The Bible in 2020

Today’s reading

Ruth 1-4; Luke 11:29-54

Selected Verses

Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning. Ruth 3:13

The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. Luke 11:31-32

Reflections

Those who focus on material things and the passing values of this world are liable to miss the most important things. They choose short range benefits over eternal ones.

Jesus condemned the people of His day for demanding additional signs that would prove that He was the Messiah while ignoring the evidence which His words and life amply provided. He said that the Old Testament gave examples of Gentiles (the Queen of the South and the people of Nineveh) who believed with less evidence than the people of Capernaum. The contemporaries of Jesus’ day chose to ignore the light they had and to overlook something greater than Solomon and Jonah. It was not politically correct or socially fashionable to believe in the Teacher from Nazareth.

In the Book of Ruth, Boaz showed himself to be faithful to God’s law. Although it cost him, he agreed to redeem Ruth, that is, to marry her and provide an heir for Ruth’s deceased husband. There was another, closer relative who should have been the kinsman-redeemer, but he declined to do so, choosing instead the material benefit of having an heir. As it turned out Boaz fathered a son by Ruth who entered into the royal lineage of David that eventually brought Jesus Christ. The unnamed shoeless relative is only remembered by his negligence while Boaz stands in the Old Testament as a type of Christ.

Think about it

Beware of choosing the things that only last in this world. By faith in God, choose something greater. Choose that which will last for eternity: the Word of God, the glory of God, and the Church of Jesus Christ.

© 2017 John A Carroll Used by permission

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