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Ruth 1:15-18

Lesson # Ruth. 1:15-18 Study Material - Ruth. 1:15-18 You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. Ruth 1:15-18 15 Then she said, 'Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.' 16 But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.' 18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. The separation and the binding of these three women has occurred. They had no written or even verbal agreements, covenants, contracts if you will, which bound them. They had only their feelings for each other as well as their feelings for their respective homes. Orpah's feelings for her home were stronger than her feelings for Naomi and God. Thus stated in the text, she returned to her people 'and her gods'. Ruth on the other hand prefers God, and the friendship of Naomi over her entire life in Moab. They reached an agreement, or a meeting of the minds. Most people who enter into an agreement place down in writing the details of that agreement. It is honorable to abide by the terms of that written agreement. But as Orpah did not wish to remain with Naomi, and wished to return to her native land, Moab, there was no agreement between Orpah and Naomi, not binding agreement that is. The three women were on their way to Israel. Orpah turned back, stiff necked. 'She has gone back.' The words are not in bitterness, but in disappointment. You will often meet people in life that will enthusiastically enter into an arrangement with you, then when it comes time to terminate that arrangement, they will seek all manner of ways to disengage themselves from their responsibilities in that arrangement. Some even use Jesus as their means of justifying their detachment from their obligations. Jesus is love. Jesus is mercy. Cancel my obligation on this contract. What does one have to do with the other? If one party chooses to let the other party go, it is that first parties right to choose to make that release. However, if the second party wishes to impose the release terms on the first party, it is not their right nor their expectation to receive favorable terms. Tat expectation is rude, presumptuous, hypocritical, and when using Gods name, blasphemous. Orpah used the kiss of friendship then turned back. She was hypocritical preferring her 'gods' to the friendship of Naomi, though giving her the kiss of friendship. The action was not consistent with the thought. They were antithetical. Ruth's attitude, on the other hand was consistent with her actions. She entered into an agreement, though not required to, and she was going to be bound by the terms of that agreement. 'where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die'. Those were the terms of her attitude, and the actions she intended to follow. Her home as she knew it, her family, her friends, her neighbors, all were less important to her than her desire for Naomi as her mother-in-law, and more important, God. Orpah made the choice to remain with family and ignore God. Ruth knew that God was far more important, and to remain with God no matter where you reside, there God will provide more than enough replacement friends, family, and so forth. You can just hear Orpah, 'If you really love God, then you'll remain here in Moab with me!' That is a stiff necked, or self righteous, attitude of one using Gods name in order to superficially gain what you want. She cared nothing for God, only for herself. Be forewarned, when people throw Gods name in your face in their arguments to avoid their responsibilities, then they are phony and ignorant of truth, and have a lot to learn. How many people do you suppose pleaded for their lives in Jericho? How many received mercy? None. God is not there to be used as a convenient excuse to escape from ones responsibilities. Honest people, on the other hand, do not need to bring Gods name into their conversations. God is not to be used as a debaters crutch, to somehow enhance the power of ones words. If you find yourself using phrases like, 'brother this', and 'sister that', 'praise the Lord', and so forth in order to enhance your conversation, then you need to think what your intent is. Using words that imply spiritual greatness is often a cover up for spiritual weakness and usually phony. How did Ruth begin? 'where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people', then she completed her thought with, 'and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die' Her mind was established in her attitude first, and then based on the principles which Naomi had taught her. Naomi brought the principles of doctrine to Ruth, and Ruth learned them. Her attitude was ingrained in her soul, not merely words on her tongue for others to hear, to be impressed by. 'Until death us do part,' are words often stated by many a couple, but merely spoken. The Pharisees read the scriptures out of habit. The words carried no meaning. Ruth carried the words in her soul. She did not have to say them, she 'clung' to Naomi. Her actions spoke louder than the words. What more could Naomi possibly say to that? Previous Page Table of Contents Donation Next Page Now is the time to post a prayer. End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.

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