Covenant 11/22/2020

Watch the news or simply talk to your neighbors. Everybody's coming up with clever little jokes about why they're looking forward to 2020 being over. How many of you would vote Yes To those suggestions. I'm if you really believe that flipping the calendar will change anything. But it has been a year where we have been dismayed by the things that are happening all around us there always the things which come our way with your challenge just borrows. Things that just don't go right according to our plan for our lives, but this year it has been concentrated. Another one of the big difference is when we ordinarily turn to one another for support one another are 8 feet away. When we need a hug and comfort we got an elbow bump. but what happens when we go through times of disaster that we have seen in our lives and our community Across the Nation and in fact around the world when does pandemic What happens inside our thoughts when we start to ask the question? Why?

I don't know about you, but I think it's pretty common that when I start to ask the question why I start to answer my own question or guess. What did I do wrong? How did I bring this on? I have clients within my counsel. There goes a difficult times and they want me to tell them is God punishing me. And I tell them if God is punishing you he will let you know when it's 4. But still we ask those questions. Where do they come from? Enemy of our soul always wants to destroy us. He always wants to defeat her faith. I'm convinced us that what we believe is a little value. And that all that happens in our lives is because God has abandoned us. It happens to us and sinful people the remember happened to our Saviour on the cross as well. when at the Pinnacle of his suffering cries out and says bother why have you forsaken me? And so with those cheerful words of mine. I want to turn your attention. Back to one of the verses of the song that we just sang because it gives us the right response with enemy as Whispering defeat to our hearts when Satan tempts me to Despair and tells me of the guilt within upward. I look and see him there who made an end to all my sin. Today is we continue. In our look at the Book of Judges we go to a different book, which is in the same time. And we get to see the life of two amazing women. Call The Book of Ruth. It takes place during the time of the judges. But I'm going to focus not so much on Ruth, but I'm Naomi could very easily be called The Book of Naomi because it is a story of how she responded to that same voice within her questioning the goodness of God. The subtitle of the sermon for the type of the sermon is the power of perseverance. Subtitle could easily have been so you think you've got it tough.

Naomi her Story begins in Bethlehem He was married. To Bethlehem Bethlehem, Mike afrodyte we are synonymous.

Who was apparently from a very Godly background because when his parents named him they named him Eli Miller. And as you are familiar because you're all conversion in Hebrew Eli. Meleka means my God is King. She married a man of Faith or at least one family of faith and she lived in what in America we would call the breadbasket of the nation. Because Bethlehem literally means the House of Bread known for its ample grains. It was the part with smallest of the tribes and yet it fed a nation. It was a good place to live. It was a place with neighbors who cared. A place where the god of Israel was worship.

What are problems begin Even before we are aware of it unless we look back and look at the original language. I tease you about being interested in Greek and Hebrew, but sometimes they tell us a story that is not evidence in her English translation. in this case Eli Malik, and they owe me at 2 Sons. But apparently each of them at Birth showed signs of not thriving. signs of some difficulties that would lay ahead

one was named Macklin. Which means sickly?

Maybe have you know what? It's like to have a child who's in distress premature birth birth problems. Just a failure to thrive.

And so they took on that special assignment from God to take care of a little boy who was not developing and becoming strong. And then they had another son. And his name they gave him was Killian. And that means week. Literally when they would talk to their son's they would say sickly and weak.

I'm so glad we don't name people the way they did the ancient world, but it gives us an Insight that even when things were going well in the Bethlehem and these people of Faith. We're relying on God the little voice I started up. ORD why would you give us two sons? Who may not be able to live as strong adults who have greater needs than others? Why have you twice apparel Lakehurst us? But we're not told that but if we look at the whole of scripture, we find out exactly the New Testament that the thinking the ancient world was it if you have a child who is imperfect remember the man born blind in Jesus day who Jesus restored his sight all of the neighbors thought that the man was born blind because of his parents send or because God knew in advance of his sin Calamity. He was always because of our sin and what are they act like they're actually the voice of the enemy Whispers all of us and said you must have done something wrong there goes through this. turmoil Who have been rewarded for your face? by this distress

and so Naomi was dealing with the weakness of her two sons the special needs of our two sons. even so that's not the end of the story. Because somewhere in there later teenage years early adulthood. a famine Rock Bethlehem that would be at like us hearing the Kansas and Nebraska have no wheat crop none the breadbasket of Israel was empty it's difficult to make a living and so Eli may like the sided that he would follow in the footsteps of of Jacob and his sons I'm go to a country that had food and so they gathered the family and they went to Moab

I don't know how much you know about Moab. What is named after a man named Moab? Who was the incestuous product? a lot and his daughter

better fact the term Moab actually means

from the mother's father and if that is not disturbing enough the moabites became idolaters They worship a mosh. Who was the god of violence The God Who at times required human sacrifice? And so here they were. In self-imposed Exile in a foreign land where God is Not honored and where people worship an idol. My family little something of that because we spent most of the last year in Gainesville where they worship an alligator.

And we were challenged on so many fronts at that time.

What's they were there? I'm sure things looked a little bit cheerier. They had food to eat. and then

Eli melick died and so now Naomi has two sons who are not strong. Hello husband. Not as modern Americans, we don't stop to think about what that means. It means that her whole future had no security. There was no way to survive at home because of the famine. Wasn't sure she could survive without her husband and the next step and provision of those days was not a social security check. But the has sprung Sons. Who would take wives and have children and the family the younger part of the family would help support those in their later days of the aid. I'm not sure how hopeful. She was. But I'm sure she couldn't have helped it but be disappointed when her son who had been her son's both of whom have been living in this idolatrous land both married the love by women. Stop, you know anything about Hebrew tradition in Jewish law. You do not marry and idolator. Remember Abraham said all the way back to her and said his servant to get a wife for his son Isaac so that he would not be tempted to marry one of the idolatrous Canaanites and they're in their midst. you may remember that Jacob went all the way to his cousin Laban to find a wife while Esau married Canaanite women and disgrace the family

we know that evening New Testament the idea of someone from the Jewish background marrying someone a gentile background which is unspeakable and today even in Orthodox Judaism if one marries outside the faith that person could be considered dad to their family

You see things are stacking up. And what do you think little of voices thing to Naomi? I must have done something wrong. You must have really upset God. You lost your Homeland. You're an exile in a foreign country with a pagan God. You've lost your husband. And now your songs are there in lullaby planet.

Ready for some good news. Well, don't get to the edge of your Pew yet. Because we read through the narrow that we find that the next thing that happened. Was both of her sons died. He might have been anticipated that is a possibility because of their health. Here she was now. Oh husband no Sons. No, Hebrew relatives Insight who daughters-in-law. Who worship an idol? But what do you think the enemy was whispering in her ear at that point? The name if you match that story even in 2020. now But you can identify with some of that time of despair.

How did Naomi live what was the matter of her life? What all of this happened to her? Well, apparently she continued in her face because we learned later on that both Ruth and her other companion the other daughter-in-law orpah. both understood the phase of Israel They began to see something and they owe me that Drew them. Are you drawn to someone who is in despair? Well, if you are merciful and sympathetic, perhaps

I think what they were saying, was it Naomi every time she was hit with one of these debilitating obstacles in their life. Continue to walk in faith. Understand what I mean by that. It is an act of perseverance not an act of rejoicing.

sometimes in our modern world some of our fellow Christians will come to us in times of our deepest and darkest distress. I'm basically tell us that if we are people of faith, we will not grieve. We will not be upset. We will not question God. We will Delight in trusting him because all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.

With the year, we've had we're kind of tired of hearing that. Because it doesn't address what the person is actually going through. I don't think Naomi was that were jubilant. I don't think she was a Jewish charismatic who went around say we'll just praise the Lord anyway. Are welcome catastrophe it builds my faith. I think that she went through much of her life in Moab.

Wondering Why God had chosen this path for her. and questioning God questioning him and being unhappy with him later on. She will articulate that but right now let's at least Ruth is seeing is a woman who has been through incredible lost incredible Challenge and yet she is walking the path of her God. He does not give up on her face just because her heart is broken. She may ask God. What on Earth are you doing or what? I'm having are you doing? Why is this happening to me? I don't understand it. I don't like it. It's almost if I didn't know better, I would say you have made some mistakes. Naomi was a woman who was broken and beaten down by events. She took one step at a time day by day and continue to walk in her face. And finally, she got were the famine have ended in Bethlehem. He resolved to go back and that is itself with a challenge. Of the unknown to go back with no husband no sons and hope somehow. She could eke out an impoverished Life as a widow. with no immediate family and here's one of the indicators that her faith in God was still strong. end of her heart without her daughters-in-law non-believers followers of an idol

But she told them that they could in fact come with her and it's part of the journey back together because she felt an obligation to them a woman who had everything taken from her saving Lee still have an obligation to blast them. Have you ever been in one of those situations where you kind of mad at God you feel abandoned by God and yet you still want to serve him. You still want to reach out to those who are in need. You still want to be the voice of comfort and Truth.

Naomi apparently did and they went with her until they got to the very force of the Jordan ready to cross over and Israel and she paused. I just said to them this might not be a good thing for you. I'm inviting you to come back to my homeland because I love you. I want to help care for you. But you all need husbands. You all should go back to your mother's homes. And wait until you discover a husband who will care for you. I'm asking you to go where there are. No Prospect weather is nothing away than you so please Do what is best for your future? Orca listen to her and here again names have meaning in the Bible. The word for Papa actually refers to the nape of the neck and by usage. Relate to the back. Orpah followed her name she turned her back on the promise of a new nation and a new life. Don't Love by Naomi she went back to her people

and of course Naomi was asking Ruth to consider that too. If you ever been in that situation where you love somebody you love having them with you, but you also know that what is better for them is probably not with you probably somewhere else. Have you ever had to do that to say to somebody my heart would like to have you in my life forever? Because I love you. But I think what is better for you is to be found elsewhere. Ruth would not hear of it. And that's where we get for the one portion of the Book of Ruth that everybody knows about and it is recited and then recited historically at Women's Gatherings, especially because Ruth is such a hero of faith. When she says do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you for where you go. I will go and where you Lodge I will Lodge your people shall be my people your God I God. Where you die? I will die and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death Arts me from you.

That's a beautiful portion of scripture.

What it takes on all in Wonder be on that the Poetry of it when you consider that this was a woman who grew up serving an idol who demanded human sacrifice and Idol who existed for no other reason to get what you want for making sacrifices. Something had changed her heart someone answer heart. And the reason I'm pounding away at this concept is it you have to look below the surface events? Understand was taking place here. When you think of someone who is a hero of the faith, what do you picture?

Or who do you picture?

A lot of times we think of people who have been instrumental in leading multitude to Faith. And my generation Billy Graham. An earlier generation it was Spurgeon.

and other great orators It's something about their care of charismatic presentation of the Gospel stirred people's hearts and housing came to Faith. Other times we think of people who are lame and they're not in Ministry, but they always have a smile on their face. They are always rejoicing always joyous in their face.

Naomi with me either far as we can tell and we will tell in a moment. the demeanor of Naomi was 1 a personal defeat then word trust of a God that she did not understand but she trusted. Her perseverance came across to Ruth. The loss of her husband Naomi went forward with tears with lamentation. Went forward to trust in God and when her sons died same thing.

and now her love I spilled over the lives of these young women. And that was not wasted on a roof. Ruth has come to believe that this God who enables this woman of Sorrow to continue in faith has got to be the God above all other. He's got to be a real God. What happens when you worship and I'll I'm asking as though you do that in your spare time what happened with people worship an idol and they don't get what they want.

They given greater and greater sacrifices. They go through all sorts of outward ritual. Remember the contest on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal. They danced around they would cut themselves. They would do all sorts of ridiculous things to try to persuade their God to meet their needs. You think Naomi then if you think like that? What Naomi showed to her daughters-in-law? Was that sprink? That is not erased. by turmoil it is not weekend. eye pain

but she questioned God. Oh, yeah. Did she abandon him or no? Perseverance is the sort of faith that does not require reward. They cause that is wrapped up and Trust not in what God does but who he is. Andrew's it picked up on that both strongly that she did not want to leave the environment where that God is worshipped. He did not want to be apart from this woman of faith. You have a strength far beyond anything of her own. And so they journey to Bethlehem together.

What I told how many years she's been away. Lancher Bible scholars Bill degree because the scriptures on always tell us. But by the time she got back to Bethlehem. I went to see some of her friends. Some of the women in Bethlehem read it her. What were astonished? They looked at her at first like I couldn't quite recognize her. Is this Naomi? By the way, the name Naomi means Plaza any of you ladies would like to be another just as classes. It could be better than some a nickname your parents probably used on you. But it's not High Praise. Could this be Naomi who was once always smiling? very pleasant and here she is. Beaten down here. It's been through a period of your life where you feel like it aged several years and span of one. You know how many years this was taking place with her, but I picture her coming back older. Noticeably older bent Haggard we re

And she says to them. Don't call me Naomi. You should call me Mara. Amara Is the Hebrew word for which we get the name Mary? And my wife is not always happy about this when people remind her that the word marry or Mara means bitter. And she is not. But what Naomi is saying is don't call me Pleasant or I am embittered. It doesn't mean that Manny is saying I'm bitter against God. So I'm sure she had her moments, but she says my life has become better. There's nothing Pleasant about me. I bear the scars of pain and loss and sorrow

so, I'm no longer the woman you remember. He says I went away. He has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has testified against me and the almighty has brought Calamity upon me.

actress thing that in the same breath She credits God would bring her back. He credits god with having filled her to start with. And then turns right around and says that same Sovereign God the almighty El Shaddai in Hebrew. The god of power and strength the God who rules over all the universe. Does my wife tells me that he's testified against me in some way? I'm not sure why. Let me see that she also wrestles with both guilt. for every time we go through difficulties through which God there is for us the enemy terrorist than us. He's questioning. What have I done? Will jumping forward most of you know, the basic story of Ruth. If not, Only four chapters you can real easily. I think it's interesting though the things that you pick up when you have a rather than a while and where you read it from the perspective that Naomi was the one who influenced Ruth to accept the true Living God because. Ruth over the time she's having a gummy has come to understand not only the god of Israel, but the ways that is real. But she quickly learned when she got back to Bethlehem that there was indeed a male relative in their family. And he also Brew grain. that's about the time of The Barley Harvest when it was Ruth who said let me go and glean in his field. He is your closest male relative. Now there could be all sorts of reasons for that person. She might be welcomed as being as married as having married into the yummies family. It might have been that she figured as a Believer and a distant family member. He would protect her for gleaning was when you followed the Harvesters of the field and you picked up whatever they missed. The lawn Israel said as matter of fact that when you harvest don't Harvest outside edges of your field you've ever done a large garden Ford ever been on a farm, you know that the outside edges are the ones that are kind of running anyway. But the poor and Israel could go after the Harvest and pick up would have fallen to the ground pick up what had been skipped over on the edges and there's a roof who decided that be a good place to go and indeed she did. Probably know how the story unfolds. Boaz noticed her do you notice how careful she was not together the way of the Harvesters he noticed for demeanor. He didn't recognize her. But by the way, she apparently was attractive young woman. I told the end of the day he invited her to come and the rest to take on some Emile and he instructed all of his workers Lookout bless this woman come in any difficulty. You have charged to protect her make sure she gets enough. His heart went out to her. He began to feel protective of her and act of God, certainly. But eventually he got to know her. Here's the odd part to me. I said that several times are live on Parts aren't there. the odd part is that she was Anon his realized she was a gentile at best an idolater at worse than his site that she came from Moana the enemy of Israel. And yet he accepted her evil individual. He was protective of her and provided for her why on Earth was Boaz different than any of this tell Israelites.

Everyone has walk-ins if I live stranding is look at their computer to TV saying I know I know. oh, wow as what's the song of Salman Explains It All

His mother was Rahab. the Harlot from Jericho once a Canaanite idolatrous and a lady of the night we might say. And yet she did what was right in the eyes of the god of Israel. If he became a part of Israel, and she married Salman and together they produced Boaz. It's a bow as those are his own family history. But God can redeem the most irredeemable. God can pluck from the middle of idolatry those he has call those who he has elected into salvation. Have you everything thing and all of this is not only is he being kind to her and understand me perhaps because of his own background. But he also realizes that because of the relationship he is the kinsman redeemer. That's a whole sermon ozone. I'll give you the quick version. The kinsman-redeemer was the closest patriarch male relative. Who had to authorize the giving a marriage to a woman whose father or older brothers were no longer around and of course that was the case for Ruth the man of that family who passed away. Oh, wow, that's what the kinsman-redeemer. And you know all the intriguing. Ruth is advised by Naomi Kyle when you blame. Go and make yourself known to him and and be nice to him and get to know him. Well, actually it was a night of celebration for the Harvest. He didn't notice her. Even when he was full I think you said I have room for one more bite. That was a joke Pete one Homer laughing uproariously.

But because there was another day of work ahead of them. They arrested camped out of the threshing floor.

And a little the night she Drew close to him. He pulled back the Hem of His robe back. Then. The manhole was used like a blanket at night. Uncovered his feet and got close to him. Nothing inappropriate just a desire to be near him. He awoke and decided I want this woman as my wife. She had shown interest in him rather than all the other men. I thought you went to the town square. He declared his intention. She essentially proposed to him. What a hussy. They would say in the south. pictures of drawn to him perhaps because of his face And it's a story wraps up. He marries her. She has redeemed into the family of God the people who the family of Boaz. And the next day we hear they're having a child. I'm here somewhere. We find out that while God provides. It is not always fully restore. And some people don't have the common sense to understand that you can't replace people. You've lost it has somebody suggests that to you. many women I talk to who tell me that they lost a child through miscarriage or stillbirth or passed away very soon after birth and their friend to come to them and say, oh, don't worry. You can have another one.

It's like when your pet dies and they say oh, I have a puppy you can have anything. And this is one of the things I find so interesting. And so shallow even about her friends.

An old man was born the song of Boaz Ruth. The women brought the baby to Naomi plays the baby in her lap up against her breast. I said look isn't God good. This child will grow up to be strong. He will provide for you and your old age and here.

They say he shall be to you or restore of life and a nourisher of your old age or your daughter-in-law who loves you who is more to you than seven sons.

replacement some people don't think What is the excitement what they were saying is God has restored to you a family. And indeed Naomi with the lighted she took the child in her arms. She rejoiced she found peace. season 5 replacement So why am I giving you the re re version of The Book of Ruth? Because there are some of us. When we go through difficult times, first of all week asked why would God let this happen and he doesn't necessarily agree to answer. And if he did we probably would not understand. And we look at Ruth. all these centuries later

and we say but it all turned out just fine because guess what roof? was the mother of Obed Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David the king of Israel from whom Jesus Christ is a descendant. I mean look at that and we say praise God isn't that a wonderful ending? It is in the fashion, but Naomi lived her life. And perseverance in spite of the pain thumb pain is never go away. Would you agree with that? But God still sees us through and it is not in flashing Miracles or great oratory that we serve the Living God. This is perseverance in the face of Calamity that reached the heart of Ruth. Do wasps can reach the hearts of others how we handle that which could easily destroy us without the abiding strength of God.

Naomi is somewhat like a female Jobe. Everything should be taken from her and at the end we are even showed that he be restored to him. his wealth

they didn't restore his family.

We face the pain of broken toe broken world. Continue through the challenge of the we can't fully understand. Those About to see the strength of the faith to trust God not for what he does. But for who he is. Our witness is sometimes not through our joyous words. I threw the endurance and perseverance of a faith that is stronger than us and comes from outside of us. That's why the him we sang is a reminder in the last verse. But God is our strength. He is the owner of our faith. He is a spring heard of our hearts. He is the one who steals revise when we are mad at him. He still cares for us when we are disappointed in our lives and he is the one who looks upon the perseverance of our hearts. And that is why we signed together. My name is Graven on his hands. My name is written on his heart. I know that while in heaven he stands no tongue and bid me thence depart no tongue can bid me thence depart. Stop the tongue of man. The tongue of the enemy. Or we go forward in perseverance of our faith. Not because God gives us what we most desire because he gives us life and Hope. Amazon what we had to give thanks for in 2020. Don't we can turn our eyes away from the pain? Lupine still stand there before us a guy who provides a doctor Comforts guy who loves a guy who is not understanding what time? a God who can endure

are indifference that times and our anger our disappointment and still embraced us. Can give thanks for the God who loves us and saves us and thanks for the opportunity a part of a kingdom That Never Ends. And in the end it may perfect a new I'll praise honor and glory to God who overcomes it all. Then let's tan the same together now. Thank we all our God.