In the
book of beginnings named “Genesis” in the Bible we read where God
created the Earth and gave dominion of it to Adam. Adam gave over
this dominion when he disobeyed God and sinned with his wife Eve in
the garden by eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From
that time forward the Earth was in control of the devil, and was in
need of redemption (to be bought back). This is the theme of the
Bible as God has been working ever since to redeemed the Earth or
“the land” back to it's rightful owner. Because of the treasure
inside of the land (people) the redemption of the land meant gaining
the people as well. In order for this to happen, there must be a
“goel” or kinsman redeemer to repurchase the land, and then the
“bride” or the people within it would be his as well. We have
been studying the book of Ruth which is a great picture and type of
this redemption process. As God restores the earth back to Himself
through Jesus the kinsman redeemer, the bride within is His treasure.
Today we read in chapter four and verse fifteen in the book of Ruth
where the women of the city continue their blessings to Naomi who
became a benefactor to Boaz' redemption and marriage to her daughter
in law Ruth.
And he shall be unto
you a restorer of [your] life, and a nourisher of your old age: for
you daughter in law, which loves you, which is better to you than
seven sons, has born him.
In our
previous verse the women of the city blessed the Lord because He had
not left Naomi without a kinsman redeemer, and they prayed that he
would be famous in Israel. Now they add, “and he shall be unto
you a restorer of your life.” Naomi felt her life was gone, and
there wasn't much for which she should live. She lost her husband and
two sons, and thereby was poor, unattached and out of sink with
others around her. She changed her name from “pleasantness”
(Naomi) to “bitter” (Marah) because her life was so bad, and she
attributed her misfortune to the hand of God being against her. But,
the women of the city reminded her that God had not forgotten her.
This child would restore her life, and although she deemed God aloof
and uninvolved, He had a plan all along about which she had no idea.
The
women added, “and a nourisher of your old age.” While
Naomi aged, the marriage between the wealthy land owner Boaz and her
daughter-in-law Ruth and their child would sustain her during the
aging years of her life. She would not be alone, and she would have a
family for which to care and attend, and the blessings of these
moments would make her life “pleasant” again.
In
addition to stating what this child would mean, the women added the
reason, “for your daughter in law, which loves you, which is
better to you than seven sons, has born him.” What an exalted
position these women saw in Ruth, “better to you than seven
sons” and why? Because Ruth loves her. The women saw the trait
within Ruth that was beneficial to Naomi, and now this loving
daughter-in-law has a child that will be shared with Naomi as well.
Let us
remember Ruth's commitment when she was first offered the opportunity
to leave Naomi. Let's recall when Ruth was faithful day after day
during the barley harvest. Let's be reminded of Ruth's obedience to
the instructions of Boaz and Naomi as this story developed, and let's
not forget that this story came about while Ruth simply trusted,
stayed still, and obeyed.
Perhaps
we are living in a time when redemption needs to occur within our own
lives. Maybe we feel that God has abandoned us or is aloof somewhere.
It might be that we have forgotten God's redemption plan for the
Earth by sending His “kinsman redeemer” Jesus to buy back all
that was His not only in the Earth but in our lives as well. While we
ponder these things, let us be reminded that the “Restorer and
Nourisher” is at work, and as He was in the days of Ruth, so shall
He be in our lives as well.
Next
time we will see what Naomi does with the new baby, so read ahead,
and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites,
www.amazon.com
; www.barnesandnobles.com
; download
to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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