JOSEPH – A MAN OF GOD

  “May the lives of great men remind us that we can make our lives sublime.” 

  Such a great example of greatness can be seen in the life of Joseph.  Joseph’s story is told in Genesis chapters 37 – 50.  These 14 chapters in the Book of Genesis give more space to Joseph than to any other single individual.  He is one of the few personalities in the Bible against whom there is no recorded major flaw.  Joseph walked close to God in spite of very unfavorable circumstances.  His life is a model of faithfulness.   Joseph is listed once in the New Testament in Hebrew 11:22 called the “Faith Chapter.”  Joseph trusted God in that his bones would be buried in the Promise Land, although he never saw it.  We think of Joseph as the man whom God took care of.  Joseph gained wealth, authority and power. God was the secret of Joseph’s success.   Genesis chapter 39 and the last part of verse 23, it states: “because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.”    We learn that with success comes greater responsibility.

  But, what I want you to see is how Joseph’s life was not a bed of roses.  He was not God’s fair haired boy, just to bless.   Do we realize that there were 13 years between Joseph being sold into slavery and being promoted in Egypt.
Those were years of hardship, frustration and rejection.  Yet, Joseph’s life from age 30 to 110, when he died, there is not one word of resentment in his heart or from his lips.
Not a word of blame against his brothers who sold him into slavery.
Not a word of bitterness against Potipher’s wife who tried to seduce him and then falsely accused him.
Not a word of rebuke against the cupbearer who had forgotten him in prison.
Joseph was eventually in a position to get even with all of them, but he didn’t.
Joseph never showed any resentment, bitterness, hostility, or desire for vengeance, therefore, God worked His work through Him.

  Charles Swindoll in his book on “Joseph” writes of Joseph as being “a man of integrity and forgiveness.”  In fact, it was because of those 13 years of hardship, that Joseph achieved his greatness.   One of my favorite books is “Pain, The Gift Nobody Wants.”  We know that it is pain that drives us to the doctor, it is pain that drives us to health, it is pain that drives us to salvation, and it is pain that drives us to God.  We need pain.

  A young woman sang a solo in front of a large audience. Her vocal technique was splendid, her intonation excellent, her range significant.  Coincidentally, the man who had written the piece of music she sang was sitting in the audience. When the young woman finished, the person sitting beside the composer leaned over and said, “Well, what do you think of her?”  Softly the composer responded, “She will be really great when something happens to break her heart.”  (“Joseph” by Charles Swindoll – Page 55)

  Paul wrote in Romans 5:3; “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”  There are benefits that come only through struggle.   No life evidences this truth more clearly than the life of Joseph. Don’t rob yourself of struggle. 

 

REDEEMER

  And now for the rest of the story of Ruth.  Remember, Naomi and Ruth, widowed by the death of their husbands, are back in Bethlehem.  Ruth is working in the field of Boaz, gathering the left over grain, to provide for she and Naomi.  Boaz is aware of her and knows of her kindness to Naomi.  Boaz is a relative of Naomi.  Boaz blesses Ruth with abundance of the harvest.
  Naomi becomes a match-maker seeking to get Ruth married to Boaz. She has Ruth to wash and perfume herself and dress in her very best clothes and go down to the threshing floor. Let Boaz finish eating and drinking and then watch were he lies down to sleep.  Ruth is to go and uncover his feet and lie down there.  Boaz is awakened in the night and sees this woman at his feet and asks, “Who is this woman?”  Ruth answers, “I am your servant Ruth, spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a KINSMAN (family) REDEEMER.”  What a forward way to propose on the part of Ruth and she does it with such humility, putting herself at the feet of Boaz.  Boaz accepts Ruth, as kindness to him, for she could have married a younger man.  He agrees to marry Ruth, but there is a problem.  The problem is, that there is an older family member who is in line ahead of Boaz. It is the right of this unnamed family member to make the choice to help carry on the line of Ruth’s deceased husband.  So, Boaz calls a meeting of this unnamed relative, with witnesses to decide, if he wants to carry on the line of Elimelech.  This includes purchase of a plot of land from Naomi.  This, the unnamed relative wants to do.  But, if you buy the land, you also must take the dead man’s widow, which is Ruth, to be his wife.  The unnamed relative does not wish to marry Ruth, so, he told Boaz, who is next in line, to buy the land and marry Ruth. This Boaz is happy to do and does.  The transaction was all done according to Jewish custom which legalized the matter.  Boaz marries Ruth and latter they have a son and named him Obed.  Obed marries and has a son, named Jesse.  Jesse marries and has a son, named Daivd.  Out of the line of David, the Messiah, Jesus is born.    

  I believe that this is why the story of Ruth is in the Bible.  It is not just a lovely love story. The heart of it is the family redeemer. Boaz is a picture of Jesus, who came to redeem us.
Romans 3:22-24 “Redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 1:7 “In Him, we have redemption, through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
Colossians 1:14 “for He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Hebrews 9:12 “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and caves; but He entered the most holy place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”  

  We have a great family redeemer, JESUS.  With a Ruth like attitude, we lay ourselves at the feet of Jesus in humility, reverence, dependence and anticipation.  We offer ourselves to Him, asking Him to spread His garment (wings) over us and take us to be His Bride.

  “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed thro’ His infinite mercy, His child and forever, I am.” 

 

RUTH, A LOVE STORY

  Someone has said, “It’s love, it’s love, it’s love that makes the world go round.”  Someone also said, “that if life is one crazy thing after another, love is two crazy things after each other.”  Everyone loves a love story.  Ruth is one of the most beautiful love stories as is written in the Bible in the book of Ruth. 

  The story begins in trouble as there is a famine in the land of Bethlehem.  Bethlehem, “the House of Bread” has no bread.   So, we have the family, Elimelech and Naomi and their two sons, leaving Bethlehem and moving to Moab.  This is scandalous for Jews to move into a heathen land with a people who worship false gods.  The Moabites were enemies of Israel.  But, hungry people do desperate things.  More depressing news, Elimelech, Noami’s husband dies.  Shockingly,  Naomi’s two sons marry Moabite women by the name of Ruth and Orpah.   Noami and her family live in Moab for ten years.  During this time, the two sons of Noami die. Now, you have three widows trying to care for themselves.  Naomi learns that the famine in Bethlehem is over, so she decides to go home.  She tells the two daughter-in-laws to stay in Moab because there they could find a husband and be cared for.  She has their best interest at heart.  Orpah does as Naomi requested and leaves.  Ruth however, does not but rather expresses deep devotion to her mother-in-law.  She said those beautiful words:  “Where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”  Ruth 1:16
Ruth expresses selfless love by making that sacred vow. It was genuine conversion, a drastic change in surrendering her life to Naomi and to Naomi’s God.  Naomi accepts Ruth and they together go to Bethlehem.  They arrive there at harvest time. This gives Ruth an opportunity to work in the fields to provide for she and Naomi.  Ruth gleans in the field of a relative of Naomi by the name of Boaz.  Boaz was a respected, wealthy farmer.  He notices this stranger in his fields and asks about her.  He learned of her kindness toward Naomi.  Ruth’s reputation was known.  Boaz offers help and encouragement to a stranger, a woman of a different race and religion from his own. Boaz is Kinsman Redeemer to Naomi, but let’s save that crucial part of the story until later.

  I want to emphasize two very important things about the story so far.  The first being KINDNESS.  Kindness transcends nationality.  Kindness is contagious. Never underestimate the power of kindness.  Kindness furthers the purpose of God.  Titus 3:4 “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done but because of His mercy…”  One of the Fruits of the Spirit for the Christian is kindness.  No Christian has the right to be harsh (unkind).

  The second thing, I want to emphasize is WORK.  How do you spell ‘success’? – work.  Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of  the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”  Paul told the Thessalonians, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule:  “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”  2 Thessalonians 3:10  God has established work for mankind; “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Genesis 2:15″

  Jesus tells us to take up our cross (His cause) and follow Him.  Out of sacrificial love, we obey.  Next week, I will tell you the rest of the story.

13 WORDS OF WONDER

Thoughts for this devotional were taken from a letter by Marvin J. Rosenthal written to a friend of mine, who forwarded it to me, which I appreciated.   Thanks… 

 

   John the baptizer was called to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.  (Isaiah 40:3-4)  

Some times when ancient kings were traveling, they had thousands of their subjects out in front preparing the way to make the pathway straight.  That is: if there were valleys, they were filled in; if there were hills, they were lowered; if there were crooked paths, they were made straight; and if there were rough places (pot holes) they were made smooth.  
 
  Even today, our President hops into a helicopter to speed his trip, avoid traffic. If the journey is too long for a helicopter he will enjoy the plush comfort of Air Force One.   And when he touches down, literally hundreds of attendants will be involved in clearing all obstacles, speeding him in  a bullet-proof limousine from the airport to his meeting place.
 
  However,  this was not spoken of physical obstacles but of spiritual ones.  It was speaking of the valleys of sin; the hills of wickedness, the crooked places of iniquity, and the rough places of disobedience.  These grievous obstacles were to be corrected for the King’s coming.   This was John’s ministry, to prepare his nation, Israel, for the coming of the Messiah.  This is why John so powerfully proclaimed, “Repent (change) for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”   Matthew 3:2 
 
  One day, John with his followers, saw Jesus coming toward them and he uttered those 13 Words of Wonder: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”  John 1:29
John was telling the crowd of people to not take a hasty glance but examine this Jesus carefully.  Check His credentials fully.  Look at His genealogy completely.  This is the ONE who was to come.  He is the Lamb.
 
  The Jews understood that the law required sacrifice of lambs for spiritual purposes.  However, all the lambs they sacrificed were four legged animal lambs.  But, John was pointing out an upright, two-legged human lamb.  They did not understand, that here was the Christ who would be the sacrifice on Calvary. 
Jesus was God’s Lamb.  God’s provision for man’s sins.  This Lamb would take away sin. The Jewish sacrifice of animal lambs was only temporary and limited for the Jews.  Here is the Lamb which would be for the whole world,  People from every nation can come to God through the sacrifice of this Lamb and never, ever, be turned away.   
 
  Thank God for these 13 WORDS OF WONDER.  Take a long, hard look at Jesus and see in Him, THE LAMB OF GOD WHO CAN TAKE AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD, yours and mine, if we will but believe fully in Him.