The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-02-03
SUNDAY school,
Lesson Vi.-First Quarter, Fer
Feb. 7, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

We have just one lesson in this beau
tiful story of Ruth, but we will 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 mere man in the New fiesta
ment. Bethlehem. besides all the 9th
er interesting facts connected with It.
will always be of special interest as
the birthplace Of the firstborn son of
Mary, Jesus Christ our Lord. Ruth IS
one Of the four women mentioned in
Matt. i amclS the ancestors Of the son
of David. Some one has said that the
four chapters of this book might be en-
titled Ruth deciding cleaning rest
ing-rewarded
The devotion of Ruth is an example
of the devotion to Jesus Christ. which
Is expected Of all believers. Her pa
tent 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 rs
the wife of 6oaz, the owner of the field
IN which she had so patiently CLEANED.
Tf-n 90 l,,,% ~
the church. the body of Christ. tho
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. !; V, 1O).
That Naomi and her husband and
sons should leave Bethlehem because
of famine and so to sojourn in Moab
seems like the misstep which Abram
made when he left Canaan because Of
a 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 Gen. xii. 10:
xiii, Ia. 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 it was her gra-
ciouS Lord who brought her back to
Bethlehem. Il went out full and the
Lord hath brought me home again
pnnty' IL O M
steps homeward because she heard
that the Lord had given bread to Beth
lehem Verse 81.
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 t 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 II, are In a measure repeat
ed by 1ttai to David in ii Sam. XIV. 81.
The words in verse 10. 80 they two
went" are found In II Kings ii, ., 4.
steadfast purpose on the part of Elisha
which brought to him that which his
soul desired. This is the steadfastness
which we so greatly need Il Cor.
XIV, so.
The friendliness and thoughtful kind
ness Of Boaz in chapter II are but
faint type of the loving kindness OF
our Lord Jesus, who can truly say, Il
know thy works." etc. Ill., II, II; Rev
ii, 2, 8, 10, 19,.
If, as His 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 IL, 49,. The
words of BoaZ in Ruth iii, II, Fear
not my daughter; l will do to thee all
that thou requirest," made a great i'm
preston upon my wife, as we saw
them In II motto in the Y. w. C. A. at
Cape Town, South Africa, in 1898, and
we have often passed them on to 9th
ers since then. There is also much
comfort in the words of Naomi in
chapter LII, Is, "Sit still, my daughter,
for the man will not be In rest
until he have finished the thing this
day."
In chapter iv Boaz as the kinsman
redeemer, having the right to redeem
and accomplishing the same, is won
derfully suggestive of our Redeemer,
who not only redeems us, but also our
inheritance, the earth, and seals us
with the Holy Spirit, the earnest of
our inheritance, until the redemption
of the purchased possession Eph. /.
10, 14. When Naomi became nurse
for little Obed Cchapter iv, 16, 81 she
no doubt forgot in a measure the emp
tiness of chapter /, 81. Ruth also for
got the weary days of her poverty
when she Cleaned in the field of Boaz.
So we shall forget all our misery ana
remember It as waters that pass away
Dob 10, 49, "
Let us be certain that we ava- q
deemed by the precious blooS1e mas G.
hpteA ~, AZ. r