Ruth 1:1,2 There is a famine in the land of Bethlehem-Judah. Bethlehem which was first called Ephrath (ep-fra) or Ephratah means - abundance / bearing fruit) Bethlehem means - House of Bread - the place where the Messiah would come, the bread of life!
Because of the famine, Elimelech takes his wife Naomi & their two sons & leaves Bethlehem & settles in the country of Moab. *They leave the blessed land of God & go to a land that does not honor God, but worships a god they called Chemosh (key-mosh) (1 K 11:33) Neh.13:1,2... the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; because they refused the children of Israel water & hired Balaam against them. *They are not a blessed people - it is not a blessed land.
So, in the land of Moab, Elimilech & his family are sustained, but they are not blessed!
*Have you ever experienced a spiritual famine? Do you feel like something is lacking in your spirit now...or even in your heart. Is your desire toward God the same as it was at the first? Do you still feel that first love, are you excited to draw nigh to Him & feel His spirit. Have you become content to just be sustained?
*If you’re feeling a famine in your life - your walk with Christ, maybe it’s time to journey back to the ‘House of Bread’ the place where the promise of God is: John 6:35,51 Jesus said, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. / ...if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: John 6:63...the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. *In the Word of God, not only are we supposed to have life - we’re supposed to feel life! If we’re not careful, when we begin to feel emptiness or discontent, we’ll start looking for another place to fill what’s lacking. Elimelech & Naomi chose to leave the blessed place of God because of a season of lack & they settled in a place that sustained the flesh, but not the spiritual.
We musn’t get discouraged,or be tempted to seek for a place, an experience, a spiritual high that is short termed. We mustn’t be content in a place that only sustains!
We will experience dry seasons, but our place in God remains the same - He said He would never leave us or forsake us. It’s up to us to hold onto our promise...If we continue to seek God & His will, the dry season will pass. But not if we are content to continue in a place of complacency (a feeling of pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger) What’s going to happen if we remain complacent:? We’re going to become lukewarm without realizing it. *we must always be aware of our spiritual health.
3 Time passes & Elimelech dies
4 Naomi’s two sons (Mahlon & Chilon (Kigh lon) marry Moabites Or-pah & Ruth & they live in Moab about 10 years. *In this story, we’ll find that Ruth had a devoted, loyal spirit..she was willing to serve & showed great determination - God expects no less from us.
*They’ve become comfortable & content in this pagan land, a place that doesn’t honor or recognize God. If we’re not careful, we can let too much of the world in our lives & become comfortable with it.
5 After a time....Both sons die
6 Then (Naomi) arose with her daughters in law that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread. (the famines over...we don’t know how long it’s been over, but I doubt it lasted 10 yr)
7 For that reason she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. *When she’s lost almost everything dear to her, she’s ready to return. How often are we slack in our worship & prayer life until we need God?
8 And Naomi said unto her daughters in law, Go, return to your mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. *Remember, Orpah & Ruth are natives of Moab.
9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, that each of you might marry again) Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
11 And Naomi said, Turn again, (go back to Moab) my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? *I don’t have anything to offer you
*Naomi starts talking foolish....
12. If I should marry tonight & have sons...
13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. *This is the way Naomi views the happenings in her life...that the Lord has turned against her -- would her husband & sons be dead if they had stayed in the house of bread? Sometimes, it’s our decisions, our separation from intimacy with God that brings about grief. We get too far away from our first love
14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. *Orpah was content to stay, but Ruth wanted more - she surely had learned about Naomi’s God & this promised land. She was willing to surrender her life as a Moabite & be a help & a comfort to Naomi.
15 And Naomi said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.. *Naomi had nothing to offer Ruth, Moab had nothing to offer Ruth...she had short time with a husband, she was childless...there were no blessings in Moab. You will not be fruitful in Moab - in a place where you don’t feel God, don’t communicate with God, where you are not eating from the Bread of Life. You’ll only be sustained - Not Blessed! We need to yearn for the blessings of God...we need to receive something every time we come to church.
♦Ruth was devoted to Naomi... she was married into Naomi’s family. It’s her family now. (devotion = earnest attachment to a person or cause) her attachment was to Naomi, her cause was to serve.
Ruth doesn’t realize it, but she is being obedient to the will of God. This leads her to her future blessings in the house of bread.
19 So Naomi & Ruth return to Bethlehem & all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? *They didn’t recognize her...
*Be careful you don’t dwell too long in Moab, or you will no longer be recognized as a child of God. (We’ll lose our witness, our testimony)
*Naomi’s still not in a good frame of mind......
20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: (bitter) for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
*Naomi says herself that she went out full...but she returns empty & bitter. This sadness & bitterness, emptiness is what brought her back to the land of promise / the House of Bread! (To get back to the house of bread, she had to make effort - she had to travel - she had to find the way there) She doesn’t realize it but, Blessings are going to be restored to her.
22 They have returned to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.
Ruth 2:1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth says unto Naomi, Let me go to the field, and glean ears of corn after someone that will allow me. And Naomi said, Go, my daughter.
3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: & she happened to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. *She goes alone, with no protector, hoping to glean in some kind man’s field.
[Lev. 23:22 When you reap the harvest in your country, you will not reap to the very edges of your field, nor will you gather the gleanings of the harvest. You will leave them for the poor and the stranger [foreigner]
5 Boaz asked his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
6 The servant answered, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:
7 And she asked to glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: and she’s gathered from the morning until now...
8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: (where it’s safe)
9 Watch where they reap, and go after them: I have charged the young men that they shall not touch thee, and when thou art athirst, go and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. *Remember, Ruth had a devoted, loyal spirit & she was willing to serve
12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. *If we’ll keep the faith & have the heart of a servant to please God, He will reward us & bless us in time.
15 Boaz commands his men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
16 And leave some handfuls for her on purpose...
17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah (bushel) of barley.
18 And she took it up, and went into the city: & gave it to Naomi.
19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where did you glean & whose field was it? Blessed be the man that was kind to you. And Ruth said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, The man is one of our next kinsmen.
21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.
23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
*Naomi forms a plan....
Ruth 3:1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest (security / husband) for thee, that it may be well with thee?
2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
*Naomi tells Ruth how to approach Boaz to be accepted of Him as a wife.>
3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. *Did Naomi know that God’s hand was in the plan?...
*If we apply this to our lives: (let’s make our way back to the House of Bread)
1. Wash - repent, wash away anything that shouldn’t be in your heart.
2 Cor 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2. Anoint - Remember the woman that knelt down & worshipped Jesus, anointing Him with oil? (Lu.7:37,38) We need to bring anointed worship to God! Bethlehem means = House of Bread - the place where the Messiah would come, the bread of life!
Isa 61:3 Give to those that mourn in Zion, beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; *Ruth’s mourning is going to be turned into ‘oil of joy.’
3. Change your clothes: Ruth had to put off the clothes from Moab & put on clothes that fit with this new land - Bethlehem - the House of Bread! She was going to put off her mourning clothes & be clothed with a new life, a renewed spirit. The Word says, We have to put off the old man’s clothes in order to be alive unto God & be “renewed in the spirit of our mind” (Ro. 6:11, Eph 4:23)
*She’s going to present herself to Boaz... she’s pursuing an intimate relationship with him...not just an acquaintance or friend or helper. She’s hoping to be his bride.
We need to pursue an intimate relationship with God! We are His bride & we should be adorned as such. By obedience to Acts 2:38, we present ourselves as a chaste virgin unto God, clothed with righteousness.>
2 Cor 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Rev 19:7 - Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 21:2 - And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
*Ruth was preparing herself to be a bride - We must prepare ourselves to be the bride of Christ!
Ruth 3:4 And it shall be, when he lies down, mark the place where he shall lie, and go in, and uncover his feet, and lay down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
6 And she did all that her mother in law bade her.
7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; (become my covering, my protector) for thou art a near kinsman. *It is right that you become my husband / protector as you are a near kinsman. (kinsman redeemer) >
(Boaz declares his position to the elders & people>
[Ruth 4:9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.]
Ruth 3:10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
*Boaz takes Ruth to be his wife & they have a son - Obed, the grandfather of David...making Ruth & Boaz David’s great grandparents.
*Ruth & Naomi are now protected, cared for & blessed, dwelling in the House of Bread.
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