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July 1930
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V. 21. Went out full . . . home again empty. She thought o f the loss o f hus band and sons. Did she forget that she was not altogether “empty” ? Ruth was a great comfort to her and the future would show that in Ruth she would gain so much that her losses would appear almost insignificant. Jehovah hath testi fied- against me. Jehovah had not sent her to Moab; she took full responsibility for going there. Jehovah afflicted her be cause she walked in her own way. V. 22. So Naomi returned. A brief summing up o f the story is given. Barley harvest. It was springtime [April], Bar ley was the first crop to be gathered. For Naomi there had been famine, then afflic tion, and then home coming. The mention of harvest suggests that a new day of blessing had arrived after the long time o f discipline. * * * . L esson Q uestions V. 6. Where was Moab ? What prompt ed Naomi to return to her own land? What is meant by the expression “Je hovah had visited his people” ? Vs. 7. 8. Why did Naomi’s daughters- in-law desire to return with her? What did Naomi advise them to do? Did she commend their kindness to her? V. 9. What wish for them did Naomi express? Was the position of a widow a pleasant one in those lands? How did they show their grief and their love to ward one another? V. 10. How did the two younger women respond to Naomi’s appeal? Were they drawn toward Palestine because of any natural love for Naomi’s people? V. 14. Did either o f the widows show more love for Naomi or greater grief at the thought of parting than the other? Why did Orpah turn back? Why did Ruth cleave to Naomi? V. IS. What final argument did Naomi use with Ruth? Was this a strong ap peal? Was it easy for Ruth to desert her land and her old religion? Vs. 16, 17. What was Ruth’s final de cision? Was her choice merely to be with Naomi? Did she separate wholly from her heathen religion and choose Israel’s God (cf. 2:12)? How did she emphasize her decision ? Vs. 18, 19. When did Naomi cease arguing with Ruth? To what village did they come? What is the meaning of the name “ Bethlehem” ? What commotion was caused by Naomi’s return? Vs. 20-22. What name did Naomi sug gest should be given her? What does it mean? What did she say God had done to her? Was it literally true that she came back home “ empty” ? Had Jehovah “testified against” her? Had Jehovah sent her away from Bethlehem? Was she chas tened because she went contrary to God’s will? At what season did she return? * * * P ractical P oints 1. God is no respecter o f persons (cf. Acts 10:34, 35). A Gentile of a race that was under the ban (cf. Deut. 23:3) was highly exalted, becoming an ancestress of our Lord (cf. Matt. 1 :1, 5, 6). 2. Character is revealed in the crises o f life. In trial it is manifested whether we choose for self or for God. 3. Human ties must not be allowed to separate the Christian from Christ (cf. Matt. 10:37; Lk. 14:33).
true God, and the people o f Moab were idolaters. Real need could have been the only reason for their departure from their beloved home. Elimelech died in Moab. His two sons married Moabite girls; then the sons also died, leaving Naomi in a strange land with only her daughters-in-law. For ten years she had lived in Moab, but it was not home to her. So she decided to re turn to Bethlehem, and Orpah and Ruth said they would go with her. All jour neyed together until they reached the fords o f the Jordan. Then Naomi, who loved her daughters-in-law and wanted them to be happy, unselfishly told them to go .back to their own homes and their own people in Moab. At this point, the two younger women made their decisions—in very different ways 1 Orpah felt very sorry to leave Naomi; yet her heart was drawn to her home country. With a parting kiss, she left Naomi to return to Moab, to its customs, its people, and its god. Ruth probably would miss Orpah; yet she decided to stay with Naomi. The words in which she expressed her deci sion are among the most beautiful in the Bible, indeed, in all literature. Ruth did not know anything about the land to which she was going. She had no home there, no family, nobody except Naomi. But to her, this was enough. For love of Naomi, Ruth left all that had been dear to her. But how rich was her reward 1 The two women arrived in Bethlehem in April, the beginning o f the harvest sea son. Ruth saw an opportunity to find food for herself and Naomi, and she went to glean in the fields of Boaz, a rich and near kinsman of Naomi’s husband. Read the story for yourself, how Boaz saw this maiden gleaning, and finally married her. What a joy was hers now 1 She had left all to worship the true God, and to those who give all to Him, He offers blessings untold. Prayer. August 10, 1930 Hannah, a Godly Mother Lesson: —1 Samuel 1:1 -28; 2:1-11, 18, 19; 3:1-18. (Lesson Text: 1 Sam. 1:9-18, 24-28; 2:19.) Golden Text: “My son, hear the in struction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother” (Prov. 1:8). * * * L esson in O utline I. A Son Asked from God ( 1 :9-13). 1. Hannah’s bitterness (10). 2. Hannah’s vow (11). 3. Hannah’s pleading misunderstood (12, 13), II. A Son Received by Faith (1:14-18). 1. Eli’s rebuke (13, 14). 2. Hannah’s defense (15, 16). 3. Hannah sent away in peace (17, 18). III. A Son Given Back to God ( 1 :24- 28). 1. The dedicatory sacrifice (24, 25). 2. The dedication (26-28). IV. A Son Trained for God (2:19). * * * A pproach to the L esson CAMUEL was one o f Israel’s greatest leaders. He is often called the second founder of the nation. As the last of the
BLACKBOARD LESSON
W.//. AUG.3.
^ÄNDERUNG [JACKSLIDER [JESTOREO ORLDUNG J ackioidols [/ esr Lost « NAOMI ORPAH Rj/T/i W itnessing U eliever , I\ estfound M/mL-MCIAL HARRIET ' RUTH BECAME THREAT VjRANDMOrhER OF DAVID //edlhendom. GOO'S K m o o n . 4. It is worth while to lose all things in order to “win Christ” (cf. Phil. 3 :8- 10 ). 5. It is possible to be, like Orpah, very hear the kingdom and yet not enter in (cf. Mk. 12:34; Matt. 19:22). 6. It is necessary to “count the cost” before making decisions for or against Christ (cf. Lk. 14:25-33). 7. Trust in God always brings abiding blessing (Ruth 2:12). 8. Orpah’s choice appeared to bring the greater immediate gain, but Ruth’s choice proved ultimately to be of greater value. 9. Nothing can separate us from Jesus Christ except our own choice to leave Him (cf. Lk. 15:17-24; Rom. 8:38, 39). . 10. The backslider in the enemy’s coun try will always become “empty.” 11. Our Father’s house is always a “house of bread” (cf. Phil. 4:19). * * * G olden T ext I llustration . A high caste Hindu sat under the shade of his veranda, a missionary beside him. Outside, on the edge of the platform, walked some of the outcasts. One of them, overcome by the heat, fell uncon scious on the track. Not one of the high caste witnesses of the scene made the slightest movement to help him, but the missionary ran forward, raised the man, revived him, and' brought him to a place of safety. One o f the high caste Hindus said to the missionary: “ Sahib, will you tell me why you did that? Our religion forbids us to do anything like that.” The missionary replied: “Yes, but my religion ‘ compels’ me to do a thing like that.” * * * Memory Verse: “Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16). Approach. —People who come to us from other countries should be welcomed, and led to Christ. We should show them such kindness that they will say, “Thy God. shall be my God.” Lesson S t o r y .— Naomi and Ruth Ruth 1 :6-10, 14-22
The story of Ruth is one o f the most beautiful in the Bi ble. T h e opening scene is in Bethle hem, a village south o f Jerusalem. How was this place later honored ? Because of a famine in the
land, Elimelech and his wife, Naomi, left Bethlehem with their sons, Mahlon and Chilion, and went to Moab. They must have been sorry to leave Bethlehem, be cause there they worshipped Jehovah, the « / V i s t o *
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