2022.03.09 - Ruth 1:01

01.01

Ruth 1:1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. KJV

Monday, February 28, 2022

3:43 PM

 

1.     Now it came to pass . . .

a.     it came to pass . . . this thing is not forever, it came, literally, to come to a passing, it came to go away! This storm shall cease and after it I shall stand! It has been said that it might pass like a kidney stone - but IT WILL PASS!

2.     . . .In the days when the Judges ruled . . .

a.     Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. KJV

1. Who knows what was in Elimalech's heart to cause him to go to Moab.

b.     Judges 2:8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. 9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. 10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. 11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: KJV

3.     (there was no king in Israel . . .)

a.     this verse is used 4 times in the Book of Judges. The period of time covers around 350 years and spans almost 25% of the history of Israel.

4.     Why? (was there no king in Israel?)

a.     1 Samuel 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. KJV

1. YOU go up the mountain and hear from God, then tell us what He has said.

2. Cover your face from glowing after you talk with God, we are scared of His Presence

3. Simply - they did not want to follow God and made no pretence about it - they rejected having God as their King.

5.     . . .there was a famine in the land . . .

a.     This was one of many results of not having a king and wanting to be like the nations around them.

b.     The famine was in Bethlehem-Judah - the place of bread and praise - it was the worst type of famine.

c.     Ezekiel 14:13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: KJV

Judges	Ruth
Spiritual Darkness	Spiritual Light Began To Shine
Immorality	Purity
Pursuit Of Idols	Pursuit of God
Disloyalty/Unfaithfulness	Devotion
Lust	Love
War	Peace
Cruelty	Kindness
Disobedience Brings Sorrow	Obedience Brings Blessings
Ruth 01 (Scofield)	Deciding
Ruth 02	Serving
Ruth 03	Resting
Ruth 04	Rewarded

 

6.     . . .and a certain man of Bethlehem Judah . . .

a.     Bethlehem means “house of bread”

b.     Judah means “praise”

1. When we leave the “house of bread” and “praise,” death comes.

2. Others remained in the land, and survived, others carried on.

3. The Bread of Life is Jesus 

1. John 6:48 I am that bread of life . 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. KJV

a.     He was also The Word - sometimes our lifestyles do not line up with what we are being fed and The Word we are hearing and it just seems easier to go. We complain we are not getting fed, this is not our vision, we are led elsewhere but look again at what did survive the famine!

7.     . . .went to sojourn . . .

a.     Sojourn - OT:1481guwr (goor); a primitive root; properly, to turn aside from the road (for a lodging or any other purpose), i.e. sojourn (as a guest); also to shrink, fear (as in a strange place); also to gather for hostility (as afraid): 

1. Elimelech turned aside from the house of bread and from praise

1. Websters dictionary defines sojourn (er) as stay as a temporary resident

2. He had no plans to stay here long term

3. He had no plans to die here

4. He had no plans for his kids to die here

5. We never have any plans for “sin” to catch up with us

6. We almost always “stay” longer than we planned when we go where we are not supposed to go.

a.     Just one look

b.     Just one drink

c.     Just one touch

d.     Justtt one minute

                                                                                                i.         ANY TIME we leave praise and Bread (The Word) we are flirting with death

8.     . . .in the country of Moab . . .

a.     Interstingly enough, Moab is where Moses died (Deut 34:5)

1. Same story - different time, place and people!!!

1. Numbers 20:1 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! 4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? 5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.KJV

b.     Land named for the son of Lot by incest with his daughter (Genesis 19:37)

c.     You could see the Promised Land from here (Deuteronomy 34:6)

d.     How often do we live just “outside” the promises of God, seeing them and not entering in?

9.     . . .he, and his wife, and his two sons . . .

a.     Elimelech and both sons died in Moab, the “place of sojourning

b.     Naomi, who was called Pleasant (that’s what her name meant) upon return to Bethelehem Judah asked to be called “Marah” or Bitter.

c.     Leaving “bread and praise” can result in bitterness and spiritual death