Bible Character Studies: Ruth. Pt. 2 Ruth commits to following Naomi and being with her people and claiming her God!
Good morning!
What a beautiful Lord's Day this morning. The golden morning sun is sifting through the trees coming in our windows. Spring is just around the corner!
Phippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Ruth 1:14-18 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. 15 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. 16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. 18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
Look at the tender emotions being expressed in this passage. Naomi told her beloved daughters in law that they should return to their respective families to seek the necessities of life. Orpah and Ruth both lifted up their voices and wept continually at the thought of leaving this dear woman who was like a mother to both of them.
Finally Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye and went back to her people. Ruth showed a deep love for Naomi and the thought of leaving her was unbearable , Instead, she clung tightly to Naomi. Naomi again urged Ruth to return to her family but she refused.
Ruth then made a beautiful commitment to care for Naomi and a strong profession of faith. She told her mother in law that wherever she would go, Ruth would go with her and wherever she found a place to stay, Ruth would stay with her.
Look now at her profession of faith in the God of Israel. Ruth said Naomi's people would become her people and Naomi's God would be her God. She pledged to Naomi that where she was buried Ruth would also be buried. Ruth made this a promise before Jehovah that only death would separate her from Naomi.
When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined, courageous, bold and had strength to do what she committed to do, then Naomi held her peace.
Ruth 1:19-22 So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? 20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Ruth and Naomi traveled about 45 miles from Moab back to Judah and Bethlehem. The text does not say that they had any companions and it was certainly not an easy journey. They safely completed their trip and all the city was moved at Naomi's return. There was a great commotion at her return because the people saw that her husband and sons were not with her.
Naomi expressed her deep agony to the people. The word "mara" means very bitter. She used the Divine names "Almighty" and "Jehovah" twice. She felt that God had judged her for some reason and that He had afflicted her. She was discouraged and distraught because of her losses and difficult situation she was in.
The text also gives us a small but important note concerning the time of year. They had returned to Bethlehem at the time when the barley harvest was going to start. God is going to use this small detail to make a big impact upon Ruth and Naomi.
Ruth 2:1-2 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
Do not let this next paragraph pass by unnoticed. Remember that God's law provides for a widow to be redeemed by a near kinsman or relative. The text tells us that Naomi did indeed have a kinsman of her husband Elimelech named Boaz.
Think back to our study of Rahab. She married an Israelite named Salmon and they had a son named Boaz. Thus, Rahab the harlot who came to know the One, True, Living God and found a new life with a new people fathered a son that God would use to save Naomi and Ruth.
One last thing to note here is that Ruth asked her mother in law's permission to go and glean corn from whatever field she found a gracious acceptance. Naomi gave her blessing and Ruth went off to work.
This tells us a lot about Ruth. She knew that they would need some kind of income in order to survive and she showed initiative to do whatever it would take for them to put food on the table.
Points to Ponder...
What a beautiful Lord's Day this morning. The golden morning sun is sifting through the trees coming in our windows. Spring is just around the corner!
Phippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Ruth 1:14-18 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. 15 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. 16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. 18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
Look at the tender emotions being expressed in this passage. Naomi told her beloved daughters in law that they should return to their respective families to seek the necessities of life. Orpah and Ruth both lifted up their voices and wept continually at the thought of leaving this dear woman who was like a mother to both of them.
Finally Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye and went back to her people. Ruth showed a deep love for Naomi and the thought of leaving her was unbearable , Instead, she clung tightly to Naomi. Naomi again urged Ruth to return to her family but she refused.
Ruth then made a beautiful commitment to care for Naomi and a strong profession of faith. She told her mother in law that wherever she would go, Ruth would go with her and wherever she found a place to stay, Ruth would stay with her.
Look now at her profession of faith in the God of Israel. Ruth said Naomi's people would become her people and Naomi's God would be her God. She pledged to Naomi that where she was buried Ruth would also be buried. Ruth made this a promise before Jehovah that only death would separate her from Naomi.
When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined, courageous, bold and had strength to do what she committed to do, then Naomi held her peace.
Ruth 1:19-22 So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? 20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Ruth and Naomi traveled about 45 miles from Moab back to Judah and Bethlehem. The text does not say that they had any companions and it was certainly not an easy journey. They safely completed their trip and all the city was moved at Naomi's return. There was a great commotion at her return because the people saw that her husband and sons were not with her.
Naomi expressed her deep agony to the people. The word "mara" means very bitter. She used the Divine names "Almighty" and "Jehovah" twice. She felt that God had judged her for some reason and that He had afflicted her. She was discouraged and distraught because of her losses and difficult situation she was in.
The text also gives us a small but important note concerning the time of year. They had returned to Bethlehem at the time when the barley harvest was going to start. God is going to use this small detail to make a big impact upon Ruth and Naomi.
Ruth 2:1-2 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
Do not let this next paragraph pass by unnoticed. Remember that God's law provides for a widow to be redeemed by a near kinsman or relative. The text tells us that Naomi did indeed have a kinsman of her husband Elimelech named Boaz.
Think back to our study of Rahab. She married an Israelite named Salmon and they had a son named Boaz. Thus, Rahab the harlot who came to know the One, True, Living God and found a new life with a new people fathered a son that God would use to save Naomi and Ruth.
One last thing to note here is that Ruth asked her mother in law's permission to go and glean corn from whatever field she found a gracious acceptance. Naomi gave her blessing and Ruth went off to work.
This tells us a lot about Ruth. She knew that they would need some kind of income in order to survive and she showed initiative to do whatever it would take for them to put food on the table.
Points to Ponder...
- Both of Naomi's daughters in law loved her and wept at the thought of parting.
- Ruth stayed with Naomi and committed to be with her until death separated them.
- Ruth vowed that Naomi's people and her God would become her people and her God.
- The Lord brought them back to Judah at the right time when harvest work was beginning.
- The Lord tells us that Naomi had a mighty kinsman named Boaz, the same man whose mother was Rahab the harlot.
- Jehovah is going to do a marvelous work and change the life of Ruth and Naomi in a dramatic way.
Ruth shows us deep love for her mother in law such that she wept aloud with her voice crying out at the prospect of having to leave this dear woman who was like a mother to Ruth.
Ruth shows a strong commitment to Naomi's well being that she is willing to care for her and stand by her until death separates them.
Ruth also showed a readiness to get right to work to help her family survive.
The love, commitment and work ethic that we see in Ruth's life should stir us to work as hard for our own family, to love our family as deeply as Ruth loved Naomi and to be committed to keeping our family together in Christian love until death parts us.
May we all praise our All glorious God for pulling back the curtain of history to show us the integrity and character of Ruth as an example for all of us to pursue. May the Lord grant us strength to change or make adjustments where we need to and may we honor Him with our response to His word in this post.
Bob
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