The Pulpit Commentary — Ruth — Section 33

'Thy will is sweetest to me when It triumphs at my cost" 1 _ We mny sing it ; but it is hard to live it. It is glorious to believe in God at such times at all, and to bow with the pain all through our hearts, and to say, "My Ood."-W. M. S. Ver. 22; ii. 1-3.-Naomi's history may now be carried on in the light of these texts. I. NAOM[ rs AN ANCESTRAL PILGRIM. Ancestor of whom? Tum to Matt. i. 5, and you will find in the genealogy of our Lord the name of Ruth. The earlier part of that Divine life, how fresh and beautiful it is-the advent, the angels, the shep- herds' songs I The mother, the first visit to the temple, the doctors I And beautiful ministry too. Power wedded to mercy, miracles of healing, mighty deeds of love, sermons amid the mountains and the cities. True I But stand here a moment. It is an early evening of life, I admit ; but it is evening. Do you see in the blue distance One coming from the judgment hall? Do you hear the wild cry of the mob, "Away with him I Away with him I Crucify him I Crucify him I"? Do you mark the crush of the crowd round one fallen form, who fainted beneath the burden of that cross which he bore for us all? Follow him on to the slopes, while Simon, the Cyrenian, helps to bear his cross. The soldiers mock him. The crowd insult him. They spat upon him, they smote him with their hands, they buffeted him. And now his hands and feet are nailed ; his pale face is bowed. Come nearer and gaze. Behold the ruan I As the reapers asked, "Is this Naomi?" so we ask, "Is this Jesus?" Is this he whose sweet face lay in the manger? Is this he whose bright inquisitive face was in the temple? Is this he who passed the angels at heaven's high gate, and came to earth, saying," Lo I I come to do thy will, 0 God." Yes I Bowed, bruised, broken for us. The same Saviour, who now endures the cross, despising the shame. Well may we wonder and adore I He saved others, himself he cannot-will not-save I More beautiful now than in the stainless infancy of the Holy Child. More beautiful now than when by the shores of Galilee's lake, he spake words which mirrored heaven more purely and clearly than those waters the gold and crimson of the sky. It is the bowed, broken, forsaken, suffering, dying Lord that moves the world's heart. He knew it.all In that hour, when his soul was made an offering for sin, he, being lifted up, had power to draw all hearts unto him. Is this Naomi? Well might angels ask, Is this the eternal Son of the Father ? Is this he of whom the Almighty said, " He is my fellow." Is this he to whom command was given, Let all the angels of God worship him ? Yes I It is he. It is finished. " Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in." II. NAOMI IS A PROVIDED-FOR PILGRIM. Back to Bethlehem ; but how to live? how to find the roof-tree that should shelter again ? She knew the Eternal's name, "Jehovah-Jireh," the Lord will provide. A kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, lived there: of the family of Elimelech ; his nume was Boaz. We must not mind criticism when we talk of chance, or happening. The Bible does, It is simply one way of stating what seems to us accidental ; although in reality we know that the least secrets are in the good hand of him "to whom is nothing trivial." Ruth wants to glean I And Naomi says, Go, my daughter; " and her hap-her chance-was to light on the part of a field belonging unto Boaz.'' We know that the same old love story, which is new in every generation begins again ; so Beaz took Ruth, and she was his wife. So that a new home begins, and a smile plays through the tears of the lonely widow. Naomi has some human light again in her lnndscape ; she will see the children's children, and take them by the hand into the coming barley-harvests; she will have some appropriate hopes and joys and interest.~ still. Life to her will not be desolate, because she has still a God above her and a world around her to call forth interest and hope. Her sorrow was not greater than she could bear, and the summer over, even autumn had its tender beauties before life's winter came, So it ever is. Trust in the Lord, and you shall never want any good thing. Believe still in your Saviour, and provided for you will be with 28 THE BOOK OF RUTH. [en. r. 15-22.