Ruth
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Judges 21:25
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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 Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
Ruth 1:1
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Ruth happens during the time of Judges. A time when Israel had turned their backs on God and were living as if there was no God.
A time when Israel was at one of its lowest points in its history.
Divison, cruelty, apostasy, civil war, national disgrace.
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But God preserves the book of Ruth to show you that godly living can take place in an ungodly culture.
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"The book of Ruth is like a pearl in the pig pen of Judges."
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In Ruth we see:
It is possible to live a godly life in an ungodly culture.
It is possible to be pure when surrounded by impurity.
It is possible not have culture rewrite our character- but have our character influence our culture.
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"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."
Noelle - age 7
“Don't fall in love rise with it”
― Dr. Amit Abraham, Rules of Attraction : Get The One You Admire
Ruth. A Moabite. Her family line began with an incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughter. The law forbids anyone to marry someone from Moab. (Deuteronomy 23:3)
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So what is happening here?
God is demonstrating the gospel of grace.
The law said,"You can't"; grace said,"You can."
The law said,"Keep out"; grace said,"Welcome in."
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There is not total agreement on who wrote this, one of the greatest love stories of all time. Some say Samuel wrote it. Others disagree.
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But God is writing another great love story.
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"So, as this story line begins, and as the curtain prepares to rise, take heart my friend – God happens to be the One writing your story and mine, for His glory and His purpose. The best thing to do is follow God’s lead; submit to each stroke of His quill as He crafts a tale that, in the end, will fit within His purpose and for His glory, and give us the greatest satisfaction. Our lives simply become the parchment upon which our sovereign Lord writes His purposes and His plans – His story line for us – His drama. No failure is final; no fear is fatal.
We are His story. "
Steven Davey
Colonial Baptist Church, Cary NC
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