The powerful presence of God

While hardly a perfect comparison, those television commercials for air freshener describe the presence of God. People are blindfolded and put into a ‘stinky mess’ where the freshener has been used. They think they are in a garden, not near a pile of muck.

A better description might be that God is everywhere, even in places we associate with evil, but He is not defiled by the impurity around Him. Imagine the rays of the sun falling on a rotting corpse; that corpse cannot change nor can it spread its corruption to the sunbeam. The presence of God is like that.

Christians who struggle with temptation and sin need to remember His presence and that we have a special relationship with Almighty God. Although He is everywhere, He manifests his presence by his Spirit in an intense and special way for those who are alive in Christ Jesus. We who love Him and have been reborn by His Spirit are profoundly aware of God in us.

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16–17)

How is this practical? That seems a silly question. How is my life and behavior affected when I am with godly people? How do I respond to the presence of someone who is joyful, or kind, or noble, or any other grand quality of character? I am lifted up a notch, encouraged by a higher goodness.

Yet the presence of God in me is more than mere influence. It is the Spirit of Christ that changes the way I think, talk, and act. Apart from Him, I can do nothing. Jesus said,

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

One of my near relatives is a caregiver for her spouse. She told me that she is at the place in her spiritual life where she cannot do anything apart from prayer and the grace of God. This is not only about physical ability. She referred more to having grace and courage, right attitudes and spiritual strength to keep going, wisdom for choices. Her situation is not easy.

We commiserated. I feel that same sense of need. No matter what I tackle, I’m bombarded by temptation to quit doing or saying the right things, even thinking the right thoughts. Apart from the biblical assurance that God is with me, there are days where I wonder if I’m one-step from hell itself. This season of torment seems relentless and without end, having respite only when I’m with other Christians or involved in prayer and reading God’s Word.

One comfort is offered by reform theologian Arthur Pink, in his book called “Practical Christianity.” In talking about the need to guard our hearts, he says that such battles prove that a Christian’s heart is honest and upright. That is, unsaved hypocrites never struggle with and mourn over their heart’s condition or temptation to sin.

He also says God does not leave His people under these burdens without reason. He describes those who struggle with vain thoughts for years and are still plagued by them, yet God uses that to show His people what our hearts are like by nature, and how much we need His grace. He adds, “He would keep you humble, and not let you fall in love with yourself!”

Lastly, Pink says God will shortly put an end to these cares and heartaches. The time is coming when my heart shall be as I want it. I will be delivered from such struggles and never again lament about my hard, vain, earthly and unclean heart. God will purge all darkness from my understanding, all vanity from my affections, all guilt from my conscience, all perversity from my will.

When this happens, I will be always delighted and entertained by the supreme goodness and holy excellency of God. In that day, the shadows will flee away and I “shall be like Him, for (I) shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). 

Secularism

Secular describes the realm of worldly, temporal, unspiritual things, including the attitude toward life of an ungodly person. It was this attitude that ruined Esau. He had been hunting. When he came home, he was hungry and his brother was stirring a pot of stew. When he asked for some, Jacob offered to trade it for the “birthright” that belonged to the eldest son. Esau replied, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” (Genesis 25:32)

The Bible says Esau was more concerned about his stomach than his eternal well-being. The birthright was an important part of his heritage and had high spiritual values for God’s people, but this man didn’t care. He’d rather eat, and while being hungry is not a sin, putting food ahead of a sacred blessing gave Esau a historical designation; both Old and New Testaments record God as saying of him…

Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. (Malachi 1:2-3 and Romans 9:13)

The New Testament comments on Esau as an example of someone who falls short. Bitterness can do it, as can sexual immorality, but so can having a secular or godless mind.

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. (Hebrews 12:15–17)

Some Bibles translate “unholy” as “profane,” a description of people who judge things by coarse earthly standards, without spiritual understanding or insight. They are aware of every other desire, but have no inclination or desire toward God.

Esau had no self-control, but also no appreciation of spiritual values. To him, the birthright was a vague religious blessing, so when the choice came, it seemed a distant sentiment compared to the here and now advantage of a full stomach.

I could put down Esau, but I know how easily I can drift into that secular realm, to have my spiritual values sail off into the sunset while I busily become taken up with the things of this life. I can forget that all of life is sacred and give up on seeking to be godly in all that I do. As today’s devotional writer says, it is easy when “soul wars with sense” to “depreciate everything that is beyond sense” and let my moral standards sag. It is for good reason that the Scripture warns, “See that no one… is godless like Esau.”

Living below my privileges and spiritual opportunities is equivalent to despising my birthright. I am a child of God, reborn to an inheritance and a joint heir with Christ. I belong to the kingdom of heaven, but when I forget or ignore that, I am disinheriting myself as Esau did.

There are consequences. When secular temptation strikes a weak spot, my spiritual life becomes dim. God’s love and holiness, the reality of His kingdom and righteousness, and my life of faith, prayer and fellowship with Him become shadowy and far off.

Besides that, eating the stew is no profit either. Momentary gratification of even legitimate passions mean nothing when that moment is a trade-off for clarity of spiritual vision and a pure heart. What profit is easy self-indulgence if I trade it for peace, love, holiness and joy? Perhaps the worst is what happens after such a trade-off…

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:34)

Esau had his fill and carried on. He didn’t even notice that his life was impoverished. Only later, when he wanted the birthright did he finally realize it was no longer his — but it was too late to do anything to get it back. 

Will I ever grow up…?

One definition of maturity is measuring how far I have come from “I want what I want when I want it.” This definition can also describe a lack of self-control.

And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” …. Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:30–34)

Esau was so hungry that he thought he would “die” without something to eat. His birthright was a major part of Hebrew life, but at that moment, it did not seem as important as a full stomach. His appetite ruled his world and he was swept away by the desires of the moment, not too much different from a hungry animal.

Esau wasn’t all bad and Jacob wasn’t any better. He tricked his brother more than once to get what he wanted for himself. His selfishness and conniving schemes may not have been as base, but Jacob was just as immature by giving no thought to others and being bent on serving himself.

I could point fingers and condemn both of them. However, Esau’s lack of self-control is no uncommon battle. What about that chocolate cake? What about those shoes that I didn’t need? What about those hasty words that were not kept behind sealed lips? What about those thoughts that no one else can see but so easily go out of control?

Self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. While the natural man might have some of it, mere human self-control is a rationalization with self-betterment in mind, and still selfish. The self-control from God’s Spirit is about loving others more than me — and it comes with other qualities that prove it…

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:22–26)

The mature Christian loves others with that self-sacrificing love Christ demonstrated in His death on the cross. The mature Christian is joyful, at peace, patient even when not getting what is wanted. If I am filled with the Spirit and behaving in a mature way, I will be kind, good, faithful, and gentle. I will also have a measure of self-control that enables me to put to death my fleshy desires (too much cake, shoes and so on) and walk according to the Spirit of God.

These verses describe Esau’s lack, but also expose Jacob’s behavior. He thought he should have more than he did (conceit and envy) so he pushed Esau to get it (provoking him). Both of them were walking in the flesh, and seemed to know very little about keeping in step with the Spirit.

I have no sympathy for these feuding brothers, but I cannot look down on them as if I am better at walking with God myself. The people in the Bible are real people with sinful attitudes and problems because of their self-centeredness. So am I. This is why grace and mercy are so important. Without God’s grace and without the selfless love of Jesus Christ, where is our hope? Can anyone grow up and be mature?

As the author of today’s devotional says, true self-control means willingness to resign the small for the sake of the great, the present for the future, the material for the spiritual. This is possible only by faith, and a faith that looks beyond right now. God didn’t promise me a rose garden here, but later. Only in eternity will I never have to struggle with, “I want what I want when I want it.”

Esau didn’t consider that he was losing the great by grasping at the small. When he felt a genuine and even legitimate need, the birthright appeared insignificant and far off in the distance. He had no self-restraint to keep him from surrendering to present gratification. His impulsive passion had no use for a far-off reward, so temptation could easily allure his eye, whisper in his ear, pull on his arm and offer satisfaction right now, making his birthright a poor thing compared to the stew.

The insistent “I wants” of life tend to distort my vision too. Temptation produces an exaggeration of the present need and makes those small I-wants look like the most important thing, and my immaturity and lack of Holy Spirit power will discredit the value of what giving in to temptation will lose.

My Kinsman-Redeemer

In North America, our understanding of family responsibilities falls short of the Old Testament idea of a “kinsman redeemer” or a “goel.” By law, this person was responsible for at least three things that we do not practice, at least to the degree of legislating them to happen.

Forfeited Inheritance. If an Israelite sold part or all of his estate, any of his near relatives who were able to do it, were commanded to purchase it. Then when the trumpet announced the year of Jubilee, that estate reverted to its original owner.

And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year… the field shall return to him from whom it was bought, to whom the land belongs as a possession. (Leviticus 25:10, 27:24)

Forfeited Liberty. If an Israelite owed a debt or was in dire want, he might sell himself to a stranger or another Israelite. In the latter case, he was treated like a hired servant and freed in the year of Jubilee. If he became the slave of a foreigner, any of his kinsmen was permitted to pay the price of his redemption and set him free.

He shall treat him as a worker hired year by year. He shall not rule ruthlessly over him in your sight. And if he is not redeemed by these means, then he and his children with him shall be released in the year of jubilee. (Leviticus 25:53–54)

Forfeited Life. A “goel” could also avenge wrongs. In a complicated set of laws, family members could seek and destroy those who had killed their kin, yet to prevent feuds and wars, the guilty one could flee to a ‘city of refuge’ and be safe if the killing was accidental and not a murder. (Space here is limited to explain the justice in this strange arrangement.)

When the Hebrew woman Naomi returned home with her widowed daughter in law, the kinsman-redeemer law became part of her and Ruth’s story. First, Naomi said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?” (Ruth 3:1)

This signaled Naomi’s intention to find a near relative of her son who could marry Ruth and raise children in the name of her son. She sent Ruth to the gleaning fields of Boaz, the man who would be a “goel” for her, and gave her instructions. Eventually Ruth had this conversation with him…

He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” (Ruth 3:9)

Ruth is a fascinating story, but it isn’t the whole story. It points forward to the One who would be the Kinsman-Redeemer for the entire human race.

Years later on the day that Jesus rose from the dead, He walked on the road to Emmaus with two of His disciples. They were confused and grieving over His death and had not yet recognized Him. However, an important thing was happening…

Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)

The account in Luke does not tell us everything that He said, but it is not difficult to see how Jesus is our Kinsman-Redeemer. The word “goel” means “one who unlooses”—sets free whatever has been bound and restores it to its original position. Boaz was such a person for Ruth and even Naomi. Jesus Christ is such a person for sinners.

Those who are alienated from their original inheritance picture  or typify fallen humanity. Everything was ours, but by sin we forfeited all into the hands of our enemy. Through sin, us and all creation is subject to death and decay. Yet Jesus, the Word who became flesh, has redeemed and restored the inheritance we lost. By grace, all things are ours (if we are His) and when the trumpet announces that last Jubilee, even creation will be delivered from its “bondage to decay… into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:21).

When we became sold under sin and led captive by the will of an alien and adverse spirit, our freedom was gone also. In bondage to sin, we cannot escape or purchase our own redemption. Christ became our “goel” by giving Himself a ransom for us and redeeming us from slavery to sin with His own blood.

It is a little harder to see Jesus in the avenging function of the Hebrew “goel” yet He did come to destroy as well as to redeem. He pursued that great enemy of our souls and for him there was no city of refuge. Jesus avenged the world for all that has been suffered at the hands of evil and the evil one. As our Kinsmen-redeemer, He disarmed the powers of Satan.

Even though I cannot relate to this ancient custom, I can think of Jesus as my nearest kin, and understand these laws and conditions of redemption. I know that I could not do any of the work of a “goel” for myself, nor could anyone else. Only Jesus could do that, and this is why the Son of God became the Son of Man, that He might draw near and be all that sinners need.

Further, the loss of property or freedom or safety in the lives of ancient Israelites is nothing compared to the loss of righteousness because of sin, or the bitter bondage of my own selfishness. Nothing the ancient “goel” did can be compared to the redemption Christ made possible either. Like the friends of Naomi, I can also say, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left (us) this day without a redeemer, and may His name be renowned…!” (Ruth 4:14) 

“Come Unto Me…”

My current online course is a survey of the Old Testament. During one of the lectures, the professor said that God seems to have created us with a built-in desire to love and be loved, to experience romance. His goal is to woo us to Himself, creating a perfect relationship of love and intimacy through redemption. This requires that we put our faith in Him and accept His offer to provide all that we need.

With that, I’m noticing things in the OT that I never noticed before. For instance, today’s verse is about the love of Naomi for Ruth and this woman’s desire to take care of her daughter in law after her husband, Naomi’s son, had died.

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

The author of today’s devotional points out that the word for “rest” is important. An unmarried woman in those times was not secure. She was in danger of being mistreated and dishonored. However, a husband’s home was her “menuchah” or place of rest. She would be protected there from a life of servitude, neglect, and license.

This word also applied to the nation. When God handed the commandments to Moses, he relayed them to the people. In his charge to them, he said, “You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes, for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the Lord your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 12:8–9).

Because they were not yet in the land God promised them, a land of peace, safety, and rest, they needed to pay attention to God’s laws lest they suffer judgment and perish before crossing into that place of rest. Much later, Solomon was able to stand and bless the people of Israel. He said, “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant.” (1 Kings 8:55–56)

The Bible often affirms that God is the true rest or menuchah of humankind. The OT prophets predicting that when the Messiah came, the whole world could enter into a relationship with Him that offered true rest. Jesus gave the invitation:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28–29)

This is an offering of love from the Bridegroom to His bride meaning all those who believe in Him and have surrendered their lives to Him and His love. We strive and struggle, becoming caught up in the busy activities of life and complaining that we have no time or energy, forgetting or neglecting that God has given us a “menuchah.” Jesus is our Lover and our Beloved (typified by Naomi), our place of rest sent by God that our life may be well for us, that we might have an eternal inheritance and experience all that He has promised.

The remainder of Ruth’s story tells how she found love and security in that place of safety and rest, all because she trusted Naomi and accepted her offer.