旧约的爱情故事
路得记一章1至7节
1当士师秉政的时候，国中遭遇饥荒。在犹大、伯利恒，有一个人带着妻子和两个儿子往摩押地去寄居。
2这人名叫以利米勒，他的妻名叫拿俄米；他两个儿子，一个名叫玛伦，一个名叫基连，都是犹大伯利恒的以法他人。他们到了摩押地，就住在那里。
3后来拿俄米的丈夫以利米勒死了，剩下妇人和他两个儿子。
4这两个儿子娶了摩押女子为妻，一个名叫俄珥巴，一个名叫路得，在那里住了约有十年。
5玛伦和基连二人也死了，剩下拿俄米，没有丈夫，也没有儿子。
6他就与两个儿妇起身，要从摩押地归回；因为他在摩押地听见耶和华眷顾自己的百姓，赐粮食与他们。
7于是他和两个儿妇起行离开所住的地方，要回犹大地去。
信息分享
我们现在选读的路得记，便是其中一个令人百读不厌的故事。这卷书只用了85节经文便讲述了整个故事，然而，它却不单讲了路得的故事，它更预表教会是基督的新妇。到了故事的结尾，我们将会看见作为外邦人的路得，如何成了犹太人波阿斯的妻子。
故事的一开始，是以士师时期的巴勒斯坦地作为背景。约书亚死后，以色列民便开始离弃神和背离真道，于是，神便兴起「士师」(即审判官)来带领人色列人回转归向神。只要百姓重新归向神和呼求神的帮助，神便再次接纳和帮助他们战胜敌人。
在这段期间，以色列发生了一次大饥荒。故事中的那个家庭为求生计，便迁移到外邦的摩押定居。摩押人经常侵扰以色列，所以，以色列人视他们为敌人，极少与他们来往。那家人迁居之后，生活终于安顿，户主的两个儿子长大后，也娶了当地的女子为妻。但突然之间，悲伤的事情却接踵而来。父亲和两名儿子先后去世。拿俄米顿失一切依靠。故事仿佛象征神的儿女寻求世界的帮助，但结果却是赔上一切。例如旧约的罗得，他连妻子也失掉。新约比喻中的浪子，也是散尽家财，失去一切。忧伤的拿俄米现在只想改名叫「玛拉」，意即只感到很苦。
上述的一切只是我们认识路得这个女子的开始。「路得」的名意是「友谊」，我们将会看到她的名字是何等配合她的为人。她为我们留下一个难忘的故事和值得效法的榜样。我们明天将继续看故事的发展。
反思：
神让我们置身于某个境况，必有其心意，我们应当学习去信靠神，而不是莽撞地寻求出路。
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.