September 3, 2024

What is the price for commitment, conviction, and acting accordingly? There comes a time when understanding facts and truth, that then one will be challenged to make a choice that will decide that one’s destiny. When Ruth (a Moabitess) the daughter-in-law of Naomi (an Ephrathite of Bethlehem, Judah) chose to leave her native land [Moab], family, their gods, people and all else, [and go back to Judah with Naomi] she made a determinate choice… see Ruth chapter 1 for background details.

”But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.” ruth 1:16 nkjv

Her choice and confession has amazing consequences; During the Exodus of the Children of Israel, the LORD [Yahweh] said this to Moses:

“An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the Lord forever,” deut 23:3 nkjv    How was Ruth an exception…?

I think Ruth’s confession [being a Moabite] is like unto a sinner realizing the need to cross over from the lost and forsaken condition they are in, into the kingdom of Yeshua’s “people,” and the old “gods” and pagan peoples of their past, must be forsaken and that their new life in Yeshua will be their destiny for all the days following. Here is what Peter told “To the pilgrims [scattered tribes] of the Dispersion...”

“ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 pet 2:9-10 nkjv   [I think Peter was referring to Hosea’s prophecy in chapters 1 and 2]  Yet Paul also said;

“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” eph 2:11-13 nkjv

When I consider the love and consistent justice and intention of the Heavenly Father to make provision for “ALL” to come from death to life, and restoration of the disobedient, I am always thankful for the decision Yahweh made before time was…

“knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” 1 pet 1:18-20 kjv   And;

“All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” rev 13:8 nkjv    And;

“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." 2 pet 3:8-9 nkjv

The Bible is full of wonderful truths that Yahweh has provided for us from before “time was” and that His full intention is, and has always been, to lead us to salvation and restoration, the “tree of life,” [Yeshua; Torah]; and away from destruction, the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” [carnal, natural mind of man]. I hope you will “hear” [shema] the words of life and choose life as Ruth did… everything else leads to darkness and death. Yahweh is forever righteous and just, however we must choose things His way.

Shalom, John