- An ordinary woman: Ruth was not born into the faith--this woman who became the grandmother of Israel's greatest king was an outsider, an ordinary person, a widow, and poor. Yet she became the great grandmother of David, and an ancestor of Jesus Christ. Eugene Peterson writes that it is "extraordinary to get a tale from the point of view of two lower class women."
- A redeemer: Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi (Ruth's mother-in-law) was in the circle of "covenant redeemers" for Ruth. This meant that he was eligible to marry her and give her children to carry on the family inheritance.
- Kindness begets love: Boaz was kind to Ruth and took special care of her. At harvest time, Naomi told Ruth: "Maybe it's time to make our move." She counseled Ruth on how to approach Boaz by sleeping at his feet, which signaled her availability for marriage. Boaz awoke in the night and saw her and they spoke in the dark and made arrangements to marry. (Romance! Love it!)
- 1 Samuel was written about 1000 BC, at the midpoint in history between Abraham and Jesus. Samuel is one book written on two scrolls because there were physical limits on how big a scroll could be--thus 1 and 2 Samuel.
- New name for God: "The Lord of Hosts" is translated by Eugene Peterson in The Message version as "God-of-the-Angel-Armies." Love that.
- God's listening: Hannah was barren and asked God for a baby. Immediately, "God began making the necessary arrangements in response to what she had asked." So often this happens, but we can't see it. God is listening and making arrangements.
Thank you for this, Lord.
- Baby Samuel: When God answered and Hannah has a baby, she delivers a joyful and astonishing prophecy: "God will set things rights all over the earth, he'll give strength to his king, he'll set his anointed on top of the world." This sounds like a messianic prophecy. Is it the first in Scripture? I don't remember another prior to this.
- Kids gone wild: Samuel was a good and godly leader who pointed the people back to God, but his sons were corrupt. Sometimes godly people have ungodly children, and it is no reflection on their parenting.
- Saul started out humble: Samuel and Saul meet. Saul has been chosen by God to become King of Israel. Samuel says "At this moment, Israel's future is in your hands." Saul's response reminds me of Gideon's.
Who, me? I'm insignificant, from a small nothing clan in the smallest tribe. Yet Saul was anointed king by Samuel. That day, Scripture says, God transformed him and made him a new person! To help bolster his faith, there were several "confirming signs." If God calls you to do something for him, he will anoint, equip, and transform you so that you can carry out the task, even if you think you are a nobody. So did Saul!
Elena's verse of the day: "God has rescued you from your troubles and hard times. But you have rejected your God and asked for a king" (1 Samuel 10:19)
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