RUTH
OBSERVATION:
THE BOOK OF RUTH FOCUSES LARGELY ON A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RUTH. A MOABITE AND BOAZ A WEALTHY JEWISH LAND OWNER. MANY JEWS CREDIT SAMUEL FOR THE WRITING AROUND 1,000 B.C.
INTERPRETATION:
READ RUTH 1:16 (NASB) BUT RUTH SAID, “ DO NOT URGE ME TO LEAVE YOU OR TURN BACK FROM FOLLOWING YOU; FOR WHERE YOU GO, I WILL GO, AND WHERE YOU LODGE, I WILL LODGE. YOUR PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
POINTS TO PONDER:
RUTH WITH STRONG RESOLVE RETURNED WITH NAOMI TO ISRAEL. BOAZ REPEATEDLY DEMONSTRATED COMPASSION FOR RUTH. JEWISH LAW REQUIRED THE LANDHOLDER TO LEAVE GRAIN STALK ON THE GROUND SO THE WORKERS COULD HAVE A FOOD SOURCE. BOAZ WENT BEYOND THE LAW AND ALLOWED RUTH EVEN MORE GRAIN THAN THE LAW ALLOWED. THE JEWISH LAW WAS A GUIDE TO RIGHTEOUS LIVING. YOU SEE HOW THE LAW CAN FUNCTION IN THE LIVES OF GODLY PEOPLE.
THE MARRIAGE OF BOAZ AND RUTH BROUGHT GREAT COMFORT TO RUTH. THEIR MARRIAGE PRODUCED A BABY WHOM THEY NAMED OBED. OBED WAS CONFIRMATION THAT HER EMPTINESS WAS OVER.
RUTH IS A PROFILE OF COURAGE. IT SPEAKS TO A CHRISTIAN’S WALK, DESIRING PURSUE OF CHRIST ALONE. GOD HAS ALWAYS USED VARIOUS PEOPLE THROUGHOUT HISTORY TO AFFECT HIS PLANS. THE UNION OF RUTH AND BOAZ INTIMATELY PRODUCED A KINGLY LINE LEADING TO CHRIST THE KING! READ RUTH 4: 16-22 AND MATTHEW 1: 5-6.
APPLICATION:
MAKE CHOICES THAT LEAD TO ETERNAL VALUES AND REWARDS. START NOW, NOT LATER!
