The Book of Ruth

Journey to Paradise

VanLeon

• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781645599425
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

The way back to life and the overcoming of this world is through the life which Jesus lived. It is a life of affliction and persecution, stemming from that same principality and power that caused Adam and Eve to fall from life unto death and all those who seek eternal life shall suffer likewise. But this life is also filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. And there are no common words which carry with them an experience known of men which are sufficient to describe these things to an unbeliever. They just have to come to the Jesus themselves to find out. It is, after all, a deeply personal experience between a person and their God.The fallen man, the man of the world, and the type and character of that man, together with the inevitable death he brought upon himself and his sons, characterize the way Jesus found the children of Israel at his coming. But not all the children were like-minded, and God would make a way for their salvation which could not fail, for it would not depend on their own perfection, or even the Levitical law, but through belief in their most holy faith, even the Word of God.

Chapter 3

The Holy Spirit Baptism

“Then Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee” (Ruth 3:1)?

Here we see the care and fullness of the love Naomi has for Ruth. It is well that she has found the field of Boaz, for she has indeed found her sustenance there. But Naomi new that Ruth should not settle for this comfort alone, for seasons change, and the time will come when this harvest is finished and this field would be fully reaped and gleaned to the last grain. Yes, Ruth will need a tie with Boaz that is more intimate for her future to be all it can be.

True, Ruth has now obtained unwarranted favor or grace with Boaz, but Boaz has much more in him for Ruth than just favor and a comforting word; you see, the Word alone is insufficient for us to achieve the fullness that Jesus came to reveal in himself. We were supposed to see more than the Word alone; we are to press on to perfection, and this was not possible by the Levitical priesthood. Only after Jesus died for our sins was it possible. Because perfection is not of us, not of the flesh of man, but it is by the Holy Spirit of the Father.

Paul said, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect” (Hebrews 10:1). And why is that? Because we had not access to the Father in Heaven through Jesus Christ’s blood of atonement.

And again here: “If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron” (Hebrews 7:11)?

James tells us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

We are expected to pray through to the Father for our gifts, our instructions, our power. This is what Jesus meant when he said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

So we have this access to the Father through Jesus not because we are perfect Christians but because we have fulfilled the principles and obedience to the doctrines of Jesus Christ. And thus established, we are ready to do the Fathers will, and so it is written.

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God” (Hebrews 6:1).

The Word of God is only fruitful and full if you have the Holy Spirit. This is best illustrated by Jesus here.

“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:15–19).

Sometimes, we are so focused on the works of Jesus that we miss the Father in him. But Jesus did nothing without the Father. This was the point Jesus made to Phillip.

“Jesus saith unto him, ‘Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father’” (John 14:9)?

Perhaps you’ve been reading your Bible for a long time; maybe you’ve said to yourself, “I need more. I’m starved.” Then you go out and buy this book and that book, this tape and that tape, and that’s all right, for you can learn from another person’s revelation. But the real problem is that you were never intended to settle for the Words alone, for Jesus came to reveal the Father to us, for it is written: “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” (Matthew 11:27).

Herein lies the answer to the emptiness and the hunger you experience. Jesus was the word, but you must see that he had all he needed because the Father was in him, the Holy Spirit.

“Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake” (John 14:11).

You’ve read the Word, heard the Gospel, sang the songs, walked the walk, and talked the talk; yet still, you feel empty. To be filled, you need the Father, then you will have the power within to grow, not beyond, but into the written Word, for Jesus, the Word of God, is a river that cannot be passed over; you will be one with the Father and the Son.

“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (John 17:11).

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:1–5).

It is the “life” in Jesus we need, and that quickening life is the Holy Spirit of the Father.

Now to continue…

A marriage between Boaz and Ruth would secure a flood of goodness for her who is beyond anything she has thus far experienced, things that only Boaz could reveal to her, and Naomi would have Ruth with all of it. B...

Table of contents

• Lost and Found
• Finding Salvation
• The Holy Spirit Baptism
• Passing the Inheritance
• About the Author