Ruth
Readings: Ruth 1.1-18
Introduction
Today’s story is all about children – or rather the lack of
children. It's also a story of disaster
and loss; of the experience of extreme poverty; a story of racism, of being a
powerlessness woman in a man’s world.
It's also a story of faith and character – and a bond of love that
overcomes everything.
It's the story of Naomi and her daughter in law Ruth. Naomi is a Jewish woman, a Hebrew from the
land of Israel, who lived in Bethlehem.
Her husband, Elimelech, uprooted them, and their two boys, and moved to
a foreign country, to Moab, part of what is now the country of Jordan.
No doubt Naomi’s husband Elimelech moved the family for all
good reasons – so that they might be well provided for and prosper. But it meant leaving behind all that Naomi
knew, her culture, her religion, and her friends and family. Elimelech was in a way turning his back on
all they held dear – including God, and making a fresh start.
Disaster in a foreign land
Her boys soon marry local girls and settle down in a foreign
land. You get the picture that Elimelech
and the boys Killion and Mahlon, were quite at home in the new town – settling
in with the new ways, and worshipping the local gods.
Within a few lines we are told that disaster strikes them –
Elimelech and the boys each fall ill and die leaving Naomi in a strange land,
with no children to carry on the family name, and with the responsibility of
two daughters-in-law to look after. What
are they to do.
She decides to go home to Bethlehem.
It would be a hard and dangerous journey, but at least she
would be home again. She tells her
daughters-in-law to go back to their families because she could do no more for
them.
One leaves, but Ruth will not abandon Naomi. Ruth has been touched by Naomi’s simple life
of faith in God, and she decides she would rather leave her home town with all
it's prosperity and shallow fashion, and stay with this old woman and her deep
faith out of a sense of duty, and a sense of love.
The journey is hard – walking on foot over the mountains in
tremendous heat, with little food or water.
But they get to Bethleham.
Poverty
Twenty years ago they had left, loaded with possessions and
her boys – Naomi left town filled with everything she might want. But now she returns empty – with nothing to
show for all her hard work – a widow, with no children, wearing worn and dirty
clothing.
No one offers them anything and they are forced to sleep in
a cave. Their food and money run out –
and Naomi and Ruth wonder what is to become of them.
Ruth wonders if she should become a beggar at the city gate,
but as she talks to Naomi about the Jewish laws she discovers that the poorest
in society can go to the fields and work as gleaners - picking up the left over
stalks of grain as the harvest is collected.
At last she has a plan – she will work as a gleaner to collect enough
food for Naomi and her.
Outcast foreigner and a Vulnerable woman
Unfortunately for Ruth the local people in the fields just
see her as a strange foreign woman – someone who doesn’t belong here. You can imagine the way they talk to her and
treat her. The hostile stare, the rude
words, even throwing stones to drive her away.
She walks further and further from town to find a place
where she can work in peace. Being a
lone woman with all those farm workers is a dangerous thing to do – she could
easily be attacked.
Despite it all Ruth perseveres, showing great courage and
determination – she will not be diverted, she must provide for her mother in law,
Naomi.
Finally Ruth is lucky – or perhaps God is looking after her
and she is blessed – because she finds some kind people who let her work in
peace and safety. It's back breaking
work picking stalks of corn, and soon her hands are blistered and bleeding, but
she keeps going. She discovers the field
belongs to a man called Boaz – a relative of Naomi’s who is quite a rich land
owner and a leading man in the city – he’s quite a bit older, quite wealthy –
and single.
And did you know, Boaz is descended from Rahab and Tamar we
heard about in the last few weeks?
A Match Making Mother
Boaz seems impressed with Ruth’s dedication and faith and
makes sure she is safe and well provided for as she works with the servant
girls in the field. As the weeks of the harvest
continue Boaz becomes more and more drawn to this foreign girl and her
faithfulness; and Ruth is impressed with Boaz’ kindness and generosity. Perhaps she sees the same deep faith in his
heart that Naomi has.
Naomi can see the way that Boaz looks at Ruth, and the way
she responds to him – but no one is making a move. And so she does what any good mother would do
– a bit of match making.
She knows that the Jewish Law requires a relative of a widow
to marry her and provide an heir to carry on the family name. Boaz could be that man – he is a man of faith
and honour, so he will not refuse! She
tells Ruth to go to him alone at night, remind him she is his next of kin and
ask him to marry her.
Obediently she listens to her mother-in-law, she plucks up
courage, dresses up beautifully and goes out into the night. During the night Boaz wakes up suddenly,
turns over, and is surprised to find a woman lying at his feet. When she stammers out her words of
proposal. Boaz is amazed – how could
this beautiful young woman want to be married to him, an old goat?
But he sees that she is serious, he sends her home, sorts
out a few obstacles and arranges everything – and the next day they are
married. Nine months later we are told
that she gives birth to a baby boy – that is placed in Naomi’s arms, finally a
proud grandmother and the family name will continue.
Conclusion
It's a wonderful story isn’t it? Like the best romantic novel the heroine
battles through adversity and loss, facing dangers with courage and faith, and
overcomes everything.
In the close knit Jewish society at Bethlehem Ruth faces
shame and hurt. She is a foreigner, and
people hated and mistrusted foreigners.
They gossip about her and do not lend a helping hand. She responds with hard work determined to
prove them wrong, and to win their approval with her faithfulness. And she does.
We think this story was written down at the time when the
Israelites were returning home from exile by the Rivers of Babylon. They were determined to throw out all
foreigners, and keep themselves to themselves, and to be a pure Hebrew race.
This story reminds them that actually God welcomes all
people, that race and breeding isn’t as important as faith in God. It reminds us that we must care for women in
vulnerable places and protect them. It
reminds us that God is there for us in the hardest places, and has a plan for
us all – if only we believe and trust.
Her baby boy was the descendent of King David and of Jesus
Christ – showing again that God accepts all people in his plan of salvation for
the world. Amen.
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