MAY 2, 2024
“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: 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.” (Ruth 1:16-17)
The book of Ruth tells a fascinating story, which took place during the period of the Judges. It was apparently at the time when the Midianites invaded the land, and just before the call of Gideon. There was a famine in the land at the time, and there is no record of any other famine during that period. The famine was not caused by drought, but rather the result of their crops being either stolen or destroyed by the Midianites. It was then that a man named Elimelech took his wife, Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, and went to sojourn in the country of Moab.
This was not a wise move on the part of Elimelech. The famine was sent in judgment for Israel’s sin. Always before, during the period when God would send judgment in one form or another, the people would cry out to God. He then would raise up a judge to deliver them. But in this case, rather than to do his duty, by keeping his post, and crying out to God with his countrymen, he fled from before the enemy, left his home in Bethlehem Judah, and came to Moab.
As one might expect, it did not turn out well for Elimelech and his family. His sons married Moabitish women, contrary to the will of God. Within ten years he and his two sons had died, leaving only Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. Naomi then confessed, “The Lord hath dealt very bitterly with me,” and rose up fully resolved to return to her people and her God.
As we see in our text, one daughter-in-law, Ruth, insists on accompanying her mother-in-law. On the surface, it would appear that a young Moabite would be among the last persons to be of help to this returning Israelite, but what follows is truly amazing. God overruled the aforementioned wrongs, by honoring Ruth’s decision and using her to restore Naomi’s hope and future.
Today’s verses record Ruth’s vow to Naomi. Naomi had insisted that Ruth return to her old life and perhaps start a new family. Ruth quickly challenges this by saying that Naomi is her family, and where Naomi lives and dies Ruth will live and die. To summarize, centuries of history, Moab was one of the sons conceived by a drunken Lot (Abraham’s nephew). While God had promised that those who blessed Abraham would be blessed, Moab hated God’s people, Israel. When getting a prophet to curse the Israelites proved unsuccessful, Moab took another route: inviting Israel into sin so they would bring curses on themselves. When the Israelites traveled the Dead Sea, the Moabite king sent women to seduce the Israelite men and introduce them to their gods.
All this is to say that Israel and Moab had a long history of disdain; why then would Ruth (a Moabite woman), whose Israelite husband had died, insist on leaving home to follow her mother-in-law back to Israel? They have no man to protect them, provide for them, or hold their land. Their choices to earn a living are begging, gleaning, and servitude. Despite all this, Ruth will not leave Naomi.
Naomi said, “Call me Marah (bitter),” for the Lord had dealt bitterly with her. Yet, after living with Naomi’s family, Ruth is satisfied with the God of Israel. She will not return to her parents and seek a Moabite husband. She will follow Naomi to Bethlehem. Ruth is content living on the streets if that’s where Naomi is. She will reject her people and claim the Israelites, no matter how hostile they may be toward her. And she will worship Naomi’s God as her own.
This story is also important because it illustrates what it means to be a faithful follower. Like the men who followed Jesus were made to abandon their old lives, Ruth chooses to forget herself entirely and follow Naomi. While we believe everything in the Bible is true, this story has many parabolic qualities. May we all learn to follow Christ with the devotion and dedication with which Ruth followed Naomi.
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