Ruth 2007

Pentecost 20

Ruth 1:1-19

October 14, 2007

“Ruth – God works in Insignificant lives”

Introduction: We find in the book of Ruth, excellent examples of faith, piety, patience, humility, industry, and loving-kindness, in the common events of life. Also we see the special care with which God takes of our smallest concerns. It is obvious that our God works through what we see as insignificant lives, to accomplish His purpose. We may also view the book of Ruth as a beautiful natural representation of human life; as a curious detail of important facts; and as a part of the plan of redemption.

            This short history of the domestic affairs of one particular family fitly follows the book of Judges (the events related here happening in the days of the judges), and fitly goes before the books of Samuel, because in the close it introduces King David.

            And also, let us remember that the scenes that take place in this story, many of them, take place in Bethlehem, the city where our Savior Jesus was born.

            This story from the book of Ruth tells of a time of confusion and wickedness. Glance at the chapter headings of the first eight or nine chapters in the book of Judges, and you will get a picture of what was happening in Israel at this time. A man named Elimelech left Bethlehem to go into the country of the Moabites, a people that no longer followed God, as did Lot, the nephew of Abraham. During this time, the leaders of Israel had not conquered all of the Promised Land as God had commanded. The ungrateful Israelites had turned from the true God to the heathen gods of the people among whom they had settled. As a result, God brought famine into the land and to His people. For this reason Elimelech decide to leave Bethlehem, with his wife and two sons, and go into the country of the Moabites on the other side of the Dead Sea, where there was no famine.

            Many things happened to the family of Elimelech in the ten years they lived in Moab. The sons, Mahlon and Ehilion, mar­ried Moabite girls, Orpah and Ruth. The father, Elimelech, died, as did also the two sons. And so Naomi, the mother, and her two daughters ­in-law were left alone. What should Naomi do? She heard that the famine was over back home in Bethlehem, and so she decided to return there, but what about Orpah and Ruth? Moab was their homeland, and quite naturally they did not want to leave it. However, they had both learned to love Naomi.

            The next scene is at the boundary line of Moab. Orpah and Ruth had come with Naomi that far on the way to Bethlehem. Should they go on or should they return? Naomi tried to persuade both girls to return home. To Orpah the arguments sounded good. Her mother lived in Moab, and to her mother's house she would return. We hope she took with her the true religion of the Lord, which she had learned after she married into this godly Hebrew family.             .

            But Ruth decided not to go back to Moab. She made up her mind to stay with Naomi. Our Scripture lesson gives us the charm­ing way in which she told Naomi what she was going to do. Hear the words of Ruth as she speaks of the tender and most faithful friendship. When we read this promise of true and lasting friendship, we find in Ruth one of the dearest women of the Bible.

            Every day as we go about our daily lives, perhaps we should think of Ruth's beautiful example of true faithfulness. She had such a sincere love, she had such strength of purpose, and she could see so clearly the path of true religion. Born a heathen, she had come to believe in the Lord of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Lord of Naomi. The path to Bethlehem with Naomi meant for Ruth the path to her Lord and God. Of course she could not turn back.

            Naomi and Ruth, reached Bethlehem. The former friends of Naomi were surprised when they saw her. Ten years away from Bethlehem had not helped her condition. Ten years before she had left with a husband and two fine sons. She returned empty handed, poor, and discouraged. With her was a young foreign woman, Ruth. Now among the Hebrews (or Jews) foreigners were looked down upon, especially if they worshiped, false gods.

            After Ruth, the foreigner, had lived in Bethlehem but a very short while, she found that her life was going to be very hard. A less faithful person would have given up, but Ruth had made her choice, and by that choice she was going to live. The true God would be her God, and God's people would be her people. The people of Bethlehem, she well knew, did not trust her. In some way she had to win their trust.

            Perhaps, at first, Naomi's friends edged away from Ruth, but soon they were getting used to seeing Ruth worship with them. Then they saw Ruth and her willingness to do even the most humble work. It is obvious that she began to hold their respect, loyalty and even love. It was harvest time when Ruth came to Bethlehem. In those days the men who cut the grain used sickles. In cutting, some of the ripe grain would fall on the ground. The men did not go to the trouble of picking up this fallen grain, but left it for the poor girls and women to gather for their own use. As a matter of fact, our Lord required this of the Jews in their law. The Lord loves the widowed and the orphaned and desires to take care of them. As always He does it through the means of other human beings. Naomi and Ruth had to have something to live on, and so, Ruth went to the fields to work.

            God led Ruth to work in the field of a wealthy relative of ­her dead husband. The man's name was Boaz. When Boaz noticed Ruth, he was very kind to her, telling her to stay with his workers. He also told his reapers to let more than the usual amount of grain fall to the ground that Ruth might gather more than usual. Do we wonder why Boaz, the good and wealthy man, took such a liking to Ruth? Perhaps he had heard how Ruth had left her false gods and her own people to come to Bethlehem. There she joined them to worship the true God. Perhaps he had heard how she had been such a comfort and help to Naomi, and now he saw her working to support Naomi.

            Next comes a simple, middle eastern marriage ceremony. This brings to a climax the lovely story of Ruth. The last chapter of the book of Ruth shows us the life and customs of a day long, long past.

            It was a day when people lived a very simple life. The little village of Bethlehem was small, perhaps like our community of Mayville and Theresa. Back then, Bethlehem had a very simple way of arranging such affairs as marriages.

            First there is Boaz, the good and wealthy man. He wants to marry Ruth, and he makes no secret of his desire. Some business matters had to be settled before the wedding could take place. Boaz was open and straightforward in the transaction. Naomi and Ruth were in debt to another relative. Boaz pays the debt. He is a kind of man who will make a good husband. A sincere believer in God, he is also sincere, open, and honorable in his dealings with his fellow men. Here is an example of what to look for in a husband, when a young woman wants a husband whom she can love and respect not only during the days of courtship but also throughout the years of marriage. Christian woman need to be selective, looking for godly Christian men like Boaz.  

            For Christian men we have the good example of a godly woman in the person of Ruth. She is an example of the type of woman Christian men should look for. A beautiful character, a  godly woman, Ruth was also a good manager. Life to Ruth was not all romance, not all make-believe. Had Ruth refused to look at things as they really were, she would have stayed in the heathen land of Moab. To her the real life was the godly life. She believed she could trust God to guide her. Ruth was a comfort and support to Naomi on the tiresome journey back to Bethlehem. There, in Bethlehem, Ruth kept on being the faithful helper of the older woman as long as she was needed. She was a woman respected by the villagers for her virtue. Here is the kind of woman who makes a good wife.

            A couple like Boaz and Ruth will love each other and live together until their children and grandchildren rise up and call them blessed. And even after their death, their good lives will be a blessing to many. In her simple and to what many would call an insignificant life, we see how God is intimately involved in every detail of life. Through Ruth and Boaz a child was born, Obed. To Obed was born Jesse the father of king David "the man after God's own heart." Through him the greatest descendant of all was to be born, Jesus of Nazareth! Tradition has it that the very floor on which Ruth laid at the feet of Boaz, entreating him to marry her, Jesus our Savior was born. Whether or not this is true, it is true that our God deals with us, and works through our lives, even in the simplest of details.

            Sometimes we think a lot about our lives and how much we have had an influence in the things of this life. More often I think, we consider our lives to be insignificant. We wonder if our lives have made any difference at all. We wonder about our own purpose. In the story of Ruth, we learn that no matter how simple our lives, God is there, working His good purpose according to His plan of salvation that still is unfolding today. It is true, that we may have to wait until we reach heavens gate to now the impact that we have had in this life. This was true for Ruth. But just as assured we will know.

            In the mean time we live, we love, we marry, we have children and we die. Then we will live again because of Jesus Christ.

            Here, in the life of Jesus Christ, we truly understand the working of God in what many people could consider a simple and unremarkable life.

            Though Jesus was the Son of God, He too was born into simple and unremarkable circumstances. He lives as the child of a carpenter. He learned His father Joseph’s trade. He worshiped God, even though He was God. Perhaps this too is too hard for us to understand. Then He lived as a teacher, and yes, though He did perform miracles, much of His life was mundane, simple. HE was homeless. He never wrote a book. He left no material evidence of His existence. How strange that the life of God would be so simple, unglamorous. Then Jesus Christ died a criminal’s death of the cross. This too is fairly unremarkable considering that thousands upon thousands of people we executed in the same way. Then He was buried in a grave that was not His own.

            Through Jesus Christ’s life and death, He sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. For Ruth’s sins, for Obed’s sins, for Jesse sins and for Kings David’s sins. Then God raised Him from the dead, giving evidence that all who believe in Him, no matter how insignificant or simple there lives, no matter how great and famous they are, will live for ever in the kingdom of God.

            Because Jesus lived and died and rose from the dead, we are assured that our lives are significant. Thus we try to live as Ruth and Naomi and Boaz did, honorable, and God fearing lives. Amen.