Phil and Macy

Phil and Macy

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

A few more thoughts on the book of Ruth

I have a few more thoughts on the book of Ruth. Below is part of the conversation between Ruth and Boaz. I can only recommend the entire book of Ruth be read to see the whole context.

“Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.” Ruth 2:10-12 KJV

One of the thoughts I had is similar to one from the posting the other Iday. Naomi left the land of promise, Israel, to go to a Gentile country with her husband and sons during a famine. While there Naomi lost her husband and two sons. She gained two daughter-in-law's one of which was Ruth. When Naomi returned to Israel with Ruth she told people to call her Mara which means bitter. She was a bitter woman. But Ruth saw through that and sawI like faith in the God of Israel. Ruth would not be denied when Naomi was going to go back to the land of promise. The thought I had was how many Christians are so imperfect. I have met Christians who are many negative things but it can still be seen that there is something a little different about them. That little difference would be a kernel of faith.

I've known Christians that were boasters, arrogant, ignorant, cursers, obnoxious, excessive drinkers, drug users, and etc. I have been and still I am some of this list. God looks upon the heart and sees that kernel of faith. It is good to remember that Christians are not perfect but are just the children of God by the work of Jesus Christ upon the cross. Of course this does not excuse sin or excess but it is good to see the faith and how it clings to the Lord.

Ruth looked past Naomi's bitterness and saw something in her demeanor that drew her to the Lord God of Israel. I especially love the last half of the last verse that I copied. "The Lord God of Israel under whose wings thou art come to trust". This is what Ruth saw in Naomi. I love the metaphor comparing God to a bird that protects its children with its wing. I remember seeing a print that showed a bird with her young under her wing during an awful storm. The caption was "Peace" there is no better place to be than under God's protecting power. As the storm rages around somehow the soul with faith finds peace.
A commentary on Ruth would not be complete without noting that Ruth and Boaz had a son named Obed. This man became the father of Jesse who was the father of David the king. So Ruth the Moabite (Gentile) will was King David's great-grandmother. The Jews of Jesus's day knew this but never seem to grasp the significance and despised the Gentiles thinking they were doing God's work. Of course of faith is open to all and Jesus noted one Gentiles faith in particular saying he had not found so great of faith in all of Israel! I

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