What practical experience did Ruth have for “being led by faith” prior to Bethlehem? Ruth’s decision to leave Moab and her personal, determined commitment to the LORD result in God the Holy Spirit leading her to the correct field at the correct time in order to receive a timely blessing for her and Naomi that the LORD would grow into a timeless blessing for them, Boaz, and so many others!
Compare/Contrast” calls to examine what is the same and what is different. Both Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem. However, Ruth has looked to God in hope and faith, and Naomi has looked to herself with no hope or faith.
Since the Lord is the Sovereign of the universe, this “interesting evangelism technique” cannot deter a non-believer from being drawn to the LORD. Surely, it is not to be a believer’s “go-to” method of communicating forgiveness of sins in the Gospel. However, God does not call us to be successful—He calls us to be faithful!
John 14:23-24 (NASB) Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” John 15:10-11 (NASB) “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
The author of the book of Ruth identifies the setting as “the days when the judges were judging.” In contrast to the spiritual and moral perversion portrayed in the book of Judges, this little book records the beautiful story of loyalty and redemption involving Na‘omi, Rut (Ruth, whose name means “friendship”) the Moabite, and Bo‘az. Whereas the book of Judges records Isra’el’s repeated departure into the idolatry of the surrounding nations, Rut forsakes her people and their gods to embrace the one true God of Isra’el (1:16; 2:12).
God the Holy Spirit ended the recording of “The Acts of the risen Lord Jesus Christ by the Apostles through the power of God the Holy Spirit” without what we would call “an ending.” Why? Because “The Acts of the risen Lord Jesus Christ by the Apostles through the power of God the Holy Spirit” is continuing through us—the saints!
When the Lord says, “You must stand before Caesar” it is certain—even when the trip contains unexpected circumstances, events, or stops along the way. Remain a faithful witness for the Lord, no matter how long the delay!
Jer. 29:11 (NASB) “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”
Without the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ no one goes from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil beyond the cross of Jesus to obtain the tree of life.
Agrippa, and most unsaved people in our world, are thinking, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?” The fact is that it isn’t easy—it is physically and spiritually impossible apart from the ministry of God the Holy Spirit.