I have always been fascinated by the women of the Bible, from unnamed servant girls to well-known princesses but have also wondered what is the rest of their story, the one not recorded? Did they have reason to ever question God? Or wonder “Why” something happened? Phyllis Ryser, making her debut as an author, has spun a captivating and thought-provoking piece of biblical fiction in God’s Unwavering Promises: A Story of Radical Faith Interweaving biblical, cultural and historical information quite skillfully, Ryser captured my attention and my heart with her extended tale of Jochebed, an unsung heroine. Mentioned only briefly in the Bible, this Hebrew woman changed the course of a nation with her steadfast faith and resilient courage in seemingly hopeless circumstances.

In a time of Egypt’s domination over the Israelites, the novel follows the journey of Jochebed from her wedding to a Levite tribal leader named Amram, to her daily tasks as a wife, mother, and basket weaver, to her defiance of the Pharoah’s order calling for the destruction of all Hebrew male babies. Fierce, protective, resourceful, Jochebed will do anything to save her children and unknowingly becomes a component in the future delivery of the enslaved Israelites, God’s chosen people.

Ryser creates detailed, contrasting settings and characters with her knowledgeable insight into the Egyptian and Hebrew cultures, easily flowing from a simple Hebrew village celebrating a wedding to an opulent palace temple discussing genocide. She embeds us in the disparity of wealth and poverty, of freedom and slavery, of immorality and righteousness of this ancient time. Fearful of the strong and ever-growing population of Israelites or so-called “Hebs”, the despotic Pharaoh, along with his pagan priest and advisor Fazel, plot to decrease the number of Hebrews while Kohath, the aging Levite leader and Jochebed’s father, tries to encourage the disgruntled Israelites, who are under the whip and forced labor of Pharaoh.

Readers will easily connect with Jochebed’s Hebrew friends, such as Judith, Ana, Tirzah and Sarah, as they gossip about their daily lives, protect each other, and worry about their families. Surprisingly, the skilled Hebrew midwives Shiphrah and Puah, referred to as “ugly stinking cows” by the Egyptians, became favorites of mine as their entanglement with Pharoah, Razel, and the prideful Egyptian midwife Sheba provides a bit of ironic humor amidst the drama. A story is never complete without a wicked, or shall we say devious, stepmother such as Abahail, who envisioned her daughter Orpah with Amram rather than his chosen Jochebed. The nosey Queen Nephre, Pharaoh’s wife, and their daughter Meryt, childless and forlorn, add another heartrending thread to the storyline as well. Fortunately for Jochebed, Mahala, her mother-in-law, becomes the mother figure she needs, strengthening and encouraging her: “You are a strong woman, and you will be stronger. With God’s help you will succeed.”

Stylistically, Ryser vividly uses both figurative and literal language in describing key events in the novel, always drawing the focus back to Jochebed’s faith and courage. From the rigors of childbirth to the artistry of a woven basket, Ryser allows us to experience all that Jochebed does. One horrific moment that particularly moved me was the Egyptian celebration when Hebrew children, violently torn from their parents arms “[dangling] from the soldiers’ hands like rag dolls,” were dumped like trash into the river until “the last child [sank] beneath the bloody water” to satisfy their crocodile god. With the use of details such as these and motifs, such as stars, sheep, and even bracelets, the author reveals her themes of commitment to God, hope for a better future, and remembrance of stories of the past.

One does not have to be a Bible scholar or even a female to relate to its subject matter: injustice, violence, love, hate, political intrigue, warring ethnic groups–current news headlines! I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. Ryser is a gifted writer, and this debut novel reveals her passion in sharing not only the story of this faithful Hebrew mother but also her own unwavering faith in a God who fulfills all His promises!