50 -- 41st Annual Brethren Disaster Relief Auction
Ruth: A Woman Of The Bible
VERDELLA SPICKLER I remember well when I was in my early teens, on a particular Sunday morning, one of our lay ministers, Henry Becker, challenged the congregation to read one of the best love stories in the Bible, the book of Ruth. Well, it wasn’t quite the kind of love story I had in mind. Maybe at that age I was thinking of something more Hollywood style, but after pondering the story, I found it is indeed, one of the best love stories of all time. First of all, we see the love between Elimelech and Naomi and their two sons, Mahon and Kilion. They leave their home town of Bethlehem in Judea because of a famine to move to the foreign land of Moab. After some years, Elimelech died. The sons took wives from Moab, and by all appearances, they made wise choices. Ruth and Orpah not only loved their husbands, but they also loved their mother-in-law. During the ten years living in Moab, the two sons died as well. So, that left the three widows, without children, to make some serious decisions in a male-dominated land where women had very few rights. Naomi heard the famine was over in Bethlehem and decided to go back home. She strongly urged each of the girls to go back to her own mother to possibly find husbands and start a new life. Orpah took Naomi’s advice and left, but not without a tearful goodbye. However, Ruth clung to Naomi, begging her to go back with her. The well-known work in written form and set to music comes to mind whenever we think of this scene: “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to withdraw from following after thee. Wither thou goest, I will go and where thou lodgest, I will lodge. Thy people shall be my people and thy God, my God” (Ruth 1:16). After moving back to Judah, Ruth, being the ambitious one, and since it was harvest time, suggested she would glean in the grain fields. Naomi approved and Ruth worked diligently all day in the fields, which happened to belong to Boaz. She gained respect from the other laborers and from Boaz. Ruth was not aware that Boaz was a relative of Naomi’s late husband, Elimelech. Boaz was impressed with Ruth’s work ethics and gave her special privileges.
redemption over both she and Naomi as widows. Boaz seems to take this calmly. So, to add more to the drama of this story, Boaz informed Ruth that he wasn’t next of kin, but another relative would have to be asked first. The unknown relative declined for reasons of his own, so Boaz became the kinsman, redeemer for Naomi and Ruth. He made good on his promise, and Boaz and Ruth were married, thus keeping the land in the family for future generations. Boaz and Ruth presented Naomi with her first grandchild, Obed. Ruth presents a wonderful story of love, devotion, honor, diligence, redemption and so much more. It demonstrates love and honor for husbands, both in life and in death; devotion to parents-in-law; it teaches honesty in a day’s work; it teaches humility; and above all, hope for the future. Naomi is no longer sorrowful, showing her that Ruth’s love for her was far better than seven sons (a number being symbolic of perfection). Ruth, a Moabitess, is in the direct line of ancestors to Jesus, who became “our” redeemer. As Mary Stoner Wire wrote the words to the hymn “The Riches of God are Eternal”: v. 1 The riches of God are eternal Sufficient for all of our need: His grace is a fountain o’er flowing, To cleanse us, to comfort, to feed. v.4. And we are the Father’s dear children, The heirs of His mansions above Redeemed by His Son, the beloved, And heirs of His riches and love. Thanks be to God for His unsearchable riches! Wealth that has never been told! Verdella Spickler is a member of Florin Church of the Brethren.
Naomi laid out a plan suggesting that Ruth style up a bit, then go down to the threshing floor where Boaz slept and to sleep at his feet, Ruth does as Naomi suggested. During the night, Boaz notices Ruth lying there, and she tells him he is the one who has the right of
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Since Naomi was well known among the town’s people, Boaz had heard about Ruth’s kindness to her mother-in-law, even after her own husband Mahlon had died. One day after laboring all day, she took back to Naomi ½ bushel of barley, plus her left-over food from lunch, thus taking care of Naomi’s physical needs. Naomi was pleased to learn that Ruth was gleaning in the fields of Boaz. Her spirits lifted as she began to feel hopeful again, knowing that Boaz, a close relative of her late husband, would take care of them.