A Marriage Made in Heaven – Part II

[This is part of the A Marriage Made In Heaven Series. Have you seen the other posts yet?]

We started to set the stage for the book of Ruth in the last post. In it, we went through a little background on the Moabites, levirate marriage, gleaning, and the concept of the Kinsman-Redeemer. With the stage set, let’s look at the book of Ruth, written around the year 1,000 B.C.

Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. Now they entered the land of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband. –Ruth 1:1-5.

It’s worthwhile at this point to explain the meanings of the names of the characters so far.

• Elimelech means “My God is King”
• Naomi means “Pleasant, lovely”
• Mahlon means “puny”
• Chilion means “pining”
• Bethlehem means “House of Bread”

I especially love the meaning of Bethlehem, “House of Bread.” Who was born in Bethlehem? Jesus. What was one of Jesus’ names for Himself? “The Bread of Life.” What a great word picture.

God told the Israelities that He would always make sure the land was fruitful, provided they remain obedient to His laws. The fact that there was yet another famine in the land demonstrates their disobedience. Thus, Elimelech traveled 50 miles to Moab for a visit that turned into ten, long, tragic years.

Elimelech left Bethlehem seeking relief from his problems. Instead, he never sees Israel again. He dies and so do his two sons. So, not only is Naomi a widow, but she now has two daughters-in-law who are also widows! In the ancient times, this was one of the lowliest positions. You had no source of income and no one to protect you. You had no choice than to rely on the kindness of strangers.

Ten years since the start of the famine, Naomi then hears in Moab that God was again providing food for Israel; the famine had ended. She decides to leave Moab and return to her home in Bethlehem. But she realizes that she has no husband and no sons for these two widowed daughters-in-law and tells them to return to Moab.

“May the Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And they said to her, “No, but we will surely return with you to your people.” But Naomi said, “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband tonight and also bear sons, would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me.” And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clunb to her. –Ruth 1:9-14.

Naomi was attempting to dismiss her daughters-in-law as a gesture of protection. Naomi wished for them to return to their own people and get remarried. She even tried to explain to them that she is too old to have more sons to be given in marriage. This is where the levirate marriage law would have normally taken place. But Naomi had no husband, so even if the women wanted to wait until she had more sons for a levirate marriage, Naomi couldn’t produce any. It was a desperate situation. Evidently, Orpah (meaning “gazelle”) realized this and she returned to Moab. But Ruth (meaning “appearance,” “beauty,” or “friendship”) clung to Naomi.

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.” When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. –Ruth 1:16-17.

Verses 16 and 17 are commonly used at wedding ceremonies. However, if we pull back a little and put the characters into their symbolic roles, these verses are amazing.

• Naomi in this book is representative of Israel, or the Jewish people
• Ruth represents the Gentile church, or the Christian believer.

Think about that for a moment and then re-read verses 16 and 17 again. Remember that we, as Christians, are part of God’s chosen family through a Jewish heritage. Jesus was born a Jewish carpenter. Our God is the same God the Israelites worship: Yahweh, Jehovah, the Great I AM. Their God will be our God! It gets better….

When Naomi and Ruth arrive back in Bethlehem, all the city comes out to meet them. Naomi tells them,

“Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?” So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. –Ruth 1:20-22.

Naomi changes her name from “pleasant” to “bitter.” Again, we need to take a larger view of these passages. Remembering that Naomi represents the nation of Israel, at a macro level, do you think the Jewish nation today feels as Naomi did? Before you jump to the answer, think about what has happened to the nation of Israel since 70 A.D. In that year, the Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. The Jews to this day mourn at the Western Wall or “wailing wall” in Jerusalem. That is all that is left. They have not been able to worship according to the law since that time.  Think about the Holocaust. I can’t think of a greater example in recent history where the people of Israel could say “the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” However, like Naomi, the people of Israel still address Him as “El Shaddai,” “the Almighty,” as do we Christians. God, the Almighty, is still on His Throne!

In the next post, we’ll talk about Ruth’s rights under Jewish law and we’ll be introduced to a wonderful character by the name of Boaz. Who he represents will add much depth and excitement to the story.

[This is part of the A Marriage Made In Heaven Series. Have you seen the other posts yet?]

May He Increase!