Ruth 1-2; Psalm 66:8-20; 2 Corinthians 5

Ruth 1
1-5 Elimelech's Family Goes to Moab

• In the days of the judges, so this is a personal story in the midst of all the violence we've been reading about.
• During a famine (so I guess this is a period of time when Israel was sinning), Elimelech, a man from Bethlehem-Judah (also home of the Levite's concubine), moves his wife Naomi and two sons Mahlon and Chilion to Moab. He dies, and after his sons marry, they also die, leaving three widows -- Naomi, Orpah and Ruth.

6-22 Naomi Returns to Judah

• Hearing there is food in Judah again, Naomi decides to return and tells her daughters-in-law to go back to their families.
• They want to return with her, but she urges them to stay and find husbands in their own land; she certainly can't provide them with any.
  
• Orpah kisses Naomi good-bye, but Ruth "clings" to her, and says the words so popular in wedding ceremonies: "Where you go, I will go..."
  
• They return to Bethlehem, where the "whole town was stirred" by her re-appearance.
• Naoma tells them, "Don't call me Naomi (Pleasant); call me Mara (Bitter), for ...the LORD has dealt harshly with me." She believes her hardships have come from God, yet she doesn't cease to believe in him.
  
• It was the beginning of the barley harvest.

Ruth 2
1-23 Ruth Meets Boaz

• Ruth goes to glean in the fields for something to eat, and "happens" to glean in the field of Boaz, who "happens" to be a wealthy relative.
• As he greets his workers, Boaz notices Ruth and asks her identity. He goes to her and advises her to stay in his fields, close to his female workers, as his young men have been ordered not to bother her. From the first time he sees her, Boaz seems to look on Ruth with special favor.
  
• She falls on her face before him, astonished at his favor. He replies that he has noticed and is rewarding her for what she has done for Naomi. He is not only impressed by her appearance but by her character.
• He makes sure she has water to drink and plenty to eat, then instructs his workers not only not to bother her but to leave extra for her to glean. And now he takes it on himself to become her provider and protector.
  
• When she takes her gleanings home, Naomi is delighted that Ruth has been in Boaz's fields, and advises her to stay in his fields. And so she did until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. Did Naomi see what was coming? We also see here a period of time when perhaps the relationship between Boaz and Ruth develops, which makes the next incident seem less brazen on Ruth's part.
  

Psalm 66:8-20
A Call to Praise for what God has done personally.
8-12 He helped us survive; he tested us as silver is tested, with fire and water, then brought us out to a spacious place.
13-15 So I will sacrifice to you.
16-20 I will tell listeners what God has done for me. He would not have listened if I had "cherished iniquity."

2 Corinthians 5
1-10 Earthly vs Heavenly Dwellings

• Our bodies -- earthly dwelling places -- will be destroyed, but we have a home in heaven.
  
• We want to be relieved of our earthly bodies, not for annihilation, but for an immortal life
• No matter what our state, our aim is to please him, for at the end we will all be judged on what we did while in our earthly bodies.
  

11-21 The Ministry of Reconciliation

• Paul's motive -- as God knew, and he hoped the Corinthians knew also -- was to persuade men to obey God, because he knew what terror judgment holds. After consulting 2 or 3 commentaries, I think this must be "terror," as used in the KJV, and not just respect for God, seeing it follows verse 10, which speaks of the final judgment.
• This is something you can tell those who are proud of the outward manifestations of their teaching.
• If we seem mad (as Paul was accused by Festus, Acts 26:24), it is because of our passion for Christ; yet we will be in our right minds in order to persuade you.
  
• The love that Christ has shown (and our love for Christ?) gives us concentrated energy.
• We know that Christ died for all, and those who live for him no longer live for themselves.
• We don't see men as men, but as souls -- just as we no longer see Christ as a man, but as Creator of a new spiritual creation. This is a spiritual journey, not a physical one.
• This is all from God: he used Christ to reconcile us to himself and entrusted us with the message of reconciliation.
• God made one who had no relationship to sin actually become sin for our sakes. He who was all-righteous became sin so that we who were in sin would become righteous.