SCRIPTURE: RUTH 1
INTRODUCTION:
This book tells of a story about an Israelite couple who moved to Moab during a famine in Canaan. The husband and his two sons died leaving the wife Naomi with her two daughters-in-law Orpah and Ruth. Naomi decided to return to Israel and advised her two daughters-in-law to go back to their mother’s home. But Ruth insisted of going back with her. While in Israel, Naomi looked to her relative Boaz for help. Ruth finally married Boaz and became the great grandmother of David.
There are 4 chapters in this book which described of Tear, Toil, Trust and Triumph. The book began with funeral and ended with a wedding. Naomi started with bitterness and ended with blessedness while Rush moved from loneliness to love.
There are only two Old Testament books named after women – Ruth and Esther. Ruth was a Gentile who married a Jew while Esther was a Jew who married a Gentile. God used both of them to save the nation.
BIBLE VERSE:
“ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16)
NAOMI AND RUTH (vs. 1-22)
There was a famine in Israel. A man from Bethlehem in Judah name Elimeleh and his wife Noami together with their two sons Mahlon (meaning sickly) and Kilion (meaning pining) went to Moab and lived there. Elimelech died and Naomi was left with his two sons. Mahlon married Orpah while Kilion married Ruth, both were Moabiltes. After ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion died and Naomi was left with her two daughters-in-law.
Naomi decided to go back to Israel and told her two daughters-in-law to go back to their home. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye while Ruth clung on her and said: “Gond urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severly, if anything but death separates you and me” (vs 16-18)
When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. As the two women arrived at Bethlehem, the whole town was stunned. Naomi told them to call her “Mara” because the Lord had afflicted her with misfortune.
THOUGHTS:
“Naomi” means “pleasant” while “Mara” means “bitter”. Naomi and her husband left Judah to Moab because of famine. They planed to stay here for a short period but their sons had married Moabite women out of God’s will. Naomi ended up a widow and lost her two sons. Better to be hungry on the will of god than to have a full stomach and be out of His will.
SPIRITUAL TRUTH OF RUTH (By Warren Wiersbe)
- Ruth was from Moabite and excluded from the nation of Israel. But because she put faith in the God of Israel, she was accepted. God also illustrated His grace to the Gentiles.
- Boaz married Ruth and made her a part of his inheritance. He was the kinsman-redeemer as the Lord Jesus Christ had paid the price to redeem us to make us His bride.
The fact that Ruth was willing to go with her mother-in-law showed that Naomi’s life must have a powerful witness to the reality of God. She had a selfless attitude when she encouraged her daughters-in-law to return to their mother’s home and start their lives over even though this would mean hardship to her. Those who are mother-in-law must follow the good example of Naomi.
The book of Ruth is a perfect example of God’s impartiality. Although Ruth belonged to a race often despised by Israel, she was blessed because of her faithfulness. she became a great grandmother of King David and a direct ancestor of Jesus. No one should feel disqualified to become His child because of race, sex or national background. God can use every circumstances to build His kingdom.