Ruth Chapter 1- Return to Bethlehem

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Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”  v17

Ruth is basically making a covenant with Naomi, to death do us part, Ruth is forsaking her heritage and homeland, being buried with the Jews as a Moabite, almost like a foreshadow of our old selves being buried with Christ

As mentioned previously , I see a foreshadow of the Church in Ruth , the Gentile, being united with Naomi (Jew) in the Covenant with Christ

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  Romans 6:4

When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.  V18

Remember Naomi pleaded with Ruth previously to go back to her homeland, but she sees that Ruth is committed to this Covenant with Naomi, she stopped trying to change her mind

Ruth made the profession of faith, and is not looking back as The Lord instructed us as followers

Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”  Luke 9:62

Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, “Is this Naomi?”  v19

While Naomi was probably hesitant to come back to Bethlehem, after leaving and suffering many failures and hardships. Her return was well greeted, “the city was excited because of them” 

Another interesting point to this response is Naomi is bring her Gentile Daughter in Law Ruth, they were probably unsure how they would be accepted back into the Jewish community

But also reminds you of when Mary and Joseph made that far journey back to Bethelehm, to bring the Christ child into the world for Gods salvation plan for humanity

So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. / He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child. / While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born.  Luke 2:4-6

But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.  V20

The name Naomi means pleasant or , Mara means bitter After all Naomi has been through, she feels as if she has been cursed by God. But was it really God who did this or Naomis and her husbands choice to leave Bethlehem during the famine?

Again we see a foreshadow of the New Covenant in Christ, where our old self has died and we are a New Creation in Christ. While Naomi does’nt understand it right now, but she is actually blessed and provided for by her Redeemer , which leads to Christ

I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”  v21

Naomi believed she was “full” secure because of her daily provision (husband, family) When all of that was stripped away, she felt like she was abandoned or empty, however what God has demonstrated to her, is that God is our provider and not us. Even through her sorrows, she is still full and taken care of by Christ our Redeemer

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Matthew 6:33

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.  V22

Naomi returns back to God , to Bethlehem her provided inheritance by God, and God will return back to her. This is a valuable lesson I think we can all learn, to be more obedient to God than obedient to ourselves. Trust in The Lord!

God calls His people to return to His decrees, promising, “Return to me, and I will return to you  Malachi 3:7

Ruth 1- My God and Your God

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Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people by giving them bread.  V6

As we continue on, Naomi and her two daughters in law (Ruth and Orpah) are now faced with a crisis, since all of their husbands have died from the famine. Remember Naomi is a Jew and originally came from Bethlehem of Judah, which is ultimately the birth place of the Messiah Jesus (Micah 5:2)

“She had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord has visited His people” Naomi has heard the famine is over in Bethlehem, which was a result of Gods judgement for 7 years due to Israel’s disobedience in the time of Judges. So Naomi is going to head back to Bethlehem to find the Kinsman Redeemer to provide for her and the daughter in law Ruth

‘Giving them bread” is a prophetic message as the City of Bethlehem name means “House of Bread”

Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.  And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.  V7-8

At first the two daughters in law (Ruth and Orpah) were going to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem, but Naomi insisted they go back to their own households in Moab and basically find new husbands to support them. Naomi knows she is old and beyond child bearing age, he chances of finding a new husband or Kinsman Redeemer were probably small, she didn’t want to drag her daughters down with her since they still had a chance of finding new husbands for survival

The LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.  And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”  But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?  Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons,  would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me!”  v9-13

Naomi basically feels like she is cursed, it could be perhaps because they left Israel to live in a pagan Gentile region of Moab and ultimately they lost everything , including the lives of her husband and sons. So Naomi doesn’t want to drag down Ruth and Orpah with her

Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.  V14

At this point , after Naomi insisted multiple times, Orpah decided to go back to her household in Moab, while Ruth “clung to her” Ruth was willing to be loyal to Naomi until death, regardless of what happens.

And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”  But Ruth said: “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.  v15-16

Here Ruth makes an amazing profession of faith, while Orpah turns back to her “gods”, remembering Moab is a pagan land. Ruth professes “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God”

Ruth has forsaken her pagan “gods” and has pledged allegiance to the on true God of Israel. Which ultimately this story and marriage between Ruth and Boaz will lead to the line of David, which will lead to the Son of God Jesus Christ! 

Introduction to the book of Ruth

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One of only two books names after a woman (Ruth and Esther)

Ruth is part of Jesus Christ  genealogy (Matthew 1:5)

Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,

Matthew 1:5

Author: Samuel 

Time:  “When the Judges Ruled” 

Location: Moab and Bethlehem

The book of Ruth was typically read during Pentecost due to Harvest references

Major Themes:

  1. New Covenant – Jews and Gentiles in the Covenant
  2. Woman are coheirs in the Kingdom with me part of Gods salvation
  3. Ruth protrays the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31
  4. Gods sovereignty and provision are demonstrated
  5. Ruth is in the genealogy of the Messiah (Christ)
  6. Boaz is a shadow of Christ – The Kinsman Redeemer
  7. The throne of David which points to Jesus Christ

Ruth Chapter 1 – The Famine

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Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.  V1

The author, who is believed to be the prophet Samuel, inspired by the Holy Spirit gives us a timeline of these events, “in the days when the judges ruled” , these events happened around the same time period of the book of Judges between 1380 BC to 1050 BC

We see there is a severe famine in the land, this will kick off a sequence of catastrophic events which God will ultimately use for His glory and the fulfillment of the Messianic line in Jesus Christ. This is a fascinating book of how we connect the dots between the Old Testament to The Lord. 

A certain man of Bethlehem (Elimelech) you should already see the ties to Christ, as this man is a citizen of Bethlehem, a Jew, however due to the severe famine, they were forced to move to Moab to find food. Of course Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem as prophesied by Micah, as we walk through the book of Ruth, we will make all the connections to the Messiah

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  Matthew 2:1

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.  Micah 5:2

The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there.  V2

So the mans name is Elimelech, which means “My God Is King” which is very prophetic as this story will be about the Kinsman Redeemer which ultimately leads to Jesus Christ. HIs wifes name is Naomi and their twos sons are Mahlon and Chilion, make note they are all Jewish from Bethlehem, where when the sons move to Moab they will marry gentiles wives (Ruth and Orpah)

Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.  Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.  V3-5

Now here is where the the issues begin, because of the severe famine in the land, Elimelech dies, who is the man of the household, but also Naomi’s sons will also die during this time of famine, this will lead this family in a severe crisis, how will they be able to support themselves?

You must remember during this time period, it was almost impossible for a widow or single mother to raise her family financially. Typically the husband or next of kin, the son, would support the family , however in Naomi’s case , she lost her husband and two sons in a pagan land. 

This reminded me of a scenario the religious leaders were challenging Jesus on who would be the husband of a widow who theoretically lost 7 husbands

23The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 24saying: “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 25Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. 26Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. 27Last of all the woman died also. 28Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.”  Matthew 22:23-28

The Sadducees (religious leaders) presented this bizarre challenge to Jesus, about a woman who lost her husband and then all seven of his brothers died, who will be together in the resurrection, what were the religious leaders referencing?

Well they were presenting what we know as “Kinsman Redeemer” during ancient times, if a wife lost her husband, should be married to one of his brothers to provide for her and the family, since there was no welfare or unemployment. While the religious leaders use an exaggerated example to try and trip up Jesus, you can get an understanding of this practice in that time period

This how the story of Ruth begins, with Naomi heading back to Bethlehem to find her Kinsman Redeemer, which will ultimately be found through Ruth, a Gentile in Boaz which is a shadow of Christ