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

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

April 11 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 101 The great prophet Elijah leaves the scene (He'll appear again later.  Do you remember where?).  Elisha takes his place and immediately begins to act as prophet among the people.   DAILY READINGS 2 Kings 1-3 & Psalm 101 DAILY NOTES 2 Kings 1 King Ahaziah is injured and he wants to know if he'll live.  He seeks input from the prophets of Baal-zebub.  Elijah finds out and interrupts Ahaziah's men from going to the prophets.   Notice that Elijah, that hairy man, is divinely protected by the captain and his men.   Ahazia never hears from the prophets.  Elijah speaks directly to him to tell him that he will surely die. 2 Kings 2 Where did the idea of a whirlwind come from?  Did anyone expect that Elijah would be taken "to heaven by a whirlwind"?  Everyone seems to know that today Elijah will be gone. Elisha's command to the band of prophets seems to indicate his sense of loss but also a vigor...
Post a Comment
Read more

February 17 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 48 The Israelite population is about to decrease.  Consequently, a new generation of people, and a new leader, will take their place as those who will inherit the promise of God. DAILY READINGS Numbers 25-27 & Psalm 48 DAILY NOTES Numbers 25:1-5 The people (men) became sexually and, consequentially, religiously involved withe Moabite women.  We are to understand that these Israelites began to participate fully in the religious activities of the Moabites.  Numbers 25:4 The people guilty of spiritual idolatry are hanged.   "In the sun" is so that everyone will see them.  Numbers 26 A census is taken of the new generation of people.  No one who was counted in the old census is around to be counted in the new one.   The census, besides indicating military numbers, also provides an avenue to apportion the land the people will be given. Numbers 27:1-4 5 daughters seek to inherit their father's land.  Since h...
Post a Comment
Read more