Ruth’s Reminder

the ride. And Charlie, help a new listener understand how we divide up this one hour broadcast.

the Bible, you have questions. Well, you can write your questions to us, send them to us, and we'll answer them on air. And then the final segment is where we marry together, the land and the book. That is, we take you to a spot in the land, open up the Word of God and help you understand what God meant there. Today we're going to visit with Solomon and talk about the lazy days of summer. All right.

tried to temper the optimism. He issued a list of non-negotiable demands from Israel's side, and one is a guarantee that Israel could still resume fighting should their demands not be met. War weary Israelis, including those who oppose Netanyahu even before the start of the war? Well, they accused him of attempting to sabotage the negotiations. Netanyahu is actually fighting a two front war. One is the actual fight

against Hamas, which Israel has been winning. One reason Hamas was willing to change its initial bargaining position were the losses they've sustained in Gaza. But the second front Netanyahu has to face is an internal battle with dissension and distrust in Israel itself. and it extends even into his coalition. Recent polls suggest the majority of Israelis are willing to end the war, even leaving Hamas in control of Gaza

if that would secure the return of the hostages. And the ruling coalition is displaying deep fractures between the ultra-Orthodox and the far right parties, their sparring is threatening to bring down the government. Now, even if Israel and Hamas can reach agreement on the main points of the deal, it doesn't mean the conflict is over. It'll take several weeks to hammer out all the details of an agreement.

In the past, Hamas has suddenly demanded last minute changes, and the closer the two sides get to reaching a final agreement, the greater the pressure will be on Israel to cave in in those key points. All that to say, a deal might be reached, but it could take longer than most expect, and the final outcome for Israel could be less than what they wanted when the fighting first began, and it could result in new elections sooner rather than later.

Israel has attacked Hezbollah's rocket launch sites, their outposts, their camps, their weapons sites and control centers. They've killed over 350 Hezbollah fighters and several senior commanders, along with more than 150 terrorists from other allied organizations in Lebanon. For its part, Hezbollah has launched over 5500 rockets and missiles at Israeli towns and military bases along the border since October 8th,

killing about 20 Israeli soldiers and ten civilians. Hezbollah's rockets and missiles have also sparked fires in the same area. Around 22,000 acres have been burned in northern Israel, and they released video footage from drones. They've flown over Israeli bases, suggesting they have the ability to attack those sites. So what's next? Well, if a cease fire takes effect between Hamas and Israel, Hezbollah could very well stop its attacks,

bringing a tense truce to the north. Otherwise, Israel has threatened to launch an attack against Hezbollah to push the group off the border. And we just need to hope that there can be some peaceful solution to that problem.

digging into what the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested in learning more about what God has in store, visit Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio button there to find out how you can reserve your copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.

major suppliers. The central Bank of Egypt devalued the Egyptian pound, which helped boost Egyptian exports, but also increased the price of essential goods like food and fuel. Now all that is combined to force nearly 30% of Egyptians into poverty. And to add insult to injury. Extreme heat this summer has plagued the country, just as the government was forced to implement rolling electrical blackouts because of a shortage of

fuel needed to power the turbines. In the face of mounting public discontent, Egypt recently swore in a new cabinet. The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources promised to stop the power cuts during the summer, but only beginning July 21st. That's when sufficient shipments of natural gas and diesel will arrive to help keep those generators operating at higher capacity. Now, electricity is obviously important during the hot summer, but another

problem is water. Egypt depends on the Nile River for 97% of its water, and Ethiopia continues to divert water from the Nile to fill the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is going to be Africa's largest dam. Egypt views this project as a threat to its very existence. Egypt's government is now under pressure to act quickly to preserve the

country's water rights before it's too late. So water, power, food three essentials that the government is rushing to address before they create even greater unrest among Egypt's 114 million inhabitants.

into contact with infected oral tissue. They're working on the assumption that saliva very likely carries disease markers, and a simple saliva test increases the chances of detecting oral cavity cancer at an earlier stage. In addition to testing for oral cavity cancer, they also plan to develop saliva based tests for the early detection of head and neck cancer. On the company's website, they highlight some of the research where a saliva test can be useful, including a report

on possible biomarkers for the detection of pancreatic cancer. Now imagine John someday undergoing early cancer detection through the use of a simple saliva test. That's another innovation being developed today by researchers in amazing Israel.

Think of all the obstacles that Ruth and Naomi faced in their trek to Bethlehem. When you give it further thought, the biblical story of Ruth paves the way for our story. Hey, welcome to segment two. Here on the land and the book, I'm John Gager, and we're about to connect with one of my favorite Bible characters. But what about the characters in your neighborhood specifically? How can you and I be more intentional in sharing the love of Jesus with our

Jewish friends? Here's an idea worth considering. Finding Yeshua in the Old Testament. Wouldn't you want your Jewish friend to find him there? But that's my heart. And we're talking with Michael Redlich, who has the editor of the Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy. Some wisdom from you, Michael. What would you say?

in the Hebrew Bible. You will not allow your faithful one one of the most common terms for the Messiah to undergo decay. Not only will he not stay dead in Sheol, but he will be raised before he actually undergoes any kind of decay, sees any kind of corruption, no bodily decay. And so it's saying just very rapidly, there will be a resurrection that will happen. And so right there, that was one of the key points. Peter mentions it in acts two and Paul mentions it in

acts 13. I think this is one of the crucial psalms that was pointed out that the Messiah not only would die for us, but that he would be raised from the dead.

and mom of two beautiful children. She's also written the Moody Publishers book Never Alone. Hey, welcome to the land and the book, Jessica.

sometimes hear. And I just found that connection like, you know, the way, the way we follow our service members, the way we, you know, cleave to our friendships again, faraway lands and don't know where you're going. I mean, so much of it was parallel to our lives.

And then to have someone come in like Ruth, you know, so unexpected, right? A pagan woman to be the one to bring her back to faith. It's really a beautiful story, you know, a friendship, redemption and just the goodness that's there, even when we can't see it.

it really, really puts a lens on. Are we putting those expectations of instant for God to, you know, in our lives?

say the courage, just undeniable courage. I wish I had more than that because I definitely hesitate a lot. I mean, you know, I'm a mom, so I'm like, fear, what's going to get broken? You know, what's going to happen. You know, I overanalyze. So her courage is just beautiful.

was a character thing. I definitely think, you know, there were some God moments there of encouraging her, because why else would this woman with with no God say no? Your God is my God without any hesitation or need a moment, you know, to to think about it. So yeah, I would say combination of those two things character and definitely got involved.

human being or knowing our neighbors. And so I would hope that this will be a reminder that no matter how desperate your circumstances are or how alone you feel, God is right there with you, you know, waiting, you know, to guide you. If you just listen.

far from family and supports. But if we hold fast to faith, and I imagine Ruth would be encouraging them, you know, look how far you've come. Look at the journey that's ahead of you. You don't have to do it alone. He's right here. There's so much richness, you know, in this word to help guide you. That's what I would hope she would say.

it through. And she wasn't just, you know, pursuing a life for herself, but she was taking care of another human being. And so when you just think of what can we be doing? You know, for others are we like Ruth in that way? It just begs that question.

these conclusions. And, you know, what a beautiful thing. But just given how fast it happened in the story, the other thing is certainly possible and how remarkable, right, that God would use her that way.

or worse, encourage them. What would you say to them?

And so whatever that spouse is walking through, or even someone who's not a military spouse, just know that you are more you are so much more. And God has called us to be more. And so yes, you know, seek, you know, redemption and, you know, work towards, you know, good. Absolutely. I know you're going to have to sit in a bad space, but you've got to help guide you.

They're still present. They're still there. They're pulling. Right. And so it's just kind of up to us to be really, really honest with ourselves and recognize those things that are that are maybe building and address them accordingly, whether that's with your pastor, you know, a good friend. I'm always an encourager of therapy because, you know, therapist is going

to be that third party. They're unbiased. They're going to help you unpack things and do it in a way that allows you to do some really, really deep work.

have to prepare yourself. And I say this for a lot of reasons. Grief can really be the anchor that we don't want, so we can find ourselves almost going down a rabbit hole and letting it determine our entire life. And so preparing your heart for loss really just, you know, essentially is building a backpack with really, really healthy coping. And it develops us into really gritty people who, yes, something bad and horrific has happened. And we're going to

acknowledge that. But now what are we going to do? You know, we're in charge of how we proceed, you know, do we proceed, you know, with looking, you know, beyond that and knowing that goodness is going to come, that this grief and, you know, these feelings are going to subside, they'll always be that missing piece. But we still have the rest of our lives that we have to contend with and hopefully, you know, love and and live through well.

past year. And as we know, the Bible is jam packed with end times prophecies about epic world events, the regathering of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland. And then Jesus soon returned. It is crucial for us as believers, though, to have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy. So our view of the future is shaped by Scripture, not today's headlines. Right?

what the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're interested in learning more about what God has in store, visit Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody Radio button there to find out how you can receive your copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life in messiah.org.

And the second reason I say this is the gift of apostleship seems specifically to have been related to actually having seen the risen Lord Jesus Christ. In first Corinthians 911, Paul wrote, am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Now, I don't want to minimize, you know, people who claim to have these gifts. But as I read the Bible, it looks to me like these were temporary gifts related to the foundation of the

early church. Once the church was established and the Bible was completed, then there was no need any longer for these temporary gifts. Can a person.

my father's hand. I and the father are one. Jesus says that He and God the Father have teamed up together to keep his sheep safe forever, and that's a powerful combination. The second passage is first John 511 to 13. There John wrote, the witness is this that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the son has life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

These things I've written to you, who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life. If we can lose it, then it's not eternal. Now I need to add one other word of caution, though. It's possible for someone to make a false profession of faith in Christ. They say the right words, but they don't truly turn from their sins to accept him as their Savior and Lord. Right?

And Jesus made that clear in Matthew seven. He said, A time will come when people will say, uh, Lord, Lord. And he says, depart from me. I never knew you. Those people didn't lose their salvation. They just never had it to begin with.

sheep and goats, but they ate relatively little meat. Remember, the fatted calf wasn't killed until a feast was held when the prodigal son returned. They used the milk, though, from those animals. For milk and for cheese and for yogurt. Now, in Ezekiel eight, we're also given a list of other grains they would have eaten in picturing a time of famine. Ezekiel was told to mix together these grains, which normally would have been eaten separately, and he mentions wheat and

barley and beans and lentils and millet and spelt. So the bottom line in all this the primary diet was whole grains, fresh vegetables with olive oil, some dairy products and very little meat or sweets. They combine all that with a great deal of physical exercise, and they were generally in pretty good health.

enemies piercing my hands and my feet. He mentions them casting lots for my clothing. You know, a thousand years before the events of Calvary, I believe David described perfectly what Jesus experienced on the cross.

beating their breasts. At least in the case of Jesus illustration of the public and praying to God in the temple, no one position is demanded, though the most common probably is lifting our hands toward heaven. I believe Jesus's words in the sermon on the Mount are most helpful here. It's not so much where we pray or how we pray, as it is what we pray and our heart attitude when we're doing it.

and the book@moody.edu. First, Samuel 17 has the story of David and Goliath, and this listener wants to know, did David pick up five smooth stones, as we're told, because Goliath had four other brothers.

on his very first attempt. I suspect that David's past experience had taught him to fill his pouch with stones, so that he would have a backup ready, just in case. Now, that's not a lack of faith on David's part, as much as it is a realization of trying to hit a target in battle, conditions can be hard. He had plenty of faith in God, but he was allowing for his own human frailty in planning for the possibility of missing on his first attempt.

a good thing. A feeling and experience divorced from knowledge can lead to serious error. Second Timothy three. The apostle described the end times as a time when people would hold to a. He says a form of godliness, but deny its power. That is, they'll appear to be spiritual, but it'll be a delusional spirituality that's divorced from God's revelation. And in Second Peter two, Peter makes it clear that the apostles didn't follow cleverly devised tales, but he says

they were eyewitnesses of the events. In short, he's saying that the spirituality of the Christian faith is a rational Christianity based on actual factual events.

to the tomb. Acts 20. Verse seven. On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul begins talking to the people at the church in Troas. And first Corinthians 16 two Paul says, on the first day of every week, let each of you put aside and save as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come. So he writes

that to the church in Corinth. But it seems like the early church from very early on began worshiping on the first day of the week, because that was the day Jesus rose from the dead.

of that type of thing. And what a wonderful thing to be able to see all of this, to be aware of where Jesus was and the things that he accomplished around that sea.

for life. And in many ways, today's conversation is the flipside of his wisdom from last week. That's where Solomon shared what is versus what should be in our response to those struggling in poverty. But this week, Solomon is focusing on how to avoid the lazy days of summer. But I'm getting ahead of myself. So let's head out to meet Solomon and hear his wise observations. We're outside

Jerusalem on the road that leads south toward Bethlehem. On both sides of the dirt road are terraced fields covered with ripening barley and wheat, interspersed with vineyards. And coming toward us is Solomon, deep in thought. He stops and we ask where he's been. His answer is direct, but also rather cryptic. I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment. Thorns had come up everywhere. The ground was covered with weeds

and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. And poverty will come on you like a bandit. And scarcity like an armed man. The combination of words he uses for sluggard can literally be translated lazy man, and lacking sense is literally lacking heart, with the heart representing here the seat

of knowledge, thought, and reflection. Solomon characterized the person by observing the field that he owned. Nettles and thistles, a common agricultural problem in Israel, had totally overgrown the grain and vines, and the stone wall built to both mark the field's boundaries and to keep out wild animals, was completely broken down In agriculture, there is a great deal of work that must be done long before the crops

can be harvested. And having worked on farms for a few summers while growing up, I can definitely say that it is hard work. And today we have tractors and other mechanized equipment. Standing here with Solomon, we see other farmers out in their fields chopping at the thorns and thistles that never seem to stop sprouting, and then taking a break from that repetitive work. They walk through the fields, gathering up the rocks that always seem to push their

way through the soil, labouring under the load. They carry the rocks over to repair the stone walls that always seem to be toppling at the most inconvenient time. So where's the farmer with the overgrown field? He's home, taking a siesta. It's too hot under the intense summer sun. He's too tired to head out today. Perhaps tomorrow it will be cooler. Or perhaps there will be some clouds. Something not very likely, though possible. Or perhaps he will

suddenly have a surge of ambition. Or perhaps. Or perhaps. But in the meantime, he's resting over there in the shade, hands folded together behind his head to make a nice pillow, and Solomon, in his wisdom, looked down the road of time and saw poverty and scarcity coming on this individual as unexpectedly as a bandit or an armed robber. We're taken aback by Solomon's observations, but he's not done yet.

He then shares with us his other thoughts on laziness and its consequences, found just two chapters later in his book, The Sluggard says there's a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets as a door turns on its hinges. So a sluggard turns on his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He's too lazy

to bring it back to his mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men, who answered discreetly as we cock our heads to the side, trying to decipher Solomon's cryptic observations, he smiles and shares the point of each comparison. First, he says, the sluggard will make up the wildest excuses to keep from working. There are indeed lions in the land. Remember, my father David fought one when he was watching the sheep in the wilderness,

but they are few and far between. It seems the sluggard will work harder inventing excuses than he will actually working. But how about your comparison to a door turning on its hinges? What do you mean? There? Well, smiling Solomon pantomimes turning from one side to another. About the only exercise the sluggard seems to get is rolling over in bed. I'm using an exaggeration, but I think you get the point.

The sluggard does as little work as possible. Okay, but what do you mean when you said he buries his hand in the dish and is too weary to bring it to his mouth? Well, Solomon says you first need to remember that we don't have those fancy utensils you use for eating food. We use our fingers like forks, sometimes with a piece of pita to serve as a scoop. The common pan is placed before us, and we dip in to scoop out some rice, or perhaps a piece

of meat or vegetable. Again, I'm using exaggeration to show that even the task of eating seems like it just takes too much effort to the sluggard, let alone growing the crops or preparing the meal. But then you ended by saying the sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven, who can give a discreet answer. Help us here, Solomon chuckles. Well, the one thing the sluggard possesses in

abundance is conceit sevens, a number that represents completeness. Place the sluggard against seven individuals who can explain why diligence and hard work are important, and the sluggard will believe his approach to life. Rest. Take it easy. Have a good time is a far wiser way to live than to do all the toil and hard work, and it does seem to make life more enjoyable all the way up till harvest time and the famine that follows. But we say goodbye to Solomon as he turns for home.

But what does all this have to do with us today? Sadly, a great deal. There is a philosophy today that says it's foolish to work long and hard. Books abound, telling people they can and should enjoy life without working hard. That personal fulfillment and happiness are the real goals, and that work should never be allowed to get in the way. And it seems very well until the money given to you by your parents, or by well-meaning and sympathetic friends,

or from wherever you get it, runs out. And that's why the wisdom of Proverbs is so important. Work and material possessions are never to become our God. But at the same time, God designed us to do work. It's part of his original creation for humanity. In the Garden of Eden last week, we learned the importance of reaching out to help those who are poor through no fault of their own. This week we see the opposite side

of the equation. We need to be very reluctant to encourage or support those who deliberately choose a lifestyle of laziness, expecting others to support them when they're unwilling to support themselves. In essence, they want to enjoy a good time while demanding that you pay for it. And that's another form of theft. Paul applied this very wisdom of Solomon when

he wrote to the church at Ephesus. He balanced the importance of helping those in need with the importance of being a giver rather than a taker in our relationship to others. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work doing something useful with his own hands that he may have something to share with those in need. As those who claim to love God, let's follow his

wise advice for life. Avoid the lazy days of summer and be diligent in all you do, not necessarily to amass riches for yourself, but so you have sufficient to share with those who are in genuine need. That's a wise way to live life.

doing that. And on behalf of Charlie Dyer, our host, our producer, Dan Anderson, I'm John Geiger, inviting you back next week for another edition of The Land and the book, a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.