On this 3rd Sunday of
Advent, the Sunday of joy, we find that our story is as much today about Naomi
as it is Ruth. Ruth is a harbinger of
joy in Naomi’s life. Ruth reminds us
that we can bring joy into the lives of others, often by our persistent presence
and by providing physical help in times of sorrow and deep distress.
In the first part
of our reading from the book of Ruth, we find Naomi in deep sorrow. As she comes back to Bethlehem and her
friends and relatives greet her, Naomi tells them, “Don’t call me Naomi (My
Delight); call me ‘Mara’ (Bitter).”
Naomi is depressed. She has held
on to her faith, but I suspect that Naomi is struggling a bit with being angry
at God. So we have Naomi, bitter, sad,
depressed, and angry. All of this
changes through her faithful daughter-in-law, Ruth.
Naomi
had tried to send Ruth away. Ruth, a
Moabite, after all had no more obligation to her mother-in-law. But Ruth had truly embraced the faith of her
late husband and his family. She feels more
kinship with her mother-in-law than she does her own relatives and
countrymen. Even before Christ came, we
see that God’s family extends beyond blood relationship. Jesus Christ called His disciples His
family. The Church is a family, the
family of God. Shared faith forms deep
bonds between folks who might not otherwise fellowship together. And joy flows through this sacred
kinship.
Ruth
knows Jewish law well. She takes it upon
herself to go gleaning, which she knows is her privilege even as a Gentile
stranger in the land. She selflessly
works hard to provide for herself and her mother-in-law. She works long hours in the fields from early
in the morning until sundown, taking a break only at Boaz’s insistence. When Naomi sees what Ruth has gathered and
finds out that she had gleaned in the field of Boaz, Elimelech’s relative, she
stops being angry with God. Her
bitterness begins to dissolve as she praises the Lord for not forsaking the
living nor the dead. She realizes that
God does have a plan, and joy begins to take the place of her sorrow. Naomi is the one who concocts the plan for
Ruth to seduce Boaz. Perhaps Naomi is
thinking of Tamar, who did what she thought she had to do in order to gain an
heir. Naomi herself is past
child-bearing age. Ruth could have
refused. She didn’t even have an
obligation legally to provide an heir for Naomi, but she has devoted herself to
Naomi out of love, not obligation. Ruth
obliges, and asks Boaz to marry her.
Ruth knows Boaz is a kind, generous, and devout man. Ruth wants more than a one-night stand. I think Naomi sensed as well Ruth’s respect for
and admiration of Boaz, and wouldn’t have proposed this plan to Ruth if she
thought Ruth would not be willing.
Boaz
gladly accepts Ruth’s proposal but must run it by the nearer kinsmen and the
elders so that the redemption of the property and their marriage will be legal
and public. I wonder if Boaz’s sympathy
and hospitality toward Ruth was because Boaz’s own mother was a Gentile. Remember that Boaz is the son of Rahab, the
Canaanite. So we are now only to the
next generation. Boaz could understand a
shared faith with an outsider more than the nearer kinsman of Jewish
blood. God knew what He was doing when
God put Ruth and Boaz together. Ruth not
only brings joy to Naomi, but also to Boaz, and in giving herself freely, she
too receives joy in return.
Boaz
is blessed by the elders and all the people at the gate when he promises to
marry Ruth and raise up an heir for Elimelech.
They pray for Ruth and for children yet to be, especially that the
children would bestow a name in Bethlehem.
They pray that the house of Boaz and Ruth will be like that of
Perez. Remember Perez? He was the second twin son of Tamar, the
neglected Canaanite wife, who pretended to be a prostitute in order to gain an
heir, whom God honored. Boaz stands as a
man of honor in contrast to Judah and his sons, who were wicked. Boaz stands as the kinsman-redeemer who will
raise up an heir for Elimelech. Ruth
will not end up like Tamar. She and
Naomi will not be forgotten and tossed aside.
They will have protection and provision.
The people bless Boaz, asking that he be rewarded with heirs of his own
with Ruth for his honor in providing an heir for Naomi. The firstborn, Obed, would actually be Elimelech’s
heir. But future children would be heirs
of Boaz. Notice too the last few verses
of our passage. We have a mini genealogy
here that starts with Perez. The
genealogy shows what the people’s blessing to Boaz meant. Perez did indeed have a blessed line of
descendants. We also learn that Perez’s
descendant is Salmon, Boaz’s father, the husband of Rahab the Canaanite. The genealogy ends with King David. These 3 Gentile women, 2 Canaanite, and one
Moabite, find themselves as ancestors of Jesus.
Each is praised and remembered for her faith.
The
story ends “happily ever after.” Ruth and Boaz are happily married. Her own joy is multiplied as she finds a
loving community and a loving husband.
Ruth and Boaz have a son, who is not their heir, but the heir of
Elimelech, Naomi’s husband. The son
inherits all the property of Elimelech and his two sons, Mahlon and
Kilion. That’s why he placed in his
grandmother Naomi’s arms and is blessed.
Naomi sees this child as her grandson, her special heir. By blood, he’s a distant cousin, but by law,
Obed is her grandson, her one and only grandson. Though I have a feeling, she also took
interest in Ruth’s other children. Noami’s
bitterness is turned into a complete joy.
Her female friends remind her how blessed she truly is, not just because
of this grandson, but because her daughter-in-law loves her so much, and that her
love and care is worth more than seven sons!
Seven is the number of completion.
These women are saying to Naomi that it would be impossible for anyone
else to love Naomi as much as Ruth has.
It is the women together that get to name Obed. His name is derived from the Hebrew word for
“servant.” He would serve Naomi and help
care for her in her old age, but even as a baby he serves her by bringing her
joy, much like any beloved grandchild does.
In fact, he is called the “a son to Naomi”. And he becomes the grandfather of King
David. Notice that this story takes
place in Bethlehem, where King David would be born and where Jesus would be
born.
One
final word about Naomi, her faith in the sovereignty of God never wavered. Though she was bitter and angry at God, she
knew that God was in control of all things.
She also believed in the goodness of God despite her own
circumstances. We see this in the way
she blesses Ruth and Orpah as she tries to send them away. She prays that God will take care of them,
reward them for their kindness, and provide them security in their homes with
new husbands. She returned to Bethlehem
because the Lord had provided food for His people. When Ruth brings back grain from Boaz’s
field, Naomi praises the Lord for His kindness and not forsaking the living or
the dead. Naomi still grieves and is
somewhat depressed, but her hope rests in God even though she suffers at God’s
hand. The one who takes away can also
restore. Ultimately, she rests in the
goodness of God and rediscovers joy as she sees God at work in the
circumstances, events, and people around her, particularly through her
daughter-in-law Ruth. Naomi’s hope is
our hope. That God is in control and God
is good despite the bad things that happen to us and in our world. This is our Father’s world, and He has plans
for good, which sometime include using us.
Ruth
was one of those instruments of God used to restore Naomi’s world, confirm her hope,
and renew her joy. You may be the one
whom God uses to bring joy into someone’s life.
Christmas isn’t a happy time for many people. Many people will be experiencing a first
Christmas without a particular special loved one. Many people will have no one with whom to exchange
gifts or have a Christmas dinner. Suicide
rates skyrocket around holidays, especially the winter ones as the cold and
dark play on ones psyche. Letting
someone know that he or she is not alone, that God can handle their anger and
bitterness, can help restore someone’s joy as they see that yes, there are good
things happening in their lives and in the world. When we act selflessly out of love for another
person, we too are blessed just as Ruth is blessed for her selfless
giving. May God use you to be a harbinger
of joy in the lives of others, even in the life of someone this week.
No comments:
Post a Comment