2024.08.21 - Ruth - Verses 10-17

Ruth 1:9 Rest

Ruth 1:9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. KJV

. . .The Lord grant  you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband . 

1. I. Rest - OT:4496 OT:4496menuwchah (men-oo-khaw'); or menuchah (men-oo-khaw'); feminine of OT:4495; repose or (adverbially) peacefully; figuratively, consolation (specifically, matrimony); hence (concretely) an abode: KJV - comfortable, ease, quiet, rest (-ing place), still.
1. a. Signifies absence of movement as well as to be settled in a place
2. b. Conveys the idea of  security such as would be found in marriage
3. c. Conveys the idea of rest
1. i. Matthew  11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. KJV
2. ii. The whole idea presented is that she wishes for them to find rest and fulfillment in marriage, to be remarried and carry on 
1. 1. When a young woman went to live with her husband’s family, she did not give up all rights in her own family. If her husband died and there were no more brothers-in-law for her to marry, she might return to her father’s house. That is exactly what Naomi encouraged her daughters-in-law to do, and Orpah followed her suggestion (Ruth 1:8-18).... 
2. 2. After a period of mourning, the widowed wife might follow one of several courses of action. If she was childless, she was, according to the levirate law, expected to continue living with her husband’s family 
1. a. Deuteronomy 25:5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.

6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. 7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; 9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. 10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed. KJV

1. 3. Neither of the women had children from their first husbands . . .and it seemed that almost immediately after Ruth married Boaz, she was blessed with Obed
2. 4. Outside of Bread and Praise life not only cant be sustained, it cannot be produced.

Ruth 1:10 Those That Leave And Those That Stay 

Ruth 1:10And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. KJV

1. I. . . .surely we will return with thee . . .
1. a. It is amazing that the girls were even considering going with Naomi
1. i. Both had families that were still alive to which they could return – they were willing to leave their families – their mothers – to go with their mother in law!
1. 1. Ruth 1:8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me KJV
2. b. It is interesting that in order to bring Ruth to Boaz that Naomi had to be “exiled” from her homeland, and in order to come to Boaz Ruth had to endure the same thing
1. i. Matthew 10:37-39  37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me : and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me . 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me . 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. KJV
3. c. Regardless of the state of mind/spirit of Naomi, conversations must have taken place wherein Ruth and Orpah heard about God blessing His people in the land racked with famine . . .

1. I. . . .and Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, go, return to each to her mother's house . . .
1. a. They were married to her sons, not to her or her way of life . . . yet.

Ruth 1:11 The Love Of A Mother

Ruth 1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? KJV

1. I. Are there any more sons . . .
1. a. Naomi was not looking with any hope at having a future family or sons, she was resigned to the way thing were at this moment was the way things were going to be.  She was in survival mode.
2. II. . . . My daughters . . .

1. 1. Naomi loved these girls . . .she considered them family and wanted the best for them.  She called them daughters.  
2. 2. No matter how much we love others and want the best for them, they must at some point make up their minds who they will follow and where they will go. 
3. 3.  Naomi was speaking the truth, in love, as harsh as it was - there was really no hope for family with her, the road would be difficult and even though SHE considered them family, others may not - they were Moabites.
4. 4. Naomi was simply asking the girls to count the cost.

Ruth 1:12 Hope

Ruth 1:12Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; KJV

1. I. Period - 
1. a. She wanted “restoration” but only believed for so much restoration, her faith had limits and so she put a period where she was not willing to go further . . . .
2. b. I am not sure that she didn’t plan to just return to “God” Bethlehem and eat scraps of bread and die – how many are in the Church just like that!!!  
1. i. Their faith is not big enough to be fully redeemed, to walk in victory, they just want a Heaven pass to get in and to weedle through life until they die or the Rapture takes them
1. 1. If we live like this we are not looking past the Rapture to Glory but rather looking To the Rapture almost as a mercy killing! Lol
3. c. She knew the law, she knew how things worked, she knew her body, she knew she knew she knew, but she did NOT KNOW the power of God that was still working in her life.
4. d. Her negative confession could be what caused Orpah to return – but Ruth was rooted in something deeper, she looked around and beyond Naomi to what might lie ahead – for the joy that was set before . .  .
1. i. If serving God is like this then count me out
2. ii. Your voice may tell them to come but  your life may talk them out of it!
3. iii. What happened to Orpah? . . . we have no idea.

Ruth 1:13 Unloading

Ruth 1:13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. KJV

would you wait . . .

1. I. Wait - sabar OT:7663 sabar (saw-bar'); erroneously shabar (Neh 2:13,15) (shaw-bar'); a primitive root; to scrutinize; by implication (of watching) to expect (with hope and patience): KJV - hope, tarry, view, wait. 
1. a. Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope , and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ KJV
2. II. . . .for it grieveth me much for your sakes . . .
1. a. Naomi feels sorry that actions taken by her or her family have negatively affected the lives of these two women.
2. b. I almost seems that Naomi feels  the Lord is angry with her and she is being punished
3. III.  . . .that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me . . . 
1. a. She never blames God for doing anything wrong
2. b. This seems to show her acceptance of God as Sovereign over her life and the lives of those around her – it seems that she is in a sense wrestling with her faith.
3. c. Naomi is once again stating the fact that there will be great "cost" for Ruth should she choose to follow Naomi.  It will cost her everything, however, just as with following Christ, it is worth it all

Ruth 1:14

Ruth 1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. KJV

1. I. Starting And Staying 
1. a. We make the mistake of thinking everyone who starts with us will stay with us. It rarely  happens that way.
2. II. Relationship/Ruth/Orpah
1. a. Understand that Oprah was in a relationship with Naomi because of someone else, she was tied to Naomi, or in relationship with Naomi because she was married to Naomi’s son.
2. b. You will not keep all the relationships going that were forged because of someone else.
3. c. They are not married to you – they are married to someone you know.
1. i. This is why people struggle so much when others walk out of their life
2. ii. Understand how people are tied to you – why and for how long.
3. III. Courts
1. a. Orpah – outer court
1. i. Could not leave her family 
2. ii. Could not leave her former way of life
3. iii. Could not leave her “gods” 
2. b. Naomi – inner court
3. c. Ruth – holy of holies
1. i. Oprah was there because  of the son she married.
4. d. Make sure you understand why and how people are tied to. 
1. i. Are they only coming for what you are giving them? 
2. ii. What happens when the giving stops, when you stop calling?
5. e. If you focus on who left you then you will neglect those who stayed faithful
6. f. Oprah was not bad for leaving – it was after all Naomi that voiced the choice to stay or go - she was just not part of the season that was coming, she was not chosen for this part of the walk
1. i. God never had intentions of building a life for you with those who have walked out, it was never His intention that the Messiah would be related to Oprah . . . remember God has a plan even though we may not know what it is.
2. ii. We are not told that Naomi mourned the leaving of Orpah 
7. g. Be rooted, in this present time, know that right now, in this event, in this season, you are like the tree that is planted by the water, become rooted in Him, become present with Him, know that He IS now leading and guiding, you, see now for part of a bigger plan that will bless you and glorify God
4. IV. Moab
1. a. Jeremiah 48:11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed. KJV
1. i. Moab is the place where you stay and do not have to change
1. 1. You need no faith to stay in Moab
2. 2. Remember how Moab came to be – an act of moving in a lack of faith on the behalf of Lots daughters
3. 3. It isn’t just that we cannot move forward without faith – it is that we cannot stay where we are without faith, we will inevitably move backwards, growing more and more comfortable with things of this world  and less and less spiritually mature.
2. ii. Moab is the place where we can remain spiritually immature and hide from responsibility.
3. iii. Moab is where we return to when the going forward gets too tough.

Ruth 1:15

Ruth 1:15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. KJV

1. I. Religion 
1. a. unto her gods, this was as much about religion as about anything else 
2. II. No Turning Back
1. a. Choose you this day – who is your people and your God?
2. b. God is calling a people – even raising them up who will no matter what not turn back, who will press on, press in and gain The Kingdom!  
3. c. Ruth was not willing to be left behind.  She had heard the stories, there was something on the inside of her that was stronger than the pain, the loss and the uncertainty of the future that cried out GO FORWARD!

Ruth 1:16 – Gentiles, Jews, The Church & Israel 

Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: KJV

1. I. Leaving
1. a. Ruth had family in Moab  . . . she was willing to leave her culture and way of and all that she knew because of something she saw in Naomi
1. i. It is important in this life we live what others can see in us!  Ruth saw something that she wanted to be a part of, and she was willing to pay a great price to get there
2. ii. Not only was she willing to change everything – she was potentially facing a hostile environment where she may not be accepted – the was friction between the Moabites and Israel. Israel had been told years earlier to not marry Moabites, which Ruth had not only done, but was now going into their community as a foreigner.
3. iii. This is an amazing part of the story – 
1. 1. Deuteronomy 23:3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever: 4 Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. KJV
1. a. The family left Bread (and Praise) and came into Moab, where they were nourished with bread from the land, the people and the culture.
2. b. Ruth was a part of a “redemption” process 
1. i. It could be that this points to The Church and to Israel – who were (and some still are) on opposite sides of the fence so to speak, these two representatives allowed restoration to work through them
2. ii. Ruth was a “Gentile”, who “brought bread” to “Israel”!
3. iii. Ruth (Gentiles/The Church) gave up all she knew in order to see Naomi preserved (Israel)
2. 2. This passage is many times used in modern weddings but it is meant to point to a spiritual covenant between The Church & Israel, set forth as a type and a pattern of things to come, which should be.
3. 3. The Moabites who were not allowed into the congregation – but Ruth is now grafted in and because of her heart being turned towards God, and became a part of His great story
1. a. When they are hungry we are to feed them
2. b. When they are lost we are to lead them
3. c. When they come home we are to accept them

Ruth 1:17

Ruth 1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. KJV

1. I. Ruth/Church  Naomi/Israel
1. a. Why did she not marry Boaz instead of Ruth?? 
1. i. Because Ruth does not replace Naomi
2. ii. God has a plan for each of us, The Church does not replace Israel