舊約的愛情故事
路得記一章1至7節
1當士師秉政的時候，國中遭遇饑荒。在猶大、伯利恆，有一個人帶著妻子和兩個兒子往摩押地去寄居。
2這人名叫以利米勒，他的妻名叫拿俄米；他兩個兒子，一個名叫瑪倫，一個名叫基連，都是猶大伯利恆的以法他人。他們到了摩押地，就住在那裡。
3後來拿俄米的丈夫以利米勒死了，剩下婦人和他兩個兒子。
4這兩個兒子娶了摩押女子為妻，一個名叫俄珥巴，一個名叫路得，在那裡住了約有十年。
5瑪倫和基連二人也死了，剩下拿俄米，沒有丈夫，也沒有兒子。
6他就與兩個兒婦起身，要從摩押地歸回；因為他在摩押地聽見耶和華眷顧自己的百姓，賜糧食與他們。
7於是他和兩個兒婦起行離開所住的地方，要回猶大地去。
信息分享
我們現在選讀的路得記，便是其中一個令人百讀不厭的故事。這卷書只用了85節經文便講述了整個故事，然而，它卻不單講了路得的故事，它更預表教會是基督的新婦。到了故事的結尾，我們將會看見作為外邦人的路得，如何成了猶太人波阿斯的妻子。
故事的一開始，是以士師時期的巴勒斯坦地作為背景。約書亞死後，以色列民便開始離棄神和背離真道，於是，神便興起「士師」(即審判官)來帶領人色列人回轉歸向神。只要百姓重新歸向神和呼求神的幫助，神便再次接納和幫助他們戰勝敵人。
在這段期間，以色列發生了一次大飢荒。故事中的那個家庭為求生計，便遷移到外邦的摩押定居。摩押人經常侵擾以色列，所以，以色列人視他們為敵人，極少與他們來往。那家人遷居之後，生活終於安頓，戶主的兩個兒子長大後，也娶了當地的女子為妻。但突然之間，悲傷的事情卻接踵而來。父親和兩名兒子先後去世。拿俄米頓失一切依靠。故事彷彿象徵神的兒女尋求世界的幫助，但結果卻是賠上一切。例如舊約的羅得，他連妻子也失掉。新約比喻中的浪子，也是散盡家財，失去一切。憂傷的拿俄米現在只想改名叫「瑪拉」，意即只感到很苦。
上述的一切只是我們認識路得這個女子的開始。「路得」的名意是「友誼」，我們將會看到她的名字是何等配合她的為人。她為我們留下一個難忘的故事和值得效法的榜樣。我們明天將繼續看故事的發展。
反思：
神讓我們置身於某個境況，必有其心意，我們應當學習去信靠神，而不是莽撞地尋求出路。
AN OLD TESTAMENT LOVE STORY
Ruth 1:1-7
1 Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
2 The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there.
3 Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.
4 Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.
5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread.
7 Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
Message
The Bible is full of beautiful stories which we just love to hear time and time again. Some of the Old Testament stories in particular, are still favourites with everyone. The Bible is still the world's best story book and always will be.
One of the most beautiful stories is the book of Ruth. Only 85 verses are needed to tell this story but it not only tells Ruth's story-it is a preview of the Church as the bride of Christ. Ruth became the Gentile bride of Boaz as we will see.
The story opens in the land of Palestine and in the time of the Judges-probably in the earlier part of that period. After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel were led by men who were raised up by God to be judges in the land of Israel. It was a time of apostasy, of turning away from God. Then God would send a judgment; the people would return to God and he would help them once again.
During one of these judgment times, in this case a famine, one family decided that perhaps they could get along better in the land of Moab, so they decided to go there to live. Now Moab was enemy country-the Moabites were always enemies of Israel. Therefore the people of Israel had no business going there-any more than a Christian today who turns to the world for satisfaction. For a time everything went well. The boys were married in Moab but suddenly sadness fell on the little home. First the father died then the two boys died. No child of God ever gains by turning to the world for help. Look at the story of Lot. He lost everything, even his wife. The prodigal son lost everything. Naomi lost everything. Those who go to the world for help are likely to come back like Naomi did, in rags, a weeping widow who wanted to change her name to Marah, which means bitterness.
But this is only the beginning of a story of the girl named Ruth. Her name means friendship. She has left behind a story you will never forget and an example you will want to follow. Tomorrow you will see the further development of her story.
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Trusting God where he has placed us is better than trying to find our own way out.