Restoration

"So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David." (Ruth 4: 13-17 KJV)

There are, in the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz, marvelous lessons to be learned about spiritual restoration in Christ Jesus the Lord. In the Bible, salvation = restoration, with an abundant addition of "fortunes."

Naomi had lost her only son, and therefore had no "heir" and thus no legacy, or estate, or lasting family name and heritage. In Israelite culture, this was a great "misfortune." But, in God's mercy and providence, he arranged for Ruth, through Boaz, to "raise up seed in the place of Naomi's son," thus "restoring" all that was lost by death!

Boaz is a picture or type of Christ, and both Naomi and Ruth are types of believers (or the church), who are the ones "restored" to all things lost by sin, and this soley by and for the work and merits of Christ. Christ is truly and eminently the "restorer of life" to the believer, the sinner who comes to Christ in faith.

"He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psalm 23: 3)

This is the song and confession of every genuine believer in Jesus. He has experienced "restoration" in his innermost being by the power of the word and Spirit of Lord God. He is also promised that this restoration will increase as he walks the Christian path, and also is promised a full and complete restoration when Christ returns, resurrects and immortalizes the bodies of the believer, and when the glorified believer dwells forever in supernal peace and joy. The very, very best of news possible for man!

"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." (Psalm 51: 12)

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." (Galatians 6: 1)

This demonstrates that this present restoration, which the believer now enjoys and experiences, is sometimes lessoned; that is, things that were once restored are lost again, and then those same things need to be restored all over again. This was the case of David. Thank Lord God, he was restored!

"And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness." (Isaiah 1: 25-27 KJV)

This has a direct relation to the elect remnant of Israel (See Romans). But, it also has a relation to the Gentile believer in Christ. The believer, whether Jew or Gentile, is promised rule, as kings and judges, in the age to come. Involved in God's restoration work is also the work of "purging" or of "weeding out" all the dross and tin, so that purification may increase and become complete.

"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." (Isaiah 57: 15-21 KJV)

"Restore comforts"! Is that not a regular need and blessing even for the believer? "Restoration" is connected with "healing."

"Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in." (Isaiah 58: 9-12 KJV)

What a picture of full spiritual "restoration"! A glorious restoration for the whole man! For his mind, spirit, soul and affections! Yea, even for his body! Yea, for his daily life throughout eternity! These words of God are also a call to service to his people, for them all to become "repairers of the breaches" and "restorers" of paths of peace and joy.

"Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after." (Jeremiah 30: 16, 17 KJV)

"Restore health"! Oh what a promise! Not just temporal health, nor simply health for the body, but superlative health for the whole man forever! Vibrant and exciting life from day to day! Who can imagine or comprehend it? Praise God for the eye of faith! For his "previews" in holy scripture that inspire faith and create hope!

"Heal the wounds"! Take away all the sufferings, griefs, heartaches, anxiety and stress, all the wounds and scars, both to the body and to the soul!

"Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore...And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed." (Joel 2: 21-27 KJV)

Paradise and Eden wondrously restored! Oh what glorious news for rebellious and guilty, fallen, spiritually wasted and lost man! Redeemed from sin, death, and all that is evil! What a fantastic picture of life to come in the glorious and happy eternal state!

"Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!" (Psalm 14: 7 & 53: 6 NIV)

"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things." (Matthew 17: 11)

"When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1: 6)

"Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." (Acts 3: 21)

All these verses speak of that final phase in God's restoration program for his saints, for the earth, yea, for the cosmos. Only the unbeliever is "left out" of this glorious restoration of our fallen race.

"Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Awaken your might; come and save us. Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved." (Psalm 80: 1-3 & verses 7, 19 NIV)

"Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev." (Psalm 126: 4 NIV)

"You showed favor to your land, O LORD; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. Selah You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger. Restore us again, O God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us." (Psalm 85: 1-4 NIV)

These are the prayers and petitions of the believer in Jesus, the ones to whom all the promises of restoration apply. All men desire restoration, of some kind, and to some degree, but only the believer in Jesus finds it, for he looks for it in Christ and in him alone.

"Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them." (Jeremiah 15: 19 NIV)

This is what Lord God says to all men through the word of the gospel.

"So there is hope for your future," declares the LORD. "Your children will return to their own land. "I have surely heard Ephraim's moaning: 'You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the LORD my God. After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.'" (Jeremiah 31: 17-19 NIV)

"Restore me and I will return." If a man truly repent of his sins, experience real "godly sorrow" for them, then he has already, in a measure, been "restored." He cannot fully see, but he is not fully blind either, as before. A man who is "beating his spiritual breast" from deep contrition over sin, is truly in the process of being restored.

"This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed...Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old." (Lamentations 1: 16 & 5: 21 NIV)

This is the place of true restoration for the soul who is now in sorrow, lacking peace and joy! First recognize that you, in yourself, are unable to restore your own fortunes and destiny, and call upon him to do for you what you cannot do for yourself.

Jesus restored sight to the blind, and restored to wholeness those who were paralyzed, and restored hearing to the deaf, and even restored life to the dead.

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." (I Peter 5: 10 NIV)

"Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness." (Psalm 41: 1-3 NIV)

"Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up." (Psalm 71: 20 NIV)

What words of comfort for the believer who has suffered loss and needs new restoration!