Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-04-23
LESSON FOR APRIL rs
RUTH'S WISE CHOICE.

RUTH's WISE CHOICE.
LESSON TExT-Ruth /.
GOLDEN TEXT-Thy people shall b.
my people and thy God my God.-Rutl
l.lG.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-Ruth ala
/ PRIMARY ToPIC-The Story of Ruth
JUNIOR .OPIL--.tuth and Naomi.
| INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
-Life's Decisions.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Inc Power OF Personal Influence
]. The Occasion Of Ruth's Choice.
d:1-15).
On account Of the famine in Beth
'ehem'Judea, Naomi with her husband
ana two sons soj0urned In the land
or Moab. After the death of her hus-
band, her two sons married Moa3itish
women. After time her sons died
also. Upon the death of her sons she
resolved to return to her homeland,
having heard that the Lord had visit
ed his people In giving them pread.
Her family went to Moab to escape
trouble, but they only got into more
trouble, II was not till Naomi was
thus chastised that she resolved TO re-
turn. She had the good sense to
recognize that the hand Of the Lord
was upon her for good. Ruth and Or.
pan accompanied her. This she per-
mitted. but determined to place before
them frankly the' difficulties which
would necessarily confront them. II
was tbs frank presentation of the
ditliculties and her repeated urging
them to go back that furnished the
occasion for Ruth's wise choice.
". The Trials Of Huth's Choice wv.
1919.
Much as Naomi loved her daughters.
in-law. she would not have them 20
into his matter blindly. She wished
them to know the cost of their under.
taking. She told them the worst that
could come upon them, then If hard.
ships came they could only blame
themselves. Christ held before the
people the great good of casting their
lots with him, but always frankly told
hem what II would cost: IF any man
VIII come after me, let him deny him
self and take up his cross and follow
me- mo man having put hi hand
o the pillow and looking back, is fit for
he kingdom Of Cod
Note the difficulties which confront.
ID Ruth:
l. No chance to get married gain.
Naomi told her that she had nc more
ons for which she could wait. in that
lay to be unmarried was the greatest
isgrace. Furthermore, II was against
'od's law for the Jews to marry out
lde Of their own people.
2. She must renounce her gods. Her
worship could not he carried
n In the land where Gods people
welt. This was delicately touched
pom when Orpah went back ". 15).
rpah went back when 1t was plain
nat there was no chance to get hus-
and. Now Naomi puts an additional
'st upon Ruth, that Of giving up her
'ligion. Naomi's very frankness In I
Ealing with her caused Ruth TO be 4
ore and more determined to cast her /,
t with her. No doubt she learned TO \
We the true God through the life of r.
is true woman. Ruth's decision was G
definite and unfaltering that her
'ry expressions have come down to h
In words which mo poetry has out n
vailed and no pathos exceeded, and
lich have gone down through cen. n
ries with a music that will not let v
EN- be forgotten" She was deter 81
ned to share Naomis journey, her Il
me, her lodging, her lot In life and 81
r grave in death, whatever that @,
'uld be. To crown 1t all she would 8,
1ounce her heather gods and en- C,
ace Jehovah. When Naomi saw that b,
this mind was fully made up she ia
1t urging her. ia
~. The Glorious Issue Of Ruth's CT
dice. I'll
Ruth was never sorry for her choice.
!. She found the true God ". 1877.
tead of her heather gods, who were
lble to help her, she now had the OF
ng God-the God of Israel-as her 81
l. In
. She found human friends (ch. q. er
she went to CLEAN In the fields she
; led to the field Of Boaz-a man pr
wealth and grace. The servants of tn
u treated her with consideration Je
n Boaz gave instruction for special on
slderation to be given her. he
A good husband and happy home Ia
APPS. 3 and ~. She not only Sc wi
I'd husband. but a man of God. an
J had abundance OF this worlds a
is. wi
An h0nored place In the Israel. MS
J nation t4:13-17). Though she had be
orsake her own people, she became In
of nobler people. be
She became a link In the chain pa
hrist's ancestry (4:1S-22; CT. Matt.
. The one who fully decides for nc
st and gives up all for him shall
a hundredfold In this life and In
world to come. eternal life. mo
lis story is fine exhibition of dis. %.
ational truth: oal
The famine in the land indicates ~
esting of the Jews; (2) the going o..
Moab, the sojourn of the Israel. ~.
Hmong the nations; e, sickness VT II
1eath In Moab, the chastlsement of 20
Jews In this present age; IA the H.
n to the land, the gathering Of ~.
] to their own land; (5) Ruth d. ~.
lg, the gathering Of the Gentiles f
Ugh the influence of the Jews. Z
he marriage bptween poa, 81 no,