07-08-07
Sorry, you must have Windows Media Player 9 or higher. This is a large file which may take a few seconds to start Windows Media Real Audio MP3 HISTORICAL SETTING (Ruth 1:1-5) Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled [1380-1050 B.C.], that there was a famine in the land [a famine of food symbolizing a famine of the Word of God]. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn [lodge] in the country of Moab [a bad (evil) decision], he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech [my God is King], and the name of his wife Naomi [pleasant], and the name of his two sons Mahlon [sickly] and Chilion [pining: failing (wasting away)], Ephrathites [fruitfulness (CONTRAST); another name for Bethlehem] of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left [remained], and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah [stiff-necked], and the name of the other Ruth [friendship]: and they dwelled there [in Moab] about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left [remained] of her two sons and her husband. BEGINNING THE RETURN TO GOD, TYPICAL OF ADAM AND EVE RETURNING TO THE GARDEN OF EDEN (Ruth 1:6-9) Then she [Naomi] arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD [Jehovah/Yahweh - first mention] had visited his people in giving them bread [symbolically, the famine of the Word of God had been lifted, and law and order had been restored]. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said [in agapao love] unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD [second mention] deal kindly [favor, have mercy, have loyal love, (grace, connoting agapao love)] with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The LORD [third mention] grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her [new] husband [through a remarriage]. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. AGAPAO LOVE IS THE VITAL SIGNATURE OF ETERNAL SALVATION SEPARATING THE GOOD (SAVED) FROM THE BAD (UNSAVED) FOR THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB (Ruth 1:10-14) And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me [make bitter, provoked, vexed] much for your sakes [agapao love] that the hand of the LORD [fourth mention] is gone out against me [Naomi viewed her tragic experiences as an act of God’s judgment upon her and her family]. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law [goodbye: phileo love; Orpah dissolved back into the world, and we hear no more of her, ever]; but Ruth clave [cleaved, clung; agapao love: BECAME A COVERING] unto her [impoverished mother-in-law]. 1. King James Bible Commentary: Naomi’s statement is an indication of the concept of the Israelite law of levirate marriage which required a man to marry the widow of his deceased brother [thereby keeping the widow from poverty (secondary purpose)] and to raise a family [(primary purpose)] in memory of his deceased brother’s name (Deut 25:5,6; Mat 22:23-28). 2. (Mat 22:37-40) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love [agapao (sacrificially)] the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love [agapao (sacrificially)] thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets [i.e. the entire Old Testament]. 3. Commentary: For believers only, in the Old Testament all of the outside of us daily tabernacle/temple sacrifices and the tithes and offerings sacrifices were types and shadows pointing toward New Testament inside of us agapao (sacrificial) love. The types and shadows of agapao (sacrificial) love ceased for us upon the death of Jesus Christ when “the veil of the temple was rent in twain” (Mat 27:51), “that is to say, his flesh” (Heb 10:20), because Jesus Christ is the antitype or fulfillment of those types and shadows of sacrificial love. He sacrificed Himself, completely, for you. a. (Mat 27:50-53) Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom [i.e. the outside of us sacrifices ceased]; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many [as a physically manifested confirmation of resurrection life, i.e. His agapao (sacrificial) love for us]. b. (Rom 12:1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. NAOMI AND RUTH ARE BOUND TOGETHER IN AGAPAO LOVE (in effect, they say their marriage vows) (Ruth 1:15-18) And she [Naomi] said [continuing her agapao love dialogue], Behold, thy sister in law [Orpah: stiff-necked, i.e. she will not bend] is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law [this is the lowest point of Naomi’s life, but even then she expresses agapao love for Ruth]. And Ruth said [forsaking all that she has ever known, and giving her personal agapao love commitment to Naomi and the LORD], Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD [fifth mention] do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she [Naomi] saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. 1. (Gen 2:24) Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave [“but Ruth clave unto her (Naomi)” Ruth 1:14; e.g. David and Jonathan] unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh [a physical type and shadow of “one Spirit”]. 2. (1 Sam 25:29) Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. Amen Previous Chapter Table Of Contents Next Chapter Click here to download a printable version of this message Click here to download a DOC version of this message
This is a large file which may take a few seconds to start
Real Audio
MP3
HISTORICAL SETTING
(Ruth 1:1-5) Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled [1380-1050 B.C.], that there was a famine in the land [a famine of food symbolizing a famine of the Word of God]. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn [lodge] in the country of Moab [a bad (evil) decision], he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech [my God is King], and the name of his wife Naomi [pleasant], and the name of his two sons Mahlon [sickly] and Chilion [pining: failing (wasting away)], Ephrathites [fruitfulness (CONTRAST); another name for Bethlehem] of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left [remained], and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah [stiff-necked], and the name of the other Ruth [friendship]: and they dwelled there [in Moab] about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left [remained] of her two sons and her husband.
BEGINNING THE RETURN TO GOD, TYPICAL OF ADAM AND EVE RETURNING TO THE GARDEN OF EDEN
(Ruth 1:6-9) Then she [Naomi] arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD [Jehovah/Yahweh - first mention] had visited his people in giving them bread [symbolically, the famine of the Word of God had been lifted, and law and order had been restored]. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said [in agapao love] unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD [second mention] deal kindly [favor, have mercy, have loyal love, (grace, connoting agapao love)] with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The LORD [third mention] grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her [new] husband [through a remarriage]. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
AGAPAO LOVE IS THE VITAL SIGNATURE OF ETERNAL SALVATION SEPARATING THE GOOD (SAVED) FROM THE BAD (UNSAVED) FOR THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB
(Ruth 1:10-14) And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me [make bitter, provoked, vexed] much for your sakes [agapao love] that the hand of the LORD [fourth mention] is gone out against me [Naomi viewed her tragic experiences as an act of God’s judgment upon her and her family]. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law [goodbye: phileo love; Orpah dissolved back into the world, and we hear no more of her, ever]; but Ruth clave [cleaved, clung; agapao love: BECAME A COVERING] unto her [impoverished mother-in-law].
1. King James Bible Commentary: Naomi’s statement is an indication of the concept of the Israelite law of levirate marriage which required a man to marry the widow of his deceased brother [thereby keeping the widow from poverty (secondary purpose)] and to raise a family [(primary purpose)] in memory of his deceased brother’s name (Deut 25:5,6; Mat 22:23-28).
2. (Mat 22:37-40) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love [agapao (sacrificially)] the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love [agapao (sacrificially)] thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets [i.e. the entire Old Testament].
3. Commentary: For believers only, in the Old Testament all of the outside of us daily tabernacle/temple sacrifices and the tithes and offerings sacrifices were types and shadows pointing toward New Testament inside of us agapao (sacrificial) love. The types and shadows of agapao (sacrificial) love ceased for us upon the death of Jesus Christ when “the veil of the temple was rent in twain” (Mat 27:51), “that is to say, his flesh” (Heb 10:20), because Jesus Christ is the antitype or fulfillment of those types and shadows of sacrificial love. He sacrificed Himself, completely, for you.
a. (Mat 27:50-53) Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom [i.e. the outside of us sacrifices ceased]; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many [as a physically manifested confirmation of resurrection life, i.e. His agapao (sacrificial) love for us].
b. (Rom 12:1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
NAOMI AND RUTH ARE BOUND TOGETHER IN AGAPAO LOVE (in effect, they say their marriage vows)
(Ruth 1:15-18) And she [Naomi] said [continuing her agapao love dialogue], Behold, thy sister in law [Orpah: stiff-necked, i.e. she will not bend] is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law [this is the lowest point of Naomi’s life, but even then she expresses agapao love for Ruth]. And Ruth said [forsaking all that she has ever known, and giving her personal agapao love commitment to Naomi and the LORD], Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD [fifth mention] do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she [Naomi] saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
1. (Gen 2:24) Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave [“but Ruth clave unto her (Naomi)” Ruth 1:14; e.g. David and Jonathan] unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh [a physical type and shadow of “one Spirit”].
2. (1 Sam 25:29) Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.
Amen
Previous Chapter