<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Ceres SDA Church

Anil Kanda

Romancing Ruth

I really believe that God wants to communicate something very special.

So I want to say 1 more word of prayer and just ask that our hearts and minds would be open to the Holy Spirit today.

Dear Father in heaven, we thank you so much again for your grace.

And Lord, the reason why sinners like us can come into your presence is because of grace.

Thank you that your throne is a throne of grace.

And Jesus, we come seeking for grace, that you would bless us.

God, these are very dangerous times that we're living in, very unusual times, times of confusion.

You are the true pastor of the Syriza SDA Church.

You are the true guider and protector of our people.

Father in heaven, please instruct us in your word and reveal to us more closely your will for each and every person.

You know, when you study the Bible, What you will discover is that the Bible is a love story.

You know, many times people look at love as sort of this trivial thing, and you'll see many different versions of what love actually is.

You go out to the movies or you watch television or read books and you'll get these sort of variant forms of what love is.

And people use that word trivially, not trivially, in a trivial manner and they toss around that word like it's really nothing.

But it's interesting, when you read the scripture, love is epitomized in a very special verse and the Bible says, God is love.

Of all the descriptions that are given about God, the Bible's most powerful description about God is 1 John where it says, God is love.

So if we wanted to find out what genuine, legitimate, holy love looks like, we don't need to go to some movie, we can go straight to the Word of God.

And we're actually going to be looking at a very interesting love story in the Bible.

What you'll find in the Scripture is that the Bible is full of different books and each 1 of these books books are a love letter from God to his people and so we're going to be taking a good look at a very interesting love story in the scriptures and we're going to be turning to the book of Ruth, The book of Ruth.

Now I've read Ruth in the past, I thought that it's a very wonderful story, but as I began to study the book of Ruth this week I was blown away by God's love for his people and the pictures that are painted there.

And I really believe that God's going to communicate a very special message to each and every person.

We're going to the book of Ruth, chapter 1.

And we're going to see the context of the book of Ruth, and we'll launch off from there.

Now, it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled.

So the book of Ruth, or the story of Ruth, took place during what time period?

And do you remember there were about 2 verses that appear through the book of Judges over and over again which gives you a context of what was taking place during Ruth's time.

The Bible says in the book of Judges there was no king in those days.

In other words, there wasn't a government in Israel during those days Israel was very split the second thing you'll find out in the book of Judges the Bible says every man did was right in his own eyes You find out that Morality became very relative people designed their own morality They lived out their own morality and there was so much chaos during the time of judges.

God began to raise up men and women, that's right, I said men and women, very special people to do a mighty work for God.

And so the story of Ruth takes place sort of during this division in Israel's history.

A time in Israel's history where there really wasn't so much an overseeing government...

And Israel was spreading out and fragmenting into this place and to this place and to this place...

And sure enough, the pure worship of God was lost.

So let's start off with Ruth chapter 1 again, verse 1.

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 Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his 2 sons.

And the names of his 2 sons were Malal and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah.

They went to the country of Moab and remained there.

So there we see a family, because of famine, decided to sort of migrate all the way to another area, the country or the area of Moab.

They're realizing that the economy wasn't very good in Israel, so they said, let's go to Moab.

There's a famine over there, but when we go to Moab, we'll be able to be well taken care of there's a lot of resources there so this family does something very interesting they pick up all their goods and they just migrate to Moab let's keep going And then they went to the country of Moab and remained there.

Verse 3, And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her 2 sons.

Verse 4, Then they took wives of the women of Moab.

The name of 1 was Orpah, and the name of the other was what?

So the woman survived her 2 sons and her what?

This is a very interesting situation that she's in.

Number 2, they're in a foreign land where the worship of God is much different.

Moabites actually worship the god Chimosh, which is a very interesting depiction, interesting depictions of this god.

So you have this woman Naomi, she's in this foreign land without a husband, and the 2 males in her life die as well.

And all she is left with are these 2 daughter-in-laws.

There should be more people who love their in-laws.

But I want you to pay attention to Naomi's situation.

Everywhere that Naomi looks, she just sees pain and heartache.

She decides 1 day she's going to go back to her own land.

And so she tells her daughter something very interesting.

She tells her daughters, hey, you go back to your own land, and you can go back to your own God, you can go back to your own people, don't worry about me.

I'm just going to be in exile, I'm just gonna head back to my land and die there.

Now watch what takes place in Ruth chapter 1, verse 14.

Then they lifted up their voices and wept again.

And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth, what's that next word?

And she said, look, your sister-in-law has gone back to your people, and to her gods, return after your sister-in-law.

Naomi is just, she doesn't wanna carry any more burdens, no more burdens of people being lost in her life so she tells her daughters hey you go back to your own land to your own people to your own gods don't worry about me I have nothing to give you 1 of the daughter says okay I'll do that she kisses her goodbye and takes off now watch what Ruth does the Bible says Ruth clung to her there's something unusual about Ruth She's from a different stock and breed of character.

Verse 16, but Ruth said, entreat me not to leave you or turn back from following after you.

Go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge.

The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death, parts you and me." Ruth decides to, she makes a very interesting commitment to Naomi.

Back to Menu

Romancing Ruth

Transcript

Sponsor

Recorded

Related

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Sanctuary

17 The Judgment and 1844

1h 8m

There is Hope

Coming and Going

52m

Preaching from the Grave

1h 41m

Plenary

The Wedding

53m

Plenary

Church - Committed

52m

Angelic Rescue Team

43m

War of Thrones

A People of Prophecy

1h 1m

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Sanctuary

17 The Judgment and 1844

58m

The Big Questions (Evening Meetings)

10. The Reformation Will Not Be Televised

2h 6m

Preparing the Ark: Lessons from Noah’s Faith

1h 4m

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Sanctuary

20 The Judgment Continued Phase 2

50m

A Beginning With No End

Come On In

50m

Sound Doctrine