This Bible Book is the beautiful story of the young Gentile widow Ruth, who went with Noemi, her mother-in-law, to Bethlehem. There she met and married Booz, a Jew. From that marriage was born Obed, the grandfather of David. Thus Christ, who was of the family of David, had Gentile ancestors.
I thought the short book of Ruth was going to be a love story emerging out of tragedy! But a nearer kinsman refuses to marry Ruth, and why the initial detour from Booz? In the end it is a love story, a virtuous one between Ruth and Booz.
It was a love story for me too! Between me and The Bible, The Word of God as we get closer to the birth of Jesus, having now progressed to the time of his grandfather!
A bit bizarre. Why is this Bible Book significant? Other than Christ, who was of the family of David, it revealed that he had Gentile ancestors; namely his paternal great grandmother Ruth, the Moabitess, from the land of Moab.
This biblical fact confirms a scientific fact that indeed our DNA shows we all come from the same gene pool and the same origin.
I witnessed the ‘All from One, Unity Amid Diversity’ exhibit while visiting South Africa in January, 2016. I found it fascinating, educational, and revealing as much as the Book of Ruth.
‘Who am I?’ is a big question most of us are fixated on at least on a few occasions in our lives. What do I want to be and do after I am done with school? Who am I now that my father and mother have passed from this earth? Who am I now that I find myself single again after a divorce?
More questions like ‘Who are you?’ and ‘Who are they?’ are just as important as we grow and see more of the world and its people. Ultimately it comes around to ‘Who are we?’ as we are more alike as a human being than different and the reality is that we all share the same home—planet Earth—for a very brief time in its history. Civilization and Earth will continue on long after our own individual demise.
We are all one people because we come from one people.
Though each one of us is unique.
Humans are a part of nature, not apart from nature.
God worked this tale of Ruth through a famine, so that a certain man of Bethlehem Juda, Elimelech, would be driven to relocate to Moab with his wife and two sons. He dies. The two sons die after getting married and one of the wives Ruth, a widow, and returns to Bethlehem with her widowed mother-in-law Noemi. Kinsmen law applies and Ruth ends up marrying Booz, a Jew, and their son Obed is the future grandfather of David through his son Isai (Jesse).
Phew, that’s a lot of changes happening in the lives of these people!
Flexibility or Divinity?
Divinity.
He was named Elimelech, and his wife, Noemi: and his two sons, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Juda.
And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died, and she remained with her sons.
And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth.
And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband.
For she had heard that the Lord had looked upon his people, and had given them food.
We will go on with thee to thy people.
I am now spent with age, and not fit for wedlock.
And the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
Ruth stuck close to her mother-in-law.
For whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
So they went together and came to Bethlehem.
Call me not Noemi (that is, beautiful), but call me Mara (that is, bitter), for the Almighty hath quite filled me with bitterness. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me back empty.
Booz: If she would even reap with you, hinder her not, and let some of your handfuls of purpose, and leave them, that she may gather them without shame, and let no man rebuke her when she gathereth them.
Noemi: Blessed be he (Booz) that hath had pity on thee. Blessed be he (Booz) of the Lord, because the same kindness which he showed to the living, he hath also to the dead. The man (Booz) is our kinsman.
Booz to Ruth: Fear not therefore, but whatsoever thou shalt say to me I will do to thee.
Booz to Ruth: Neither do I deny myself to be next to kin, but there is another nearer than I. Rest thou this night: and when morning is come, if he will take thee by the right of kindred, all is well: but if he will not, I will undoubtedly take thee, as the Lord liveth: sleep till the morning… he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon her.
Noemi to Ruth: Wait my daughter, till we see what end the thing will have.
Booz to nearer kinsman: For there is no nearer kinsman besides thee, who art first, and me, who am second.
Nearer kinsman to Booz: I yield up my right of next akin: for I must not cut off the posterity of my own family. Do thou make use of my privilege, which I profess I do willingly forego.
Now this was the former times was the manner in Israel between kinsman… the man put off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor, this was a testimony of cessation of right in Israel.
Booz therefore took Ruth, and married her and went in unto her, and the Lord gave her to conceive and to bear a son. And Noemi taking the child laid it in her bosom, and she carried it, and was a nurse unto it.
There is a son born to Noemi: and they have called his name Obed: he is father of Isai, the father of David.
Note: Isai name is frequently written Jesse. Since Christ belonged to the family of Davis, He is referred to as from the root of Jesse.
Ruth’s short Biblical Book reveals that we are all descendants of each other and have more in common, 99.9% more than differences, so let’s love each other spiritually!
Let’s commit to tolerance, unity, collaboration and conservation and ‘join the face of humanity’ as the ‘All from One, Unity Amid Diversity’ exhibit suggests!
Day 91: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Ruth’s Journey to Our Unity: Jesus is from House of David: Both Jews & Gentiles!
Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Ruth Chapters 1-4 (ALL)
Bible Notes:
This Book is the beautiful story of the young Gentile widow Ruth, who went with Noemi, her mother-in-law, to Bethlehem. There she met and married Booz, a Jew. From that marriage was born Obed, the grandfather of David. Thus Christ, who was of the family of David, had Gentile ancestors.
Ruth Chapter 1: Elimelech is driven by famine into Moab; Elimelech dies in Moab; His two sons marry and die in Moab; Noemi decides to return to Bethlehem; Ruth decides to go with Noemi.
In the days of one of the judges, when the judges ruled, there came a famine in the land.
He was named Elimelech, and his wife, Noemi: and his two sons, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Juda.
And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died, and she remained with her sons.
And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth.
And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband.
For she had heard that the Lord had looked upon his people, and had given them food.
We will go on with thee to thy people.
I am now spent with age, and not fit for wedlock.
And the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
Ruth stuck close to her mother-in-law.
For whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
So they went together and came to Bethlehem.
Call me not Noemi (that is, beautiful), but call me Mara (that is, bitter), for the Almighty hath quite filled me with bitterness. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me back empty.
Ruth Chapter 2: Ruth gleans in the field of Booz; Booz notices Ruth; Booz shows favor to Ruth; Ruth gleans until the end of harvest.
Now her husband Elinelech had a kinsman, a powerful man, and very rich, whose name was Booz.
Wheresoever I shall find grace with a householder that will be favorable to me.
And she desired leave to glean the ears of corn that remain.
All hath been told me…
Booz: If she would even reap with you, hinder her not, and let some of your handfuls of purpose, and leave them, that she may gather them without shame, and let no man rebuke her when she gathereth them.
Noemi: Blessed be he (Booz) that hath had pity on thee. Blessed be he (Booz) of the Lord, because the same kindness which he showed to the living, he hath also to the dead. The man (Booz) is our kinsman.
Ruth Chapter 3: Noemi instructs Ruth; Ruth lies at the feet of Booz; Booz acknowledges his duty to Ruth; Booz allows another to claim Ruth.
Noemi to Ruth: (Booz) is our near kinsman… and thou shalt go in, and lift up the clothes wherewith he is covered towards his feet, and shalt lay down there: and he will tell thee what thou must do.
Booz to Ruth: Fear not therefore, but whatsoever thou shalt say to me I will do to thee.
Booz to Ruth: Neither do I deny myself to be next to kin, but there is another nearer than I. Rest thou this night: and when morning is come, if he will take thee by the right of kindred, all is well: but if he will not, I will undoubtedly take thee, as the Lord liveth: sleep till the morning… he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon her.
Noemi to Ruth: Wait my daughter, till we see what end the thing will have.
Ruth Chapter 4: A nearer kinsman refuses to marry Ruth; Booz marries Ruth; Ruth bears Obed; David is descended from Ruth.
Booz to nearer kinsman: For there is no nearer kinsman besides thee, who art first, and me, who am second.
Nearer kinsman to Booz: I yield up my right of next akin: for I must not cut off the posterity of my own family. Do thou make use of my privilege, which I profess I do willingly forego.
Now this was the former times was the manner in Israel between kinsman… the man put off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor, this was a testimony of cessation of right in Israel.
Booz therefore took Ruth, and married her and went in unto her, and the Lord gave her to conceive and to bear a son. And Noemi taking the child laid it in her bosom, and she carried it, and was a nurse unto it.
There is a son born to Noemi: and they have called his name Obed: he is father of Isai, the father of David.
Note: Isai name is frequently written Jesse. Since Christ belonged to the family of Davis, He is referred to as from the root of Jesse.
Gentile–of or relating to any people not Jewish; Christian, as distinguished from Jewish; heathen or pagan; of or relating to a tribe, clan, people, nation, etc.
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