All the Single Ladies...of the Bible: Part 3

So far we've been exploring the world of romance GOD's way. We heard all about Rebekah's life and times and how she was chosen since she was born into the family of GOD and had kept herself pure, an important aspect of being for the men and women of GOD.  Then there was Rachel, the real life love at first sight story that didn't mention anything about her character except that she had a career and was doing her job when she met her husband. Honestly, reading about Jacob and Rachel is better than any soap opera or steamy drama Hollywood has ever produced. GOD's writing even offers the benefit of wisdom, it's so awesome.

Now, for Part 3 let's get to know Ruth. This is a pretty short book squeezed in between Joshua and Judges. It's a highlighted excerpt from the time of the Judges in Israel, before they reached out to GOD for a king. During that time there was a famine in their land so Elimelech packed up and moved to another area called Moab. Interestingly enough he dies and both his sons die while there. There's no mention of why they died, but doing some soft research doesn't really garner much information on this either. It has been suggested that they were judged by GOD since they moved to a foreign nation, but there are many others whose lives led them to other lands and they didn't die from it so I'm not sure that works. Then, some say the brothers died while one was trying to break the other out of prison. No reference was given for that explanation so I don't know how much stock to put in it. Nonetheless, their wives, Ruth and Orpah, were left alone with Naomi to fend for themselves.

The law in Hebrew culture was that when a woman was widowed, the man's brother was then supposed to take the widow as a wife so that the blood line would not be cut off. Both brothers were gone now and all that was left of them was their mom, Naomi. She told her daughters in law she heard the famine had ended and she was going home. She said for them to move on since she didn't have anymore sons and if she could they'd be way too young for them anyway. Orpah, although she loved Naomi, left to move on with her life. We don't hear about her again. But Ruth stayed with Naomi. She was a faithful friend willing to give up all she knew just to stay and take care of Naomi. Again, no explanation is given for this, but she converts completely. She decides to follow Naomi's GOD and customs and live among her people.

Ruth 1:15-17 (New American Standard verrsion)

15 Then she said, "Behold, your sister in law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister in law." 16 But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your GOD, my GOD.17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me."

She had made up her mind, sold out in a sense to say that this was her new life and that was that. She would not look back to her old life, but fully embrace this new one with Naomi. As the story goes she begins to work to help Naomi survive. She ends up working in the field of her late husband's relative, Boaz. In humility she finds favor with him and ends up working through the barley and wheat harvests, which seem to add up to about 2 months during that time. She is left alone to do her work and gleans enough wheat for herself and for Naomi. Where the harvest period ends the love story begins. Naomi tells Ruth to use discretion in going to Boaz to secure a future. In those days women needed to have a man around to survive. It's just the way it was. So, she gave her some solid advice. Ruth followed it and then Boaz maintained her purity, even protected it.

Ruth 3:6 -15

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother in law had commanded her. 7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 He said, "Who are you?" And she answered, "I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative." Then he said, "May you be blessed of the Lord my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better that the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 Now my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence. 12 Now it is true I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. 13 Remain this night, and when morning comes, if he will redeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to redeem you, then I will redeem you, as the Lord lives. Lie down until morning." 14 So she lay at his feet until morning and rose up before one could recognize another; and he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor." 15 Again he said, "Give me the cloak that is on you and hold it." So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her. Then she went into the city.

This is a profoundly sweet encounter. First, Naomi directs Ruth to do this, as she knew the customs of her own people while Ruth did not. Ruth follows her directions and ends up wooing a prominent businessman who respected her and treated her like royalty. This is phenomenal. If you read it again you can see how it parallels the story of the new believer in Jesus Christ and how He is our redeemer that will come for His bride when the harvest is over. But, for the purpose of this entry let's look at some key concepts from their encounter that become nuggets of wisdom.

1.) Be faithful. Stick with your commitments and see them through. GOD is watching us keep or break promises and really expects that when we make an oath we actually see it through to the end.

2.) Be diligent. (a theme that all these single ladies' stories have in common) Work smart, work well, and be excellent in all your dealings. This does not go unnoticed.

3.) Maintain your reputation. Don't waste your time on knuckleheads. Keep yourself from engaging with men who you know don't have the character you're looking for and / or who you know don't fear GOD. It's a waste of time and energy and compromises your witness in Christ.

4.) Watch to be sure that the person you are courting is also focused on maintaining purity. This is a two way street. A man who will go too far with you physically has not determined to treat you like royalty. Nor has he made the kind of solid commitment to GOD that he needs to maintain purity in a marriage relationship. Take this as a signal to their character and stop it from proceeding. Ruth was no  virgin. Remember, she'd already been married. She was also from Moab where they served  their gods in a different way. But, when she chose to walk with the true and living GOD she put on a garment of purity and kept herself. Boaz did not make her compromise. If you'll notice he even goes so far as to say don't let anyone know a woman came here overnight. He had her get up after not touching her all night and leave before anyone could recognize who she was. 

5.) Expect a man to respect you without compromising yourself. He sent her off with more sustenance for herself and Naomi. Not being completely sure he would be the one who would be given the privilege to take care of her, he still met her needs. He gave a strong indication that he would wait for her to be sure that his actions in taking her as his wife was going to be on the up and up according to GOD's law and the expectations of the culture. Men like this are rare, but if you really live for GOD, HE will prepare him for you and bring him your way, just be diligent and wait.

Take the time to go back and read the entire text for yourself. Pray and ask for insights that will help you see the parallels between Ruth and you / Jesus and Boaz. Also, pray for the wisdom and integrity to wait for Prince Honorable and Courageous (charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting so don't be fooled by those guys). 

This concludes our walk through the single ladies. There are many more, Zipporah, Esther, the Queen of Sheba, etc. But, these stories parallel many themes where we need GOD's guidance today so this is the reason for bringing them out. When reading GOD's word it is so powerful and its themes are full of wisdom for all of life's circumstances. This is the excitement of reading it for application to life.