A Commentary on Ruth 2:10-13
Khen Lim
Image source: jw.org
For unrepentant sinners, adversity and death will pursue them
to the end. However the righteous will prevail in happiness and prosperity.
Life after all isn’t about wealth attainment but instead about learning to
embrace and love God and then to humbly serve others. In that light, Ruth the
Moabite exemplifies all of this even when set against incredible adversity.
In the Bible, she speaks of hope and she received from God,
the power of grace to transform her life in unimaginable ways. Her kinsman
redeemer, Boaz, was certainly a man of means but, likely inspired by his
mother, Rahab, he was also godly (Ruth 2:4). When he asked whose young woman
this was (v.5), it was because Ruth stood out among his many women reapers. And
here is the first evidence of God showing favour to Ruth. And among all the
women reapers that Boaz has working in the field, He decided that the Moabite
woman was outstanding.
Like Ruth, once God chooses to be with us, our best years will
always be just around the corner and well into the future. Ruth proves that
success comes when there are positive changes especially against the tide of
adversity. In fact the more we make an impression with God, the greater the
strength and momentum we gain in our fight to overcome whatever hardships we
face.
Window of Opportunity
Ruth also teaches us that in focusing on the abilities that
God gave her as well as the love she poured on to Naomi, she was actually able
to sail past whatever fears that would have hindered those among us who are
prone to all the negativity hovering around. In fact just as a window of
opportunity opens, she would seize it with all the determination she could
muster. Here is a woman so favoured by God that she possessed nothing but
positive energy that builds an impregnable attitude to help her to move forward
regardless. And that was why for her, it was a matter of when and not if she
would find solutions to her problems.
The prophet Jeremiah famously said in 29:11 that God has a
plan to prosper us. That is why we must remain diligent in seeking God with all
our hearts in every matter of our lives. As the challenges cut across our walk,
work hard to solve them, knowing also that by placing God’s will before ours,
we are simply ensuring our success (Mt 6:33).
Naomi and Ruth (Image source: jw.org)
Ruth knew that His presence would make her path straight. The
thoughts she thought and the very words she spoke shaped her destiny. She was
determined to find favour with God to prosper and she did. And how did she
prosper? Simple, she wiped away any notions of condemnation, fear or negativity
so that none entered her mind. She did not entertain critical or jealous
evaluations and she refused to listen to the accusing lies of the enemy.
Ruth
clung on to Naomi and overcame devastation. On the other hand, her sister Orpah
was quick to flee and so she kissed the chance she had for a godly life
goodbye. Unlike Ruth, she failed to seize the opportunity because she preferred
familiar comforts – and dead gods – instead.
Words that Shape Us
Ruth (Image source: heavenboundhomemaker.com)
In 1:16-17, Ruth said, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn
back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people
will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die,
and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything
but death to separate us!”
These are famous words but they are also immensely
powerful and meaningful. From deep within Ruth’s thoughts, these were the words
that create positive mental images that construct the world she lived in. Whatever
we say with the words we use will either draw people to us or they repel them.
Ruth knew this very well. Her words defined her will and determination and
purpose in fulfilling her calling in life.
In Our Darkest Hour
When Naomi told Ruth in 3:3-4 to prepare herself and go to
Boaz at midnight who had lied down on the threshing floor, it startled him
enough to sit up and ask, “Who are you?” to which she answered, “I am your
servant Ruth.” Ruth had arrived humble and laid next to his uncovered feet. She
had not sought his face. There are some powerful symbolisms here worth noting.
Firstly, God, too, reveals Himself to us in our darkest hour. Just as we humbly
seek God, He will tell us what to do. We, too, are servants, like slaves who
are subjected to Him. The threshing floor reminds us of a place of broken
emptiness. Herein, a broken person seeks God’s voice and obeys whatever He
commands.
God’s Favour and Hope
Eternal
God is constantly on the lookout for those among us who
possess the heart of a servant so He may support and promote. And favour. By
our mortal strength and whatever abilities we are given even at birth, we can
do nothing when left to our own devices (2 Chron 16:9) but in His grace and
favour, we can expect great success just like what Psalm 44:3 says, “They did
not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that
gave them victory. It was Your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light
from your face that helped them for You favoured them.” Amen!
Ruth’s story is a great inspiration for our church. She
rewrites her destiny through her will to follow and obey God. She desired a
prosperous future and knew the key to that was through Him and nobody else. She
also knew that she had to make important choices that call for her sacrifice in
order to seek a longer-term goal.
And in that big picture that God offered to
her, she left behind the comfort and material security of her own ancestral
upbringing. She went from familiar Moab to a foreign and potentially hostile
Israel. But she also knew to devote her life to Naomi and to stay with her.
Naomi, the picture of the Holy Spirit at work, was in many ways, her guiding
force in which God would use.
Ruth with Boaz (Image source: itisbygrace2.com)
Ruth’s acceptance of God soon turned to a total dependency.
Her desire was to trust Him at all times and against all odds. She developed an
intimate relationship in which she pinned all her hopes on to even in the midst
of her darkest hour, which culminated in her powerful words in 1:16-17. And
just from those words alone, Ruth savoured victory under God’s favour.
Emboldened by her own commitment and willingness to follow the Holy Spirit, God
transformed Ruth’s darkness into a light of shining hope, a brand new tomorrow,
a wonderful new beginning that she could see at the horizon of her future.
And through the days of her life, Ruth followed Naomi wherever
she went and her actions had brought favour from God’s abundant provision. She
singularly chose to abide by God’s wisdom and she became fertile and prospered.
In marrying Boaz, they became the revival of the Elimelech lineage, producing a
son named Obed who became the father of Jesse, grandfather of David.
Ruth had chosen to rise above the pain and hurt of her past.
She also elected to transcend her difficult present circumstances because she
made up her mind to be fruitful and purposeful in her life. God gave her Boaz
to cover her with security, love and care just as the Lord Himself would do for
His children under His protective wings of love.
As Psalm 17:8 (NIV) beautifully puts it, “Keep me as the apple
of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings.”
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