Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-04-26
IMPROVED UluFokM INTERNATIONAL
Sil19ldaySchool
y Lesson =
(By REV. P. q. FITzwATER, D. D..
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute Of Chicago.1
LESSON Fur APRIL 70
RUTH THE FAITHFUL DAUGHTER

RUTH THE FAITHFUL DAUGHTER
LESSON TExT-Book OF Ruth.
GOLDEN TEXT-Thy people shall be
my people and thy God ms God.-Ruth
1:16.
PRIMARY ToPIc-The story OF
Ruth.
JUNIOR noPIC-Ruth and Naomi.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR Tor
IC-Ruth's Choice and Its Outcome.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-The Secret of Ruth's Noble Life.
1. Ruth's Connection With Naomi
(Chapter :1-15). On account of famine
in Bethlehem of Judah, Naomi with her
husband and two sons sojourned in the
land of Moab. After the death of her
husband her two sons married Moabit-
ish women. After ii time her sons died
also. After the death of her sons
Naomi resolved to return to her home
land, having heard that the Lord had
visited His people in giving them
bread They Went to Moab to escape
trouble but only got into more. 1t
was not until Naomi was thus chas-
tised that she resolved to return.
Naomi had the good sense to recognize
that the hand of the Lord was upon
her for good When the time came
for her to so Ruth and Orpah accom-
panied her, for a distance. This she
permitted but determined to place be-
fore them frankly the difficulties which
would necessarily confront them. 1t
was this frank presentation of the diff
ficnlties and her repeated urging them
to go back that called forth from Ruth
the expression Of her noble choice.
IL. Ruth's Noble Choice (1:16-1S).
Much as Naomi loved her daughters-in-
law, she would not have them go into
this matter blindly. She told them the
worst that could come upon them. This
principle ought to be carried ont by US
In all our relations In life. La BUSH
ness the spirit of frankness should be
manifest. At home we should deal
with each other In thu most straight
forward way. The same thing should
characterize our behavior in the
church and society. Note the difficulty
which confronted Ruth
/. No Chance to Marry Again.
Naomi told her that she had no more
sons for whom she could wait. In that
day to be unmarried was the greatest
disgrace. Society differed then from
now.
2. She Must Rehounce Her Gods.
Her idolatrous worship could not be
carried on In the land where Gods
people dwelt. This was delicately
touched upon when Orpah went back
". 15). Orpah went back when 1t was
plain there was no chance to get a
husband. Now Naomi puts an addi-
tional test upon Ruth, that of giving
up her religion. Ruth was equal to the
occasion. Her mind was fully made
up. She was willing to accept as her
God the one who was able to produce
In his subjects the nobility Of character
she had observed In Naomi. Naomi's
very frankness in dealing with her
caused Ruth to be more determined ia
cast her lot with her. Ruth's position
was so definite and unfaltering that
the very expressions have come down
to us in words which mo poetry has
out-riyaled, and no pathos has ex
ceeded, and which has gone through
centuries with the music that will moi
let them be forgotten" She was de
termined to share Naomis journey, hel
home, her lodge, her lot in life, and hel
4 y In hat
be. To crown it all she would re
nounce her heather gods and worship
Jehovah.
nj. Blessings Which Attended Ruth's
FalthfuIness. Ruth was never sorry
for her choice, because
/. She Found the True God (1:16)
Instead Of her heather gods who were
unable to help her she now had q
living God, the God Of Israel, as hel
God.
q. She Found Human Friends
(Chapter p. As she went to CLEAN in
the field she was led to the field Of
Boaz. q man Of wealth and grace. The
servants Of Boaz treated her with con
sideration. Even Boaz gave instruc
lions for special consideration to bt
given her.
8. A Good Husband and a Happy
| Home (3-4). She not only secured q
husband, but man Of God who had
an abundance Of this worlds goods.
A. An Honored Place In the Israel
itish Nation (4:13-17l. Though shs
| had to forsake her own people she be
came one Of a nobler people.
S. She Became Link in the Chair
Of Christ's Ancestry (4:18-22 compars
Matthew 1867. The one who fully de
cides for Christ and gives up all fol
him shall get hundred-fold In this
life, and In the world to come, eterna
/ life.