RUTH:What to Do, When You Don't Know - ch.1!

...Boaz begot Obed by Ruth,...  (Matthew 1:5, Matthew 1:1-17: Christ genealogy, by way of Joseph); Which was... the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,... (Luke 3:32, Luke 3:23-38: Christ genealogy by way of Mary)

Historical Background
The book of Ruth was written by God, by the hand of the prophet Samuel.  All 66 books that comprise the Bible meets one of four criteria: the book gives the geneology of Christ's step-father, Joseph and mother, Mary; the book prophecies about the coming of Christ, whether directly or indirectly; the book records the life and teaching of Christ; or the book expounds on the teaching and instruction of Christ.  Ruth's husband, Boaz and son Obed are direct descendants of Joseph and Mary, which makes her, who was a non-Jew, a descendant also.

Even more, the book of Ruth demonstrates God's providential care.  After losing all she had, instead of going back to her pagan country of Moab, Ruth stayed with her mother-in-law, Naomi, who was a Jew, and professed, ...Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. (Ruth 1:16). Naomi's husband, Elimelech died, as did her sons, Mahlon, who was married to Ruth and Chilion, who was married to Orpah. (Side note: Oprah Winfrey names was originally Orpah, but it was constantly mispronouced, so changed.)

Upon returning to Bethlehem, Judah, Naomi and Ruth had many difficulties because of being women without husbands, but Naomi was a wise woman, and able to instruct Ruth on how to behave and what to do, in order for not only their needs to be met, but for Ruth to eventually meet and marry her next husband, Boaz: Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!”... (Ruth 2:20)

Lessons to Learn
Elimelech moved his family, Naomi his wife and his two sons from Bethlehem, Judah (the birth place of Jesus over a thousand years later, also known as Ephrath) to Moab because ... there was a famine in the land. (Ruth 1:1) After some time, Elimelech died, but Naomi and her sons, with their wives Ruth and Orpah, ...dwelt there about ten years. (Ruth 1:4) After a period of time, ...both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband. (Ruth 1:5) Naomi decided that she would go back to Bethlehem because she had heard the famine was over and ...that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread. (Ruth 1:6) An interesting note, the reason there was a famine in Isreal and Judah when they left and went to Moab was because ...Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. (Judges 3:12) 

Anyway, Naomi instructed her daughter-in-laws to ...“Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” (Ruth 1:8-9)  What should we do, when we don't know what to do?  Well after much protesting and weeping, ...and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law [and left], but Ruth clung to her. (Ruth 1:14)  Just as Ruth realized and did, we also must come to the same realization, ...your God [shall be], my God.  (Ruth 1:16) When we hear the Truth, of who God is and the salvation He gives, we have to make a choice to believe and follow or deny and deal with the consequences: Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62)

So Naomi and Ruth went to Bethlehem, Judah and everyone who remembered Naomi was so glad to see her.  Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. (Ruth 1:22)  Arriving in Bethlehem during this particular time will prove to be a blessing to Naomi and Ruth.  Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, ... Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38) Ruth goes out to labor in the field, and what a harvest she will reap...