The Jones County news., 1915-02-04
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson W.-First Quarter, For
Feb. 7, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Memory Verses, i6, 17--eolden Text,
Ruth |, 16-commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. M. Stearns.
We have just one lesson in this beau
tiful story Of Ruth, but We win seek
to gather many things from the whole
story. The first and last names IN the
book. Bethlehem and David. are two
of the most suggestive in the Bible.
No mans name is mentioned so often
as David, and his is the first and last
name OF n mere man I'm the New Testa-
ment Bethlehem, besides all the 9TH
er interesting facts connected with II,
win always be of special interest as
the birthplace of the frstborn son of
Mary, Jesus Christ our Lord. Ruth is
one of the four women mentioned In
Matt among the ancestors of the son
of David. Some one has said that the
four chapters OF this book might be en-
titled Ruth deciding-g cleaning
ing-rewarded.
The devotion of Ruth is an example
of the devotion to Jesus Christ, which
is expected Of all believers. Her pa
tient cleaning In the field of Boaz has
In it an example of the patience and
faithfulness which should be seen in
every Christian. Her quiet expectation
of some great result at the suggestion
of her mother-in-law makes us think
of the assurance that the meek shall
inherit the earth When we see her as
fhA 70 s.f Ia, ~ Al. HafH
In which she had so patiently CLEANED,
we cannot but think of the time when
the church. the body Of Christ, the
company of all the faithful cleaners Of
this present age, shall become the
bride of our mighty man of wealth,
the owner Of the field, which is the
world and then we shall inherit all
things with Him and reign with Him
on the earth Rev. xxi, z; V, 10).
That Naomi and her husband and
sons should leave Bethlehem because
of a famine and so TO sojourn In Moab
seems like the misstep which Abram
made when he left Canaan because of
famine and went down to Egypt, for
he only got into trouble there, and we
read of no altar unto the Lord until he
returned again to Bethel tGen. xii, 10;
xiii, Lii. Poor Naomi found trouble
enough in Moab in the loss of her hus-
| band and two sons. but she seems to
acknowledge that the going to Moab
| was her affair." while 1t was her gra-
| elous Lord who brought her back to
| Bethlehem, II went out full and the
Lord hath brought me home agalr
empty" chapter /, 2D. She turned her
steps homeward because she heard
that the Lord had given bread to Beth
lehem (verse @.
The wandering boy of Luke XIV turn
ed homeward when he thought of the
| bread In his fathers house 1t seems
as If we should be ever telling to the
perishing of the bread. and to spare, in
our Fathers house, for how can they
! hear unless some one tells? Naomi
knew the God of Israel. These wom-
en- of Moab must have learned of Him
through her, and Ruth had learned to
| know Him well enough to forsake all
| for Him, to esteem Him more than
| her own people and her fathers house.
Orpah had not so learned to know him.
If our testimony is what II should be
and our life He will use us to gather
some to Himself. The devotion Of
Ruth In the ever memorable words OF
verses 16, IT, are In q measure repeat
ed by Ittai to David In III Sam. XIV, 81.
| The words in verse 10, $50 they two
went" are found In n Kings II, 2, A,
! O, 7, 8, il, and there again we see a
steadfast purpose ON the part of Elisha
which brought to him that which his
soul desired. This is the steadfastness
which we 80 greatly need q Cor.
XIV, So.
| The friendliness and thoughtful kind
ness of Boaz In chapter IL are but n
faint type of the loving kindness of
our Lord Jesus, who can truly say, Il
know thy works." etc. III, IL, II; Rev.
II, 2, 8, 10, 19).
II, as BIS redeemed ones, we have
not recognized many "handfuls of pur.
pose" as we have CLEANED In the part OF
the field He has assigned us, we must
be blind indeed chapter II, 16). The
words Of Boaz In Ruth iii, IL, "FeaI
not, my daughter; will do to thee all
LllhL luOu IeIulIHsl7 maui q 6iSHb 1hA
preston upon my wife, as we saw
them IL motto in the x. w. @. A. al
Cape Town, South Africa, in 1898, ant
we have often passed them on to 9th
! ers since then. There Is also much
comfort in the words Of Naomi il
chapter Ill, IS, "sit still, my daughter
- for the man viii not be In res
until he have finished the thing thii
day"
In chapter ~ Boaz as the kinsnaI
: redeemer, having the right to redeem
: and accomplishing the same, is won
derfully suggestive Of our Redeemer
: who not only redeems us, but also ou
inheritance, the earth, and seals u
with the Holy Spirit, the earnest o
our Inheritance, until the redemption
of the purchased possession (Eph.
ID, 14. When Naomi became nurs
for little Obed (chapter iv, 10, 2D sh
no doubt forgot ia a measure the emp
tiness Of chapter /, 21. Ruth also for
got the weary days Of her povert
when she CLEANED in the field Of Boaz
? SO we shall forget all our misery an