What About The Book Of Jasher (Book Review)

As translated by

Moses Samuel

not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.

Titus 1:14

Allow me to first make an observation as to the way we all write things. This will help lay the foundation as to how I look at the contents of the Book of Jasher. To begin with, we must understand how historical writings differentiate from spiritual and literal writings. Mind you I am one who loves to use outside sources to buttress my investigation into Christian commentaries I write about. However, only in as much as those secular writings can help me in areas related to customs, politics, secular history, popular culture etc. etc. etc.. However, in all the studies I do for sermons, Bible studies, or commentaries , I have used anything outside of the Scriptures to prove a theological point I am trying to make about what the Scriptures I'm explaining. I may use an example to enlighten one's mind in a parable sort of way, but not to prove a theological point.

The Women Of Jesus' Genealogy

Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba

Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.
Matthew 1:3-6
It is without a doubt that Matthew's desire was to present Jesus to a Jewish Christian audience as a Jewish royal figure. Not just the Son of Abraham, but rather the Son of David as mentioned in the very first verse. Thus the legal heir of King David's throne. This is why he had to incorporate the genealogy that traced his lineage back to David. However, something that has intrigued theologians since the early years of Matthew's Gospel, is his inclusion of four gentile women. Women who, with the exception of Ruth, possessed no exemplary character. To modern readers this might not seem so out of place, but for a first century Jewish scribe to include women in a record of ancestry was unheard of. The World of the first century was based upon Patriarchal systems where women had no rights to speak of. They were but possessions of the men who controlled the World.

Habakkuk, Then & Now

 

by Chuck Ness

As I was reading Habakkuk during my morning quiet time, I was given some insight I have not considered before. The phrase, ”The more things change, the more they stay the same,'' came to my mind. Jeremiah and Habakkuk were contemporaries living in Judaea just before and during the time when Babylon took them away. While Jeremiah taught that wickedness in God's own people has doomed them, Habakkuk preached about the corruption that had infested the government of their day. His opening verse gives us all we need to know about how evil the government of the Southern tribe of Judah had become.

Ruth 1:6-22 Widows Journey

Ruth 1:6-22 

Two Widows Journey to Bethlehem

Ruth is a poignant story of faithless disobedience, that leads to death, sorrow, bitterness, and then loyalty and finally redemption. It's my prayer that you will realize that if an inconspicuous Moabite peasant woman could achieve royalty for her descendants in Israel, then anyone can gain Salvation. The story of Ruth contains secrets to the Kingdom of Heaven that point directly to the work our Savior, Jesus Christ, would one day accomplish for us all on Calvary. Ultimately God will reward Ruth's faith and obedience by making her the great grandmother of King David and a place in the genealogy of Jesus that Matthew records in his Gospel.

Ruth 1:1-5 Introduction

“Leaving God's Blessing's Behind”

An Introduction Outline For Ruth

Ruth 1:1-5

 

The book of Ruth is a beautiful love story of a woman who left home and country to follow a woman she loved dearly. Ruth was a widow, who loved her mother-in-law so much she told her,

“Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.
Ruth 1:16

It is only one of two books named after a woman, and the only one named after a Gentile. A Gentile who would become a Hebrew, and be placed in the genealogy of her greatest descendent, Jesus Christ. Ruth is true story that gives us a powerful lesson in redemption. A lesson that points to the love of GOD for HIS creation. A love so powerful that HE would give HIS only begotten SON so that we may all have everlasting life.