C263 4/30/61
© Project Winsome Publishers, 2000

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"GREAT WOMEN OF THE BIBLE -- RUTH"
Dr. John Allan Lavender
Ruth 1:1- 4:22

Tucked away between Judges and Samuel, two Old Testament books loaded with tumult and violence, is a Bible gem. In sharp contrast to the books which lie immediately fore and aft of it, the book of Ruth is completely devoid of the fierce, wild sounds of wickedness and war. In fact, not a single cruel or licentious person makes his appearance in this brief, but beautiful tale of chivalry and love.

Compared to its two Old Testament brothers, Judges and Samuel, Ruth is like an oasis in the middle of a desert. Like a single, silver star in an inky sky. Like a fragrant rose growing tall atop a pile of refuse. Like a fertile valley lying peaceful and green between stern mountain peaks.

But, by whatever adjectives used to describe it, this shortest of all books in the Old testament is probably the sweetest. Certainly it is one of the most tender and touching tales ever told.

The Characters
It centers around the activities of eight ordinary people, five of whom play subordinate roles. Elimelek, a Jewish farmer, husband and father. Mahlon and Chillion, his two sons, and Orpah the wife of Chillion. These four minor actors appear in the first fifteen verses of chapter one, and are not mentioned again. The fifth, an unnamed kinsman whose superstition and probable prejudice consigned him to oblivion forever, is mentioned briefly in chapter four.

The three main characters of the book are Naomi, Boaz and Ruth.

Naomi
We are introduced to Naomi in chapter one, verse two. As we follow the story, we learn Naomi's standout features are her courage and good judgment in the face of most trying circumstances.

Left a widow in a foreign land, she sustains a second loss when her two married sons also die shortly after the death of her husband. Though her grief is real, she refuses to succumb to the sickness of self-pity. Instead, rising above her circumstances, Naomi demonstrates to her two young Moabite daughters-in-law, the security and strength to be found in Jehovah.

Naomi not only proves to be a perfect wife and mother, but a superlative example of what a mother-in-law should be. So much so, that while most of the story centers around the nobility, the beauty, and tenderness of Ruth, we cannot miss the figure of Naomi as she inspires and sustains the younger woman, living out, day by day, an example of what a quite ordinary, yet truly godly, woman ought to be.

Boaz
The main man in this fascinating tale of love and chivalry is Boaz, a wealthy bachelor kinsman or in-law of Naomi. The key to this man's character is found in the wonderful and affectionate relationship he shares with his employees. "The Lord be with you," is the salutation with which he greets his workers each morning (2:4a). The enthusiastic manner in which a hundred voices chorus back "And the Lord bless you" (2:4b), is indicative of the fondness with which these people look upon their employer.

Here, this little book delivers a completely relevant message to those of you who work in management positions, or own businesses in which you employ other people. Boaz is a master in labor-management relations. He genuinely loves the people who work for him. They are not manageable mannequins, mere cogs in his agricultural machinery. Rather, they are persons whom he knows individually, and for whom he has a special and personal concern.
He treats them as sons instead of slaves, and they respond with warm respect.

A man of honor, justice and truth in the marketplace, Boaz is also virtuous, generous and kind at home. He moves about Bethlehem with all of the verve and vigor of a man who dearly loves life. And yet, at all times and in all places, he is temperate and chaste. What a superlative example of a man, as a man ought to be. What a splendid pattern for all employers and workers with people.

Ruth
Ruth, the lithesome lass for whom the book is named, is, of course, the main figure of the story. A woman of real character, she is gentle and decisive. She, too, has mastered the art of building healthy relationships. She seems to know the right thing to say and do, and the right time to say and do it.

Though meek, she is never weak. Though obedient, she has a will of steel. Though warm-hearted and loving, she is never gushing or fawning. And, though she, too, has experienced great sorrow and has accepted great responsibility, she gives no hint of self-pity, choosing rather to live out her life with quietness and grace.

The most fascinating thing about her, however, is her unique love for Naomi, her mother-in-law. Nowhere in all of literature is there a similar tale equal to it. As one commentator has observed,
"In other books there are abundant examples of the love of a young woman for her parents, her brothers and sisters, her husband, her lover, or some friend. But nowhere is it to be found such a strong and undying affection as this young woman has for her mother-in-law, a woman perhaps twice her age."

Mothers often give their son, who is as dear to them as life itself, to a daughter-in-law and receive little in return. But, in exchange for the gift of her son and her love, Naomi received the love, honor and respects of her son's wife. Which suggests a second very practical daily application. It is a guide to all mothers-in-law and mothers-in-law to be. Ladies, if you wish to receive love, you must give it. Self-seeking is self-losing, but self-giving is self-saving.

The Story
The story of Ruth begins during one of those famines for which the land of Israel is famous. Chronologically, it seems to fit best in the timespan after Gideon and before Sampson. Because of the famine, Elimelek, a Jewish father, cannot support his wife and two sons on the plot of land he owns near Bethlehem. He decides to move his little family to the supposedly lush land of Moab, just east of the Dead Sea.

It is a difficult decision because it means leaving the land of Canaan where the ark and temple -- symbols of God's presence -- are located, and journeying into a place of heathen worship. To a Jew, there is no land so distant as a land "where God is not" and, as a true Jew, Elemilek measured the distance he had to travel by "the distance from his God." The pain and difficulty of the journey, therefore, is not only found in the miles they must travel, but in the spiritual barriers they must face and conquer, before they can take their first step.

Unfortunately, their decision is ill-advised and their choice turns out to be a costly one. Elimelek, Naomi and their two sons, Mahlon and Chillion, discover the grass is not greener on the other side of the fence, for life in this strange land does not go well.

Their experience in Moab is something like that of a northern family who moved to Texas sometime ago. Upon arriving, they sent a letter to their friends back home, "Texas is a country with more land and less temper, more rivers and less water, more cows and less milk, more work and less money, than any part of earth."

The real tragedy for the family of Elemilek, however, is not their disappointment in finding the fields of Moab somewhat less fertile than they had dreamed, but the sudden death of Elemilek shortly after they arrived (1:3).

To assure the continuation of their father's name, and to begin raising a family of youngsters -- in those days children were an economic asset instead of a monetary liability as they are today -- we're told in verse four that Elemilek two fatherless sons break the ethnic separation principle taught by Moses, and marry Moabite women, something which is strictly forbidden. But, before these marriages can issue an offspring, verse five informs us the two boys also die, leaving their young widows with their already widowed mother, Naomi.

The three women share their grief, finding strength in their love for each other. While it is a great temptation for the aged Naomi to attempt to build a new life around her daughters- in-law, with rare honesty she faces up to the fact that while she is too old to remarry, they are too young not to. They are full of life and the need of love. With a bit of good fortune, they will find new husbands and build new lives quite apart from her own. She announces her intention to return to Bethlehem, and Ruth and Orpah offered to go with her.

"So she set out from the place where she was, with her two daughter-in-laws
and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah" (1:7).

By the time they come to the border of Canaan, Naomi realizes the true intention of the young women. They plan to go with her, not partway, but all the way. And, if she will have them, to live with her in Bethlehem.

It is then that Naomi presents a very moving argument. Look at verse eight --
"But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, 'Go return, each of you to her
mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with
the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find a home, each of you
in the house of your husband!' Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their
voices and wept. And they said to her, 'No, we will return with you to your
people.'

But Naomi said, 'Turn back, my daughters, why would you go with
me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn
back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should
say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons,
would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that
the hand of the Lord has gone for against me.'"

She finally succeeds in convincing Orpah that the better part of wisdom lies in turning back. After a painful parting, the older of the two young women retraces her steps to Moab.

Naomi then turns to Ruth and says,
"See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her gods. Return
after your sister-in-law" (1:15).
This is the moment of great crisis for Ruth. Somehow she seems to sense the choices she makes now will determine her place in God's purpose for all time to come.

What a difficult choice it is. As someone has said,
"Behind her is Moab, home of her childhood, of her father and mother. The
scene of so many friendships, the center of so many interests. Before her lies
Israel with its dark, forbidding hills, its alien faces, its unknown trials."
On the one hand,
"Pleasure, even common prudence, suggests that she return to the land where love
and hope are waiting for one so lovely."
But on the other hand, Ruth
"Hears a voice we cannot hear."
It is the voice of duty, compassion and faith. It is also the voice of love, not only for Naomi, but for Naomi's God.

In one of the noblest utterances known to man, Ruth answers Naomi,
"Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following you. Where you go,
I will go. Where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people,
your God shall be my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried.
May the Lord do so to me, and more so, if even death pardons me from you"
(1:16).

The temptation to turn back to a life of ease and self-seeking has been conquered. Joining hand and heart with Naomi, Ruth crosses the river Jordan and continues the long march home.

Verse nineteen explains how, when they arrive in Bethlehem, the whole town turns out to greet them. The folks are saddened to see the lines of pain and loss which ten years in the land of Moab have carved upon Naomi's countenance.
"She says to them, 'Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty has
dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back
empty'" (1:20).

But, while they are saddened and feel sorry for Naomi and her lovely daughter-in-law, as is often the case, their concern is not expressed in any concrete practical way. Few, if any householders, are willing to pay Ruth and Naomi to cook and clean. To spin and weave. To sew and tend children. Outside the household there is nothing a woman can do except become a prostitute. There are no shops or offices where she is permitted to work. No school teaching jobs or industrial positions. And so, in a short time, Naomi and Ruth are destitute.

Ruth learns that one of the laws of Israel gives the poor and needy the right to glean after the reapers have gone through the fields (Lev.19:9-10). Whatever "slim pickings" they are able to find is theirs. And so, with beautiful self-forgetfulness, Ruth sets out one morning to provide for Naomi and herself in this humble way.

She is too proud to beg, and just proud enough not to grumble. But she is not too proud to do whatever honest work she can find. So our text explains,
"Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, 'Let me go to the field, and glean among the
ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.' And she said to her,"Go,
my daughter.' So she set forth and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers.'
(2:2-3a)."

It is this willingness to work, and to work hard, at whatever task may be open to her, which places Ruth in a position where God can work in a mysterious way his wonders to preform. Which is another great principle this little book of history reveals. God often comes to us, and reveals his will for us, when we are busy doing all we can do to live and act responsibly. It is in doing God's will today, as far as we know it, that opens our eyes to his will for tomorrow.

One day, as she is gleaning in a field, doing what she can do to help solve her problem, she is seen by Boaz, the owner. Boaz is a middle-aged, wealthy bachelor. He is impressed by both the grace and charm of the young gleaner and inquires who she is.
"Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, 'Whose maiden
is this?' And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, 'It is the
Moabite maiden, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She
said, 'Pray, let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.' So
she has continued from early morning until now, without resting even for a moment'" (2:5-7).

Upon learning who she is, Boaz treats her with utmost courtesy and asks her (verse 8) not to glean elsewhere but to stay in his fields where she will receive every consideration.

When Ruth has gone back to her gleaning, Boaz instructs the young men working for him to treat her with honor and respect, to quote our beloved King James Version,
"To leave handfuls on purpose" (2:16).
That is, special bundles of unharvested grain, which will make her gleaning easier and more productive. The story of Ruth is plain that by faithfully doing our part, however small, we open the way for God to do his part!

As we learn in the balance of chapter two, when Ruth returns to Naomi that evening she has more than a bushel full of barley. But what is more, she has found a wee place in the heart of Boaz. As the days go by, he stops by to see her as she gleans the field, and a warm, deep love grows between them.

The harvest season is soon over, however, and the daily meetings with Boaz cease. Naomi detects Ruth's sadness in being separated from this man she has come to love and, as chapter three explains, Naomi contrives a plan in which she hopes will bring matters to a head.

Her idea is based on an ancient Jewish custom and teaching of the Mosaic law which directs that if a man dies, leaving his wife without a child, it is the duty of the nearest kinsman to marry her, bear children by her, so that the name of the dead man continues to live in Israel.

Since Boaz is a near kinsman of Naomi, and Ruth is a widow of Naomi's son, Naomi instructs Ruth to dress herself in her finest garments and go to the threshing-room floor where Boaz will be guarding against the theft of his grain, and make known to him how she feels.

Knowing her mother-in-law will not ask her to do anything improper, Ruth replies,
"All you say, I will do" (3:5).

When night has fallen, Ruth silently makes her way over the soft piles of grain, stopping now and then, sinking down with fear when one of the sleeping reapers stirs uneasily in his slumber, until, at last, she comes to the place where Boaz sleeps and lies down at his feet.

At midnight Boaz awakens and discovers her. When he asks her what she is doing there, Ruth responds,
"I am Ruth, your maidservant. Spread your skirt over your maidservant, for
you are next of kin" (3:9).

Boaz is overjoyed that Ruth should choose him instead of one of the many young men nearer her age. With tenderness and dignity he explains, in verses 10-13, why he has not proposed marriage before. He is several years her senior and he had expected her to be attracted to young men (2:10).

More importantly, and sadly, he has learned of another kinsman nearer to her than he, (3:12). However, now that he knows of Ruth's true feelings, he pledges to do everything possible to secure from this nearer kinsmen the right to marry her. And then, mindful of Ruth's reputation, he instructs her to return quietly to her home while it is dark so she will not be slandered (3:13-14).

In chapter four we are told that the following day Boaz contacts the nearer kinsman and, as the custom was, meets him at the city gates at the presence of the elders. This anonymous man admits his obligation and is willing to buy the land which was Elimelek's . But when he learns he must also take a Moabitess to be his wife he objects, and asks to be released from this obligation.
"I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I jeopardize my own inheritance"(4:6).

Perhaps it's racial prejudice which causes him to do this. More likely it's the superstitious fear that, if he marries an alien woman, the same calamity which befell her former husband will befall him. At any rate, he hands over his right to Boaz. The elders officially witness the agreement. The transaction is completed and Boaz takes Ruth to be his wife.

As a result of their marriage a son is born, as we are told in verse 13, and notice, please, the genealogy in verse 17.
Obed, Ruth's son, becomes the father of Jesse. He, in turn, becomes the father
of David, Israel's greatest king. David, from the human point of view, becomes
the great grandsire of none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. The Messiah. The
Redeemer. Wow!
Thus our story, which began with a sigh, ends with a Psalm.

Naomi is given a grandson to nurse in the sunset years of her clouded life.

Boaz, a symbol of what a man ought to be, is granted the grandest treasure on earth, a virtuous woman whose price is above that of precious jewels.

Ruth, the gentle and gracious Gentile girl who came to know and love the God of Abraham, is rewarded by being the one through whom God breaks down the barriers of race and nation so that in Jesus Christ there is no east nor west, and all men everywhere -- be they Jew or Gentile, black or white, bond servant or free -- can, through him, receive the love of God on level ground.

Applications
There a dozen different lessons we might learn from this story of rare and beautiful love, but let me share just three. First --

The Attitude We Take Toward What Happens, Is More Important Than The Event Itself.
Few people have experienced a greater calamity than that which befell Naomi. She not only knew a widow's sorrow, she shared a mother's grief as well. And yet, she met these tragedies with a cheerfulness and grace that left an indelible mark upon the gentle lass who was her daughter-in-law. Her spirit enabled Ruth to see, through the midnight of her own grief, the light of what ultimately proved to be an even larger love.

Instead of surrendering to the sin and sickness of self-pity, Naomi forgot what she had lost and remembered what she had left. She overcame her own problem and grief by crawling out of herself in service for another. Ultimately, she was able to look back and see how all things had surely worked together for good.

"Sometime when all life's lessons have been learned
And sun and stars forevermore are set,
The things which our weak judgement here have spurned,
The things o'er which we grieve with lashes wept,
Will flash before us out of life's dark night,
As stars shine most in deeper tints of blue,
And we shall see how all God's ways were right
And how what seemed reproof was love most true."
The attitude we take toward what happens, is more important than the event itself. Next --

The Most Effective Evangelism Is A Godly Life Well Lived.
Because of the nobility of Naomi's life and faith, Ruth was led to leave her heathen gods and become a daughter of Jehovah. It was not a matter of doctrine that convinced her. She was won not by clever logic, but by a godly life.

Through the joy of marriage and the sorrow of death, Naomi showed her Moabite daughter-in-law what strength and sustenance where to be found through faith in the God of Israel. Because of what she saw in Naomi's life, Ruth gave her heart to that same fine faith.

A little girl about five-years-old, went up before a congregation on children's day to say the piece she had memorized. When she saw all the people, she became frightened and forgot her lines. As she stood there, frozen in her tracks, unable to remember even a word she had memorized, her mother sitting in the front row, whispered the opening phrase, "I am the light of the world . . ."
Instantly the child's face relaxed and a smile replaced her worried look. With extreme confidence she began, "My mommy is the light of the world!"

Everyone smiled, and some even laughed out loud. But in those naive words the child expressed a tremendous truth. Christian moms (and dads) are the light of their children's world, even as Naomi -- by her faith and godly life -- was the light of the world to Ruth.

"I'd rather see a sermon than her one any day," a poet has said. We all agree. There is nothing so disillusioning as words not supported by deeds. Likewise, there is nothing more convincing -- there is no better bit of irrefutable evidence to support the claims of Christ -- there is no grander argument for the redeeming power of Jesus's name, than a godly life.

If you would be an evangelist, if you would win men and women to Jesus, if you would be a little island of hope and healing in a world of sickness and despair, then live what you say you believe. The most effective evangelism is a godly life well lived. The third great truth which the life of Ruth reveals is --

The Power of Choice and Decision
When Naomi announced her intention to go to Bethlehem, both of her daughters-in-law said they would go with her and both started on the long journey home. When they reached the boundary line between the two countries, Orpah turned back.

As Clarence McCartney suggests, she represents a very common type of person, often found in our churches today. These are they who have some desire to go forward with Christ and with his people, but who never bring themselves to the point of breaking with the world. Their hearts are in Moab, and eventually, back to Moab they go. But, as McCartney suggests, Ruth stands for those whose decision is final and irrevocable. There is no turning back. No backward look toward Moab. No toying with a turn back to the life of the world. Instead, she stands on the banks of the river Jordan with her back to Moab, and her face toward an unknown future. In her heart and on her lips the great decision has been made --

"Whither thou goest, I will go. Where thou lodgest, I will lodge. Thy people
shall be my people, and thy God shall be my God."

Decision is the first step in a life that would move toward God. And I would not be true to my calling if I did not ask this morning, have you made that decision? Have you taken that first step? Have you chosen Jesus Christ and eternal life?

Great things hung on Ruth's choice that day. But even greater things hang on your choice today. What is at stake is the destiny of your immortal soul. Right now will you say the word? Right now, while the angels listen and the redeemed of God give thanks, will you say the words that will make you a citizen of eternity? "Thy God shall be my God!"