Redeeming Love - Studies in the Book of Ruth
1 - God is Working His Purpose Out
I was on holiday with the family in Wales some years ago, and we were spending some time on the beach. One of my sons began to dig a hole in the sand. He went down quite deep and to his great surprise found a coin that must have been buried for months. It wasn’t long before he was off to the shops to by some sweets. That was quite a find on a dry sandy beach under a hot summer sun. That is what we have here in the Book of Ruth. The story of Ruth is a treasure found in a dry period in the history of Israel. It is a coin in the dry sandy beach. It is like a diamond in the rough. The time period for Ruth is stated in chapter one and the first verse. We read there, “In the days when the judges ruled.” This period began in 1390 BC. It lasted three hundred and forty years to the crowning of King Saul in the year 1050 BC. So sometime during this period the event we read about in this lovely book of Ruth took place. In the order of the books of the Old Testament, Ruth follows immediately after the Book of Judges. These were dark and dismal days in the history of Israel. Someone has referred to them as “the distressing days of the Judges.”
The history of the Book of Judges goes round in ever recurring circles. There is a pattern to all that happens. First the people of Israel wander away from God, then God sends an enemy as an instrument of his judgement. Israel cries to God for help and God sends a judge or deliverer. This pattern continues throughout the book. Some of the judges are well known. We have Gideon, Samson, Deborah and Barak, each one called by God to set the Israelites free from their enemies. There were many others. These were times of God’s faithfulness in times of Israel’s unfaithfulness. The Book of Judges reminds us that God will chastise us for our sin. So keep close to the Lord in faith and obedience. We read in Hebrews chapter twelve, verse six that “The Lord disciplines those He loves, and punishes everyone He accepts as a son.” We must never think that God will ignore sin and disobedience.
The Book of judges deals with major national and international events. God is at work in both. In his sovereign might He organises rulers and nations to do his will. Great national concerns and deliverances are at the forefront of the story. I wonder have you ever asked yourself the question, “I wonder is God interested in me and my personal circumstances, problems, hopes and fears?” You may think that God is totally preoccupied with international affairs. He is concentrating on the big world leaders and all that is going on in the places where important decisions are made. You may be thinking that the Lord is not really interested in you and the circumstances of your life. I have encouraging news for you! You can think again! The Book of Ruth tells us that in all the turmoil of national and international unrest, god has an interest in you wherever and whoever you are. The first verse of chapter one of Ruth tells of “a man together with his wife and two sons went to live for a while in the country of Moab.” In verse two we are told that this man’s name was Elimelech and his wife was Naomi. The names of their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. Verse two goes on to say, “They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah.
While ruling this great universe, God takes note of one man. He is just one individual. Elimelech is not one of the best known of Bible characters. Not much is said about him, but God knew him and he is recorded in the Bible along with his family and personal circumstances. The Bible is full of examples of the Lord God speaking to and dealing with individuals. He is the God of the individual. This wonderful fact is found in the New Testament, too. In The Gospel of John chapter ten verse fourteen the Lord Jesus Christ tells us the same thing: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” The word “know” in the original Greek does not simply means that He knows about us, or that He is aware that you exist in this vast universe. It has the idea of perceptive knowledge. He knows you in detail. He knows your personality, your needs and the circumstances of your life. The Lord Jesus said, in Luke chapter twelve verse seven, “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are numbered.” That is how well god knows you!
God knew that this man was married. He knew that he had a wife called Naomi. God knows whom you are with. He knows whether you are single or married. God knew Elimelech’s family and was fully aware of the difficulties they were facing. There was a famine in the land. Here was a family facing starvation. Let me remind you that while God was raiding up judges, and ordering national events for Israel, He was equally aware of this one man and his family. The Lord knows your personal and family needs. He want to work in your own unique circumstances. He has a purpose to fulfil in your life and that of your family. The encouraging thing is that this same God, who is sovereign and powerful, is concerned to show this power and might in your special situation.
A Christian writer, A.W. Tozer, was meditating on the care of God for his people. He said this, “With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare; the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack?” We are reminded of Paul’s words in Romans chapter eight verse thirty-one, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
As we shall see in a later study, Elimelech did not make the right decision when he took his family to live in the land of Moab. But even then God worked out his perfect purpose and will. God knows our mistakes. He delights to turn them around for his glory and our advantage in the end. This does not mean that we should not be careful and not try to avoid making mistakes. What it does mean is that when we do make an error of judgement God can work things out in the end.
The world has its own international problems and struggles. God is at work in them all to fulfil his plan. You have your own personal struggles, and God knows about them too. Continue to trust in him and look to Him in your time of need because He knows, He loves and He cares about you.