Part 4 of 8 of the theme 'Lessons from the Book of Ruth‘ by Gijs van den Brink
Very familiar are the words Ruth utters to Naomi, "Yet ask me no longer to leave you and go back, away from you. Where you go, I will go; where you sleep, I will sleep; your people are my people and your God is my God (1:16). Ruth chooses an uncertain future because of her love for Naomi. All the while Naomi says that any chance of marriage and a joyful life for her would then be over. Yet Ruth chooses friendship with her mother-in-law Naomi.
Running like a thread through the book is Ruth's decision to live a life of faithfulness and love. Through this choice, as a pagan woman, she comes to know the true and only God with all the blessings that follow. The history of Ruth and Judges shows how God deals with people: disobedience to Him results in punishment and curse (Deut. 28). But whoever serves Him obediently receives blessing.
Ruth, at one point in her life, finds herself all alone. She no longer owns anything. No god has called her, no god promises her a blessing, no man comes to help her. She makes her choice without the support of anyone else. She knows that the consequence of her choice will mean staying alone and being rejected, that it may even mean her death. Ruth has broken with her family, with her country and her faith in the god Kemos. And she has also exchanged her marital love for love of her mother-in-law, an old woman. A young woman who chooses to devote her life to an old mother-in-law instead of looking for a new husband. A young woman who gives all her love to an old woman in a world where women are dependent on men. In all of Israel's history, there is no more radical decision known than that of the pagan Ruth.
Next time: Part 5 of the series 'Lessons from the Book of Ruth' is entitled 'Ruth and Boaz as good examples'
Also see: Part 3 of 8 from the theme 'Lessons from the Book of Ruth' God's guidance and His purpose in our lives‘
Author: Gijs van den Brink
From: Study Bible Magazine
This is part 4 of 8 from the theme "Lessons from the Book of Ruth” Some of which we will be posting online in the near future. We hope this will help you understand the Bible better!
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