Ruth 4:16,17
‘Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. And the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.’
I first heard the story of Ruth from J. Vernon McGee. He wrote a book called, “The Romance of Redemption”. It is a great love story. It parallels how God loves and redeems us.
The two ladies involved were Naomi and Ruth. The Lord had favor on both. Naomi had a very tough time. Her husband’s response to the drought was to move to Moab. I would question whether that leaving the Land is symbolic of leaving God. Her two sons take brides from the land of Moab. The father and the two sons die, leaving Ruth and the two daughters in law alone. Naomi decides to return to Israel and talks the one young lady into staying in Moab. However Ruth insists on staying with her. She speaks the famous line, “your people will be my people and your God will be my God”. I would say the deaths was God’s way of bringing them back to the land, thus returning to God.
As Naomi enters her home town here is the scene, ‘So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women of the town exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
“Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me”, (Ruth 1:19-21). Apparently Naomi had been worn down by the experience. This is what happens to prodigals. They have left the cover of the Lord and He attempts to bring them back by making life uncomfortable. Stress is increased. All God’s children know what it’s like to stray from God. We lose our peace, “the peace that passes all understanding”.
Naomi is ashamed. She may have wanted to return for a long time, but feeling this shame gave her pause. Hear her words, “don’t call me Naomi (pleasant), call me Mara (bitter), for the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me”. This is a sad scene.
However, the bitterness and shame doesn’t last long. Ruth wants to be industrious and get busy providing for the family. Naomi tells her to go and glean from the wheat fields. She does and happens to be in Boaz’s fields. He is a close relative and takes favor on Ruth. She tells Naomi of her day and is glad. Boaz does redeem Naomi’s property and Ruth becomes his bride. They have a child and Naomi once again has children through Ruth.
What’s amazing about this child is that he will be David’s grandfather. God not only brought the prodigal back, but blessed her greatly. We read of her story today, thousands of years later. All of us children of God have been redeemed and blessed of God. Thank You, God. You are so good to us.