Ruth

Ruth – a loving life

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One of the great slogans of our day is ‘love is love’. The meaning behind the statement is that falling in love is not about the gender of the person, nor is it important if that relationship is monogamous or polyamorous. If you feel a certain way and if it makes you happy… then you should act on that feeling because ‘love is love’, and that settles the matter. How can you argue with someone else’s choice to love?

As with most slogans there’s a lot of good within it. However, while it honours the person’s individuality and feelings, it also has a number of problems. A definition of love based purely on personal desire and self-actualisation can be very damaging to others (so you end up not loving people), can lead to isolation (as you are committed to no-one) and will ultimately leave you empty (as our desires and feelings are never satisfied).

One of the great challenges of our day is finding true and life-giving community where we can be known and loved. Another great challenge is finding an identity that is more stable and sure than my inner feelings. We need a definition and understanding of love that is deeper and broader than our modern slogan. We need a picture and a story of love that can give us inspiration and courage in an age that prizes intimacy without commitment, authenticity with sacrifice, and sexual intimacy without a covenant.

Enter the book of Ruth, which is a heart-warming love story from ancient Israel about how God is at work behind the scenes in the normal and ordinary ups and downs of life, working out his great purposes for his glory and our good.

A story to warm your heart

Ruth was written in the time of the Judges (Ruth 1:1) when Israel had no king and everyone did as they pleased (Judges 21:25). Israel was in a state of anarchy, with no leadership and no clear sign that God was with them. Additionally, as you read chapter 1 you encounter famine (in Israel), exile (to Moab), death (of Naomi’s husbands and sons) and a very bitter woman (Naomi). All hope seemed lost… and yet it wasn’t!

Hope was not lost for Naomi because Ruth, a widowed Moabite makes an extraordinary commitment to her Jewish mother-in-law Naomi in returning to Israel. Ruth has nothing going for her on the face of things – she is widowed, she is in a foreign land and she has no close family around her. This all meant that (for a woman in her time) she had no protection, provision, security or status. The chances of re-marriage were slim to none. All hope seemed lost… and yet it wasn’t!

Hope was not lost because Boaz was a man of good character (moral integrity), a man of authority (he owned land and employed workers) and a man of wealth (he was rich). He was trying to follow God in a time when no-one else seemed to listen to God or follow God’s laws. Maybe he wondered whether  following God’s ways and obeying the Old Testament laws about harvesting might be futile – as others around him seemed to think. Additionally, he was getting on in years, and – from what we can tell – was still not married, so the chances of finding a wife now weren’t great. All hope seemed lost… and yet it wasn’t.

Hope was not lost because Ruth would be brave enough to show him that she was interested in him and push him to make the decision to ask for her hand in marriage. Chapter 3 is one of the most provocative and daring chapters in the Bible. It involved alcohol, a beautiful woman and a romantic scene which would make a great Hollywood movie. But just as the tension rises and you think they might get together, they don’t… because there is someone else. There’s another relationship, a closer kinsman redeemer, who needs to considered. As ever, Boaz does not get lost in the emotions, but does the right thing. Will the romance have to end?… Not yet.

Boaz is not only a man of moral integrity but very, very savvy and while he ensures that he gives permission to the nearer of kin, he also ensures that he wins Ruth for himself. The story does not end (as Hollywood would!) with their marriage but their baby, and it’s a child they would give to Naomi so she could be restored. The book ends not with Ruth and Boaz, but with Naomi and their baby. Naomi has a son who will sustain and provide and protect her in old age. But that is not all. The baby would become the grandfather of King David (who would re-establish peace in Israel) and in time, the genealogy of that baby would lead to Jesus (who would re-establish peace on earth and in the hearts of men).

Hesed Love

The Hebrew scriptures had a special word for love – Hesed – which meant steadfast love, or unfailing love, or faithful love. The word is used in Ruth 1:8, 2:20 & 3:10 and is translated kindness. It combines “love” and “loyalty”, “kindness” and “faithfulness”. Hesed is love without an exit strategy. It is one-way love. It is unconditional love. It’s the famously the love that Ruth promises to Naomi in Ruth 1:16-18 where she promises complete loyalty to her mother-in-law despite the risk to herself. It’s a love that risks. It’s a love that takes on the costly duty of caring for another. As Paul Miller says:

Death is at the heart of love

In the book of Ruth, Hesed love is demonstrated by the various characters – but also, behind the scenes, by God who has committed to care for us all. And this Hesed love culminates in the gospel as God gives his own son to protect and provide for us. As we reflect on Hesed love, we’ll learn a number of helpful things:

  • Love is found in suffering
  • Love involves lament
  • Love is not God
  • Love involves death and resurrection
  • Love is often against our feelings
  • Love feels the sting of particularity
  • Love means limitations

Paul Miller (p.74) says:

Ironically, the experience of love, or narrowing your life, broadens and deepens your life. The narrower your life, the broader your soul…. those who flee the sting of particularly often up flat, without depth, lost in ephemeral things.

We’ll see that what Paul said about love is a description of Hesed – Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:6-7)

Preaching Series

Here is how our series will run:

  • 31 May – Suffering: the crucible for love (Ruth 1:1-15)
  • 7 June    – Love is not God (Ruth 1:16-22)
  • 14 June  – Love protects (Ruth 2:1-23)
  • 21 June  – Rightly ordered loves (Ruth 3:1-18)
  • 28 June  – Wisdom in pursuit of love (Ruth 4:1-12)
  • 5 July   – The legacy of love (Ruth 4:13-22)
  • 12 July   – The sovereignty of God (themes in Ruth)
  • 19 July  – Unanswered & delayed prayers (themes in Ruth)

Do join us at 10.30am in Oatlands Primary School (Stillorgan) or Lindsay Road National School (Glasnevin), or 4.30pm in Synge Street School (Portobello) each Sunday to learn together in the book of Ruth.

Resources & Further Readings

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