The Purpose of Marriage

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Hi GAMErs!

today’s passage: Ruth 4:1-12.  Let’s go!

Ruth 4:1 (NIV)
1 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat there. When the kinsman-redeemer he had mentioned came along, Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

On verses 1-9:  I’m intrigued by the interaction between Boaz and his relative and how different these two men are.

On one hand there’s Boaz.  Boaz was thoughtful, considerate, and intentional in his dealings with people and in business.  Before making a decision, he would do his research, count the cost, and plan ahead.  I get the sense that Boaz would try to think two steps ahead of everyone else.  Boaz was also respectful in the way he communicated with those he dealt with.  Thoughtful decision making and good EQ – these are part of what made Boaz an effective leader and a successful businessman.  You see these traits of Boaz in play often in the book of Ruth, but especially here in Ruth 4:1-12.  Boaz thoughtfully speaks to his relative (v1), wisely invites the elders of the town to be witnesses to a transaction (v2), skillfully leads his relative to relinquish his right as kinsman redeemer (v3) and eloquently announces to all the people that he will step in as Ruth’s kinsman redeemer (v9-10).

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亲蜜之旅的延续

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雅歌4:10  我妹子，我新妇，你的爱情何其美！你的爱情比酒更美，你膏油的香气胜过一切香品。

阅读经文：雅歌3:6-5:1

3:6那从旷野上来，形状如烟柱，以没药和乳香并商人各样香粉薰的，是谁呢？7看哪，是所罗门的轿，四围有六十个勇士，都是以色列中的勇士，8手都持刀，善于争战，腰间佩刀，防备夜间有惊慌。9所罗门王用黎巴嫩木为自己制造一乘华轿。10轿柱是用银做的，轿底是用金做的，坐垫是紫色的，其中所铺的乃耶路撒冷众女子的爱情。11锡安的众女子啊，你们出去观看所罗门王，头戴冠冕，就是在他婚筵的日子，心中喜乐的时候，他母亲给他戴上的。

第三幕：幕中透露所罗门的身份，原来他不是普通的牧人，而是高贵的国王；现在他回复原来身份，到书拉密女家中把她迎娶回去；幕里的情景（可能是继上幕所罗门在她家里过夜时的情语）转到所罗门向书拉密女吐露爱慕，也表露婚娶之意。(录自马有藻博士《旧约概论》)

1988年派拉蒙出了一部喜剧电影，是由艾迪.墨菲Eddie Murphy主演的《来到美国Coming To America》。内容是杜撰的一个非洲国家Zamunda桑孟达的王子，为了不满家里为他订亲，因此离家出走，带着仆人，假扮成穷学生在美国纽约市的皇后区租了一间破旧的公寓，希望能找到一个真正爱他，而不是看上他王位的女人。

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亲蜜之旅的开始

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雅歌3:5   耶路撒冷的众女子啊，我指著羚羊或田野的母鹿嘱咐你们：不要惊动，不要叫醒我所亲爱的，等她自己情愿。

阅读经文：雅歌 2:8-3:5

2-8听啊，是我良人的声音！看哪，他蹿山越岭而来。9我的良人好像羚羊，或像小鹿。他站在我们墙壁后，从窗户往里观看，从窗櫺往里窥探。10我良人对我说：「我的佳偶，我的美人，起来，与我同去！11因为冬天已往，雨水止住过去了。12地上百花开放，百鸟鸣叫的时候已经来到，斑鸠的声音在我们境内也听见了。13无花果树的果子渐渐成熟，葡萄树开花放香。我的佳偶，我的美人，起来，与我同去！14我的鸽子啊，你在磐石穴中，在陡岩的隐密处，求你容我得见你的面貌，得听你的声音，因为你的声音柔和，你的面貌秀美。」

本书开启第一幕先介引所罗门与书拉密女在追求间时的爱情，女子在耶路撒冷众女子面前辩白其相貌虽粗黑，然有其天然的秀美；此后其景转到所罗门与书拉密女在密室中（隐密处）互向对方表露爱慕。

二、第二幕（ 2:8-3:5）论所罗门到访书拉密女时之光景。书拉密女见他跨山越岭而来，心内窃窃高兴；所罗门来到，甜言细语邀她到外面游玩，因那是盛春白花开放百鸟齐鸣的时候，但书拉密女因工作缠身，婉言拒绝，求他夜间工余时（天起凉风，日影飞去）再回来。所罗门遭拒，失望之余便离去了。书拉密女等到深夜，至上床休息时也不见其爱人回来，心中焦急虑，于是出外寻找他的下落，结果给她寻着，当天晚上所罗门在她家留宿。(节录自马有藻博士《旧约概论》)

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Don’t Leave ‘Em Hanging

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ruth 3:1-18.  Let’s go!

Ruth 3:1-9 (NIV)
1  One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for?
2  Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.
3  Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.
4  When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

On verses 1-9:  Here the love story between Boaz and Ruth is about to go to another level quickly.  Why would Ruth, as per Naomi’s instructions, uncover Boaz’s feet?  Some try to argue that Ruth was trying to seduce Boaz and offered herself sexually to him, and that “feet” is another term for Boaz’s private parts.   But considering that the threshing floor was a public area where other people were present, it’s unlikely that Ruth was trying to do anything sexual with Boaz in the middle of the threshing floor.  Moreover, if Boaz and Ruth were as noble and God fearing as they appear to be in the rest of the book of Ruth, it is even more unlikely and inconsistent for either of them to try to have sex with one another before actually being legally married.

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等她自己情愿

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雅歌2:7   耶路撒冷的众女子啊，我指著羚羊或田野的母鹿嘱咐你们：不要惊动，不要叫醒我所亲爱的，等她自己情愿。

阅读经文：雅歌  1-2:7

1-1所罗门的歌，是歌中的雅歌。

2愿他用口与我亲嘴！因你的爱情比酒更美。3你的膏油馨香，你的名如同倒出来的香膏，所以众童女都爱你。4愿你吸引我，我们就快跑跟随你。王带我进了内室。我们必因你欢喜快乐，我们要称赞你的爱情，胜似称赞美酒。她们爱你是理所当然的！

〈雅歌Song of Songs〉是《圣经》里极特别的一卷书，它不只是写男女之爱的情歌，更是描述神和人关系之密切的一首歌。犹太人每逢过逾越节时会咏唱它，来歌颂神对以色列民不变的爱。从新约的角度来看，用〈雅歌〉来形容基督和信徒的关系也十分贴切。有的人用六首情歌来注释，有的人以五场幕景来看它。今天我们要用马有藻博士在《旧约概论》里对〈雅歌〉的注解来欣赏这首歌中的雅歌。

本书实是数幕爱剧，并不是杂乱无章的情话集，而剧幕有极美之剧本（ Plot）（可是不能用廿世纪编剧技巧批判），兹将剧情简述如下：

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Jesus in the Book of Ruth

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ruth 2:14-23.  Let’s go!

Ruth 2:14-16 (NIV)
14  At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.” When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over.
15  As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Even if she gathers among the sheaves, don’t embarrass her.
16  Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.”

On verses 14-16:  In Boaz we see a cool reflection of Jesus Christ in the book of Ruth, whereas Ruth is a great picture of the church.  For example:

– Just as Boaz fed Ruth a meal by offering her bread and wine (v14), Jesus invited his disciples to a meal of bread and wine at his last supper, and later gave His body (represented by the bread) and His blood (represented by the wine) for us.

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脱离虚空，进入得胜

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传道书12:14   因为人所做的事，连一切隐藏的事，无论是善是恶，神都必审问。

阅读经文：传道书12:9-14

9再者，传道者因有智慧，仍将知识教训众人，又默想，又考查，又陈说许多箴言。10传道者专心寻求可喜悦的言语，是凭正直写的诚实话。11智慧人的言语好像刺棍，会中之师的言语又像钉稳的钉子，都是一个牧者所赐的。12我儿，还有一层你当受劝诫：著书多，没有穷尽；读书多，身体疲倦。13这些事都已听见了，总意就是敬畏神，谨守他的诫命，这是人所当尽的本分。14因为人所做的事，连一切隐藏的事，无论是善是恶，神都必审问。

曾经我们的小组请了一位特别来宾来分享。他那年83岁了，看上去精神奕奕，一点没有老态。他就是在1960年代享誉北美的大厨Stephen Yan. 他享誉于北美不只是因为他是个大厨，更因为他创作的电视节目非常风趣幽默，深受大众喜爱。他在50岁退休，参与了泰国一位神父的慈善工作，帮助泰国许多被人丢弃或是遭到强暴及虐待的不幸儿童，及一些残废的孩子。

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What to Look For in a Life Partner

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ruth 2:1-13.  Let’s go!

Ruth 2:1-13 (NIV)
1  Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz.
2  And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.”
3  So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.

On verses 1-13:  In today’s passage from Ruth 2:1-13, we see from Ruth and Boaz some outstanding traits that made each of them worth noticing.  Guys and girls, when you look for a life partner, don’t just focus on physical appearance or financial standing.  Even more, focus on the person’s character because it’s the character of the two partners — not their looks or their bank account — that will determine how happy and healthy their relationship will be in the end.

Here are 4 great qualities about Ruth from today’s passage:

1. She was wise and resourceful (v2 – “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain…”).  According to Leviticus 19:9-10 and 23:22, the poor and foreigners were allowed to go into an Israelite’s field and pick up the leftover crops that were not harvested the first time.  Ruth understood this law and decided to use it to provide for her family.

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