Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-12-02
Improved Uniform international
Sll19ldayScaoel
' Lesson '
t7y REV P, B. FIrzwATER. DID,. peaa
OF Day and Evening Schools. Moody Bible
Institute OF Chicago.)
g ,sss Western Newspaper Union,
Lesson for December S
RUTH AND NAOMI

LESSON TExT--Ruth i:i4-s2
GOLDEN TExT--Thy people shall be
my people and thy God my God
PRIMARY ToPIc-The Story Of
Ruth.
JUNIOR Top1c-Ruth loyal
Daughter
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR Top
iC-Ruth the Loyal
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
iC-The Message of the Book OF Ruth.
In order to grasp the matter con-
tanned In the lesson subject. there
must be swept into view the whole
book of Ruth. The lesson text which
Is to be printed has been confined to
the first chapter, verses 14-22.
!. Ruth's Connection With Naomi
(1:l-l5).
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 Moabitish WON
en-. After a time her sons died also.
After the death of her sons Naomi re-
solved to return to her homeland, hav-
Ing heard that the Lord had visited
his people In giving them bread. They
went to Moab to escape trouble but
only got into more. II was not until
Naomi was thus chastised that she re-
solved to return. One purpose of Gods
chastisement Is to cause His children
to return. Naomi had the good sense
to recognize that the hand of the
hnr fnr
the time came for her to go, Ruth
and Orpah accompanied her for
distance. This she permitted but
determined to place before them frank
! ly the difficulties which would neces-
sarily confront them.
u. Ruth's Noble Choice Il 1919.
Much as Naomi loved her daughters
in-law, she would not have them 60
into this matter bIndly She wished
them to know the seriousness Of their
undertaking. She told them the worst
that could come upon them. This prin-
ciple ought to be carried out by us
In all our relations In life. In this
respect Jesus is our supreme example.
l. No chance to marry again.
'e>s-' 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. No avenues were left
open by which woman could earn
her living and be independent. Fur
thermore, II was against Gods law
for the Jews to marry outside of their
own people.
2 She must renounce 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
husband Now Naomi puts an adj
ditional test upon Ruth. that of Civ
ing 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 nobil-
ity of character she had observed In
Naomi. Naomi's very frankness In
dealing with her caused Ruth to be
more determined to cast her lot with
her Ruth's position was so definite
and unfaltering that the very express
sions have come down to us in words
which mo poetry has outrivaled, and
no pathos has exceeded, and which
have gone through centuries with the
music that will not let them be for
gotten" She was determined to
share Naomi's journey, her home, her
God. her lot In life, and her grave.
~. Blessings Which Attended Ruth's
FaIthfuIness.
Ruth was never sorry for her
choice, because:
l. She found the true God Il :16).
Instead Of her heather god who was
unable to help her, she now had the
living God, the God of Israel
2. She found human friends fch. p.
AS she went to CLEAN in the field
she was led to the field of Boaz.
man of wealth and grace. The serv-
ants OF Boaz treated her with consid-
Grafton
3. A good husband and a happy
home (chs. 3, ~.
She not only secured husband, but
a man of God who had an abundance
of this worlds goods.
A. An honored place In the IsraeIit-
ish nation (4:13-1O
Though she had to forsake her own
people she became one of nobler
people.
5. She became link In the chain
of Christ's ancestry (4:1S-22; CT.
Matt. 1859.
The one who fully decides for
Christ and gives up all for Him shall
gain hundredfold In this life. and in
the world to come eternal life.