Goelism #4–Satan, The Nearer of Kin

In our previous post titled  "Goelism #3: Boaz, Naomi and Ruth" we explored Boaz’s understanding of his responsibilities to his deceased relative, Naomi’s husband. One must understand Naomi’s position in all of this in regards to Goalism as Goelism  was the fiber which held the garment of Hebrew life together. In Deuteronomy 4:5-8 (RNKJV) we find this wonderful promise for those who believe and invest themselves in an intimate relationship with their redeemer (Goel):

“4 But ye that did cleave unto (YHWH) your Elohim are alive every one of you this day. 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as  my Elohim commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 7 For what nation is there so great, who hath Elohim so nigh unto them, as  our Elohim is in all things that we call upon him for? 8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?”

Not only was Goalism to bring wisdom and understanding to the individual but it was also a witness to the world, hence the book of Ruth being presented in sequence of the Bible books when  (Yahushua) was Israel’s king during the period of judges and prophets. Naomi was submitting herself to the law and order of all time which was to produce a most beautiful result. By returning home she placed herself in a position where the application of Goalism could produce the wonderful fruit of peace and rest it was designed to produce.

Naomi knew Boaz was her near kinsman as evidenced by her statement to Ruth after Ruth’s sweaty day of gleaning.  In Ruth 2:19, 20 this dialogue is found between Naomi and Ruth,

“And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of YHWH who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.”

A bright glimmer of hope is kindled in Naomi’s heart as she realized the hand of the Almighty was at work in her life after the day’s events. Boaz was also aware of his position as a near of kin by his confession to Ruth, but the focus of this post is to explore an often times overlooked part of this real life drama.

There was a nearer of kin than Boaz. Ruth 3:12 states to us the real situation.

“And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.”

You can almost feel the heart of Ruth plunge to her sandals when she hears these words as things have been going so well, but now she receives a promise that Boaz will do all to meet her needs if the nearer of kin will not fulfill his responsibility. Ruth 3:13 states this so wonderfully.

“Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as  liveth: lie down until the morning.”

You see my friend, many people overlook the fact that we have a nearer of kin to us than our Creator. You and I are created beings as outlined in the very beginning chapters of the Bible. Genesis 2:7 beautifully records this event.

“And Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

It was our Creator’s intention that we would walk with Him throughout our life, but we chose a different kinsman when we accepted the deception  of Lucifer at the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It was Lucifer’s objective to become humanity’s nearest of kin by beguiling Eve and then using her to tempt Adam. Eve was deceived by Lucifer but Adam willfully chose to eat of the forbidden fruit knowing that it was going to change things from that which he currently understood. Genesis 3 shows the effect of sin.

9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13  And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18  Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

Adam took of the fruit his wife gave him, but there is no record that he was beguiled. Adam knew what he was doing.  Therefore Lucifer, by deception, had the stolen birthright. This now placed Lucifer as head of the human family instead of Adam. You will notice that when this dialogue began in Genesis chapter 3 that  approached Adam first.  Secondly He addressed Eve, and finally He addressed the serpent and wherewith the serpent is cursed.  Following the curse of the serpent is a conversation with Eve  regarding her curse and last is the curse given to Adam. Adam who had come from the Creator’s hand as head of the human race was now third in line. Above him was the woman and the serpent. As a result of our sin we came under the curse of sin, for the Bible plainly states that the wages of sin is death. This statement is made in Romans 6:23.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of is  eternal life through  the Messiah our Saviour.”

The Everlasting Covenant which was in place before man sinned, but not revealed was designed to bring back to this world and to the universe the proper order and faith relationship which Adam gave up by partaking of the forbidden fruit.

The power of the faith relationship between man and his Creator was lost when sin was introduced to humanity. Humanity was plunged into a pit of evil which has no bottom. One does not find hope in the pit of evil. It leads to a life of darkness and an ever deepening separation from our Creator. There is no light in the leadership of Lucifer who we call Satan. Do you remember what Adam first said to  (YHWH) when he was asked, Where are you? Adam listed three things which happened as a result of partaking of the forbidden fruit. Number one he was afraid, number two he was naked and number three, he hid himself. This is the natural consequence of partaking of that which is forbidden; Fear, Nakedness, and Hiding. Without a true goel (redeemer) we have no hope. But highest praise to the Father and His Son that there is a way by which we can be redeemed. It is by grace that we have been offered a way out of the bottomless pit of evil. The very first thing our Creator did after the fall of humanity was to begin to clothe them.

Genesis 3:21 “Unto Adam also and to his wife did  Elohim make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

Notice the beauty of our Goel. The very first thing he does is hide our nakedness; He provides us with a covering. He brings us under His wings and in His wings there is power. His purpose for us is to be over comers by the blood of the Lamb. Not only does the skin of the Lamb cover us, but the blood which was shed taught Adam the high cost for sin.  Adam realized that ONE would have to die to resolve the sin problem.  As we enter into an intimate relationship with our Redeemer we lose fear, nakedness and we no longer have to run and hide. This is demonstrated by the following example.

The law of  gravity has power over all of the earth’s elements, yet there is a law which is greater than that of gravity. That law is the law of aerodynamics. The scripture states in Isaiah 40:31

“But they that wait upon  shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

This promise is also contained in the Torah when in Exodus 19:4, 5 (KJV) it states,

“Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagle’s wings, and brought you unto myself.  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:”

I am reminded every time I see a bird fly that there is a law which has power over gravity. It is the same in our spiritual world, we are under the effect of sin, but we are to have power over it by the grace and power of our Creator. What is the difference? The difference is who has power over us. Either we will come under the covering of Lucifer as our father which was cursed to slither in the dust of the earth, or under the father hood of  (Yahushua). This choice is put before us in Joshua 24:15.

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve , choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the elohim which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the elohim of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve .”

Will we like Ruth come to our near kinsman for help? Are we willing to come under HIS covering?  The choice is ours each day as to who we will serve! It is my prayer for you that it will be .