Orland Evangelical Free Church

A Promised Redeemer

In the same breath as God cursed the serpent because of the Fall, He promised a Redeemer (Gen 3:15). The Redeemer would restore all that was lost through Adam. But, early on, it's not looking good.

God proclaimed through His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that one of their offspring would be the One to redeem mankind. Jacob claimed this promise when He prophesied that the Redeemer would come through one of his twelve sons - namely Judah (Gen 49:8-12). The fulfillment of the promised Redeemer seems to become derailed when Judah's sons die without children (Gen 38:1-10). But, God's loyal-love and providential intervention resulted in the birth of Perez.

Some 400 years pass and the Messianic promises come under attack. The tribe of Judah is facing extinction. It appears that Boaz, a godly man, will die childless. But once again, God remains loyal to His promise and brings a gentile widow to Bethlehem to become his wife. Their union results in a child who will be the grandfather of King David (Ruth 4:17-22).

Listen to Mom

We are entertained by fairytales. A gallant prince stumbles across a beautiful woman and falls in love. He overcomes all manner of evil to win his love, who turns out to be a princess. But is physical beauty God's only standard for choosing a wife?

The ways of men, real or imagined, have not changed - ever. Genesis 6:2 says, "...the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were beautiful." Sarai, Rebekah and Rachel were beautiful (Gen 13:11, 24:16, 29:16-17). But God wants men to find women of noble character to be a crown for his head (Prov 12:4). Men are also warned in the same verse about the devastating consequences of making a wrong choice, "a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones."

King Lemuel heeded the wise words of his mother in Prov 31. She said, in verse 30, "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." The moral of the story: Sons, listen to mom!

Our Humble Beginning

In 1909, four Swedish Christian "brothers" left their homes in Nebraska to explore opportunities in Oregon. They're plans went awry and they ended up in Orland.

After receiving a glowing report about Lakeview Oregon from a "land shark" (real estate developer), the brothers took a train and headed west. The lush green of the Sacramento Valley in November was a stark contrast to the howling winds on the snow covered prairie.

The "brothers" met some Norwegian gentlemen on the train who told them about a "budding Paradise" - Orland. The government was putting in a large ditch and eventually a dam. Water would be plentiful and this desert would "blossom as a rose."

Orland Evangelical Free Church | Orland Evangelical Free Church

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