The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-12-05
RUTH'S WISE
CHOICE
Sunday School Lesson Tor Dec. 8, 1907
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TExT.-Ruth 1:14-22. Memory
Verses, 16, II.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Thy people shall be
my people. and thy God my God."-Ruth
1.f6.
TIME.-Ruth belongs to the times OF
the Judges. possibly in the time OF Gideon.
b. G. 1222-1ls2, or In the early part OF the
judgeship of Eli, when East Israel was op-
pressed by Amorites. and West Israel by
the PhilistInes u13D. AS she was the
great grandmother of David. either date
In possible. The dates are the common
ones in our Bible. Some scholars place
David's date considerably later.
PLACE.-The early home of Naomi and
the later one OF Ruth was at Bethlehem.
around which so many interesting events
cluster The early home Of Ruth was In
Moab. east of the Dead Sea and southern
Jordan.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Two Decisions.-The two wild
owed daughters-in.law, Orpah. the
"Fawn," and Ruth. the Rose of
Moab" went part Of the way to see
Naomi of. as friends and relatives
we're accustomed to do, and as is still
the custom in the east When the time
came to part, when they had kissed
each other and wept together. they
both declared they would not return.
but would go with her to Israel, Like
a wise woman. she declined to take
advantage Of the impulse Of passion
ate regret. which seemed adverse to
their temporal welfare. and which
their cooler judgment might not sane
tion. and urged them. by many strong
arguments, to return" God wrestled
with Jacob with desire to be con-
quersd; 80 Naomi. no doubt. opposed
Ruth, hoping and wishing that she
herself might be foiled."--T. Fuller.
She would have Ruth fully understand
her own mind, and realize what the
decision would cost her. 80 in the
parable Of Christ Guke Il: a6-SS).
So Joshua. in his farewell address To
his people. whom urging them with all
his soul to be true to their God, even
after their declaration-"0od forbid
that we should forsake the Lord
tells them. "Ys cannot servo the
Lord" (Josh. "a: ~.
Orpah decides to 60 back to her
people. There was little to attract heI
to new and strange home. with pow
erty in prospect. with little hope that
she would be welcome to the exclusive
Jews, to whom, as we'll as to hel
mother. she might become burden
nothing to attract her except love ant
religion. Neither of these did she
possess in degree sufficient to over
come the obstacles In the way. W.
do not know whether she returned Il
the worship Of idols or whether she
at least in private, clung to the re
ligion and the God she had Learned
from Naomi
Ruth, with a deeper nature anc
clearer insight, with love to Naom
that would cheer and strengthen her
and a consciousness of her need o
God and love to God that made al
other blessings as nothing In compari
son. clave unto Naomi. and, like Mary
chose the good part which shall no
be taken away from her.
v. 49, And Ruth said" Ruth,
passionate burst of tenderness is i'm
mortal. II has put into fitting word
for. all generations the deepes
thoughts of loving hearts. and comes
to us over all the centuries betweeI
as warm and living as when 1t welle'
up from that pure. heroic soul. Thu
two strongest emotions OF our nature
are blended In II, and each gives poi
tion of It's fervor-love and religion.
--Maclaren.
Orpah and Ruth, starting togethe
for the promised land. and one return
ing to idolatry, while the other goe
on to immortal blessedness. are pal
alleled by the characters In the earl.
part Of Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress.
start together for the Celestial City
| Christian goes on. while Obstinat,
and Pliable soon return TO the City O
Destruction. 1T might have been
sums up the tragedy OF many a life.
Choices between good and evil, eve
in small things. are the most In
portant acts of our lives. They ar
the creative acts of the soul. Ofte
these fatefuf crises come In our live
In connection with decisions Of tn
importance OF which we do not dream
We know what is right: we do nc
know the far.reaching effects.
The Outcome of Ruth's Choices
far we have been reading the introdut
tion to Ruth's romantic love story.
companion picture In common life T.
the picture In Solomon's song portva,
Ing the love Of a great king.
II is well to have these two picture
IN the Bible gallery. because hom
and holy love are essential condition
of the Transforming this world int
the kingdom OF God. Home and Low
open the gates to Paradise, The sta
Of Bethlehem for the race stands owe
the home with Jesus In II.