Resh

It was this morning that I read the final section of Ps.119. However, on Thursday, I read the section in which each line begins with the Hebrew letter "resh". It's a section that reminded me of three things.

The first of these is that He is my Kinsman-Redeemer. "Plead my cause and redeem me;" (v.154). We learn about the kinsman-redeemer most easily in the beautiful story of Ruth, the Moabitess who, along with her mother-in-law, Naomi (and Naomi's other daughter-in-law, Orpah) was widowed. This was in the land of Moab, whence Naomi, her husband Elimolech, and their two sons, had fled to escape a time of famine in Judah. Naomi decided to return to her homeland and, in spite of the older woman's entreaties, Ruth insisted on returning with her, uttering the well-known words: "Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May YHWH do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you." (Ruth 1:16-17).

You may read the full story in the book of the Tanakh (the 'Old Testament') that is named after Ruth. As you do so, you will be introduced to Boaz who, Naomi explains to Ruth is a near-kinsman (the kinsman-redeemer). The duty of the kinsman-redeemer was to rescue a family member in need (see Lev. 25:25 ff.).

You and I, and every other human being in the history of mankind, past, present, and future, has a great need - we are sinners and unable to save ourselves. Praise God, therefore, that He has provided, in the Persona* of the Son, a Kinsman-Redeemer for us. Paul writing to the believers in the province of Galatia says: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. (3:13; emphasis added).  The apostle also reminded the young pastor Titus: "For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for Himself a people of His own who are zealous for good deeds." (2:11-14; emphasis added). Yes, the Lord Jesus, Himself, is my Kinsman-Redeemer. Is He yours?

In v.156, the psalmist writes: "Great is Thy mercy, O YHWH;" How great is that mercy! But what is it? Well, the easiest way to describe it is in conjunction with the grace of God. In His grace, God gives to us what we do not deserve; in His mercy He does not give to us what we do deserve! To put it another way - when we experience His grace we are receiving good things to which we have no claim; when we are recipients of His mercy, He withholds less good things that we deserve only too well! Praise God for the greatness of His mercy to those who have trusted in Him.

The third point that I particularly noted was in v.159 where the psalmist prays: "Preserver my life according to Thy steadfast love."  When we come to Father God, in the Name of the unique Son, Jesus, we do not have to, as it were, squeeze anything out of Him. He deals with us in the light of His own love - He whose very nature is 'love'. That love is above and beyond anything that you or I can imagine. It is the love that took Jesus to the cross, there to die a cruel and ignominious death for us. 

On Monday, I shall be, D.V., at the Armistice Ceremony in the village in which I now live. There won't be the same 'pomp and circumstance' to which I was used in the UK - but we shall still remember those who died in two World wars, and many other conflicts, that we might have the measure of freedom that we enjoy today. In the more "religious" ceremonies of Remembrance Sunday in the UK, one often hears these words being read: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13). Most will think of these words as applying to those who have died in conflict. However, I would submit that the vast majority of them did not, in fact, "lay down their lives". Many were, it is true, volunteers. Many were regular forces. Many, however, particularly in WW1, were conscripts. They had no choice. The Lord Jesus chose to give His life for you and for me. He voluntarily took your place, and mine, on the cross. He was willing to pay the penalty that your sin, and mine, deserved. "He paid a debt that  He did not owe; because I owed a debt that I could not pay."

That is not all! Those who died in the various conflicts gained, for their country, only a temporary peace. When Jesus died on the cross, He gained full, and eternal, salvation for all who come to Him in faith. The "Gospel in a nutshell" is found in the familiar words of John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." That's as much as many know - and those words are wonderfully true. Eternal life - which is not just life that goes on and on indefinitely, but is the life of God Himself, in us - is not just for the future. It is something that we receive, and start living, here and now. However, John continues: "For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God." (John 3:17-21). Please read those other words carefully. They further emphasise that the love of God is real; that He desires that none should perish; but that those who reject His offer of salvation are already condemned - by their unbelief.

Well, I move on to Ps.120 tomorrow, D.V., but if I am spared long enough, I shall probably be back at Ps.119 another time. I commend it, and all of God's written Word to you. Read; learn; apply; and obey. You'll never regret it!

*This is not a typo! It is explained in my first book: "Great Words of the Faith", in the chapter on the Trinity. Remember that I am promoting my books (all three!) because ALL royalties are paid directly into the bank account of Release International, in support of the persecuted church. Interestingly, tomorrow is the annual day to remember those who suffer for their faith in ways that you and I cannot even begin to fully imagine. Please purchase; read; leave a review; and encourage others to do the same. Links are available at the top - or just search in Amazon! Thank you.