Ruth 1:1-5: Headed the Wrong Way

Genre: Narrative- Short Story. Discourse. Problem-Resolution.

Theme: Naomi restored to fullness. A life of hesed.

A key theme is from emptiness to fullness.

A key theme in the book is the theme of children.

Look into the idea of a life of hesed being a distinguishing mark of God’s covenant people.

Yahweh alone redeems by the Seed of the woman.

Look at the garden curse. They had food, blessedness, communion with God.

Compare Naomi to Sarah and Rachel, barren and without hope, yet Yahweh provides offspring.

Compare Abraham’s and Jacob’s flights to Egypt with this flight to Moab and why are they different. Abraham went with all his household, leaving no one of God’s people behind. As did Jacob.

Explain the purpose of the period of the Judges. To show Israel their need for a king and the blessedness that would come from having a good king.

Talk about the sons marrying Moabite wives and what that would mean for the progeny (think uncircumcised males living in Moab versus circumcised living in Israel).

Good day,

So far I think I will deal only with 1:1-6 this week.  

I’d like to get your thoughts on if I am way off in what I am seeing there. As I have been reading and thinking about the text, it seems that the family should have remained with their people and endured God’s chastisement rather than leaving.  ​I am thinking about connections to texts like , especially vv 15 and 17; , the covenant curses (especially in regards to food and children) in , and the promise of restoration in . And also how the life of the covenant community should look, like and those who suffer according to God’s will entrusting their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. I looked at commentaries to see if I was off and two were in line with how I saw things (Block, Duguid) and two were not (Hubbard, Bush). 

Sin alienates from God and makes sin seem normal.

My bare bones study notes are below:

Genre: Narrative- Short Story. Discourse. Problem-Resolution. Theme: Naomi restored to fullness. A life of hesed. Things to deal with: The Time of the Judges, how does the story of Ruth contrast with Judges? Describe the cycles of judgment, enslavement, famine, and deliverance in Judges and the people’s spiritual state in general; contrasting the behavior of the peoples in each book.Elimelech’s name meant My God is King, yet he acts as his own king just as they were doing in the time of the judges by going after bread outside of the land of promise. (Promised land and a connection to Eden?)Heading to Moab: Describe the backwards nature of their journey. They are moving from the promised land to a land that is pagan and God haters. They are leaving the house of bread to seek bread in a foreign land. They did not just sojourn there, like it says in verse 1, but they remained there (2).  Forsaking Their People: They left their people behind, they did not participate in the judgment that God brought for disobedience that should have driven them to repentance, but they left instead, forsaking their people for the sake of their own comfort.Forsaking Their God: Rather than repenting, rather than staying and working to urge the people to repent, they left. They left God’s providential provision in the land of promise. They left God’s priests, rulers, and prophets. They left God’s worship. And they stayed away until their lives ended. God did not forsake HIs people when He sent famine, He used famine to draw them back to Himself. It was quite clear that the Moabites were not to be joined with, yet they did and intermarried.  Does this indicate that the worship of God was neglected by this family, along with Naomi’s charge to return to their gods?The Death Blow: God leaves Naomi bereft of her husband and two sons. All the males have died. Where will she go to find provision?Naomi seems to be the principal subject of the story of Ruth, the main character. What happens to her is the point, from being deprived of all, to being given a son by a redeemer.A key theme is from emptiness to fullness.A key theme in the book is the theme of children.Look into the idea of a life of hesed being a distinguishing mark of God’s covenant people.Some of what I still need to do: Develop the main purpose of the bookDevelop my proposition for this lesson (what they call it at seminary, the main idea, what to do or think and why)Create an outlineDevelop teaching helps (participation, attention, organization)Create a manuscript

The Time of the Judges

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Describe the cycles of judgment, enslavement, famine, and deliverance.

English Standard Version Chapter 21

25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Elimelech’s name meant My God is King, yet he acts as his own king just as they were doing in the time of the judges.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

They went into the country of Moab and remained there

They did not just sojourn there, like it says their intention was in verse 1, but they stayed there.

English Standard Version Chapter 23

3 “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever, 4 because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5 But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you. 6 You shall not seek their peace or their prosperity all your days forever.

It was quite clear that the Moabites were a specially cursed people, yet they joined with them and intermarried. This indicates that the worship of God was neglected by this family, along with Naomi’s charge to return to their gods.

ESV

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

Look at 1 Peter and consider how the family of Elimelech ought to have borne the trial that Yahweh had brought upon them.

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And

“If the righteous is scarcely saved,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Heading to Moab

Describe the backwards nature of their exodus. They are moving from the promised land to a land that is pagan and God haters.

Moab was specially cursed for not meeting Israel with bread and water but instead hiring Baalam to bring a curse against them. Israel was not to seek their peace or their prosperity all their days forever (). The prohibition on the Moabites and Ammonites contrasts with the prohibition levied upon the Edomites. No Moabite to the tenth generation, forever, could enter the assembly of the Lord. By contrast, the Edomites and Egyptians could do so after three generations.

They are leaving the house of bread to seek bread in a foreign land.

Numbers 22

English Standard Version Chapter 22

22 Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. 2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. 4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. 6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

English Standard Version Chapter 25

25 While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. 4 And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” 5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”

English Standard Version Chapter 34

Deuteronomy 34:5

5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord,

1 Kings 11

English Standard Version Chapter 11

6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8 And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.

English Standard Version Chapter 10

Judges 10:6

6 The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him.

Jeremiah 48

English Standard Version Chapter 48

46 Woe to you, O Moab!

The people of Chemosh are undone,

for your sons have been taken captive,

and your daughters into captivity.

47 Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab

in the latter days, declares the Lord.”

Thus far is the judgment on Moab

Deuteronomy 23

English Standard Version Chapter 23

2 “No one born of a forbidden union may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of his descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord.

3 “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever, 4 because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5 But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you. 6 You shall not seek their peace or their prosperity all your days forever.

7 “You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a sojourner in his land. 8 Children born to them in the third generation may enter the assembly of the Lord.

Nehemiah 13

English Standard Version Chapter 13

13 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

Forsaking Their People

They left their people behind, they did not participate in the judgment that God brought for disobedience that should have driven them to repentance, but they left instead, forsaking their people for the sake of their own comfort.

Forsaking Their God

Rather than repenting, rather than staying and working to urge the people to repent, they left. They left God’s providential provision in the land of promise. They left God’s priests, rulers, and prophets. They left God’s worship. And they stayed away until their lives ended. God did not forsake HIs people when He sent famine, He used famine to draw them back to Himself.

The Death Blow

God leaves Naomi bereft of her husband and two sons. All the males have died.

English Standard Version Chapter 16

16 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.”

Genesis 16:1–2 ESV

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

English Standard Version Chapter 30

30 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!

Genesis 30 ESV

When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.” So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Then Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad. Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher. In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!” As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.” But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you. Name your wages, and I will give it.” Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me. For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?” He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this for me, I will again pasture your flock and keep it: let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and they shall be my wages. So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.” Laban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.” But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons. And he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban’s flock. Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks. He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban’s flock. Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks, but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

30 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.”

30 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

English Standard Version Chapter 2

15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Naomi seems to be the principal subject of the story of Ruth, the main character. What happens to her is the point, from being deprived of all, to being given a son by a redeemer.

The Book of Ruth b. Report of Double Bereavement (1:3–5)

Naomi’s fate is indeed bitter. As a widow, she lacks the provision and protection of a husband in male-dominated ancient society. Further, her age and poverty effectively seal off three options normally open to a widow. In view of the passage of time implied by the story, her parents may be dead. If so, she would not be able to return to her father’s house like an ordinary young widow. Remarriage, even a levirate one (Deut. 25:5–10), seems improbable because she is probably beyond child-bearing years. She cannot support herself by some trade because she has none—and, besides, women simply did not do that in those days. Worse yet, she is an aged widow without children—the worst fate for an Israelite woman.23 If a woman is “saved through childbirth” (1 Tim. 2:15; cf. Rachel’s cry, Gen. 30:1), Naomi is lost. With Sarah, Hannah, and Elizabeth she suffers the painful shame of childlessness. Further, she faces her declining years with no children to care for her and no grandchildren to cheer her spirits.

A key theme in the book is the theme of children.

Look into the idea of a life of hessed being a distinguishing mark of God’s covenant people.

The New American Commentary: Judges, Ruth (2) Ecclesiology: What Does the Book of Ruth Teach Us about the People of God?

1. God will not let his promises to Israel and Judah and David die.

2. God works in a mysterious way his wonders to perform and his goals to achieve.

3. In all things God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28).

4. Genuine piety is expressed primarily in devotion, sensitivity, grace, and kindness toward others and openness to the working of God.

5. God’s grace knows no boundaries. Even a despised Moabitess is incorporated into the nation of Israel. In fact, the royal [and Messianic!] line has Moabite blood in its veins.

Psalm 132:15 ESV

I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread.