As we open the Bible, we find that the God of history has chosen to reveal himself through a specific human culture. To be more accurate, he chose to reveal himself in several incarnations of the same culture. And, as the evolving cultural norms of Israel were not without flaw. (there was a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly), God did not canonize Israel's culture. Rather, he simply used that culture as a vehicle through which to communicate the eternal truth of his character and his will for humanity.
- He teaches us things in adversity. We don't learn any other way.
- Hosea 2:14-15 therefore, I'm going to allure her. I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There. I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the valley of acor a door of Hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.
- God uses even our negative experiences to create opportunities to turn back to him. As you face problems and trials, remember that God speaks to you in the desert, and not just in times of prosperity.
Ruth and Boaz
- Naomi marries Elimelech from Bethlehem
- A famine causes them to move to Moab
- Naomi's husband and two sons die leaving her with no means of support
- Naomi returns to Bethlehem, tells her daughter-in-law's to to stay.
- Ruth 1:11-13 we often hear Ruth's words quoted in marriage ceremonies, but these words are in reality plain spoken statements of tribal solidarity. Ruth is announcing that her tribal affiliation is with Naomi. Regardless of the patrilineal culture of their society, Ruth has chosen Naomi as her kin, and she's not leaving
- Ruth met Boaz (clan of Emimelech) Ruth seduces him, he buys back the family land of her deceased husband, marries Ruth, and takes Naomi into his household.
- From this story, we learned that the tribal law of redemption had to do with a patriarch rescuing, a family member who, due to crippling life circumstances, had been lost to the kinship circle, to protect their legal rights. The law demanded that the patriarch protect the individual's legal rights and resolve her debts.
- This is another expression of redemption in Israel's world.
Lot and Abraham
- Lot is Abraham's nephew
- Abraham's bêt' āb split, and Lot went to Sodom
- Kings from Mesopotamia invade the region and take lot and his household captive Adam, as as patriarch had responsibilities in this society, if a member of his lineage found himself in need of ransom or rescue, (Lot) that patriarch was expected to do something about it
- Abraham puts his own household and his life on the line in order to rescue his brother's son. This is another expression of redemption
Gomer and Hosea
- Hosea was a prophet to the northern Kingdom of Israel commissioned by Yahweh to live his life as an ongoing visual aid of Yahweh's relationship with Israel
- Yahweh instructs Hosea " take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry forsaking the Lord." Hosea 1:2
- They marry and have three children. Gomer's life is transformed, and her world filled with good things
- The brokenness of Gomer's soul was not so easily fixed. She repeats the crimes of her past cheating on Hosea, who was unsure that he is the father of his children
- Gomer is auctioned off at the city gate
- God tells Hosea to go and buy her back
- Isaiah buys his wife for 15 shekels of silver and a Homer and a half of barley. This is redemption
- Allegory: Gomer is like Israel Hosea is like Yahweh the redeemer
From the book, The Epic of Eden: " Yahweh is presenting himself as the patriarch of the clan who has announced his intent to redeem his lost family members. Not only has he agreed to pay whatever Ransom is required, but he has sent the most cherished member of his household to accomplish his intent- his firstborn son. And not only is the firstborn coming to seek and save The Lost, but he is coming to share his inheritance with those who have squandered everything. They have been given. His goal? To restore the Lost family members to the bet' ab So that where he is, they may be also. This is why we speak of each other as brother and sister, why we know God as the Father, why we call ourselves the household of Faith. God is buying back his lost children by sending his eledest son, his heir, to 'give His life as a ransom for many' (Mt 20:28). so that we the alienated might be 'adopted as sons' and share forever in the inheritance of this 'firstborn of all creation"