I must write this.
It is coming from my heart. I want people to know and understand
because a few are totally missing the picture. The OT and NT are
mirror reflections of each other. The Word of G-d must be taken as a
"WHOLE BOOK" to understand the complete Mystery of the Messiah and
who He really is.
I am updating this article I wrote a while back because there are a few things I want to make clearer. And it is is important we understand
We are going to look at words and how they are defined. What does the Hebrew verb "gā’al" (English "redeem") mean? The Hebrew verb "gā’al" has a central meaning in "to regain possession of by payment" or "buy back something that was lost." In the Old Testament, the verb "gā’al" has been translated as "to redeem", "ransom", and "do the part of a kinsman". It also has another meaning. The Hebrew verb "gā’al" can also mean "to avenge bloodshed" or "to require blood", and has been translated as "avenge" or "revenge".Numbers 35:19~ The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. According to Clarke's commentary~ The revenger of blood - גאל הדם goel haddam, the redeemer of blood; the next in blood to him who was slain. See on Numbers 35:12.
Now lets study Ruth 1:1-22. What is the background to Naomi
Naomi was married to Elimelech who left Bethlehem during the famine and resettled in Moab, which was about 50 miles east. However, he died and his two sons married Moabite women. After ten years, the sons died, leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law destitute and without hope and an heir. When Naomi hears that the famine has ended in Bethlehem, she sets for a return to her homeland. She urges her two daughters-in-law to stay in Moab, and asks God to bless them with new husbands and peace. While Orpah reluctantly stays in Moab, Ruth chose to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem despite the unlikelihood of finding a new husband or ever having children.
Naomi Returns with Ruth
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread. 7 Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.”
So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”
11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons, 13 would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
Who is Ruth and what makes her distinctive to the Jewish community in Bethlehem? In leaving Moab, Ruth turned her back on her own people and their idolatry and chose to make the Jews and their God as her own; she was a Gentile who became a Believer. While in Bethlehem, Ruth, who must have known how Moabites were treated, knew that she was there by grace. Against this background, Ruth’s humble loving care and kindness towards her mother-in-law was notable and probably unusual for this period of Judges.
Ruth 2:22~ So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
The narrative touches upon three Jewish laws that originated from the Mosaic Law: The Law of Sowing and Reaping (Lev 23:22; Deut 24:19-22), Redemption of Land (Lev 25:23-28), and Levirate Marriage (Deut 25:5-10). What are these laws?
Let's look at some of those verses...
Leviticus 23:22~ "'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.'"
Deuteronomy 24:19-22~ 19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.
20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
22 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
The Law of Sowing and Reaping (Lev 23:22; Deut 24:19-22)
As a reminder of their former status as a slave in Egypt, Mosaic legislation required that landowners reap their land with only one pass. What remained was to be made available for widows and destitute to glean. While Moses spoke the words in Leviticus during the wanderings of the Israelites, God intended the nation of Israel to understand that the Promised Land was the property of God’s. God’s gift of the use of the Land was established by the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 15:7; 17:8; 24:7; Ex 6:4). The land granted to the various tribes was intended to remain under their stewardship; thus, genealogies were essential for maintaining their property rights. If a Hebrew sold his land, he was merely selling a lease and intended to eventually get the land back. Mosaic legislation established the process by which a male Hebrew can get the land back: 1) the male Hebrew can redeem the land and determine its cost according to the prescribed formula, 2) the nearest male relative (kinsman) could redeem the land or 3) the Hebrew could wait until the Year of Jubilee when the ownership rights are restored.
Redemption of Property
23 ‘The land shall not be sold permanently, for ythe land is Mine; for you are zstrangers and sojourners with Me. 24 And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land. 25 a‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if bhis redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold. 26 Or if the man has no one to redeem it, but he himself becomes able to redeem it, 27 then clet him count the years since its sale, and restore the remainder to the man to whom he sold it, that he may return to his possession. 28 But if he is not able to have it restored to himself, then what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee; dand in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his possession.
Levirate Marriage
Deuteronomy 25:5-10~ 5 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. 7 However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” 9 his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” 10 That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.
The Law of Levirate (Latin for "brother-in-law") Marriage (Deut 25:5-10) Under certain circumstances, a brother-in-law marriage to a widowed or divorced sister-in-law is allowed. The fulfillment of this law was initiated by the widowed sister-in-law and intended to provide a male heir for the deceased’s family property and care for the mother in her old age.
How did Ruth make her marriage proposal? Study Ruth 3:1-18.4
Instructed by her mother-in-law, Ruth meets with Boaz privately as he is sleeping and guarding his grain at the threshing floor. She comes upon him secretly (to protect Boaz’s reputation if he declines to fulfill the Law of Levirate) and uncovers his feet which was an act of submission.
Ruth asks Boaz to fulfill the Law of Levirate, "I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative." With figurative speech, Ruth asked Boaz for protection and security in the similar manner that Boaz wished God would protect Ruth (Ruth 2:12).
Hebrews understood the hem of a garment to be an extension of a wearer’s person and status. The hem, at one time, represented the person’s identity and its impression into a clay tablet was as good as a signature on a contract and was legally binding. This perspective provides a better appreciation for the instances the Bible speaks of hem of clothing (1 Sam 24:11; Matt 9:20-22; 23:5)
There were two objects that required redeeming: 1) Naomi’s land (Law of Redemption of Land) and 2) taking Naomi’s daughter-in-law Ruth as a wife (Law of Levirate). Why was Boaz considered the kinsman redeemer? What was the monetary price paid by Boaz? Read Ruth 4:1-12.
The noun form of the verb "gā’al" (redeem) is "gō’ěl" (redeemer). The "gō’ěl" (kinsman redeemer) must meet four conditions to fulfill his obligations:
1. He must be a blood relative. Boaz was related to Naomi’s deceased husband Elimelech.
2. He must be capable of redeeming. In this case, Boaz must have the financial means to redeem the land and must be able to marry Ruth.
3. He had to be willing. Boaz was very glad that Ruth asked him to be the kinsman redeemer "gō’ěl".
4. He must complete the transaction and process. Boaz redeemed the land, married Ruth and provided an heir.
There was another kinsman who was closer than Boaz; however, while the nearer kinsman was capable of redeeming the land, he was not willing to marry Ruth. In front of the community’s elders, the nearer kinsman forfeited his right to fulfill his obligations.
It is important to note that this story does not mention the monetary cost or price of redemption. It is all about the redemption of Naomi and Ruth from the bondage of widowhood and poverty.
Occurring during the period of Judges, the Book of Ruth is significant within the context of its neighboring books Judges and 1 Samuel. What do you observe of its significance?
The book of Judges depicts the nation of Israel as having several cyclical periods of spiritual decline with occasional revival. At its end, the nation is corrupt and is in moral and social anarchy. "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). Sounds like today doesn't it???
In stark contrast, the book of Ruth was the highest example of responsible living: faithful obedience to God and gracious acts towards others. In establishing that Ruth was the great grandmother of David, the book of Ruth serves as a prologue into 1 Samuel by affirming King David’s rights to the throne of Israel.
The story of Ruth is seen as an OT illustration of Yeshua HaMashiach's work of atonement. However a distinction should be made; the story of Ruth illustrates a subjective aspect of atonement, because it is directed towards Believers and how they are redeemed or freed from slavery.
The Moabite Ruth is seen as the mirror reflection (NT) Gentile. The nearer kinsman is seen as the Mosaic Law, because the Law could not redeem the penalty for the sins of human beings. And Boaz is seen as Yeshua the kinsman redeemer "gō’ěl" who frees sinners from the bondage of sin.
1. Because He was born a human being, Yeshau was a blood relative.
2. Because of His sinless state, Yeshua was capable of purchasing and redeeming the penalty for the sins of man.
3. Because of His obedience, Yeshua came willing to be the "gō’ěl".
4. Because of His crucifixion, Yeshua completed the atonement and provided the means for the salvation of Believers.
Listen up people, the Bible is a HEBREW book telling a st ory of the HEBREW people!! YESHUA was and is a HEBREW Lord! I was raised in a Christian family. My maternal grandmother Jewish believer and grandfather a pastor. If the Bible is to be understood in our days we must develop "HEBREW EYES" and "HEBREW attitudes toward life.
Rabbi Stuart Rosenberg said, "The stronger a man's Christian faith, the more Jewish he will regard himself." Believe it or not the Bible is not composed of two different covenants but one. Let's examine Matthew 26; 28
כי זה הוא דמי דם הברית החדשה הנשפך בעד רבים לסליחת חטאים
τοῦτο γὰρ ἐστιν τὸ αἷμα μου τῆς διαθήκης τὸ περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχυννόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν.
This is the blood of me, of the covenant, that for many is poured out, for forgiveness of sins.
New covenant means "fresh" Yes it is better, but it is not different. The first covenant was given to Moses and written on stone.
The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and there I will give to you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them. Exodus 24:12
The NT was a new covenant a fresh covenant written on our hearts because of Yeshua. IT WAS NOT DIFFERENT BUT DEFINITELY BETTER.
Hebrews 10:16
μιᾷ γὰρ προσφορᾷ τετελείωκεν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς τοὺς ἁγιαζομένους
Thisº is theº Couenantº thatº I wil makeºº withº themº afterº thoseº dayes,º saithºº the Lord:º I will putºº myº Lawesº intoº theirº hearts,º andº inº theirº mindesº will I writeºº them:º
This is a promise to the Jews in last days/ end times.
Listen up people..... One of the most debated and confusing concepts in Christianity centers around the issue of G-d's grace and His precepts what we call "the law" At first glance, even Scripture seems to have a hard time wrestling with this issue. For instance, the apostle Paul made the law seem pretty grim:
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. Romans 3:19-22
According to Paul our righteousness is apart from the law. Then only a few verses later verse 31:
Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! On the contrary we establish the law.
Thus, we are righteous apart from the law, but we are also to "establish the law" Paul was asking a question " Is the law now obsolete because we are saved by grace?" Rhetorically, he answered his own question: "Certainly not!! On the contrary......"
Later in Romans, Paul discussed how we are to deal with temptation and whether we are to answer to the law:
Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey in your lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourself to G-d as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to G-d. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Certainly not!!!
Romans 6:12-15
Once again Paul answered his own question. First he urged readers not to let sin rule over their bodies but to present themselves as instruments of righteousness. He went on to say that sin has no power over us as believers for we are "not under the law but under grace". Then Paul addressed "the elephant in the room" by asking a crucial question: "Is sin permissible since we are "not under the law but under grace?" After all, if we are saved by grace and not by works, doesn't that grace give us the liberty to live without boundaries- without obligation to G-d and His law??????
"CERTAINLY NOT!!' Paul concluded.
This may seem like going around in circles to you (especially some of my friends here). IF anything has made clear, it is that we are under grace BUT we still must deal with G-d's law!!! Let us therefore , begin to get a handle on a healthy relationship between grace and the law. IT IS ONE WHOLE BOOK!
G-d sent forth His Son born of a woman born under the Law to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the ADOPTION as sons. Galatians 4;4-5
Paul said YESHUA was to redeem those who were - there is is again- "under the law". Why? He redeemed them so they might be grafted in as sons of G-d.
Paul says in Romans
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Romans 7:12
On one hand we are saved by grace, and we are not under the curse of the law, on the other had the law is "holy and just and good." Was Paul Schizophrenic? Not at all!!
Paul was the only one in the Bible to us the term "under the law". He was also the only one to refer to the law as a curse. These statements are IDIOMS. Does anyone remember their grammar and know what Idioms are?
An Idiom doesn't usually mean exactly what it says on the surface. A couple of examples of Idioms would be "He has a chip on his shoulder," or "That man kicked the bucket." These are expressions. In reality, there is no chip or bucket.
Obviously, not everyone who obeyed the commandments of G-d was "under the curse of the law" Jesus obeyed G-d's Law. Paul followed the law. Certainly they were not cursed. IN Hebrew, the word for law is Torah, meaning to teach denoting a pathway to learning. In this context, "the law" was not so much about rules and behavior but more about a mentoring relationship as children of G-d. IN Greek, the word for law is nomos. IN the Greek context, the law is more about legalism the dos and don'ts to achieve favor or disfavor.
There are no list of behaviors- nomos- by which we can overcome our own sins and make ourselves acceptable before a Holy G-d. We are saved only by faith in Yeshua HaMashiac. That said, it doesn't mean we can't be taught by G-d's law- Torah!! Now that I am forgiven, washed in His blood shed for me, grafted into His family, and made an heir to his covenant is it ok for me to steal???? Can I begin to worship and Idol? Paul's answer in effect , G-d Forbid !!!
Why then, did he refer to the law as "the curse"? The answer: It's not G-d's teachings that are cursed ; It is what man does with them!!! Get it? Let's look at it further.....
IT'S BEEN RIGHTLY SAID THAT God doesn't have any grandchildren in heaven, only children: He is not your "heavenly grandfather" but your heavenly Father (אֲבִיכֶם בַּשָּׁמַיִם). And just as a good father disciplines his children for their own good, so does your Father in heaven (Prov. 3:11, Heb. 12:5-7). The discipline of God leads you to do teshuvah for your ultimate good (Rom. 2:4). As C.S. Lewis once remarked, God doesn't love you because you are good, but He will make you good because He loves you.
The Hebrew word derekh (דֶּרֶךְ), often translated as "way," metaphorically refers to the journey, manner, or course of your life. Because God is tov v'yashar (good and upright), he teaches his children to be yesharim (יְשָׁרִים), i.e., those who walk uprightly. Indeed, the way of the LORD (דֶּרֶךְ יהוה) is "to do acts of charity and justice" (לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט) (Gen. 18:19). This is the "straight way" (derekh ha-yashar), or the "narrow path" that leads to life (Matt. 7:14). The yesharim are known by the good fruit of their lives (Matt. 7:15-23). Narrow is the path... many will not find it.
Note that the verb used in this verse (יוֹרֶה) comes from the root yarah (ירה) -- the same root used in the word Torah (תּוֹרָה). Because the LORD is good and upright, He gives us Torah for our lives. God educates us for eternity by imparting to us moral and spiritual truth. As King David taught, "Happy is the man who delights in the Torah of the LORD and meditates upon it day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2).
Yeshua is called derekh ha-chayim (דֶּרֶךְ הַחַיִּים), the way of life (John 14:6). He is the Wonder of the Torah, its living expression and goal. With the psalmist, therefore, we earnestly pray: גַּל־עֵינַי וְאַבִּיטָה נִפְלָאוֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶךָ / gal einai v'abitah nifla'ot mi-Toratekha: "Uncover my eyes and I will behold wonders from your Torah" (Psalm 119:18).
Through history unification of believers has been difficult to maintain. Unification of believers has been difficult to maintain because of the enmity that exists between Torah observant believers and believers who believe that grace has replaced the Torah. During the time of the apostles this enmity did not exist!! Did you hear me? During the time of the apostles this enmity did not exist!!!! First century believers believed that Torah observance was compatible with grace. As a result, first century believers were unified in one belief. When the early messianic community grew to a larger number of non-Jews than Jews the division between Torah observant believers and non-Torah observant believers also grew. Pagan influences began infiltrating congregations and diminishing the value of the Torah. What had started as unity between Torah observance and grace became disunited. In 321 CE, Constantine realized that a religion that is disunited does not function effectively. Therefore, Constantine decided to unify Christianity under his authority. Constantine did not return to the teachings of the apostles. Instead, Constantine decided to create a new religion that did not appear to have any link to the Torah In 325 CE Constantine's next action was to assemble The Nicaean Council. The Nicaean Council's mission was to formulated standard practices for Christians. It was never meant to be this way. The Torah is an extension of HaShem's grace because it demonstrates HaShem's love for humanity. The deliverance from Egypt is an extension of His grace. Because deliverance from Egypt is an extension of grace HaShem expects His people to be grateful. The best way to show this gratitude is through obedience. Devarim 7:9-11 states, "The LORD did not set his love on you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations". Yeshua also expects His followers to demonstrate their love for Him through obedience. John 14:21 states "He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
It is evident that Torah and grace belong together, it is all a part of 1 story (not two separate books) 1 book reflecting the other. It is one woven tapestry. The Torah was never done away with. He just knew we could not follow it because of our sinful nature. So He gave us grace through the cross.
I am updating this article I wrote a while back because there are a few things I want to make clearer. And it is is important we understand
We are going to look at words and how they are defined. What does the Hebrew verb "gā’al" (English "redeem") mean? The Hebrew verb "gā’al" has a central meaning in "to regain possession of by payment" or "buy back something that was lost." In the Old Testament, the verb "gā’al" has been translated as "to redeem", "ransom", and "do the part of a kinsman". It also has another meaning. The Hebrew verb "gā’al" can also mean "to avenge bloodshed" or "to require blood", and has been translated as "avenge" or "revenge".Numbers 35:19~ The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. According to Clarke's commentary~ The revenger of blood - גאל הדם goel haddam, the redeemer of blood; the next in blood to him who was slain. See on Numbers 35:12.
Now lets study Ruth 1:1-22. What is the background to Naomi
Naomi was married to Elimelech who left Bethlehem during the famine and resettled in Moab, which was about 50 miles east. However, he died and his two sons married Moabite women. After ten years, the sons died, leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law destitute and without hope and an heir. When Naomi hears that the famine has ended in Bethlehem, she sets for a return to her homeland. She urges her two daughters-in-law to stay in Moab, and asks God to bless them with new husbands and peace. While Orpah reluctantly stays in Moab, Ruth chose to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem despite the unlikelihood of finding a new husband or ever having children.
Naomi Returns with Ruth
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread. 7 Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.”
So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”
11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons, 13 would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
Who is Ruth and what makes her distinctive to the Jewish community in Bethlehem? In leaving Moab, Ruth turned her back on her own people and their idolatry and chose to make the Jews and their God as her own; she was a Gentile who became a Believer. While in Bethlehem, Ruth, who must have known how Moabites were treated, knew that she was there by grace. Against this background, Ruth’s humble loving care and kindness towards her mother-in-law was notable and probably unusual for this period of Judges.
Ruth 2:22~ So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
The narrative touches upon three Jewish laws that originated from the Mosaic Law: The Law of Sowing and Reaping (Lev 23:22; Deut 24:19-22), Redemption of Land (Lev 25:23-28), and Levirate Marriage (Deut 25:5-10). What are these laws?
Let's look at some of those verses...
Leviticus 23:22~ "'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.'"
Deuteronomy 24:19-22~ 19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.
20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
22 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
The Law of Sowing and Reaping (Lev 23:22; Deut 24:19-22)
As a reminder of their former status as a slave in Egypt, Mosaic legislation required that landowners reap their land with only one pass. What remained was to be made available for widows and destitute to glean. While Moses spoke the words in Leviticus during the wanderings of the Israelites, God intended the nation of Israel to understand that the Promised Land was the property of God’s. God’s gift of the use of the Land was established by the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 15:7; 17:8; 24:7; Ex 6:4). The land granted to the various tribes was intended to remain under their stewardship; thus, genealogies were essential for maintaining their property rights. If a Hebrew sold his land, he was merely selling a lease and intended to eventually get the land back. Mosaic legislation established the process by which a male Hebrew can get the land back: 1) the male Hebrew can redeem the land and determine its cost according to the prescribed formula, 2) the nearest male relative (kinsman) could redeem the land or 3) the Hebrew could wait until the Year of Jubilee when the ownership rights are restored.
Redemption of Property
23 ‘The land shall not be sold permanently, for ythe land is Mine; for you are zstrangers and sojourners with Me. 24 And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land. 25 a‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if bhis redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold. 26 Or if the man has no one to redeem it, but he himself becomes able to redeem it, 27 then clet him count the years since its sale, and restore the remainder to the man to whom he sold it, that he may return to his possession. 28 But if he is not able to have it restored to himself, then what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee; dand in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his possession.
Levirate Marriage
Deuteronomy 25:5-10~ 5 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. 7 However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” 9 his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” 10 That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.
The Law of Levirate (Latin for "brother-in-law") Marriage (Deut 25:5-10) Under certain circumstances, a brother-in-law marriage to a widowed or divorced sister-in-law is allowed. The fulfillment of this law was initiated by the widowed sister-in-law and intended to provide a male heir for the deceased’s family property and care for the mother in her old age.
How did Ruth make her marriage proposal? Study Ruth 3:1-18.4
Instructed by her mother-in-law, Ruth meets with Boaz privately as he is sleeping and guarding his grain at the threshing floor. She comes upon him secretly (to protect Boaz’s reputation if he declines to fulfill the Law of Levirate) and uncovers his feet which was an act of submission.
Ruth asks Boaz to fulfill the Law of Levirate, "I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative." With figurative speech, Ruth asked Boaz for protection and security in the similar manner that Boaz wished God would protect Ruth (Ruth 2:12).
Hebrews understood the hem of a garment to be an extension of a wearer’s person and status. The hem, at one time, represented the person’s identity and its impression into a clay tablet was as good as a signature on a contract and was legally binding. This perspective provides a better appreciation for the instances the Bible speaks of hem of clothing (1 Sam 24:11; Matt 9:20-22; 23:5)
There were two objects that required redeeming: 1) Naomi’s land (Law of Redemption of Land) and 2) taking Naomi’s daughter-in-law Ruth as a wife (Law of Levirate). Why was Boaz considered the kinsman redeemer? What was the monetary price paid by Boaz? Read Ruth 4:1-12.
The noun form of the verb "gā’al" (redeem) is "gō’ěl" (redeemer). The "gō’ěl" (kinsman redeemer) must meet four conditions to fulfill his obligations:
1. He must be a blood relative. Boaz was related to Naomi’s deceased husband Elimelech.
2. He must be capable of redeeming. In this case, Boaz must have the financial means to redeem the land and must be able to marry Ruth.
3. He had to be willing. Boaz was very glad that Ruth asked him to be the kinsman redeemer "gō’ěl".
4. He must complete the transaction and process. Boaz redeemed the land, married Ruth and provided an heir.
There was another kinsman who was closer than Boaz; however, while the nearer kinsman was capable of redeeming the land, he was not willing to marry Ruth. In front of the community’s elders, the nearer kinsman forfeited his right to fulfill his obligations.
It is important to note that this story does not mention the monetary cost or price of redemption. It is all about the redemption of Naomi and Ruth from the bondage of widowhood and poverty.
Occurring during the period of Judges, the Book of Ruth is significant within the context of its neighboring books Judges and 1 Samuel. What do you observe of its significance?
The book of Judges depicts the nation of Israel as having several cyclical periods of spiritual decline with occasional revival. At its end, the nation is corrupt and is in moral and social anarchy. "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). Sounds like today doesn't it???
In stark contrast, the book of Ruth was the highest example of responsible living: faithful obedience to God and gracious acts towards others. In establishing that Ruth was the great grandmother of David, the book of Ruth serves as a prologue into 1 Samuel by affirming King David’s rights to the throne of Israel.
The story of Ruth is seen as an OT illustration of Yeshua HaMashiach's work of atonement. However a distinction should be made; the story of Ruth illustrates a subjective aspect of atonement, because it is directed towards Believers and how they are redeemed or freed from slavery.
The Moabite Ruth is seen as the mirror reflection (NT) Gentile. The nearer kinsman is seen as the Mosaic Law, because the Law could not redeem the penalty for the sins of human beings. And Boaz is seen as Yeshua the kinsman redeemer "gō’ěl" who frees sinners from the bondage of sin.
1. Because He was born a human being, Yeshau was a blood relative.
2. Because of His sinless state, Yeshua was capable of purchasing and redeeming the penalty for the sins of man.
3. Because of His obedience, Yeshua came willing to be the "gō’ěl".
4. Because of His crucifixion, Yeshua completed the atonement and provided the means for the salvation of Believers.
Listen up people, the Bible is a HEBREW book telling a st ory of the HEBREW people!! YESHUA was and is a HEBREW Lord! I was raised in a Christian family. My maternal grandmother Jewish believer and grandfather a pastor. If the Bible is to be understood in our days we must develop "HEBREW EYES" and "HEBREW attitudes toward life.
Rabbi Stuart Rosenberg said, "The stronger a man's Christian faith, the more Jewish he will regard himself." Believe it or not the Bible is not composed of two different covenants but one. Let's examine Matthew 26; 28
כי זה הוא דמי דם הברית החדשה הנשפך בעד רבים לסליחת חטאים
τοῦτο γὰρ ἐστιν τὸ αἷμα μου τῆς διαθήκης τὸ περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχυννόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν.
This is the blood of me, of the covenant, that for many is poured out, for forgiveness of sins.
New covenant means "fresh" Yes it is better, but it is not different. The first covenant was given to Moses and written on stone.
The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and there I will give to you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them. Exodus 24:12
The NT was a new covenant a fresh covenant written on our hearts because of Yeshua. IT WAS NOT DIFFERENT BUT DEFINITELY BETTER.
Hebrews 10:16
μιᾷ γὰρ προσφορᾷ τετελείωκεν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς τοὺς ἁγιαζομένους
Thisº is theº Couenantº thatº I wil makeºº withº themº afterº thoseº dayes,º saithºº the Lord:º I will putºº myº Lawesº intoº theirº hearts,º andº inº theirº mindesº will I writeºº them:º
This is a promise to the Jews in last days/ end times.
Listen up people..... One of the most debated and confusing concepts in Christianity centers around the issue of G-d's grace and His precepts what we call "the law" At first glance, even Scripture seems to have a hard time wrestling with this issue. For instance, the apostle Paul made the law seem pretty grim:
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. Romans 3:19-22
According to Paul our righteousness is apart from the law. Then only a few verses later verse 31:
Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! On the contrary we establish the law.
Thus, we are righteous apart from the law, but we are also to "establish the law" Paul was asking a question " Is the law now obsolete because we are saved by grace?" Rhetorically, he answered his own question: "Certainly not!! On the contrary......"
Later in Romans, Paul discussed how we are to deal with temptation and whether we are to answer to the law:
Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey in your lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourself to G-d as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to G-d. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Certainly not!!!
Romans 6:12-15
Once again Paul answered his own question. First he urged readers not to let sin rule over their bodies but to present themselves as instruments of righteousness. He went on to say that sin has no power over us as believers for we are "not under the law but under grace". Then Paul addressed "the elephant in the room" by asking a crucial question: "Is sin permissible since we are "not under the law but under grace?" After all, if we are saved by grace and not by works, doesn't that grace give us the liberty to live without boundaries- without obligation to G-d and His law??????
"CERTAINLY NOT!!' Paul concluded.
This may seem like going around in circles to you (especially some of my friends here). IF anything has made clear, it is that we are under grace BUT we still must deal with G-d's law!!! Let us therefore , begin to get a handle on a healthy relationship between grace and the law. IT IS ONE WHOLE BOOK!
G-d sent forth His Son born of a woman born under the Law to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the ADOPTION as sons. Galatians 4;4-5
Paul said YESHUA was to redeem those who were - there is is again- "under the law". Why? He redeemed them so they might be grafted in as sons of G-d.
Paul says in Romans
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Romans 7:12
On one hand we are saved by grace, and we are not under the curse of the law, on the other had the law is "holy and just and good." Was Paul Schizophrenic? Not at all!!
Paul was the only one in the Bible to us the term "under the law". He was also the only one to refer to the law as a curse. These statements are IDIOMS. Does anyone remember their grammar and know what Idioms are?
An Idiom doesn't usually mean exactly what it says on the surface. A couple of examples of Idioms would be "He has a chip on his shoulder," or "That man kicked the bucket." These are expressions. In reality, there is no chip or bucket.
Obviously, not everyone who obeyed the commandments of G-d was "under the curse of the law" Jesus obeyed G-d's Law. Paul followed the law. Certainly they were not cursed. IN Hebrew, the word for law is Torah, meaning to teach denoting a pathway to learning. In this context, "the law" was not so much about rules and behavior but more about a mentoring relationship as children of G-d. IN Greek, the word for law is nomos. IN the Greek context, the law is more about legalism the dos and don'ts to achieve favor or disfavor.
There are no list of behaviors- nomos- by which we can overcome our own sins and make ourselves acceptable before a Holy G-d. We are saved only by faith in Yeshua HaMashiac. That said, it doesn't mean we can't be taught by G-d's law- Torah!! Now that I am forgiven, washed in His blood shed for me, grafted into His family, and made an heir to his covenant is it ok for me to steal???? Can I begin to worship and Idol? Paul's answer in effect , G-d Forbid !!!
Why then, did he refer to the law as "the curse"? The answer: It's not G-d's teachings that are cursed ; It is what man does with them!!! Get it? Let's look at it further.....
IT'S BEEN RIGHTLY SAID THAT God doesn't have any grandchildren in heaven, only children: He is not your "heavenly grandfather" but your heavenly Father (אֲבִיכֶם בַּשָּׁמַיִם). And just as a good father disciplines his children for their own good, so does your Father in heaven (Prov. 3:11, Heb. 12:5-7). The discipline of God leads you to do teshuvah for your ultimate good (Rom. 2:4). As C.S. Lewis once remarked, God doesn't love you because you are good, but He will make you good because He loves you.
The Hebrew word derekh (דֶּרֶךְ), often translated as "way," metaphorically refers to the journey, manner, or course of your life. Because God is tov v'yashar (good and upright), he teaches his children to be yesharim (יְשָׁרִים), i.e., those who walk uprightly. Indeed, the way of the LORD (דֶּרֶךְ יהוה) is "to do acts of charity and justice" (לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט) (Gen. 18:19). This is the "straight way" (derekh ha-yashar), or the "narrow path" that leads to life (Matt. 7:14). The yesharim are known by the good fruit of their lives (Matt. 7:15-23). Narrow is the path... many will not find it.
Note that the verb used in this verse (יוֹרֶה) comes from the root yarah (ירה) -- the same root used in the word Torah (תּוֹרָה). Because the LORD is good and upright, He gives us Torah for our lives. God educates us for eternity by imparting to us moral and spiritual truth. As King David taught, "Happy is the man who delights in the Torah of the LORD and meditates upon it day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2).
Yeshua is called derekh ha-chayim (דֶּרֶךְ הַחַיִּים), the way of life (John 14:6). He is the Wonder of the Torah, its living expression and goal. With the psalmist, therefore, we earnestly pray: גַּל־עֵינַי וְאַבִּיטָה נִפְלָאוֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶךָ / gal einai v'abitah nifla'ot mi-Toratekha: "Uncover my eyes and I will behold wonders from your Torah" (Psalm 119:18).
Through history unification of believers has been difficult to maintain. Unification of believers has been difficult to maintain because of the enmity that exists between Torah observant believers and believers who believe that grace has replaced the Torah. During the time of the apostles this enmity did not exist!! Did you hear me? During the time of the apostles this enmity did not exist!!!! First century believers believed that Torah observance was compatible with grace. As a result, first century believers were unified in one belief. When the early messianic community grew to a larger number of non-Jews than Jews the division between Torah observant believers and non-Torah observant believers also grew. Pagan influences began infiltrating congregations and diminishing the value of the Torah. What had started as unity between Torah observance and grace became disunited. In 321 CE, Constantine realized that a religion that is disunited does not function effectively. Therefore, Constantine decided to unify Christianity under his authority. Constantine did not return to the teachings of the apostles. Instead, Constantine decided to create a new religion that did not appear to have any link to the Torah In 325 CE Constantine's next action was to assemble The Nicaean Council. The Nicaean Council's mission was to formulated standard practices for Christians. It was never meant to be this way. The Torah is an extension of HaShem's grace because it demonstrates HaShem's love for humanity. The deliverance from Egypt is an extension of His grace. Because deliverance from Egypt is an extension of grace HaShem expects His people to be grateful. The best way to show this gratitude is through obedience. Devarim 7:9-11 states, "The LORD did not set his love on you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations". Yeshua also expects His followers to demonstrate their love for Him through obedience. John 14:21 states "He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
It is evident that Torah and grace belong together, it is all a part of 1 story (not two separate books) 1 book reflecting the other. It is one woven tapestry. The Torah was never done away with. He just knew we could not follow it because of our sinful nature. So He gave us grace through the cross.
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