Short Reflection from Ruth 1-4

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (PG as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

[9:00 am, 15/02/2022] S.R:

ℝ𝕦𝕥𝕙 𝟙:𝟙𝟜

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

Hmmm! The saints of the past had described Orpah to be a worldly woman, and rightly so.

But I would like to present Orpah in a better light. She had every reason to go back! Even Naomi persuaded her to go back. She herself wanted to go with Naomi. Even when she left, she was with a heavy heart.

Well, sinners (too, btw) have every reason to turn their back on Christ! To become a Christian is beyond reason and is the most difficult thing. The greatest decision in one's existence!

 

ℝ𝕦𝕥𝕙 𝟚:𝟙𝟟

"So she gleaned in the field 𝕌𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕝 𝔼𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley."

Ruth was an industrious woman! Are there a lot of such women around?

 

ℝ𝕦𝕥𝕙 𝟛:𝟙

"Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, 'My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?'"

Family members look out for one another. Blood Family. Spiritual Family. Church Family. Work Family. Political Family, etc.

Lord, do not let me neglect my family members!

 

 

[6:40 pm, 18/02/2022] S.R: ℝ𝕦𝕥𝕙 𝟜:𝟙𝟘

"Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today."

I never bothered to know or memorize whose wife was Ruth (of Mahlon).

It's not that significant, but I notice it differently today.

Bible Reading Reflection from Ruth 1-4

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (PTS), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day] 

ℝ𝕌𝕋ℍ 𝟙:𝟚𝟘

"She said to them, ‘Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.’"

How many of us have a good name with a good meaning? I guess, all of us, if our parents aren't that horrible, and our parents aren't horrible, of course!

Naomi had a good name, but she couldn't live up to her name. She didn't experience what her name said it to be. She couldn't fulfil her parents' dream. She preferred to change her name!

But she relied on God in her heydays and gloomy days. Indeed, she lost her husband and all her children. God looked too bitter to her. But she remained steadfast in her faith towards Yahweh that made Ruth abandon everything and follow Naomi to follow Yahweh.

A time of "Mara" was upon her, but God meant it "Naomi" for her. In a bizarre way but the providence of God, she got Boaz as her "son" who brought amazing happiness not only to her but to all. Above all, she became the great grandmother of Jesus Christ!

Naomi is indeed Naomi! There may not be a miracle to your name, but there's a miracle of God for those who keep clinging to God!

 

ℝ𝕌𝕋ℍ 𝟚:𝟙𝟚

"May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge."

When I was in Shillong, I knew a man with an impeccable reputation. When he was cleaning his home, his neighbour, a young lady helped him. In gratitude, he was wishing prosperity, success, good life, etc. for her. Then two elderly women next door quipped, "Why don't you just marry her?"

Hmm! Boaz never knew that the blessing he was pronouncing upon Ruth was he himself. Ruth as well hadn't anticipated that possibility at this point of the story (v19-20).

Many times, we pray, we bless, we wish, but sometimes we could be the answer, the blessing, the hope, the comfort to some of those prayers, people, or places!

Remember Boaz's Blessing!

 

ℝ𝕌𝕋ℍ 𝟛:𝟝

"She said to her, ‘All that you say I will do.’"

Boaz was an old man. Perhaps he wasn't handsome either. Perhaps there were richer men, more handsome, and suitable grooms for this elegant lady Ruth (cf. v10)

Ruth wasn't a gold digger, (which BTW, all modern women are accused to be). She didn't look for 6-packs abs or anything of the sort.

What she did was in obedience to her mother-in-law's counsel, which is to fulfil Yahweh's commandment of Levirate marriage. A Moabite woman chose to follow the God of Israel even when it concerned her very life.

And she proposed Boaz marry her using the same language Boaz has blessed her before! A Smart Brave Chaste Religious Beautiful Lady!

What was the reaction of Boaz? He summarised her in one word "Excellent," a woman of excellence, v11. And it reminds us of the excellent woman of Proverbs 31.

This response of Ruth to Naomi also reminds us about another man who destroyed his career and his people because he didn't listen to the counsel of wise elders, king Rehoboam.

 

ℝ𝕌𝕋ℍ 𝟜:𝟙𝟜-𝟙𝟝

"Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a ℝ𝕖𝕕𝕖𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕣 today, and may his name become famous in Israel. May he also be to you a ℝ𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕖𝕣 of life and a 𝕊𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕣 of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.’"

This is a fitting concluding remark in the book of Ruth. It summarizes the theme of Ruth— that God is a Redeemer, also a Restorer and a Sustainer!

Indeed, Yahweh, our God is!

Epilogue: Naomi reclaimed her name. And the women of Bethlehem (not only Naomi and Boaz) confirmed that Ruth was an excellent woman. In their words, "better than seven sons."

@___________if your baby is a girl, may she be better than seven sons. If a boy, like David of course! 👍

What an amazing cast of characters!