ALL IN - Ruth

Sometimes the path of walking in faith takes us on some unusual and unexpected turns. During the time when Israel was first establishing itself within the land of Canaan—this comes after the time of conquest under Joshua, and before the time of the kings—during the time of the judges there comes a most unlikely little side-story involving the most unlikely characters. We know some of the heroic actions of the judges raised up by God during this time in Israel. There was Samson and Gideon and Deborah and Ehud.

But during that same time, another story happens along side of these events. It is a story which does not involve the raising up of a judge to lead God’s people and conquer Israel’s enemies. Instead, this is a story of redemption. Let’s look at a scene at the beginning of this story when all hope seems lost. And then let’s skip to the end of the story where we see hope restored. Then we will talk about the events that take place in between which show us a path of faith which takes this story from despair to redemption.

Ruth 1:15–19 NIV

15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” 16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. 19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

Ruth 4:13–17 NIV

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” 16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

the summary of Ruth

Ruth is the great-grandmother of king David. Her place in the lineage of Israel is given prominence. But the story does not start out that way. In the beginning, Ruth is a young widow—not even an Israelite; she is from Moab, a territory to the east of the Jordan River. The story starts out as a search for food. A man named Elimelek from Bethlehem is living through a famine. So he takes his wife, Naomi, and their two sons and moves east to the country of Moab. While living in Moab, the two sons get married. Then tragedy strikes. Elimelek and his two sons die—we are not given the cause or the reason. Naomi is an old widow who now has two widowed daughters-in-law.

At this point in the story, food security changes. Bethlehem has become agriculturally fruitful again with an abundance of grain, and Moab is now hit by famine with food sources becoming scarce. Naomi makes a choice. She decides to go back to her own village of Bethlehem as a widow. Naomi tells her two daughters-in-law to return to their own Moabite families so that they can be remarried and start over again with creating families of their own.

Ruth insists that she will not stay in her homeland of Moab — she will go with Naomi at all costs

This is where we picked up that first passage we read. Ruth insists that she will not stay in her homeland of Moab. She will go with Naomi at all costs. And it is a cost. Naomi is an old woman. Her return to Bethlehem was a path down a dead-end road. There is no hope for her future; she will remain a poor widow for the remaining years of her life. The logical chance at redemption for Ruth would have been to follow the instructions of Naomi and stay in Moab back in Ruth’s original family. Ruth is insistent; she is going with Naomi.

Naomi tells the people of Bethlehem to call her ‘Mara’—which means bitter

Upon arriving in Bethlehem, Naomi is recognized by the other women of the village, and Naomi shares her tragic story. She tells the people of the village to call her ‘Mara’—which means bitter—because she is so full of despair and hopelessness. Ruth, however, goes out to grain fields to scavenge for leftovers during the harvest. This is where we meet a man named Boaz. Boaz is the property owner of the barley field, he wants to know who this foreign girl is gathering scraps of grain in his field. Boaz is impressed by the story, that Ruth would be willing to devote herself as a young widow to caring for her hopelessly widowed mother-in-law Naomi. Ruth demonstrates a faithfulness to love Naomi which resonates with the heart of Boaz.

Boaz arranges for Ruth to receive generous amount of grain (compassion)

And so Boaz arranges for Ruth to receive an abundant amount of barley grain. He rewards Ruth for her faithful love and care being expressed to Naomi. But Boaz happens to be more than just a nice guy. It turns out Boaz is also a close relative of Naomi—he is part of her family. This is the part of the story where Naomi sees for the first time a sliver of hope. It has to do with an Old Testament law called the kindred-redeemer formula. (The NIV Bible calls it the guardian-redeemer.) For reference, this goes back to an Israelite law which comes from Leviticus 25. It states that in situations of severe distress, extended family members had a legal obligation to come to the aid of the one who is suffering. In this case, the plight of Naomi as an old widow offered the opportunity for the next closest relative to step in and provide a family for Naomi in the absence of all the others who had been taken from her.

Naomi gives instructions to Ruth to approach Boaz as the kindred-redeemer

In chapter three, Naomi gives instructions to Ruth of how she is to approach Boaz and request of him that he would provide for the family of Naomi and Ruth by taking up the responsibility of the kindred-redeemer. Technically Boaz is not the first in line to be the kindred redeemer. Yet, because be has already responded to Ruth with the same kindness and love Ruth expresses to Naomi, Boaz is drawn to take this responsibility himself.

Boaz brings the kindred-redeemer request to the village elders (integrity & faithfulness)

In chapter four we read about the process Boaz takes to bring this request to the village elders in Bethlehem. The integrity of Boaz in this matter is commended, and he receives the blessing of the elders to redeem the family heritage of Naomi through Ruth. This is where that last passage we read today shows up in chapter four. Boaz Marries Ruth and they have a son together—Obed—who grows to be the father of Jesse, who grows to be the father of David.

God provided for the redemption of a lost and hopeless family in a way which paved the path forward

God provided for the redemption of a lost and hopeless family in a way which paved the path forward for God’s redemption of Israel through David, and eventually the redemption of all God’s chosen people through Jesus. It is a story that traces its path back to the unlikely steps of faith shown by the young non-Israelite widow named Ruth. There is a feature in this story that is instructive for us today as we consider what it means to follow God in faith in our own lives. It begins by recognizing where you and I fit into this story of Ruth.

the book of Ruth begins and ends as a story about Naomi

Even though this is a book of the Bible named Ruth, and the story unfolds in such a way that Ruth is a decisive character in this narrative, the story does not actually revolve around Ruth. This is actually a story that is more about Naomi than it is about Ruth. There are clues in the way the story is written which make this clear. After all the characters are named in the opening paragraph of chapter one, the first one who steps out and takes action is Naomi—the story essentially begins as a story about Naomi. And when we flip to the end and see how the story ends in chapter four, the last character given attention before the author closes the book with a genealogy is Naomi. It begins as a story about Naomi, and it ends as a story about Naomi. Both Ruth and Boaz are prominent characters in this story, but only insofar as their action pertains to Naomi.

we should see something of ourselves and our lives and our faith through Naomi’s eyes

Here is why that is an important distinction. The lesson that you and I ought to be pulling out from the book of Ruth is a lesson which comes to us through Naomi, not Ruth and not Boaz. If you and I are meant to identify and resonate with anyone in this story, it is meant to be Naomi. We should see something of ourselves and our lives and our faith through Naomi’s eyes. I mentioned at the beginning that this is a story of redemption. But Ruth is not necessarily the one being redeemed in this story; Naomi is the one receiving redemption here. It is Boaz and Ruth who provide the means of redemption for Naomi; Naomi’s redemption comes through the two of them.

Consider for a moment the transformation that comes about in Naomi’s life from the beginning of the story to the end. Naomi begins as hopeless. In fact, she tells the women of Bethlehem to call her Mara because her life is so bitter. But look at what the women of Bethlehem say to Naomi at the end of the story in chapter four.

Ruth 4:14–15 NIV

14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

it is meant for us—the readers—to be the one’s who give the response

It is curious that we get no mention of Naomi herself giving praise to God at the end of this story. I imagine that detail is left out and we do not know what Naomi’s response is because it is meant for us—the readers—to be the one’s who give the response as those who see ourselves through Naomi’s eyes. Perhaps this detail is also left out because of the way Naomi’s faith slowly dares to hope again. There is a moment in chapter 2 when Naomi recognizes the overwhelming generosity of Boaz. At this, we see the first glimpses of hope.

it is also completely up to Ruth and Boaz to be faithful and remain faithful in their steps forward, because the only way Naomi will ever find redemption is through them

This is also the moment when Naomi positions her faith in a direction which leans into this slowly rekindled flame of hope. But Naomi herself cannot accomplish anything more on her own. She gives instructions to Ruth to remain in the fields of Boaz, and she gives instructions to Ruth for the way to approach Boaz as the family’s kindred-redeemer. But it is also completely up to Ruth and Boaz to be faithful and remain faithful in their steps forward, because the only way Naomi will ever find redemption is through them.

Naomi’s faith is held up and strengthened by the faithfulness of others

Here is what we see in the faith of Naomi: her faith is held up and strengthened by the faithfulness of others. Naomi did not walk this journey of faith alone. In fact, the story makes it very certain that Naomi was in a position from which she could do nothing about her situation in life on her own. It was the love and faithfulness of those around Naomi who nurtured her faith back to a place of daring to believe God would restore her hope. And even though this hope for redemption comes through Ruth and Boaz into Naomi’s life, even the women of Bethlehem surround Naomi and give a faithful expression of the way God has provided new hope in Naomi’s life.

God always provides a community in which our faith is nurtured and flourishes

What about us today? It is a mistake to ever think that you and I walk this journey of faith alone by ourselves. God always provides a community in which our faith is nurtured and flourishes. At first, Naomi tried to push this away. Naomi tried to send Ruth back; Naomi told the women of Bethlehem to identify life as bitterness. But Ruth was not satisfied to leave Naomi all alone; and the women of Bethlehem were not satisfied to let Naomi remain in a posture of bitterness. When Naomi’s faith could not hold her up, the faithfulness of others stepped in and held her instead.

Do you allow yourself to have people around you like that? Do you let those people into your life? Make space for it. Be on the lookout for those God places into your life who encourage your faith and nurture a redemptive hope in you. They are a gift from God; do not ignore that or push those people away.

And then, make the most of every opportunity for your faith to be used in lifting and encouraging someone else. Naomi had that chance. The family given to Naomi to care for went on to become the family from which David came—that’s huge! Keep yourself in a community of faith, even if those steps feel small and insignificant to you, because you never know how God will use those steps to impact and lift others around you.

Faith is a gift from God. It is a gift meant to share and be shared, meant to receive and be received. Thank the Lord for providing our redemption and placing us in communities of faith together.