Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on June 4, 2022

The Book of Ruth began as did many of the Hebrew stories of that time. The first word in the Hebrew Bible can be translated in a number of different ways: (a) Once upon a time is one possibility. (b) It came to pass would be the good old King James way to say it. (c) It happened one day is pretty close to a modern English language.

So, the book of Ruth is a true story, but what kind of story is it? At first glance it appears that we have a romance here. This, however, is not what the book of Ruth is. It is indeed a love story, but the love it focuses on is that of faithful, covenant love. This is a love that unselfishly seeks the best for the one who is loved, and a love that keeps promises.

Most of the basic characters of this book are introduced to us in chapter one. Elimelech (meaning God is King) is the husband and father of the family. Naomi, (meaning pleasantness) is the wife of Elimelech and mother of their two sons Mahlon (sick) and Kilion (annihilation). Orpah (neck, stubbornness) and Ruth (friendship, refreshed, comrade, companion) were the wives of the two sons.

During a time of famine, in the spiritually dark period of the judges, Elimelech, Naomi, and the two boys move to the country of Moab. This was a nation that had been at war with Israel for many years. They traced their roots back to Moab, the grandson of Lot by incest with his older daughter. The religion of Moab was the polar opposite of Israels. The Moabite god, Chemosh, was more a demon than a god, because he was worshipped by the sacrificing and burning of children in his honor and name (Steve Zeisler, A Stubborn Love, p. 28).

Now famines are always tough times, and this famine may have been partly to blame for the untimely death of Elimelech and his two sons. So here was a family of three widows in a culture and world that gave women few other opportunities but to marry someone or have a male family member help to care for them. Hearing that things were better in Judah, Naomi sets off with her two daughters-in-law for her home. But she had no intention of taking them with her. In her state of depression, she tells the two younger women to stay in their home country.

Why did she do this? First, Moab was their home. They knew the language and customs and could be comfortable there. Also, Naomi had nothing to offer them of any value in the kind of world they lived in. Why waste their time with her?

Although she initially protested, Orpah decided to stay in Moab. But Ruth would not. She insisted on staying with her depressed, Eeyore-like mother-in-law. Why would she do this? She was committed to Naomi absolutely. Her family ties to her, even if by marriage, were taken very seriously. In essence, she was changing her allegiances. She now had a new people, and a new God. So two women traveled together to Judah. One is so bitter and angry that she changes her name to Mara (meaning bitter.) That was Naomi. The other one is filled to the brim with hope and love. That was Ruth.

And today in our churches we have both kinds of people as well: Those whose bitterness is eating them alive, and those whose hope and love are sustaining them through the worst that life has to offer. These groups, however, are not determined by genetics or environment. Because of the grace and mercy of God, those who are members of each group are there by choice. Are you happy with the group of you are a part of? If not, would you like to join Ruth in making a permanent change of address?

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From the pulpit/'A Permanent Change of Address' (Ruth 1) - The Steubenville Herald-Star

Category: Hebrew
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