Wednesday, April 7, 2010

April 7th

Today's reading in the One Year Chronological Reading Plan is Ruth 1:1-4:12.

Oh, what a breath of fresh air these chapters are in comparison to the horribleness we've been reading about lately.

And in fact, I think that's one of the lessons of today's readings. Despite the fact that this story takes place during the time of the judges (IOW, during all this horribleness), Boaz and Ruth are consistent examples of godly character. No matter how bad things are around us, that is never an excuse to lower our own standards of behaviour. In fact, we can be incredible witnesses during such times simply because of the stark contrast between our behaviour and that of the world around us.

I've never been totally sure about Naomi - whether she was a godly woman or not. This commentary definitely depicts her more negatively, but his arguments do make good sense and fit the text, and I am inclined to agree with him.

Naomi, when trying to convince her daughters-in-law to leave her, actually tells them to go back to their own gods (1:15). If she truly believed in God, why would she instruct them to do something so sinful and worthless?

Ruth, though seemingly knowing little to nothing about Naomi's God, seems to know enough to have faith that this is the way to go - reminiscent of Rahab I think.

Chapter 2 definitely emphasizes Ruth's exemplary character (hard worker, courageous) and doesn't say much about Naomi who does not do any work, and does not even come with her daughter-in-law to provide moral support (if she was too old or unable to work). We are also introduced to Boaz who also proves to be a man of excellent moral fibre. For more on Chapter 2 see this commentary.

Of course, this gets Naomi's brain cooking and she comes up with a plan. Again, this commentator sees Naomi's plan in a bad light, and again I am inclined to agree. People have tried to reason this plan away by saying this was culturally acceptable. But nowhere else in the Bible is such a custom described. Showering, putting on perfume, approaching a man's bed when he is alone and after he has likely drank some wine - well, that doesn't sound like a very chaste plan to me. It seems like Naomi is hoping that Boaz will give in to the temptation of Ruth and basically be tricked into marrying her. But both Ruth and Boaz handle this situation with purity and strength of character, and both reputations remain intact (no thanks to the meddling MIL). Here is a quote from the above commentary that I liked....

Men are called to be moral leaders in their relationship with the opposite sex. In our culture, it is sometimes assumed that men will be the aggressors and that it is the woman’s role to “put on the brakes.” This is often the case in dating. Many young men seem all too willing to go as far as the young woman will permit. This is not the way it happened in our story. In effect, Naomi instructed Ruth that she was to do whatever Boaz said (3:4). Had Boaz not been a man of character, things might have gone in a very different direction at this midnight meeting under the covers and in the cover of darkness. But it was Boaz who took the moral leadership so as to protect the purity and reputation of Ruth.

Young men, this is the standard for you. You (and I, and every man) should be the kind of moral leader who takes the moral high ground, protecting the purity and reputation of those women with whom we associate. This is what real manhood is about. Remember, Boaz was a “mighty man of valor.” He showed that not only on the battlefield, and in the barley field, but at the threshing floor as well.

And another great lesson to learn from this text...

We should readily see that it is important for every Christian to discern the difference between sound counsel and ungodly counsel. But just how is one to discern the difference? I can think of several important clues from our text. First, one should evaluate the counsel given by another by considering their personal relationship with God. The indications we are given regarding Naomi’s spiritual condition in chapter 1 are far from encouraging. Naomi is not a woman who is walking close to God. By her own confession, she is bitter, accusing God of being unduly harsh with her. That should cause us to see all kinds of red flags (warnings).

We would do well in evaluating the counsel of others if we asked this question: Is the counsel I am being given coming directly from the Words of Scripture, or is it the opinion of the counselor? Is the counsel we are given a “Thus saith the Lord” that is found in the Bible, or is it a personal opinion? Finally, we can learn a great deal from the answer to this question: “Is the counsel being given challenging me to do the difficult (even humanly impossible) thing that is right, or is it justifying me doing the easy thing that I (in my sinful flesh) really want to do?” God’s will is almost never the “path of least resistance.” God’s will was expressed in the law, but we know from Romans 7 that we cannot do it by mere will power or fleshly effort. God’s will can only be accomplished when His Spirit gives life to our flesh which is dead with respect to righteousness.

I am also impressed with how Boaz makes sure Ruth is able to leave before dawn to protect both his and her reputations. And then, how he follows up immediately on his commitment to her, and taking care of things properly, in full daylight, with many witnesses. He also gives the closer kin an opportunity to do the right thing, while letting him know that he will do it, if the other will not.

And God richly blesses this couple. They end up being great-grandparents of King David and direct ancestor of Jesus Christ!

Tomorrow's passage: Ruth 4:13-22, 1 Chronicles 2:9-55, 1 Chronicles 4:1-23 and 1 Samuel 1:1-8

10 comments:

Nicole said...

Put your hand up if you read Orpah as Oprah? LOL I know that's how Oprah was name, it was a mispelling of the name Orpah.

I never really felt that Naomi was necessarily wrong or bad until I read those commentries :P I think she was down and frustrated and felt that God was punishing her, as Jews often feel.

I did read a commentary on the same site http://bible.org/seriespage/two-get-ready%E2%80%94i-story-boaz-and-ruthi
that says it was Ruth's position to go to Boaz and let him know that he was in line to marry her and that Naomi told her how to do it.

tammi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
tammi said...

I think Naomi is simply a picture of Israel in general. When things are running along fairly smoothly, she's happy enough to praise God, but when hard times come, her first instinct isn't reaching for God and inquiring of Him, but looking to her own resources ~ the surrounding nations and their gods and pagan practices ~ for assistance.

Sadly, I think Naomi is a good picture of so many wishy-washy Christians today, too. They've been born again, but have never really graduated from milk to solid food. They haven't allowed and experienced much of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They're easily swayed and seduced by the ways of the world without even realizing the false doctrines they're subscribing to.

John Piper gave the opening message (2-part sermon starts here) at the True Woman '08 conference and he encouraged women to really KNOW their Scriptures, because "wimpy theology makes wimpy women." I think Naomi is simply what John Piper would have called a wimpy woman.

Miriam said...

I also found this story refreshing after everything we've been reading in Judges. Great comments, too. I'm impressed with both Boaz and Ruth. I haven't read the commentaries about Naomi, but I tend to think she was just a sad, somewhat bitter, old woman who was trying to make sure that both she and her daughter-in-law would be provided for. It's quite possible, as LL says above, that she had no roots for her own faith and felt she'd been dealt a poor hand by God and was therefore trying to work things out herself.

Tammy said...

Yup, lost of biblical characters (and us too!) try to work things out themselves - Abraham and Sarah, Lot's daughters, Jacob & Rachel, etc, etc. Will we ever learn?

Thankfully Naomi's plan had a good ending, because the other "players" involved were of strong moral character.

Tammy said...

that was supposed to lots, not lost :)

Jen Milne said...

Interesting...

I have a different take on this story after listening to James MacDonald's Walk in the Word podcast yesterday. He taught that God is working all the time, even when we don't see it.

That the 1st chapter is about Elimelech's poor decision (leaving Bethlehem the "House of Bread" to go to Moab, the land of Lot-a product of sin). That he chose to run from God because of the famine (due to disobedience and sin in the land) and ended up dead along with his two sons.

Now, Naomi then makes a good decision to return to God. She blesses her DIL's and does not expect them to go with her since she has no more sons for them to marry. Her actions allow for Ruth to choose by faith to go with her. That is God working!

Chapter 2 is the love story of Ruth and Boaz. Ruth gleans, Boaz notices her and is taken with her. He shows her kindness and wins her.

In chapter 3, Naomi instructs her faithful DIL what she should do because Boaz is a Redeemer of their family and according to custom, he can marry Ruth and redeem Naomi's son's line. The big picture here is that Ruth shows Boaz that she chooses him. She chooses him above younger, perhaps more eligible suiters. And Boaz says,

10 Then he said, “Blessed are you of the LORD, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.

It seems to me that her actions on the threshing floor could not be wanton as it appears since she is known to be virtuous.

God is working and even though Boaz is actually 2nd in line to redeem, he is the one to do it and marries Ruth. And the women say to Naomi,

“Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! 15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him.

Praise God! He made a way out of no way and our Saviour was born out of it. Even when we can't or won't see the good in a situation, God does.

Thank-you Lord, that you perfect all that concerns us!

Tammy said...

It's interesting how there can be such different takes on passages, but I guess that's what happends when we don't truly know the motives behind the people's words.

Did Naomi instruct her DIL's to leave because it would benefit them or her? Her instructions for them to return to their own gods are definitely not words of wisdom.

And in Chapter 2, some see that as the love story, while others see it as a demonstration of the character of Boaz, who would help out simply because it was the right thing to do and not because of love.

Regarding ch3 - I definitely don't think Ruth is a wanton character at all. I think she took a bad situation and poor advice, and responded with pure actions.

But, either way, one thing is clear - God is working through this story, throughout people's bad choices and their good choices.

Tammy said...

Tammi - that John Piper sermon definitely gives some major food for thought. I have never heard that interpretation of marriage quite that way before.

tammi said...

I love that sermon. It's been on my MP3 player for a long time and I listen to it fairly regularly.