Chapter 19<\/p>\n
Good Monday Morning to this week 18 of 2020 (week 7 of lockdown)<\/p>\n
And look, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “may Yahweh be with you.” And they said to him, “May Yahweh bless you”. Ruth 2:4<\/p>\n <\/span>I’m not sure if you have realized, but around here the greetings upon arrival and departure have changed these past weeks. Not just that we don’t shake hands or give hugs, no it’s also in the way we speak and leave each other after a conversation, a web-meeting or a phone call.<\/p>\n The greeting of Boaz to the reapers was special in many ways. The greeting “Peace” was very common, yet the “with you” was quite unique in this setting and narrative. It doesn’t only refer to Yahweh but also to the one making the greeting, to Boaz as a man of good character and one taking responsibility.<\/p>\n “With you” refers to His divine presence. Ofen in OT times the narrative brought out the topics of “peace and prosperity”, travel, war, “liberation and deliverance” yet also divine commissioning.<\/p>\n With you\u00a0<\/strong> With you\u00a0<\/strong> With you This OT presence saying “with you” is foundational element of Jewish faith. Israels leaders and prophets emphasize again and again, Yahweh is with us and we are His people.<\/p>\n God is very often spoken of as “in dwelling with” his people. Yet there is also the even more dramatic call “with you” in the final spiritual-conflict victory passages:<\/p>\n For Adonai is holy, and the King of glory is with us, among with the holy beings. Warrior angels are in our muster, and He that is mighty in war is in our throng. The army of his spirit marches “with us”.<\/p>\n Or in the story of Joseph where his master suspected him of doing witchcraft until he saw the Shekhinah standing And his master saw that the\u00a0<\/span>LORD<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>was<\/span><\/span>\u00a0with him, and that the\u00a0<\/span>LORD<\/span><\/span>\u00a0made all that he did to prosper in his hand.<\/span>over<\/strong> him! Gen. 39.3 “And his master saw that the\u00a0<\/span>LORD<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>was<\/span><\/span>\u00a0with him, and that the\u00a0<\/span>LORD<\/span><\/span> made all that he did to prosper in his hand.”<\/p>\n In the boundaries of His people, the people of Yahweh, God’s sovereignty is reaffirmed God with us is a parameter of faith. With the God of the OT to the God of the followers of and story of Jesus, His presence is “with us” as the new people of God.<\/p>\n For the\u00a0Lord<\/span> your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. Deut. 20.4<\/p>\n But now take courage, Zerubbabel,\u2019 declares the\u00a0Lord<\/span>, \u2018take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,\u2019 declares the\u00a0Lord<\/span>, \u2018and work; for I am with you,\u2019 declares the\u00a0Lord<\/span> of hosts. Haggai 2.4 Then they will know that I, the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,\u201d declares the Lord\u00a0God<\/span>. Ezekiel 34.30<\/p>\n Prayer<\/p>\n Yahweh be with me, before me, behind me,<\/em> <\/strong>Wishing you a very good week. <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chapter 19 Good Monday Morning to this week 18 of 2020 (week 7 of lockdown) And look, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “may Yahweh be with you.” And they said to him, “May Yahweh bless you”. Ruth 2:4 I’m not sure if you have realized, but around here the greetings upon … <\/p>\n
\nI will be with you ….
\nThe Lord was with them ….
\nGod was in their midst ….<\/p>\n
\nAccompaniment, protection and deliverance!
\nOften in situations as with Solomon as with David.
\nGod is with Israel and with their forefathers.
\nYahweh’s presence on the journey of Israel back from exile.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>This Jewish narrative points to exceptional experiences; cognitive, emotional, physical, spiritual, individual and within the community. On example is Moses and the ark, both
\ndefine the presence of the divine with the words. He is “among” you, he is “in your midst”.<\/p>\n
\nand His divine “withness – with you” is declared and proclaimed as a critical “must” for the rebuilding of of His community and place of His presence.<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\nChrist in me, beneath me, above me,<\/em>
\nYahweh on my right, to my left,<\/em>
\nChrist where I sit, where I arise,<\/em>
\nMay Yahweh, our God be “with us”\u00a0 ever with us.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nPhilemon\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n