FOREIGNER'S BLESSINGS - RUTH LESSON 7

by Hellen
(Uganda)

Some situations in our lives may be bad but at the end some good may come out of it. When I was working I did not have time to read the bible or pray except Sundays. Work was just too much. I was miserably thin! yet I had the money. Now I read my bible, fellowship - even preach on Women's Sunday and am healthier. I have been blessed in my local church.

Sometimes you leave a place or job hoping for something better, but things turn bad. God can bring someone in your life whom you are not even related to, may be not of your tribe or even a non-believer, with a plan of each one of you to bless the other. Noami and her family left their land to go to a foreign land, only to loose her family and come back with Ruth a foreigner, who becomes a blessing to Noami and to Israel at large. Even Ruth leaving her people and going to a foreign land worked for good. When things seem bad we need to hang in there, for God's plans and ways are not ours.

Where not the children Israel told not marry from Moab?


Ruth 1

1. Elimelech leaves Bethelehem in Judah to settle in Moab. The society there allowed immigrants, also intermarriage.

2. When a man dies leaving his widow without children, shes goes back to her parents. There was a great bond between Naomi and her daughters-in-law. Noami loses her husband and her two sons and decides to go back to her people. She tells her daughters to go back to their parents since her sons have died. They resist but eventually Orpah goes and Ruth clings to her saying "for where you go I will go and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God my God; Where you die, I will die and there will I be buried.." Noami came back at the beginning of barley harvest. These people were farmers.

Ruth 2

Boaz was a mighty man of wealth. They too valued family ties. Boaz and Elimelech are kinsmen. Ruth goes to look for food while Noami remains at home. Boaz is a God fearing man and valued his workers by greeting them with "The Lord be with you" Other Masters do not greet their servants that way. Ruth begs to glean where the reapers had done, shows respect. Boaz allows Ruth to glean and even eat together with his workers. That was kindness to a stranger. Ruth got favour in the eyes Boaz and was told not to glean any other field but Boaz's field.

Ruth 3

Naomi plans for Ruth to go and sleep at the feet of Boaz at the threshing floor and to see what happens. Ruth agrees to do that. Boaz notices her but did not touch her until the nearest of kinsman performs the part of kinsman, if he fails then Boaz will perform it. Boaz tells her to leave before anyone notices, and sent her with some barley. Ruth tells Noami.

Ruth 4

Boaz calls elders to settle this matter, shows that they had laid down procedure to get heir to the late kinsman's family. A man takes his shoe and gives to his neighbour as a testimony to redeeming and exchange in the presence of elders. When a man dies without children the next of kinsman purchases his land and his wife to raise up children through inheritance. When the next of kinsman was told that Naomi was selling her late husband's land, and he was to buy he accepted but he was told to buy Ruth's also he decline the responsibility. So Boaz was the next kinsman.

The elders who witnessed gave their blessing to Boaz and Ruth. Boaz takes Ruth as a wife and she gives birth to a son. The people were happy for Noami, the society also valued the birth of a son. The women told Noami that her daughter-in-law was better than seven sons. Girls also must be valued not only sons.
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Back to the books of Acts
Who are Jews? and Gentiles?

Why were the Jews resistant to the gospel?
And Gentiles received the gospel?

Comments:

Another great report. I enjoyed reading your assignment. You brought out many good points. You are right in that the Jews were not supposed to marry non-Jews; therefore, Noami's sons were not following God's commands. Nevertheless, God worked good out of it by bringing Ruth into the family of believers and making her a part of the line of Christ.

Jews are the Israelites. Gentiles are everyone who is not a Jew. The Jews resisted the Gospel became they were looking for a Messiah Who would conquer the Roman Empire and rule the world from Jerusalem. Because Jesus did not do that they the majority, that is refused to believe in Him and viewed His followers as dangerous heretics.

Memory Verses

by Maria
(Cayenne, French Guiana)

Lesson 8

I believe this is a good thing to do, to memorize verses. I started from Sunday school to learn MV, and it helped. Even today I can still remember them.

Recently I have learned them in French, which is not that easy, and as mentioned in the lesson, we can make little cards. I think it's a great Idea, because I made the books of the bible card for my daughter (even myself) and it is working. But she is learning them in French though.

Ps. 119:11, is a verse I have kept close to my heart.

Comments:

Thank you for sharing. Keep up the good work.

God bless,

Glenn Davis

Ruth's Love for Naomi

by Maria
(Cayenne,French Guiana LESSON 7)

History shows that Ruth served others gods before, but she chose to follow Naomi and all that came with her.

I can say something else. Oprah decided to go back to her old living, but Ruth wanted something new, fresh. By following her mother-in-law she was blessed with a husband and a son.

Comments: Good observations. Continue look for social context. What were relations like between men and women? How did poor people support themselves? What was it like living in the days of Ruth?

God bless,
Glenn Davis

Commitment to Faith

by vicky
(east orange, nj)

I chose the Book of James, for Project 9. This is a Book I have heard very little about. I was able to come away with a much better understanding of what it means to Walk the Walk and how we as Christians can be so hypocritical. I know this for a fact, as I go through each day. I have consciously tried not to be a hypocrite, even when I was not on my spiritual journey. Through the reading of James, I now see why it is so important not to be a hypocrite. I can now see the difference in earthly and heavenly wisdom.

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I am glad you are finding this series helpful.

God bless,
Glenn