The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1907-12-07
The SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson X.-Four..h Quarter, For
Dec. 8, 1907.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Ruth i. 1i-2c-Mer-
Dry Verses, 10, 17-GoIden Text. Ruth
/, i6-Comment.ry Prepared by Ra..
2. NJ. Stesrns.

Q. M. Ste.rns.
Copyright. 1907. by American Press Association.
A beautiful story OF the days of the
judges, when there was so much re-
DeliIpn against Cod and vixen for a
time every man did right in his OVID
eTes tJudg. xvii. q; xxi. 20. Through
oil God had His Othniel and Gideon
and Barak and Jephtha and others and
WAS quietly and surely working out
His eterual purpose. The last word in
this book. David. tells Us one reason
Why the book was written. The first
tnd last titles OF Christ in ta4 New
Testament associate HiEa with David
tMatL |. /: Rev. xxi. 16,. the name
used more than any other in the
Scriptures and whose throne Is vet TO
give worldwide blessing. The clos
iug verses Of the book inform US as to
his ancestry for several generations
and that Ruth Of our story was his
great-grandmother ard that her hus-
land BOas was the son Of Rahab of
Jericho. both of these women having
honorable mention in Matt. i. in which
chapter David is the only man called
King. although the names of many
kings are given. The story of tn
book is a foreshadowing of the time
when the weary cleaners shall pos
sess the field in that morning when
God shall help Israel and the meek
shall inherit the earth Ps. XVI. 5. mar
gin: xxxvii II: Matt. V. -. Our kins-
man Redeemer. the true mighty man
OF wealth. shall redeem the inheritance
and deliver the whole crea ton from.
the bondage Of corruption into the
glorious liberty OF the children Of God
from. viii. 21-23l. THE kingdom shall
be the Lords" (Obad. 21,.
Some one has outlined the book as
follows: Chapter /, Ruth deciding:
chapter Ii. Ruth cleaning; chapter ill
Ruth resting: chapter iv. Ruth reward
ed. The lesson assigned us is In the
at the context
1t looks as IL Elimelech and Naomi
made misstep In going TO Moab. but
God overruled it as He does all things
to work out His purpose. Surely
the wrath OF man shall praise Thee:
the remainder OF wrath shalt Thou re-
strain" Ps. lXxvi. 10D. The loss of her
husband and two sons in the land Of
Moab looks to Naomi like chasten-
Ing. for she says. Il went out full. and
the Lord hath brought me home again
empty" Verse 2l. The going out was
hers: the bringing home was the
Lords. She said. The hand Of the
Lord is gone out against NE; the
Lord hath testified against me; the Al
mighty hath dealt very bitterly with
me. and the Almighty hath afflicted
me" oversees Is. 20 2l. Yet doubtless
she would afterward add. Before ]
was afflicted |. went astray, but now
have | kept Thy word (Ps cxix. Gu.
Tie fullneSs of blessing which came to
her through Ruth could not have been
known unless she had been emptied.
Broken and emptied vessels are the
kind the Lord uses. The name AL
mighty is suggestive of this. a name
first used in Gen. xvii. /. and more
times in the book OF Job than in all
the rest OF the Bible Job. although a
servant Of God. thought a great deal !
OF himself Dob xxx. but after he had !
his eyes opened TO see and abhOr him /
self he was blessed as never before I
(chapter xiii.
That Naomi should urge her sons
wives to return to their idolatrOus /
homes and people seems strange when
she knew the God of Israel 10 be the .
only true God. but she was not special. I
ly joyful in the Lord about that time .
and was so lonely herself that she .
seemed TO think only of the temporal .
welfare of her daughters in-law. We
do not say but that She should at all
costs have sought TO win the Moabites
TO tie true God. but Christians will
never win people out of the world J :
going down into it and being con.
formed to 1t. Think how the people Of
SoGom despiSed Lot when he pleaded
with them. They knew him too well.
Naomi's testimony. on the whole.
must have been for God rather than
against Him. else Ruth would never
have acted or spoken as she did May
--NA --'4-CA 't~' f'OAtC Lt puAS as v -
turn to Him who loved us and gave
for Us oversees Is, IL. and
may we indeed be as devoted TO Him
as she was to Naomi. There is an
other gentle who always comes be-
fore me when think of Ruth: I mean
lttai. the Gittite. who said to David
AS the Lord liveth and IS my lord
the king liveth. surely in what place
my lord the king shall be. whether in
death or life. even there also will thy
be" III Sam. XIV. 2n. These
gentileS make us think OF two others
In the gospel story. likewise a man anC
a woman who greatly refreshed our
Lord by their great faith.
The words 'steadfastlv minded
verse lSl make Us think Of Acts vii
30: II. %: | Cor. Ky. -. and work in
Us great desire to see Jesus only
and run with patience looking unto
Him.
so they two went" verse 70, points
is 10 another instance of great devo-
ton when Elisha refused 70 leave Elijah
because he wanted a double portion
IF his spirit III Kings ii. 1-1J,. and we
read, so they came; they two went
IN; they two stood: they two went