Resilient Ruth

For the last few weeks of the year I'm re-visiting a series I did on the book of Ruth. It is a powerful story of faith in the midst of trouble and having solid character during uncertainty. As we push towards the year's finish line, I hope that Ruth, Naomi and Boaz will inspire you to hang on to your faith in God.

Living in chaotic times

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man's name was Elimelech, his wife's name Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
3 Now Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.
(Ruth1:1-5)

Even scholars who are not theologians consider Ruth to be a literary gem. It is a beautifully written account of the life of one of a few women whose names feature in the genealogy of Christ.

Today we look at the circumstances that form the background of the story...

It was the time that the judges ruled. It was a chaotic time. Twice in the book of judges we read that "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit."
"Bethlehem" meant "House of Bread" but the famine meant that there was no bread.
The Moabites descended from one of the sons Lot had by his daughters and were bitter enemies of the Israelites.
"Elimelech" means "My God is King" but Elimelech had no bread in the House of Bread and went to the land of his enemies where he died and his sons married heathen women.
"Mahlon" means "sickness/unfruitfulness" and "Kilion" means "weakness" and these names became their epitaphs.

So, in the midst of these tough circumstances the question is whether Elimelech's God really is King and whether there is a future for his family line. But the end of the book tells us that King David came from this family line and the gospels tell us that Christ came from this family line!

Often we find ourselves living in chaotic times and it seems as though the promises of God are failing. People are frail and disappoint us and we find ourselves ready to doubt and to give up. But the story of Ruth is a powerful testimony of how God works in situations where hope seems to have left the building. Keep reading...!