Ruth concludes

Women of Courage – the study of Ruth – March 2, 2013

Question #3 (page 51) Matthew 1:5.  In what ways did Boaz’ familiarity with the life story of Rahab make him more prone to extend special care to a foreign woman like Ruth?  The Jews (Joshua) took care of Rahab, just like Boaz took care of Ruth.   This was something that happened in the family before.  Situations in our own lives show that when there are times of alcoholism or other abuses, we can have compassion towards other people who stumble under the same temptations.  A difference between looking at the true God and the not-true God.

In what ways was Ruth’s faith reminiscent of Rahab’s?  Just knowing God was there.  When there is a change in heart you have more courage because God is with you, you can’t go back to living in the flesh.  However, in the new life, just having the knowledge did not make the experience right(eous).   Neither one had a passive faith.   It took courage for them to believe in the foreign God.  Without the spirit of God no one can understand the Word and when interacting with non-believers it can present many challenges.  Romans 10:10 “for with the heart one believes in righteousness, with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  Once you are made God’s child you are always God’s child. Ruth or Rahab knew very little of the law of Jehovah. Their actions were guided by their desire to to be faithful to God.

Shera’s first email on beginning bible study.  Established on Wednesday evenings, but the collective group realized that Saturday’s would be better.  What a blessing the bible study has been on the group.   

Mat. 5:6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for the Lord.  Righteousness and actions are compared to a holy standard.  I’m going to do a Godly thing rather than a human thing.  The laws of the kinsman redeemer were not known to Ruth when she went with Naomi back to Israel. 

Question #4   Read Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22; and Deuteronomy 24; 19-21.  What is the balance in Scripture between requiring work from the poor and providing opportunity to the poor?  James 1:7.  For the aliens, orphans and the widows.  How do we provide for the needy during our time.  We need to take the subjectivity out of the decisions we make on who deserves our money or food.  We should give what we can and let God decide how the money is spent.  There are food banks that work with stores to redistribute left over food.  Adelanto has a system that takes in gently used clothes. Classify homeless as people who live in an extra bedroom, have seen 8 people in one room. 

Alfred Edersheim, excerpt from The Bible History, Old Testament.  Social and Religious Life in Bethlehem in the Days of Judges – The Story of Ruth – King David’s Ancestors. Hand out from Shera.

Lasting Implications (page 52) “Desperate times call for desperate measures”?  If a women finds herself in an ungodly environment life or death situation how does she respond?  Ultimately you want to cling to God and let God provide.  Without knowing circumstances it is hard to assess how a person would or should perform in a challenging situation.  Naomi went to a land of idolatry for ten years but she must have kept God in her life during those years enough to teach or show her daughter’s in law some of the ways of the Isrealites.  1 Peter chapter 3.