Look at a couple of messages in – book of Ruth, its a story about a foreign girl named Ruth, from Moab, who came out of – paganism & Idolatry
She came from a people who were outcast, but she came into – knowledge of – God of Israel, Boaz said this about Ruth in
2:12 Under whose wings thou art come to trust
I believe we will meet Boaz and Ruth in heaven some day
Ruth, has 4 chapters but they give several important messages, one is about – genealogy of Jesus & explains – line of David
but – main purpose of – book of Ruth is to tell about Jesus coming to this earth for redeeming mankind
the story comes down to our level & tells about a couple who loved each other & thats what marriage is all about, loving each other
Vs;1
this story took place during – time of Israels judges, which if you have studied that time period, you realize that this was a terrible time for them,
you’ll remember that Israel was in captivity in Egypt, God freed them & brought them into their own country, now one would think seeing what God did for them that they would serve God wholeheartedly, But they didn’t
Judges tells us about how – people of God made a departure from God and turned to Idolatry & moral corruption & then they cried out for God for deliverance & so he gave them judges
almost all – judges took Israel through – fire, but every-time they went through severe persecution & suffering, they would call out to God once again
The past 2 wks I told you some of – things – US has done and defied – name of God
To be truthful, if we ever want to see America and our churches be revived we would have to pray that God would send us through – fire, thats – only way revival can come
thats what God did for Israel, they would get so far away from God that he would send persecution and suffering in order to bring them back to himself
the book of Ruth sits in – mist of this time period, Samson would have been a public figure, we think about all – scandals of our time, but just think about – scandal of Samson during their time!
But during that very dark period, God puts a little story in that shines some light
in vs2 Naomi & her husband Elimelech & 2 sons, are from Bethlehem-Judah, back then, names had meanings & Bethlehem = house of bread & Judah = praise this is – birthplace of Jesus
Naomi = pleasant
Elimelech = the king is my God
these 2 people are given names that represent their characters, maybe they lived up to those names or maybe they didn’t
Vs 1 again
theres a famine, we don’t know how severe, but they leave & go to Moab
Moab has a double meaning, in Ps 108 it = washpot, in a paraphrase = garbage can
needless to say, this is not an outstanding place, as I said these people were outcast, you can say they left a house of bread & praise to eat out of a garbage can
Vs2 and continued there
apparently they stayed awhile, reminds you of another story where a man took off from a place of comfort for – far country & wasted his money & he cried out to God, God restored him, but came back to his Father broke
But Naomis husband didn’t come back, he wound up dead
now there is a sin unto death, Ananias & Sapphira lied to – HS & died, but I don’t think thats a sin unto death today, if it were, there would be waiting lists at funeral homes
I don’t think its – same for every believer, when you get away from God, thats when trouble comes, and whatever sin your guilty of that Gods been dealing with you on, could be – one that he calls you home for
vs;3
They also had 2 sons, Mahlon = unhealthy, Chilion = puny
Naomis husband dies leaving her with 1 unhealthy & 1 puny child
we’re not told how Elimelech died, but if you stay with – names they were given, I would say that he was out of – will of God and drug his wife with him
But this gives us some insight into what kind of wife & mother Naomi was
she may not have liked – idea of going to Moab, but she agreed because she supported her husband
I always like – looks I get when I tell people that Sal & I have moved over 30 times and we’ve lived in 7 different states & I’ve had people say that my wife must be a saint to move with me that many times
no, not a saint, just insane, what really happened was, she just kept finding me!!!
what it shows is – real character of a woman & what marriage is, a great wife is one who will honor – Lord by staying on her husbands side
Sal didn’t always like some of – moves we made, but she never complained or argued thats character & marriage is, even when your husband is a wanderer and makes some dumb decisions you support each other & apparently Naomi did things – same way because they stayed a long time
in – far country of Moab, so long that they ended up having their 2 boys
Sometimes when prodigals go into a far country and stays too long, they usually end up getting a good whipping, you don’t always get it from God, you usually get it from – people who live in – far country & when – father is out of Gods will, its usually passed onto – children
vs 3
Naomis husband dies and because their not where their suppose to be her sons marry women of Moab which goes against – Mosaic law,
Jews were not to inter-marry, they were out of fellowship with God, Christians are not to be married to the unsaved either
vs 4
one wife is Orpah (not Oprah) = deer or fawn, she was – athletic type, makes you wonder why she married one of these puny sick guys, opposites attract!
Maybe she carried him around?
& then theres Ruth = beauty & personality she wasn’t a dumb girl, she was attractive & had a great character
vs5
After they were married, both sons die, being out of – will of God brings trouble and this is one family that had a boat load
vs6
This is why I think Naomi honored her husband by going to Moab, but it wasn’t her home, she had heard – famine was over in Judah and she wants to go home prodigals are never happy in – far country because how their living goes against their conscience
As a child of God, he has asked us to live our lives in obedience to God and when we live in opposition to – Lord we will have trouble in our lives
vs7-12
Naomi tells her 2 daughter-in-laws that shes going back to Judah and that they need to return home, re-marry and have a good life
Moabites & Jews did not get along, & if they went with Naomi, they would never be accepted, their lives would be miserable, they couldn’t re-marry, they would live in poverty and be attacked by other women
it was customary if a husband died – nearest kin would marry her & he was called a kinsman redeemer, they redeemed and took – responsibility of their kin, there was no such thing as a state welfare system
vs13
Naomi didn’t want them to go with her because she knew she and her family were out of Gods will and his hand was dealing harshly with them, they were never suppose to go to Moab and because they did, it cost them dearly
when we disobey God it will also cost us dearly
vs14-15
we come now to – parting of – ways, but theres something going on here that goes much deeper, these 3 have a decision
To make a decision to trust God and have faith that if they all go to Judah that God will protect and provide or turn their backs on him
Naomi already decided to go back, but it was her home
Orpah went back to idolatry & nothing is ever said about her in scriptures ever again
Vs16-17
Ruth however, choose God, as I said this woman had character and she had faith, this decision honored – Lord, not only for her time, but for eternity, shes mentioned in – NT and shes in – genealogy of Christ
not only did she make some promises to God and to Naomi, but she followed through
Today theres a lot of Christians who make a big deal out of their decision to accept Christ, and make a lot of promises of what they’ll do for him but then, they don’t follow through
& – reason why they don’t follow through is because all of their talk wasn’t real
when Ruth made this announcement she was identifying herself with Naomi and with her God
shes saying what ever God deals you Naomi I’ll accept it for herself, be it poverty, widowhood or death, shes forsaking her family and idolatry for Gods people
heres another problem that we have today, you cannot make a decision or make promises to God if you do not identify with Gods people
these Christians of today who say they are doing so much for God and won’t step foot in his church to be with his people are only fooling themselves
God said don’t forsake – assembling together with Gods people
17 again
what we see here with Ruth is real and genuine repentance, she says her decision to serve God is all – way to her grave
what a contrast of what we see today
peoples idea of repentance today is shed a few tears, say a few hail Mary’s, feel remorse for a bit and then go right back to living like they always have
real repentance = to change your mind, to be going in one direction and to turn and go in – complete opposite direction
what a great many people do is, they feel convicted and say I’m sorry and they want and intend to change, but then they keep going in – same direction
yrs ago when steamboats went up & down – rivers, there were some that had a small boiler & a great big whistle
but – problem was, when they blew their big whistle they lost steam and power to – motor and the current would start drifting – boat away they didn’t have enough steam to do both
thats what people are today, they got a big whistle and no boiler, theres a lot who shout about Jesus, but they’ve never been converted
when you got saved, did you really make a decision for Christ, or did you just feel bad and perhaps shed a few tears?
Ruth made a real decision for – Lord that changed her life, has your life been changed because of Christ?