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June 20

Reading 1 - Ruth 1 & 2

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1 v.15 - Here is the crunch of this argument - back to her gods. This example of decision making for us to consider here is represented on a very emotional level. In this example you can see the way that the love these women had for each other was causing the grief that hampered the decisions. How well we can relate to situations like this. When they happen, which way do we choose? Ps.125:5, Matt.13:20-21, Josh.24:15-20.
Peter Cresswell
2 v.2 suggests that it was Ruth's intention all along to find her husband this way. Quite an ambition for a Moabitess in Israel, where the people of Moab had a far from happy history. But the success she had, was, like all of our success, now hers, but to the glory of God, as He had it in His plan to make Ruth one of those through whom the great Messiah would come.
Peter Cresswell

1 v.4 The mention of ten years is the only time reference in the whole of the book of Ruth.
That a Moabite was not to enter into the congregation of the Lord till the tenth generation can be seen. [Deuteronomy 23:3]

The family

So how was David allowed to be king as he was only the fourth generation?

2 v.2 Whilst the A V has 'ears of corn' the Hebrews actually just has 'ears' so what they were gathering is not specified though we know that it was barley as it was the time of the barley harvest. [Ruth 2:17] That Ruth was gleaning despite the fact that Naomi came from an important family in Bethlehem demonstrates why Naomi said that she was to be called bitter - she was destitute, and a widow at that. However we know that Yahweh cares for the '... widow' [Deuteronomy 10:18 Psalm 68:5 146:9 Proverbs 15:25]

2 v.9 Boaz was a faithful man who, we presume, would endeavour to employ faithful men. However he feels the need to give his young men charge that the do not harm Ruth. An indication of the Godlessness in Israel at this time during the Judges.

2 v.14 That they ate 'parched corn' is interesting. It is a phrase which is never used after the time of David. [Leviticus 23:14 Joshua 5:11 Ruth 2:14 1 Samuel 17:17 25:18 2 Samuel 17:28] Implying that the author of the book of Ruth was aware of the specific customs of the time. Just a little point which helps in building up an armoury or data which shows the authenticity of the Bible. We should be looking at the fine details of the accounts in Scripture and thinking about the language.
Peter Forbes

ch 1 - The book of Ruth typifies the call of the gentiles - the taking of a gentile bride by a faithful man of Judah. So we should not be surprised to see the links

My people
Isaiah 40:1
Thy God
Isaiah 40:1

ch 2 - Another link with Isaiah 40

Comfort
Isaiah 40:1

Peter Forbes
ch.1 - Remember the events of the book of Ruth fit into the time of the Judges (1:1) When we were looking at the latter chapters in Judges we commented on the use of Bethlehem Judah and Gibeah. The point was made that Judge shows the unsuitability of the tribe of Benjamin - Saul's tribe - for kingship. Ruth focuses on Bethlehem of Judah - the home of David - to show Judah's suitability for kingship.

Bethlehem
1:1, 2, 20, 22
2:4
4:11

2:12 The 'full reward' is what we are hoping for (2 John 8), John is quoting the words of Boaz to Ruth.
Peter Forbes

ch 1 - THE AMAZING CHARACTER OF NAOMI
How do you get on with your in-laws? There never seems to be a shortage of mother-in-law jokes and stories - but here is a mother-in-law to be proud of. Naomi.
Naomi, Elimilech and their two sons went to live in Moab. Elimelech died, her sons got married and then her sons died. What better excuse to get rid of your mother-in-law than to have your husband die and not to be left with the ties any more. But Naomi's two daughter-in-law's, Ruth and Orpah had no intention of leaving Naomi. They loved her. That tells us that Naomi was an absolutely amazing person. Ruth in particular loved her more than her own parents and country. She loved her so much that she gave up everything she ever had or could have for her love of Naomi. She said, "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God … may the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."
Wouldn't you love to be like Naomi? There are plenty of places in the Bible that tell us how to love each other. Read them. Learn them. Live them. Then you will be loved like Naomi.
Robert Prins
ch 2 - GREETINGS
"Just them Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, 'The Lord be with you!'
'The LORD bless you!' they called back."
What a positive start to the day!
I heard a saying the other day, "Sometimes I wake up grumpy in the morning - and other times I let her sleep"! However, if we had a positive start like Boaz there would be much less grumpiness.
What are our morning greetings like? They can range from a grunted "Uhh," through to the blessing that Boaz gave.
One of the most common morning greetings is "Good Morning" We often say "Good Morning" to nearly everyone we meet. Why is it a good morning? It is good because we have a new day to serve God, a new opportunity to accept his salvation and we are surrounded by his love. So when we say, Good Morning," to someone today, be sure to give them the "Good" and let them know what God has done and prepared for them. Let us in our greetings prepare for the greeting of Jesus in the kingdom. "Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord."
Robert Prins

Reading 2 - Isaiah 44

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v.2 - Whatever our thoughts regarding predestination and free-will, we cannot get away from the fact that God has an overwhelming knowledge of all times and places as if they were one. Many are described as being formed or known from the womb, as a person God will choose according to his purpose. God knows. It is man that doesn't. v.21,24, ch.43:1,7,21, 46:3,4, Psa.71:6.
Peter Cresswell
v.3 - The concept of God giving water to the thirsty is one of Isaiah's themes - 55:1. We are expected to do the same - not just for our friends but also for our enemies - Prov.25:21, Luke 10:33-36, Rom.12:20,21
Peter Cresswell
v.1-2 Continuing the claim to be the only God Yahweh now appeals to the fact that He made Israel as the basis for the assurance that they should ‘fear not’. If one can believe that Yahweh has made one then one need not worry about what is happening in one’s life.
Peter Forbes
44:6 I am the first and I am the last is a claim of Yahweh which the risen Jesus says is applicable to himself also since he has been raised from the dead (Revelation 1:8,17 22:1)
Peter Forbes
:18 Israel had 'daubed' (Hebrew) their eyes and so were blind. Jesus, by contrast, by daubing (see margin) mud on the eyes of the blind man (John 9:6) opened his eyes.
Peter Forbes

Reading 3 - Jude

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v.4 - Using the same theme as Isaiah (above) we see that men are not just ordained to righteousness, but also to evil. It is important for us to realise that God uses the evil of man to shape those who are called according to his promise. Let us keep our eyes and ears open to recognise the evil and avoid it. Gal.2:4, Eph.4:14, 2Tim.3:6, 2Pet.2:1,2.
Peter Cresswell
Jude appeals to a number of Old testament incidents
v.5 The Exodus
v.6 Korah Dathan and Abiram
v.7 Sodom and Gomorrah
v.9 The returning captives [Zechariah 3:2]
v.11 Cain
v.11 Baalam
v.11 Korah [again]
to reinforce his assertion that the problems that were being experienced were not new.
The warning from these individuals and events appealed to is that such practices bring death. Even those who were 'saved out of Egypt perished.The warning is clear for us.
Peter Forbes

Jude is writing to combat errors that have already crept into the ecclesias. Nortice the way in which he speaks of things in the past tense

:3 was once
:4 are crept in
:11 have gone
  ran
:12 are
  they are
:15 are
  have
  have

Peter Forbes
:5 It seems unlikely that we would forget that Israel were destroyed in the wilderness even though they had been saved from Egypt. However Israel forgot - that is what one generation fell in the wilderness, and it seems that the brethren to whom Jude wrote had forgotten also. No it is certain that neither Israel in the wilderness nor the brethren to whom Jude wrote had actually forgotten what happened. Rather they had stopped thinking about the implications of those things. Hence Jude draws attention to some events in the wilderness. Israel's problem that they did not believe that God would work in their lives.
Peter Forbes