Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Proverbs 31:10 (04/13/23)
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TITLE: Virtuous Ruth | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lisa Marcelina
04/19/23 -
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The saga begins a few years before when Elimelech left Bethlehem and migrated to Moab with his wife Naomi, and two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, to avoid a harsh famine. Unfortunately, while there Elimelech died.
The boys subsequently married Moabite women, Mahlon to Ruth and Chilion to Orpah. After a decade, Mahlon and Chilion died. Three women now widowed.
Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, accompanied by her daughters-in-law. On the way, Naomi begged them to go back to their parents. Orpah conceded, but Ruth refused, saying:
“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16 NIV.
Ruth exemplified what Jesus said in Luke 14:26-27. She hated her father and mother, took up her cross and followed Elohim, the true God. Ruth moved by faith and not by sight because, as a foreigner in Israel, she faced an uncertain future.
Without male support, widows in biblical times relied on community generosity, sold themselves into slavery, resorted to prostitution, or faced starvation, like the widow of Zarephath in I Kings 17:8-14.
Now poor widows Ruth resolved to find a means to support herself and Naomi. It was the beginning of the barley harvest, and Ruth decided to seek a field to glean. With Naomi’s blessing, she departed.
The Lord guided Ruth to Boaz’s field. Boaz was a wealthy landowner and family to Elimelech. By Mosaic law, harvesters must leave behind any fruit or grain for widows to glean (Deuteronomy 24:19-21). Ruth could’ve gleaned after the harvesters finished. But she sought the foreman’s permission, and he agreed.
Ruth worked all morning with a short rest. This work must’ve been tedious. Imagine her crouching, collecting stalks of grain, her headscarf soaked with sweat. She could’ve quit and retreated home, but she didn’t. She worked zealously (Romans 12:11).
When Boaz arrived, something drew his attention to Ruth. Could it be everyone was resting while she continued gleaning? Or did her widow’s clothing stand out? Whatever it was, Boaz took notice. He enquired about her and received a rather poignant report. He approached her, praised her for her diligence, and directed her to work permanently in his field.
At lunchtime, while the others sat down to eat Ruth continued working. Probably she had no food. Boaz, in his kindness, invited her to lunch. Ruth ate her fill and kept some food for Naomi.
After lunch, Ruth returned to gleaning and, in the evening, she threshed all her gatherings. Threshing involved laying the stalks on a stone and beating them with a stick. Ruth threshed close to 30 pounds of barley, enough to last her and Naomi about two weeks.
At home, Ruth narrated the events of the day. Hearing the name Boaz, Naomi recognized him as a potential guardian-redeemer who could help them out of poverty.
Several weeks passed, but why hadn’t Boaz made a move? Naomi took matters into her own hands. Knowing Boaz would be at the threshing floor, she advised Ruth to bathe, put on perfume, and don her best dress. In other words, discard her mourning garments.
She told Ruth to go, uncover his feet and lie down. Ruth didn’t question Naomi but humbly obeyed. By lying at his feet, Ruth became like a servant submitting to Boaz. Her intent, however, is for him as their guardian-redeemer to marry her.
When Boaz awakes, she tells him to spread the corner of his garment over her. This gesture is the marriage proposal. Boaz lauds her and says, “The Lord bless you, my daughter!”... “You are showing even more family loyalty now than you did before, for you have not gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor. Now don’t worry about a thing, my daughter. I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are a virtuous woman.” Ruth 3:10-11 NLT.
Ruth proved herself to be a woman of integrity and was noticed by the townspeople (see Proverbs 31:31 NIV).
Boaz admitted he was not the closest relative to redeem Ruth but promised to settle the matter in the morning. Fortunately, this other relative had no desire to redeem her leaving Boaz free to marry Ruth.
Incidentally, the Hebrew word used for virtuous in Ruth 3:11 is the same word used in Ruth 2:1 to describe Boaz.
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