Ruth...

RUTH
We can all learn from this woman of poise and devotion!

*Ruth was dedicated and devoted to things far more important than herself. In fact, she made it a priority to care for the need of others (Naomi & Boaz) more than her own desires. (1:16-18)

¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” ¹⁸ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

*Ruth was a pursuer of work, and fully embraced the field God had called her to work in. (2:3)

 ³ So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.

*Ruth was a servant (2:18)

¹⁸ She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.

*Ruth was hardworking (5-7, 17)

⁵ Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”

^{6 The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi.7} She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”

¹⁷ So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah.^[a

*Ruth was humble and grateful (2:6, 13)

¹⁰ At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

¹³ “May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”

*Ruth was confident & took refuge in the Lords strength. (2:12)

¹² May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

*Ruth was obedient (2:22-23, 5-6)

²² Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”
²³ So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

⁵ “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. ⁶ So she went down to the threshing floorand did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

*Ruth was patient and waited on Gods timing (3:10, 18)

“This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 

¹⁸ Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”

*Ruth worshipped the Lord and shared His greatness with others! (4:14,15)

¹⁴ The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to theLord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 

¹⁵ He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

* So many great things jump out from this short book, yet after reading it this past time I saw it in a new way. 
I am sure many of you can relate to being in different "fields of life", yet how often do we fully embrace the field we are in? I am so guilty of "working in my field that God has so evidently placed me in, yet I allow so many things to distract me and steal my attention. I love the advice Naomi gave to Ruth (2:22)

²² Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”

She was talking about staying in the actual field, yet how often do we allow distractions to take us to other places, people, or even circumstances that harm us when we could have been protected if we had only listened and trusted in the provision of the Lord! 

Like Ruth, I want to be focused on the task at hand, like Esther I want to be prepared for "such a time as this," Like Isaiah I desire to say those three words and mean this with all that is in me... Here I am! No matter the circumstance, whether you desire something that has not come, have something you do not want, or even fight being content with where you are now, remember this...

God, who is PERFECT in power, love, and timing is working and interceding on your behalf at this very moment. Continue to trust him and let His plans prevail. Like Ruth let's SET OUT in our fields and trust God to do what only HE can do! 

Seeking Refuge in Him, 

Hannah

Genesis 27

Genesis 27 (Isaac blesses Jacob)

v.1-4 Issac commands Esau (oldest) to go out in the fields and prepare a delicious meal so he (Isaac) can bless him.

v.5 Rebekah (who favors Jacob) overhears and has Jacob go out and do the same.
v.6-17 Together, Rebekah and Jacob scheme a plan in order to deceive Issac.

v.18 Jacob goes to his father, Isaac to receive the blessing where he deceives his father multiple times.

v. 25 Isaac eats the meal brought by Jacob, but believes it is Esau.

v.26-29 Isaac blesses Jacob.

v.30-Esau comes back from the field with everything his father had requested to find his father has already given the blessing to his younger brother Jacob.

v. 34-38
Esau pleaded and even wept before his father in hopes of receiving just one blessing.

v.41 Esau, after not receiving any blessings becomes enraged and plans to kill Jacob. (v.45)

v.42-45 Rebekah overhears and tells Jacob of Esau's plan and encouraged Jacob to flee from the land and sends him away.


*Both Isaac and Esau are disappointed, even agitated, yet God had already said years before...

"The older (Esau) will serve the younger (Jacob). -Genesis 25:23

Even after God had spoken this over the lives of both sons, Isaac favored Esau and wanted him to receive the blessing/inheritance. This makes Proverbs 19:21 come to life even more...

"Many are the plans in a man's heart but it is the Lords purpose that prevails."

*Though Rebekah and Jacob were also in sin, God used what they turned into a mess for his good.

Rejoicing that HE is in control and can turn any mess into a message for His glory!

-Hannah

Genesis 26

Genesis 26 (God's promise to Isaac)

V. 3-5 God acknowledges the promise he made to Abraham and because of Abraham's faithfulness, God extends his promise to Isaac.

*We see the importance of leading a Godly life, not only for our lives, but for the future generations to follow in and as a result, receive blessings.
V.6-10

⁶ So Isaac stayed in Gerar.

⁷ When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.”

⁸ When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. ⁹ So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?”

Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.”

¹⁰ Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”

*We also see the similarities between both Abraham & Isaac; yet once again God showed favor...

¹¹ So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

v.12-16 Isaac's wealth and gains become so great the men of the city became envious, and made him leave.

v. 16... Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us.”

Isaac left with his servants and settled there and the Lord appeared to him.

²⁴ That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”

*God affirms his faithfulness to Isaac because of his covenant with Abraham.

²⁵ Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.

*Though Isaac and his servants are doing well, the people of Gerar were not. Abimelech left the land and found Isaac to receive his blessing of peace so they too would be blessed. (v.26-31)

*The favor of God is an incredible thing! People, Kings even sought out men of God (Isaac) to receive peace in means of experiencing the mercy of God.

After making peace with the people of Gerar, God rewards this treaty and shows favor as they find new wells of water. (v.33)

³⁴ When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. ³⁵ They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.

*Foreshadow of the trouble to come as a result of Esau's hardened heart towards God.

Genesis 25

Genesis 25 (Abraham's death & his descendants)

Abraham took another wife, and has several other children; nevertheless, Isaac remains the favored one.

v.8 Abraham dies at the age of 175 years old. (Buried with Sarah in a cave in the land of Canaan.

v.9 Isaac & Ishmael come together to bury their father.

v.12-18 (Reference to Ishmael's sons)

¹⁹ This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, ²⁰ and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram^[c] and sister of Laban the Aramean.

*Both Abraham & Sarah had to wait years before bearing a son as did Isaac & Rebekah.

²¹ Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. ²² The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of theLord.

²³ The Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,
    and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
    and the older will serve the younger.”

²⁴ When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. ²⁵ The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau.^[d] 26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob.^[e] Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

*1st born- Esau (skillful hunter, man of the field).

*2nd born-Jacob (quiet man, dwelling in the tents)

²⁷ The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. ²⁸ Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

²⁹ Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country,famished. ³⁰ He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.^[f])

³¹ Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”

³² “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”

³³ But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

³⁴ Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.

So Esau despised his birthright.

*Esau gives his birthright to his younger brother Jacob... ( v23 , "the older will serve the younger")

It is evident from scripture God knew Esau would serve Jacob, yet what could Esau have been used for had he realized the treasure he had inherited (our eternal life) rather than seeking what was appealing (worldliness) only for a moment...

"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

John 12:25

Genesis 23 & 24

Genesis 23 (Sarah's death & Burial)

Sarah, beloved wife of Abraham dies at the age of 127.

Abraham weeps (v2) and seeks out to bring her a proper burial.

She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.

*Sarah is buried in a cave, land of Canaan.

Genesis 24 (Isaac & Rebekah)

*Abraham sets out to find a wife for Isaac.

This covenant of marriage which we saw between Abraham & Sarah, and now Isaac & Rebekah represents the covenant of marriage. This powerful covenant representing the bridegroom (Jesus) returning for his bride one day!( His church) 

True faith always results in obedience. He does not NEED anything for the eternal son.

The bride is the fathers love gift to His son. 

In Genesis 24 Isaacs servant referred to him as 'master'. HIs job was to bear witness to the greatness of his master.

*This is the same situation for Christ followers today! We must bear witness & testify to the greatness of our God!

The servant begins his journey and sets out to find a wife for his master. (Isaac)

v.12

¹² Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. ¹³ See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴ May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink,and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”

¹⁵ Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. ¹⁶ The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

*Gods timing is perfect!

...We read on to find Rebekah waters all of his camels and opens her home where the servant dines and meets with her entire family. 

Before eating the servant expresses his proposal and Rebekah is left with a choice...

⁵⁷ Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.” ⁵⁸ So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”

“I will go,” she said.

⁵⁹ So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. 

*When Rebekah said yes she was under the providential care of God and was now a part of the plan that would bring salvation to the whole world. Had she stayed we would not have heard about her again.

Praying for a willingness to go, WHEREVER He may lead!

-Hannah

Genesis 22

Genesis 22 (The Sacrifice of Isaac)

1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

² Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

³ Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,

*Abraham is posed with a challenge, and accepts it as he KNOWS God faithful.

1. Expect tests from God

Temptations- used by the devil to bring out the worst in us.

Trials-Holy Spirit to bring out the best in us.

2. Focus on promises, not explanations.

"Our faith is not really tested until God asks us to bear what seems unbearable, do what seems unreasonable, and expect what seems impossible."

3. Depend on Gods provision.

4. Seek to glorify Christ!

Trials:

1. Purify our faith (1 Peter. 1:6-9)

2.Perfect our character (James 1:1-4)

3.Protect us from sin (2 Cor. 12:7-10)

Abraham's willingness/sacrifice to offer Isaac paints a beautiful picture of Gods sacrifice to us when sending his only son Jesus.

Notice in verse 7...

 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

*Isaac asked about the animal for sacrifice and Abrahams response was God will provide a LAMB...

HOWEVER...

In verse 13
¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram^[a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son

God provided a ram instead of a Lamb.

*God gave Isaac to Abraham & Abraham gave Isaac back to God.

The Ultimate sacrifice: God sending his son, Jesus to sacrifice his life for us.

John 1:29...
"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

*The Lamb does come as THE ultimate sacrifice!

How beautiful is the word of God!!

Joyfully,

Hannah

Genesis 21

Genesis 21 (The Birth of Isaac)

V. 5-7

...Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

⁶ Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” ⁷ And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

The birth of Isaac meant:

1. The fulfillment of God's promise
2.The rewarding of patience
3. The revelation of God's power !!!

*Abraham represents FAITH
*Sarah represents GRACE

**So, Isaac was born BY GRACE, THROUGH FAITH!

The ONLY way we can enter the family of God.
John 3:16-18


Remember Ishmael represents born of the flesh (first birth)
Isaac represents born of the Spirit (second birth)

 ^(21:8) The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast.

*New birth is not the end, but the beginning! We must be replaced by tools and selfish security by (unselfish service). 
John 12:23-26

V.8-21 (Hagar and Ishmael sent away)

⁹ But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, ¹⁰ and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”

*The first time Sarai (prior to her name change) she sends for Hagar to bear her a son.

^(16:2) so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”

*The second time Sarah (after her name change) she sends Hagar away!

(21:11-13)...The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. ¹² But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring^[b] will be reckoned. ¹³ I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”

Though Hagar & Ishmael are sent away, Abraham is grieved at sending his son away. God reveals that He will provide for them

^(20:11-14) The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring^[b] will be reckoned. ¹³ I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”

Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.

¹⁵ When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. ¹⁶ Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she^[c] began to sob.

*Though Hagar had been at this point before, she chose to forget the promise God had declared over Ishmael's life years before; however, Ishmael did not...

¹⁷ God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. ¹⁸ Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

²⁰ God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.²¹ While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.

*Hagar represents the lost. Wandering around lost, in need of water! We, as Christ followers must meet this need and share of THE living water, JESUS!

John 7:37
Revelation 22:17

The Treaty at Beersheba (22-34)

²² At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do"

*What an INCREDIBLE statement and truth for Abraham to know...

Best Part...

As Christians, WE HAVE THIS SAME TRUTH!

*Because of Abrahams favor with God, Abimelech encouraged him to ask anything...

25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized. ²⁶ But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”

²⁷ So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty. ²⁸ Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, ²⁹ and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?”

³⁰ He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well.”

³¹ So that place was called Beersheba,^[d] because the two men swore an oath there.

*The two men made a covenant, representing the loyalty and trust found on that day. The two would no longer disagree over who dug the well but chose to come in agreement and pursue peace.

Throughout the book of Genesis we find Gods faithfulness and favor towards Abraham as he proves himself time and time again! I hope this is encouraging to you and spurs you on to learn, grow, and press into the beauty of Gods word!

Joyfully,

Hannah