As we kicked off our four part series in the book of Ruth this past Sunday, we were greeted with a few characteristics and principles that still hold true, even several thousand years after the time of Ruth.
Firstly, we see the mindset and character of the people was that they, “Did what was right in their own eyes”. Even today, such is still the case. We live in a society filled with moral relativity, where most people do whatever they feel is right, even if it is in complete opposition to the Creator.
Secondly, we find a truth in an a very unassuming statement in verse 1, “And a certain man of Bethelehem, Judah…”. It would be easy to pass over this text without a second thought, but upon consideration, there is much being said here. Even in the midst of famine in the entire land, the Lord was at work on an individual basis. Many times we assume that God is too busy with everyone else and everything else to bother with us individually. What we fail to remember is that God is not hindered by things great or small. He sees the big and the little picture, to degree that we could never even comprehend, and all at one time.
Finally, we see the Lord at work within the worst of circumstances, even in the midst of disobedience and the lack of belief in the promises of God. Elimelech chose to take his family out of the promised land, and into Moab, a pagan nation. His sons take Moabite wives, and eventually die in Moab, along with their father. Strangely, it doesn’t seem that Moab was a great place to flee the famine in Israel. After all of this, we find Elimelech’s wife and daughter-in-law, Ruth, getting word that the Lord has visited his people in Israel by giving them bread. Had Elimelech believed the promises of God, that God would provide for His people, all they needed was to obey Him, then perhaps he and his sons would have lived. However, the Lord is still able to take these bad circumstances and set into motion a plan for redemption. Not only the redemption of Naomi and Ruth, but even more so, the spiritual redemption of mankind.
Truly, God’s plans are far greater than our plans!
Stay tuned for more on our four part series through the book of Ruth.
