Ruth (Lineage of Christ) ~ Woman of the Week

I went back and reread my post about Naomi before working on this post.  Ruth and Naomi's lives are hard to separate.  Without Naomi's desire to return home, we would have never heard of Ruth.

Verses:   The Book of Ruth
Background – parents, husband, children, siblings

According to John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, "Ruth, the Targum adds,"the daughter of Eglon, king of Moab;''and that she was his daughter, or the daughter of his son, is a notion commonly received with the Jews though without any just foundation; she was married to Mahlon, one Philo asserts these two women to be own sisters."  Of course she was the daughter-in-law to Naomi.  Interestingly, if what I learned about Rahab being the mother of Boaz is correct, then Ruth was also a daughter-in-law to Rahab.  It makes me wonder if the two women ever met!  What a conversation that would have been.  John Gill's commentary on Ruth 2:1 says of Boaz, "his father's name was Salmon, and his mother was Rahab, the harlot of Jericho."

What is she most known for? Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her?
Of course Ruth is most known for her words to Naomi.  This was a turning point in her life, one that eventually placed her in the lineage of King David and finally the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.  "And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:  Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me."

I found Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible to be the most thorough of explanations on Ruth 1:16-17:

"The Targum adds several things to this conversation between Naomi and Ruth. I shall subjoin them: “And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee,” for I desire to become a proselyte. And Naomi said, We are commanded to keep the Sabbath and other holy days; and on it not to travel more than two thousand cubits. And Ruth said, “Whither thou goest, I will go.” And Naomi said, We are commanded not to lodge with the Gentiles. Ruth answered, “Where thou lodgest, I will lodge.” And Naomi said, We are commanded to observe the one hundred and thirteen precepts. Ruth answered, What thy people observe, that will I observe; as if they had been my people of old. And Naomi said, We are commanded not to worship with any strange worship. Ruth answered, “Thy God shall be my God.” Naomi said, We have four kinds of capital punishment for criminals; stoning, burning, beheading, and hanging. Ruth answered, “In whatsoever manner thou diest, I will die.” Naomi said, We have a house of burial. Ruth answered, “And there will I be buried.”  It is very likely that some such conversation as this took place between the elders and those who were becoming proselytes."

Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem.  Very quickly, of her own initiative, Ruth went to work.  They had arrived at the beginning of the harvest and it was still going on.  It was no accident that she worked in the field of Boaz, "it was according to the purpose, and by the providence and direction of God that she came to the reapers in that part of the field Boaz, a near kinsman of her father-in-law." (John Gill)

Boaz noticed Ruth and learned who she was.  He told her to continue gleaning in his field and offered his protection while there.  "Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?"  Ruth still knew who she was, but Boaz knew more than just her nationality, "It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust." (Ruth 2:11-12)

Did she reach a place when she needed to reset?  If so, did she?  For good or evil?
Of course Ruth returning to Bethlehem with Naomi was a reset for Ruth, but she was given further opportunity.  When Naomi said, "My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?" (Ruth 3:1) she was referring to finding a husband for Ruth so she wouldn't need to work so hard.  Ruth may have not known the laws regarding the near kinsman, but Naomi did.

Naomi's advice in verse 4 may seem a bit odd to us, "And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do."  Matthew Henry's commentary said, "The course Naomi advised appears strange to us; but it was according to the laws and usages of Israel. If the proposed measure had borne the appearance of evil, Naomi would not have advised it. Law and custom gave Ruth, who was now proselyted to the true religion, a legal claim upon Boaz. It was customary for widows to assert this claim."

Ruth followed Naomi's plans.  Boaz was a bit startled to find a woman at his feet at midnight!  "The conduct of Boaz calls for the highest praise. He attempted not to take advantage of Ruth; he did not disdain her as a poor, destitute stranger, nor suspect her of any ill intentions. He spoke honourably of her as a virtuous woman, made her a promise, and as soon as the morning arrived, sent her away."  (Matthew Henry)

The next day Boaz was at the gate to speak to the one who was the nearest kinsman.  When it was all said and done, Boaz was able to redeem Ruth.  Interestingly, the people said, "And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman."  Just as Tamar was a stranger in Israel, so was Ruth.  Both were brought into the family of Israel and are named in the lineage of Christ.

Matthew Henry wraps it all up very beautifully, "Ruth bore a son, through whom thousands and myriads were born to God; and in being the lineal ancestor of Christ, she was instrumental in the happiness of all that shall be saved by him; even of us Gentiles, as well as those of Jewish descent. She was a witness for God to the Gentile world, that he had not utterly forsaken them, but that in due time they should become one with his chosen people, and partake of his salvation."