Ruth Study 3

2. The visitation of God

Deut 11:13-14

And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

 

The first rain was to prepare the soil and the second rain was to mature the crops.

The drought that brought the famine was a clear indication that Israel had disobeyed the Lord. The heavens were shut.

When we have a spiritual drought in individuals lives or in church organisations, it is because men have departed from the Living God.

It is a clear indication that the hand of God’s chastisement is upon us.

We need a time where Heavens are opened.

Luke 3:21-22

Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

 

Acts 7:56

And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

 

3. The Voice of God

Call to repentance

He was trying to bring them from idols, rebellion and disobedience

Some people run from the hand chastisement

God wanted a time of soul searching

Many in our ranks have given up the fellowship of the brethren, the worship of God, and their usefulness in service and have gone into a backslidden state rathere than meet the issue of God’s call to repentance.

The Failure

And a certain man of Beth–lehem–judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons

 

There were 3 countries that people living in Canaan have journeyed.

·         Egypt

·         Babylon

·         Moab

Egypt – Israel’s bondage in Egypt – Picture of the sinner in the world

Read Joshua 5:7-9

In their murmurings they wanted to turn back to Egypt

Acts 7:39 - To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

The wilderness was a type of regeneration

·         They were separated

·         Dwelling alone

·         Not welcome among the nations

·         Guide was the pillar of cloud – Holy Spirit

·         Fed by Heavenly manna

·         Drank the water from The Rock

Egypt was behind, Canaan was before them and God was with them

Israel in Canaan is typical of the believer in a fully consecrated, sanctified state.

Ready for the conflict

Joshua 1:3 - Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

Fight of faith

Dressed in his armour – the breast plate of righteousness – nothing to protect the back

No longer manna but milk and honey, grapes and pomegranates.

He is a victor, a conqueror, and an over comer

Babylon – home of the backslider and the apostate

Psalm 137:4 - How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?

The picture of the backslider – no song, no joy, in a state of weeping and wanting

Rev 14:8 - And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Rev 18:21 - And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

Rev18:4 - And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Babylon started with the spirit of defiance and independence to ward God and took on the name Babel

Gen 11:1-9