Rut Lesson 3

RUTH
LESSON #3

MEMORY VERSE: RUTH 1:16

READ RUTH 1:11-22

TO UNDERSTAND THE BOOK OF RUTH WE MUST UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE LEGAL CUSTOMS OF THATTIME PERIOD.

THE MOSAIC LAW OF LEVIRATE MARRIAGE (DEU 25:5-10):

THE TERM, “LEVIRATE MARRIAGE” MEANS = “BROTHER-IN-LAW MARRIAGE”

IF A MAN DIED WITHOUT HAVING A CHILD, SUCH AS THE SITUATION WITH RUTH AND ORPAH, THE “goel”,OR KINSMAN-REDEEMER HAD THE OBLIGATION OF MARRYING THE WIDOW. CHILDREN BORN FROM THISMARRIAGE WERE CONSIDERED TO BE THE CHILDREN OF THE DEAD HUSBAND AND WOULD INHERIT FROM THEDEAD MAN.

NAOMI TELLS HER DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW THAT SHE CANNOT HAVE MORE CHILDREN FOR THEM TO MARRY.EVEN IF SHE COULD, THEY WOULD HAVE YEARS TO WAIT FOR THEM TO GROW OLD ENOUGH TO MARRY.SHE, THEREFORE, ENCOURAGES THEM TO RETURN HOME TO THEIR OWN FAMILIES. (11-13).

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DECISION:

A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION WAS MADE THAT DAY.

1. ORPAH DECIDED TO RETURN TO HER HOME IN MOAB. WITH THAT DECISION, SHE WALKED OFF THEPAGES OF BIBLICAL HISTORY. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER AFTER THAT.

2. RUTH DECIDED TO REMAIN WITH NAOMI. HER DECISION SET THE COURSE OF HISTORY THAT MADEBETHLEHEM THE BIRTHPLACE OF JESUS CHRIST.

DOWN THROUGH JEWISH HISTORY, JEWISH WOMEN WONDERED WHERE WOULD THE MESSIAH BE BORN ANDWHO WOULD BE THE BLESSED MOTHER OF THE MESSIAH. EACH JEWISH MOTHER HOPED IT WOULD BE SHE.

RUTH, DID NOT KNOW ANY OF THIS BECAUSE SHE WAS A FOREIGNER. HOWEVER, WE SEE THEGUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT INFLUENCING RUTH TO MAKE THIS MOMENTOUS DECISION.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU MAKE A DECISION WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL BE SUCH A MOMENTOUS ONEAS TO DETERMINE HISTORY. HOWEVER, AS A BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST, YOU CAN KNOW THAT THEHOLY SPIRIT IS GUIDING YOU TO FULFILL GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.

THE SEVEN ASPECTS OF RUTH’S DECISION (16-17)

1. WHERE YOU GO, I WILL GO.

2. WHERE YOU LIVE, I WILL LIVE.

SHE IDENTIFIES HERSELF WITH NAOMI AND NAOMI’S FAMILY.

3. YOUR PEOPLE WILL BE MY PEOPLE.

SHE IDENTIFIES HERSELF WITH THE JEWS FORSAKING THE MOABITES.

4. YOUR GOD WILL BE MY GOD.

SHE IDENTIFIES HERSELF WITH JEHOVAH FORSAKING IDOLS.

5. WHERE YOU DIE I WILL DIE.

SHE IDENTIFIES HERSELF FOR A LIFETIME WITH NAOMI’S DESTINY.

6. THERE WILL I BE BURIED.

SHE IDENTIFIES HERSELF WITH THE PROMISE LAND.

SALVATION CAME THROUGH THE JEWS AND THAT WAS THE ONLY TRUE ETERNAL HOPE IN A WORLD OFIDOLATRY. THAT WAS THE HOPE OF RESURRECTION.

THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS ALL WANTED TO BE BURIED IN THE PROMISE LAND EVEN IF THEY DIEDOUTSIDE OF IT. (GEN 50:25) THEY BELIEVED IN THE RESURRECTION.

(HEB 11:10)

7. MAY THE LORD CURSE ME IF ANYTHING BUT DEATH SEPARATE US.

A LIFE DECISION MADE FOR A LIFETIME.

THIS IS A REAL HEART DECISION FOR GOD.

MANY TIMES PEOPLE MAKE THESE KINDS OF DECISIONS AND THEY MEAN WHAT THEY SAY AT THETIME. HOWEVER, THEY DON’T FOLLOW THROUGH. AT THE FIRST HARDSHIP OR PROBLEM OR AT THEFIRST TEMPTATION OF SOMETHING THAT APPEARS MORE ATTRACTIVE, THEY CHANGE THEIR MINDS.

WHAT PARALLEL DOES THIS STATEMENT HAVE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?

EXAMINE RUTH’S STATEMENT FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF A PERSON MAKING A DECISION FORCHRIST. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

WHAT PARALLEL DO YOU SEE TODAY THAT CORRESPONDS TO ORPAH’S DECISION?

TEARS ARE NOT THE INGREDIENT OF REAL REPENTANCE.

WHAT IS “REAL” REPENTANCE? 2COR 7:10

MANY PEOPLE COME TO THE PLACE IN THEIR LIVES WHERE THEY FEEL THE CONVICTION OF THE HOLYSPIRIT CONCERNING SIN IN THEIR LIVES. THEY MAY EVEN SHED TEARS AND FEEL ASHAMED. THEY MAKEGRAND PROMISES TO GOD. HOWEVER, REAL REPENTANCE IS A CHANGE OF DIRECTION. UNLESS THERE ISA CHANGE OF DIRECTION, IT IS NOT REAL REPENTANCE.

REPENTANCE IS NOT SALVATION. REPENTANCE LEADS TO SALVATION.

FALSE REPENTANCE LEADS TO ETERNAL DEATH.

ARRIVAL IN BETHLEHEM (19-22)

DID NAOMI KNOW HER FAMILY WAS OUT OF GOD’S PERFECT WILL IN GOING TO MOAB IN THEFIRST PLACE? HOW DO YOU KNOW?

-BECAUSE THE JEWS STRESSED THROUGHOUT THEIR HISTORY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROMISE LAND,WE CAN ASSUME THAT NAOMI AND HER HUSBAND KNEW THEY WERE OUT OF GOD’S PERFECT WILL INLEAVING THE LAND.

-BECAUSE THE JEWS WERE VERY GOOD AT REPEATING THEIR HISTORY TO THE NEXT GENERATION, WECAN ASSUME NAOMI AND HER SONS KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROMISE LAND.

-BECAUSE WE SEE RUTH MAKING A DECISION FOR JEHOVAH AND THE PROMISE LAND, WE CAN ASSUMETHAT NAOMI, HER HUSBAND, AND HER SONS TAUGHT RUTH THIS TRUTH.

-BECAUSE NAOMI IS ASHAMED WHEN SHE FACES HER OWN PEOPLE IN BETHLEHEM, WE CAN ASSUME SHEKNEW THEY WERE OUT OF GOD’S WILL.

WHY DOES NAOMI TELL HER NEIGHBORS IN BETHLEHEM TO CALL HER “MARA” (BITTER)INSTEAD OF “NAOMI” (PLEASANT)? (20) AND WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE?

NAOMI SAYS SHE WENT OUT FULL AND RETURN ED EMPTY. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHRISTIANREMOVES HIMSELF FROM THE CLOSE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD AND GOD’S PEOPLE. LIKE MANY OF US,SHE HAD TO LEARN THE HARD WAY.

HOWEVER, NOTICE THE RECEPTION SHE RECEIVES FROM HER NEIGHBORS WHO REMAINED IN THE LAND.IT IS LIKE THAT OF THE PRODIGAL SON. SHE IS WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS. NOTICE THAT HER NAMEIS NOT CHANGED TO MARA IN VERSE 22. GOD WOULD BLESS HER FOR HER DECISION TO RETURN TO THELAND.

THE PROPER ATTITUDE WHEN YOU DISCOVER THAT YOU HAVE BEEN OUT OF GOD’S PERFECTWILL.

SOMETIMES WE DRIFT AWAY FROM GOD’S PERFECT WILL BECAUSE WE ARE NOT WATCHFUL.SOMETIMES WE PURPOSEFULLY TAKE OURSELVES OUT OF HIS PERFECT WILL. IN EITHER CASE, MAKE THEPROCESS EASIER BY HAVING THE CORRECT ATTITUDE:

1. HAVE A TRUE REPENTANT HEART.

2. CONSIDER THE EXPERIENCE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE SO YOU WON’T REPEAT THE SAMEMISTAKES.

3. WORK DILIGENTLY ON LEARNING THE LESSONS YOU SHOULD HAVE LEARNED BEFORE.

4. FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR FAILURES BECAUSE GOD FORGIVES YOU.

5. MAKE A NEW START AND A NEW DETERMINATION TO REMAIN IN GOD’S PERFECT WILL.

6. STAY CLOSE TO GOD.

THE BARLEY HARVEST = AROUND THE TIME OF THE PASSOVER IN THE SPRING:

IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT RUTH MAKES HER DECISION FOR GOD, THE PEOPLE OF GOD, AND THEPROMISE LAND AT A VERY SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THE HEBREW CALENDAR.

THE PASSOVER WAS WHEN THE JEWS CELEBRATED THE SHEDDING OF THE BLOOD OF THE PASSOVERLAMB THAT WAS APPLIED TO THE DOOR POSTS ENABLING THEM TO LEAVE THE SLAVERY OF EGYPT FORTHE PROMISE LAND.

RUTH LEFT THE SPIRITUAL SLAVERY OF IDOLATRY IN MOAB TO GO TO THE TOWN WHERE THEPASSOVER LAMBS WERE RAISED AT THE TIME WHEN THESE LAMBS WERE BEING SACRIFICED.

IT’S LIKE A PERSON COMING TO SALVATION AT EASTER TIME, BECAUSE IT WAS ON PASSOVERTHAT JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED.

HOMEWORK

RUTH 2:1-3

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF RUTH 1:11-22

CONSIDER THE HISTORY OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE LORD. WITH WHICH CHARACTER IN RUTH DOYOU BEST IDENTIFY YOURSELF? WHY?

ELIMELEC = WEAK IN FAITH AND EASILY STRAYS FROM THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD.

MAHLON AND CHILION = WEAK IN FAITH AND WILLING TO COMPROMISE WITH THE WORLD’SSTANDARDS WHEN IT BEST SUITS YOU.

NAOMI = LED OUT OF GOD’S PERFECT WILL BY A FAMILY MEMBER BUT EVENTUALLY RETURN S.

ORPAH = INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING THE LORD BUT NEVER MADE A COMMITMENT AND FALLS AWAYWHEN THE FUTURE DOESN’T LOOK TOO PROMISING.

RUTH = INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING THE LORD AND MAKES A FIRM DECISION TO FOLLOW THE LORD NOMATTER WHAT HAPPENS.

NAOMI’S BETHLEHEM NEIGHBORS = REMAINED TRUE TO THE LORD THROUGH THE GOOD AND THEBAD.

PREPARATION FOR RUTH 2:1-3

READ RUTH CHAPTER 2

WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT BOAZ?

IN WHAT WAYS DID BOAZ’S KINDNESS EXCEED THE DEMANDS OF THE LAW?

MEMORY VERSE: JOB 13:15