Sorry this took so long… here are the notes form last week’s study in Ruth Chapter 1.
v.1-7, 19-22 God is working, even in hard times.
Ruth and Naomi lived “in the days when the judges ruled.” See Judges 21:25 for what this was like–it was a time ofPolitical instability, military defeat, cultural upheaval, spiritual darkness. Thye alos experienced financial hardship (“a famine”), personal suffering (family deaths) and cultural isolation, as they went to live in Moab.
v.8-18 Prioritizing the Spiritual, even in hard times.
v.11
Here Naomi is thinking normally—what about husbands for her daughters in law?
v.14
Orpah does the ordinary, sensible thing, Ruth does the unexpected. The Hebrew word for this is over-the-top love and mercy is hesed—see 1:8, 2:20, 3:10)
v.16-17
Ruth Shows:
1. Unmovable resolve
2. Total commitment (“where you lodge, your people”)
3. Lifelong commitment (“where you die I will die”)
4. She claims the God of Israel
5. Trusting God’s sovereignty (“God do so to me…”)
Ruth prioritizes the true God by claiming her and her relation to Him over future worries about a husband. She does it with Hesed: Sacrificial care for another person (mercy) hesed—see 1:8, 2:20, 3:10)
4:16-22 Becoming part of God’s plan.
By prioritizing the Spiritual and seeing her life relative to God, Ruth becomes part of the larger plan He’s working out in the entire world: the plan to bring a out King David, and (see Mt 1:1,5) the plan to bring about the Messiah
What was God doing in Naomi’s and Ruth’s lives? God had a long term plan which involved Ruth’s salvation and gathering in to the people of Israel (hence the famine and death of Elimelech), and Ruth’s marriage to Boaz (hence the deaths of the husbands). But beyond that, He was working out a plan in the world: which involved the coming of King David and Jesus. So what He was doing in their lives couldn’t be totally understood apart from the answer to the question: What was God doing in the world?
Challenges:
- The key to pursuing marriage in a godly way is to see ourselves as related to God first. When our priorities are in line, we are in a position to begin to walk His path for us.
- Sometimes we must prioritize our lives based on the small things we do know from God’s word. Ruth did not have the bigger picture. But we do. We understand the full story and what God is doing in the world, so we must be diligent to understand what He’s doing, and to constantly orient our lives to be an active part of His work. He’s bringing in a new kingdom, which will sweep away all the nations doing what is right in their own eyes. We are called to give our lives to this, or, as Jesus said: Matthew 6:31-33. Seek first God’s Kingdom, and everything you need will be added to you. (See also Psalm 34:10)