THE MIRACLE OF WEAKNESS

by Carter Conlon

Hebrews 11, often considered the chapter of faith, speaks of those who were greatly used of God in times gone by: “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens” (Hebrews 11: 33–34).

The writer then goes on to make a phenomenal statement: “Women received their dead raised to life again...” (Hebrews 11:35). This refers to a specific power that, throughout the course of history, God had put into the hands of women to raise back to life that which was considered dead. Although the writer of Hebrews does not elaborate with specific examples, there are many in the Old Testament—one in particular in the Book of Ruth.

 “Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion...” (Ruth 1:1–2).

The name “Elimelech” means kingly or mighty, signifying that he most likely had some kind of relationship with God. An inheritance was given to him—a heritage of knowing the ways of God. However, we see that Elimelech led his family into the land of Moab. Now the Moabites were the descendants of Abraham’s nephew, Lot, who had escaped Sodom and Gomorrah and ended up having an incestuous relationship with one of his daughters. This was how Moab was birthed—a place of spiritual mixture.

Elimelech must have been aware of the history and known that Moab was not the place of blessing that God had promised through Abraham to His people. Nevertheless, he proceeded to lead his family there during this season of famine. He is a type of those who claim to love God but are still living in mixture—half following God and half being led by their own senses.

As they ventured out from Bethlehem, perhaps Elimelech and his wife, Naomi, anticipated a prosperous and wonderful future awaiting them. Little did Naomi know that she would end up suffering the loss of almost everything, including her husband.

More here...https://www.tscnyc.org/sermon_newsletter/2013/August/2013-08_Carter_Conlon_The_Miracle_of_Weakness.html