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Ezra 2:3-19

Lest We Forget

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
October 30, 2023

 Ezra went to great lengths to give detail about the families that returned to Israel to occupy their land after the Babylonian captivity. He begins by listing the people by their 18 families and clans. The total of this count is 15,604 families and clans listed by name. The individual clans and families are recorded in Ezra 2:3-19, “The number of the men of the people of Israel: the sons of Parosh, 2,172. The sons of Shephatiah, 372. The sons of Arah, 775. The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812. The sons of Elam, 1,254. The sons of Zattu, 945. The sons of Zaccai, 760. The sons of Bani, 642. The Sons of Bebai, 623. The sons of Azgad, 1,222. The Sons of Adonikam, 666. The sons of Bigvai, 2,056. The Sons of Adin, 454. The sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. The Sons of Bezai, 323. The sons of Jorah, 112. The sons of Hashum, 223.”

 If a person makes it through the book of Numbers and Chronicles in their read through the Bible plan, they face another big challenge in the Book of Ezra. In Chapter Two, they encounter a long list of unpronounceable names. Why does God include such lists in the Bible? I find that the interesting thing about this long list of unfamiliar names is that the thousands of home comers were not lumped together but were separated and counted out by family affiliations. This humanizes the settlers. It specifically recognizes them by name as the brave men and their families who made the long, dangerous trek to Israel to reclaim the Land that God had promised them. The men are listed because they were heads of households. All their descendants could identify with them. These names were of individuals, of course, but they represented their clans and families. The descendants in all generations to follow will have this list and will be able to point at a name and say, “That’s my family heritage.” Imagine opening the Bible and having your family name recorded as a permanent record.

If you visit the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., you will see a list of men who gave their lives in a war that the Nation as a whole rejected. Those names on the wall are not just of individual men but of people that are identified with families. The families visit that wall and remember with pride the sacrifice that their relatives made during this unpopular war. There are over fifty thousand names on the wall. It’s a very moving scene. Wives point out their husbands. Children point out their fathers. Fathers and Mothers point out their sons. Their names are memorialized on the wall so that we, as a nation, never forget the sacrifices that were made to secure for us all the liberty and freedom we enjoy today. I think God wanted to ensure that the generation of Israelites that would be born in the land after the Babylonian captivity would look at their names and remember their heritage also. The lives they were enjoying were bought and paid for by those who came before them.

Rudyard Kipling is one of my favorite poets. He understood the importance of remembering our heritage and those whose sacrifice gave us the good things in life we enjoy now. He wrote,

The captains and the kings depart;

Still stands thine ancient Sacrifice,

An humble and a contrite heart.

Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,

Lest we forget—lest we forget!

Far called, our navies melt away—

On dune and headland sinks the fire—

Lo, all our pomp of yesterday

Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!

Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,

Lest we forget—lest we forget![1]

[1] Federer, William J. 2001. Great Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Quotations Influencing Early and Modern World History Referenced according to Their Sources in Literature, Memoirs, Letters, Governmental Documents, Speeches, Charters, Court Decisions and Constitutions. St. Louis, MO: AmeriSearch.

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2 Chronicles 1:14-17, Various

Moderation Is The Key

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
October 29, 2023

After Solomon humbled himself before God with his simple request for wisdom to lead God’s people instead of riches, power, or pleasure, God approved his request but then added all the things that Solomon didn’t ask for. 2 Chronicles 1:14-17, ends with this: “Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. And the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. And Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders would buy them from Kue for a price. They imported a chariot from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150. Likewise, through them, these were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.” The hordes of silver and gold, along with the multiple horses, demonstrated that God kept his promise to Solomon to give him the wealth that he didn’t ask for.  Yet the law forbids the accumulating of these things, for they would tend to turn the king’s heart from God. Deuteronomy 17:16-17 says, speaking of the King, “Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.”

Solomon asked God for something else later in life. He learned that having too much was as bad as having too little.  In verses 8-9 of Chapter 30 of the book of Proverbs, He prayed, “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” Then, even later in his life, Solomon applied this truth even to religion. He said, in Ecclesiastes 7:17-18, “Be not overly righteous and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Be not overly wicked; neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? It is good that you should take hold of this.” Smith says, “The ethical emphasis of Ecclesiastes is on the golden mean of conduct. Koheleth did not want his readers to go to seed, to become fanatics, to become so narrowly focused that they could not appreciate all that life has to offer. Moderation in all things was his motto.”[1]

This wisdom that Solomon said was good for us to “take hold of” Was also the subject that the writer of the Book of Hebrews addressed in Chapter 12, Verses 1-3. He tells us that too much of anything slow us down in our walk with God.  He says that the accumulation of too much stuff will become “obstacles” to a healthy spiritual life. The Greek word for “obstacles” in this passage means “protuberance.”  “A protuberance is a tumor or swelling, an excess growth. So the idea seems to be that we should lay aside anything that is superfluous, that we do not need, in order to run the race successfully. Too much of anything, even any good thing, should be left behind. This is a call to moderation in order to keep in spiritual shape so that we can run with endurance.”[2] I can’t imagine any society needing this wisdom more than our own. Bowman well said, “Moderation is the badge of the righteous. We live in a world where excesses are not only available but promoted as stylish.”[3]

[1] Smith, James E. 1996. The Wisdom Literature and Psalms. Old Testament Survey Series. Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co.

[2] Constable, Tom. 2003. Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible. Galaxie Software.

[3] Bowman, Dee. 1995. “Front Lines: Repetitions and Rewards.” Christianity Magazine, 1995.

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1 Chronicles 1:28-31, Galatians 4:30

Sons Of Ishmael

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
October 28, 2023

The Chronicler traces the lineage from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Shem, and then to Abraham, the father of all who trusts God. He reaches the point of his genealogy in 1 Chronicles 1:28. The point is one person: Abraham. This is what he was aiming at from the very beginning. He wants to talk about Abraham’s line through Isaac, but he first chooses to cover Abraham’s line through Ishmael. We read this in 1 Chronicles 1:28-31. It says, “The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.” Ishmael was Abraham’s first-born son, but it’s not unusual to see Isaac listed first when the two are mentioned. Isaac was the one through whom would come the salvation of the world. But God does not forget his promise to Hagar, Ishmael’s mother. When she fled from the personal abuse of Sarah, God instructed her to return to Sarah’s house and then promised her that He would bless her with so many descendants that she would be unable to count them. God repeats this promise to Hagar later as well. Using this language, we see that the blessing applied to Isaac was also going to apply to Ishmael. But the children of Hagar were slave children, while the children of Sarah were free.

The Muslims claim a right to the promised land because they are descendants of Abraham. Like the ten tribes of the northern Kingdom of Israel, these specific descendants of Abraham have intermarried with the peoples of the land to such an extent that their heritage from Abraham has been lost. Morey says, “The descendants of Ishmael were scattered in Northern Arabia from the wilderness of Shur to the ancient city of Havilah. They were absorbed by the local tribes, such as the Midianites (Gen. 37:25–28; 39:1; Judges 8:24). There is no historical or archaeological evidence that Ishmael went south to Mecca and became the ‘Father’ of the Arab race. Some modern Arab scholars admit that before Muhammad, Qahtan was said to be the ‘Father’ of the Arab people, not Ishmael.”[1] The Arab nations have no legal claim to the land of Palestine. It belongs to the descendants of Isaac.

This seems to be clearly stated by Paul’s interpretation of the account of Hagar’s son, Ishmael, and his descendants. In his letter to the Galatians, he clearly says that the children of Ishmael cannot share in the inheritance of Isaac. In Galatians 4:30, Paul says, “But what does the Scripture say? ‘Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.’” Isaac was the only heir to the promises of Abraham. He was the one born only of divine promise and not by human design as Ishmael was.  Isaac was the one of the supernatural birth when both Sarah and Abraham were well beyond their childbearing years. So Isaac’s descendants are not like the other descendants of Abraham. Their heritage rested on Abraham’s faith in God’s promises, not in the ordinary familial lineage. [2] Sarah and Abraham’s manipulation brought Ishmael into the world. God’s promise brought Isaac. Paul uses this truth to teach Christians that we are saved according to God’s promise of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus alone. We can’t do anything to earn or deserve it. It’s based on acceptance of the gift in Christ. It’s not based on one’s own efforts to keep the law or earn God’s acceptance. It is this promise, fulfilled in Christ, that makes us free from the law. If Abraham and Sarah could bring about God’s promise of an heir through their own efforts, there would be no need for Isaac’s birth. If the Christian could bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation through his own efforts to live a righteous life, there would be no need for Christ. The “sons” of Ishmael are those who, even today, think they can make God’s promises come true through their own efforts. The “sons” of Isaac will be those who trust in Christ.

[1] Morey, Robert A. 2002. “Are the Arabs The Descendants of Ishmael?” Journal of Biblical Apologetics 6: 4.

[2] Pratt, Richard L., Jr. 2006. 1 and 2 Chronicles: A Mentor Commentary. Mentor Commentaries. Fearn, Tain, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Mentor.

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2 Kings 1:16-18

Because There Is No God?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
October 27, 2023

It’s often said that the books of first and second kings are not so much about the kings as they are about the prophets. The story of Ahaziah bears that out. Ahaziah, Rehoboam’s son, reigns in Judah for only two years. He had sought healing from the god of the Philistines rather than looking to the one true God. He sent for the prophet Elijah, whose name means “Yahweh is my God,” with a company of fifty soldiers. Ahaziah took his role as king way too seriously and thought everyone should bow to his wishes. This is not the way to approach God. Elijah called the “fire of God” to come down and devour the soldiers. After this happens a second time, the third commander humbly bows down before Elijah and pleads with him to spare the lives of his soldiers. This is the way to approach the man of God. He humbly asks Elijah to meet with the king. 2 Kings 1:16-18 continues the story, “Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.’ So he arose and went down with him to the king and said to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Beelzebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ So he died according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?”

 Over 125 years ago, Barlow wrote, “It was a public and practical declaration that he esteemed the fly-god of the Philistines above the living God of Israel, and it was a formal degradation and contempt of, and an insult to, Jehovah. Such a crime had not previously been committed by a king, and, if ever, then certainly now, the time came for the zealous defender of the name of the God of Israel to emerge from his concealment and announce to the bold scoffer the Divine retribution. All idolatry is an insult to the majesty of heaven and will not be allowed to pass unchallenged or unpunished. Idolatry is purely a human creation and is, therefore, imperfect and limited. While all goes well, the infatuated worshipper may be amused and satisfied with the delusion; but when trouble comes, then does he discover the vanity and helplessness of the imagination in which he had misplaced his confidence. The man who has forsaken God is without refuge in his distress.”[1]

We still have idols that we look to for help, meaning, and purpose in our lives. Identity has become an idol in the 21st century. We have largely abandoned who we are in Christ and place our identity in other things. Whether it be our social media following, our position at work, our abilities/skills, or the achievements we are after, many have their identity wrapped up in the wrong thing. We worship money and material things.  Western culture has bowed to money and possessions for generations. The pursuit of money and the acquisition of things is a guiding force for many. It’s an idol. Jobs used to just be a means to an end. For most people, it was just want you did to provide for your family. Now, what you do has become who you are. You don’t have to look very far to see an advertisement that promises to “fix” our physical appearance. To make us look better, younger, or like your favorite celebrity. We are obsessed with being entertained. From Netflix to vacations and podcasts to TikTok. We LOVE entertainment in many forms. Love might not be strong enough; we are obsessed. Sex might be the only thing we think about more than money. It’s everywhere in our culture. We have taken a gift from God and made it into the god of our lives. And for many, their lives are controlled by sex. There is an endless list of products promising to simplify and add comfort to your life. We have made our lives much easier and much more comfortable than at any other time in history. Tasks that used to take all day can be done in minutes. Many menial tasks are now automated. While that’s a good thing, our pursuit in life should not be comfort alone. Smartphone addiction is increasingly becoming a worrying trend. This is especially true for Gen Z and Millennial generations, but it’s certainly not confined to them. For many, they simply cannot live without their phones (or online presence). Finally, with the advent of social media, almost anyone has the opportunity to become famous and gain influence. All it takes is one viral video or one hot take, and suddenly, you can have thousands and thousands of followers. Is it because there is no God in America?

[1] Barlow, George. 1892. I & II Kings. The Preacher’s Complete Homiletic Commentary. New York; London; Toronto: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

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1 Kings 1:9-10

We Need Preachers!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
October 26, 2023

One of David’s sons, who rejected the religion of his father, decided to recruit the people who wanted to be free from the restrictions of the Law of Moses. To Adonijah and his followers, the religion of their forefathers was an archaic, out-of-date, and suppressive set of rules that kept them from enjoying all the pleasures of life. It was just an ancient superstition that needed to pass away into history. If he could gather enough political support, he could usurp the Kingdom for his own demented purposes and pleasures. 1 Kings 1:9-10 tells us, “Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the Serpent’s Stone, which is beside En-Rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon, his brother.” In his attempt to overthrow his father, David, Adonijah declared himself king and had himself anointed as such by some of the rebellious leaders of David’s kingdom. It appears to me that the very place of his anointing speaks for itself. It was by “The Serpent’s Stone.” According to Harper Collin’s dictionary, “that was a place of Jebusite worship prior to the capture of that city by David.”[1] David’s heart was to build a temple, a house, for the God of the Israelites in Jerusalem. Only at the temple or the Tabernacle were sacrifices to be offered. Adonijah was offering a variant form of worship to the people in opposition to his father.

Satan is often referred to as the serpent. He usurped God’s role in the Garden of Eden and turned Adam and Eve against God. He deceived our first parents into believing God did not have their best interest foremost in mind but was keeping good things from them. According to Merida, Adonijah “Acts as the serpent in this story. He represents the evil one. He tried to become king by the ‘Serpent’s Stone.’ The word means ‘slithering.’ Because of his serpentine character, Solomon will put him to death. The enemy always opposes God’s plan. Adonijah is about to reap the harvest of shamefully opposing God’s king.”[2] It’s interesting that under Solomon, the nation thrived and became the most powerful in the world. It ushered in the highest point of Israeli history for all the citizens. Although Solomon was to have his own troubles with women, he hung onto the worship of his father’s God and enhanced God’s purposes for His people.

Adonijah attempts to divide the nation against his Father David and David’s plan to put Solomon on the throne. He appealed to all those in official positions that would possibly oppose David. He threw a party for them and bribed them with promises of free stuff and positions in the government above what they had under David. But Adonijah knows that there are some who would always remain loyal to God’s rule. House observes, “Those not invited to this premature coronation are prominent persons. Three names are highlighted. Nathan has religious authority, while Benaniah bears the sword. They pose religious and military threats to Adonijah’s plans. Solomon is also mentioned for the first time. Gray notes that the exclusion of these individuals meant that Adonijah relied on ‘the strength of his party to liquidate the opposition’ rather than on any notion of negotiating peace with them.”[3] This book of the Bible might be called Kinds, but throughout, prophets often take the lead. That in itself may challenge our own perceptions as to who are the ‘history makers.’  Is it those with political power, commonly associated with military and economic might or people who are open to the word of God and understand his purposes?[4] It was the Prophets that direct the hearts of people. It’s not the political leaders nor the priests who are often corrupt. The Prophets “Are the champions of righteousness and integrity in political life, not less than of purity in the individual. They are the witnesses for God and the ruthless denouncers of all idolatry and defection from Him. They comment upon the social vices to which more developed people are liable. Government and people are summoned to instant amendment, and before the nation is held up a lofty ideal. The prophets are not only the preachers but also the philosophers of the people, and they direct men’s minds to the spiritual and ideal side of things, inveighing against worldliness and materialism.”[5]

[1] Powell, Mark Allan, ed. 2011. “Zoheleth.” In The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated), Third Edition, 1134. New York: HarperCollins.

[2] Merida, Tony. 2015. Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.

[3] House, Paul R. 1995. 1, 2 Kings. Vol. 8. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

[4] Olley, John W. 2011. The Message of Kings: God Is Present. Edited by Alec Motyer and Derek Tidball. The Bible Speaks Today. England: Inter-Varsity Press.

[5] Alexander, Arch. B. D. 1915. “Ethics.” In The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, edited by James Orr, John L. Nuelsen, Edgar Y. Mullins, and Morris O. Evans, 1–5:1020–21. Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company.

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2 Samuel 1:19

How The Mighty Have Fallen

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
October 25, 2023

David grieved deeply over the death of King Saul and Saul’s son, Jonathan, who was David’s best friend. He did not see this as a personal victory for himself but a great loss for the Nation. It was about Israel, God’s people, not about himself. He begins his song of lament for the king and his son in 2 Samuel 1:19, “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!” In some translations, you will see that instead of “Your glory,” there will be “Your beauty” and even “Your Gazelle.” The words are close in Hebrew. But from the song that follows, it appears to me to be referring to Saul, the Kind of Israel, to be representative of the Nation as a whole and therefore is said to be Israel’s “Glory.” The place where Saul was killed is “Mount Gilboa.” This is what is meant by “high places.”

The relationship between Saul and David is extremely complicated. He was best friends with Saul’s son. He married Saul’s daughter. He served in Saul’s army even though Saul had attempted to kill him several times. But David was thinking about the nation itself and the humiliation it experienced at Saul’s defeat. Further, David had such affection for Jonathan that David lost one of the most important people in his life. Although we cannot miss the personal nature of David’s sorrow, we can’t overlook how death, in general, brings grief to every human being. One web writer says, “Following Saul and Jonathan’s death, David cried out for silence in the streets and for a curse to descend on the mountain where the mighty of Israel had fallen. Although David’s lament was personal, he led all of Israel in mourning the nation’s calamity. As Alistair Begg explains, his sorrowful grief was a biblical response to death. When we take time to mourn, we show a watching world that death is indeed the last great enemy, even as we look forward to the return of Christ, who alone conquered death.”[1]

I expect that everyone has heard the phrase “how the mighty have fallen.” It’s often used today to refer to a great decline in importance or wealth or a serious lapse into sin by someone powerful and influential. The origin of the phrase is in David’s lament over the deaths of Saul and Jonathan in battle. The expression occurs three times in 2 Samuel 1, in verses 19, 25, and 27.[2] I wonder if the writer might be focusing on the three episodes of the fallen angels in the Bible. In Isaiah 14, the greatest of God’s angelic creations, Lucifer, thinks too highly of himself and falls from his great position with God to be God’s great enemy. Genesis 6 speaks of demonic disembodied spirits that inhabited the bodies of men to cohabit with women. They are now imprisoned for their transgression. It might be well said, “how the mighty have fallen” of them. At the Judgement of Babel, the lessor gods were allotted to the nations as they rebelled against God’s divinely assigned position for them. Saul was in rebellion against God, and it was said of him, “How the mighty have fallen.” All mankind celebrates the strength of humanity. We compete to prove we’re the best in sports. We gather riches to show our superiority to the world. We go to schools to earn degrees that we can hang on our walls. We boast of our achievements, but the end of it all is always the same. Solomon tells us in the book of Ecclesiastes that all the money, pleasure, power, and wisdom in the world will not put off the inevitability of death. It’s all vanity of vanities, and we should think about this because meditating on death improves life. Even a Greek Philosophy said, “An unreflected life isn’t worth living.”

 [1] https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/how-mighty-have-fallen/

[2] Manser, Martin H., Natasha B. Fleming, Kate Hughes, and Ronald F. Bridges. 2000. I Never Knew That Was in the Bible!. Electronic ed. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

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1 Samuel 1:8, Hebrews 4:15

Where To Find Sympathy?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
October 24, 2023

The treatment that the barren Hannah received from her rival Peninnah was very abusive. She tolerated this harsh treatment year after year until it became unbearable. But Hannah did not retaliate but wept bitterly and did not eat or sleep. Elkanah, her husband, had a deep fondness for Hannah even though she bore him no children. He saw the hurt and pain in her life and addressed her. In 1 Samuel 1:8, we read, “And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?’” Elkanah didn’t have the pleasure of a joyful wife at the great celebration. He wanted to cheer her up and help her look at the positive aspects of her life. He wanted her to see him as a sufficient replacement for not having children. Most commentators take this as a revelation of what a great husband Elkanah was. The reference to being better than “ten” sons may look back to Jacob’s experience, referring to his love for the Barren Rachel, while Leah and the two concubines gave him ten sons, but his love for Rachel never paled. Elkanah might be suggesting that his love for Hannah was parallel to Jacob’s love for Rachel. No doubt, Elkanah was hoping that this would comfort Hannah.

I think it might take a woman’s point of view to understand this situation more fully. Mary Evans writes, “As for Elkanah, he could observe the pain but did not really understand it. Because Peninnah had many children, including several sons, Hannah’s childlessness, to her an unbearable tragedy, was for him simply a minor inconvenience. It did not matter to him that she was childless, so why should it matter so much to her? He loved her, and he did not mind that she did not have children. Surely, that was enough? For Hannah, daily reminded by Peninnah’s very existence, that for him, love without children most certainly had not been enough. His attitude might even have rubbed salt in the wound. Perhaps if he had said, ‘Don’t you mean more to me than ten sons?’ rather than ‘Don’t I mean more to you?’, Hannah might have been a little more convinced. Elkanah seems to have been incapable of seeing Hannah’s position from anything other than his own perspective. It is tremendously encouraging to all who feel their misery is not understood, not just women, to know that the account itself and, more especially, the Lord who stands behind the account do not share Elkanah’s limitations. It is a challenge to all of us to try to get beyond our own perspective and see through the eyes of those loved ones that we would seek to comfort.”[1]

It is extremely difficult to move out of ourselves and focus on the pain of others from their perspective. Elkanah had this problem also. He only saw Hannah’s pain from his own perspective. Empathy is a truly difficult trait to cultivate. It is simply the ability to identify with another person so much that you feel what he or she feels. It’s seeing the world from their eyes. It’s understanding others’ situations and pains as they experience them. I think this is impossible because of our sinful natures. But there is one person who did this perfectly. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that God became man in order to show us that He understands our pain and struggles and feels for us taking our pain on himself.  It says, speaking of Jesus, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.”

[1] Evans, Mary J. 2004. The Message of Samuel: Personalities, Potential, Politics and Power. Edited by Alec Motyer and Derek Tidball. The Bible Speaks Today. Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press.

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Ruth 1:9, Various

May God Grant You Rest

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
October 23, 2023

Naomi blesses her two widowed daughters-in-law with “Hesed.” She announces God’s loving kindness to these two Moabite women. The term “Hesed” as used predominantly in the Psalms, is reserved for God’s attitude toward his people Israel. But here, Naomi extends God’s special blessings to these two Gentile women. Then, in Ruth 1:9, she extends her blessings on the girls by saying, “The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.” Naomi prays for her two daughters-in-law for two specific things. Then she expresses her love for them, and with deep emotion, Naomi prepares to leave them in Moab as she returns to her home and family in Israel.

The idea of “covenant” between God and His people appears frequently in the Old Testament. Smith says, “The covenant concept is used to describe the marriage relationship, and as such, it speaks to us of the fact that the covenant is not just a legal contract but is also a loving relationship, a continuous fellowship between the parties involved. Associated with the Biblical covenants is the idea of mercy or lovingkindness (hesed). God is represented as a faithful, covenant-keeping God, even when his people are not always faithful.”[1] As “hesed” is extended to these two gentiles, it is extended to all believers in Jesus. We make up the bride of Christ, and the loving, covenant-keeping God brings us into the family.

Naomi wants what is best for Ruth and Orpah. She prays that the Lord will grant them rest. Interestingly, Naomi prays to the “Lord” of Israel. She has not been converted to the worship practiced in Moab but retained her faith in the God of Israel. God had promised “rest” to the Israelites if they drove out the Canaanites from the Land. But for women in that culture, the idea of security and rest had to do with marriage. As Fruchtenbaum points out, “The term rest in the context of this book refers specifically to the state of marriage. In the Book of Joshua, rest did not merely mean the end of the war but also security and the blessing of the Lord. Here in this book, the word rest implies both husband and home, but the primary emphasis is on the husband. In a society where women could not find security alone, it was her husband who would be the one who would provide it. And that is where the problem came in for the two Moabite daughters-in-law. In Israel, it was unlikely they would find husbands since they were both Moabites. So, in the end, they will only end up sharing in Naomi’s poverty, and therefore, would not have the rest.”[2] In the modern society that we live in, such an attitude would be ridiculed as sexist by many. But regardless of gender, everyone needs the bond of lovingkindness, and it’s offered free for those who receive the bond of God’s love expressed to them, men and women alike. He offers “rest” to all who would receive His love. God so loved us that He sent His only Son to establish a new covenant with all who would believe. He offers “eternal life” to each believer. Jesus speaks to His disciples and us in John 14:27. He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

[1] Smith, Morton H. 1978. “The Church and Covenant Theology.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 21, no. 1: 48.

[2] Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. 2006. Ariel’s Bible Commentary: The Books of Judges and Ruth. 1st ed. San Antonio, TX: Ariel Ministries.

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