A Holy Resolve
"Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her...But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God...” - Ruth 1:14, 16
Tragedy and trouble hits everyone in all places at various times and each one comes with a potential turning point to consider of where we will turn as we wait for God to act on our behalf and to turn our tragedies into triumph and our sorrows into joy.
Far too often, our first impulse in the flesh is to seek to escape from our trouble as soon as it comes and to choose the path of least resistance. When Naomi and her two daughters-in-law each lost their husbands to death, both Orpah and Ruth were at a crossroads as to what they would do next and where they would go from there.
Naomi urged them to start over and move on with their lives back in Moab. On the surface, that made sense and seemed like the only way for them to have hope for a new future.
We learn in the book of Ruth that God had a journey of redemption prepared for this family coming from Bethlehem in Judah. We learn in the book of James to "let patience have its perfect work" that the believer may "be perfect, complete, and lacking nothing" (James 1:4).
All of these historical narratives in the Scriptures serve "as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Cor. 10:11). It is amazing how a holy resolve by one willing person can be used by God to solve something even greater for all.
Similarly, when we choose to embrace and endure our hardships, instead of escaping them, we are choosing to trust God and allow Him to further define us and refine us. Sometimes, we have to step into the unknown, even after things are stripped and taken from us, knowing that God always goes before us and makes a way of redemption.
The book of Ruth opens up with a famine in the land in the days of the Judges when there was no king in Israel and there was a spiritual famine in the hearts of the people. There are four occasions in the book of Judges where the spiritual climate is characterized by the fact that "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (17:6, 18:11, 19:1, 21:25). This is the real issue for so many people today who never move forward in their walk with God and His purpose for them.
Is this true of any of us? Are we willing to let go of our own control and surrender our rights to the God who created us and knows what is best for us?
This family from Bethlehem, when means "House of Bread", in Judah, which means "Praise" was chosen by God to foreshadow the Son of God who would enter the world in that very same location. At first, it would seem like this is just one insignificant family among so many...But this small family and short story fits into the much bigger story of the whole Bible and the redemptive plan of God that would impact the whole world.
Micah the prophet predicted this when he said, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting” (Micah 5:2).
Just as the LORD would visit the land of Israel in this time of famine, so God would send His Son at the appointed time to bring the ultimate answer to the hunger and thirst in all the souls of men. Jesus is the AUTHOR of salvation for all people and the "substance of things hoped for."
Jesus said, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world" (John 6:51)
After Jesus said this, many starting falling away and, much like Orpah, started going after the things of the world. Jesus asked His disciples if they wanted to go away as well but Peter, like Ruth, said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (John 6:68-69).
In a similar way, the two daughters of law of Naomi had to decide which way they were to go.
Orpah escaped to do what was easier and what was right in her own eyes.
Ruth clung to Naomi and showed a holy resolve to place her future in the hands of God.
How about you? Are you willing to fully surrender your plans and dreams into the hands of the One who created you and redeemed you? What does that surrender look like at this time?
Ruth encountered something that pulled at her heart. She was ready to place her broken heart and damaged life into God’s loving hands as she entrusted everything about her life to God.
THREE KEY POINTS to consider from this opening chapter:
Ruth's willingness to start this journey of redemption ended up helping Naomi to see that God was not done with her life or family. Her bitter soul would soon be made sweet.
Just like when the children of Israel saw the bitter water turn sweet when "the tree" was thrown into the waters and the people were healed of their thirst, another picture of redemption would soon unfold for the nation of Israel through a simple gentile woman who gave God her YES!
The tree was an early type of the cross for Israel and Ruth determination and redirection would lead to a new life that would ultimately lead to a marriage of redemption that would produce a son...and then a grandson, and then a great grandson named David...who would become a godly king in Israel and a part of the Messianic line leading to the King of all kings - JESUS CHRIST, who also was born in Bethlehem, Judah.
"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).
Consider today...How is God leading you to make a holy resolve based on the circumstances of your life and the truth that God solves all of our troubles with His faithful guiding hand?
Tragedy and trouble hits everyone in all places at various times and each one comes with a potential turning point to consider of where we will turn as we wait for God to act on our behalf and to turn our tragedies into triumph and our sorrows into joy.
Far too often, our first impulse in the flesh is to seek to escape from our trouble as soon as it comes and to choose the path of least resistance. When Naomi and her two daughters-in-law each lost their husbands to death, both Orpah and Ruth were at a crossroads as to what they would do next and where they would go from there.
Naomi urged them to start over and move on with their lives back in Moab. On the surface, that made sense and seemed like the only way for them to have hope for a new future.
We learn in the book of Ruth that God had a journey of redemption prepared for this family coming from Bethlehem in Judah. We learn in the book of James to "let patience have its perfect work" that the believer may "be perfect, complete, and lacking nothing" (James 1:4).
All of these historical narratives in the Scriptures serve "as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Cor. 10:11). It is amazing how a holy resolve by one willing person can be used by God to solve something even greater for all.
Similarly, when we choose to embrace and endure our hardships, instead of escaping them, we are choosing to trust God and allow Him to further define us and refine us. Sometimes, we have to step into the unknown, even after things are stripped and taken from us, knowing that God always goes before us and makes a way of redemption.
The book of Ruth opens up with a famine in the land in the days of the Judges when there was no king in Israel and there was a spiritual famine in the hearts of the people. There are four occasions in the book of Judges where the spiritual climate is characterized by the fact that "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (17:6, 18:11, 19:1, 21:25). This is the real issue for so many people today who never move forward in their walk with God and His purpose for them.
Is this true of any of us? Are we willing to let go of our own control and surrender our rights to the God who created us and knows what is best for us?
This family from Bethlehem, when means "House of Bread", in Judah, which means "Praise" was chosen by God to foreshadow the Son of God who would enter the world in that very same location. At first, it would seem like this is just one insignificant family among so many...But this small family and short story fits into the much bigger story of the whole Bible and the redemptive plan of God that would impact the whole world.
Micah the prophet predicted this when he said, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting” (Micah 5:2).
Just as the LORD would visit the land of Israel in this time of famine, so God would send His Son at the appointed time to bring the ultimate answer to the hunger and thirst in all the souls of men. Jesus is the AUTHOR of salvation for all people and the "substance of things hoped for."
Jesus said, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world" (John 6:51)
After Jesus said this, many starting falling away and, much like Orpah, started going after the things of the world. Jesus asked His disciples if they wanted to go away as well but Peter, like Ruth, said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (John 6:68-69).
In a similar way, the two daughters of law of Naomi had to decide which way they were to go.
Orpah escaped to do what was easier and what was right in her own eyes.
Ruth clung to Naomi and showed a holy resolve to place her future in the hands of God.
How about you? Are you willing to fully surrender your plans and dreams into the hands of the One who created you and redeemed you? What does that surrender look like at this time?
Ruth encountered something that pulled at her heart. She was ready to place her broken heart and damaged life into God’s loving hands as she entrusted everything about her life to God.
THREE KEY POINTS to consider from this opening chapter:
- RUTH invoked the Covenant Name of God - YAHWEH! (v.17)
- RUTH rejected the idolatrous gods of her people, unlike Oprah. (v.15)
- RUTH accepted she may never get married again but surrendered to the God of Israel.
Ruth's willingness to start this journey of redemption ended up helping Naomi to see that God was not done with her life or family. Her bitter soul would soon be made sweet.
Just like when the children of Israel saw the bitter water turn sweet when "the tree" was thrown into the waters and the people were healed of their thirst, another picture of redemption would soon unfold for the nation of Israel through a simple gentile woman who gave God her YES!
The tree was an early type of the cross for Israel and Ruth determination and redirection would lead to a new life that would ultimately lead to a marriage of redemption that would produce a son...and then a grandson, and then a great grandson named David...who would become a godly king in Israel and a part of the Messianic line leading to the King of all kings - JESUS CHRIST, who also was born in Bethlehem, Judah.
"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).
Consider today...How is God leading you to make a holy resolve based on the circumstances of your life and the truth that God solves all of our troubles with His faithful guiding hand?
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