Essays
The Romance Of Redemption
THE ROMANCE OF REDEMPTION
Will Winters writes, “The book of Ruth is tucked into the canon of the Old Testament in a spot where it is like a breath of fresh air in a room that has become heavy with strong odors.” In ancient times it was a severe hardship for a woman to be widowed and it was double trouble to be without a husband and sons. Such was the circumstance of Naomi. During the time of judges, Israel was embattled. In the days of Gideon, the Midianites ravaged the land (Judg.6:1f). Elimelech & Naomi and their two sons migrated to Moab in an effort to cope with the famine. While there, Elimelech died. The two sons married Moabite women, but they both died shortly thereafter (Ruth 1:1-5). When the famine subsided, Naomi returned to Bethlehem. She told her friends to no longer call her Naomi (gracious), but rather Mara (bitter). She stated, I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty (Ruth 1:20f).
To make a short story even shorter, Naomi’s daughter-in-law, Ruth, returned with her. Ruth was devoted to Naomi and to the God of Israel and she was determined to accompany Naomi (Ruth 1:16-17). The question becomes, How will two widows survive?
Could they find solace and security under the wings of the Lord God of Israel? Indeed they could and they did. With the providence of God they would benefit from the grace found in both the Law of Redemption (Lev.25:25f) and the Levirate Law (Deut.25:5f). Boaz
takes center stage and chooses to marry Ruth (Ruth 4:9-10). The story comes to a happy conclusion, So Boaz took Ruth, and she be-came his wife, and he went in to her. And the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son (Ruth 4:13).
The clouds they so much dreaded were BIG WITH MERCY. Naomi, who has gone from being gracious to bitter, finds herself gracious once again. And Ruth, a Moabite woman (detestable among the people of Israel - - cf. Gen.19:30-38), finds herself in the lineage of Christ (Mt.1:5). Ruth begat Obed, who begat Jesse, who begat David (Ruth 4:17) - - she became the great-grandmother of King David. It is a story that will simultaneously warm the cockles of your heart and fortify your faith. It is also a story that becomes a SONG OF REDEMPTION: How priceless is Your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of Your wings (Ps.36:7/NIV).
Terry Siverd / Cortland Church Of Christ
