God sent Judah into exile in Babylon for a specific reason. Years later, the Bride of Yeshua, the church, finds itself once again in exile – surprisingly, for the very same reason… Following Pentecost, the church emerged as a vital community, living a life of discipleship and teaching. Yet something literally thrust this Body into the Dark Ages and turned its active participants into mere spectators. Over the years, true Christianity became adapted and tainted to incorporate practices, rituals and cultures contrary to the heart and will of God. Gerrit Nel tells of the Orpah church – a church in exile, where God’s promises are proclaimed, but seldom possessed. But there is also the Ruth bride, mobilizing for a return to the heart and will of God, to possess His promises and to enter His promised land. The Ruth bride is radical, a pioneer, whose very life is a song of surrender and worship to the Beloved.
