a lot about fear and was so relatable. So many of the emotions Bathsheba went through, so many of us can relate to today. Maybe not the same circumstance but the emotions are the same.
I highly recommend this book. I think every woman who reads this will appreciate understanding the story better and will be able to relate in some way or another.
I received a copy of this book from the author. No review was required. All statements here are solely my own.