E-pistle for January 22, 2010
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E-pistle
Dr. Dan Hite, President FreeWay Foundation January 22, 2010
Your People Shall Be My People
(Ruth 1:1-22)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the characters introduced in this chapter
1. Elimelech – a man of the tribe of Judah whose name means
"My God Is King," vv. 1-2.
2. Naomi – wife of Elimelech; her name means "Pleasant,
Delightful, and Lovely," v. 2.
3. Mahlon and Chilion – sons of Elimelech and Naomi; their names
mean "Weak; Sickly" and "Failing; Pining," v. 2.
4. Orpah and Ruth – Moabite women who married Mahlon and
Chilion; their names mean "Fawn" and "Friend," v. 4.
II. Meditation: on the background and circumstances of this book
1. The events described here occurred between the death of Joshua
and the birth of Samuel, about 1100 B.C. during the period of the
Judges, v. 1.
2. Elimelech and his family were natives of Bethlehem in Judah, but
due to a famine they moved east of the Dead Sea into Moab, where
Lot's descendants had settled, v. 1; Genesis 19:30-38.
3. Within a ten year period in Moab, all three men died leaving Naomi,
Orpah, and Ruth widows, vv. 3-5.
4. Naomi heard that the famine in Judah was over, so she decided to
return to her homeland, v. 6.
III. Revelation: on the words of Naomi and Ruth
1. Naomi instructed her daughters-in-law to remain in Moab to find new
husbands there, vv. 7-13.
2. Orpah remained in Moab, but Ruth insisted on going to Judah with her
mother-in-law, Naomi, vv. 14-15.
3. Ruth's oft-quoted poem of commitment (vv. 16-17) reached beyond mere
emotion, family ties, and friendship; she expressed her personal faith in
the living Lord, invoking His name with an oath.
4. In contrast to Ruth, Naomi blamed God for the destructive and painful
things she had experienced, vv. 13, 19-22.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Deal kindly in the gentle Spirit of Christ with all persons, especially with
family members, such as in-laws, v. 8.
2. Choose to associate with persons who know and serve God.
3. Witness to non-believing family members; no doubt Ruth came to an
understanding of the Lord through the testimony of Naomi.
4. Do not blame God for the tragedies which occur in life; these occurrences
(famine, death, etc.) are a result of sin's presence on the earth as a
consequence of man's deliberate decision to rebel and disobey God,
thus removing himself from the protective canopy of God's blessings.
Ruth Meets Boaz
(Ruth 2:1-23)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the events of this chapter
1. With Naomi's permission, Ruth "happened" (v. 4) to glean in the field
owned by Boaz ("Swiftness"), who noticed her and inquired of his
servant about her, vv. 1-7.
2. Boaz spoke with Ruth, commending her hard work and inviting her to
glean with his servants and to share their water, vv. 8-13.
3. Boaz invited Ruth to join him for a meal, and he made sure that she was
able to glean an extra amount of barley, vv. 14-18.
4. Ruth reported the day's events to Naomi, who praised God and identified
Boaz as a close relative, vv. 19-23.
"Gleaning" was the method for making sure the poor and needy persons of
the nation had food to eat, Leviticus 19:9-10.
II. Meditation: on the evidences of God's providence at work
1. It was no accident or coincidence that Ruth gleaned in Boaz' field; it was
God's divine sovereignty working in her behalf.
2. Boaz was a godly man (even during these "Dark Ages" of the Judges), as
seen in his exchange of greetings with his servants, v. 4.
3. Boaz pronounced a blessing upon Ruth for her faith in God and for her
faithfulness to the family although she was a foreigner, vv. 11-12.
4. Naomi praised the Lord, recognizing that He was responsible for opening
a door that could result in the redemption of their family property.
(Apparently, Naomi had sold or leased their property, Ruth 4:3, but according
to the law in Leviticus 25:23-28, Boaz could "redeem" or buy back the family's
inheritance.)
III. Revelation and Application: on these spiritual principles
1. God is in control of the universe, and of our personal circumstances. As a
Christian, I need to trust Him fully and joyously live by faith each day.
2. A righteous person honors and reverences God in word and deed on the job
during the week, as well as in church on the day of worship. As a Christian,
I need to live the same life of spiritual integrity every day, wherever I may be.
3. Persons who walk with God recognize His operations in the lives of others
and commend them for their faithful spiritual service. As a Christian, I need
to pronounce God's blessings upon the heads of His people.
4. Spiritually perceptive persons recognize God's hand at work, and they
recognize positively whenever He opens a door of opportunity. As a Christian,
I need to cultivate spiritual vision and follow God's planned destiny for my life.
"Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers."
- Voltaire
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