Participant Guide DVD-BASED BIBLE STUDY FOR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS. Seeing the Messiah. in the. Book of Ruth

Transcription

1 Participant Guide DVD-BASED BIBLE STUDY FOR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS Seeing the Messiah in the Book of Ruth

2 Redeemed Seeing the Messiah in the Book of Ruth Sam Nadler Developed with Natalia Fomin This Participant Guide accompanies the Redeemed 6-Session DVD-Based Study (ISBN or ) with Redeemed Leader Guide (ISBN ) Torrance, California Rose Publishing, Inc. Bible Study Made Easy Permission granted to the original purchaser to print out. It is illegal to sell, , replicate, duplicate, or post any part of this on the Internet. More than 70 Bible reference charts and PowerPoints available. Download catalog and sign up for Rose Bible e-charts at Title: Redeemed Participant Guide Product Code: 295D ISBN-13:

3 Redeemed Participant Guide Copyright 2014 Bristol Works, Inc. Rose Publishing, Inc Torrance Blvd., #259 Torrance, California U.S.A. Register your Rose Publishing books at All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, posted on the Internet, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scriptures marked NIV taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Scriptures marked ESV taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2000, 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America

4 Experience the Grace Is your life not turning out as you had hoped? Has God disappointed you? The trials of life test us to see if we will trust in the promises of God. The book of Ruth holds profound and eternal lessons for all of us. It vividly illustrates the loyalty of friendship, the redemption of past mistakes, salvation by grace that necessitates faith, and God s eternal plan for each one of us. The book of Ruth teaches us about our own personal walk with God. The lessons in Ruth teach us how our walk with God fits into the framework of the eternal work of Messiah as our Redeemer. God desires to redeem your past and restore your future, so that you might find fulfillment in his gracious love!

5 About the Author Sam Nadler is a Jewish believer in Jesus who has a passion to communicate the Good News to his people, and to see discipleship established in Jewish communities around the world. Serving with Jews for Jesus, Sam established the Jews for Jesus New York City branch in Later as the President of Chosen People Ministries, he helped build international outreach, congregational planting and leadership development in Israel, the Ukraine, Germany, South America, Canada as well as the United States. Today as president of Word of Messiah Ministries, Sam is continuing to develop leaders and outreach to make a worldwide impact of the gospel to Jew and Gentile alike. Sam also reaches out to the Christian community, teaching them to better understand the Jewish roots of their faith. With this understanding, Christians will be able to more effectively reach out with the Good News of Messiah, as well as more fully appreciate believers unique unity in Messiah and the ongoing testimony of God s faithfulness to his promises. Sam received an honorary doctoral degree from Southern Evangelical Seminary. He has authored several books including Messiah in the Feasts of Israel, The Messianic Answer Book, Messianic Foundations, and devotional commentaries on Jonah and Ruth. Natalia Fomin moved from the Ukraine to the USA when she was sixteen, and a few months later she gave her life to God. Ever since, she has been in active ministry teaching the Scriptures and mentoring women. In 2004, she graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a major in Christian Ministry, along with receiving theological training. Natalia and her husband Peter reside in Charlotte, NC and are blessed with three children, Mark, Daniel and Emily. To learn more about Word of Messiah Ministries, please visit

6 About the Complete DVD-Based Kit Redeemed: Seeing the Messiah in the Book of Ruth The Complete Kit (ISBN ) contains everything you need to get started: DVD with six 20 to 30-minute video sessions. PDF files containing promotional posters, fliers, handouts, bulletin inserts, and banners for you to print as needed. One printed Leader Guide and a PDF of the Leader Guide for your ipad or tablet. One printed Participant Guide with session outlines, discussion and application questions, and extra information. Buy additional participant guides for each person (ISBN ). One printed handbook, The Book of Ruth: Hope Fulfilled in the Redeemer s Grace by Sam Nadler. One printed pamphlet. One ready-to-use PowerPoint presentation with 100+ slides to expand the scope of your teaching. Available at or or by calling Rose Publishing at Also available wherever good Christian books are sold.

7 Session 2 Naomi s Faithlessness Naomi s Faithlessness Ruth 1:1 22

8 Session 2 Naomi s Faithlessness Know Nothing is a substitute for faith. Walk by faith, not by sight. Read Ruth 1:1 22 Memorize There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 Ask How do you make your decisions? Are they made by what looks best in your sight? Or are they made by what God s Word teaches? Key Verse Do not call me Naomi [ sweetness ]; call me Mara [ bitterness ], for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me? Ruth 1:20 21

9 Naomi s Faithlessness Viewer Guide Session 2 1. The land of Israel a. Dark ages of the judges (Ruth 1:1; Judg. 21:25; Isa. 53:6) b. God chastens his people for sin (1 Cor. 11:30 32) 2. The land of Moab a. Moab was under a curse (Num. 21) b. No Moabite could be part of God s people (Deut. 23:3)

10 Session 2 3. Elimelech s family in Moab a. Elimelech = my God is King b. Naomi = sweetness c. Mahlon and Chilion = weak and poor/sickly d. Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion die in Moab (Ruth 1:3, 5) e. Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem for food (Ruth 1:6)

11 Naomi s Faithlessness 4. Naomi s normal/natural counsel to her daughters-in-law (1 Cor. 2:14) a. Return to your mother s house (Ruth 1:8) b. The hand of the Lord is against me (Ruth 1:13) c. Return to your gods (Ruth 1:15) 5. Naomi and Ruth arrive in Bethlehem (Ruth 1:19 22) a. Naomi asks to be called Mara ( bitterness ) b. As in Naomi s life, sin has consequences (Gal. 6:7) c. Naomi arrives during barley harvest (Passover)

12 Session 2 Discussion Questions 1. Why was famine not a good reason for Elimelech s family to leave Bethlehem? 2. Think of a time when you made a life decision that seemed right in your own eyes, but that led to bad results. What led you to make the choice? What choice would you make if you could do it over? 3. When you consider the hardships and heartaches you ve experienced, who do you tend to blame? Why? 4. Why do you think God allow tests and hardships in our lives?

13 Naomi s Faithlessness 5. When life does not turn out according to our plans, what should our response be? 6. What is one way Naomi s story inspires you to respond to a situation you are facing now?

14 Session 2 Study Questions Isaiah 53:6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. Why do we have a tendency to go astray from God? 1 Corinthians 11:32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. God chastens (disciplines) believers for their sins, but does not condemn. What is the difference between chastening and condemning? Galatians 6:7 10 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. There is both a promise and a warning in this passage. What is God s promise here? What is the warning?

15 Naomi s Faithlessness Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them, As I live! declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel? 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Why is repentance for our sins necessary? What do these two Scripture passages reveal about the heart of God? God has a better purpose for your life when you see things from his point of view. God has better, and better is yet to come.

16 Session 2 Holy Land: Era of the Judges Paphos Succoth? Pithom Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea) Great Bitter Lake WILDERNESS OF SHUR CANAAN Jerusalem Ashkelon Gaza Joppa AMALEK Kadesh-barnea PHILISTIA Beer-sheba Sidon Bethel Gezer NEGEV Makheloth? PHOENICIA Samaria Shechem Shiloh Bethlehem Gath Hebron En-Gedi GESHUR Kadesh Tyre Dan Lake Huldah Hazor Chinnereth Ptolemais (Capernaum) Succoth? Gilgal Amman Jericho Mt. Nebo Dead (Salt) Sea MOAB Sodom and Gomorrah? EDOM ARAM Sea of Galilee (Chinnereth) Golan Ashtoroth Mt. Carmel Cana Megiddo Nazareth Ramothgilead Jezreel Beth Shan Caesarea Jabesh-gilead WILDERNESS OF ZIN Jordan Damascus (Philadelphia) AMMON Tribe of Benjamin Tribe of Judah City or Town Mountain Ancient Ruins/Sites Modern Capital Cities

17 Naomi s Faithlessness People, Places, and Things The Moabites The book of Genesis describes the origins of Moab. After a miraculous rescue by the angel from Sodom, Lot and his two daughters stayed in a cave. The older daughter became concerned with the extinction of their family, so she came up with the idea to preserve their family line through incestuous relations with her father. She convinced her sister to do the same. Genesis 19:30 38 says that each of daughters conceived a child, from which two nations were born: Moabites from the older daughter, and Ammonites from the younger. Centuries later, when the Israelites were traveling through the land of Moab, Moab was in great fear because of the people, for they were numerous; and Moab was in dread of the sons of Israel (Num. 22:3). Therefore, the king of Moab sent the messenger Balaam to use his divination skills to curse Israel: Now, therefore, please come, curse this people for me since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed (Num. 22:6). The events of the interesting story of Balaam and his talking donkey took place as Balaam made his way to the region of the Moabites (Num ). After this encounter between the Moabites and the Israelites, the Israelites became apostate and lived in immorality with the people of Moab (Num. 25:1). The stigma of the Moabites was so great that they were not allowed into the assembly of Israel. No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the Lord (Deut. 23:3). The Moabite people were considered a curse to the nation of Israel. Elimelech had gone to a land that God had rejected. Because Moab experienced no famine, it probably looked good to Elimelech. But those who judge according to the flesh will always choose by appearances and externals. So despite appearances to the contrary, Moab was a cursed place. To spend time there was to seek comfort amidst the enemy s fire; it was playing with sin for a season. A trip to a place that God prohibits often is based upon this false assumption: my trip into sin will be a short one, just a sojourn. But as the example of Naomi and her family reveal, it can mean many years of misery.

18 Session 2 Ephrathites Ephrathites were inhabitants of the town of Ephrath in Judah. Ephrath was the ancient name for Bethlehem (Gen. 35:19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11; 1 Sam. 17:12; Mic. 5:2). It was also used as the name of the region where Bethlehem was located. Naomi s family came from Bethlehem in the region of Ephrath, within the tribe of Judah. Barley Harvest during Passover In Ruth 1:6, we read that Naomi returned to Bethlehem because she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had visited His people in giving them food. This reasoning is reiterated in Ruth 1:22: They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. Naomi returned for a job. It was a good season for gleaners, who were barely a step above beggars. The beginning of the barley harvest was actually the beginning of the Passover festival, when Israel offered the first fruits of the barley harvest. We find information about the barley harvest in Leviticus 23:9 14: Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. Now on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb one year old without defect for a burnt offering to the Lord. Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire to the Lord for a soothing aroma, with its drink offering, a fourth of a hin of wine. Until this same day, until you have brought in the offering of your God, you shall eat neither bread nor roasted grain nor new growth. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.

19 Naomi s Faithlessness During the Feast of Unleavened Bread at the end of the Sabbath, which fell on Passover, people were sent after sunset into different barley fields with sickles and obtain samples from each field. The barley for the Passover first fruits offering was laid together in a sheaf (literally an omer, or approximately four dry quarts) and brought to the court of the temple. There, the grain was winnowed, parched, and bruised in a mortar. The next morning after some incense had been sprinkled on the sheaf, the priest waved it before the Lord toward the four different points of the compass. The priest then took a part of the grain and threw it into the fire of the altar. Once the offering was accepted, the remainder of the harvest was then acceptable before God (Lev. 23:11, 14). Since it was already barley harvest time, Naomi could hope to glean the corners of the field so that she would not to starve. According to the law of Moses, Israel is warned not to reap the corners of their fields or gather the gleanings of the harvest. The gleanings were to be left for the needy and for the stranger (Lev. 19:9 10; see also 23:22; Deut. 24:19 22). Naomi and Ruth fit well into these categories. Deuteronomy 24:19 22 gives a bit more insight into gleaning: The unharvested sheaf of grain was to be left for the needy, so that the Lord s blessing would rest on the owner s work. This was the compassion that God s law required; a benevolence that allowed the poor and alien to work and eat by gleaning. In other words, the poor and needy were given work so that they might eat, although often just barely. A miserable day s work of gleaning under the hot Middle Eastern sun netted only the little grain that the reapers could not easily reach. Underlying these benevolent rules was a concern for the needy. Israel was told to consider the poor so that they would remember that they had been redeemed from Egypt (Deut. 24:22). Mercy is not quid pro quo (something for something). According to Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, mercy is One of the most essential qualities of God, which he faithfully keeps his promises and maintains his covenant relationship with his chosen people despite their unworthiness and unfaithfulness (Deuteronomy 30:1 6; Isaiah 14:1; Ezekiel 39:25 29; Romans 9:15, 16, 23; 11:32; Ephesians 2:4). The biblical meaning of mercy is exceedingly rich and complicated, as evidenced by the fact that several Hebrew and Greek words are needed to comprehend the many-sided concept. Consequently, there are many synonyms employed in translation to express the dimensions of meaning involved,

20 Session 2 such as kindness, lovingkindness, goodness, grace, favor, pity, compassion, and steadfast love. Prominent in the concept of mercy is the compassionate disposition to forgive an offender or adversary and to help or spare him in his sorry plight. * Our faith in God is seen through testing and trials because such events teach us that God will help us if we trust in him. God is seeking to bless you, but you must look to him and trust in him. Do not evade the chastening of the Lord. It has a purpose. *Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), Testing and Temptation In both Greek and Hebrew, the words for test, trials, and temptation are the same. In the Bible, the Greek word peirasmos is often translated as temptation, tests, or trials. Although it can refer to the tempting of humanity to do wrong, it also refers to the testing of God by man and more specifically, by his chosen people. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials (1 Peter 1:6). Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2 4). Likewise, the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, provides examples of the usages noted above. A prime example occurs in Exodus 17:7. After the Lord was put to the test of providing water in the wilderness, the place was called Temptation, peirasmos in Greek; masah in Hebrew.

21 Notes Naomi s Faithlessness

22 Session 2 Notes

23 REDEEMED Seeing the Messiah in the Book of Ruth DVD Bible Study for Individual or Group Use Complete Redeemed DVD Bible Study Kit Contains one each of the following items ISBN: Redeemed DVD Bible Study All six DVD sessions Leader Guide on disc as a printable PDF Fliers, bulletin inserts, posters & banners as PDFs on disc ISBN: Leader Guide Leader Guide gives step-by-step instructions for group hosts or facilitators so you don t have to be the expert ISBN: Participant Guide Purchase one for each participant. Guide discussion questions, outline, cultural and biblical backgrounds, explanation of Old Testament terms, genealogy of Jesus chart, and more ISBN: Ruth PowerPoint presentation Contains more than 100 slides to expand the scope of the teaching ISBN: Ruth pamphlet Overview of the book of Ruth ISBN: The Book of Ruth handbook Goes into more depth Explores the historical background 250-page paperback ISBN:

24 FEASTS OF THE BIBLE DVD Bible Study for Individual or Group Use Complete Feasts of the Bible DVD Bible Study Kit Contains one each of everything below ISBN: Feasts of the Bible DVD Bible Study Leader Pack All six DVD-based sessions Leader Guide on disc as a printable PDF Fliers, bulletin inserts, posters & banners as PDFs on disc ISBN: Leader Guide Leader Guide gives step-by-step instructions for group hosts or facilitators so you don t have to be the expert ISBN: Participant Guide Each participant will need a guide Guide contains definitions, charts, comparisons, Bible references, discussion questions, and more ISBN: Feasts of the Bible PowerPoint presentation Contains more than 100 slides to expand the scope of the teaching ISBN: Feasts of the Bible pamphlet Chart showing each feast, the date, biblical passage, and symbolism fulfilled by Jesus ISBN: Messiah in the Feasts of Israel handbook Goes into greater depth on all the feasts Gives insights into God s redemptive plan, discusses the prophetic purposes of the feasts 236-page paperback ISBN:

25 Redeemed and Restored Life doesn t always turn out the way we expect. Everyone experiences hard times and major losses, and sometimes we wonder if God really cares. But the book of Ruth shows us that disappointments are not the end of the story. Ruth and Naomi faced tough times: Ruth was a widow, childless, and a Moabite, the cursed enemy of God s people Israel. Yet God redeemed her. And he changed Naomi s life from bitter to blessed. Enjoy getting a close-up look at the book of Ruth and how it applies to our lives today. Find out how this timeless story points to our ultimate Redeemer Jesus Christ, and how it reveals his unconditional love for us a love that desires to redeem your past, restore your present, and give you a hope-filled future. In just six sessions, you will / Find out the historical background of the book of Ruth including what marriage, widowhood, and redemption meant in Bible times. / See how Ruth, a destitute foreigner, becomes one of only five women named in Jesus family tree! / Dive into the beautiful symbolism of this story, learning how Boaz (as a kinsman-redeemer) prefigures and points to our ultimate Redeemer, Jesus. This Participant Guide goes with the DVD Bible Study Redeemed: Seeing the Messiah in the Book of Ruth (ISBN ) The Six Sessions Are: Light in the Darkness Naomi s Faithlessness Ruth s Faithfulness Surprising Grace The Law of Love Redemption RELIGION / Biblical Studies / Old Testament ISBN-13: Bristol Works, Inc. Bible Study Made Easy 4733 Torrance Blvd., #259 Torrance, CA USA Stock # 295X