14
Nov '24

November 14, 2024

Posted on 14Nov CATEGORIES: General

14
Nov '24
J Michael Shannon writes, sometimes we obsess about what our critics think of us. Often their opinions are based on prejudgments and untruths. The magazine Mental Floss printed an interesting story about Native American tribes and what they called themselves versus what their tribal enemies called them. One tribe self-described as “People of the Flint,” while their enemies called them “Mohawks,” which means “man-eaters.” Another tribe called themselves “People of the Big Voice,” while their enemies called them the “Winnebago,” which means “people of the smelly waters.”

Going back to our story of Ruth, we learn that Naomi’s daughter-in-law is from Moab. A nation just east of the Dead Sea which is now the country called Jordan. A Moabite at that time had received their name from the story of Lot’s incestuous relationship with his daughters from the Moab area “Mo`abi” which was similar to the Hebrew word “me`abi” which means “from my father”. So the Hebrews gave them a disgusting name calling them people who came from an incestuous relationship. In the book of Ruth we learn that the daughter-in-laws of Ruth were unfavorable to Isreaelites and not deserving of recognition. Yet, at the end of the story we see they are redeemed into the line of royalty of the line of King David.

Ruth 1:3–8 (NIV): 3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband. 

Ruth 4:13 (ESV): 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went into her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.

Ruth 4:17 (ESV): 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Names matter. The bearer of the name must believe from whom the name was given. Many receive names that are despised and bring negative connotations to them. Yet when one is adopted their name can be changed or given new meaning. Even when this happens, the one bearing the name must believe in the new calling on their life. 

So you who have been redeemed by Christ are given a new name. You are now the son or daughter of the most high. Yet most of us still see ourselves by our old name, son or daughter of perdition or dead man walking from sin. To live in the new glory of a son or daughter of the king is to first believe that you are now the son or daughter of a king. Names have meaning and can change your life if you are willing to step into the calling of your new life.

Pastor Aaron

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