The Kinsman Redeemer

IMG_2417Ruth 3:1-2

The Bible is a book about the story of God’s glory in Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ is the theme of the Bible, the Book of books; it is the masterpiece of literature, and presents him in various ways. Many books tell the story-line of how God prepared for the coming of his Son through the line of Abraham and David the King. Some books provide prophesies of his coming, like Isaiah and Micah. The Four Gospels tell us what he did when he came. The New Testament letters explain what Christ accomplished in his death on the cross and resurrection and ascension. Many books in the Old Testament Scriptures present him through what the Bible calls “types and shadows” (cf. Hebrews 10:1). For example, the tabernacle and sacrificial system of the law covenant are pictures of Christ and what he would accomplish.

One of the types or shadows of Christ is that of the kinsman-redeemer. In the law or old covenant God gave the Promised Land to the tribes of Israel as their inheritance. But since people live in a world cursed because of human sin, sometimes people in Israel would lose their inheritance through debt, death or other troubles of life. However, God had set Israel free from bondage in Egypt and wanted them to live free from bondage. For this reason, he set up the plan of a kinsman-redeemer, who would set his relatives and their land free again. For the task of the kinsman-redeemer during the law covenant, refer to our previous article.

The story of Ruth now turns upon this concept of the kinsman redeemer: the one who could set Ruth and Naomi free and restore their family in Israel. Without a kinsman-redeemer, Ruth and Naomi would slide into debt and slavery, and they needed an heir who could possess the land that God had given to the family of Elimelech. Boaz is a close relative and so able to be the kinsman-redeemer. But will he do it? He had a number of legal loopholes to allow him to escape this function. To mention one, Ruth was a Moabite, not an Israelite, and the law said nothing about redeeming a Moabite. Yet we want to see more than this. Since the Bible is about the Lord Jesus Christ, we want to see how Boaz serves as a type or shadow of Christ. To do this, we need to know more about this idea of a kinsman redeemer. Naomi wants Ruth to “find rest” (3:1; cf. 1:9) in marriage, perhaps to Boaz. We all need to “find rest” in union to Christ the redeemer.

The idea of a redeemer develops from God’s plan to set a people free from bondage for him. God desires freedom for his people!

God decided to make himself known to Israel as the Lord who redeems (Exodus 6:6-8).

  • God saw their terrible condition—cruel bondage in Egypt.
  • God determined to do everything necessary to secure their release—outstretched arm and great acts of judgment.
  • God chose to make them his people—the basic promises of the covenant.
  • God promised them an inheritance—the land as their possession.

Christ did all this for us in a better way. He saw us in bondage to sin, died on the cross to secure our forgiveness, made a new covenant with us, and will give us a new heaven and earth.

God continued to reveal himself as Redeemer throughout the Old Testament Scriptures.

  • The teaching of the psalmists: Who is the God we worship? Psalm 19:14; 69:18; 72:12-14; 77:14-15; 103:1-4; 106:10; 107:2-3
  • The teaching of Isaiah: What great purpose is God pursuing? Isaiah 41:11-14; 43:14; 44:6-8, 24-26; 47:4; 48:17; 49:25-26; 54:5-8; 59:20; 60:16; 63:16
  • The teaching of Jeremiah: Where can we find hope when everything around us is crumbling? Jeremiah 50:33-34

The story of Ruth reveals how the Lord God wove the idea of redemption into the line of David. The kinsman-redeemer of all the people groups of the world would be the King, Jesus Christ.

When you know God as Redeemer, you can think of God this way:

  • As the God who stands by the oppressed
  • As the God who calls captives to freedom in his covenant family
  • As the God who actually sets people free and gives hope

Grace and peace, David

Surprised by God’s Blessing

IMG_2550Ruth 2:17-23

The Lord our God gives generously. This is not what most people expect God to do. They suspect that he is rather stingy, though receiving daily provisions from him. God has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy (Acts 14:17). Even faithful believers can fail to bank on God’s goodness when times are tough, the pantry is bare, and available jobs always seem to go to someone else. The book of Ruth reminds us that God provides and teaches how he works out his plan in Christ by many acts of kindness to and through his people.

The first surprise came when Ruth found out how much she earned for the day (2:17-19). After gleaning, Ruth still had hard work to do, because she had to separate the barley grain from the stalk. She would have had to beat the stalks with a curved stick or wooden hammer, which separated the husks from the kernels, and then gather the kernels together. This would be tedious, time-consuming work. When finished, she probably gathered the kernels together on her shawl, and then carried them home on her back. Ruth was probably exhausted at this point. She discovered that she had gathered about five gallons of grain. This would be enough to feed them for a couple weeks. In their reckoning, this would be about two week’s wages. So Ruth did quite well that day.

Naomi was pleasantly surprised about what Ruth brought home. Ruth gave Naomi her leftover roasted grain from lunch. She knew how much Naomi would enjoy it. This shows Ruth’s generous and loyal nature. When Naomi took all this in, she realized that Ruth had to have received help to achieve all this. For this reason, Naomi had many questions to ask in her excitement. She also prayed for a blessing on her benefactor. Notice how praying for God to bless someone was part of her life now, since she saw a token of God’s goodness to her. Prayer should be as natural to us as breathing. It should be part of our conversation at appropriate times. Ruth revealed her benefactor’s name. Notice how she said his name last, which is also the word order in the Hebrew text. You can see how she let the suspense build, as one woman might do in talking to another. Though the narrator has let us in on some of the significance of Boaz (2:1), Ruth did not yet know this information. Up to this point, Boaz had simply been a kind man to her. When was the last time that you were pleasantly surprised by God’s blessings to you? Do you notice how much the Lord gives you constantly?

Naomi celebrated kindness received (2:20-23). She began to worship. In an instant, Naomi understood that the Lord had not abandoned her! Everything was not as hopeless as she had thought. God was not attacking her, but was helping her through some tough circumstances.

Naomi again prayed for God’s blessing on Boaz. He was not present for her to thank him, which she ought to do, but she did what she could at that moment. God only expects us to do what we can in our situation. Praying for God’s blessing on someone is the best thanks we can give. Do we have this on our minds, so that when such situations arise, words of blessing come from us? This is an area of life in which we must become more properly spiritual.

Naomi realized that she had received kindness. Grammatically, this can refer to either the Lord or Boaz, but I think it is better to refer it to the Lord, since it is difficult to understand how Boaz could have been such a source of kindness to Naomi over the years. (Notice that she says, “He has not stopped showing his kindness….”) So then, Naomi knew that God was still involved in her life and continued to show her kindness, which is steadfast, loyal love, kindness and mercy rolled into one.

Naomi explained the significance of Boaz to Ruth. We must remember that Ruth was from Moab, and there would be much about life under the law covenant that she did not understand. Naomi assured Ruth that Boaz was the close relative and kinsman-redeemer of both of them. The kinsman-redeemer had various duties in the clan:

  • He was responsible for the repurchase of property once owned by clan members but sold from economic necessity (Leviticus 25:25-30; cf. Jeremiah 32:1-15).
  • If financially able, he also redeemed relatives whose poverty had forced them to sell themselves into slavery (Leviticus 25:47-55). It is on this point that the rest of the book of Ruth
  • He had the duty to avenge the killing of a relative by tracking down and executing the killer (Numbers 35:12, 19-27; Deuteronomy 19:6, 12: Joshua 20:2-3, 5, 9).
  • He received the money paid to the clan as restitution committed against a deceased clan member (Numbers 5:8).

Ruth and Naomi were able to celebrate what had happened.

The women agreed that Ruth should only work in Boaz’ fields. Besides obvious reasons, why would Naomi urge Ruth to stay in a place where God was blessing her? She would do this, because she had left the place of God’s blessing ten years before, and she doesn’t want Ruth to repeat her mistake!

Ruth was able to glean until the completion of the barley and wheat harvests. The point is that God continually provided for them. It was not just one good day, but many good days had come!

Rejoice in what the Lord gives you. In Ruth’s case she had to work very hard throughout the entire harvest to get food for them. And at the end of the harvest period, she was still living with her mother-in-law and waiting for a marriage proposal. The Lord blessed her, but her life was not “perfect”—whatever we assume that means. If we choose to be very honest, all of us have to admit that there are some items on our wish list that we want to receive immediately. But don’t allow what you lack to hinder your gratitude for what the Lord has already provided. Thank God continually for present blessings, while you wait for what he will do in his time.

Grace and peace, David

Under His Wings

IMG_1173Ruth 2:10-13

On part of our recent trip, we traveled through Cleveland a couple times. In the process of finding our way through the city, we had to pay attention to the directions from Google Maps. (Yes, I lived in Cleveland, but I was a toddler, and a lot has changed since then.) When we pay attention to the fine points, it is easy to miss the big picture of a city in celebration of a championship – at least until you talk to the locals. This also happens when we read sections of the Bible that tells God’s story of glory in Jesus Christ. We get involved in what’s happening in the current part of the story, and so miss important points that the living God wants us to think about and live accordingly.

Here it is easy to see that Ruth replied respectfully to Boaz’s generosity (2:10). We can notice her humility before Boaz. His kindness surprised Ruth. Her life had suddenly taken a change for the better! She expressed her gratitude in her posture. She probably dropped to her knees and then put her face to the ground. She demonstrated her neediness and dependence on his goodness.

We should see more. Ruth was amazed about his grace. We must remember the times in which Ruth and Boaz lived. It was the time of the Judges, and Israel had many spiritual problems

On a purely human level, she had to wonder about the reasons that a rich, influential man like Boaz would notice a poor widow like Ruth. In addition, why would a godly man of Israel care about a foreigner, especially a woman from Moab, when Israelites could be expected to avoid them? We need to know the larger picture. Near their lifetime, the following happened in Israel. Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines. (Judges 10:6 NIV) To a godly man living under the law covenant, a Moabite woman had danger written all over her. Later on when the Proverbs were written, the idea of a foreign woman continued to have rather negative connotations. This is the part of the story we must not miss. Though Boaz would have been aware of all this, he still extended grace to her. In the same way, though we come from a people who have committed the evil exchange (Romans 1:18-25), the Lord Jesus has also reached out to us in amazing grace. Ruth understood that Boaz’ kindness came from grace—unmerited favor, and she appreciated it highly! Do you have a sense of amazement about Christ’s grace to you? Today is the day to regain it in your heart.

Boaz explained his kindness to her (2:11-12). He was aware of her sacrificial giving. He knew what she had done for Naomi, after the death of her husband. Thus, he plainly is referring to how Ruth helped Naomi return to Bethlehem. The news about Naomi’s return would have spread quickly through such a small town in ancient times when people had a much greater sense of community. He appreciated what this had cost her. She had left family and what is familiar to become a foreigner in Israel, where the law covenant would provide barriers to her acceptance. She had imitated Abraham, who had left Ur (Gen 11:28; 24:7) to follow the promise of God, and so she shows that she had the character of a daughter of Abraham. She had come to live among an unfamiliar people, and so she probably was friendless, which is sad. We all need to be more like Boaz and realize what hardships people are experiencing. The day for the proverbially oblivious male is past. Wake up and care, in order to show Christ’s kindness.

Boaz prayed for Ruth. He asked the Lord to reward her. “The Lord” or Yahweh is God’s covenant name with Israel (cf. Exodus 6:2). He believed that his covenant Lord would be able to repay Ruth for her kindnesses to Naomi. His prayer for reward is within the context of faith (Hebrews 11:6). The Lord motivates us to believe him by promising great rewards for those who do. Things like eternal life, forgiveness of sin and justification, a place in God’s family, and an eternal inheritance seem like good motivational rewards, would you agree? Let’s contrast this with what the resurgent atheism of our time offers. The best they can say is, “You are a meaningless nothing in a world of no value; cruelness and kindness are equivalent meaningless ideas; when you die you are just a collection of meaningless atoms slumping back into an inanimate state; there is no hope or good in this meaningless world. Live meaninglessly in despair!” Instead my friends, rejoice in the good news of Jesus! The reward he offers faith in him is so much better!

Boaz acknowledged her faith in God. He viewed Ruth as having taken refuge under God’s “wings”. This is a picture that occurs a few times in the Old Testament Scriptures. We first encounter it in the great Song of Moses, where he speaks of God’s care in delivering Israel from slavery (Deut 32:8-12). From this base, a number of pictures develop from this imagery.

  • God is a place of safety (Psalm 17:8).
  • God is a place of refreshment (Psalm 36:7-9).
  • God is a place of quiet peace in a storm (Psalm 57:1).
  • God is a place of celebration (Psalm 63:7).
  • God is a place of hope amid destruction (Psalm 91:1-8).

The great idea is that God is the gospel, the good news; God is here, God cares, God rules, and God provides.

Ruth responded with a respectful request (2:13).  By her words she expressed her gratitude for Boaz’s kindness. Ruth needed to say thank you to him. Gratitude is important in God’s perspective. Take time to say “thank you” to the Lord this week. If your small group meets this week, use this special opportunity to share your thankfulness with others. Ruth’s words also asked for continued favor. She knew that her needs were great; she was not ashamed to hint about this to Boaz.

We see also a developed awareness of her need for grace. She took a lowly position, calling herself a “servant girl”, which was someone on the lowest rung of the social ladder. She honored Boaz by referring to him “lord” or “master” (adonai). Ruth had an attitude that is largely lacking in our time. It is called “humility”. What is precious in God’s sight is despised in our land. Don’t put God to the test, thinking that you can get away with pride. Listen to the word of the Lord. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time (1 Peter 5:6 NIV).

Grace and peace, David

Welcome to God’s People

IMG_1111Ruth 2:8-9

As we listen to the book of Ruth, it is clear that life had not been easy for this young Moabite woman. She married into an Israelite family, who had gone to live in her native country. But before they had been in Moab ten years, great tragedy struck. Ruth’s husband, father-in-law, and brother-in-law all died. Her mother-in-law, who is filled with bitterness, decided to return to Israel, when she heard that God had come to help his people. And Ruth made the wise and godly decision to go with her. Ruth threw in her lot with God’s people, but still her life did not seem promising. For to the casual onlooker, Ruth was an outsider from one of Israel’s enemies. She lacked financial support. Her mother-in-law could not or would not help, and so Ruth went out into the fields to gather leftover stalks of grain—alone.

However, Ruth was not really alone, because God was with her. As we saw last week, the Sovereign Lord directed her into the fields of one of her relatives by marriage. His name was Boaz, a well-off, influential landowner. In the story of Ruth, a dramatic moment has arrived. Ruth and Boaz talk for the first time. What will happen?

Boaz gave a kind answer to Ruth’s request. As this scene opens, all was not sweetness and light for Ruth. On the one hand, she gathered grain so that Naomi and she could eat. But on the other hand, this was hard work, and from the coming conversation with Boaz, we can gain hints that she felt threatened, perhaps because she was a Moabite. She may well have wondered how successful her endeavor might be. Suddenly, everything changed for her good! It was in the path of faith that Ruth found blessing.

Ruth found acceptance. His kind greeting (“my daughter”) was a message of welcome. Boaz didn’t address her as an enemy or even a foreigner but as a family member. His words conveyed a sense of inclusion and reassurance. They might well have been the first kind words she heard since she arrived in Israel. It was like saying, “We’re glad you’re here; please make yourself at home.” This sense of acceptance ought to permeate every situation in every assembly of Christ’s people. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7 NIV). In addition, his words were also an invitation. He told her to stay in his fields. From his emphasis, it seems that she might have been in the process of leaving. He quieted her fears. My brothers and sisters, we must realize that we need to make others feel very accepted. We might be familiar with handshakes and perhaps hugs in the local church we have attended for a while, but the hearts of guests can be very apprehensive. Perhaps they have never felt acceptance. Now certainly, you don’t rush up and give a guest a hug! But you can ask them if they’d like a cup of coffee, show them where to hang up their coats, or offer to sit near them.

Ruth received protection. Boaz gave Ruth a place in his community of workers. He did not offer to pay her, but he allowed her to support herself off his possessions. Yes, God’s law commanded this, but he let her know that he walked according to the law of the Lord (Psalm 119:1). He reassured Ruth that no one would abuse her verbally, physically or sexually in his fields. He sought to put Ruth at ease. She would not have to work looking over to her shoulder. She was in a secure place where she could enjoy gathering food. It is a man’s responsibility to make women and girls feel safe and secure (cf. 1 Timothy 5:2).

Ruth discovered compassion. Boaz gave Ruth permission to drink from the water jars used by his workers. This was very considerate care for a woman working hard under the near eastern sun; it would also save her time in getting her own water. This act of compassion reversed the usual social customs, because in that culture foreigners usually gave water to Israelites and women to men. So then, this would strike Ruth as very special treatment. He invited Ruth to take the first steps from outside the social circle of the community of Israel to inside at least the outer part of that circle.

Where are you in your fellowship of believers? If it is a gathering of true followers of Christ, you should feel welcome and being drawn closer. It can take people with little knowledge of community time to feel accepted, but the atmosphere of acceptance should be evident. Receive invitations to draw nearer as you perceive the grace of the good news of Christ in the assembly. If you are inside, reach out to people who are new to the group. Get out of your comfort zone to bring others into it. You are the messenger of Christ’s love to newcomers and to those who still linger on the fringes of your local church.

Grace and peace, David

Answering Questions

IMG_0975Ruth 2:1-7

When the Lord calls us by the gospel (good news) of Christ to salvation, he places us in his people, his family, his new gathering, the church. When we repent and believe, we become partners in the good news. God equips each gospel partner to function in the church, and he expects us to fulfill our function, as we saw in earlier articles on 1 Corinthians 12. This requires cooperation with other members. We must all receive direction from the Lord (what is written in his word) and help one another in the mission that the Lord has given us; namely, to fish for people. Christ is in charge of the church and we all will answer to him.

In the story of Ruth, we read of a man entrusted with a task. We are not told his name, but he was a foreman under the direction of Boaz. Boaz wanted to know more information about Ruth, and so he asked his foreman, who made plain observations. He told Boaz what he knew about Ruth’s identity. He said that she was a Moabite woman. The foreman did not hesitate to point this out twice. We must remember that the law covenant separated Israel from the nations, though there is one human race. (The Bible recognizes absolutely nothing about different races among people. Racial prejudice and hatred come from non-Biblical and non-Christian ideas.) God had separated Israel from the nations out of love for Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-8) and from Israel to send Christ and his people to all people groups (Romans 9:4-5; 15:7-13). Whatever thoughts the foreman may have had about a Moabite gleaning in the fields, clearly Boaz was not troubled at all.

Christ’s new people the church consists of those saved by grace from all people groups. Through Christ we all have access to the Father by one Spirit (Ephesians 2:18). Therefore, we must reach out to people from all ethnic groups, in order to show God’s glory in saving people from all nations in the Lord Jesus. Are you involved in this part of the mission?

The foreman also told Boaz that Ruth came back (same word as returned in 1:22) with Naomi. When we connect this with the information about Boaz in verse one, the story gets interesting! The God who is in control of everything has his hand on both their lives to bring them together.

The foreman informed Boaz about Ruth’s conduct and request. Ruth was diligent in her work. She worked steadily from the moment she arrived in the field. She was intent on her purpose. If she wanted food to eat, she had to glean. Ruth was bold in her request—to gather among the harvesters. Why would she ask this? In Bible times a reaper grasped the stalk with his left hand and cut the grain with the sickle in his right. As he did this, he would accumulate an armload of stalks, which he would lay in rows for women to tie in bundles. If the workers were skilled, little would be left in the field, except at the corners of the field. If the workers carelessly allowed too much to drop, they might be looking for work the next day in someone else’s field. So Ruth wanted to increase her probability of harvesting a good amount of grain. She is going beyond the law; she is asking for kindness.

How do you need to exercise bold faith where Christ has placed you? Your life is probably less than perfect; don’t be depressed or discouraged. Life was not easy for Ruth on this day of her life. But she lived by faith on God’s word. You and I must life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, too, regardless of our circumstances. Instead of viewing your life as filled with problems, look at things differently. The Lord is giving you opportunities to rely on him, because when you are weak, he still is strong (2 Cor 12:10). He has promised to be with you always, which includes the trying and taxing times you endure. Rely on his presence and his power.

Grace and peace, David

A Godly Example

IMG_0939Ruth 2:1-7

A core matter of the Christian way of life is to follow Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 10:38; 16:24; etc.) We are to imitate his way of life and think his thoughts, have his attitudes, speak with grace and truth, and do good as he did. The Lord knows that it is beneficial for us also to have people that we can see as examples that we can imitate. Each of us ought to be living in such a manner that we can say “follow my example” or “imitate me” because we follow the Lord Christ (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1; Philippians 3:15, 17; 2 Thessalonians 3:7, 9; 1 Timothy 4:12; Titus 2:7; Hebrews 6:12; 13:7; 1 Peter 5:3). In the story of Ruth, next in the story is a man called Boaz. God has an important purpose in his plan for Boaz and Ruth. What kind of a man was Boaz? He was a godly man, a man of integrity, goodness, and action.

First we see an example of Boaz’s active oversight. Surprise! Who should arrive to inspect his fields except the “man of standing”, Boaz! And when did he reach his fields? He came to one of his fields after Ruth had been gleaning for a while. This was perfect timing; it was beyond coincidence.

  • Boaz greeted his workers in a godly manner. He brought God into his workplace by blessing his workers in God’s name. Not everyone has the opportunity that Boaz had to act so boldly. Most followers of Jesus must act and speak cautiously, since they neither own the company nor are they paid to evangelize. Some Christians become overzealous and brash when they ought to be humble and quiet. The Lord expects us to be wise and gentle among our coworkers. We need to make friends from our coworkers and then tell our friends the good news, but not on company time. Having been in management, I know it is not appreciated when any worker wastes time for which they are being paid to work. So then, Christians need to show the example of diligent work.
  • Boaz was a man of influence and wealth (2:1). He was in a position to help the poor. This is the view that we should take of our lives. God gives to us generously, so that we might help others, and in this way show his kindness and compassion. The Lord wants us to work, so that we can give to care for others in their needs (Ephesians 4:28).
  • Boaz was also a godly man, as the whole book makes clear. He spoke in conformity with his world and life view. God was in his thoughts, and there could be no better greeting than to wish them God’s presence of blessing. Many times in the Old Testament Scriptures, this is emphasized by saying that “God was with” someone.
  • Boaz noticed who was working in his fields. This shows that Boaz knew what was going on in his workplace. He wasn’t oblivious. He paid attention to his workers. He knew that people were a very important part of his business. Other things being equal, the business that cares for its employees will prosper more than others that do not. More importantly, God cares very much about people! Part of your responsibility as a member of the local assembly you attend is to know everyone who worships with you. That gathering is your spiritual family, and it is unthinkable that you should fail to pay attention to people that God the Father brings into your assembly. Engage everyone in kind and godly conversation.
  • Boaz noticed Ruth. Hmm, this also showed that he was a real man. Men do notice women—in about three-tenths of a second or less. What made him notice her? Was it her good looks? Was it her foreign appearance? Was it her youthfulness? (Yes ladies, men do look at younger women first. Don’t get upset at your man or men in general. Men noticed you first when you were the younger woman.) Whatever the reason, Boaz did notice her and decided he ought to have more personal information about her.

So then, God had Ruth and Boaz in the same place at the same time, and Boaz had some level of interest in her. This was beyond coincidence. God would use all this to accomplish his purposes in Jesus Christ. Since we are also part of the story of God’s glory, we must be ready to be used by the Lord.

Grace and peace, David

Beyond Coincidences

IMG_0910Ruth 2:1-7

Once in a while, you might see a movie or read a novel that presents both sides of a story. The main characters function as both protagonists and antagonists. An example would be the movie Gettysburg, which attempts to tell the story of the battle of Gettysburg from both the perspective of the Union and the Confederates. In this section, we encounter something similar occurring. As we see Ruth take center stage, we see two sides of the story. On one side we find Ruth, her significant choices, and random or chance events. But on the other side the story is about the invisible but true God, directing her life so that it moves beyond coincidences.

Ruth exercised a bold initiative; she decided to act. Ruth knew that having a house and a table is insufficient. They needed bread on the table, if they were going to survive. She was not afraid to work for that goal. The Bible teaches that we both pray for God to supply our food (Matthew 6:11) and actively fulfill our responsibility to work for it (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Ruth overcame the temptation to laziness and the apparent depression of her mother-in-law. When Naomi agreed to Ruth’s action, she gave a two-word answer in Hebrew. So then Naomi was not in a good emotional or spiritual condition. If you are in a depressed condition, you need to return to active service for Jesus. To do this, look to his cross and see a better covenant made with you by his blood. The Lord is on your side and he is committed to help you, regardless of your present circumstances.

Ruth used a provision in God’s old covenant law for her good (Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19-22).  To glean means to gather or collect. God allowed those who were in need in the specified circumstances to provide food for themselves from the property of others, since the land belonged to God ultimately. We should see more than the law; we should see the kindness of the Lord who gave the law to his people. God’s commands flow out of his nature, all revealing his glory as God in some way.

We need to see all that we have as coming from the kindness of our Father in heaven. Whatever we give is his anyway, and by giving we reflect God’s kindness. Observe carefully that Ruth was not guided to glean by some nighttime vision or dream, by hearing voices from heaven, or by an angelic escort. She simply walked according to the word of truth, the Bible.

Ruth took a risk. There was danger because of her ethnicity. People have many prejudices in regard to people of other ethnic groups. Many of these arise from differences in skin color, language, customs, and religion. Though the Lord had given the law of gleaning to provide for the aliens in Israel, not everyone would be willing to obey God’s law. The law of God reflected God’s character and will, but it did not achieve it. Grace comes through the gospel, not the law.

There was danger because of her gender. The time of the judges (cf. 1:1) was marked by open sexual immorality, like our time. (Sexual immorality is always a human problem in this world, cf. Mark 7:21; Romans 1:24-27.) Without a strong central government committed to God’s law covenant, outward expression of the heart’s sexual immorality was not hindered as it should have been. It could have been risky for a woman to go out to the fields alone. We will notice more about this in the next section. Israel had become more like the nations that she was to be separated from. Having forsaken God and the good news of Jesus, our nation will become increasingly sexually immoral and violent, which is the companion of sexual immorality. (Read Romans 1:18-32.)

There was also a risk because of her limited knowledge. All people face this in various ways and degrees. Ruth was not sure about who would show favor to her. Would they treat her as a needy person or as an unwelcome, troublesome foreigner? She simply didn’t know. But she took the risk. God expects us to live by faith according to the Scriptures. In his providence, Ruth was a widow, an alien, and poor. In his covenant law, he had provided for her provision in the law about gleaning. By faith she had to act on God’s revealed will and to trust God to provide.

Ruth’s risk was rewarded by God (2:3). Here we see the hand of the invisible God silently at work. From the human perspective, Ruth simply made her choices. “Let’s see; that looks like a nice field and the workers seem happy. That might mean that the owner is generous. So, I’ll try my luck there.” But Ruth might not have even thought that much. The Hebrew text literally reads, “Her chance chanced upon.” She might have simply wandered into the field with a sigh and a shrug of her shoulders and started to glean.

However, what people call chance or luck is not simple random occurrence. Instead, this is God’s sovereign providence. God guided her steps to her destiny that he appointed for her (Proverbs 16:9). God directed her steps, so that she walks seemingly “by chance” into the fields of Boaz.

My whole life has been shaped by various chance happenings, like a computer picking my college roommates for my freshman year, randomly sitting next to someone in my first class at a new college, and a man suddenly recalling at the right moment that he had my phone number on a scrap of paper in his Bible. Those are three examples from what I do know, and God alone knows in how many other ways he has guided my life through “chance” happenings.

The life of faith is an adventure. It’s exciting to think of what God might do; that is, if you’re trusting him! Are you?

Grace and peace, David

A New Home

IMG_0902Ruth 1:22

Sharon and I have moved much in our lives. We stayed in our previous two homes for fifteen and twenty years respectively. When we moved last December, it was a big event for us, one that included downsizing (and hopefully rightsizing) our possessions. Though getting rid of a lot of stuff was tiresome, we looked at the process with joy, since we were moving to a new home. (No, that’s not a picture of our present apartment building. But the view would be great!) We were on our way to a new place with new people to meet and new experiences to share. Though the move was over six months ago, our apartment still feels new to us, and we thank God our Father constantly for what he has given us. In saying this, we realize that some people find moving stressful and unpleasant. Naomi had decided to return to Israel, and her move brought stress to her.

However, someone else besides Naomi came home in this passage (1:22). Her name was Ruth. This verse has a difficult structure, but the word “return” is used of both Naomi and Ruth. So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest (NASV).

In Naomi’s previous words, we heard her say nothing about her daughter-in-law. Naomi had complained in the singular. However, hadn’t Ruth lost her husband, too? Wasn’t Ruth also childless? Wasn’t Ruth also facing a grim future? If Naomi had been brought back empty, then what can be said about Ruth, who was now empty in a foreign land?

Suffering can produce a self-centered outlook. Others are forgotten. What matters are my pain and my anguish and my troubles and my loneliness and my heartache! Yes, Naomi was suffering, and we reach out to others in our grief. But surely she should not have overlooked Ruth, but spoke in the plural, and talked about how Ruth needed friends and help!

However, the Holy Spirit who inspired the writer of this portion of Scripture has not forgotten Ruth! He points out that Ruth the Moabitess had returned. How can this be called a return, since Ruth had not left Bethlehem in the first place? The Spirit of God wants us to know that Ruth has returned to the living God.

By calling her a Moabitess, the Holy Spirit wants us to sense the wonder of her conversion. In this Old Testament book, he reminds of God’s greater purpose. God had said that all peoples on earth would be blessed through Abraham (Genesis 12:3), and he had invited the nations to rejoice with his people in the great song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:43). So then, in the Torah, the old covenant law had excluded the nations from the people, while God also revealed his purpose to include them among his people. It was very unclear to people under the law how those two truths could agree, if they even thought about them. It was a mystery whose solution could only be found in Christ (Ephesians 3:1-13). Ruth stands as one of the firstfruits of that worldwide vision. As God gave more revelation in the Old Testament Scriptures, he would affirm the purpose that would be fulfilled in the Lord Jesus. So then, Ruth the Moabitess returned to God and his people! Naomi had not returned empty, because Ruth the Moabitess went home with her! To sum up the story to this point, “when God is at work, bitter hopelessness can be the beginning of some surprising good” (Hubbard).

How can you know that God is at work for your good (Romans 8:28)? You can only know it when you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and righteousness with God. Only then can you know the love of God from which nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate you.

Grace and peace, David

Naomi’s Bitter Words

Ruth 1:20-21

Naomi became the wet blanket at her homecoming. She returned their joyful welcome with a downer. IMG_0855This was not a “pleasant” scene. Yes, I can understand the emotions that were undoubtedly swelling in her heart when she walked into town. The memories of her exit with her husband and two sons would rush back. She had a full family and the prospect of a full, prosperous life in Moab. But now she was very empty, and it smacked her hard. Naomi was not a cardboard cut-out doll. She was a woman with deep feelings. And her misguided feelings ruled the hour!

What was Naomi up to? Let’s begin with this. Naomi overvalued her circumstances and undervalued God and a person, Ruth. Naomi misevaluated God’s actions, and underestimated the value of her daughter-in-law. We often misinterpret what God has placed in our lives. It is rather easy to brood about our troubles and to ignore people that God has given us. In addition, Naomi did not even sense that her true treasure was the Lord, but she focused on him as the one making her life bitter. Naomi looked at the Lord as a witness against her in a court of law (1:21), even as she returned to the Lord and his people.

Is this not how you and I act? We are flawed in every area, including our faith and repentance. God, the object of saving repentance and faith, justifies us by grace and not by the purity of our actions. Listen to the message of grace: Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness (Romans 4:4-5).

Naomi suddenly decided to change her name. “I can’t stand to be called ‘Pleasant’ one more time! This is going to change right now! Yes, I’m back, but I’m not ‘Pleasant’; I’m ‘Bitter’!” Ouch, Naomi is like a woman that Anne of Green Gables described this way: “all prickles and stings”. Oh my friend, please let me ask you this. Do you sense a “Naomi attitude” in your heart? Is there a simmering pot of bitterness on the stove in your mind? Are you just waiting for the opportunity to give anyone who will listen to an earful of your bitterness?

Naomi told her story from her point of view. But she told a confused story, though a law covenant daughter of Abraham, returning to God. Yet she blamed the Lord instead of blessed him. She used two names for God, Shaddai and Yahweh, in a chiastic manner: Shaddai, Yahweh, and then Yahweh and Shaddai. Yahweh, as we have seen, means, “I am who I am”. But what is the meaning and significance of Shaddai? It seems that Shaddai means “Almighty”, though this cannot be proved beyond question. The significance of this name for God is clearer in the OTS. It speaks of God’s rule over the universe (Psalm 68:14; Job 42:2). As he rules over all things, Shaddai dispenses blessings (Genesis 17:1; 35:11; Psalm 91:1-2), but he also maintains justice (Job 24:1; 27:2) and people appeal to him for justice (Job 13:3; 31:35). This also means that Shaddai executes judgment (Job 27:14-23; Isaiah 13:6; Ezekiel 10:5, 18; Joel 1:15). It is in this sense that Naomi now viewed her covenant Lord. She was thinking of Shaddai as Job did (Job 6:4; 27:2).

Naomi rightly saw God in control of human life. She refused to look at “second causes”. She left Bethlehem full, but Yahweh brought her back empty. Notice how she puts this! She did not simply return, but the Lord brought her back. She did not lose her husband and sons because of chance, disease or some other calamity, but God emptied her arms of her family. She was upset with the Lord and what he had done, but she still acknowledged his control over her life. Yes, this is a tough path to walk.

Someone might ask, “How can you trust a God like that?” To which I reply, “How can you trust a god who isn’t in control? Why bother to trust a weakling that fate or sinful people can frustrate?” In addition, we must remember that sovereign power is not the only characteristic of the true God. He is also holy, wise, all-knowing, everywhere-present, eternal, unchangeable, good, merciful, patient and love. Before you complain about his will, I advise you to read about what he has told us his will is for all who trust him. Naomi’s serious problem is that she evaluated God on the basis of how she felt about her current circumstances. Do you commit the same error? When you’re enjoying a week at the shore, do you sing, “God is so good, he’s so good to me?” But what song do you sing when your car breaks down, you’re in physical pain, you feel no one cares, there’s trouble in your family, the bill collectors are calling, and the “wrong” candidate will the fall election? Where did God ever promise to work out everything according to the purpose of your ill-considered, short-sighted, self-serving, sinful will? The answer is not to deny that God is sovereign. Neither is the answer to deny that he is holy, wise and good.

I learn a couple truths from this text. One is the shocking kindness and compassion of God in putting up with this kind of talk from his people, who act like spoiled brats. I discover that his mercy is always new, even when I lose control and talk like Naomi. Do you? We all should shut up, get down on our knees, and confess our arrogant pride that we have dared to contend with the Almighty (Job 40:1-2). Another is that we need to wait and see what God is doing. We are so anxious about our story! We want heaven now. But God is writing another story, the story of his glory, in the pages of our lives. Faith is the confidence that God’s story will be wonderful.

If you could choose, which words would you prefer to be remembered for speaking? Would you choose Ruth’s words (1:16-17) or Naomi’s (1:20-21)? Read both about ten times, think about them for ten hours, and then evaluate which one you sound like as you tell the story of your life, even if it is only to your closest friends.

Grace and peace, David