Day 62 - Ruth 1, Verses 1-5

Ruth 1:1‑5  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 5
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Last month we were reading in the Book of Judges. We mentioned that it was a very dark day for Israel. They had just come into the promised land. Because they did not drive out the people in it, they soon mixed in with them. These enemies soon overcame the Israelites. In your mind, put the Book of Ruth into the very early part of the Book of Judges, because that is when it took place. The story we’re starting today is like bright sunshine suddenly bursting into a very dark and clouded day. One young woman, a stranger, acts in faith, and comes into the richest blessing an Old Testament person could have — to become the very ancestor of our Savior, the Lord Jesus!
Through man, the worst comes out of the best — the first worship led to the first murder (Gen. 4). But through Christ the best comes out of the worst, “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom. 5:2020Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (Romans 5:20)). This book is a beautiful example of the latter.
V.1 A man an Israelite finds himself with a decision to make — to stay in Israel where a serious famine has come — or to go elsewhere. He could learn from Deuteronomy 8:7-207For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; 8A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 9A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. 10When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. 11Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: 12Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 13And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; 14Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; 16Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; 17And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. 18But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. 19And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. 20As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 8:7‑20) that God was speaking to His people, that there was disobedience. To have stayed, and obeyed God, would have been to trust Him. He disobeys and goes to Moab. A wicked place surely. He chose the worst. He probably reasoned, “I must take care of myself, my wife, my two boys.”
V.2-5 What disaster comes to this family. The father dies first. If the wife, Naomi had been sensitive to God’s action in taking away her husband she would have returned to Israel at once. But no, she stays. Next, her two boys marry Moabite girls, which was absolutely forbidden (read Neh. 13:11On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; (Nehemiah 13:1)). She doesn’t stop them. One son dies. She still has forgotten God’s Word. Another son dies. At last she is stirred. She hears something. In the ten years, only one of the family of four is left (Gal. 6:77Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7)).