What was the significance of the prophecy on the line of Perez in Ruth 4? 513 - 7 - 7

As an interesting aside, King David’s lineage was encrypted in the Hebrew text of Genesis 38 in 49-letter Intervals. Boaz and Ruth, their son Obed, Obed’s son Jesse and Jesse’s son King David.

There was quite a scandal concerning the birth of Pharez to Judah by his daughter-in-law Tamar. Judah had refused to allow his son Shelah to marry Tamar in keeping with Levirate marriage. Tamar tricked her father-in-law thinking she was a prostitute and a pregnancy resulted. 1 Chronicles 2:4, “And Tamar his daughter in law bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.”

Genesis 38:29, “And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.” Pharez’s brother Zerah had the scarlet thread tied around his wrist before he pulled it back into his mother’s womb. Pharez was the first to be delivered but his brother had the scarlet thread. And a scarlet thread is woven throughout the Bible. These brothers born of a sort of incest would be considered to be illegitimate.  

Deuteronomy 23:2, “A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.”

Ruth 4:12, “And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.” Perhaps a foretelling of the 10^th generation to come.

And these are the lineal descendants of Pharez. Pharez begat Hezron, and Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, and Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

King David was the 10th generation after Pharez so he could “enter into the congregation of the LORD.”

Nehemiah Chapter 11 has two referenced to Perez.

Nehemiah 11:4, “And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez”

Nehemiah 11:6, “All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men.”

Digging a little deeper, Boaz and Ruth, a Moabitess, were in the line of Jesus. Boaz was the son of Salmon and Rahab who was said to be a prostitute. Boaz and Ruth had a son they named Obed who had a son named Jesse and in turn Jesse had a son named David, later known as King David. So a prostitute and a Gentile were in the line of Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David; what an awesome God!

Personal lessons from the Book of Nehemiah and do they apply today 513 - 7 - 3

Personal lessons from the Book of Nehemiah and do they apply today? To Donald K. Campbell lists of 21 characteristics necessary for effective leadership that Nehemiah exhibited I would add one more, he was metaphorically a “child of Issachar.”

1 Chronicles 12:32, “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.”

From Nehemiah we learn that one person can make a difference. Nehemiah was a man for such a time as his. Due to his Jewish contacts he stayed informed of events in Jerusalem and due to his court position, Nehemiah had the ear of the king. Rather than rushing into the king's presence informing him of the sorry state of the wall and gates in Jerusalem, he prayed and waited for God's timing.

In a week 4 post I shared several characterizes listed by Donald K. Campbell of the many characteristics of effective leadership evidenced by Nehemiah. I have since added a few more.

Nehemiah prayed at crucial times. He had a sense of mission and was willing to get involved. As stated above he patiently waited for God’s timing. He knew that he had the support of God and displayed God’s confidence and his (Nehemiah’s) self-confidence overcoming obstacles. Nehemiah was an overcomer.

Romans12:21. “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Nehemiah showed respect for the king and even though he was sad and “very sore afraid” he appeared before the King and respectfully answered a question with a question, "why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?" Thus Nehemiah set in motion the fulfillment of Daniel 9.

As an ambassador of God am I willing to get involve in witnessing? Today being a Bible believing Christian is becoming less and less popular and in many cases not tolerated. Do I have the courage Nehemiah had in approaching his earthly king as I served my heavenly King?

Do I respect others’ beliefs while witnessing? Recall Nehemiah did not argue with opponents. I have educated myself as to the falsity of Islam and Mormonism, however, engaging Muslims and Mormons in a discussion is not easily done.

For years I witnessed to my good friend Abdul but my best efforts were met with a smile and a homemade meal. Last year I heard Abdul was very ill and his wife had passed away. Sadly, neither seem to have come to faith in Jesus. Currently I have no interactions with those of the Islamic faith.

I summer in an area that is heavily Mormon. Here I am dealing with brainwashing from a very early age. In talking to a good friend I realized that she has combined Mormonism with the New Age as she feels that she currently is a goddess rather that waiting to become a celestial goddess.

Nehemiah courageously used the authority of his position provided by his earthly king. So again the important question, do I as a Christians use the authority given me by our heavenly King Lord Jesus?

As it was in the day of Nehemiah, so it is today in Israel 513 - 6 - 8

Nehemiah faced personal attacks, internal problems dealing with his own people and attacks from his enemies in completing the rebuilding of the walls and the gates of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 4:7-8, “7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.” Nehemiah 2:19 details the ridicule Nehemiah had to deal with from his enemies as well as the accusation that Nehemiah was rebelling against the King.

Nehemiah had to deal with the nobles’ who not only would not participated in the work of rebuilding but also took financial advantage of their fellow Jews.

Nehemiah also had to deal with the deception from his enemies who claimed they wanted to help in the rebuilding of the walls. Nehemiah knew that would letting the fox into the hen-house and refused their offer.

Nehemiah's enemies tried to draw him out where he would be at their mercy and also tried to get Nehemiah to meet the temple. Neither of these was acceptable, the first because Nehemiah could have been dispatched had he left the protection of his fellow Jews. As for meeting in the temple proper, this would have gone against God's commandment.

Nehemiah and the men working on rebuilding the wall and the gates pretty much worked with a tool in one hand and a sword in the other. Nehemiah 4:17, “They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.” So some stood guard as others work and the men slept where they worked. Nehemiah worked out a system such that should a work area be under attack a warning would be sounded and those in other work areas would join in their defense.

Remarkably the wall be finished in less than two months. Nehemiah 6:15, “So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.”

So how does this relate to Israel today? Israel is perhaps the most denigrated country in the world today. As an example, on November 25, 2015 – "The U.N. General Assembly’s 2015 session is adopting 20 resolutions singling out Israel for criticism — and only 3 resolutions on the rest of the world combined."

[http://www.unwatch.org/un-to-adopt-20-resolutions-against-israel-3-on-rest-of-the-world/.]

Israel is surrounded by her enemies and still she is a leader in technology, medical innovations and more. Rather like Nehemiah and his fellow Jews working while under constant harassment.

Israel is a tiny country having about 1/10 of 1% of the land of her enemies and still there is a constant cry for Israel to give up land for peace. Recall that Nehemiah's enemies tried to draw him out where he would be subject to attack. This is similar to expecting Israel to give up her high ground thereby undercutting her defenses. Also Jerusalem is to be divided which would be somewhat of an equivalency to Nehemiah entering the temple proper.

Israel has a number of liberals who do not support the current prime minister and his desire to protect his country.

Just as Nehemiah and the Jews of his day completed the wall in a short period of time, Israel came in to being in one day in accordance with prophecy.

The Feasts of Israel 513 - 6 - 6

The Feasts of Israel

There are three Spring Feasts, Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread and Feast of First Fruits.

There are three Fall Feasts, Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur and Feast of Tabernacles.

The Feast of Weeks occurs between the spring and fall feasts.

The spring feasts were fulfilled in the First Coming of Jesus. During the first Passover the blood of a lamb was smeared around the door so the Angel of Death would Passover the house and spare the lives of those inside. Jesus was our Passover Lamb; John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” There is no atonement for sin apart from the shedding of blood.

Genesis 4:3-4, “3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:” Abel brought a blood offering which was acceptable to God.

Leaven is a symbol of sin as it puffs up. The use of Unleavened Bread was a call to be a people set apart to holiness. Jesus was set aside in the tomb and his body knew no corruption, no puffing up.

The feast of First Fruits pointed to the resurrection of Jesus as the first fruits from the dead.

The Feast of Weeks, Shavuot, happened on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out. This Church was actually established on this day.

The Fall feasts are yet to be fulfilled.

The Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah, is thought by many to point to the Rapture as The Rapture is associated in Scripture with the blowing of a loud trumpet. During 2015 and into early 2016 there were reports across the planet of sounds like trumpets. NASA has offered an explanation as rather background sounds, interesting.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

Atonement, Yom Kippur, prophetically points to the Second Coming of Jesus when the Jewish remnant “shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son.”

Tabernacles, Sukkot, will be the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that He will once again tabernacle with His people as He reigns over The Millennial Kingdom from Jerusalem. 

 

God gives us prophecy not to divine the future but to confirm the source is supernatural; it is His authentication. 519-2 - 16 - 5

Prophecy is an invaluable witnessing tool. Prophecies in the Old Testament that were later fulfilled in the New Testament is evidence of the authenticity of a supernatural author who knew the end from the beginning.

2 Peter, 1:19-21, "19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

When witnessing to someone who refers to the Bible as a collection of fables I often cite the Septuagint, completed about 270 BC. I point out that a hundred plus prophecies found in the Septuagint were fulfilled by Jesus nearly 300 years later.

One prophecy that even the most argumentative unbeliever would have trouble discrediting is Michaeas (Micah) 5:1, "And thou, Bethleem, house of Ephratha, art few in number to be reckoned among the thousands of Juda; yet out of thee shall one come forth to me, to be a ruler of Israel; and his goings forth were from the beginning, even from eternity."

[Brenton, Sir Lancelot C. L.. English Translation of the Greek Septuagint, Including the Apocrypha]

I also like to point out the Dead Sea Scrolls and the 32 foot scroll of the Book of Isaiah. Again, prophecy after prophecy given by God to Isaiah have been fulfilled.

Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Matthew 1:23, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." 

The Valley of the Dry Bones, Ezekiel chapter 37, prophesies the emergence of the state of Israel which happened in May 1948.

Today with groups such as the New Apostolic Reformation the word prophet is used rather loosely.

Deuteronomy 18:22, "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." There are several meaning for the word afraid, however, the best fit here is "stand in awe." So we are not to stand in awe of false prophets.

My religion is carrying me 519-2 - 16 - 1

Paul couldn’t have made any plainer. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"

My religion is carrying me. I accept and place my trust in Jesus secure in the knowledge that He is the propitiation that justifies me before a righteous God. 1 John 4:10, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Although Jesus cried “It is finished” from the cross many have bought into the necessarily to add works to assure their salvation. Matthew 15:9, "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." In my opinion, members of The Roman Catholic provide an example of carrying their religion right into the fiction of purgatory as they follow “doctrines and the commandments of men.”

On a personal note, after mom’s conversion to Catholicism at the age of 90 I often reminded her of her early Christian upbringing. Although mom never owned up to it, I believe that her conversion to Catholicism was because her friends were Catholics and would make sure that she got to church.

In the RCC there are Mass cards that are bought and placed on the altar as well as the purchasing of indulgences, both cash cows. When my mother was dying I was appalled when well-meaning friends of hers gave her a scapular to hold in her hand as she passed over. It is my understanding that on the first Saturday after death a Roman Catholic saint will liberation one from purgatory if that person is buried with a scapular. Mom's ashes are in an urn along with her rosary and the aforementioned scapular. Somehow I think that God will understand.

But I digress. I rest in the knowing that through Jesus I am justified. I'm now in that phase of my life where I am working out my sanctification. Even while working out my sanctification, I’m still being carried. No self-mortification for sins already paid for by Jesus. Rather I try to be a worthy ambassador for God.

It’s as simple as John 3:16. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

the nature and fabric of space 519-2 - 15 - 2

When I was in high school and didn't know what I didn't know I first started studying Einstein and his Special Theory of Relativity. Besides understanding that time was the fourth dimension, I realized that when nearing the speed of light objects underwent some massive physical changes. Since our nearest star, other than the sun, is four light years from Earth it just seem totally impractical that beings from other systems would visit our little blue planet.

For years I argued that there was no such thing as ET coming from another planetary system but rather beings coming from another dimension. Before I ever heard of fallen angels I intuitively understood that there was bleed through from other dimensions.

Now that I have 4 1/2 years of studying with CM I realize that my earlier thinking was very linear in nature and that I was limiting God.

God is in no way limited to my four dimensional thinking. String theory is something I would like to understand but not today. I now realize that God can create wormhole, wrinkles in the fabric of space, bend space and more. This certainly implies that space distances do not necessarily radiate in straight lines from Earth.

Some of my best (weird) thinking to come to me when I’m in that in between stage, neither asleep nor awake. I started thinking about the first and second dimensions and how do we know they exist. The first dimension is often represented by a straight-line on a piece of paper. Wait a minute that's not one dimension because the line drawn has a dimension to it. Then what we call second dimension would be using the same sheet of paper with lines and/ or circles drawn on it. Again there would be the thickness of the line, now a third dimension.

But I digress so what of the nature and fabric of space.

Job 9:8, “Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.” As an aside, Jesus “treadeth upon the waves of the sea” in Matthew 14:26.

Isaiah 64:1, “Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence.” Rend, so space can be torn.

Psalm 102:25-26, “25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:” So "space can be worn out like a garment."

Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Again, God can create wormhole, wrinkles in the fabric of space, bend space and more.