Backsliding
Ruth 1:15
And she said, Behold, your sister in law is gone back to her people, and to her gods: return you after your sister in law.


1. The backslidings of such as set out fair, and do begin well, is a sore temptation to young converts and proselytes. It was no less to the very disciples themselves (John 6:66, 67). Thus it was also an occasion of stumbling unto the primitive Christians to behold the backslidings of two such forward professors as Hymenaeus and Philetus had been; insomuch that the apostle saith to them, "Nevertheless the foundation" (of God's election) "standeth sure; the Lord knoweth them that are His," etc. As the multitude of sinners cannot give any patronage to the evil ways of sin, so neither can the paucity of saints put any disgrace or disparagement upon the good ways of God.

2. Some forward followers of the only true and living God may apostatise from thence to embrace the vanities of the Gentiles.

3. That love to the ways and worship of God is a sincere love which doth undergo trials and temptations, yet bears up against all: godly Ruth rides out the storm against wind and tide of both the sister's pattern and the mother's precept.

(C. Ness.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

WEB: She said, "Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law."




Orpah's Defection
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