Tag Archives: Ruth and Boaz

Bible 911 – Ezra

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This Bible 911 is from a man I would add to the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews, Ezra’s 911 is in a prayer that is coming from a distressed heart. The personal story of Ezra, son of Seraiah, (the High Priest family) starts in Ezra 7 with his family tree and a letter from Artaxerxes. His return to Jerusalem (8:15) is the story of faith that earns him a place in the Hall of Faith.

He bragged (spoke out in faith) to the king that the Lord would look with favor towards them and protect the people on the journey. The king was ready to send soldiers to guard them and the fortune they were carrying, but Ezra did not take them. Instead, he called for a fast and sought God (8:21). The magnitude of this must be viewed in light of 8:31 and remembering Haman, from Esther, the Samaritans, and the opposition to the builds in Ezra and Nehemiah. Satan did not want Israel worshipping or walking with the Lord again.

Bible Map: Ahava (bibleatlas.org)      

A little history –

  • Ezra is in two parts. Chapters 1-6 are about rebuilding the Temple. 7-10 focuses on Ezra and the mixed marriage problem.
  • Haggai and Zechariah are associated with Chapters 1-6.
  • Esther’s story is mixed in the time period from Ezra to Nehemiah.
  • There are about 100 years from Ezra 1 to the end of Nehemiah. That really depends on which expert you look at.
  • There are about thirty-four years between Ezra and Nehemiah. (Expert dependent)
  • There were three groups that returned, two in Ezra and one in Nehemiah.
  • Many of the Persian officials have non-Biblical confirmation that they existed. (BAR)
  • Malachi may have been written by Ezra. 1:8 talks about animal sacrifice and a “Persian” word for governor. Malachi at that time may have been a title and not a name (it means messenger).
  • The prophet Zechariah was killed after the altar and temple were finished – Matthew 23:35 and Luke 11:51. These are the only mention of that event.  

Ezra 9:11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. (KJV)

Ezra and the returning exiles had barely unpacked when he was told that the priest, Levities, Jewish officials, and other men were repeating the sin that led to the fall of Jerusalem and Judah. They are intermarrying with the people around them and bringing in the abominations of their enemies, not walking righteously with God. Ezra is gut-punched and mourning for several hours before he starts praying in verses 6 to 15. He thanks the Lord for His mercy and kindness towards them and builds his case as to why it must stop. The prayer was to the Father, but the people were instructed as well.

A little leaven – The issue is not how many men and families are involved; it is the fact that it has happened. The second chance that Ezra was thankful for had already been ignored. Yes, I counted. A total of 111 men were at fault, which is a small percent of the population that was the first wave of returnees. The Enemy started small but it included eighteen priests and nine Levities, the spiritual examples of the community. The Father wanted and still loves righteousness. He wants a people who will choose Him and willingly walk with Him. Ezra was there to raise that standard again.

Ruth – Ruth is a granddaughter of Lot; she is a Moabite. They did not do right by Israel in the years of the Exodus. Her marriage to Boaz should have been a mixed marriage and forbidden under the Law (Deuteronomy 23). With questions about the Law, I will offer IDK. How is this marriage different from most of the ones Solomon had? There is one thing that Ruth did that Solomon’s wives did not do, she chose Jehovah and left the gods of Moab on the east side of the Dead Sea. That walk to Bethlehem was literally a righteous faith walk into a new life. Solomon made temples so his wives could continue worshipping their demons (1 Kings 11:2, 7-8).  

A Nehemiah Note – Just because the Temple was in service again and the wall around Jerusalem was rebuilt, the attacks on righteousness did not stop. The meeting in Ezra is not the meeting in Nehemiah. Ezra did read at Nehemiah’s meeting. Nehemiah had priests who had intermarried and provided space in the Temple complex for a local heathen official. He ended that problem and drove them away from Jerusalem. His problem was the attack on the Sabbath, with the buying and selling of goods. Resting with God and staying pure extend from the commandments of “Love God and your neighbor”.

These attacks on the Family of God have not stopped. The enemy still wants to pollute the Family and pull us away from walking and resting with Jesus and the Father. Righteousness and godly offspring are the desire of the Father for His Children. Remember Ruth before you judge a new Family member.

Christmas Characters – Bethlehem/Joseph

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Okay, I do tend to label things that are not breathing (Light and Dark) as characters, but if you look past a small group of mud houses there is much to warrant Bethlehem’s inclusion as a character and not just a setting.  Go past the town to see Judah- the land and family.  Judah as a tribe is singled out by Jacob to be the ruler of his brothers in Genesis 49: 8-12.  Moses continues that thought in Deuteronomy 33: 7. (The inheritance of the tribe of Simeon is completely inside that of Judah.)  The first mention of Bethlehem is connected to the burial of Rachel after the birth of Benjamin – Genesis 35 + 48.

Bethlehem is mentioned in twelve Old Testament books and three in the New Testament.  It is used 52 times in the NIV – 44 (OT) and 8 (NT).  It is part of three stories in Judges – Chapters 12, 17, 19.  It is central in the story of Ruth and thus becomes the birthplace of King David.  

The prophet Micah (5: 2) delivers the message that ties Bethlehem to Christmas and that verse is used in Matthew 2 by the priest to direct the Wise Men.  That chapter is very prophetic, take some time and read it.  Micah did write this word of hope during a troubled time in Israel.

The song “O Little Town of Bethlehem” is a real Gospel praise song if you will read all four of its verses. The link below was a good site – history, quizzes, other carols.

I would like to treat Bethlehem, now as Joseph/the Tribe of Judah.  (Please bear with this strange study method.)  If we compare and contrast Joseph with Bethlehem and Judah/Israel/religion there are several things worth noting.

  • Judah had lost its prophetic position as a ruler. (True, King Jesus was coming, but Herod had questionable Jewish heritage; Rome was in charge; the Chief Priest may have been controlling things outside the Temple).  Zerubbabel (governor in Haggai and Zechariah), a type and ancestor of Jesus, may have been the last powerful governor in Judah. 
  • Bethlehem had no room except a stable, Joseph was going to put Mary away, Jerusalem was troubled when they found out about Jesus. Jesus was not welcomed!
  • An angel had to appear to Joseph to change his mind, angels appeared to shepherds to change the mind of Bethlehem to welcome the Family.  Jerusalem, not sure it ever changed its mind.

Other thoughts about the Christmas story:

  • We honor Mary because she was blessed and God did great things for her (Luke 1: 48, 49). But I wonder who God picked first – Joseph or Mary?  Father God tends to start with the man and then add the women to complete the work.  Even though the women may be introduced first in the story and is the central character who is considered first?  Okay to answer my own question – it seems the couples are paired to complement each other. Ruth is a role model but Boaz was the only one in the family willing to marry her!  Mary was the willing vessel but Joseph was needed to care for and protect her and Jesus.
  • Considering travel and Mary’s condition after childbirth the circumcision of Jesus probably occurred at Bethlehem.  Then on the way back to Nazareth, they went to Jerusalem for the dedication of Jesus at the end of the forty days.  (The rule here is in Exodus 13, Numbers 8 and 18, the time was set in Leviticus 12: 8.) The other possibility is they stayed in Bethlehem for two years but that means Joseph still had a house and business in Nazareth.
  • When Herod searched for the baby Jesus I would have no doubt that Bethlehem would have given up the Family once they learned who the soldiers were looking for.  The shepherds and the possibility of the thirty to forty-day stay would have been mentioned to try and save their sons. It would also make sense that the “records” were searched and the death squad went to Nazareth. Herod was not just mean but crazy and jealous of his power.
  • Jeremiah 31 does not mention Bethlehem weeping for the children.  He prophesied Ramah and Rachel (yes, she was buried near there) which could extend the murders well past Bethlehem.  Rachel’s family was Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin.  She was also the “loved” wife which could bring another level into this thought. 
  • I know that Joseph taking the Family to Egypt was necessary.  So, I am glad he was not like Simon Peter in his early days.  With all of the hype from the shepherds, they could have started a revolution.  That would not have been good for the Prince of Peace!

FURTHER THOUGHT – Compare Joseph (in Matthew and Luke) to Joseph in Genesis.

https://www.carols.org.uk/o_little_town_of_bethlehem.htm  a nice website covering Christmas carols