One big happy family

Today we start our journey in scripture in a story set around 1300 BC. 

The story we will follow shows us that, where God is concerned, history is not haphazard.  Through this story we see the continuation of God's purpose and plan through the ages.  We will also see how beyond our wildest imaginings God blesses and provides for all those who trust in Him and strive to follow a life rooted in His teachings and values.

Are you sitting comfortably?  Then let's start by opening the Bible at the Book of Ruth:

Ruth 1: 1 & 2;  ''Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, and there was famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.  And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-judah.  And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.'' 

'Sojourn' suggests that Elimelech and his family did not intend to settle in Moab but at some point would return to Bethlehem-judah, possibly once the famine was over.

Now, Elimelech died, leaving behind his wife Naomi and their two sons, who had both married two local woman Orpah and Ruth; the family continued to live in Moab for a further 10 years. 

Then disaster struck the women:

Ruth 1:5;  ''And Mahon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman [Naomi] was left of her two sons and her husband.''

Naomi knew she had no further stake in Moab and on hearing news that the famine, which had brought the family there in the first place, was now over, made plans to set out for Judah with her two daughter-in-laws.

Naomi knew that Ruth and Orpah, both still young, should ideally remarry in their own land; in antiquity careers for woman were few and very far between and marriage was the only option for most in order to be safe, provided for and looked after.

But Naomi knew that being Moabites Ruth and Orpah were less likely to marry in Judah;  what else could she offer them in Judah but to share in her poverty and very uncertain future.  Therefore Naomi would not commit Ruth and Orpah to follow her;

Ruth 1: 8 & 9;  '' And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.  The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.  Then they lifted up their voice, and wept.''

Reluctantly Orpah decided to return back to her own people and what seemed to be a more secure and known future.   Naomi encouraged Ruth to do the same; but irrespective of what might befall her Ruth was set upon caring for her vulnerable and ageing mother-in-law.

Ruth 1: 16, 17 & 18;  ''And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will to go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people will 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 aught but death part thee from me.''

Naomi knew it was not good trying to change Ruth's mind and so together the two women set off on their journey to Bethlehem arriving in Judah just at the time of the barley harvest.

Now, as a direct result of putting her own interests second and choosing as her priority to care for Naomi, Ruth had also chosen to follow the one and only God, Yahweh, God of Israel and Judah.   Good call Ruth; as we know God looks after, cares and provides for His own  - even if the situation looks to observers as pretty bleak!

Ruth proposed to take advantage of the ancient law permitting the needy to glean in the fields at harvest time; the men cut the harvest with the sickle, the women bound the harvest into sheaths and - if there was anything left - this was then picked over by the gleaners.  Gleaning - a back breaking, hot and thankless occupation - but what other option was there?

Ruth 2: 2 & 3;  ''And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go into the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace.  And she said unto her, Go, my daughter."

When the wealthy land owner, a man called Boaz, arrived to check on the work in progress he did not recognise Ruth as on eof his regular workers.  On enquiring, one of his servants informed Boaz as to whom Ruth was, how she had returned with Naomi to Judah out of her own country of Moab and how she had sought the servant's permission to glean in Boaz's field.

Boaz then called Ruth over to him and told her to stay in his field.  He explained to her that he had given orders to his young men not to molest her, that at meal times she was to share in the reapers' food and that she could help herself to the drinking water when ever she got thirsty.  Gleaning in the hot sun was tiring and thirsty work.  Water, labouriously drawn from some far distant well and then carried to the fields, would be jealously and closely guarded.

Ruth was overwhelmed by the kindness of Boaz, knowing he was doing far more than that which was required of him.  So, in gratitude and humility, she asked him why.  Boaz's reply shows that Ruth's choice to return with, and commit to the care of her mother-in-law not only impressed him, and hence his willingness to help her in return, but also put her in God's domain for reward and care:

Ruth 2: 11 & 12;  ''And answered and said unto her,  It has been fully 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 hithertofore.  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.''

Boaz also gave unusual and special instruction to his men to make sure Naomi and Ruth were to be provided for:

Ruth 2: 15, 16 & 17; ''And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even amongst the sheaves, and rebuke her not: And let some fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

An ephah was about 20 kgs - or equivalent in weight to about 20 bags of sugar - fancy carrying that away from the supermarket!

When Ruth got home after the day's work Naomi was amazed at the amount of barley and asked her in which of the fields she had gleaned. When Ruth said that the name of the land owner was Boaz, Naomi knew God was having a hand in bringing about this provision;

Ruth 2: 20;  ''And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead.  And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.''

Naomi knew that gleaning would only meet their immediate needs for a couple of months more at best - it was not a long term, sustainable solution.  Naomi also knew that it was no way for Ruth to spend her life foraging for the two of them and so she took the initiative in seeking to secure for Ruth a happier future.

With the harvest safely gathered in Naomi knew that Boaz and his men would be hard at work winnowing on the threshing floor and that Boaz would be sleeping with his corn to protect it from opportunistic thieves.

So her mother-in-law asked Ruth to put on her finest clothes and anoint herself with aromatic oils and go down to the threshing floor and hide waiting for Boaz until the after work feasting and drinking was over; she then told her exactly what to do:

Ruth 3: 6, 7 & 8;  ''And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.  And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.''

At midnight Boaz woke up with a start finding a young woman at his feet and demanded to know who she was:

Ruth 3: 9:  ''And he said , Who art thou? And she answered I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsmen.''

Ruth acts with humility again towards Boaz - but in asking him to spread his skirt over her is requesting of him marriage.  In antiquity the custom of spreading the man's skirt (attire) over a widow was a way of claiming her as his wife.

Ruth's circumspect behaviour in the harvest fields, her kindness shown to Naomi had not escaped Boaz or the Community in general and Boaz tells Ruth not to be afraid - he will do for her all she asks:

Ruth 3: 11;  ''And now my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.''

Boaz explained to Ruth that whilst he is very happy to marry her, there was in fact a closer relative than he to Elimelech and that Boaz would have to check with this nearer relative to see if he wanted first call to redeem the land previously owned by Elimelech.

If the relative did want to redeem the land he would also be required to take care of Ruth, and if Ruth had an heir by him, this child at the coming of age would inherit the land automatically. 

Therefore it was not generally seen as a good deal and usually, as in our case here, the near relative declined the option of having the land plus the associated obligations to the widow and her dependants due to the risk that he might loose the land at some future date with no return on his initial investment.

So Boaz was free to marry Ruth and the happy couple, and a very happy Naomi - one big happy family - were blessed in the birth of a son they called Obed:

Ruth 4: 13 & 14;  ''So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women said unto Naomi,  Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.''

''Famous'' he was as Obed was the grandfather of King David himself:

Ruth 4: 22:  '' And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David''.

For me the Book of Ruth does more than just provide crucial evidence in supporting the genealogy of Abraham to Jesus Christ. 

The Book of Ruth also shows us how God's plan and purpose is enacted through the lives of people who choose to trust God totally, are willing to follow Him in faith and, no matter what the circumstances are, put the needs of others first.