Ruth And Naomi

Ruth 1:1-17

The Old Testament account of Ruth and Naomi is a favorite of many people.  It is particularly moving for believers, knowing that a woman from a nation hated and despised by the Jewish people would be chosen and loved above others, and would become the ancestress of the great King David, and ultimately the ancestress of Jesus the Messiah.  Today’s Scripture passage begins Ruth’s story. Let’s see what spiritual truths we can learn from her and her mother-in-law Naomi.

Ruth was a young Moabite woman.  Moab was a country southeast of the nation of Israel, on the east side of the Dead Sea.  They were historic enemies of Israel from the days of Moses through the time of the Babylonian captivity.  The Moabites were descended from the incestuous union of Lot and his daughter (Genesis 19:35-37). The Book of Ruth took place probably between the years 1126-1105 BC.

As our passage opens Elimelech, a man from the tribe of Judah, left the country with his wife Naomi and two sons, due to a famine (vs. 1-2).  Though times were difficult, this was a mistake as it violated the Lord’s commands by leaving the Promised Land and seeking help elsewhere, in a pagan land, rather than from Him.  While there Elimelech dies, and soon thereafter his two sons marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Afterwards both of Naomi’s sons die, leaving her not only a widow, but now childless, and the two Moabite women widows, as well (vs. 3-5).  Naomi hears news that the famine in her homeland has passed and God has blessed Israel again, so she decides to return home (vs. 6). God does not forsake us when we wander, but draws and restores us with His love.

When Naomi decides to return to Israel, both of her daughters-in-law wish to go with her.  However, she urges them to go back to their homes (vs. 7-13). She is a poor widow with no family to care for her.  In that day, women could not just go out and get a job. If a woman did not have a husband or sons, they would be destitute.  There was no sense in three widows having to beg. This, though, is a testimony to Naomi’s character, that her two daughters-in-law loved her so much they wished to leave their homeland and birth families to go with her.  Of family relationships, often the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is the most difficult, yet Naomi elicited only love and devotion from her son’s wives. She let God’s love and light shine forth from her, which was instrumental in drawing Ruth to find faith in Yahweh.

Orpah decided to return home, but Ruth didn’t, deciding to stay with Naomi (vs. 14-15).  During her time of living with Naomi, Ruth had come to believe and worship Yahweh, forsaking the false pagan gods of Moab.  The chief god of Moab was Chemosh, whose worship rites included child sacrifice. By living with Naomi, observing her love for the one true God, Yahweh, seeing her godly character and hearing her testimony, Ruth turned away from the pagan gods of her people to love, worship, and serve Yahweh (vs. 16-17).  The grains of love and faithfulness that Naomi had planted in Ruth’s life produced a rich harvest of loyalty and trust. She was not going to abandon Naomi to an uncertain future, nor did she want to return to life in a pagan society, where the true worship of God was missing.

The Book of Ruth shows that no matter what one’s background is, including coming from a heathen nation, God will accept you if you turn to Him.  God’s redemptive plan extended beyond the Jews to include Gentiles. The Jews were not the only people that God loved. He did choose them to be the people through whom the rest of the world world come to know Him.  This was fulfilled with Jesus Christ, one of whose human ancestors was Ruth, the Moabitess. Through Jesus the entire world can come to know God (Acts 10:35). God accepts all who worship Him, regardless of race or nationality.  If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior, please do not hesitate another day. The Lord will accept anyone who calls upon Him, regardless of their background. And if you have already accepted Him, let’s allow our lives be like that of Naomi, where our conduct, behavior, and love will draw others to Jesus.