“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 sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife, and his two sons†(Ruth 1:1).
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This month we will be delving into the story of the life of Ruth. It’s important we first see the time and setting of her story. It begins and ends with the city of Bethlehem. Jesus may not have been born in Bethlehem if this were not true. We are going to learn about a family who left Bethlehem during a dark time in the history of Israel. The word “Bethlehem†meant “house of bread†and “judah†meant praise. At this time there’s no bread or praise going on because there was a famine in the land. Famines were often sent as a judgment from God. Elimelech and his family (Ruth 1:2) traveled to Moab to find food. Of all the places they could have chosen, this was not a good choice. Moab was a place of outcasts who despised Israel. Psalm 108:9 refers to Moab as a “wash pot.†One commentary I read said we would probably use the phrase, “garbage can.†Why would anyone, much less a godly man and his family, leave “bread and praise’ for such an awful place? First of all, if their faith had been stronger they never would have left their homeland. What usually happens during troubled times? There is a tendency for people to become scared and run. Often times, the running is away from God instead of to Him.
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Tomorrow we will be introduced to Ruth, a Moabite woman. We will later learn what happens to Elimelech and his family who never should have left Bethlehem.
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Sue Winchester
Missouri
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PRAY TOGETHER:Â Pray as Bible Institute classes in Brazil resume in February. Pray for endurance because the students work during the day and study at night.
