Today's reading concludes the story of loyalty and romance with the marriage of Ruth and Boaz. Given the practices of the times, first Boaz had to prove that no one else had claim to Ruth, so that he could marry her (a sad reminder of the ways that women were treated as property in the ancient world).
Today's reading hints at the romance between Boaz and Ruth. Despite the fact that she is a poor foreigner, the wealthy landowner protects and provides for Ruth. Ruth, following her mother-in-law's advice, uses her womanly powers to convince Boaz to make a proposal for her hand -- in fact, one might say that she even seduces him one night.
Today's reading introduces us to the man who takes an interest in Ruth, a wealthy relative of Naomi named Boaz. Following a law that allowed the destitute to get food by picking through the fields after the pickers had harvested, Ruth was gleaning in Boaz' fields. But Boaz allowed Ruth to pick alongside his field workers -- even providing her food and water -- and instructed his workers to leave entire sheaths of grain for her to glean.
Today's reading introduces us to Ruth (the great-grandmother of King David) and her mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruth found herself in a precarious situation as her husband, along with the other men in her husband's family, died, leaving no one to provide for the widows, including Ruth and Naomi. Naomi instructs her daughters-in-law to return to their birth families, hoping that they would take them in. But Ruth refuses; even though she is a Moabite, she joins with Naomi and travels to the town of Bethelehem, in the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin.
Today, Rev. Joshua Patty preached about the years in the Promised Land between the death of Joshua and the anointing of King Saul. This period, described in the book of Judges, saw the Israelites choose one charismatic leader after another (called judges) -- some of the more famous were Samson, Gideon, and even a woman, Deborah. These people were chosen for strength (Samson), military leadership (Gideon), or wisdom. The problem is that each of the judges was imperfect, and some of them were not very faithful leaders; eventually, the people began asking God for a king to rule over them and bring order to the land.
Only two books of the Bible are named for women: one for queen Esther, and this short gem for Ruth. Ruth was not royalty, but was the great-grandmother of the greatest king of all, David. Her story seems to foretell of David's complex personality; after all, he was at the same time a ruthless military leader and a poet and singer, whose songs echo through the ages in the book of Psalms.
If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Judges you might have missed. Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.
Today's first reading gives clear evidence that the conquest of the Promised Land was not nearly so easy as portrayed in Joshua. Instead, it took generations -- in fits and starts -- to gain control of all of the territory (a process likely not completed until the kingship of David). Here, the tribe of Dan finally gains territory to call its own, after defeating the current inhabitants. (At the end, there is also another bit of evidence of the questionable faith, with a mention of idol worship.)
Today's first reading recounts the rise of Samson, perhaps the most famous of Israel's judges. A man of superhuman strength, he also had questionable judgment in women, as shown by his marriage to a Philistine woman (even before his relationship with Delilah).
Today's reading offers the tragic tale of Jephthah and his daughter -- a reminder that most of the judges of Israel were not the best examples of faith. Jephthah, a mighty warrior, pledged to sacrifice the life of the first person he met if God would give him (and his army) victory; the first person turned out to be his daughter.
Today's first reading gives the background for the rise of Gideon. The Hebrews had fallen under control of Midian, but then God called upon Gideon to become a warrior to defeat the Midianites.
Today's first reading tells what happened in the aftermath of Joshua's death. Without a strong central leader, the Hebrews became more tribal, with occasional strong leaders called judges taking charge. Also, without a central leader, the people begin to stray in their faith, causing God to test them.
Judges offers the darker story of the Hebrew conquest of the Promised Land, suggesting that it was a longer and messier process than suggested by the book of Joshua alone. Instead of completely conquering the people who already lived there, the Israelites defeated some and lived alongside others. This created problems because the intermingling weakened and diluted their faith.
If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Joshua you might have missed. Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.
Today's first reading gives the first part of Joshua's farewell discourse to the Hebrews, the wisdom of his long life and the experience of God helping the Israelites to capture the Promised Land.
Today's first reading introduces the history of the Hebrews capturing the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, with God's commission and directions to the Moses' successor.
Today's first reading offers a cautionary tale of how God's favor can turn to punishment when someone among the conquering Hebrews does not follow God's instructions.
Today's first reading suggests that the Hebrews had lapsed in some of the important rituals of their faith, including circumcision and perhaps even Passover. Before they can inhabit the Promised Land, they have to reclaim the full practice of their faith.
Today's reading describes how the Hebrews entered the Promised Land for the first time, miraculously crossing the Jordan River which separates and stands still when the Ark of the Covenant is carried into its midst.
Today, Rev. Joshua Patty preached about the book of Deuteronomy, the last of Torah, the first five books of the Bible. In some ways, Deuteronomy simply retells parts of the story of Exodus. However, while Exodus focuses on God's miracles which freed the Israelites from slavery, Deuteronomy is much more concerned with how the Israelites should learn to treat God before they enter the Promised Land.
Joshua is the first book of the histories of the first autonomous Hebrew nation. Along with Judges, the next book, it describes the conquest of the Promised Land by the Israelites. Under the leadership of Joshua, who succeeds Moses after his death, the Hebrews cross the Jordan River (miraculously) and systematically capture the cities and regions of the Promised Land.
If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Deuteronomy you might have missed. Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.
Today's first reading is a beautiful summary of the positive aspects of the law. God promises to be faithful to the Hebrews -- God's chosen people -- and hopes that the Hebrews will respond by choosing to live in accordance with those laws, which point the way towards lives of prosperity and joy.
Today's first reading describes how the Hebrews are instructed by God to conduct their wars and treat foreigners that they wish to conquer. At times gruesome, it also offers a glimpse of the most important thing about warfare -- not military might, but faith in God.
Today's first reading warns the Hebrews not to be led astray by false prophets or bad relationships into worshiping a false god instead of the true God.
On Sunday, Rev. Joshua Patty preached about the recurring theme of complaining in the book of Numbers. The book, which gives lengthy details of the full census of the Israelites before they took possession of the Promised Land, also explores some of the growing pains that the Hebrews faced in their transformation from slaves in Egypt to an independent people worthy of being God's people. One of these growing pains was their dissatisfaction with life in the wilderness, exemplified by their complaining about manna (which was miraculously given by God) and dreaming of the food they ate as slaves.
Today's first reading answers an interesting question (one that will be asked of Jesus too): What is the essence of the law? This describes how God most wants the Hebrew people to live.
Today's first reading tells emphasizes the most important part of the law, that the people place their complete trust in God. It also warns that bad things could happen if they turn away from God or forget God.
Deuteronomy is the fifth and final book of the Torah. In many ways, it is a reiteration of the law described in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, trying to teach God's people what the most important aspects of the law are. Essentially, it is to live one's life completely trusting in God to provide, to guide, and to protect.
If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Numbers you might have missed. Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.
Today's first reading tells how a foreign prophet refuses to foretell his king about the demise of the Hebrews; he knows that they will not be defeated, despite the king's desire. Instead, this is one of his prophetic responses -- one of the few non-Hebrew prophecies preserved in the Bible. Before this is the famous story of how Balaam learned to fear the Hebrews, due to the odd behavior of his donkey.
Today's reading tells of Moses' mistake at Meribah, where the leader ignored God's specific instructions for obtaining water from a rock -- a mistake that prevents the prophet from entering the Promised Land. It also gives an example of why it was difficult for the Hebrews to journey through the wilderness -- other nations were afraid the Hebrews would conquer them. And, at the end, Moses' brother Aaron dies.
Today's reading describes another serious rebellion of the Hebrews in the wilderness. After hearing the mostly negative report of the slaves, some conspire to return to Egypt, even if it means becoming slaves again. At this, God threatens to disinherit the complaining people, but Moses argues that such an act would lower God's appearance in the eyes of all the other nations of the world.