Ruth 1
-Introduction: During the period of the judges of Israel an
important family makes its appearance on the biblical scene in regard to God’s
salvation plan for mankind. The book of Ruth tells us how God worked through a
Gentile woman to bring her into the Family of Boaz, who is a direct ancestor of
King David and Jesus the Messiah. The Israeli society around this family was
collapsing in many ways with people living to please themselves rather than
their covenant LORD, but God was still at work for the redemption of mankind as
we will see in this short narrative. This book has an unknown author, though
some have speculated it to be the prophet Samuel. The date of the writing is
also unknown, but the events of the story happen three generations before the
birth of King David with Ruth being the great-grandmother of this future leader
after the heart of God (Acts 13:32). Therefore, the themes of this work
include, but are not limited to, grace, faithfulness, kindness, integrity,
protection, prosperity, blessing, and redemption. So as we read and study let
us remember that no matter how discouraging or antagonistic the world may seem,
there are always people who follow God around us, and His purposes will always
transcend the junk.
(Ideas extracted from “New American Standard Bible: Life
Application Study Bible.” Zondervan: Grand Rapids, MI, 1995, pgs. 426-427)
-Chapter 1: There was a famine in the land of Israel at a
point of the later period of the judges’ governance. A certain man, Elimelech,
from Bethlehem in Judah sojourned to the land of Moab with his wife and two
sons in search for sustenance and optimistic about a better life during these
days of distress. Elimelech’s wife was named Naomi (pleasant), and his sons
were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. They
remained in Moab until the death of Elimelech, and his boys had both married
Moabite women in due time. The Moabite women are biblically named as Orpah and
Ruth. Events occurred in time where both of the sons of Elimelech died as well
leaving Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth without the support of a man. Women were very
dependent on husbands for well-being in those days, and something had to be
done for survival. The decision was made by Naomi that she would return to her
ancestral home in Judah because she received word that the LORD had visited His
people with favor in giving them food again (Ruth 1:1-6).
-They departed the place where they were staying and went on
their way towards Judah. Along the journey, somewhere probably in the barren
land of that region, Naomi beseeched her daughters-in-law to return to their
mother’s house with the blessings of the LORD for rest, kindness, and a husband
for each. She had been very blessed to have had them as kind and considerate daughters-in-law
in her time of grief. Now she desired to release them so they could pick up the
pieces of their lives and somehow prosper again. They lifted their up voices
together and wept. They wanted to stay with Naomi, but Naomi rationalized that
she could not support them for she was old, unable to remarry, and could not
possibly provide for them other sons. She felt like the Hand of the LORD had
gone forth against her, and she felt like detaining these girls would not be a
good thing at all for their sake (Ruth 1:7-13).
-They lifted up their voices and wept again. Orpah decided
at this point to return to her people and her gods, but Ruth had another idea.
She clung to her mother-in-law telling her, “Do not urge me to leave you or
turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge,
I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you
die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and
worse, if anything but death parts you and me (Ruth 1:14-17).” What a stirring
testimony! Her faith and her commitment was enduring. She would stick with this
mother-in-law that she so dearly loved, not knowing the future or what would
become of them. She desired oneness and communion. She would not separate the
unity they had as a family.
-When Naomi saw that Ruth was indeed determined to go with
her, they ventured on together into the bold new future back in Israel. They
eventually came to Bethlehem, and the small city was stirred by the news of
their arrival. The women of the city said, “Is this Naomi?” It had been so long
since they’d seen her. Her reply to them shows what hard times she’d had, “Do
not call me Naomi (pleasant); call me Mara (bitter), for the Almighty has dealt
very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the LORD has brought me back empty.
Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has witnessed against me and the
Almighty has afflicted me?” Now they came back around the time of the beginning
of the barley harvest (Ruth 1:18-22).
-*Application* Hard core commitment is a rare thing in our
day and age. Sticking to something or someone is not the fashion of the hour.
Would that we consider the message here that Ruth presents us. Tough times
never last but tough people do. Love and unity overcomes all (Romans 12:21).
Verse to Memorize:
Ruth 1:16
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