Book of Ruth – Faith Displayed in Confusing Times

In my last post I discussed the book of Judges. There’s a lot of sadness in this book because collectively the Hebrews did not grasp what their God could and would do for them. The book ends with the details of a Civil War started by a horrible act perpetrated and then defended by one of the 12 tribes of Israel.

What is really interesting to me is that after I decided to read the book of Judges I found a set of sermons on our church’s website relating to the book of Ruth. I was listening to the sermon in the morning before I got up and then read the book of Judges after I was out. Our pastor Steve pointed out so many things in the book of Ruth that I was extremely encouraged.

Of course there were too many things in his series of sermons that I can't address them all here. It starts out fairly sad. Naomi, an Israelite, is married and has two sons. Sadly there is a famine in the land of Israel. Her husband's else's land so they have money to live on. That runs out in the end up leaving Israel and going to the land of Moab, a Gentile country. I think you would have to say they were going the wrong way. It doesn't really mention how well-off they were in Moab. While they are there Naomi's husband dies. While they were in Moab her two sons marry Moabite girls. Later on both of Naomi's sons die and she is left not just a window but without our sons. It is just Naomi and her two daughter-in-law's.

She tells her do daughter-in-law's to go back to their families and one of them does. Ruth stays with her and I'm sure "from the following quotation that Ruth saw something of the Hebrews got in Naomi's and her family's behavior. The book is I really go into it as to the how but this quote is one of the grandest in the Bible to me:

“And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”

Ruth 1:14-17 KJV

I especially like this exclamation from Ruth in the old English of the King James. To me it has so much more power to it then more modern translations. I hope to share a few more observations from the book of Ruth later on. Without a doubt is one of my favorite books of the Old Testament.