Captivating by John Eldredge & Stasi Eldredge
Week 6: Chapter 5 — A Special Hatred
Read Chapter 5 of Captivating. Key Scripture: Genesis 3:15; Revelation 12:1–6; 1 Peter 5:8.
Previewing Week 6 of Captivating
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
This chapter takes an honest and sometimes sobering look at the spiritual warfare directed specifically at women — and why the enemy targets a woman's heart with such particular ferocity.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.The Eldredges argue that there is a 'special hatred' the enemy holds for women — that he goes after the feminine heart with unique intensity. What is their reasoning for why this would be the case?
2.The chapter draws on Revelation 12, where a woman — representing both Mary and the people of God — is pursued by the dragon. How does this cosmic image reframe the way you think about the struggles and attacks you face as a woman?
3.The Eldredges suggest that because a woman images something glorious about God — his beauty, his invitation, his life-giving nature — she is a particular target of the enemy's rage. How does it feel to think of your femininity as something Satan specifically wants to destroy rather than something inconsequential?