GOOD GIRLS OF THE BIBLE-RUTH

August 1st, 2011 | By admin

by Katt Anderson

The book of Ruth, in the Old Testament is a short book, but filled with an interesting love story. Ruth is an important person in the lineage of Christ. Look at Matthew 1 and you will see how Boaz, who became her husband, was the father of Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David, and so on down the line to Christ.

Ruth was a Moabite. Her father-in-law had moved his family to Moab during a famine in Judah, and he had died there leaving his wife Naomi and her two sons. They took wives of the Moabite women and then died themselves.

Naomi decided to go back to her home in Bethlehem, and her daughters-in-law, Orpha and Ruth started with her. She begged them to return to their own country. Orpha did return, but Ruth continued with Naomi. Ruth proclaimed her devotion to Naomi by saying, “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so t m e, and more also If anything but death parts you and me.”. Ruth 1:16-17.

Ruth and Naomi were destitute. One of them had to find food. Ruth went to the wheat fields and gathered wheat to make flour.  Naomi asked her where she gathered the grain. She told her in the fields owned by Boaz. Boaz was related to Naomi. I think Naomi was a matchmaker. She knew Boaz was related to her and he would be in the line to marry Ruth.

Boaz had noticed Ruth and told his men to leave some grain for her to gather. He knew Naomi and their condition. He also knew how dangerous it was for a woman to glean wheat in a field of men. He made sure no one would bother her while she was there. He was a very kind man to help a distant cousin and her daughter-in-law.

Each morning, Ruth gathered the grain and each morning, she found an abundance of wheat that was missed. Boaz never acknowledged Ruth as being a relative and he was not married. He was probably twenty years older than Ruth. Naomi had to rush things along. The kindness was good, but Ruth needed to marry and have children.

Naomi told Ruth of a custom at that time, and Ruth obeyed her mother-in-law. Boaz realized his duty as a relative and married Ruth.

Ruth was a beautiful woman and could have married anyone at that time. She was obedient and humble. She listened to Naomi, a much older woman, and obeyed what she said. Naomi was kind and considerate of others. She appreciated Ruth’s concern for her and her help. Boaz was also kind and compassionate. He took responsibility of his position and married Ruth.

Let us all try to have that obedience, humility, compassion, consideration, and responsibility as they had. If we all do that, it will be a much better world.