WOMEN IN THE WORD: RUTH

The story begins in Bethlehem, not with a miraculous birth, but with a devastating draught. Bethlehem means “house of bread.” In those days, there was no bread. Creeks dried up. Dust blew. The sparce stalks of wheat withered in the parched soil.

So, Elimelech and Naomi, along with their two sons, left Bethlehem and traveled to Moab seeking hope and peace and prosperity. They left the “house of bread” in search of bread.

The Bible doesn’t say that Elimelech first sought the Lord. He didn’t pray. He didn’t ask God for wisdom and discernment. He just jumped up and marched away from house and home. (We should learn from his mistake.)

Immediately after arriving in Moab, Elimelech died (Ruth 1:3), leaving Naomi a widow in a foreign land. Mahlon and Chilion, her two boys, soon married Moabite women. In no time, her two sons also died. Three headstones stood in a neat row, a reminder of what once was. Ruth had only memories.

Back in Bethlehem, God had heard the cries of His children and sent refreshing rains. When word of this reached Naomi, she set out from Moab to journey to her ancestral land.

In tow were her two daughters-in-law. Three weary widows, alone.

Before the trio came to the first fork in the road, Naomi paused. Looking intently at the two younger women, Namoi spoke tenderly. “ ‘Each of you go back to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. May the Lord grant each of you rest in the house of a new husband.’ She kissed them, and they wept loudly” (Ruth 1:8–9).

One of the girls did a quick about-face. The other, Ruth, refused. The Moabitess’s unwavering loyalty is expressed in her memorable response.

“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. 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” (Ruth 1:16–17, NKJV).

We know the rest of the story… her loyalty paid off. Boaz, the “kinsman-redeemer” married Ruth, and their union produced Obed, who fathered Jesse, who fathered David (Matthew 1:5-6) … the great, great, great… grandfather of Jesus.

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).