Author: scott

Continuing In Grace

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43 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. – Acts 13:43

A Word of Encouragement

From time to time we are exposed to a new thought or idea that piques our curiosity.  The taste on our mental palate leaves us craving for more so if opportunity avails we go back to the well for another drink.  Such was the case at Antioch when Paul and Barnabas were asked to share a word of encouragement in the Synagogue.

After leaving Perga, Paul and Barnabas made their way to Antioch in Pisidia, and as was their custom went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath.  After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the Synagogue asked Paul and Barnabas if they had any words of encouragement for the people.  My guess is you would not have to pose that question twice to Paul!  With Moses and one of the Prophets having been read from, the table was set for Paul to deliver the main course.  Grace.

God’s Grace

Paul promptly stood, motioned with his hand, and commanded his audience to listen.  Beginning with the Pentateuch, from which the rulers had just read, Paul began to paint a verbal picture of Grace.  God chose our fathers.  He made the people prosper in Egypt.  With a mighty power, God led them out of Egypt and He endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert.  God then overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to His people as their inheritance.

After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.  When the people asked for a king, God gave them Saul.  After removing Saul, God gave them David as a king because he was a man after God’s own heart and would do everything God wanted him to do.  And from his descendants, God brought forth the Savior Jesus as He had promised.  Before the coming of Jesus, John the Baptist prepared the way with a baptism of repentance.  So from the calling of Abraham to John the Baptist, the grace of God has been evident.  But it hasn’t always been recognized.

Paul then reminded his audience that the message of salvation was sent to them, the children of Abraham and the God-fearing Gentiles!!  However, the people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus and they condemned Him.  Thus fulfilling the words of the Prophets from whom they read every Sabbath.  And although they had no legal grounds to warrant it, they asked Pilate to have Jesus executed.  After the prophecies were fulfilled, they took Jesus down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.  But Grace cannot remain buried.

Our Hope

Men may have laid Jesus in a tomb, but God raised Him from the dead.  For many days He was seen by those who had traveled with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem.  They served as His witnesses.  The words of the Psalms were fulfilled.  The Son of God would never see decay.  Instead, He is exalted.  Death was the conquered not the conqueror.  Grace lifts up the Son of God.

Paul now comes to his final stroke in the masterpiece of grace.

38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

40 Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

41 “‘Look, you scoffers,
    be astounded and perish;
for I am doing a work in your days,
    a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”  – Acts 13:38-41

Needy Wretches

Although he never used the word grace in his message, Paul vividly depicted mans utter dependency upon God.  While Paul continually pointed out what God has done on behalf of men, his depiction of men wasn’t so favorable.  Although God was constantly giving, Paul tells us that men asked for a king.  Although the message of salvation came to the children of Israel, their rulers did not recognize Jesus as Savior, but rather condemned Him.  Then after having Jesus executed, men laid Him in a tomb.  Not very flattering for men, but in His grace, God doesn’t give up on us.

Sabbath after Sabbath, the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks would meet at the Synagogue and hear a reading from the Pentateuch and the Prophets.  Week after week they would come back with their thirst unquenched.  Until Paul and Barnabas showed up and were asked if they had any words of encouragement, and introduced them to grace.

When the meeting commenced, some of the audience followed Paul and Barnabas.  They wanted more water from Grace’s well.  Knowing man’s pride and propensity to lean on his own works, Paul and Barnabas persuaded with the people to continue in the grace of God.  We are saved and kept by grace.  To continue in the grace of God is simply to continue in Jesus.  As Paul warned the Galatians, our efforts can never add to the work of the cross.

The words of Paul and Barnabas will always be relevant.  We must always remind ourselves that our salvation is by grace from start to finish.  He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it without any assistance from our works or efforts.  Forget idolizing works.  Forget busying yourself with religious activities.  Rather, show your appreciation for everything God has done for you in Christ and praise Him for His amazing grace.  Grace that will lead us home.

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

Life and Peace

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6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  – Romans 8:6

Two Classes

In Romans chapter eight, Paul makes a distinction between the only two classes of people that ultimately matters.  Those who set their mind on the flesh and those who set their mind on the Spirit.  The distinction couldn’t be more vivid.  One is marked by despair, the other by assurance.

Paul begins this great chapter by telling us that there is no longer any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Yes, the wages of sin is death.  Yes, sin demands a penalty.  Yes, sin is a terrible master.  But in Christ, condemnation has been replaced by justification and sanctification.  Those in Christ will not only escape the penalty of sin but also experience freedom from sin’s enslaving power.

Setting the Mind

Paul expands this teaching by furthering his distinction between the flesh and the Spirit.  He tells us that the law of the Spirit of life has set us free in Christ from the law of sin and death.  Although the Law condemned us, it was unable to save us.  Since mankind was helpless and the requirements of the law had to be fulfilled, God sent His Son to become flesh and die in our place.  On the cross of Cavalry Jesus bore the punishment for the sins of mankind.  The wrath of God was satisfied.  To this day and forever, the cross separates humanity into two groups; those in the flesh and those in the Spirit.

Paul tells us in verse five that, “those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”  He is talking about domination and control.  A person doesn’t “decide” to live according the the Spirit one day and the flesh the next.  Paul’s purpose is not to encourage us to make a choice between the two, rather it is to show us the great contrast between them and the end result of each.

Flesh

Those who live in the flesh live in the realm of death.  They live their lives separated from God.  Their estrangement from God is illustrated well by the words of the Prophet Isaiah.

2 but your iniquities have made a separation
    between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
    so that he does not hear. – Isaiah 59:2

Those in the realm of the flesh are marking time.  They are nothing more than dead people walking in the dark.  As Paul goes on to say they are hostile to God.  They do not and cannot submit to His law.  Controlled by their sinful nature they are incapable of pleasing God.  Their lives are best summarized by the theological terms total depravity and total inability.  Paul reminds us that this is what the grace of God saved us from.

2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:2-10

Spirit

By the grace of God, we have been transferred from the realm of the flesh to that of the Spirit.  Instead of death and despair, our lives are marked by life and peace.  Whereas before we were dead to God, now we have live.  Eternal life.  The ability to know and fellowship with the Trinity (John 17:3).  Instead of being at enmity with God, we now have peace with Him.  The life and peace Paul is speaking of here is not subjective but objective.  He is assuring us of our position in Christ.  He is talking about our salvation obtained and secured by the finished work of Christ.

Paul proceeds to tell us that as His redeemed, the Spirit of God now lives in us.  Further, with Christ in us our spirits are alive because of righteousness.  In His mercy, God has imputed the righteousness of Christ to us.  While our bodies are dead to sin, the Spirit is our guarantee that someday we will be raised in glorified bodies.  Mortality will completely put on immortality.  The presence and effects of sin will be no more.

Mortification

Until we are home, Paul tells us our position in Christ entails an obligation (verse 12).  Specifically, Paul tells us that we must practice what is referred to as the mortification of the flesh.  A topic he covered in his letter to the Colossians.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. – Colossians 3:5-10

It is only because of our new position in the Spirit that we are able to “put to death the misdeeds of the body” (verse 13).  When we were merely dead people walking in the darkness of sin marking time, God saved us from the flesh and indwelt us with His Spirit.  He delivered us from the realm of death into life and peace.  May we not yield to the pull of the world or succumb to the temptations of our old master.

Those of us who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (verse 14).  We are not indwelt with a spirit of fear but rather a Spirit of Sonship by whom we are able to cry “Abba, Father” (verse 15).  Further, the Spirit testifies with our spirits that we are God’s children (verse 16) and heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (verse 17).  This is what it means to be in the Spirit.  This is what it means to have assurance.  This is what it means to have life and peace.  Where once we were separated from God, now we never can or will be.

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

The New and Living Way

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2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it.4 Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” – Joshua 3:2-4

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh – Hebrews 10:19-20

Which Way?

A few years ago I was given two tickets to see a Detroit Tigers baseball game.  Excited to see the new stadium (new to us at least), I raced home to get my youngest daughter Rachel and we headed to downtown Detroit.  We rushed into the stadium as the National Anthem was playing and made our way to our seats.  To our great surprise, we were right behind home plate.  Justin Verlander was pitching for the Tigers that day and I felt like I was catching for him we were so close.  The Tigers won in a laugher and we had a great time until we had to head back home.

Living out in the country isn’t great preparation for city traffic.  Despite the everything goes mentality, we were barely moving.  And when we did move it was the wrong direction.  I wanted to go North but the police funneled us South.  An hour after the game ended we were right back in front of the stadium.  Why was everybody going the wrong direction?  With no map or GPS to guide us, we were becoming more concerned and frustrated.  In desperation, my daughter Rachel called my daughter Courtney.  We told her what corner we were at and she guided us with the help of her computer.  There were times I questioned some of her directions, but at that point what choice did I have?  I was far from home in an area totally unfamiliar to me and daylight was quickly fading.  I needed someone to lead me home and I unequivocally knew it.

This Way

When God freed the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, He chose Moses to lead them out of Egypt.  At least to a degree.  We know from scriptures that God Himself led the Israelites in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.  When the Egyptians pursued the Israelites to the Red Sea, the pillar acted as a rear guard protecting the Israelites from the Egyptians.  What a comfort it must have been for the Israelites to have Moses and the pillar to guide them on their journey to the Promised Land.  But they would not guide them forever.

Deuteronomy chapter thirty-four records that Moses died in the land of Moab.  Before his death, Moses laid hands on his successor Joshua who must now assume command.  For three days, Joshua and the children of Israel are “camped” at the Jordan river.  The Jordan is at flood levels and they must cross it to get into the Promised land.  Not only is Moses gone, but apparently the pillar will not be leading them into Canaan either.  Instead, as we see in the passage quoted in Joshua chapter three, the Levitical Priests will carry the ark of the covenant, and they will follow it.  The ark was now to become their visible guide.  This is not only uncharted territory, this is a new type of guidance.  The children of Israel would enter into Canaan led by the Law.  “You have not passed this way before.”

A New Way

This new way of being led came with two requirements and a promise.  Keep your distance and consecrate yourselves and the Lord will do wonders among you.  The command to keep their distance from the ark, of nearly half a mile, must have reminded the Israelites of God’s command to keep away from Mount Sinai when the Law was first given.  God is a pure consuming fire.  For a sinful man to touch Mount Sinai would have resulted in his death.  The gap between the people and the ark, although practical for the viewing of it by such a large crowd, would have also served as a reminder to the people of the gap that existed between them in their sin and their Perfect Law Giver.  But despite the lack of proximity, they would do well to follow the Law.

But before the ark would lead them, the Israelites were commanded to consecrate themselves.  They needed to be spiritually ready to enter the Promised Land.  Like the day of rest, they were to be sanctified, set apart for the Lord.  They were to remove any form of defilement from their lives and devote themselves to God.  In prayer and meditation, they were to prepare themselves for the promised manifestation of God.  “Consecrate yourselves, and the Lord will do wonders among you.”

The time came for the Israelites to pass this new way.  At Joshua’s command, the priests picked up the ark of the Covenant and entered the Jordan.  As promised, God did a wonder among them.  Like He did when He originally led their parents out of Egypt, God parted the waters.  Just as they passed through the Red Sea on dry ground, so they now crossed the Jordan River on dry ground as the waters “stood and rose up in a heap” until they passed.  Although they had not passed this way before, there must have been a feeling of deja vu.  With Moses gone, Joshua was now exalted in the sight of the people.  But like Moses and the pillar, Joshua and the Law would give way to a better guide.

The Way

Centuries after the Israelites miraculously crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, Jesus would come to the Jordan to be Baptized.  To fulfill all righteousness and to associate with our sins, Jesus allowed John the Baptist to plunge Him under Jordan’s waters.  When He came up out of the water the heavens were opened and the Spirit of God descended on Jesus like a dove.  Like Joshua, Jesus was exalted at the Jordan River.  Unlike Joshua, Jesus will never pass away.

As you know, Jesus lived a perfect life and fulfilled the Law.  The Law served as our guardian until Christ came.  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.  Moses and Joshua are gone.  The pillar and the Law have served their purpose.  The death and resurrection of Christ have forever changed our course.  In Christ, we now have a “New and Living Way” to get home.  Instead of keeping our distance, we can draw near to God in confidence.  We have been consecrated by the blood of Christ.  The sin that separated us has been forever dealt with.  The veil that separated the High priest from the ark has been permanently torn. In His flesh, Jesus paid the price once and for all.  No more sacrifices are necessary.

Follow Me

What are you waiting for?  The way to the “holy places” is open.  The sacrificial death of Jesus has given us a New and Living Way to the Father.  We have no excuse for being lost or aimlessly wandering.  There is only one way home, and Jesus has cleared it for us.

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. – Galatians 3:23-27

Falling Walls and Burning Water

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3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” – Joshua 6:3-5

33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. – 1 Kings 18:33-35

Faith

Hebrews chapter eleven verse one tells us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  This tells us that God has made us promises that have not yet come to fruition.  Therefore, faith is equivalent to believing God; taking Him at His Word.  We exercise faith in order to take hold of that which God has promised.  This is evidenced as we continue to read the remainder of Hebrews chapter eleven, where the author gives us example after example of great deeds of faith done by otherwise weak and ordinary people.  People like Joshua and Elijah.

We have heard the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho so often that I fear we don’t comprehend the magnitude of the miracle.  God had called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt.  Pharaoh did not like the prospect of losing his work force, but ten plagues eventually changed his mind.  God had a land intended for His children; and Egypt wasn’t it.

A generation of Israelites would be denied access into the Promised land because of their rebellion.  Instead, they would wander in the desert for forty years until they died off.  Because he did not honor God at the waters of Meribah, Moses would not enter the Promised Land of Canaan either.  Ultimately, the privilege/burden of leading the children of Israel into the land of Canaan would belong to Moses’ assistant, a young man named Joshua.  Which brings us back to Jericho.

Faith and Walls

Before crossing the Jordan to enter the promised land, the Israelites were promised that they would dispossess nations greater than them and cities fortified up to heaven.  Jericho was their first test.  There was one path leading to the heart of Canaan, and Jericho was blocking access to it.  When they left Egypt, the Israelites took plunder, but it did not consist of bulldozers, excavators or even dynamite.  From every human perspective, penetrating the walls of Jericho without any equipment was impossible.  Jericho was surrounded by two sets of walls with an earthen embankment in between.  The walls may have been as thick as eleven feet at their base and as tall as twenty-six feet.  With the interior wall sitting on top of the earthen embankment, it may have been as high as forty-six feet above ground level.  Sound intimidating?  God had a simple plan.  March around the city.

Remember that definition of faith?  God made a promise and the Israelites took Him at His Word.  For six days they marched around Jericho in complete silence.  On the seventh day they marched around the city of Jericho not once, but seven times.  On the seventh”lap” they made all kinds of noise and the walls crumbled to the earth.  Not exactly what we would call conventional, but one obstacle to the Promised Land was out of the way.  And speaking of faith and the unconventional…

Faith and Water

The prophet Elijah was jealous for the glory of God.  King Ahab had abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals.  But it wasn’t only the king who followed the Baals, many of Elijah’s fellow Israelites followed the king’s example.  Elijah had seen enough!!  It was time for a showdown.  The people of Israel and the false prophets met Elijah at Mount Carmel.  The challenge was very simple.  If the Lord is God, follow Him.  If Baal is god, follow him.  Let’s call on each of them and see which one responds.

Being the gentleman that he was, Elijah let his opponents go first.  They prepared a bull and laid it on a pile of wood and called out to Baal to “provide” the fire.  From morning until noon they called but Baal did not answer.  While the false prophets limped around the dry pit calling out to their false god, Elijah mocked them.  Perhaps Baal was preoccupied in deep thought, was going to the bathroom, was travelling or maybe napping.  Perhaps with a little more effort you can wake him!  For whatever reason the false prophets decided that if Baal did not respond to their voices, perhaps he would respond to their blood.  Accordingly they resorted to cutting themselves and continued to cry out until mid day, but there was still no response from Baal.  According to the text he did not even have the courtesy to pay attention.  Not so with Elijah’s God.

Finally it became obvious that Baal wasn’t ever going to “show up.”  Accordingly, Elijah had his calf prepared and placed on wood.  But consuming dry wood would be to easy for the True God, so Elijah asked for twelve jars of water to be poured on his sacrifice, one jar for each of the tribes of Israel.  With the bull and wood drenched in water and water flowing in a trench around his sacrifice, it was now time for God to display his power and Elijah to demonstrate his faith.  Calling out to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, Elijah asked God to fulfill His Word and turn back the hearts of the people.  Instantly, the fire of the Lord fell from heaven and consumed the bull, the wood, the stones, and even the dust, and then “licked up the water that was in the trench”.

Faith and You

We talk a lot about faith, but do we exercise it?  I recognize that even faith is a gift from God and not something we can manufacture, but what do we do with the gift of faith He has given us?  I am not equating faith with tempting God, but do we take Him at His Word?  Neither walking around impenetrable walls as a means of warfare or pouring water over wood you want burned seems logical but such is what God requested in these incidences and look at the consequences of simple trust.  May God grant us faith worthy of Hebrews chapter eleven.  We never know what God might do through the faith of otherwise weak and ordinary people.  “I believe; help me with my unbelief!” – Mark 9:24b

9 “Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified up to heaven, – Deuteronomy 9:1

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. – Hebrews 11:30

Living, Moving, and Being

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28 for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

as even some of your own poets have said,

“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ – Acts 17:28

Atheists & Deists

As you are well aware, we live in an age that is rapidly becoming more intolerant of the claims of Christianity.  More and more, people are wearing the mantle of atheist or deist.  And if they are not so bold to do so in word; many will make their allegiance in practice.  While the ardent atheist is all too willing to yell from the rooftop that there is no god, the practical atheist proclaims so with his actions.  The deist, by way of contrast, believes in god, but one that is limited.  Their god set things in motion and then stepped out of the way.  Whether in word or in deed, the deist makes no allowance for an intimate and supernatural god.  In his quest to be accountable to no one the atheist reveals his foolishness.  In his attempt to confine God to the realm of the rational alone, the deist reveals his ignorance.  Our “living, moving, and being” refutes them both.

Paul & Truth

In Acts chapter seventeen we see how differently people respond to the Truth of the Gospel.  The chapter begins with Paul in the city of Thessalonica.  While there Paul preached in the Synagogue for three consecutive Sabbath days.  During this time Paul shared with them the necessity of the Messiah’s suffering and the hope of His resurrection.  The preaching of the Gospel was blessed as quite a few Greeks believed.  But the belief of the Greeks was immediately met by the envy of the Jews.  Envy that birthed a mob that chased Paul to Berea.

In Berea, Paul followed his custom and went to the Jewish synagogue where he again preached the Good News to his audience.  The Berean Jews are credited with being more open-minded than the Thessalonians, and many of them, after examining the scriptures, believed, as did a number of Greeks.  But once again, the light of belief caused envy to take flight from the shadows.  The jealous Jews of Thessalonica brought their disturbance to Berea, again causing Paul to depart.

Intelligence & Ignorance

From Berea, Paul was carried away to Athens.  Although past it’s “political” prime, Athens was still a cultural “giant”, boasting such philosophers as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and Zeno.  But the city boasted not only great minds but talented hands as well, being filled with the skillful works of great architects as evidenced in the plentiful temples and numerous sculptures.  But unfortunately, Athens’ great minds and gifted hands led her down a path of ignorance and idolatry as evidenced by her famous altar(s) to the unknown god.  An altar Paul decided to use as a platform to introduce the True God.

Although Paul’s argument was directed at the Epicureans and Stoics of the day, his message is relevant for all doubters today.  Paul wanted to make the unknown known.  He wanted to see the “religious” enter into a relationship with the Divine.  He wanted his audience to realize they were the created not the creators.  He wanted them to find the One for whom they were “feeling their way toward”.  In the midst of a city known for its philosophers and debaters, the humble Paul is able to share what he knows from experience and revelation.  Paul was intimately acquainted with a supernatural God!!  Sorry, atheists and deists.

God & Creation

With all eyes on him, Paul begins by telling his audience that the true God, is a God of creation.  Creating not only the heavens and the earth but mankind as well.  As His creation, we are dependent upon God and not vice versa.  Paul tells his audience that, “God gives to everyone life, breath, and all things.”  From one person, God has populated the world.  But God did not restrict Himself “merely” to creating, not at all.  God also rules His creation.  It is God who has set the boundaries of the nations and set their appointed times.  While we divulge so much of our time and energy to the realm of the theoretical, God determines the epochs of history.  But God is not defined only by His power and His providence.  On the contrary, God is also a God of intimacy.

While creation points to the awesome power of God; His rule over the nations of the world and the epochs of history give us a glimpse of His magnitude.  But the divine “spark” He has placed within us reveals His love.  When God created us, His purpose was that we might worship Him.  Paul tells us in verse 27 that the reason God created man was so that man would seek God.  And contrary to what the deists claim, God is not far removed.  To the contrary, Paul specifically states that He is not far from us.  No.  Rather, Paul assures us that, “In him we live and move and have our being”.

God & Life

Have you ever stopped to consider your complete dependence on the Great I Am?  No disrespect to the great minds and gifted hands of the world, but they are no match for God.  While we can enjoy the writings of a gifted author, the paintings of a gifted artist, and the speeches of a great speaker, none of these have given us “life, breath, and all things.”  While their talents may add a level of enjoyment to our earthly existence, we do not “live and move and have our being” in them.  I do not look to Dickens for meaning in life.  I do not turn to Rembrandt when I am suffering.  And I have never looked to Lincoln for the salvation of my soul.  Like the rest of us, these men were created by God.  Their lives and their breath were gifts from God.  Everything they accomplished was because of the mercy of God.  In Him, they lived and moved and had their beings, same as you and I.  And the same as the Apostle Paul.

Despite his brilliant mind and natural leadership abilities, Paul recognized the utter meaninglessness of any of his talents or possessions once he met the resurrected Christ.  After his famous conversion, Paul has no delusions regarding his autonomy.  He recognized his utter dependency on his Savior and proclaimed to know nothing except “Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).  The perfect response to the Truth of the Gospel.

God & You

As Paul concluded his delivery to his audience in Athens, he warned them of the necessity to repent.  And soon.  God can only overlook ignorance for a season.  Just as God populated the world from one person, He will judge the world through a Man whom He has appointed.  One whom He has raised from the dead.  The One in whom we live, move and have our being is ultimately our final judge.  Which brings us back to the Gospel.

The verse we are looking at today is a quote from the Cretan poet Epimenides, written about the Greek god Zeus.  Much like he did with the altar to an unknown god, Paul used this familiar phrase as a platform from which to present the Gospel.  After all, Zeus was no god.  Zeus never conquered death.  He never had offspring.  He never gave life to anyone or anything because he never had life to give.  The Greeks may have had great philosophers, but Paul had what they needed.  Truth.  And he shared it with them.

What is your response to the Gospel?  Despite your profession of faith, do you wear the mantle of a practical atheist or deist?  Carefully consider your spiritual “life and health”.

We are God’s offspring.  He has given us life, breath, and all things.  In Him, and in Him alone do we live, and move, and have our being.  And we will for all of eternity.  That is the Good news of the Gospel.  That is what we should be telling the world.  In words and in deeds.  Those robed in righteousness should wear no other mantle.

Unveiled Faces

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18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:18

Masks

I think if we are honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that in varying degrees, all of us are guilty of hiding behind masks.  We only let people get so close to us.  We don’t want to be known, “warts and all”, so we try to hide our blemishes behind a mask.  In our desire to be accepted we may even put on different masks around different groups.  Perhaps we have a church mask, a work mask, and even a going out on the town mask.  But how long can we keep up the charades?  Wouldn’t it be more liberating to put down the masks and let people see us as we really are?  When it comes to our relationships, God desires transparency, not hypocrisy.  No one wants to see us liberated more than God.

The masks we hide behind may “cover” our faces, but they expose our hearts.  They expose our pride, the real blemish of our souls.  Unfortunately, we have seen throughout the pages of scriptures that often times, man will prefer to cover his face than purify his heart.  So it was with the Israelites, so it was with the Pharisees.  Fortunately, our God is a God of freedom and not barriers.

Glory Reflected

In the passage we are looking at from 2 Corinthians chapter 3, Paul is discussing the events originally recorded in Exodus chapter thirty-four.  In this account, Moses was commanded by God to once again ascend Mount Sinai.  It was time to replace the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments since Moses broke the originals when he saw his fellow Israelites defile themselves with the golden calf.  Upon descending Mount Sinai with the second set of tablets, Moses is not consumed with anger as he was the first time, but unbeknownst to him, his face was shining.  Moses was on Mount Sinai with God for forty days and forty nights.  During that time Moses neither ate or drink.  His only sustenance was the fellowship of his Covenant Keeping God.  It was more than sufficient.  Moses came down the mountain with the Law of God in his arms and the glory of God reflecting from his face.  Unfortunately, his fellow Israelites weren’t ready for either.

When Aaron and the others saw the shining face of Moses they were greatly frightened.  They were not caught red-handed with another golden calf, however, they were still not able to behold the glory of God.  There is a quantum leap between the absence of a physical idol and the possession of a single-minded heart.  Moses held in his arms the commandments of God on stone tablets, the people needed them written on their hearts.  But their hearts were spiritually veiled during the age of the law.  The people were rebellious and subject to idolatry.  They had ears but could not hear and eyes but could not see.  Because of their veiled hearts, it was necessary for Moses to cover his face with a veil.  Although the reflected glory was fading from the face of Moses, it was too much for the proud hearts of the Israelites.  The face of Moses would be veiled until the glory had faded away.  But reflecting the glory of God wasn’t the responsibility of Moses alone, nor were the Israelites the only people to suffer from “veiled” hearts.

Exposed

It is no secret that when Jesus walked the earth, He was constantly at odds with the religious leaders of the day.  These men who were supposed to be nurturing the children of God for the glory of God were instead promoting themselves and shutting the kingdom of heaven in peoples faces.  In Matthew chapter twenty-three we have the very condemning rebuke of Jesus against the Pharisees.  As He pronounces seven woes against them, Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites.  It was a term from the theater.  Literally, they were “actors under an assumed character” (Zodhiates Word Study).  In other words, these men who were responsible for promoting the glory of God were protecting their pride behind masks.  Once again, the masks they were hiding behind revealed the blemish of their souls.  They were more interested in their own glory than the glory of God.  Jesus would have no part of it.  Always concerned about His Father’s glory, Jesus had no choice but to expose them and strip away their masks.  Those whitewashed tombs were hiding dead people’s bones.  The game is a difficult one to play forever.  It is very difficult to cover a heart full of hypocrisy and lawlessness with a mask of righteousness.  In fact, God knows it is impossible.

Unveiled Faces

As His adopted children, God has given us hearts of flesh.  He has written the law on our hearts.  He has filled us with the Holy Spirit.  When Christ cried, “It is finished”, the curtain was torn in the temple and the veil was removed from our hearts.  As Paul encourages us in today’s passage, ours is the privilege of beholding the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces.  The grace that descended from the cross of Cavalry far exceeds the law that Moses descended with down Mount Sinai.  The glory of the law was fading, the glory of grace never will.  With unveiled faces, we are not only able to behold this eternal glory but more amazingly we are being transformed by it.  Just as Moses reflected the glory of God after having fellowship with Him, ours is the privilege of reflecting the glory of our Lord as we are conformed into His image.  But do we truly understand what it means to behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces?

While Moses was in the presence of God for a limited time, Christ is always with us.  With the aid of the indwelling Spirit, our view of Christ is not obscured by a veil over our hearts.  We can approach God’s throne with confidence and intimacy calling God Abba Father.  We have the mind of Christ and we fellowship with the Trinity.  The blood of Christ has removed the blemish of our hearts and opened our spiritual eyes.

God’s Glory

To have His glory known is God’s greatest desire and man’s greatest need.  Accordingly, God cannot separate Himself from His glory.  When we spend time in His presence we will behold it and we will reflect it.  How clearly others will see it in part will be determined by the masks we choose to hide behind.  Which is why we need to learn from the Israelites and the Pharisees, and most importantly from Jesus.  Our faces reflect the condition of our hearts.

God has unveiled our faces so we can boldly and confidently reflect the glory of Christ.  With such a beautiful Savior to reflect, why would we ever consider hiding behind masks?  It is time to be honest with ourselves and others.  It is past time to give up the charades.  God despises hypocrisy and blesses transparency.  I think we will all find that putting down the masks is both liberating and life-changing.  Not only for us but for those who will more clearly be able to see the Savior’s reflection in us.

To God be the Glory.

16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. – 2 Corinthians 3:16-17

A Light in Darkness

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8 Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;
    when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be a light to me. – Micah 7:8

A Ground View

The mettle of a man is often tested when he has been knocked down.  Will he remain on the ground and admit defeat, or will he lift himself back up and stand against his enemy?  When we are young and full of energy and often full of overconfidence, we tend to get up rather quickly before we properly size up our enemy.  As we get older and have been planted on our backside a few more times…  Well, perhaps the view from the ground isn’t so bad after all.

The Enemy Within

But what happens when our enemy isn’t really the one who planted us on our backside?  What happens when we realize we are really our own worse enemy and the bully is really nothing more than a pawn in God’s hands?  Oh it hurts when we are on our backs and the perceived enemy is standing over us gloating.  Nobody enjoys that.  But the consequences of sin have never been enjoyable.  Not at all.  But the darkness sin engulfs us in has always been intended to make us look to the Lord.  Our light in the midst of darkness.

Sitting In Darkness

When Micah penned these Words, Israel was knocked down.  Israel was sitting in darkness.  Israel wasn’t merely an innocent victim.  Not by a long stretch.  Despite multiple warnings, Israel consistently rebelled against God.  And while they were down, Edom was gloating.  But Israel wasn’t finished.  Save your taunts enemies of God, when His children are down, they will rise again.  When they are sitting in darkness, the Lord will be a light to them.  Bank on it.

I don’t need to remind you that we live in a dark world.  The things that society does to our children and elderly are well documented.  It doesn’t matter where you live, drugs, abortions and human trafficking are in your back yard or just around the corner.  As Christians we are not immune to these things or their consequences.  We can adamantly oppose them and fight them with the Gospel, but the world keeps “knocking” us down and gloating over us.  “God is dead and if Jesus hasn’t returned yet He never will!!”  Don’t bank on it.  As long as there is darkness in this world, the Lord will be a light.  But before we look up, let’s look back.

Denying Death

We all know that sin entered into the world because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden.  When it did, death was ushered in.  After Cain kills Abel in Genesis chapter four, Genesis chapter five gives us the account of Adam’s line.  In the midst of all of the “he lived so long and died” accounts, we read of Enoch,  “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24).  Enoch was “raptured” by God.  Not all of Adam’s descendants would taste death.  What does that mean to us?  There is Light in darkness.

Floating in the Flood

In Genesis chapter six God looks down and sees the total evil and corruption of His highest creation.  Man.  Made in His image but now completely rebelling against their Creator.  For forty days and forty nights the skies open and flood the entire earth.  As we scan the horizon, we see nothing but water and death.  Not a living thing has survived (marine life excluded) the wrath of God, except the contents of that ark floating in the distance.  Inside is faithful Noah and his family and seed for a new beginning.  Who knew that a man and his “boat” that the enemies of God mocked were in actuality a light in darkness?  God.

Mercies in Mourning

Fast forward to the Book of Lamentations.  Jeremiah the weeping Prophet is pouring out his heart over the moral condition of his nation.  Jerusalem is in ruins and so is the Temple.  Along with many of his countrymen Jeremiah is in exile, forcefully removed from his native land.  Difficult enough for a faithful Jew, almost unbearable for a faithful prophet with a sensitive disposition.  But in the midst of his tears, Jeremiah writes,

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.” – Lamentations 3:22-24

Perhaps you are currently on your back and you feel like the enemy is “rejoicing” over you and your situation.  Perhaps you are sitting in darkness enveloped by a sense of despair and helplessness unlike any you have ever experienced.  Whether your current situation is the result of your individual sins or sin in general, never forget, sin doesn’t have to have the final word.  Always remember, repentance isn’t just a turning from, but also a turning to.  Hold onto your Faith.  Look to your Savior.  Even as Believers we may fall, but even more surely WE WILL RISE!!

Jesus, Our Light In Darkness

For three hours while Jesus was hanging on the cross for our sins, there was complete darkness.  In His purity, the Father couldn’t bear to see our Savior bear our sins.  But the Father would smile on His Son again and light would repel the darkness.

For three days after the stone was rolled over the entrance, the grave of Jesus was dark.  But Jesus wasn’t in the dark.  And He wasn’t down.  Not at all.  After the cross and the grave, Jesus arose!  His enemies may have rejoiced, but it was short lived.

While you are down, it may be wise to size up your enemy, but it is even wiser to look the Savior.  Ultimately it is not your mettle that matters, but your Messiah.  Darkness has never defeated light, and it is not going to start with you and your situation.  You may fall, and you may sit in darkness, but the Lord will always be your light and He will always lift you up.  If you don’t believe Enoch, Noah and Jeremiah, look to the cross of Cavalry and the empty tomb.  If that doesn’t convince you I don’t know what will.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:1-5

How to pick a Bible Translation

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1 Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night. – Psalm 1:1-2

A Need to Worship

In our last devotion, we looked at what is referred to as the transmission of the Bible, taking the spoken and inspired Word of God and preserving it in writing.  Our God is a God who wants to be known and worshiped by all people groups, hence it is important that His Word is translated into the language of the people.  All people.

A Need to Know

As noted prior, the Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek, the languages of those God chose to “pen” his Words.  But unfortunately, not everybody spoke and read these languages.  Hence, as the gospel traveled, it would become necessary for it to be translated into the language of the nations into which it was penetrating.  In the West, the Bible was translated into Latin in the early fifth century, but just as we saw with the Hebrew language, in time Latin would not be spoken among the “common” people.  Thankfully, some uncommon people, such as John Wycliffe would sacrifice their lives to make sure the Bible was translated into the language of the people.  God’s Word was never intended to be chained to any pulpit, it belongs in the hands of God’s children.

Which One?

We’ve come a long way since the days of Wycliffe.  With the invention of the printing press (around 1450 AD), the ability to produce various Bible translations was greatly expedited.  This has certainly been a great blessing, but it has lead to the question we are looking at today.  Which Bible translation should I read?

Henry Ford once said, “You can buy a Model T in any color you want, as long as that color is black.”  Roughly two decades before Mr. Ford made that comment the same was true if you were in the market for an English Bible.  You could have any translation you wanted as long as that translation was the King James Version (KJV).  I can’t count the number of different car colors I see on the road today, nor can I comment on every Bible translation available, but we can address some key points.

Formal and Functional

We often hear it said of someone, “he is so smart that he is stupid”.  What does that mean?  I believe it means there are a lot of people walking around who have a high formal intelligence and a low functional intelligence.  Not everybody can have both!!  Since most of us are not experts in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Koine Greek, we are faced with a dilemma.  When it comes to choosing a Bible translation, we have to ask ourselves, do we want a “formal equivalence” or “functional equivalence”?

A Bible that we term “formal equivalence” is more commonly known as a word for word translation.  The emphasis with these translations is grammatical form.  Nouns are translated into nouns, 10 words are translated into 10 words, etc.  Because precision is the key and word order is closely followed, these translations often sacrifice readability.  They can tend to come across as a little more “choppy.”  While great for study tools, they can become a little more difficult to follow if your objective is to read large sections of Scripture.  Included in this group of translations are, the KJV, ASV, NASB, and ESV.

By contrast, Bibles that we term “functional equivalence”, are more commonly referred to as phrase-for-phrase translations.  The emphasis of these interpretations is placed more heavily on readability than grammatical form.  Although they may “wander” from the grammatical form, they tend to stay true to the meaning (in theory).  Included in this group of translation are the NIV and NEB.

Difficulties and Drawbacks

Unfortunately, a literal word for word translation is next to impossible.  Words and expressions commonly used in one culture often make little to no sense in another.  Thankfully, when the original in Hebrew read, “God’s nostrils enlarged”, it was translated as, “God became angry.”  You get the point, since the Tower of Babel, people groups have spoken different languages with there own idioms (raining cats and dogs) and colloquialisms (I wasn’t born yesterday).  While they may add color to our speech, they would definitely be confusing to someone who didn’t understand the double meaning.  All this to say, when we speak of a Bible translation as being faithful to the original, we need to clarify between faithfulness to form and faithfulness to meaning.  In this regard, both the formal and functional equivalence have their strength and weaknesses.

Even though a formal equivalence translation may be true to the form, they don’t always make sense.  While these translations allow the reader to do their own interpretation of the text, the readers don’t always have the proper tools or background to interpret it accurately.  Hence because the translation was not clear enough, they misunderstood it.  And as just alluded to, formally correct translations can be misleading because of different word meanings.

While a functional equivalence translation is often more clear and understandable, the reader is at the “mercy” of the translators.  What if they missed the point of the original.  In order to make the text clear are they adding words that actually change the meaning of the original text?

Recommended Reading

My recommendation?  Own (at least) one of each.  I don’t want to be the guy that is, “so smart he is stupid”.  In our society we have a wealth of Bible translations.  We take for granted what Wycliffe and many others died for.  A Bible in our own language.  Take advantage of it.  Own a formal equivalence and a functional equivalence.  Before you buy however, make sure you choose a translation that is conservative in it’s translation.  It must be an interpretation, not a distortion.  Christ must be exalted and His deity cannot be denied.

Most importantly, make sure you read your Bible(s).  If you don’t like to read, listen to it on a phone app.  Between reading and listening you should be able to get through the Bible every year.  God not only wants his Word in your hand, He wants it in your heart.

God’s Word is the source of something more valuable than either formal or functional intelligence.  It is the only source of wisdom.  Saturate yourself with it.

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
    and watching over the way of his saints. – Proverbs 2:6-8

The Transmission of the Bible

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11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:11

Bible Questions

No Christian would deny the importance of being a student of the Word, but many people, Christians and non-Christians alike, have questions about the Bible. How did we get it?  Who wrote it?  When was it written?  How do we know we can trust it (i.e. is it accurate and reliable)?  In addition to questions such as these, people want to know about Bible translations, Bible study methods, study aids, etc.  I am far from being an expert on any of these topics, but I have been advised that it may be helpful from time to time to use this platform as a means of offering practical advice to those that struggle with these questions or topics.  So….

In The Beginning

The first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch (literally “five scrolls), were recorded by Moses who lived between 1500-1300 BC, making them roughly 3500 years old.  In total the Old Testament is comprised of 39 books written by roughly thirty different contributors, all of whom were inspired by God.  The last Old Testament book, recorded by Malachi, was written around 450 BC.  So, if I am doing my math correctly, the Books that comprise the Old Testament were written over a period of roughly one thousand years.  Except for a few verses written in Aramaic, almost all of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew.

After the Book of Malachi was written, no books that would be added to the Bible were written for a period of over five hundred years.  However, during this period of time separating the two Testaments, Alexander the Great was conquering most of the civilized world.  As Alexander conquered nations, he would introduce the Greek language.  This is important for our discussion because the Hebrew language would become “replaced” by Greek and Aramaic.  The popular languages during the days of Jesus.

Jesus and New Testament

Around 6-4 BC, Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  The Messiah that the Hebrew Old Testament had prophesied about had at last arrived.  He opened our eyes to the Old Testament and fulfilled the Law.  After His death and resurrection (around 27-29 AD), God inspired men to write the books of the New Testament.   These books were written during the last half of the first century with the Book of Revelation being the last written, around 80-95 AD.  As alluded to, the New Testament was written in Greek which was the scholarly language of the time.  This was helpful because by this time many Jews could no longer read Hebrew.  The New Testament was not only written in Greek, but it was written in common (Koine) Greek instead of classical (think Aristotle and Plato), so more people could read it.  Many of the so called scholars of the day scoffed at this, but its wisdom has been “fleshed out” with the passage of time.  In fact, because of the popularity of the Greek language and the demise of Hebrew, between 300-200 BC, the Old Testament was translated into a Greek translation, called the Septuagint.  As strange as it may sound, the Septuagint became popular in many Synagogues.  Perhaps it might sound sacrilegious if you were a Jew, but what a great evangelism tool to have the Word of God in the language of the people!!  Why wouldn’t God want His Word accessible to everyone?

While the Old Testament was codified and embraced by the Jewish people as God inspired for years, the New Testament by contrast, went through a more “colorful” process of Canonization.  The word canon is associated with a reed used for measuring, sort of like a yardstick.  Hence, when used in reference to the Bible, the process of Canonization refers to the process of determining which books were divinely inspired and should thus be accepted as part of the New Testament.  During the canon process, the Council was concerned with authorship, doctrine, attestation, and acceptance.  The 27 Books we recognize as the New Testament had been commonly accepted for years, but over time “impostors” began to muddy the waters.  So at the Synod of Hippo (393 AD) the Church officially “recognized” the 27 Books that comprise our current New Testament.

Support & Transmission

While we don’t have any of the original Bible manuscripts, we do have thousands of copies.  The oldest copies we have of the Old Testament are the famous Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in 1947.  The first of these scrolls were found in caves in Qumran, 20 miles east of Jerusalem, by a shepherd whose goat had gone astray.  Following his stray goat back to the herd, the young shepherd threw a rock into one of the caves along the sea-cliffs and heard something break.  Little could he have known that when he broke that ceramic pot, he launched perhaps the greatest archaeological discovery ever.  When the archaeologists converged on Qumran, they discovered not only a wealth of Jewish history, but irrefutable evidence of the accuracy of God’s Word.  The Dead Sea Scrolls were not only very old, dating back to the first century BC, they were also very complete, containing copies of every Old Testament book besides Esther.  As important as the Dead Sea Scrolls are, they have plenty of other support.

The thousands of copies that we do have of the Bible manuscripts were made with great care as the texts being copied were considered sacred.  Amazingly, these hand copies, when compared with one another, agree on over 98 percent of the text.  There is no other ancient writing than even comes close to this amount of support or this degree of accuracy.  The term for this process of preserving the Scriptures over the course of history is known as transmission.  By anyone’s standard, the transmission of the Bible is phenomenal, protected by the Providence of God, who wants to be known and worshiped by all people.

Which begs the question, what are we going to do with it?

3 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples! – Psalm 96:3

Boaz And The Wings Of God

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11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” – Ruth 2:11-12

Ruth’s Dilemma

Ruth was in a difficult position.  She was a young widow living in a foreign land.  She was more than just an outsider, she was an “enemy”.  Naomi’s son Mahlon may have gone against his religion and his culture when he married Ruth in Moab, but the likelihood of finding a man in Israel to marry her would have been marginal at best.  Naomi implied as much when she told Orpah and Ruth to stay in Moab and not accompany her to Bethlehem.  She referred to her age and her inability to have any more sons.  And besides, even if she could, her widowed daughters-in-law would not want to wait around for them to reach “marrying” age.  In other words, my sons are dead and I won’t be having any more and no one else in Bethlehem will stoop to marrying you.  So stay in Moab with your own people.  But, as we have already seen, Ruth was committed to Naomi, and Naomi’s people were now her people as well.

Ruth’s Encounter

As previously mentioned, among the people of Naomi, Ruth encounters Boaz.  Aware of the sacrifices Ruth has made for Naomi, Boaz asks that Yahweh, under whose wings Ruth has come to take refuge, will bless her for her kindness towards Naomi.  When he does so, Boaz explicitly states what the text has so far only implied, Ruth is a woman of great faith.  Faith not placed in the idols of Moab, but rather Yahweh, the living God.  The great I Am.  The only source of true refuge.  When he spoke these kind words to Ruth, could Boaz have had any inclination the extent to which Yahweh was going to provide and protect Naomi and Ruth through him?  Regardless, the illustration of the wings of God wasn’t lost on Ruth.

Ruth’s Boldness

Later in the text, we find Ruth at the feet of Boaz.  Per Naomi’s request Ruth has broken all protocol and gone to the threshing floor by herself in the dark of night to seek the aid of Boaz.  At midnight Boaz is alarmed to find a woman at his feet and asks her to identify herself, to which Ruth responds, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer” (Ruth 3:9b).

Look closely again at the way Ruth answers Boaz.  Startled, Boaz simply asked, “Who are you?”.  In her brief answer, Ruth succinctly summarizes the position of humanity.  I am Ruth.  I am your servant.  I am desperate.  I humbly come to your feet because you are a redeemer.  Therefore, “spread your wings over your servant.”

Ruth’s Redeemer

Ruth not only identified herself, she also identified Boaz.  As impressive a person as Ruth was, there was only so much she could do for Naomi and herself.  While she was hardworking and resourceful, she had her limitations and she recognized such.  She needed a redeemer and Naomi pointed her to him.  Being the wise person that she was, Ruth wasted no time in seeking him out.  When she came to him, she asked him to answer his own prayer.

Out of love for Naomi and Ruth, Boaz spread his wings over his servant.  As the next day dawned, Boaz promptly went to the city gate, and surrounded by witnesses, redeemed Naomi and Ruth.  Before he did however, he had to give first option to a redeemer that was nearer (i.e. a closer relative).  The exchange between Boaz and this other relative is interesting to follow.  The relative is interested in playing the role of the redeemer until Boaz mentions that Ruth, the Moabite, is part of the deal.  If you want to redeem the land of Elimilech, you also agree to redeem this widowed Moabite, “in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance” (Ruth 4:5b).

The text is silent as to why Ruth is a deal breaker for the closer relative, but it is interesting in light of Naomi’s earlier concerns of finding a man in Bethlehem to marry Ruth, that Boaz emphasizes her Moabite heritage.  While the closer relative walks away, Boaz is able to finally fulfill the role of kinsman redeemer.  His love is not blind.  Like Ruth, he practices hesed.  Like God, he spread out his wings over Ruth because his love was greater than any prejudice.

The Wings of God

Once, when Jesus looked over the city of Jerusalem He lamented their stubbornness and rebellion and with a broken heart testified that He wanted to gather her children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wing.  Sadly, instead of taking refuge in Christ, the people of Jerusalem killed Him just as they did the prophets.

In many ways, Boaz represents Christ.  Christ was sent to be our redeemer.

Like Ruth, we are desperate.  We are living in a foreign land.  Despite our talents and work ethic we are limited.  More than we want to admit.  We can never redeem ourselves.  Like Ruth, we need to come to the feet of our Redeemer.  We need to admit that we are “in bondage” and only Christ can redeem us.  We know He is willing.  We know He is capable.  We know His love does not discriminate.  Regardless of our heritage, He is willing to make us His bride.  In fact, He died so He could. Our only refuge is “under His wings”.

It may be humbling, but there is no better place to be.

10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” – Ruth 2:10