Naomi asked the people back home not to call her Naomi any more, but Mara, meaning “bitter” for “the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:21).
Naomi did not forget God in Moab. She taught her Moabite daughters-in-law about Him and both these Moabite women loved Naomi. Initially both Orpah and Ruth wanted to return to Israel with Naomi and both wept when Naomi graciously requested them to return to the house of their own families. They still wanted to go to Israel with Naomi, their mother-in-law.
After further explanation by Naomi concerning their hopeless possibility of remarriage into her family, Orpah decided to return to her own family and their gods (1:7-14).
However, we see Ruth’s most amazing commitment to her mother-in-law as well as to her God Jehovah as she refuses to return to her own people in the land of Moab.
Ruth 1:16, 17: “And Ruth said, entreat 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 aught but death part thee and me.“ This is the reason why Boaz was so willing to provide Ruth with the wedding garment covering.
Boaz (who is a type of Christ) speaks to Ruth about her commitment and virtues: “Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter, for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. . . . for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman” (Ruth 2:1 and 3:8-11).
After certain duties and protocol were performed Boaz granted her the request for covering, which is a type of the wedding garment.
What about us. Is our heavenly Boaz (Jesus Christ) willing to stretch out His covering over us? The punch line to the above is this: why would Christ extend His covering to a bride who is not prepared to give the same kind of commitment Ruth gave to her mother-in-law?
WHITHER THOU GOEST, I WILL GO
Are we going where Christ, our bridegroom wants to take us? Do we take notice of His great commission to “go into all the world”? It seems to me that much of the church wants Christ to follow them!
WHERE THOU LODGEST, I WILL LODGE
Is this the language of today’s church? In other words, is my home a home where Christ really feels at home? Or are there things in my home that make Him feel uncomfortable? Does Jesus accept a bride that does not want her home to be His home?
THY PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE
Really? Do we who call ourselves the bride of Christ love to fellowship regularly with His people?
WHERE THOU DIEST, I WILL DIE
Jesus died on the cross. Are we willing to take up our cross and follow Him?
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell