Ruth 1 - Outline

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

May 17, 2013


 *NOV 2 - RUTH 1 - LOVE’S RESOLVE: FAITHFUL DAUGHTER*


 *1. 1:1 (1:1-2, ESV) ELIMELECH’S FAMILY IN MOAB. “In the days when the
judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in
Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two
sons.” *Father, help us to see lessons and Kingdom principles here. May we
remember Your promises to Abraham in the *land*, not in Egypt. May famines
not deter us from standing on the promises. *Hallowed be your :name.*


 *2. 1:3-4 (1:3-5) NAOMI: WIDOWED AND SONLESS. “But Elimelech, the husband
of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite
wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They
lived there about ten years.” *This is the beginning of the downgrade of
fortune: *leaving the land*. Father, forgive us for forsaking Your ordained
place of blessing in the land. *Your :kingdom come!*


 *3. 1:6 (1:6-7) NAOMI: PLANS TO RETURN TO ISRAEL. “Then she arose with her
daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in
the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them
food.” *We thank You Father, by Providential intimations that You have not
forgotten us, even in our ill-advised wanderings. You are a God of grace
and forgiveness! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth!*


 *4. 1:8 (1:8-13) NAOMI’S PROPOSAL. “But Naomi said to her two
daughters-in-law, ‘Go, return each of you to here mother's house. May the
LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.’” *What
a generous spirit on the part of Naomi! Father, You teach us not to coerce
our fellow human beings, but to leave their decisions to their own free
will, even if not in their own best interests. *Our :daily :bread Give us
this day.*


 *5. 1:14-15 NAOMI URGES RUTH. “Then they lifted up their voices and wept
again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 And
she said, ‘See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her
gods, return after your sister-in-law.’” *We hear Your voice in Naomi,
Father: One who longs for us, yet will not infringe upon our free will! *And
forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!*


 *6. 1:16-17 (1:16-18) RUTH: CONSECRATION AND REPLY. But Ruth said, “Do not
urge me to leave you or to return 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 will I be
buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts
me from you.” *How we praise You Father, for this revelation of the heart
of Ruth! *And bring us not into temptation.*


 *7. 1:22 (1:19-22) NAOMI AND RUTH: RETURN TO BETHLEHEM. “So Naomi
returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned
from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of
barley harvest. *The cycle of the wheel is complete: back to the start
again; empty by three souls, but full through Ruth! This is Your grace,
Father! *But deliver us from the evil one!*


 *NOTE**: 1:20-21a (1:19-22) **NAOMI: A BITTER TESTIMONY. She said to them,
“Do not call me Naomi (Pleasant); call me Mara (Bitter), 2 for the Almighty
has dealt very bitterly with me. 21a I went away full, and the LORD has
brought me back empty.” *Thank You Father, that You proved Naomi wrong in
her evaluation and conclusion.


 *C.H. Spurgeon Quote: The Tension of the Will and Predestination - *“The
grace of God constrains men to become Christians, and yet only constrains
them consistently with the laws of their mind. The freedom of the will is
as great a truth as the predestination of God. The grace of God, without
violating our will, makes men willing in the day of God’s power, and they
give themselves to Jesus Christ. You cannot be a Christian against your
will. How could it be? A servant of God against his will! Nay, it never was
so, and it never shall be so.”


 *Our Psalm for the Day: 122:6-7 (122) LET US GO TO THE HOUSE OF THE
LORD. “Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem! ‘May they be secure who love you! 7 Peace be
within your walls and security within your towers!’” *How can we glorify
You, Father? By praying according to *Your* purposes. And surely one of
Your purposes concerns Israel. We cannot spiritualize all Your promises to
Israel and apply them only to the church! *Hallowed be your :name!*


 *Title and Subject*: David wrote it for the people to sing at the time of
their goings up to the holy feasts at Jerusalem. When they stood within the
triple walls, all things around the pilgrims helped to explain the words
which they sang within her ramparts of strength. One voice led the Psalm
with its personal “I,” but ten thousand brethren and companions united with
the first musician and swelled the chorus of the strain.


 122:1. *I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the
Lord.* Good children are pleased to go home and glad to hear their brothers
and sisters call them there. David’s heart was in the worship of God, and
he was delighted when he found others inviting him to go where his desires
had already gone: it helps the ardor of the most ardent to hear others
inviting them to a holy duty.


 122:3. *Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together. *There is
no joy in going up to a church which is rent with internal dissension: the
gladness of holy men is aroused by the adhesiveness of love, the unity of
life; it would be their sadness if they saw the church to be a house
divided against itself. Some bodies of Christians appear to be periodically
blown to fragments, and no gracious man is glad to be in the way when the
explosions take place: thither the tribes do not go up, for strife and
contention are not attractive forces. *(From “The Treasury of David” by
C.H. Spurgeon, abridged by D.O. Fuller)*












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