May 1924
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
307
gains not only that which was lost in Adam, but possesses all that belongs to Christ. Can we learn the lesson, take our places with Ruth, pledge our fidelity to the Lord’ and say to Him, “ Thy God and Father shall be my God and Father; I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. To be with Thee, to have the consolation of Thy presence and Thy voice, whether it be in prosperity or adversity,-—I covet crucifixion with thee, life with Thee, joy with Thee, sorrow with Thee; thy peo ple shall be my people, and thy good will my pleasure.” Æè (1:15) The sinner comes to a point where he must either go forward and confess, or backward and deny, the hope which is in Christ Jesus. He stands, like Orpah, ir resolute, deciding now for and now against. But sooner or later the irrevocable decision comes, COMMENTS and all the future hangs upon that. FROM THE This going back (1) her own choice, COMMENTARIES (2) deliberately made, (3) respectfully V. V. Morgan expressed, (4) freely and finally car ried out (1 Jno. 4:21). So with many today. They forsake the world apparently; join themselves to God’s people; travel towards the heavenly Jerusalem; seemingly profit in religion; but they have no stability, “ no root in themselves,” as the gospel expresses it (Matt. 13:21). Easy Christianity, half-hearted Christianity, ex ternal Christianity apostatizes, and well it may! Without vital change, men return to the world, to their old state and ways (Heb. 3:12). They return speedily and as cer tainly as Orpah went back to Moab (John 6:66). And this in the face of all the protestations (v. 10).—Horn. Com. • (2:2 ) The right to glean was a legal privilege of the poor in Israel (cf. Lev. 13:22, 19:9 and Deut. 24.19). But hard-hearted farmers and reapers threw obstacles in the way, and even forbade the gleaning altogether.—Kell. (3 :2 ) Nothing more than a level place in the field, un der the open heavens. Constructed of a circular form, per haps 50 feet in diameter, merely by beating down the earth hard. Both the threshing and winnowing are done in the open air, rain in harvest time being almost unknown. (Cf. Judges 6:37; 2 Sam. 6 :6).—Horn. Com. (3:3 ) Make not thyself known unto. Suffer not thy self to be perceived by. The grain heaps probably sur rounded the threshing floor, and would offer a chance for concealment, even though the place itself was under the open heavens.—Horn. Com. (3:4 ) The indelicacy of these verses is removed by the fact that it was the custom thus to remind a kinsman of his duty in such a case. The openness of the location is also to be kept in mind, together with the circumstances that Ori entals sleep by night in the clothing worn during the day, reclining simply upon a cloak or rug . Servents frequently sleep in the same tent with their master, lying crosswise at his feet, and if a covering be needed are allowed to draw the skirt of his covering over them.—Gray. The “ gaal,” or Kinsman-Redeemer, is a beautiful type of Christ. (1) The kinsman redemption was of persons, and an inheritance (Lev. 25:48; 25:25; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 01:7, 11, 14). (2) The Redeemer must be a kinsman (Lev. 25:48, 49; Ruth 3:12, 13; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 2:14, 15). (3) The Redeemer must be able to redeem (Ruth 4:4-6; Jer. 50:34; John 10:11, 18). (4) Redemption is effected by the gaal paying the just demand in full (Lev. 25:27; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; Gal. 3:13).— Scofield. (4:1, 2 ). The gate was something like the town hall with us, where all the legal business was transacted. It was a building with a cover but without walls, and a place which everybody passed by. It was easy to find a jury of ten men there any time; and as soon as the kinsman came in sight whose duty it was first to redeem before Boaz, calling him to wait, the case was entered upon with sim plicity, and informality (vv. 1-4). (For the law governing this matter see Lev. 25:25).—Gray. (4:4 ) See Deut. 25:5-10). The redemption of the land of course involved a marriage with Ruth, the widow of the former owner.—J. F. & B.
(4 :7 ) The shoe symbolized a possession which one had, and could tread with his feet at pleasure. Hence when the kinsman pulled off his shoe and gave it to Boaz, he sur rendered to him all claims to the possession which would have been his under other circumstances.—Cassel.
ELEMENTARY Kate H. Haus
One time a good woman and her husband left Canaan, and crossed the river Jordan because of famine. They had two sons, and settled in the land of Moab. The people in Moab worshipped idols, but this family did
not. The name of the woman was Naomi. By and by the sons grew up and m a r r i e d women of Moab.. The father and both sons died, leaving Naomi alone with her two
daughters-in-law. Then Naomi decided to go back to her people, for she heard that God had provided food for her people in Canaan. Orpah and Ruth, her two daughters-in- law, started back with her. After they went part way Naomi said to them, “ Go back to your mother’s house each of you, and may God bless you both.” Now Ruth had learned to love, not only her mother-in-law, but to love the true God. Ruth said she would not go back, but would stay with Naomi, and go wherever she went, worship her God, die and be buried wherever Naomi died and was buried. Orpah kissed Naomi and went back to her own land, while Ruth left Moab, and its idol worship, and went with Naomi to Canaan. When they got to Canaan, Naomi’s friends came out to welcome them. They were surprised that Naomi came back so sad and lonely, so she told them about the death of her husband and sons. Ruth went to work in a barley field to gain food for both. God guided her to the field of a rich good man, who was a relative of Naomi, whose name was Boaz. When Boaz saw Ruth, he was attracted by her loveliness, and her faithfulness, and was very kind to her. He made her welcome in the field, and told her to gather all she wished, and none should harm her. When she went home and told Naomi, her mother told her to stay on in the field, so Ruth stayed on. By and by Boaz fell in love with Ruth, and married her, and Ruth had the blessed privilege of being one of the an cestors of Jesus. We learn this: that just as Boaz loved and honored and cared for Ruth because she was so loving and faithful, so Jesus loves and cares for those who are loving and faithful in their service to Him. Then how beautifully Ruth loved and cared for her mother. I wonder if every boy and girl loves and honors mother as much as Ruth loved and honored her mother. We may be sure of one thing; those that honor their parents God will honor. Ruth turned from idols to the true God. Are we willing to do the same? Ruth left home to go to a land where the people of the true God lived? I know a boy that did just that. His father told him he must give up Jesus if he stayed at home. George was only 12 years old, but he left home instead of giving up Jesus. Later he won his father for Jesus. Memory Verse: Luke 18:29, 30; Ex. 20:12.
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