PERFECTION

PERDITION

OR

There is more in this purchase of land than is at first sight evident, owing to the law of inheritance and its

relation to redemption. When Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer, bought the land that belonged to Elimelech and Chilion

and Mahlon, he also bought Ruth, the wife of Mahlon, to be his wife, `to raise up the name of the dead upon his

inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place' (Ruth

4:9,10). Jeremiah also bought a piece of land in Anathoth at the command of the Lord, and as an evidence of his

faith in the restoration of his people:

`Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it ... Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the

God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which

is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days. For thus saith the LORD of hosts,

the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land' (Jer. 32:7-15).

To the Hebrew who knew the law, those sacred burial grounds would be so many pledges of future resurrection

and restoration. `The purchased possession' would be redeemed, the inheritance would be enjoyed, and during the

intervening time of waiting and discipline, `faith is the substance of things hoped for'.

In the structure of Hebrews 11, the witness of Joseph and Moses are coupled. Let us notice a lesson that arises

out of the comparison of these two witnesses to overcoming faith. Both have to do with Egypt; both have to do

personally with Pharaoh, but here the similarity ceases, and contrast begins.

In the case of Joseph, he was led steadily, step by step, through suffering and shame, until at last he sat upon the

throne of Egypt and became the saviour of his people. In the case of Moses, he was led just as steadily to turn his

back upon Egypt and its throne, and from greatness and wealth he descended to reproach and affliction that he, too,

might be, equally and as surely, a saviour of his people. Now both these contrary actions were `by faith'. How easy

it would have been for Moses to have reasoned that in Joseph he had a precedent for accepting the honour of

adoption, and of remaining attached to the throne of Egypt! How easily he could have deceived himself by

reasoning that this closeness to the throne was a God-given responsibility that he must use for the amelioration of

Israel's sorrows! Yet how false it would have been! Moses, as surely as Joseph, knew the promise of Genesis 15.

God had declared that `in the fourth generation' Israel should come out of the land of their affliction, and Moses

knew that in his own person, that fourth generation stood represented. This can be easily seen by reading Exodus

`These are the names of the sons of LEVI (generation No. 1)

Gershon, and KOHATH and Merari (generation No. 2)

The sons of Kohath, AMRAM, etc. (generation No. 3)

And ... took him Jochebed ... to wife; and she bare him Aaron and MOSES' (generation No. 4).

Moses' faith, like Joseph's, came by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Joseph said, `God shall surely

visit you' - that Moses had heard, as recorded in Exodus 3. Moses knew that Israel were to leave Egypt; they were

to be saved by no laws, however good, that emanated from that land of bondage. Joseph's faith as surely saw that

Israel must remain in Egypt for some two hundred years, as Moses saw that they could not remain another

generation. They both believed the Word, and though their actions, viewed externally, were so directly opposite,

really they were entirely both in line and harmony.

Here is the right division of the Word of truth in actual practice. We have to see where we are in the outworking

of the divine purpose, and to emulate the faith, but not copy the external expression of it, manifested in different

periods, lest by so doing we err as surely as Moses would have done had he emulated Joseph and ruled in Egypt. By

faith Moses forsook Egypt, and refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Abraham `went out'. Moses

`refused', and `forsook'.

Moses stands with Abraham in the list of witnesses, inasmuch as more space is devoted to these two than to all

others. There are points of resemblance that should not be passed unnoticed. Abraham left a highly civilized