Ruth 4:6
“And the close relative said, ‘I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.’”
In addition to being a beautiful and timeless love story, Ruth is also a picture of redemption. Ruth was a descendant of Moab and as such was born under a curse (Deuteronomy 23:3-4). Naomi and her family had left Israel and dwelt among the Moabites and, no doubt, returned to the land with the stigma of being a backslider. Perhaps some thought the loss of her family was the judgment of God for leaving Israel. These two woman are a picture of all of us. We are born in sin, and prove it daily with our actions. Paul declared,
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—” Romans 5:12
In this seemingly hopeless state, God raised up a redeemer for Naomi and Ruth. A near kinsman, named Boaz, would marry Ruth and take on the responsibility of her and Naomi. In the same way, in our hopeless state, the Son of God took on the role of redeemer. Jesus told a story that expressed the redemptive nature of God. He spoke of a man who found a treasure in a field. In order to obtain the treasure, he had to purchase the entire field. The meaning is obvious, God sees you as a precious treasure of such value, He would pay the price of His own Son to purchase you. The work of redemption accomplished by Christ, is sufficient to pay for the sins of the world. Those who will respond by faith, will be the recipients of redemption and eternal life.
Will you trust Christ today for salvation? Will you put away a life of self- seeking and begin to seek the One who loves you and died for you? If so pray along with me “Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for me. I invite you to come into my life, wash away my sin and help me live for You. Amen”
If you prayed that prayer and want further help in following Christ, contact us at ccvb.net
In grace,
Pastor Jim
As Moses’ final hour quickly approaches, he pleads with the people to turn to the Lord. He has personally experienced the suffering that comes with rebellion against God. Forty years in Horeb, and forty years in the wilderness wanderings, have forever etched in his mind, the importance of trusting in, and following after, the Lord.
Galatians 3:13
The sins of the people put them under the curse. One by one, they watched as their loved ones fell ill and died. At some point, they realized there is no cure for the plague and they beseech Moses to seek God for the solution. As Moses cries out to the Lord, he is instructed to forge a brass serpent on a pole. Any who look upon the serpent will be healed. One only need use a little imagination to understand the joy which filled the hearts of all who would look upon the pole. Instantly, the effects of the curse were removed and they were safe. At the same time, imagine the folly of one who is plagued and yet refuses to look. Imagine his friends and loved ones, who had been on the verge of death themselves, but they looked upon the pole and were redeemed. They plead with him to simply look. They might declare, “I was once as your are, sickly and dying, but I looked upon the pole and I have been healed and my life restored.” Imagine the heartache of mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers and friends, as some, with obstinate hearts refuse to look, and as a result, suffer death under the curse.
A few years back, an interesting term began to circulate through the church. The term I am referring to is “generational curse.” It meant families were cursed by the sins committed in generations passed. Once this diagnosis was given, an elaborate system was developed to rid the families of this curse. The basis for the curse was a poor understanding, and improper application of the idea that the sins of the fathers will be upon their children (Exodus 20:5). The encounter between Isaac and Abimelech serves as a much better example of how sins are repeated from generation to generation.
Jim Gallagher 