Ruth: Faith of a Foreign Woman

Welcome and Recap:

Good morning, brothers, and welcome; to those of you here this morning, as well as those watching via our new capability, so we’re excited for this! Hopefully, this will multiply our ability to reach others, so praise the Lord for that, and it is our prayer that we can grow, if not our community here, at least add to the saints one day. But that’s what this is about, right? We’re the planters in this season, not necessarily the reapers. There are different seasons of life.

And that’s what we’ve been talking about in our journey through Scripture, right? As we continue in the Story of Israel, observing the ways that God has shown up in our history and looking at how previous generations have played a part; up to now, and how we, too, fit into the one upper story—that mural of interwoven narratives that are the tapestry of our faith. Not disconnected but interdependent. Not as means to an end, but as ends ourselves, each one of us, so much so that the Father sent the Son to die for the forgiveness of sins.

Transition:

And that’s what we take a look at today in the story of Ruth, one of five women who are recounted in the genealogy of Jesus; Tammar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. Specifically, we will look at how God is involved in the day-to-day joys and hardships of our lives.

Illustration:

A guy with a lot of life experience who could really tell a story once said as he sat on a bench waiting on a bus, “you know, it’s funny what a young man recollects. ’Cause I don’t remember being born. I don’t recall what I got for my first Christmas, and I don’t know when I went on my first outdoor picnic. But I do remember the first time I heard the sweetest voice in the wide world.”

And there’s truth to it if you think about it, the world always has influential people, but even some of the most influential people during any given time may not matter one day. Think about your history books; some of the most important events, the dates 1492, 1776, the 1860s, 1912, 1918, 1941, and 2001, all have significance. Maybe a president or a general is remembered by history for an achievement apart from those significant dates. There are inventors and pioneers, but also, history remembers who history wants to remember. Hundreds of years elapsed in the middle centuries. We even refer to them as the Middle Ages because they simply connect us to ancient times. They were significant times for those who lived within them, and sure, some stuff came out of them, but we’ve even had presidents that people have forgotten or never even learned.

Transition:

But God’s Story perseveres. God superintends His story. It’s why we believe in Sola Scriptura; that it contains what it needs to contain, it is sufficient. It’s why Ruth is in it. It’s an odd book; God isn’t really even brought up except for being invoked in blessings, “may God bless you,” or in the promise of Boaz, “as surely as the Lord lives.”

God is oddly quiet in ways we’ve come to expect him from chapters past. He doesn’t speak, and aside from several verses from the end of the story, in 4:13, when it says, “the Lord enabled her to conceive,” which is, by the way, the interpretation; one we agree with, still, not present in the story aside from an omniscient narration. So he’s present by way of grace and mercy.

Narrative:

The Book of Ruth is set during the time of the Judges, we learn that in verse one, and we learned last week, in the history of Israel, that it’s a period of unrest and turmoil. The people of Israel were struggling to remain faithful to God.

So, we meet an Israelite family in Bethlehem struggling to survive a famine. In search of food, they move onto the land of Moab, and there the father of the family dies, and the sons marry two Moabite women, Ruth and Orpha. And then, in the next verse, which is only verse five, by the way, so we’re covering a lot really quickly here, but the sons also die.

Six verses in, we’ve got half as many people, Naomi and these new daughters-in-law. And so, Naomi has no reason to stay and heads back to Judah but encourages her daughters-in-law to stay and remarry. After Orpha returns to her people and her Gods, this is where it’s recorded that often quoted and sung reply by Ruth, 16 “Don’t plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Exposition:

In this context, Ruth’s story serves as a counterpoint to the larger narrative of the Israelite people.

During the time of the Judges, while God’s covenant people are struggling to be obedient, this foreigner demonstrates this concept of hesed, a Hebrew word that describes an active concept and is considered an essential part of the nature of God. The term is frequently used to describe God’s gracious and merciful practices. With the chance to be free and clear of obligation, free to marry and go about her life, Ruth takes it upon herself to redeem her mother-in-law, determined to help supply her with an heir. This is selfless because, while Ruth’s fate was full of potential, not so much for her elderly companion. It is through this way that we are reminded of the importance of sacrificial love, loyalty, and trust in God’s plan in the story of Ruth.

Narrative:

When the two women arrived in Bethlehem, all the townspeople welcomed them. They remembered Naomi. They were happy to have her back. And so Ruth goes out to look for food, and it just so happens that she ends up picking grain in the field of a man named Boaz, who just so happens to be Naomi’s relative. We’re told that Boaz is a man of noble character, and he notices Ruth. It doesn’t hurt that the news of Ruth’s kindness to Naomi had made its way to Boaz. So, there’s a moral here. Not only does he show remarkable generosity to her, but he also makes special provisions so that she can gather grain in his field amongst the sheaves, not just gleaning, not behind the workers as commanded by the Torah, to show generosity to the immigrant and the poor.

In chapter two, we’re told that Boaz had ordered his male servants not to harass her, in so doing, making sure she stuck around, giving her the key to the breakroom, if you will, telling her to drink the water that was brought for his servants. Not only does he do all this, but 2:14 records him sharing his lunch with her and even sending home extra food for Naomi.

When she returns to Naomi, we learn that Boaz is a kinsman redeemer. In Genesis 38, we saw the same being done with Judah’s sons, three of them being married in succession to Tamar. This is done because the eldest dies, and the cultural practice of the time, in order to preserve the bloodline, is for the nearest relative to provide the heir, marry the widow and take up the land and protect that family.

So, chapter three begins with Naomi’s plan to get Boaz to notice their situation. So, Ruth, in verse three, is washed up, perfumed, and dressed; well, I don’t know if ‘to the nines’ is the correct term or if it’s a lesser number or amount of clothes; suffice to say, she makes her intentions very clear. She asks if Boaz will redeem Naomi’s family and marry her.

Boaz displays impressive restraint. He points out that there is another redeemer who is more closely related, and may I add, that the fact he knows this so readily when he’s woken up at midnight, as it says in verse eight, tells me he’s thought about it more than once. But, his reaction in verse 11 regarding her loyalty to Naomi and her family is again one of overwhelming amazement. It says there that he calls her “a woman of noble character,” which is the same phrase used to describe the woman of proverbs 31.

So, Boaz doesn’t have that child-like, head-over-heels feeling, that giddiness, no, not at all! It says he waited. How long did he wait? All the way to the very next day, in chapter four, it says he sits down at the gate until the redeemer comes. Immediately, he gathers witnesses and asks if the redeemer is interested in performing the duties. Though the redeemer didn’t act sinful like Onan in Genesis 38, purposely depriving Tamar of an heir to which he’d have to divide into his inheritance, there is certainly an allusion made and a measure of unrighteousness attributed to his reasoning in verse six where he cites the same line of thought.

So, Boaz is loyal to Naomi’s family as well, and the story concludes with a reversal of all of the tragedies from chapter one. The reproach of death was lifted by marriage, the birth of their child granting joy and lineage to Naomi, restoring her honor.

Exposition:

The book of Ruth mentions God several times. Still, it does not record God directly speaking or doing anything markedly supernatural. No miracles are recorded in the book of Ruth, no dreams or visions, and no exposition of divine lessons or relaying of commands. Through it all, however, God is all but absent. The book of Ruth is amongst three unique books in this way, along with Song of Songs and Esther, in that God appears to have no role or voice.

But to the faithful, the book of Ruth furnishes a panorama of God’s sovereignty in everyday life, especially in the three most important needs of ancient Near Eastern people: food, marriage, and children. The book of Ruth presents a powerful story of God at work, directing events from all sides to take care of his people and, more importantly, to accomplish his purposes.

Now, absent from its context, which is its proximity to judges, that is, pitting it in stark contradiction to the behavior of the Israelites, this could be received as an ancient manifestation of the prosperity gospel. But that’s not its message. It absolutely has everything to do with Judges. It’s about inclusion into the narrative of the upper story, those who are outsiders to the Nation of Israel. She’s a gentile, yet one of 5 women grafted into the lineage of the Messiah. She’s obedient to God, and, as verse 1 tells us, during the time of the Judges, which, as we saw last week, was representative of a time of disobedience and unfaithfulness from the Israelites.

The book of Ruth tells the story of God’s faithfulness to His people, which are all those created in his Image, via the Israelites, in the midst of difficult and uncertain times. Isaiah 56:3-7 says:

3 Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” … 5 I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. 6 And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants—all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant—7I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

Through the characters of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz, we see examples of sacrificial love, loyalty, and trust in God. Ultimately, the story of Ruth points us to Christ, who came to redeem and restore all of creation.

Transition:

God’s providence is at work behind every scene of this story, weaving together the circumstances and choices of all these characters. Naomi’s tragedy leads her to think that God is punishing her, but the wholestory is actually about God’s mission to restore her and her family. And he does so through Ruth, through her boldness and loyalty, which brings healing to Naomi’s life, but not without Boaz, who’s full of generosity and loyalty. So, God uses Boaz’s integrity combined with Ruth’s boldness to save Naomi and her family, through which the savior would be born.

Relation/explanation of illustration:

I said earlier that history remembers who history will remember. Vincent Van Gogh is often referred to as ‘the misunderstood genius.’ He was unappreciated during his time, only able to sell one painting during his lifetime. Today his art has its own museums and is valued in the hundreds of millions.

The story of Ruth isn’t a prosperity gospel because it’s not about Ruth’s faithfulness; it’s about God’s. All she got was redemption, and for someone else, for that matter—in the same way Tamar was exalted in Genesis 38, it was accredited to her as righteousness. And that was natural enough, right? She was young, attractive, and dressed the part; biology happened.

Like us, like Van Gogh, she didn’t know how her story would be used by God. It would be 1200 years before Jesus would come.

And so, this story brilliantly explores the interplay of God’s purposes and will with the human decision and will, as well as the upper story with the lower stories, which God weaves together to bring about his redemptive purposes in the world.

Connection to the Upper Story:

The Book of Ruth invites us to consider how God might work in the ordinary, mundane details of our lives. It encourages us to live lives of faith, hope, and sacrificial love, just as Ruth did.

These themes are echoed throughout God’s upper story, the broader narrative of the Bible, where God’s relationship with His people is often described as allusions to family relationships; Father and Son, bride and Bridegroom, children, brothers, and sisters. The story of Ruth, with its emphasis on loyalty and commitment to family, can be seen as an example of the kind of relationship God desires to have with His people.

That’s a redemption story. That is the Gospel, the euangelion, that good news. Ruth’s testimony is THE central concept of the Bible, describing the process through which God saves His people from sin and restores them to a right relationship with him. This is also the most relatable book in the whole Bible. Through the seemingly mundane, ordinary events in both this and our stories, “on the road marked with suffering, though there’s pain in the offering, blessed be the name” of the Lord!

Transition:

And though none of our lives are very pretty when we look closely, God redeems our stories and weaves them into His upper story, somehow creating a grand mural from it all. When you see Ruth’s journey from loss and hardship to a new life, see the potential your story has through God’s eyes. If that doesn’t give you hope for restoration, I don’t know what will.

Application:

Today’s Scripture provides a model of faithful living and a reminder of God’s enduring presence and work in the world. The themes of loyalty, redemption, and community continue to be relevant and inspiring for Christians today.

It’s important because identity as an Israelite in the story of Ruth and belonging to the family of God today is exclusive. God has expectations. There are expectations, but they’re not hard. Jesus says in Matthew 11:30, “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” That’s even prefaced with a call to “all who labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest.” Being an heir with Christ is exclusive, but the Kingdom of God is inclusive.

Ruth was considered an outsider, yet through her faith and loyalty, she is welcomed into the community of God’s people and becomes a grandmother of Jesus. In Christ, there is no Jew or Gentile, male or female, but all are one in Him. Jesus is the ultimate redeemer of God’s people. Through the story of Ruth, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness, God’s love, and God’s redemption, and we are invited into the family by placing our trust and hope in Him.

Challenge:

You can do this by displaying loyalty: love and serve one another in a sacrificial way, just as Ruth did for Naomi. You can do this by helping shape your community: Boaz not only followed the law concerning Israel’s treatment of foreigners but set an example of caring for others and reinforced a culture of dignified treatment of people, ensuring others were going to make people feel welcomed, not harassed, even when he wasn’t around.

In the book’s opening chapter, we see a character who experiences profound loss and bitterness. Does that sound familiar? The example of Ruth challenges us to think about our own relationships and ways in which we can show loyalty and commitment to others as we navigate life’s challenges.

And it’s not about fending for ourselves, waiting until we overcome whatever hardship we’re struggling through, only helping those around us whenever we’ve made it, whatever that looks like, because chances are they won’t be there anymore. Ruth’s story is set against the backdrop of difficult and uncertain times. That’s something I think we can all relate to also.

Conclusion:

The family of Christ is called to support one another, loving our neighbors as ourselves. Today, we’re still called to be faithful and obedient to God, even when our circumstances seem difficult or insignificant. Because through His people, God redeems and works through ordinary stories to accomplish His purposes.

In what ways is God calling you to trust in His faithfulness? Because we’re no longer in a time of waiting. We can seek redemption and restoration in our own lives and in the lives of those around us, knowing that through Christ, all things are possible. So, even in the midst of our struggle and even when it isn’t clear what the future holds, trust that God is with you and that He has a plan for our lives. If you haven’t been with us through the rest of this series, I invite you to join us as we explore the rest of God’s story, journeying through the rest of the Bible, and see how God has worked consistently throughout our history. He’s still working today in all things for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.