Doing good!

The Scriptures tell us in Acts 10:38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God  was with Him."

This Scripture points us back to Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. John the Baptist bears witness to Jesus in John 1:32-34, "(32) And John bore witness, saying, 'I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. (33) I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit". (34) 'And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God'."

Matthew 3:17 informs us that, "And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased'."

After this Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil; overcoming him by the Word of God. When the forty days and nights were over Jesus chose His twelve disciples and began to teach the people.

Matthew 4:23, 25, "(23) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of diseases among the people." (25)"Great multitudes followed Him - from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordon."

The outstanding thing in all this is His attention and care of the individual. He was interested in their spiritual welfare as well as their sicknesses and ailments. It did not matter if it was a mental or a physical ailment; He healed both alike. He taught the people from the Word of God. He preached the gospel of the kingdom and He healed their illnesses.

Each and every person who was healed by Jesus was important to Him. They were not just faces in the crowd, but individuals who needed Him in their lives. He had the power to forgive them their sins. Jesus came to declare and reveal God the Father. He came with the words of eternal life.

Is He still interested in individuals today? Of course He is! His power is the same today, as it was back then.

Some years ago when I was nursing at Innisfail Hospital a young man was brought in suffering from an overdose of drugs. His girlfriend had broken up with him and he was devastated; so much so that he took an overdose of prescription medications and was brought into hospital in a bad way. His stomach was pumped out to get rid of as much of the medications as was possible.

When I came on duty for a night shift, I recognised the young man as having attended a local Christian Youth Club. By now he was conscious and able to talk to staff. We talked about his break up with his girlfriend. He was still in a depressed state of mind. To him his situation appeared hopeless. I asked him this simple question. "Has Jesus lost His power?"

He did not answer me.  He was released from hospital before my next lot of shifts started. About two weeks later I saw him uptown and his face was radiant! It was obvious he had found the answer to my question. He gave me a happy smile as we passed in the street.

Jesus went about doing good to individuals. Do you have a seemingly insurmountable problem in your life?  Job 5:19 states, "He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you." It does not matter if they all come at once - He is able to deliver you out from them.

Has Jesus lost His power?

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted]

[You are welcome to comment on this post, by clicking on the comments section below]

The Romance of Redemption - Ruth a Book of Decisions

A careful study of the book of Ruth reveals a remarkable sequence of decisions. Some of those decisions were life changing decisions for the people involved. Indeed some of the decisions have impacted on the very history of mankind!

If you have been following the previous two blog posts in this three part series on the Book of Ruth; you will now be familiar with the family of Elimelech.

1.    Elimelech the father

2.    Naomi the mother

3.    Mahlon a son

4.    Chilion a son

5.    Ruth the wife of Mahlon

6.    Orpah the wife of Chilion.

Also involved in the book is their relative Boaz, a near kinsman, and another near (unnamed) kinsman.

Let’s look at the sequence of events and the subsequent decisions that the various people made.

Elimelech decides to leave Bethlehem-Judah, where famine prevailed, and go to Moab.

Elimelech dies in Moab.

Naomi follows her husband to Moab.

Mahlon when his father dies decides to stay in Moab and marries Ruth a Moabite woman.

He dies also.

Chilion after his father dies, also decides to stay in Moab and marries Orpah a Moabite woman. He also dies.

Naomi after about ten years in Moab hears that the famine is over in Judah and decides to go back to Bethlehem-Judah.

Orpah initially decides to go with Naomi, but is persuaded to go back to her mother and her gods in Moab.

Ruth decides to go with Naomi, and will not be persuaded to go back to her mother and the Moabite gods.

Boaz’s Chief Reaper decides to allow Ruth to glean after the reapers (a provision under the Law).

Boaz decides to be gracious to Ruth and gives her more than the law stipulates.

Ruth upon advice from Naomi decides to stay with Boaz’s maidens until harvest time is over.

Naomi decides to follow the provision, under the Law, of the kinsman redeemer and advises Ruth how to go about it.

Ruth acts upon Naomi’s advice and boldly makes her claim to Boaz.

Boaz agrees to redeem Ruth and all of Naomi’s previous lands and possessions; provided a nearer kinsman is not able to redeem them.

Nearer Kinsman decides he cannot redeem Ruth as it will mar his own inheritance. He forfeits his right of redemption, in favour of Boaz.

Boaz pays the redemption price; which is publicly witnessed by the elders of the city. He takes Ruth to himself as his wife. Boaz and Ruth are blessed with a son, Obed, to continue Elimelech’s line in Israel.

Ruth’s Decisions

Ruth in chapter 1 - although a Moabite foreigner decides she wants know Naomi’s God (Ruth 1:16); and Ruth in chapter 2 - meets her kinsman redeemer (Ruth 2:8).

Ruth in Chapter 3 - rests at the feet of her kinsman redeemer (Ruth 3:14); and as a result Ruth in chapter 4 - through redemption becomes the wife of her kinsman redeemer (Ruth 4:10)

Types

Naomi- backslider, leaves the people of God and goes out into the world.

Orpah - prefers the world to Christ.

Ruth - prefers Christ to everything.

Boaz - a type of Christ (as Redeemer).

Prophetical 

Elimelech going to Moab is a picture of the nation of Israel dispossessed of their land due to God’s judgement on the nation.

Naomi in Moab is a picture of the nation of Israel dispossessed of her land and forced to live in Gentile countries.

Naomi back in Bethlehem-Judah is a picture of Israel today. Back in their land, but not in full possession of their ancient lands.

Ruth the Moabitess is a picture of:    

(a) the Gentile nations brought into blessing through the Kinsman Redeemer (Christ);

(b) the sinner, whether Jew or Gentile, redeemed by the Kinsman Redeemer (Christ); 

(c) the Bride of Christ.

Naomi’s (Israel’s) redemption is irrevocably linked to Ruth’s (Gentiles’) redemption.

Ruth resting at Boaz’s feet on the night of winnowing is a picture of The Church resting with Christ during the Tribulation period.

Naomi’s (Israel’s) redemption and full restoration comes after the night of winnowing (Tribulation).

Life changing decisions

Elimelech’s, decision to go to Moab resulted in his death and the death of his two sons in Moab. Naomi, Ruth and Orpah become penniless widows. Naomi has forfeited her land and possessions in Israel. Orpah decides to stay in Moab and we don’t hear about her again.

Ruth purposes in her heart to follow Naomi back to Israel and to worship the God of Israel. Ruth’s decision to glean the leftover grains of barley and wheat from the harvest brings her into contact with Boaz, Naomi’s near kinsman. It is obvious that Boaz is interested in Mahlon’s widow. When Naomi explains to Ruth her right to be redeemed and become Boaz’s wife, Ruth has no hesitation in making her claim on Boaz.

Boaz agrees to redeem Ruth and Naomi’s inheritance. He lets no obstacles stand in his way to bring this about. Boaz redeems Ruth, makes her his wife, and restores Naomi’s (Elimelech’s) inheritance.

Boaz and Ruth have a son Obed, who is King David’s grandfather. Ruth is mentioned in the direct line of descendants of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:5)

We make many decisions in life, some are life changing. Unbeknown to her, Ruth’s decision to follow Naomi back to Israel has had a lasting global impact!

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted]

[You are welcome to comment on this post, by clicking on the comments section below]

The Romance of Redemption - Boaz as a Type of Christ

In my last blog post we looked at the Romance of Redemption in the book of Ruth. In this blog post we will look at Boaz, from the Old Testament, as a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Boaz is Naomi and Ruth’s kinsman redeemer.

The Lord Jesus Christ partook of flesh and blood to become eligible to redeem mankind.

He had to have the necessary qualifications.

(1) He is related to mankind by birth.

(2) He was willing to redeem.

(3) He had the wherewithal to pay the redemption price.

(4) He had the strength of will to carry out the act of redemption.

                                                                                           

 Boaz is a man of power and authority.

 The Lord Jesus had power over the elements.

 The Lord Jesus had power to cure illness and disease.

 The Lord Jesus had power to cast out demons.

 The Lord Jesus had power to raise the dead.

 The Lord Jesus taught the people with authority.

Boaz is kind and gracious.

The Lord Jesus on innumerable occasions showed his kindness and compassion to individuals, even to His enemies.

Boaz notices the stranger.

The Lord Jesus notices all of us.

He knows us through and through.

He is aware of what we go through in our daily lives.

Boaz blesses Ruth and nourishes her.

The Lord Jesus responds to our faith, blesses and nourishes us.   

He allows us to “glean” in His word and leaves us “handfuls of purpose”; so that what we assimilate is not only sufficient for us, but we have something to share with others.

These handfuls of purpose are those precious things in the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit gives us in larger doses; to think upon, meditate upon and make good to our own souls.

It is a daily occurrence, not a once only matter.

Boaz is lord of the harvest.

The Lord Jesus is Lord over God’s harvest.

He directs the labourers.

He is in charge of the reaping, threshing and winnowing.

The harvested (souls) grain is His by right.

Boaz has the right to redeem Ruth.

The Lord Jesus by His human birth and perfect sinless life has the right of redemption, as our Kinsman Redeemer.

Any sinner, through faith, has the right to claim redemption from the Lord Jesus.

Boaz carries out the act of redemption.

The Lord Jesus went to the cross of Calvary to pay the price of our redemption.

He perfectly fulfilled the requirements of the Law.

He laid down His life; He shed his blood (God’s requirement for our redemption).

The Lord Jesus tasted death for every man, woman and child.

He was buried and rose again from the dead three days later.

He ascended back into Heaven.

The redemption price has been paid for all sinners who make a claim on Him.

Redemption is by blood (shed at the cross) and by power. (The Lord Jesus rose from the dead).

Boaz restores that which he took not away.

The Lord Jesus restores mankind’s fellowship with God.

He brings redeemed sinners into an irrevocable, indissoluble union with Himself.

He paid the price of redemption to prepare for Himself a bride to spend eternity with Him.

Boaz marries Ruth.

The Lord Jesus will marry His bride (all the redeemed from the Church age).

The bride is no longer a penniless widow, but the wife of the “...mighty man of wealth...”

Boaz restores Naomi’s land and possessions.

The Lord Jesus Christ will restore Israel’s lost lands and possessions. He will rule over Israel in the Millennium.

In the next blog we will look at the Book of Ruth as a book of decisions.

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted]

[You are welcome to comment on this post, by clicking on the comments section below]