Ruth 1:1
A Cameo of Friendship
Cameo
God's Story
God's chosen wife, Israel forgot Who she belonged to. She was designed for His purpose but was lost in her own eyes. God brought an unlikely situation to create His purpose. It was a famine in Bethlehem. Who ever heard of famine in The house of Bread?
His eye was on Ruth, a Moabite. He crossed boundaries of His people. a no-no in the eyes of His people.. He saw the heart of a woman in a country who did not deal kindly with Israel..
Ruth would not only become a friend to Naomi, but a friend to God and would be used to establish God's purpose for Israel and for the world. She was the light that shined brightly in Israel's dark history.
Israel's Story:
It was a time when judges rules. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
God brought a problem. This problem was a futile bed for the Seed of Promise.
It put a family in a place to commit themselves.
It put a family in a place to play into God's Purpose
It was a time when judges rules. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
God brought a problem. This problem was a futile bed for the Seed of Promise.
It put a family in a place to commit themselves.
It put a family in a place to play into God's Purpose
Naomi's Story:
Naomi! Pleasant. Her name spoke of her heart. Once she lived in a country of pleasantness and plenty; chosen by God. It was planted in rich soil of faith with meaning, purpose, and she was called a special people unto God. A woman of dignity, and now forgotten.
Famine had come to her land. She was not asked, but told.
"We will leave Bethlehem and go to Moab," Elimelech said. "Our family is perishing."
"Where is your faith, Elimelech?" Naomi pondered.
She followed her husband without a word. She was beautiful in her youth, but now her youth had gone. She felt her life over and God had turned his back on her.
"Where is your faith, Elimelech?" Naomi pondered.
She followed her husband without a word. She was beautiful in her youth, but now her youth had gone. She felt her life over and God had turned his back on her.
There was a famine. Couldn't they work something out? Even when it didn't feel like a Divine hand upon them,, God was leading in the midst of confusion.
They left all they knew to go to a place where they would meet their enemy. Moab had not smiled kindly on their fathers before them. Sometimes, an enemy holds the promise.
Couldn't God work His purpose in the people who were there in Bethlehem? Her husband and two sons? Why did they have to go to another country? After all, Elimelech, whose name means "God is King" could have been the answer. His two sons, Mahlon and Chillion means "Sickly" and "Failing" Early deaths show their names were appropriate.
Principles in Relationships:
Husband and Wife
It was not her idea. Why did she have to go with Elimelech? Leave her homeland, her home? In that day, she probably did not speak these thoughts, but I am sure she pondered them. It was her place to surrender to her husband. It was God's principle to obey, therefore there was a purpose and an expected end. She could trust God when possibly she could not trust her leader.
Faith Lesson
Couldn't God work His purpose in the people who were there? Her husband and two sons? Why did they have to go to another country? Maybe they were the wrong people to do the job, maybe their faith was small, and maybe their character was small..
What can we learn from this situation?
Would Naomi received her promise without submitting to God?
Who can we trust when nothing rings true?
Can we trust a leader who has smaller faith than we do?
Will God cross the natural to get His job done?
Will God cross the natural to get His job done?
Chain of Events:
The story takes us from Bethlehem to the the country of Moab (10 years) to the field in Bethlehem (months), the threshing floor (1 day) to the city of Bethlehem, (1) year.
The Time is set as the same time as Judges 17:6 "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes." The events took place before the establishment of the monarchy in Israel. It was a time of apostasy, warfare, decline, violence, moral decay, anarchy, and disobedience.
The Moabitess, Ruth decendered from Lot as a result of his incestuous relation with his older daughter. (Gen 19:30-37) Ruth was an unlikely answer for the kinsman redeemer.
A Cameo of friendship
A cameo etched in love and friendship
Light against darkness
A form of meaning
amidst a generation of aimlessness.
Hope lost its way and
light became dim.
God was questioned,
but His work has been spoken
A seed of promise would spring up.
Light would be revealed
A redeemer would conquer the night.
In darkness, light shines greater
Faith changes direction
Virtue would hold God's heart
A covenant of friendship already given
would bring friend to friend.
Introduction
Cameo – Story of Ruth
Only two books in the Bible are named after women. Ruth is in the lineage of our redeemer and Esther was used to establish and save her nation.
Traditionally, Samuel has been identified as the author of Ruth. However, some Jewish rabbis have ascribed the writing to Naomi. If an appendix was added, then the book was written by neither since both died before David’s birth. The time of this story is around 1100 bc. One hundred years before David.
The contemporary Book is Judges, Judges took place between 1375BC and 1000 BC. There are seven cycles of downfall in Judges, each in a five step cycle. Chapter 2 of Judges is a mini book showing the whole story of Judges. Read Chapter 2 and you have read Judges.
The contemporary Book is Judges, Judges took place between 1375BC and 1000 BC. There are seven cycles of downfall in Judges, each in a five step cycle. Chapter 2 of Judges is a mini book showing the whole story of Judges. Read Chapter 2 and you have read Judges.
The Characters in this story
Elimeleck – literally, my God is King
Naomi – Pleasant
Mahlon – sick
Chilion – pining
Ruth – Friendship
Orpah – hind, back- wife of Chilion
The Cameo - The Story
Chapter 1
Ruth l:1-3
Everyone was leaving.
The shadow of death hung over the land, everywhere Naomi looked, death itself was there. Naomi looked at the faint marks in the path that led between Moab Israel Israel Moab
If they could but reach the “Place of Refuge”, they could be safe. It was neutral ground. It was the custom, two countries could meet peacefully, but in reality each kept his hand on his dagger and looked as much behind as before him. Who could trust the Moabites?
What is worst, the enemy of famine or the Moabites? They both kill. The angel of death hung close to the caravan of five mules and four people.
Elimelech’s shriveled body slumped in despair, “Woman, give me something to drink or I will die.”
Naomi was the rock to which the members of her little family anchored themselves; she was the real leader of her flock. “Mahlon! Stop for a moment while I give your father drink.”
Chilion gave his father the wineskin, then he drank greedily himself, then handed it to Mahlon.
Mahlon, being the eldest son, strong of character, but physically weak, handed it to his mother. “Here mother, you drink too.”
Naomi took the flat leather water skin and tied the strings. “I’m not thirsty. Help yourself. It is not far from the meeting place, we are almost at the crossing and we will have water.”
The little caravan of five saw the ribbon of green trees on the horizon. “We are almost there,” Naomi assured her husband and two sons.
Naomi feared the Moabites. She hid it very well. The men of Moab Israel Israel A Place of Refuge.
Mahlon didn’t mention his fears either. He knew he was next in line to take charge of his family. His father was ill, he was dying. His father said, “Take our family to Moab
“There is a place over there we can stay for the night.” Mahlon pointed to a group of trees next to the Jordan River . “We can stay there until we decide how much further we should go.”
As the caravan reached the river bed where it had divided and formed an island, the mule stepped in crossing the rocky bottom over which the cold waters of the Jordan
Elimelech was carried to a shady spot. All their belongings were taken down from the fifth mule for the night. Naomi had left everything behind, except a couple of vessels for cooking and utensils. Nothing matter anymore. Famine brings reality. If you have no food, why do you need cooking vessels?
Naomi looked up, three horses were coming. A giant of a man, a fighting man, sat on a black horse. A gold chain about his neck represented his position. He was a prince for Hedak, the captain of all the armies of Moab
“Ruth, we will camp at the Place of Refuge,” the leader promised. “If we meet any Israelite, we will kill them. Why should they live? They are coming to eat our bread.”
“Why kill them? Our country is far more prosperous than theirs.” Ruth raised her head and spoke with assurance. “They are a poor people; there is no fight in them. I’ve seen it in the many of them who have run from their country.”
Ruth loosened the cloak around her face. Her high cheekbones and warm eyes shone like a gem behind her fallen strawberry blond hair. She was beautiful.
“Your right, Ruth, once again. I might need them for my own use. Your keenness must come from our god Chemosh. I will hold my sword close but I will not draw it.”
Naomi looked up, “There are riders coming. Quick, get your father and hide in the trees.”
Chapter 1 – The Cameo – Ruth 1:1, 2
Study Workbook
The Characters in this story, define them as an allegory in God’s big picture.
Elimeleck – literally, my God is King ________________
Naomi – Pleasant__________________________
Mahlon – sick___________________________
Chilion – pining_____________________________
Ruth – Friendship, wife of Mahlon, eldest ___________________________
Orpah – hind, back- wife of Chilion_____________________________
1. The Book of Ruth underscores an overarching theme of the Bible: God desires all to believe in Him, even non-Israelites. If this is indeed a story of the Bible, what disposition does this story represent?________________________________________
2. Even though Ruth was not familiar with God’s law, she displayed this type of love and loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi, the Wife of God. How does that fit in with the Gentiles of this disposition? __________________________________________________
3. In this short book, the Hebrew word goel is used 13 times. It means close relative (3:9) and conveys the concept of kinsman-redeemer. That’s exactly who Jesus is, the redeemer of the whole race. Who does Boaz represent in the scheme of things? __________________________________________________________________
4. Moab Lot and his older daughter. Is there any significance in the theme? _______________________________________ Lot ’s people became an enemy to Israel
5. The law of Moses did not prohibit Israelite men from marrying Moabite women, it did exclude Moabites form the congregation of Israel for ten generation (Deut 23:1-4) Read and discuss. ______________________________________________________
6. Ruth 1:6 – Look at Ex , , and Is 29:6,, Jerm. 29:10, Zeph 2:7, Luke 1:68, Ps 132:15, Matt 6:11 – Study these short verses and see how all this fits in with Ruth. Write your thoughts. __________________________________________________________
7. Ruth 1:8 – Josh 24:15, 2 Tim -18, Ruth Naomi expresses the hope that the Lord’? ________ covenantal love would extend to her daughters-in-law who were outside the land is Israel
8. Ruth 1:9 Find rest… The concept of rest referred to here is the security that is found in marriage. How does that work with our understanding of God is our husband? __________________________________________________________________
9. Ruth – Deut 25:5, Gen 38:11 – How does this law apply to Naomi’s statement? ______________________________________________________________________
Look at Gen 38:11 and discuss Tamar. Who was right and who was wrong? _____________________________________________________________________
10. Ruth - Judges , Job , Ps 32:4, 38:2 – Why would God bring calamity on his people? ___________________________ ________________________________ or is He really bringing calamity on them or something else going on?
