Ruth's Profession of Faith

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8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. 9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. 10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. 11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; 13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. 14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. 15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. 16 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: 17 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. 18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

Last week was an introduction to the book of Ruth. We considered the importance of the names of the people and places involved in this story. While the book is named Ruth, it could almost as easily be named Naomi. We considered how leaving the promised land and going to the land of Edom could have possibly resulted in the loss of her family. For that reason, Naomi said she should no longer be called Sweet but Bitter.

6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread. 7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. 9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. 10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. 11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; 13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. 14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. 15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. 16 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: 17 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. 18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

In our text this morning, we learn that Naomi has made the decision to return to her home. She has nothing left in Moab. We also see that Orpah and Ruth decide to go with her. Along the way, Naomi urges the women to return home to their families. She tells them that she has nothing to offer them, including a future.
The Response of the women (8-14)

8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. 9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. 10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. 11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; 13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. 14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

Naomi urges them to return home.
Naomi urges them to return home.
Naomi urges them to return home.
Naomi urges them to return home.
Return to your mother’s home
Some commentators suggest that the reason “mother’s home” is used here speaks of the polygamous culture of Moab. Since their fathers probably had more than one wife, the idea was to return to their mother’s tent to be comforted.
God deal kindly to you (in a pagan land?)
Knowing full well that they would be returning to pagan worship, Naomi asks God’s blessing on them.
She is simply saying that she hopes they will have a good life: a better life than they have had thus far.
The Lord grant you rest in the house of her husband
Rest here implies peace. They have suffered loss. Now Naomi hopes that they will have peaceful happy lives.
In the house of her husband is her desire to see them remarried and taken care of.
She does not want them bound to widowhood and childless.
The emotions of the women
The Actions of Orpah
Surely we will return with thee unto thy people (v. 10)
They wept (v. 14)
Orpah kissed Naomi (v. 14)
Naomi clave or clung to Naomi (v. 14)
Emotions do not necessarily reflect sincerity
Orpah’s Choice (v. 14-15)
Orpah’s kiss was a kiss goodbye
Orpah returned to her people
Orpah returned to her gods
Pagan gods
Chemosh - means Destroyer
Temple prositution
Human sacrifice
Ruth’s Choice (v. 14-18)
Ruth clave or clung to Naomi
Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well
She bound herself to Naomi
Do not ask me anymore to leave (v. 16)
She was steadfastly minded (v. 18)
means to confirm oneself in purpose - to be determined
There was no changing her mind
Ruth’s Profession of faith
Seven parts of her profession
Do no ask me to abandon my conviction
I will go where you go
I will live where you live
Your people will be my people
Your God will be my God
I will die where you die and that is where I will be buried
The LORD curse me if I break my vow
Ruth abandoned her past
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Ruth embraced God
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
There would certainly be struggles as a foreign widow in Israel.
The Actions of Ruth
She would be poor
The Profession of Ruth
She would struggle to support herself and Naomi
That did not matter. She had chosen the God of Israel and she would not abandon her faith; no matter the cost.
Ruth was resolute in her choice that only death would separate her and Naomi.
Ruth was resolute that she would not return to her old life but would die among God’s people.
CONCLUSION
What about us today? Are we as resolute as Ruth about not leaving God? What is our breaking point? Where do we draw the line on service to God? What if serving God literally cost us our family, our friends, our homes, and all that is familiar to us? Would we stay faithful to God?
That is not a decision that is made when the time comes.
That is a decision that is made ahead of time.
It is a choice that is made with a vow.
It is a vow that is kept no matter the cost.
Ruth had married one of the sons. She had left father and mother and cleaved to her husband. When her husband died, that did not end the vow to honor him. Ruth left the old way of life and clung to the God of her husband. Ruth chose to take care of her husband’s mother. Her husband’s mother had become her mother.
For us, when we become part of the Bride of Christ (the church), we are to leave everything else behind like Ruth did.
While we are not in the presence of our husband, we are to remain faithful.
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