SECOND QUARTER 2025
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #11
JUNE 14, 2025

 

Our lesson this week covers two well-known stories, both rich in gospel truths. The first is the story of Ruth. The setting of the story is stated in the opening verse of the book, “Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). The last verse of Judges gives further context and setting: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone didwhat was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). The story occurs during the time of the judges before there were kings and continues in the book of Ruth. “And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 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. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. 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. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so, the woman survived her two sons and her husband” (Ruth 1:1-5).

The Moabites were descendants of Lot’s eldest daughter through her incestuous relationship with her own father. The child born from that relationship was named Moab and was second cousin to Jacob. Another interesting fact is the reference of the author of the book of Ruth, to the home of Elimelech, Naomi and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion, as “Bethlehem, Judah.” There were two Bethlehems in ancient Palestine. Wanting to be precise, Bethlehem, Judah is mentioned twice and the second time something is added, “Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah” (Ruth 1:2). Ephratha, was an older name for Bethlehem, and meant, “the house of bread.” Sunday’s lesson points out that there was a famine in Bethlehem Ephratha, a town whose name means “house of bread.” The author further points out that “the human race began its existence in abundance” but exchanged that for the slavery of sin. God planned a rich inheritance for us, but sin entered. In the story of Ruth, we will see God’s plan to redeem us in Christ. 

The Apostle Paul outlines the redemption plan beautifully in the book of Ephesians. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, … by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace  which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence” (Ephesians 1:3-8). “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-7). The book of Ruth will end with a feast, not a famine! Several texts bear witness to the significance of Bethlehem, Judah. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). In the gospel of Matthew, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem inquiring where, “He who was born King of the Jews” was. Herod asked the same question and the answer given was, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel” (Matthew 2:5,6). And then in the gospel of Luke, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:4). “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). These texts link the story in the book of Ruth in a line from David to Jesus Christ.

Monday and Tuesday’s lessons get to the heart of the gospel. This story is well known to us and in Chapter 2 verses 5-20, we come to understand the concept of a near kinsman. Boaz was of the family of Elimelech and knew the story of Naomi’s loss and the current situation. He was a “near kinsman.” Ruth, “left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech” (Ruth 2:3). The Hebrew word translated “one of our close relatives” is goel. It is a technical term that means much more than “kinsman.” The goel was a relative who came to the rescue. It gives the idea of redemption, or deliverance. In fact, Old Testament scholars sometimes speak of the goel as a “kinsman-redeemer.” Boaz has been understood as a type of Christ. A “kinsman-redeemer” was, in effect, a living illustration of the position and work of Christ with respect to His people. Jesus chose to be made like His brethren. “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3). In Monday’s lesson, the author highlights the fact that Jesus’ favorite appellation for Himself was, “the Son of Man.” Jesus Himself used this term 84 times in the gospels. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). 

But there is more. "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertainingto God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:14-17). “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4,5).

Ellen White says this: “The story of Bethlehem is an exhaustless theme. In it is hidden ‘the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.' Romans 11:33. We marvel at the Saviour's sacrifice in exchanging the throne of heaven for the manger, and the companionship of adoring angels for the beasts of the stall. Human pride and self-sufficiency stand rebuked in His presence. Yet this was but the beginning of His wonderful condescension. It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man's nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam, He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life. 

“Satan in heaven had hated Christ for His position in the courts of God. He hated Him the more when he himself was dethroned. He hated Him who pledged Himself to redeem a race of sinners. Yet into the world where Satan claimed dominion God permitted His Son to come, a helpless babe, subject to the weakness of humanity. He permitted Him to meet life's peril in common with every human soul, to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss.”—The Desire of Ages, pp. 48,49. 

“Many claim that it was impossible for Christ to be overcome by temptation. Then He could not have been placed in Adam's position; He could not have gained the victory that Adam failed to gain. If we have in any sense a more trying conflict than had Christ, then He would not be able to succor us. But our Saviour took humanity, with all its liabilities. He took the nature of man, with the possibility of yielding to temptation. We have nothing to bear which He has not endured.”—ibid, p. 117. The result of this marvelous condescension is found in this verse. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15,16). The good news of the Book of Ruth can be summarized in Matthew chapter one where we note that Boaz and Ruth are in the genealogy of Jesus Christ who became Immanuel, God with us. In this, our history has been rewritten. 

We move now to the story of Esther. Because of continued rebellion, God’s people found themselves in Babylonian captivity. God raised up Persian rulers to deliver them from the hands of their captors. The first ruler was Cyrus, of whom prophecy foretold 100 years before his birth the role he would play. We find this in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23, Isaiah 44: 28, and Isaiah 45:1. He issued his decree in 538 B.C., and in 536 B.C. 50,000 Jews went back to Judea and began rebuilding the temple. However, hundreds of thousands—the great majority— failed to take the opportunity provided them by God and chose to remain in the provinces of Medo-Persia. God provided another opportunity using Darius Hystapes years later, resulting in more leaving, but the final decree came by Xerxes, the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. Conditions in Medo-Persia were changing and now the Jews who refused to heed God’s messages through His prophets were faced with a terrible crisis, which we read about in the third chapter of Esther. 

On Wednesday’s portion of the study guide, the author of the lesson makes an excellent parallel between the ambitions of Haman and Lucifer, highlighting a major issue in the great controversy, which is worship. He uses Revelation 12:17, and Revelation 13:15 and invites us to notice the parallels between them and Esther 3:1-14. He asks us to consider “how John’s description of God’s remnant church is like Haman’s description of God’s people.” Because of Haman’s pride, deception, slander, and self-exalting spirit a decree was given by the king to destroy, kill and annihilate all Jews. The decree was published such that every Jew in Medo-Persia knew and understood the gravity of the situation. Mordecai, Queen Esther’s relative, was grieved. She sent one of the King’s eunuchs to learn what caused this great grieving. “And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13,14). 

Individually and corporately, we need to appreciate that we have come to the kingdom for such a time as this. In the book Prophets and Kings, Ellen White says this: “The trying experiences that came to God's people in the days of Esther were not peculiar to that age alone. The revelator, looking down the ages to the close of time, has declared, ‘The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’ Revelation 12:17. Some who today are living on the earth will see these words fulfilled. The same spirit that in ages past led men to persecute the true church, will in the future lead to the pursuance of a similar course toward those who maintain their loyalty to God. Even now preparations are being made for this last great conflict. 

“The decree that will finally go forth against the remnant people of God will be very similar to that issued by Ahasuerus against the Jews. Today the enemies of the true church see in the little company keeping the Sabbath commandment, a Mordecai at the gate.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 605. For such a time as this the remnant movement has the privilege of proclaiming a message, “illuminating in its influence and saving in its power.”

“The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones. This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person, His merits, and His changeless love for the human family. All power is given into His hands, that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of His own righteousness to the helpless human agent. This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the third angel's message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 91. 

The book of Ruth tells us of our Saviour who is nigh at hand, our Kinsman-Redeemer, and the book of Esther tells us that this movement has been called for such a time as this to share the good news of the gospel and that a time of judgment is soon to come.

May God bless the work of this humble committee,

 

~Lyndi Schwartz