Good morning!
If you have not realized it yet, today is the first day of the Lenten season, Ash Wednesday. In some Christian churches, this marks a day of consecration in which the Christ follower devotes him- or herself to some type of fasting for the period from Ash Wednesday until Easter. This year, Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine's Day, and Easter falls on April 1st, April Fool's Day! Cray....
Ok, back to our study of Ruth. I've been working double shifts at the pie shop (where I work part-time) this week and last. My time to study and blog has been limited, and I have missed it!
Today we are examining Ruth 1:6-18, and I am using the Orthodox Jewish Old Testament version this morning:
6 Then she arose with her kallot, that she might make teshuvah (return) from the sadei Moav: for in the sadeh of Moav she had heard how that Hashem had visited His people in giving them lechem (bread). 7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two kallot with her; and they set on the derech (way, road) to make teshuvah (return) unto Eretz Yehudah. 8 And Naomi said unto her two kallot, Go, go back each to her beis em www.afii.org/ruth.WMA (mother's house): may Hashem show chesed (lovingkindness) to you, as ye have dealt with hamesim (the dead ones), and with me. 9 Hashem grant you that ye may find menuchah (resting place), each of you in the bais of her ish. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. 10 And they said unto her, Surely we will make teshuvah (return) with thee unto thy people.11 And Naomi said, Turn back, my banot; why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more banim in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my banot, go your way; for I am too old to have an ish. If I should say, I have tikvah, if I should have an ish halailah (tonight), and should also bear banim, 13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? Would ye stay from having ba'alim (husbands) for them? Nay, my banot; for it is more mar (bitter) for me than you, for the Yad Hashem has gone out against me.
Naomi was stating, whether true or not, that the hand of God had gone out against her. She felt forsaken by God.
Can I as a woman even begin to imagine her despair? I have a loving husband and two fine sons. What if God required all three of them of me, to snatch them from this earthly life and leave me as a poor, sad remnant of a once-vibrant, living, loving family? No, I cannot begin to imagine such sorrow.
Let's briefly review....
In the last post, we made conjecture about Naomi's part in the decision to go sojourn for 10 years in a pagan culture. Was she "on board" or not? Impossible to tell. Still, her personal losses, her "collateral damages", were great.
1. She was immersed in, surrounded by paganism.
2. Her sons, her heirs, married women who worshipped pagan gods. (The unbelief of the father produced the faithless actions of the sons.)
3. Her husband died.
4. Each of her sons also died.
One famine, three funerals, limitless heartbreak, a bottomless pit of despair.
What do you do when you are staring into a pit like that?
I have running through my mind this morning that old song from 1976, "Get right back to where we started from"1. Naomi decided to "make teshuvah", a good decision indeed. That is, she decided to return to the land of Judah (Eretz Yehudah), the land of the One, true God, Hashem, and in so doing, to return her allegiance to her God Himself.
My husband has a favorite saying that he has spoken to our sons on many occasions: "When you find yourself in a hole....stop digging!" Naomi recognized that a series of ungodly decisions had resulted in her being in a pit. Accordingly, she resolved to return to the place where she had once enjoyed God's favor.
It is a sound principle for all of us who know and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Despite our best intentions, we all will at some point make some screwy decisions or our heart will betray us and lead us astray, at which point we will feel that God's hand of blessing has left us. God cannot bless our sin. Don't be deceived....He won't do that because it would be in violation of His character, His holiness.
Still, He stands at an open door, inviting us to "make teshuvah", to return to Him. He longs to redeem, to restore, to bless us ... with Himself. He and His love are life's greatest blessings.
Valentine's Day is a hard day for many people. In my own life, I have had several tough ones to soldier through. Let me encourage you, whether you are dwelling in the land of Moab or whether you are faithfully living in the land of Judah, spiritually speaking, today. Knit your heart, hitch your wagon to the greatest love of all. Draw near to The Lover of Your Soul. For some of you, that will mean a "return". For some, it will be the first time you have ever drawn near.
God gives us His valentine in John 3:16 (version - - Aramaic Bible in Plain English):
For God loved the world in this way: so much that he would give up his Son, The Only One, so that everyone who trusts in him shall not be lost, but he shall have eternal life.
Now, I want you to notice a remarkable thing. Ruth did this very thing I mentioned above.
These verses follow right after Naomi stating that she was outside the blessing of God and that her daughters-in-law should return to their people and to their gods.
14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpah kissed [cf Mt 26:49] her chamot; but Ruth clung unto her.
15 And she said, Hinei, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her g-ds; return thou after thy sister-in- law. 16 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 G-d shall be Elohai; 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. Hashem do so to me, and more also, if anything but HaMavet part thee and me. 18 When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left urging her.
"And thy God shall be my God", it says in other translations. Ok, notice what happened here. Ruth did not have to add this last part in her statement of devotion. It seems to me that, somewhere along the way, in her interactions with this Judean family, she met the Lord God Jehovah. She drew near to Him and "hitched her wagon to the greatest love of all". Much is made of Ruth's devotion to Naomi, which is admirable. But, was that the driving force behind her leaving Moab with her mother-in-law? It seems obvious that what drove her decision was fundamentally, primarily, a devotion to the One, true God. She had met Him, embraced Him, and although it appeared His hand of blessing had departed from her life and the life of her family, she steadfastly refused to forsake Him (and by extension, her mother-in-law).
Whoa.
When I was married, Ruth 1:16 was part of my marriage ceremony. So beautiful!
But, even more beautiful is the Truth of which our earthly marriage ceremonies are only a mere shadow.
Jesus Christ is the Bridegroom, and those who believe on His name, who have betrothed themselves to Him, whom He has betrothed to Himself, are His Bride.
You may have wondered about the picture at the top of this blog. It is of my right hand. On my right, index finger, I wear a Pandora ring, a circlet of tiny hearts. I wear it as a bethrothal ring.
When Jewish women became "betrothed", engaged, promised to their Bridegroom, it was much, much more than our American engagements. A betrothal was as binding as a marriage; there was even the signing of a betrothal document. (I got to see some ancient ones in the Israeli museum on my recent trip to Israel. They were beautifully adorned with all sorts of gorgeous artwork.) Although the physical union did not begin with betrothal, in actuality, it was the starting point of the marriage vow, equally permanent.
As part of the Bride of Christ, I am betrothed to Him for this earthly life. My "marriage" will not be complete until I am united with Him in eternity in Heaven. For now, though, I wear that symbol with my other rings, to remind me to Whom my soul belongs.
Though we may at times in this life feel forsaken by our Bridegroom, He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He is our Never-Forsaking God. He promised this to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 31:6 (New Heart English Bible)
Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, nor be scared of them: for the LORD your God is he who is going with you; he will not leave you nor forsake you."
and also to Christian believers in Hebrews 13:5b (New Heart English Bible):
...for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."
The Aramaic Bible in Plain English puts the last part of that verse like this:
"He will never let go of your hand."
Oh hallelujah!
Make Teshuva today. His hand is extended and His arms are open wide!
Sources:
1 https://youtu.be/ckCwBAhz4oc
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