A Model Israelite

A Model Israelite

Ruth 1:1–18 NKJV

Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread. Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.”

So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”

But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons, would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!”

Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”

But Ruth said:

“Entreat me not to leave you,

Or to turn back from following after you;

For wherever you go, I will go;

And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;

Your people shall be my people,

And your God, my God.

Where you die, I will die,

And there will I be buried.

The Lord do so to me, and more also,

If anything but death parts you and me.”

When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.

Today is celebrated by Protestant churches as Reformation Sunday. we remember that on October 31, 1517, a monk posted a list of 95 theses for debate among the scholars of the University of Wittenburg, Germany. they addressed many of the abuses of the church of the common people, especially the sale of indulgences which could be purchased from the church as a payment to sin or even a license to sin, They were written in Latin which only the scholars knew, so Luther was not intending to start what we now know as the Reformation. But they were quickly translated into German and spread like wildfire among the German people, thanks to the recent invention of the printing press. The Reformation took a life of its own as a movement. Several doctrines were emphasized as the basis for the reformation of the Roman Catholic Church. One of these was a return to Scripture alone as the basis of the rule of faith. No practice or doctrine which was contrary to the teaching of Scripture was to be admitted as essential for salvation. Some of the Reformers went even further and did not allow any practice which was not directly advocated in Scripture interpreted by clear reason. Another doctrine of the Reformation is that salvation is in Jesus Christ alone. A third doctrine was that salvation was by grace through faith alone in Christ apart from any works. Another truth was that Christ alone is High Priest and mediator between us and God. One need not go to saints or Mary to intercede in our behalf. The priesthood of all believers was also held rather than a certain select group of priests. These and other doctrines characterized the Reformation.

The Reformation marked a distinct change in the areas of Europe to which it spread, It rebuilt the foundations of the church which had been badly corroded due to massive corruption. We do well to remember this in a day in which even the Protestant churches have corrupted both faith and doctrine.