Types

The “types”, or figures, or examples of the Old Testament can be very useful for us, as Christians today (Please see Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:6,11).

There was a famine in the book of Ruth. Famine is usually, in the types, judgment from God for sin. (1 Cor. 11:31-32, please understand this, for us now, in the context of Rom. 8:1-8, with Heb. 12:5-11).

When there are times of judgment by God, there can be times of severe trials of faith (absolute dependence on God and His Word). What must it have been to see the meal (God's gracious provision) growing less and less in the barrel?

The truth is, it is even harder for us who have enjoyed times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord (Psa. 16:8, 11; Neh. 8:10), and seasons of genuine delight in His service (Psa. 37:4-5; Pro. 13:12), to lose the experience of His intimate love and care (1 Jhn. 4:10, 18; 1 Pet. 5:7), to find prayer becoming a burden, and the Word of God lifeless and unhelpful.

Should either of these be an excuse for forsaking all the promises in Christ? (2 Cor. 1:20)

If from any cause our sense of the presence and approval of Jesus seems to have lost something of its clarity, even in the circle of Church life, and with those which we have been associated, to try and obtain a truer solace and renewal in the world system, that God has declared that to be a friend of that world is declared to be enmity to our Lord (Ja. 4:1-4).

In whatever circumstances we are in, Christ never changes (Mal. 3:6; Ja. 1:17; Heb. 13:8). If there is a change in our experience of Him, the cause is with us and not with Him. The blame-game never works and is never a part of the true Christian experience. Blaming God or others is the indication of not wanting to be responsible and accountable to God and those that are His.

Many times personal lack has to do with a lack of forgiveness towards one another, and thereby we personally lack the confirmation of His love for ourselves, and for those, we hold hostage in the prison of our pride.

Let's love and forgive one another, just like Christ has loved us and forgives us (Jhn. 13:34-35; Eph. 4:32).

Let's not allow our hurts and wounds to have more authority over us than Christ and His love for us and others (2 Cor. 2:10-11; Ja. 5:16; Ps. 119:165).