Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 February 1915 — KING DAVID’S GREATGRANDMOTHER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

KING DAVID’S GREATGRANDMOTHER

Ruth l:l-et—h‘eb 7 A Beautiful Story—lsrael’s Home Life. Beneath the Surface —Good People Astray Naomi’s Return Ruth’s Conversion What It Cost What She Got In Return. "Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.’’—Ruth 1:16. CHE Book of Ruth gives us a glimpse into the affairs of the Israelites, showing a deep spirit of religion underlying the surface of wars, captivities, etc., which naturally most impress themselves upon our attention in every history of every people. The opening was at Bethlehem, “the city of David,” where centuries later Jesus was-born, “David’s Son and David’s Lord.” The religious sentiment of the family is shown by the import of their names— Elimelecb. “My God Is King"; Naomi,

“The pleasures of Jehovah.” They had two sons, Mahlon (sickly one) and Chilion (pining one). They became discouraged because of the invasions of their enemies and the frequent loss of the fruits of their labor. Finally, because of a severe drought, they

left their home, crossed Jordan into the land of Moab, and dwelt there for ten years. There the two boys married and died, leaving widows; and Elimelech died. Evidently the leaving of the Land of Promise, the Land of the Covenant, to live amongst a people who were idolaters and not in covenant relationship with God, had not resulted greatly to the benefit of the family; for when Naomi concluded to return to her native land, she had practically nothing. It Is never good policy to sacrifice religious interests for temporal interests. It will not do to say that perhaps they moved to Moab to do a little missionary work; for God’s Covenant was merely with Israel, and the others were aliens, like all other Gentiles. Nor vvould it have been proper for them to attempt to convert the Moabites; for God had called merely the Israelites, as we read—Amos 3:2. It was unwise to take two boys into a heathen land, where they were likely to be contaminated; instead, every reasonable influence should have been thrown about them to preserve their loyalty to Jehovah. Doubtless Naomi realized all this, as indicated by her words. “It grieveth me much for, your sakes that the hand of the Lord is against me.” Here again we perceive that the Divine hand was really in her favor, and that it had a proper Influence upon her and brought her back to the Land of Promise. Two Beautiful Characters. Naomi must have been a beautiful character. This is evidenced by the deep affection , manifested toward her by her daughters-ln-law. Both preferred to go with her to her home land, and started with her. But as she reflected that they would be strangers in a strange land, she tenderly urged them to go back to their kindred, and remarry. , . ' One of them so concluded, and kissed her good-by; but the other one, Ruth, broke forth in such eloquent terms that her words have become permanently identified with classic literature: “Entreat me not to leave thee, And to return from following after thee; For whither thou goest, I will go; And where thSu lodgest, I will lodge; Thy people shall be my people, “And thy God my God: Where thou diest I will die. And there will I be buried: The' Lord do so to me, and more also. If aught but death part thee and me.” When we say that Ruth was converted, we of course do not mean that she became a Christian or an heir ot Christian promises; for there were none until after Jesus, by His death, had opened up the “new and living way.” She was converted to Judaism, and this is a fresh testimony to Naomi’s faithful living. -Both the nobility and the wisdom of Naomi’s character are manifest in the course which she pursued on arriving

in Bethlehem practically penniless, and unable to retrieve the Interest of her husband and her sons in their share of the land. She did not beg. nor request' Ruth to beg. There was no false modesty. Ruth went like other poor ~women to glean handfuls of

grain after the reapers. Under the Law it was part of God’s provision for the, poor that no one should reap the corners of his field, but should leave those for the poor. Naomi coun seied Ruth to glean in the fields of a wealthy relative, named Boaz. The wealthy Boaz took note of the modest young woman who daily glean ed in his fields and subsequently he learned that she was a relative by marriage. He pursued the course of the Jewish Law. and Ruth became his wife. Obed was their son, and Jesse his son, and David was the youngest of Jesse’s sons. Thns Ruth the Gen tile became Identified with the royal family as an ancestor, and thus with King David’s greatest Son and Lord—leans.

Ruth the Moalitess.

Naomi and Daughters.