The book of Ruth is so rich in the gospel message. It consists of four chapters; which occur after Judges and highlights the life of man at the time. As it says: “When Judges ruled…there was no king in the land … every man did what was right in his eyes”. It is story about a family at the time of famine.
The famine here was climatic and natural, yet for us it is a lesson about our spiritual lives and the importance of walking with God.
For Chapters: Weeping, Working, Waiting, Wedding.
The books of Esther and Ruth have one theme in common:God preserving His own people and church in the world.
Esther Ruth
- Queen Peasant
- Jewess married a gentile Gentile married a Jew
- Opens with a feast Opens with a famine
- Closes with a hanging Closes with a wedding
Some thoughts on Chapter 1
- Famine in Bethlehem-Judah. (Bethlehem – ‘house of bread’)
- In Joel 1:10 famine of grain wine and oil
- Famine can come two ways – natural or spiritual.
- In Joel 2:1 speaks of sounding an alarm in Zion (church) – the gospel alarm of His coming again.
- Famine can cause one to make wrong decisions.
- Land of Bethlehem vs 1; and country of Moab vs 1.
- Land – refers to the whole earth. Country refers to an allotted portion of territory.
- Famine in the vast land of Judah so they went to the limited country of Moab.
- Problem was not lack of bread but the right relationship with God.
- Ps 106:14-15 “a leaness in their soul”.
- Elimileck – name means: “My God is King”; he did not live his name.
When a man moves away from the path of God’s truth and God’s will, he is on the road to famine.
More to come…!