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(2) Is affliction good for the back slider? (Jer. 2 :1 9 ). (3) Does th e h eart th a t knows what is in the F a th e r’s house, hear th e call to “ come home” ? (Luke 15 :17 ). (4) Do renunciation and su rrend er have any place in the m aking of a splendid life? (Phil. 3 :8 ). (5) W hat should be th e a ttitu d e of th e tru e believer tow ards Christ? (R u th 1 :16 ). ( 6 ) Does the believer lose anything by giving up all for Christ? (Matt. 19 :29 ). (7) W hat high honor was bestowed upon R uth? (Matt. 1 :5 ). Mk The story of R u th is a concrete illus tratio n of conditions in Israel in the tim e of th e Judges. R u th herself is a type of the sinner. She was a heathen and an idolater. Eph. DEVOTIONAL 2:11, 12. She had a COMMENT bad ancestry. Gen. ¡F. W. P a rr 19:37; Jno. 8 :44 ; Ps. 51:6; Eph. 2 :3 . She was a widow. That means she was help less. Rom.- 5:6. She was poor. Rom. 7:18. Her) pitiable condition repre sents the hopeless condition of the sin ner. The tu rn in g point in her history was h er decision. It was not essentially emotional, although there were many tears. “She was steadfastly m inded.” This is the action of th e will. We are saved not by feeling or desire, bu t by willing. Rev. 22:17. H er choice was n either selfish nor popular. H er sister- in-law remained in Moab. Naomi urged h er to stay and told h er she was facing poverty and disgrace, bu t h er purpose could no t be shaken. H er choice was not a passing caprice. She came for life. There was neith er hesitation nor reservation. Every bridge was burned behind her. 2 Pet. 1:9-10. H er choice involved a change of religion, 1 Thess.
J.:9, a change of country, Phil. 3:20, a change of companions, 2 Cor. 6:17, and a change of customs, Eph. 2:3. it was a wonderful step of faith. As a Moabite she was b arred by th e law of Moses from even entering the house of th e Lord. Deut. 23:3. Through grace she became the ancestress of the Mes siah. Boas is a type of Christ. The kinsm an-redeemer must be near of kin. Deut. 25:5-10; Heb. 2:14-16. He m ar ried his own inheritance. Phil. 2:5-8. Our K insman-Redeemer left the bosom of God and the glory of Heaven and came to earth w ith no place to lay His head. He not only brought back- th e lost inheritance bu t H e adds H is own estate to th a t of the one reclaimed. Christ not only restores what Adam forfeited, b u t He adds the treasu res of grace and a nearness of relationship th a t Adam never knew;. The sinner saved by grace is richer th a n Adam be fore he fell, because he has the rig h t eousness of Christ. W hat Christ adds from His own estate is infinitely g reater th an all that- Adam ever had and lost. It was for love of Ruth) th a t Boaz be came the redeemer of h er lost estate. The inheritance of R u th ’s form er hus band was nothing to him, bu t th e per son of R u th was precious in his eyes and worth any sacrifice. Scripture speaks of “ the riches of the' glory of his inheritance in the saints.” Eph. 1:18. Beyond all our labors, battles and prayers, He w ants us for our own sakes and for ourselves. He cares more for what we are th an fo r w hat we do. On th is account |Je endures all the sor rows th a t we cause Him, overrules the m istakes th a t m ar our service, loves us faithfully in all our wanderings and blesses us graciously in spite of our perversity. Wonderful love of Jesus! The book of R uth anil the Song of Solo mon may be in th e Bible to teach us of His love and cause hs to love Him in return.
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