Kinsman Redeemer

To me the main emphasis of the story of Ruth and Naomi is the Kinsman redeemer, which not only represented Boaz but also our redeemer, Jesus Christ.  This is a very interesting story and one that should encourage the readers, if you understand the meaning of the story.  

This story unfolds at the time when there were judges in the land.  This was a time where every man did his own thing, whatever he thought was right in his own eyes; it was a very evil time to live.  It seems like in the evilest of times there were always some that followed the true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and Naomi was one of them.  At this time there was a famine in the land so Naomi’s family left Juda and went to Moab.  Her husband’s name was Elimelech and her two son’s names were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Beth-lehem-Judea.  They stayed there in Moab for a time and then Naomi’s husband died, leaving her with her two sons who ended up marrying two Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth.  As time went on her two sons also died, leaving Naomi with her two daughters-in-law.  

Then in time Naomi decided to return to her own country where she heard the famine was over because God had provided for them.  To make the story a little shorter, Ruth decided to go with her and Orpah stayed in Moab.  As you read this story you might think the same way Naomi did, she went away full and returned empty and that God had forsaken her, but you would be wrong just like Naomi was, she wasn’t rejecting God, she was expressing her hurt. Read what she said in Ruth 1:19-21, “So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?"

How many times do we go through devastating times and, because of our pain, we blame God, thinking that it is all over and God doesn’t love us, if He did He would not have allowed these things to happen to us.  If that was what she was thinking she was wrong and so are we if we love and follow the Lord.  Read what it says in Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”

So many times we are like Naomi, and I will call this stinking thinking, because God is always working behind the scenes and like Naomi we don’t realize it and we jump to the wrong conclusions.  In Naomi’s case God was working and He hadn’t given up on her and if you are God’s child he is working in your life too.  

Ruth loved Naomi and the first thing she did was to start providing for her.  She went out in the field and started to glean.  It is no surprise that she gleaned in Boaz’s field, who just happened to be a close relative to Naomi.  Some might call it luck; I call it the hand of God.  Ruth was a very hard worker and she caught the attention of Boaz and he asked about her and was told only good things about her and knowing that he was a very close relative of Naomi’s he took a liking to her.  She had left everything she had and followed Naomi and helped her.  For Ruth to leave everything behind, Naomi must have been a good witness and example of God in Moab where Ruth worshiped other gods.  Read what Ruth said in Ruth 1:16 -17, “And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”       

In the end, Boaz went the extra mile and redeemed both Naomi and Ruth; without a relative to take them in and provide for them, neither one of them may have survived.  In those days there was no such thing as welfare like we have today.  God’s hand and guidance was there with Ruth and Naomi all through this story although He isn’t mentioned.  And like His Word says, “All things work together for good to those that love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”!!

Now how does this relate to Jesus?  Think about the whole human race, God’s Word says that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, there is none righteous no not one, we are all like sheep and have gone astray going our own way and doing our own thing.  And, without God’s intervention we would all be lost.  But read what John 3:16-17 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Just like Naomi and Ruth, we all needed to be redeemed and God chose Jesus, his only begotten Son, to be the sacrificial Lamb of God because without the shedding of blood there can be no remission, or forgiveness, of sins.  Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, a man that knew no sin became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of Christ.  If you are being convicted because of your sins and you would like to have a relationship with the Lord, what Jesus called being born-again, do what it says in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”

If you truly repent of your sins and ask the Lord to forgive you, you can receive His gift of grace.  But take your time and don’t be in a hurry, tarry before the Lord and let Him fill you with His perfect peace, love and joy, then go forth rejoicing and share what the Lord has done for you with others; then find a Bible teaching congregation and start growing in your new found faith!! Something to think about and may you and yours have a blessed day!! PS Don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy!!

Is Your Mind Veiled

Think of this, why are so many people blinded to the truth?  Why do I say that?  Just look around at what people are teaching these days, one example is that there are no absolutes or truth.  Read what Pilate said to Jesus, having the ultimate truth right in front of him, in John 18:35-38, “Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto Him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saeth unto them, I find in Him no fault at all.”

In this situation I am talking about a spiritual blindness, a blindness that can keep people from knowing the truth that could set them free.  I can give you a couple of absolute truths; if you jump off the tallest building or one not so tall without any support or anything that will help you, you will go down and if you put your bare hand on a hot stove with nothing on it you will be burned.  This notion about truth is not a new idea; Pilate said, “what is truth,” many, many years ago.  When a person hears the truth and hardens their heart to it, the god of this world blinds their minds to the truth.  

Why do I say this?  Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 Paul speaking, “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

So we know that the evil one blinds the minds of those that resist the truth of God’s Word, but God is abundant in mercy and is ready to set those free that really seek the truth.  I believe we have a real problem in our land and it is called a famine of the Word.  It is not that we don’t have the Word, the truth, we have all kinds of translated Bibles and other resources, but people are looking for the answers to their problems and questions everywhere but in the Word of God.

In Amos’ day they had the same problem, God sent the people called prophets to speak His Word but many wouldn’t listen to them.  Read Amos 8:11-12, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.”

When Pilate heard Jesus do you think he didn’t recognize the truth?  I think he did, but he didn’t choose to heed it and walked away and the same thing happens today, many people hear the truth but refuse to obey it.  Not everyone’s mind is blinded to the truth some just refuse to put it into practice.    Remember someday we will all have to stand before the judgement seat of Christ and give an account of what we did in this life, whether it be good or bad, and at that time there will be no excuses.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

The good news is that we can be reconciled to God!!  Read what Paul said about this in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

This is super great news, though we were separated from God because of our sins we can be reconciled to Him because of what Jesus did for us because He loved us, praise the Lord!!  Jesus gave His life a ransom for the sins of mankind.  So, humble yourself before the Lord, resist the devil and He will flee from you.  Please don’t shut your mind to the truth, but taste and see that the Lord is good.  Get into God’s Word and let the Word get into you and let it change your life as you put it into practice.  I have given you something to think about, I hope you will.  May you have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!

The Righteousness Of God

If you know of God and how righteous He is and how holy he is, how can we being filthy because of the sin nature we were born with, born in sin and shapen in iniquity as David said in Psalms 51, how can we become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus?  This is a mystery but it is possible.

Read what God’s Word says about our condition in Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”  

It also says this in God’s Word in Ecclesiastes 7:20, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”

And also this in Romans 3:9-20, “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

When you read these verses you would think it would be absurd to think that we could actually be the righteousness of Christ or covered by Christ’s righteousness, but the Word of God says that we can praise the Lord.  In every other religion you have to work before you can be worthy of this kind of status but in the Christian faith you can’t do any kind of works to make yourself right with God.  The good news is that He has done it all for us by providing His Son Jesus.  Your faith to believe, your repentance and your salvation are all from God, through His amazing grace and we can do nothing to deserve it.

Read Ephesians 2:4-10, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Let’s start with faith read Romans 12: 3-5, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”

Your repentance comes through the Holy Spirit read John 16:7-11, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

Now read on salvation in Psalms 37:38-40, “But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.”

So the Lord does it all and all we have to do is repent and receive His free gift of grace.  God’s only begotten Son laid His life down and suffered terribly, was crucified, died and was buried and rose again on the third and because He took our blame and our shame and shed His blood, the innocent for the guilty.  When we receive Him as our Lord and Savior, He covers us with His righteousness, praise the Lord!!  

This is how Paul explained how we can be reconciled to God, read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

So, if you want to be reconciled to God, repent, which means to turn away from your sins and turn to God and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior.  Then find a church where you can grow and share what the Lord has done in your life.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!

Lion and Lamb

How could a Lamb become a lion?  In the natural this could not happen but in the super-natural anything is possible.  Jesus came to be the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  This is a theme throughout the Old and New Testaments.  Way back in Genesis 22:7-13 it speaks of the Lamb when Isaac was going with His father Abraham to be sacrificed. 

Read what it says, “And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”

All through the Old Testament and the New Testament it talks about sacrifices for sin until Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world.  Think about the Israelites in Egypt, what happened with the last plague.  

Read Exodus 12:2-14, “This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: and if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.”

This is symbolic of what Jesus would do years later by the shedding of His blood as the Lamb of God!!  Even John the Baptist proclaimed this in John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

It also talks about this in John’s Revelation in 5:11-14, “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.”

And also in 6:1, “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.”

Jesus came as a meek and lowly servant, as the Lamb of God, but the next time He comes He will be like a Lion with authority and power to overthrow His enemies.  Read what it says in Revelations chapter 5 about the Lion and the Lamb which was Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son.  At the cross He overthrew every evil power and authority, including death, Hell and the grave.  Jesus said He would rise again and He did just what He said He would do.  The grave had no victory and the grave had no sting and when He returns His enemies will have no victory either.  The good news is that Jesus is not willing that any be lost but that all come to repentance.

Read what John 3:16-17 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Read 2 Corinthians 7:9-11, what Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth, I believe this can be used for the nonbeliever also.  If you are tired of your sins, and the Bible says we were all born in sin, and want to repent, which means to turn away from your sins and to turn to God, the offer is for you.  Ask Him to forgive you and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.  If you are truly sincere I believe that He will.  

This is something to think about, but I hope you will do more than that, my prayer is that you will act on it.  Then share it with others and find a church and start growing!!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you all have a blessed day!!