STUDY 2
GOD’S DECISION
Ruth 1:1- “Now it came to pass in the days when the Judges ruled that there was a f amine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-Judah went to Sojourn in the country of Moab he and his wife and his two sons”.
This opening is very instructive “In the days when the judges ruled …..” that was a period of lawlessness “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). No counsellor, no teaching priest and without the law (2 Chronicles 15:3: Proverbs 15:22, 16:9) and consequently no safety.
There was no fear of God in the hearts of the people no righteousness in the land. It was really an apostate time. Then God in his mercy decided to draw them back to himself by fl ogging them with one of his rods calls famine instead of casting them away.
Yes, it was his mercy to have used famine on them not utter destruction. He could have decided to five them over to a reprobate mind till they be utterly destroyed by themselves. He could also have decided to use their enemies against them. But he decided to use the milder stroke of famine.
Going through Deuteronomy 28:15-68, one would see that famine is a lighter punishment compared to other spell out by God to bring upon the dissidents.
God decided to punish the Israelite in order to draw them back to himself.
Most time when we stray from the Lord, He as the great shepherd draws us back to him with his rod and staff (Psalm 23:4).
However, the expectation of the Lord is that when he welds the rod, the sheep must not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when he rebukes.
“………………And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, my son despises not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuke of him”.
“For whom the Lord loveth he Chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth”.
“If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons; for what son he whom the father chasteneth not?……….”. (Hebrews 12:1-11).
When we are chastened of the Lord it is a demonstration of his ineffable love for us and we are expected to reciprocate by taking to corrections and turning back to him in the path of righteous which is the path of life. May God not withdraw His rod and staff from correcting us in Jesus Name.