Accepted

One of the Sabbath readings for this week comes from the Book of Ruth. Most know the story of the young widowed woman, who was from the country of Moab. Ruth committed herself, her faith, and her future with that of an Israelite woman, Naomi, who was her mother-in-law. She joined herself (see previous blog entry titled "Joined") to her Israelite mother-in-law with these words: "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." (Ruth 1:15-17). With these words, Ruth turned her heart over to Naomi's God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So the two women who had lost everything, left Moab and returned to Naomi's home town in Israel, which happened to be Bethlehem (v. 22). They arrived at the time of the barley harvest, which also comes just before the season of Passover. There in Bethlehem, Ruth will meet Boaz, whose name means "strength within him": "There was a relative of Naomi's husband, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech (Naomi's deceased husband). His name was Boaz." (Ruth 2:1). As we often find, the English translation does not do the Hebrew meaning justice. This is also true of the description of Boaz. "Mighty" is the Hebrew word gibor, which is also one of the LORD's names, El Gibor. Gibor meaning "champion, strong man, valiant, excel, chief, giant, brave, prevail, exceeded, confirm (covenant), be great". The word describing Boaz translated into English as "wealth" is the Hebrew word hayil. Wealth, riches and substance are part of the meaning, but even more so is "valor, strength, army, force, ability, power, train, worthy, warlike strength". The Hebrew root word, hul, shows us the basis of this strength, power and wealth, and also connects us to the image of Christ's sacrifice. This root word means "pain, bring forth, travail, writhe in pain, be in anguish, to be born, suffering torture, to wait longingly". This root meaning brings to mind verses from Isaiah regarding his prophecy of the Messiah: "He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied (saba - full, plenty, satiate, to have in excess, to enrich)...shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death..." (Isa. 53:11-12). Many seek wealth and power by the strategies of men, or the ways of the world, but God talked about power from Him that also includes wealth for those who keep Him in remembrance, and desire to do His will: "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." (Deut. 8:18). From these things, we can see that Boaz is a very special man in God's sight. We know in the story of Ruth, that upon seeing Ruth in his field, Boaz asked his men, "Whose young woman is this?" (Ruth 2:5). Boaz then directed his authority, and the workers of his fields towards the protection of Ruth (v. 8-9). Boaz then said to Ruth: "It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." (v. 11-12). Boaz will become Naomi's and Ruth's kinsman redeemer, not only to restore Naomi, but to cover Ruth in marriage. Ruth and Boaz will have a son, and that son will be the grandfather of David (Ruth 4:21-22), who will become king of Israel, and a forefather in the line of Jesus. The story of Boaz and Ruth also points out something else to us. Ruth was from Moab originally. Moab was established through incest. Lot's daughters planned to get him drunk, and then each had a child conceived with their father, one of which was named Moab. Lot was so drunk that he wasn't aware of what was happening at the time (Gen. 19:30-38). Farther along in the history of Moab, as the Israelites left Egypt, the king of Moab would not give them permission to cross his land, and again stood against a judge of Israel in his battle against the oppressors of the land (Numbers 20, Judges 11:13-18). Moab was also associated with depraved idol worship, and Moabite women especially, were considered to be immoral and a corrupting influence by Israelites. It is no coincidence that Naomi instructed her daughter-in-law, Ruth, to approach Boaz after he had been celebrating with food and drink, and to lay down at his feet as he slept. This story is a kind of parallel to the story of Lot and his daughters for a reason. However, Boaz wasn't like Lot. He had eaten and drank in celebration of threshing the harvest, but he had not drunk himself senseless as Lot did (Ruth 3:6-9). Boaz was awakened and became aware that someone was with him. Unlike Lot, Boaz was aware and behaved righteously regarding Ruth's presence. When Boaz found that it was the Moabitess Ruth who was at his feet, he viewed her not with prejudice as an Israelite might at that time, but as the virtuous woman he knew her to be: "Then he said, "Blessed are you my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning...And now my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman." (v. 10-11). Boaz agreed to become Ruth's husband, but unlike the sinful situation with Lot and his daughters, Boaz handled the arrangements according to righteousness, respect, and the requirements of the Law. As the LORD moved people and events according to His will in the story of Ruth and Boaz, He also confronted and challenged the prejudice against a nationality of people. God saw the heart of the Moabitess, Ruth, who had joined herself to His people as well as to Himself, and gave Boaz the lovely and loyal wife that he deserved. God also placed Boaz and Ruth the Moabitess in the genealogy of His Son, Jesus. Many times Jesus dealt with people who were not considered "worthy" or acceptable by the society and religious people around Him. However, God looks upon the heart rather than the outward appearance or circumstances (1 Sam. 16:7). There are people, nationalities and groups whom some Christians might be tempted to view according to the flesh rather than the Spirit, and might hold prejudices regarding them as a result. If the LORD has proven time and again that He does not view people in this manner then we should not either. None of us are righteous when we come to God with our hearts, but He embraces us and cleanses us through Jesus. He teaches us in His ways, and guides our days as we walk with Him. Ruth chose God, and He accepted her. It is by God's grace, not any righteousness of our own, that we are accepted in the Beloved Son (Eph. 1:3-8). Once Ruth joined herself with God and His people, the LORD took hold of Ruth's life, and changed everything about it. Ruth had lost all, and had been at the lowest place, but with the LORD holding her life in His hands, she gained all. If your heart would like to choose God, but you think, or others have told you, that you are unacceptable to Him for any reason, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You made a way for me to come to You through Jesus, our Savior. I know that You do not show favoritism or prejudice. You sent Your Son, Jesus, to die for all people, and all of those who believe in Him are embraced and adopted by You as a son or daughter. Your kingdom family is composed of people from every kindred, nation, tribe, and tongue. You have looked upon my heart, and You have accepted me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so I can live a life in Your righteousness from this point forward, filled with the fruit of Your Spirit, changed and conformed to the image of Your Son, Jesus. Take my life, Father, and show me how to walk in Your ways of life, truth, and miraculous hope. I had lost all, Lord, but in You, I have now found all. I ask and believe these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Bethlehem

It's Christmas time as I am writing this entry. Most people know the Christmas story, but to me, it represents some of the most incredible movings of our Father to fulfill His will and Word on the earth. Without going into all the amazing details of the Christmas story, there are just a few thoughts on which I would like to focus.
The prophetic promise of a coming Messiah, the Savior, is spread throughout the Old Testament. For example, Isaiah prophecies that a Son, a Child, would be born, but this child would not be ordinary, but would be God, Himself. "His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace..."  (Isa. 9:6). Isaiah also tells us prophetically that a virgin shall bring for a child named Immanuel, which means "God with us" (Isa. 7:14). These prophesies regarding the birth of the Savior were recorded 750 years before Jesus was born. There are many powerful prophecies like the ones in Isaiah concerning His birth. It is the greatest event in the plan, will and purpose of our heavenly Father.
As Jesus is about to be conceived and born, both Mary and Joseph have received angelic visitation, making clear that the moment has come when God is about to fulfill His prophetic promise of a Savior. There can be no doubt that both knew that the One to be born was conceived supernaturally, was holy, and mighty. In Mt.1:20-21, an angel tells Joseph in a dream that "that which is conceived in her (Mary) is of the Holy Spirit." and "...you shall call His name Jesus (meaning in Greek, salvation of God), for He will save His people from their sins." In Lk. 1:31-33, Mary is told by the angel, Gabriel, that "...you...shall call His name Jesus...He will be great...Son of the Highest...". There can be no doubt of Who is about to be born!
Another prophetic promise regarding the birth of the Messiah that I would like to focus upon, is found in Micah 5:2. Here the prophetic promise states that Bethlehem will be the place out of which this everlasting Ruler will come. In Hebrew, the word Bethlehem means "house of bread".  Jesus told His disciples that He is the Bread that comes down from heaven, the Bread of Life. Interestingly, the root word of "bread" in Hebrew has to do with warfare, a fierce warrior, prevailing in warfare. This place and this birth was indeed the  moment in time when the enemy of mankind and God was overcome and defeated, and the Word and will of God prevailed in victory.
The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2, tells us that Mary and Joseph are now married, and living in northern Israel, in the town of Nazareth, in the area of Galilee. Mary is very heavy with child, and it certainly is not in their plans to make a long, arduous trip anywhere. But, according to the Word of God, this special child will be born in Bethlehem, not in Nazareth. How is that to happen? THIS will be one of the miraculous workings of God.
Thousands of miles away in the city of Rome, the Emperor of the known world, Caesar Augustus, would make a decree. Israel is part of the Roman Empire, as is all of the Middle East region, and is subject to all decrees of the Emperor. This Emperor decides that "all the world should be registered." This means that all people under the rule of the Roman Empire must go back to the cities/countries of their origins to be listed, and accounted for. In order to fulfill the imperial decree, thousands will be uprooted from where they are, and will be traveling to their home cities. The whole world will be shuffled to various locations to be registered. There is only one family in the whole earth that God desires to move, however - a family, who, under their circumstances, would never have moved but by this royal decree. Joseph had to get his very pregnant wife down to Bethlehem in Judea in southern Israel, because Joseph is a descendant of King David, who's birth city a thousand years earlier was little Bethlehem. Joseph and his family must return there, although he now lives a long distance away in Nazareth.
It is not a coincidence that the Emperor issued this decree. It is a sovereign work of God. God's Word assures us that He can impart His will on any king in the earth, at any time: "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water, He turns it wherever He wishes." Proverbs 21:1. Psalm 2 leaves us in not doubt that regardless of what the nations and rulers plan to do, and want to do, the LORD will have them do as He wishes. There are many instances in scripture where God imposes His will upon a king.
Caesar Augustus, the first and most powerful of all the Caesars that would follow him, did not know God, did not serve God, and was firmly convinced of his own absolute power. But God moved on the will of this king, and had him to issue this very odd decree that shuffled the whole world around.Why? Because God needed to move a seemingly insignificant family in a small country from Nazareth to Bethlehem in time for the most important event in human history - the birth of His precious Son, Jesus, in order to fulfill His promise to us to send us a Savior and King.

Our Father is "Bethlehem", the House of Bread.


"Unto Us a Child is Born"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN5BaOGTmGs

"Come O Come Emmanuel"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xtpJ4Q_Q-4