the story session 9 the faith of a foreign woman

Chapter 9The Faith of a

Foreign Woman

Rolling Hills Community Church

Tell about a memorable marriage proposal

that you know of

If you were only ever going to read just one book

of the Old Testament, Ruth is the one book

that I would have you read!

Though it is entitled Ruth,who is certainly a character in the book,

from a literary viewpointit is Naomi’s story through and through

1...there was a famine in the land, and a certain Jewish man of Bethlehem in Israel went to live in the neighboring Arab country of Jordan, he and his wife and two sons. 2 The name of the man was Eli and the name of his wife Naomi …

Ruth 1:1-19 NRSVedited, with modernized names

3But [shortly] Eli, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4These [married Arab wives from Jordan]; the name of the one [wife] was Oprah and the name of the other [wife was] Ruth.


When they had lived there about ten years, 5both sons also died, so that [Naomi] was left without her two sons and her husband.


6Then she started to return [to her hometown in Israel] with her daughters-in-law from the country of Jordan, for she had heard the famine in Israel was over.


7So she set out from [Jordan], she and her two Jordanian daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to Israel. 8But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back each of you to your mother's house.


May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 ...Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. 10They said to her,"No, we will return with you to your people."


13....my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you...“14Then they wept aloud again. Oprah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.


15So she said [to Ruth], "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her home; ... return [like] your sister-in-law.” 16But Ruth said, "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. 17Where 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!"


18When Naomi saw that [Ruth] was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. 19So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem in Israel.


14Then they wept aloud again. Oprah kissed her mother-in-law,

but Ruth clung to her.


16But Ruth said, "… Where you go, I will go;

where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people,

and your God my God. 17Where you die, I will die-- there will I be buried ...”

INGREDIENTS OF LOVEIN THE BIBLE’S RECIPE: 1) Emotion Ruth 1:14 NRSVThen they wept aloud again.

INGREDIENTS OF LOVEIN THE BIBLE’S RECIPE: 2) DeterminationRuth 1:18 NRSVWhen Naomi saw that [Ruth] was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

INGREDIENTS OF LOVEIN THE BIBLE’S RECIPE: 3) Hard workRuth 2:7 NRSV7 … she has been on her feet from early this morning until now, without resting even for a moment.”

INGREDIENTS OF LOVEIN THE BIBLE’S RECIPE: 4) SacrificeRuth 2:11 NRSV11 … “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death[s] and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before.”

INGREDIENTS OF LOVEIN THE BIBLE’S RECIPE: 5) LoyaltyRuth 3:10 NRSV10 He said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first.”

INGREDIENTS OF LOVEIN THE BIBLE’S RECIPE:1) Emotion2) Determination3) Hard work4) Sacrifice5) Loyalty

14Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord …

15…for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons...”

Ruth 4:14-15 NRSV

10 “this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first.”

“loyalty” from Hebrew “chesed”

Ruth 3:10 NRSV

1O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalms 136:1 NRSV

1 … for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalms 136:1-26 NRSV

1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalms 136:1 NRSV

Take note of what Pastor Randy says about

“The Upper Story” in Ruth

CONCENTRIC CIRCLESFROM THE INSIDE OUT

13 So Boaz took Ruth

and she became his wife.Ruth 4 NRSV


13 When they came together,

the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son.

Ruth 4 NRSV


16Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom,

and became his nurse.Ruth 4 NRSV


17The women of the neighborhood

gave him a nameRuth 4 NRSV


17… They named him Obed;

he became the father of Jesse,the father of David

Ruth 4 NRSV


5…and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth,and Obed the father of Jesse, 6and Jesse the father of King David. 16and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus

was born, who is called the Messiah.Matthew 1 NRSV

FOR CONTEXT IN “THE STORY” Ruth 1 first verse1 In the days when the judges ruled… Ruth 4 last verses:21 Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed, 22 Obed of Jesse, and Jesse of David.

For Next Week1. Read in The Story –

Chapter 10:Standing Tall, Falling Hard

2015/2016 Men’s Bible

StudyRolling Hills Community Church

All bible references come from theNew American Standard Bible NABS unless otherwise notated.

the story session 9 the faith of a foreign woman

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