The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-16
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
OCTOBER 20.
Lesson Text: "Ruth's Choice" Ruth
L., 14-22-Golden Text:
Ruth l., 16-Com-
mentary.

"A. "And they lifted up their voice and
wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-
law, but Ruth clave unto her." The fact
that the Holy Spirit has mentioned the name
Of Ruth in the opening verses OF the New
Testament (Math. l., s. should lead US to
prayerful study of the book and thought
full consideration of her, who, though gen.
tile. is honored with place in the ancestry
Of Christ. The flight OF Eimelech and his
family to Moab because OF the famine IN
Israel would seem from Deut. xiii, =. to
have been a wrong move on his part and
lack of faith in God, but yet overruled by
God for the working out OF His purposes.
As we see Naomi returning without either
husband or sons Oversees s, g. after her ten
years sojourn in Moab it looks still clearer
that they did not we'll to 90 to Moab. 1t
makes US think of Abraham's going to Egypt
because of famine, his trouble there and
the absence of an altar unto the Lord until
he returned to Bethel (Gen. Kill, 1U, to
kill, A.
Is. "And she said, Behold thy sister-in-law
is gone back unto her people and unto her
gods. Return thou after thy si5ter-in-law."
Naomi knew OF the true and living God, the
God Of Israel, while the Moabites were Idol
aters, and to see her trying to turn her
daughters-in-law back TO their idols Is truly
pitiful sight. The same thing Is seen to-
day when Christians enter into fellowship
with the world either for pleasure or profit,
and thus virtually urge the worlds people
to stay by their idols because there Is moth
ing satisfying in the Lord Jesus Christ.
What slander on the Lord and dishonor to
His holy name See Jer. xxxiv., IS, 16, and
Eek. xiii, s, and let US aim to honor His
worthy name (Jas. H., z; Pet. H., 81.
16. :And Ruth said, Entreat me not to
leave thee or to return from following after
thee, for whittier thou goest I will 90, and
where thou lodgest will lodge thy people
shall be my people, and thy God my God
May we not hope that Naomi had lived
godly life even In Moab, and that 1t was God
III her who led Ruth to taketh noble stand!
Then we could put this construction upon
her words to Orpah and Ruth. II am going
back to Israel's land and to Israers God, but
7 have nothing to offer you except His prom
ises, and II these seem insufficient then you
had better stay with your friends and their
idols
II. "Where thou diest will die, and
there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me
and more also, if aught but death part thee
and me-" Noble woman, by the grace OF
God Such cleaving to the Lord Is sure to
BIZ rewarded, Compare the same purpose OF
heart in Ittai the Gittite as he clave 10 David
(II Sam. xv., 2l), with purpose OF heart let
us cleaye unto the Lord (Acts xl., 29). For
the eyes of the LORI run to and fro through
out the whole earth to shew Himself strong
on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect
or whole toward Him (II Chron. xvi, 81.
1S. "When she saw that she was stead
fastly minded to go with her. then she left
speaking unto her." The command to US is
to "Be steadfast, unmovable." The secret
Of being thus established Is found In II
Chron. XXX, 20. To look around US will bring
only dismay Elsa. xii, 10, R. w., but to
''consider Him who endured such contra
diction of sinners against Himself Will keep
Us from being weary or faint IN our minds
(Heb. xiii, 81. We think Of Him when the
time was come that he should be received
up, how He steadfastly set His face to go to
Jerusalem duke L., 5D; also OF Stephen,
full OF the Holy Spirit, as he looked up
steadiastly unto heaven and saw the glory
OF God and the Son Of Man standing on the
right hand Of God.
19. $50 they two went until they came to
Bethlehem" We may imagine that they
had much talk along the way concerning the
God OF Israel and His wonderful dealings
with the Nation. They were journeying to
house Of bread and praise (Bethlehem-
JUDAH, and they might well talk OF Him
who alone Is worthy to be praised, and who
had fed Israel with bread from heaven for
forty long years in the wilderness. Wethink
OF the words concerning Elijah. and Elisha,
"They two went on" "They two stood"
"They two went over II Kings H.. 6, Z, 81,
and we remember the Lord's oft repeated
word, II am with you" so that we two, he
and I, may daily go on together.
20. "And she said unto them, Call me not
Naomi call me Mara" She felt that mara
(bitter) expressed the Lords dealings with
her better than Naomi (pleasantl, but shs
does not seem to have considered that
the wandering away from God OF her
self and her husband. We are apt
to think hardly OF God when we
ourselves are the cause OF the trouble. Shs
uses the name almighty" not knowing.
perhaps, that the SAIL Sufficient One" was
seeking to lead her to know Him as such by
His dealings with her.
21. 'I went out full. and the Lord hath
brought me home again empty" The name
Almighty" is found more often in the book
Of Job than in all the rest Of the Bible taken
together, and it is there that We see a full
man thoroughly emptied in order that he
may know the "All Sufficient One" the
Almighty. Then We see Him filled as never
before. Until we are willing to be emptied
OF all that Is OF US We cannot know the full
ness of God. Christ Jesus emptied Himself,
taking the form OF IL servant, wherefore God
hath highly exalted Him (Phil. H., 7-9). Con-
trast Naomi's complaint with Sam. ILL.,, 1s,
and Jobi., 81.
%, "And they came to Bethlehem in the
beginning OF barley harvest" Then follows
the story of "the mighty man Of wealth, the
kinsnan redeemed. in whose fields Ruth
went to CLEAN. and from whom she received
much kindness, who afterward became her
husband and the father OF Obed, OF whom
came Jesse, the father ofDavid (chapter w.,
21.22). Henry Noorhouse,i in his book OF Ruth,
entities the four chapters-Ruth deciding,
Ruth cleaning, Ruth resting, Ruth rewarded.
Among the refreshing things of chapter IL,
notice the greetings of Boaz and his reapers
(vsrse 1, the beautiful words OF Boaz to
Ruth Oversees II, 12), the handtuls let fall OF
purpose (verse 16), AMI Naomi's greeting
when she brought home her gleaninss that
first dav. Let chapter ill.,. 1S, suggest Ps.
cXxxvlii., s, and let US CLEAN diligently in
the field of our kinsman Redeemer, the
Mighty Man oiWealth (the field is the worldD,
for we shall find many handfuls dropped on
purpose, and In the morning we shall be
married to the owner Of the field. All will
then be ours, and we shall reign with Him for.
ever. Then we shall see the reward 0. for.
saking father and mother and friends for His
sake MARK x, 29. 30). and we shall 10 CT.
ceedjnply plad.-Les5on Helper.