Ruth Ch3/ Matthew Ch4
Obedience and Victory: overcome temptations by keeping God’s words firmly
Ruth 3/ Matthew 4
Ruth chapter 3 tells us how Ruth entered “rest”. It was because she obeyed exactly what Naomi had told her to the very end. Matthew chapter 4 shows us how our Lord Jesus “overcame” temptations of the devil. It was by keeping God’s words exactly as the Bible said that Jesus defeated the devil three times in the desert. Today God is still looking for a person who will keep His words exactly as He says to the end. God wants to work with this kind of person to fulfill the Great Commission.
Ruth 3/1-7: Do everything as the elder tells you in the Lord.
Ruth’s mother-in-law told her: Boaz a kinsman of theirs would be winnowing the barley on the threshing floor that night. She told Ruth to wash and perfume herself. And put on her best clothes. Then went down to the threshing floor and stayed there until Boaz had finished eating and drinking. Ruth must note exactly where Boaz was lying. Then she must go and uncover his feet and lie down. Ruth did everything her mother-in-law had told her right after she listened carefully.
Matthew 4/1-10: Watch and pray, keep God’s words firmly to overcome all kinds of temptations.
Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. The devil always tempts us when there is no one around us. Our Lord fasted and prayed watchfully forty days and forty nights. The tempter came to Jesus when he was hungry. He told Jesus to change stones into bread. But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Jesus used words of God to resist this temptation. He would not change stones to bread even though He was very hungry. Jesus kept God’s words firmly even when no one saw Him.
Then the devil took Jesus to stand on the highest point of the temple. He seduced Jesus to jump down from there. The devil told Jesus that God would order angels to lift Him up in their hands because the Bible said so. The devil even tried to make Jesus misuse God’s words for a sinful desire. But Jesus understood “exactly” the original meaning of this bible verse. So Jesus answered, “The Bible also said, ‘do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Therefore, Jesus overcame this temptation again by keeping God’s word as it was.
Again, the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their beauty. If Jesus would bow down and worship him, he would give all that to Jesus. Jesus overcame this temptation. He completely depended on the word written in the Holy Bible. He said, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”
In comparison:
What the elder had told Ruth to do seemed very irrational. But Ruth listened to her very carefully. Without hesitation she answered, “I will do whatever you say.” Because she knew very well how her mother-in-law had loved her. What Naomi asked her to do was for the interests of Ruth. Therefore, she was willing to do everything Naomi told her with no doubts. It is written in the book of Deuteronomy 30/11-14, “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so that we may obey it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” His commands are not difficult to obey. If we say “yes” to His commands by our mouths and hearts, God will give us strength to keep His commands.
Ruth’s mother-in-law told her that Boaz would be winnowing barley that night on the threshing floor. Our Lord usually uses “dark night” as a test to His children. “Dark night” means difficult conditions, such as persecutions, sicknesses, or temptations. He wants to see whether they will keep His words when they have troubles or temptations. It is through test that God will separate His true children from the hypocrites. Whoever keeps His words in darkness is like the “barley”. God will take him into His kingdom. But those hypocrites and nominal believers are like the “chaff”. They do not keep God’s words at all. They are not God’s true children and have no part in His kingdom. They will be blown away when the wind comes.
Naomi wanted Ruth to pass the test of “dark night”. She instructed Ruth when and what the test would be, and how to pass it well. She told Ruth to purify herself completely by the truth, so that she would take off the old and put on the new. After cleansing, Ruth must also perfume herself. It was after a complete purification, and then Ruth could be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ruth was not to climb up to the top of the world. She was told to go down humbly to the field of Boaz. She must note exactly where Boaz lied down, so that she could find rest beside his feet. It is God’s promise to His true children that we will enter His rest. Hebrew chapter 4/11, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter [God’] rest.”
How can we enter rest in Jesus Christ? First, we combine what we hear from the Bible with faith. Then we can do exactly what God commands us to do. Second, we go near the high priest in heaven and pray, so that we may receive mercy and grace to keep His commands. With God’s help we can keep God’s words and enter His rest in times of darkness. It was the power of God that helped Daniel to keep God’s commands firmly even when he was thrown into the lions’ den. It was also the help of Almighty God that Paul could preach gospel to Rome even though he was in chains.
Back in 1960s, I was asked by the security officers in China about who had attended my Bible Study meeting. I dared not tell them anything of it because I feared the Lord. I told them, “Don’t worry. Everyone in my meeting is a good person.” But they put pressure on me. They gave me three days to reconsider about it. I fasted three days. Some Sisters also fasted for me. Then I went back to their office. I told them that my Lord did not allow me to say anything. They were so angry with me. Finally, they said, “The Bible tells you Christians must submit yourselves to the governing authority. You must obey the Bible and tell us who have attended your meeting.” How Ruth must note exactly where Boaz lied down on the threshing floor in the dark night. I clearly knew what command God wanted me to keep in this test. I was very afraid of them. I answered timidly, “But the Bible also said, ‘it is right in God’s sight to obey God rather than man.’”(Acts 4/19) God’s mercy and grace had helped me to keep His words in times of darkness. I entered such a rest in Jesus. Those security officers were so angry with me. Finally, they could do nothing but to send me home!
How Jesus had paid attention to God’s words since He was a child. When Jesus was 12 years old, He went to the temple with His parents. He sat among the teachers, listening and asking them questions to understand God’s words clearly and correctly. He did not even think of going home. When Jesus was led into the desert for temptations, He took it seriously. He fasted and prayed watchfully forty days and forty nights in the desert. Jesus always guarded God’s words firmly in His heart. He used God’s words in the Bible to resist the devil, no matter what condition or what position he was put in. Jesus firmly kept God’s words even to the point of death. When the devil misused scriptures written in the Bible to deceive Jesus, He noted exactly the true meaning of God’s words. How evil it was that the devil dared to twist God’s words! He thought he could mislead our Lord to do the wrong thing in this way. But Jesus said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Jesus deeply understood the whole book of God’s words by heart.
Both of our Lord and Ruth showed us how they had kept God’s commands completely. How they had endured the temptations of darkness. The devil always leads people “up” to the highest mountain. He seduces people to worship him with all the kingdoms of the world and their impressive beauty. The devil wants people to love the world, so that they will go down to the lake of fire and suffer forever. But Jesus and Ruth kept the commands in the Holy Bible completely. They had the things of God in their hearts. They took the suffering road of cross to save people. They did not follow the way of the world to climb up the highest mountain for their own enjoyment. They would rather give up everything of the world and “go down” to the field appointed by God. They noted carefully where God rested. And then they made every effort to enter into rest in the Lord. They sought to be one with God completely.
How the devil has tried to deceive God’s children to take the wrong way. The devil has tried to mislead us by false teachings that sound very right but are totally wrong. He always adds something to the Bible, or subtracts some part from the Bible. He even mixes other things into the Bible. Beware the devil will also use false prophets to perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect!
We must pay careful attention when we read the Bible. Be sure to understand correctly and exactly the original meaning of the word of God. If we don’t do it, we may be led astray by the devil easily. Be always in watch and pray, so that we can keep God’s words firmly. Beware not to fall into the devils’ traps.
Before the second coming of Jesus Christ, all of God’s children will go through the test of “dark night”. But the time of darkness is limited. It will not last forever. We true Christians must have faith and endure with patience in times of darkness. Keep on watching and praying, and guard firmly the truth are the very two things that will keep us in the Lord, so that we will overcome all kinds of temptations in darkness.
Ruth 3/8-13: Those who keep God’s words and wait patiently will be comforted.
In the very dark mid-night, Boaz woke up suddenly. He realized that it was Ruth lying at his feet. Ruth asked him to cover her by the corner of his clothes because he was a kinsman-redeemer. The action of Ruth was a custom of that day. It was to remind Boaz a near kinsman to fulfill his duty. Boaz comforted her for her noble request. He said, “All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.” He told her that she would get greater blessing than before because she had not run after the younger men. He then told her that it was true he was near of her kinsman. But there was another kinsman-redeemer who was nearer to Ruth than he. Who was that kinsman-redeemer that was closer to Ruth than Boaz was? That kinsman-redeemer was in between of Ruth and Boaz. It was the “old self”. It means in the Spirit that a Christian needs to experience the redemption of the Savior to become a new person.
How Boaz and Ruth feared the Lord. Their marriage was absolutely not of the flesh. It had become a model of divine marriage. God would bless them. God would use their marriage to fulfill a part of His divine plan because they fully kept His words. They played a role in preparing the genealogy of Jesus.
Matthew 4/11-18:
Then the devil left Jesus. Angels came and attended Jesus. Jesus was full of power and He brought great light to others. He depended on God to preach the truth even at the risk of his life.
In comparison: He who fears God and keeps God’s commands will overcome the temptations. God will protect and bless him.
Do not be afraid when it is very dark outside. If we keep God’s words completely, we can enter rest. And we are sure that God will bless us. That was why Ruth could enter rest. She lied down patiently in the dark night though there was no change in the environment. The Bible said, “The one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6/8b)
Our Lord started to preach the truth of repentance and of heavenly kingdom in the most terrible time of darkness. He did it by the cover of God’s great power. Though John the Baptist had been put in prison for the truth of repentance, our Lord preached the same truth without fear. Jesus was truly a brave soldier of heavenly kingdom who was not afraid of losing His life. After Jesus had overcome all kinds of temptations in the desert, He appeared as a great light in public. He brought light on those who lived in the land of the shadow of death!
Ruth3/14-18： He who keeps God’s commands completely enters rest. He will see God settles everything for him.
Ruth got up before daybreak. Boaz asked her to hold out her shawl. He poured into it six measures of barley and put it on her. Ruth went back to her mother-in-law and told her everything. She also told her that Boaz gave her a lot of barley. He said she could not return to her mother-in-law empty-handed. Then Naomi told Ruth, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled.”
Matthew 4/19-25: He who overcomes temptations and keeps God’s words firmly will be full of power.
When our Lord overcame temptations in the desert and firmly kept God’s words, He was full of power. When He called people to follow Him, they left everything at once to follow Him. Jesus went everywhere to preach the good news of the kingdom. He drove out the demon and healed every sickness. Lots of people from many places followed Him.
In comparison: God blesses he who fears Him and keeps God’s words in doing good with all of his heart.
Let us hold out our shawls as Ruth to receive six measures of barley. We must open our mouths wide for a spiritual harvest. Do not limit the work of the Holy Spirit. Let us follow the Holy Spirit to the ends of the world to preach gospel to all nations. God will bring people from everywhere to look for us to hear the Good News. God will open a door of gospel for us that no one can close it.
We pray the Lord will make us pay attention to every word in the Bible. Pray that we will always in watch and praying. Then with the power of the Holy Spirit we can firmly keep God’s words in all kinds of conditions. It is by the help of the Holy Spirit that we can overcome all kinds of temptations. Pray that we will become noble instruments that will be useful for the Lord. Pray that we will get great blessing of Abraham and all nations will be blessed through us. Then we will enter the kingdom of heaven richly. Amen!