Recently I’ve been enjoying a series of messages on the short book of Ruth at our Sunday morning services. The Old Testament has two books named after women – Ruth and Esther. The Lord blessed and used both of them in amazing ways. Let’s focus on Ruth and the love stories we find in the four chapters of her book.
Married love
The first love story is about a Jewish couple, Elimelech and Naomi. They lived in the town of Bethlehem in Judea (southern Israel). They had two boys. We don’t know much about their relationship but we can assume they had a happy marriage with hopes and dreams for their future together. Then, adversity hit.
A famine came upon the land and they made the difficult decision to move east to another region called Moab where there was more food. At first, things went well. They were strangers in a different land but they seemed to be adapting. There was now enough food on the table. But, adversity struck again.
Naomi’s husband died (no details given as to the cause). Naomi presses on, the boys grow up and marry women from Moab. The family is now international and inter-cultural (which often makes life more inter-esting!). Again, we can assume the two young couples were happily married. But then, adversity strikes a third time with even greater force.
Naomi’s two sons die (again, no details given). Naomi has now lost her husband and two sons in a relatively short period of time. She’s alone in a strange land with only the support of her two Moabitess daughters-in-law.
Family love
We have all heard many examples (and jokes) about the friction between a husband or wife and their in-laws. The story of Ruth is not one of them. We see strong bonds of affection between Naomi and both of her daughters-in-law. Thinking of their best interests, Naomi urges them to stay in Moab and hopefully remarry. This will provide them with security, companionship, and maybe the children their first marriages did not produce.
At first, both daughters refuse and prepare to return to Israel with Naomi. Finally, however, Orpah heeds Naomi’s urging and stays in her homeland. However, Ruth is firm in her resolve and states, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16) Ruth is putting Naomi’s interests ahead of her own. Her love for her mother-in-law is unselfish and sacrificial.
God’s love
God honors both Naomi and Ruth and eventually brings good out of bad. After returning to Bethlehem in Israel, Ruth meets Boaz as she labors in his fields to provide for herself and Naomi. A mutual attraction develops as Ruth appreciates the kindness and generosity of Boaz, and Boaz admires the hard work and loyalty of Ruth. They finally marry which gives us another example of married love. But there’s more.
The book ends with a mini-genealogy which shows that the descendants of Boaz and Ruth will lead to King David and eventually to Jesus. Jesus will be the long-awaited Messiah who will sacrifice his sinless life to save all people (Jews and Gentiles) who accept him from their sins. This is the greatest example of love— the love of God for his creation.
The Hebrew word “hesed” means kind, steadfast, faithful and loyal love. It appears three times in this short book and twice it refers to how God loves us. This is the kind of love God has for you and me too. And it provides a firm foundation for every other kind of human love.
The question is—have you received it?
Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.
