The Book of Ruth (Week 24, Part 1/6) Ruth, 1 Samuel 1-3| June 6-12 – powered by Happy Scribe
Hello, I’m Lynn Hilton Wilson, and I.
Am happy to be discussing the beautiful.
Book of Ruth on Book of Mormon Central. Come, follow me. I have the assignment of the first chapter of Ruth, but I’ll give you.
A little bit of an overview and.
Background before we dive into the text.
Ruth is often referred to as Ruth the Moabitus.
Remember at this time that this book fits right into the Book of Judges. It bridges the Book of Judges and there’s peasant farmers living all over the Palestinian Canaanite area, which we now refer to as Israel. And at the time in Bethlehem, just south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is not the capital at this time, it’s being ruled over by the Jesus sites. But Bethlehem means house of bread in Hebrew or house of meat in Arabic later on. But this idea that there should be food there is ironic. It’s contrasted with the fact that it’s a time of famine. So even though it has this name, house of bread, we’re introduced to this area first of all in the Old Testament by saying there’s a famine in the land and there’s no food.
And we get this beautiful repetition of.
These themes because when at the end of the book, as Naomi returns with Ruth, it is a time of plenty. It’s the barley harvest and there’s plenty for all. And I’ll give you more of this in my podcast, but here in the.
Video, I just want to focus on.
These first few verses in the Book of Ruth. Chapter one, we’re with the family of Naomi and Emily are from Judah, and they are going to leave with their two little boys, Mehan and Chilean, and they go over across the Jordan into the area of their enemies, into the Moabite land. And while they are there, their sons.
Grow up and are married and they are married for ten years and they.
Married these lovely women of the Moabite nation, Oprah and Ruth. Now Oprah does not receive this title, but we know that she’s a Moabidist woman, returns to her family and Ruth chooses to go. But every time Ruth is introduced after this point, it’s always Ruth the Moabiteest.
So go and look at all the.
Reverses that talk about the Moabites. They’re still the enemies. Here’s some of them. Numbers 22 to 25, Judges 312 through 30, Judges eleven, second Samuel, eight, second Kings three and 13 and 24. And First Chronicles 18, two Chronicles 20, Isaiah, chapter eleven.
They are constantly the enemy, the enemy.
But who were the Moabites?
Do you remember? This is the descendants of Lot’s incestuous.
Relationship with his daughters. Now Lot is drunk.
He doesn’t know what’s going on. But Lot is the nephew of Abraham. So these descendants of Abraham’s family are.
The people who are now attacking the children of Israel.
It’s just tragic that these dear friends.
Abraham and Lot, who came down to the Fertile Crescent and Abraham allowed Lot to choose the better land are now arch enemies. But for some reason this family chooses to go there.
The Book of Ruth is one of.
The best books we have in all of Scripture on understanding how women fit into the Old Testament. They’re given as shining examples.
They’re given as women of faith and.
Dedication and commitment and obedience. They’re given as examples of converts into.
The tribes from other cultures.
And as we look at Naomi and Orpa and Ruth, I hope that you can have these names down packed, that when you ever are asked for good examples of scriptural women, these three will come out in great speed.
Because of the Levy Law. After the death of their husbands, it.
Was appropriate for Naomi to provide relatives for her two daughter in laws to.
Marry and continue to raise up seed.
Because they’ve both been infertile for ten years, we assume that perhaps the famine has still been great in the land, or perhaps they’re just barren women. It’s a constant theme throughout the Old Testament. This regularity of miraculous children come in unique timing, and we see barreness as a regular theme.
But this leverite law that allows for women to marry and raise up seed to their first husbands, I think, is.
Indicative of their understanding that marriage continues and that seed continues and that seed is important and that ceilings in the afterlife are important.
But that’s just from the perspective of the Restoration.
Most biblical scholars, of course, do not share that perspective.
But this LeBright Law is introduced in.
Genesis and then reformatted and mentioned again in Deuteronomy chapter 25, right before the return into the Promised Land. And so Ruth pleads with her daughters.
In law to leave her and go.
Find other husbands because she doesn’t have.
Anyone there to give them. And even if she could marry and.
Raise children, would they wait around for her? Of course not.
So she encourages them to leave, and.
She sorrows about this. It sounds like she’s a little bit.
Bossy, but she has a great heart here. She says in verse 13, Agree with.
Me much for your sakes, or Paul leaves.
But we know one of the most beautiful poems in all of Scripture is recorded by Ruth, who implores her motherinlaw.
In verse 16, Entreat me not to leave thee or to return from following after thee. For Whither thou goest, I will go.
And Whither thou lodgest, I will Lodge.
And thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God. And where thou Diest, I will die.
And where I will be buried.
This is a wonderful ancient practice that.
You are buried with your fathers. Remember how important it was for Joseph.
To be carried out and buried in the tombs of his fathers.
And we see that with Leah and Jacob and Isaac always wanting to be buried in the tomb of their fathers, she’s saying, I want to take care of you I want to be buried with you. I am going to be devoted to you. She is a woman of great tenacity and great conversion in the God of.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Ruth becomes this very important woman in her relationship later on with a Kinsman.
When the live right law is able to take place and she becomes the great grandmother of King David who then becomes the ancestor of our Savior Jesus. And Ruth is one of the four.
Women who are named in the book.
Of Matthew chapter one, verse five as we look at the genealogy of our Lord which is carefully orchestrated to have 14 generations to testify in orthography that 14 was the number for King David that she is one of those great people who prepare the way for the coming of the King. And the second title for this book would be The King is Coming. And whether that’s referring to King David or the Lord depends on which commentary you read, but I think it refers to both. I love this book and I hope.
You find as much joy in reading.
It as I do. As Ruth and Naomi both are symbols of our savior who are raising up seeds of righteousness and living the Covenant.
Thanks for joining me.
Guest Author
dyejo
