This week’s headlines seem to herald the imminent invasion of Israel:
Liberman adds Lebanese army to list of threats on northern border / The Times of Israel, April 16, 2018
“A new reality is coming together against us: the Lebanese army, in cooperation with Hezbollah, the Syrian army, the Shiite militias in Syria and, above it all, Iran — all of them coming together into one front against the State of Israel, the northern front,” Liberman told the generals.
At 70, Israel sits atop a volcano / Al-Monitor / April 17, 2018
According to Eizenkot, there might be an escalation on all these fronts in 2018. The reasons are varied: the collapse of the Palestinian reconciliation between the West Bank and Gaza; signs pointing to the end of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ time in office; changes taking place at the deepest levels of Palestinian society; Gaza’s deteriorating humanitarian situation; continued Hamas attempts to mastermind terror in the West Bank and East Jerusalem; and the expected relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, which is inflaming the Palestinian community.
The Middle East is quickly rushing towards a climatic catastrophe. The developments are centering around the Feast of Pentecost. This year, Pentecost, or Shavuot, begins at sundown on May 19, and concludes at nightfall on Monday, May 21 (some Messianic believers use the date of May 26-27). That was when the Lord gave Moses the law, and was the day the Church was born. King David, according to a post-biblical Jewish tradition, was both born and died on Shavuot.
One of the well-known Jewish rituals connected with this festival is the public reading of the biblical Book of Ruth, because most of the narrative takes place right around the period of Shavuot, Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David, and Ruth willingly joined the Jewish people.
This is a good time to consider you choices. Although the Book of Ruth in the Bible is only four chapters, it is filled with much to learn and follow. If you have not read this before, take a few minutes to read it now. It is a wonderful testimony to what happens when you choose the Lord God in your life.
Naomi and her husband were from Bethlehem, but went to Moab to avoid the famine in their land. They left with their two sons, who married two women of Moab, named Orpah and Ruth. Naomi’s husband and both her sons died, leaving the three women alone. Naomi became bitter over what had happened, and decided to head back to her home town. She told both of the wives of her deceased sons to go back to their people.
Orpah went back to her people, but Ruth refused to leave her mother-in-law. Ruth chose to stay with Naomi not only because she loved her but also she made a choice to serve Jehovah, the One True God! She told Naomi, “I will go where you go, Your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God.” (Ruth 1:16-17)
Israel has turned away from Yahweh God, the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, today, just as Orpah did then. Ruth, on the other hand, embraced the God of Israel, the God of her father-in-law Elimelech. (Elimelech means “My God is King”) Ruth chose to serve the One True God! She represents the Gentiles who become Christians and are devoted to Yahweh. She became a part of the family she married into, when she married her Hebrew husband. What she chose changed her destiny. What Orpah chose determined her destiny as well.
Likewise, we make choices today…whom do we serve? Are we just part of the audience of the church body today or are we members of His Kingdom? Do we live in name only, or are we devoted followers of Christ Jesus, our Savior, and Lord? You choose today – whom you will serve? The decision will affect your destiny for all eternity! Choose wisely! Those who are in love with the Lord will also love His Jewish people. That is the litmus paper of your devotion. Those who love His people are blessed by God with great favor.
When they arrived in Bethlehem, Ruth went into the fields to harvest. In the land, the corners of the field and in the field, some of the grain is always left for the poor and the widows to eat. This was a law in the Torah. Ruth knew that there was a man who owned this field where she would glean and hoped to gain his favor. Naomi knew that this man was kin to her late husband and she could insist he take her in to his home and provide for her according to Jewish law, but she choose to send her daughter-in-law to receive the blessing instead of herself.
The blessing did come to Ruth even though she was a Moabite and not of the House of Israel. His name was Boaz and he was a wealthy landowner. Naomi sent Ruth to lie at his feet in the night. This was in no way sensual but was placing herself at a place of humility and submission to him and his protection. He understood this when he awoke and covered her with a corner of his tallit (prayer shawl) to show that he accepted her as his bride and responsibility. We also are accepted into the family of God through our acceptance of Christ and His covering us.
When she left the place where she had laid at his feet, he filled her shawl with six measures of barley, so that it was full to bring back to Namoi. Later in the day he made the arrangement to pay for the land that Namoi had for sale that was her husband’s property. In this way, he redeemed them back to the house of her husband, which included Ruth the Moabite. Naomi was no longer bitter, but was glad. Ruth married Boaz and she gave birth to Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David. This is the line of Jesus, the Messiah, Yeshua. There were 77 generations from the Adam to Jesus, and Ruth will forever be included in the patrilineage of Jesus according to Luke:
Adam
Seth
Enos
Cainan
Maleleel
Jared
Enoch
Mathusala
Lamech
Noah
Shem
Arphaxad
Cainan
Sala
Heber
Phalec
Ragau
Saruch
Nachor
Thara
Abraham
Isaac
Jacob
Juda
Phares
Esrom
Aram
Aminadab
Naasson
Salmon
Boaz – Ruth
Obed
Jesse
David
Nathan
Mattatha
Menan
Melea
Eliakim
Jonam
Joseph
Judah
Simeon
Levi
Matthat
Jorim
Eliezer
Jose
Er
Elmodam
Cosam
Addi
Melchi
Neri
Salathiel
Zorobabel
Rhesa
Joannan
Juda
Joseph
Semei
Mattathias
Maath
Nagge
Esli
Naum
Amos
Mattathias
Joseph
Jannai
Melchi
Levi
Matthat
Heli
Joseph
Jesus
Ruth’s obedience to God and her listening to her mother-in-law, brought great blessing to both of them and to Boaz who loved her, but even more so, it pleased the Lord.
Ruth was grafted into the branch, the chosen of God. We, as Christians, are grafted into the family of the chosen people of God.
Therefore, when He comes to take His people in the twinkling of an eye, at the trumpet blast, we will be taken up to meet Him in the clouds to be redeemed from the wrath of God.
Many times in the Word of God, the Lord promises to redeem us from the wrath of God that will be upon the wicked of this world. This will happen very soon as Jesus and the Bible had spoken of, two thousand years ago.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)
If you are not sure that you are saved, you can accept Christ into your life right now, by praying:
“Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior.”
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Rapture and End Times 