Skip to main content

March 18 + Daily readings & notes

DAY 77

Compared to some of what we've read so far in the Bible, today's story (the whole book of Ruth) is a refreshing break.  Although the book begins in tragedy, it ends in triumph.  

Let's finish the book of Ruth today--but first watch today's Bible Project video:




DAILY READINGS

Ruth 1-4 & Psalm 77

DAILY NOTES

Ruth 1
  • Verse 1 connects the story of Ruth to the time of the judges.
  • There is no concrete connection between the death of Naomi's husband and sons and the famine.  Initially, Naomi is at the center of the tragic events.
    • Naomi is left with out a husband or sons, but nothing is said about the daughters-in-law.
  • Naomi tells her daughters-in-law to go back with their family.  One does, Orpah, but the other stays with her, Ruth.
  • Naomi recognizes Ruth's steadfast determination to stay.
  • Naomi tells her people to call her by a different name: Bitter
Ruth 2
  • Boaz is introduced as a member of Naomi's family.  He is prominent and rich--that comes into play later.
  • Ruth goes to the fields to glean.  This is a prescribed way to care for the poor.  Naomi and Ruth have no other means to care for themselves.
  • Ruth meets Boaz and find favor with him.
Ruth 3
  • It was Ruth's idea to work to care for her and Naomi.  Now, it's Naomi's idea for Ruth to go to Boaz to seek marriage.  
  • Boaz agrees to marry Ruth, but there is another member of the family who has more right to marry her than he does.
Ruth 4
  • Boaz devises a plan to marry Ruth.  The plan works--Boaz and Ruth are married.  Consequently, preparing us for future events, the genealogy of David begins.
Psalm 77
  • Two verses from this illustrate what is important to remember about what the psalmist is describing:
    • "Has God forgotten to be gracious?  Has he in anger shut up his compassion?"
    • "And I say, "It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed."

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

It's been said that Ruth's story is one of steadfast compassion.

How easy it is to see that!  Think of those powerful words:
Do not press me to leave you
or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
and your God my God.
17 Where you die, I will die—
there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!
And think of Naomi's compassion for her daughters-in-law, especially for Ruth as the story progresses.  Even God's compassion comes through in the story.  Without God's command to provide for the gleaning of the fields, Ruth probably never meets Boaz.

Just like Ruth's deeds were known while she was alive (Ruth 2:11), so today they stand as a true testament to what our life together can be.

May God give us strength to be as Ruth to others.

Stay blessed...john
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

March 31 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 90 David's family situation continues to spiral.  In today's reading, David's family is torn apart by rape.  As a consequence, David's son sets his eyes on his father's throne. DAILY READINGS 2 Samuel 13-15 & Psalm 90 DAILY NOTES 1 Samuel 13:1-14 Amnon was David's first born son (3:2).  That may shed light as to why David seems to deal with him so easily (Verse 21).  Although he does kind of the same thing later with Absalom. Tamar is Absalom's full sister, half sister to Amnon.  Amnon is lovesick with her.  He devises a plan, with the help of a friend, to have her enter his chamber (bedroom).   Since she was a virgin, she didn't go out and about.  She remained in her house, perhaps protected.   Tamar knows what will become of her if Amnon goes through with his wishes; she will be left aside, unable to marry (see Verse 20).  She seems willing to have become married to Amnon, but his lust clouds h...
Post a Comment
Read more

January 27 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 27 We'll be reading about atonement today.  T oday's video helps make sense of that biblical theme. DAILY READINGS Exodus 30-31 & Psalm 27 DAILY NOTES Exodus 30:6 Everything has its place.   Exodus 30:10 Once a year would be Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Exodus 12-15 The Lord's offering is required of everyone equally (of the appropriate age).  Strangely enough, there is a designation of rich and poor.  Everyone has just come from Egypt.  How has that distinction arisen?   Exodus 31:13 It's interesting to compare how the idea of sabbath here relates to previous mentions of it.   Exodus 31:18 Moses had written the words down.  Now, with merely his finger, God has provided the tablets for all to remember the covenant that has been made.   Psalm 27 Have you ever prayed and prayed and prayed for something?  The psalmist seems to know the feeling.  His final adm...
Post a Comment
Read more

June 19 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 170 DAILY READINGS Jeremiah 7-9 & Psalm 15 DAILY NOTES Jeremiah 7 Notice the emphasis of God's house having God's name.  It belongs to God, but the people, through their unrighteous actions, have made it theirs.  God's house has been turned into a "den of robbers" (vs. 11).  Remember when Jesus said that (Matthew 21:13)? According to Jesus, what was the Temple supposed to be called? Remember when the people tried to use the ark of the covenant as a weapon against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4)?  That was at Shiloh.  Jeremiah brings that event to our minds again as a sign (vs. 14).  God says that human sacrifice was not his command, nor did it come to his mind.  You'll have to do some wrestling with the story of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac (Genesis 22). Jeremiah 8 Jeremiah (God) says to unearth the kings' bones and lay them before the sun and moon and all the other gods they served and worshiped.  Ouch. Even animals ...
Post a Comment
Read more