Meat for the Hungry

Today we are pausing for review, in order to gain a deeper understanding of God's leading. The book of Ruth tells the story of one family living in the time of the Judges of Israel, approximately 1100 BC. This period spanned from about 1380 to 1050 BC – from the death of Joshua until the crowning of Saul as Israel’s first king. It was a tumultuous time of obedience to disobedience, faith to unfaithfulness, provision to punishment and back again. During one interlude when God was calling Judah to repentance, He stopped the rain. The blazing hot sun caused drought and famine quickly followed. In its wake, Elimelech, his wife Naomi and two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, ran away to the gentile nation of Moab.

With Israel’s deliverance secured and their memorials in place, the journey continued. “Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, for God said, ‘Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt. So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea…” (Ex. 13:17-18a) I’ve heard the walking distance from Egypt to Canaan could have taken only eleven days. If true, Israel might have been in their new home in less than two weeks.  However, God knew war and giants awaited them and they were not ready. So God lead them the best way, the way He wanted them to go.