Book of Ruth and Matthew 1:5
This blog post is an excerpt from the booklet entitled, "Women of the Bible" - Volume 1.
It is written as if Ruth and Naomi are speaking to each other and sharing their hearts directly
with the reader. Thank you for allowing the author to use poetic license throughout this article
while seeking to stay true to the Biblical account of these women's lives.
...Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman,
that his name may be famous in Israel. - Ruth 4:14
NAOMI: Our story begins in Israel. Actually my husband, Elimelech, was from Bethlehem. In our times, mankind had just begun and the lines of our geneology were very important. It mattered who we were related to. We called this being kinsman. My name is Naomi which means “pleasantness.” My husband and I were happily married. God had blessed us with a beautiful family of two sons. I thought life was going just as planned. We lived in a holy city where people mostly sought after God. I had many friends, and people viewed me as being very happy, spiritual, and content. Then a famine came to our town. Our family was forced to move to a city called Moab. This was a heathen land. Then things went from bad to worse. In the ten years we were there, my husband died and my two sons married heathen women who served other gods. To make matters worse, one by one, my sons also died, leaving me the responsibility of caring for my two daughters-in-law.
RUTH: My name is Ruth meaning “friend of God.” I am one of Naomi’s daughters-in-law. I continue the story where my future with Naomi changes. She had no other sons and was too old to bear any more which meant the line of her family would end and we would no longer remain kinsman. This is why she encouraged both of us girls to return to our families. My sister-in-law, Orpah, was as hesitant as I was to leave Naomi because we both loved her very much. Eventually, Orpah did return to her family who had been worshipping pagan gods. But I, however, had seen something different in Naomi that I wanted.
NAOMI: Remember though Ruth, I had become bitter. As a matter of fact, when we finally did return to my homeland, people said my appearance and my countenance had changed dramatically. Because Naomi meant “pleasant” I told them to no longer call me by that name. My new name would be Mara which means “bitter.” Life had taken its toll on me and it was evident to everyone, especially to me!
RUTH: But the Lord was still your God. He was real to you. And I wanted Him to be my God too. I desired to know Him personally and to see what He could do when life was turned upside down. I am quoted at many weddings now because I said, “Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” The Lord God of Israel was my God and “under His wings I trust.”
NAOMI: You were a great help to me, Ruth. Because you reminded me of God’s goodness even in the toughest of days, I renewed my walk with the Lord, returned to Bethlehem, and saw great things happen. It was then that God led you to work in a field owned by a rich and handsome man named Boaz. He must have thought you were something to look at too, because he asked about you. When he heard our story, he told the servants to drop extra barley in your path so that you and I would have more than enough. He said, “…let fall handfuls of purpose.” This was God showing His love to us and telling us that He wasn’t through with us. He had seen our faith and trust in Him.
RUTH: Boaz was not the only kinsman in my line to marry. There was another man who had the right to ask for my hand in marriage before Boaz did. This is why I thought it strange when my mother-in-law started matchmaking. She encouraged me to meet Boaz over the other choice. It didn’t take much convincing. When we met, he said the most beautiful words to me. “And now, fear not, I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city doth know thou art a virtuous woman.”
NAOMI: Boaz was also a righteous man. He went to my nearest kinsman and ask for Ruth’s hand in marriage. They exchanged a shoe to seal the deal. This was a strange custom but now there was no going back. Boaz and Ruth were married and I was taken care of for the rest of my life.
Because Ruth followed the Lord and cared for this old mother-in-law, she started a wonderful heritage of a Christian family. In fact, I am quoted in the Bible as saying that Ruth was better to me than seven sons!
RUTH: That meant so much to me, ladies. I learned God has always had a plan for our lives. We are born for a purpose. God allowed our family to be in the lineage of Christ. Our story didn’t end in disaster. Yours doesn’t have to either. He can change your “bitter” days back to “pleasant” just like He did for us. What unpleasant circumstances can you give to God?
NAOMI: Ladies, please allow the Lord to write your story. Let us work to keep our families together. We should be good even to our in-laws. Our story points to Jesus. He is our Kinsman Redeemer. He found us, changed our lives, and continually gives us “handfuls of purpose.” Now you should share your story! Go tell others what God has done for you!
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