Last night I again read the book of Ruth. I have to say that
this is one of my favorite books of the bible. I love the story. It is not
often that we hear of a woman as faithful, loyal, and committed as Ruth. Not
only had Ruth come to love Naomi with such a deep love even blood relatives do
not often share, Ruth also came to know and love the God of Naomi. Everything
Ruth does in this story is to please God and her beloved mother-in-law.
Four times
Naomi presses Ruth to return to her people. After the third pressing Orpah,
Ruth’s sister-in-law turns back and Naomi encourages Ruth to go with her, but
Ruth cleaves to Naomi and begs her not to send her away. Ruth then declares her loyalty to Naomi in
that wherever she goes Ruth will follow, even unto death. Ruth also declares
that Naomi’s people shall be her people, and Naomi’s God would be her God (ch. 1 vs. 8-17).
When Naomi and Ruth arrive in
Beth-lehem, many of the town’s people come out to greet Naomi, but Naomi
charges them to call her Mara for she is bitter. “I went out full, and the Lord
hath brought me home empty” (ch. 1 vs. 21 first part). Naomi does not know at this point
what the Lord has given her in the person of Ruth. At the end of the book the
women of the town gather about Naomi after Ruth gives birth to Obed and speak
blessings. “Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a
kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a
restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in
law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him”
(ch. 4 vs. 14-15).
There is so much I could say about
Ruth and how God used her, but I would like to welcome the comments of others,
so, read the book and let me know what you think.
