Bible Study, Ruth

Nothing greatly profound in my Bible study this morning. But I just want to mention how much I enjoy the story of Ruth and Boaz. There are a number of things in the story that, I suspect, many of us miss as we read it.

For one thing, we forget that Ruth is a foreigner: a Moabitess. The text mentions this repeatedly. But I often forget it. And she becomes the great-grandmother of King David. That means that the greatest king of Israel was not pure Hebrew/Israelite. Imagine a country that placed extreme importance on purity of ancestry. South Africa, before the abolition of apartheid, comes to mind. Then imagine a candidate in that country running for president. But said candidate is of mixed race. Never mind that he is only 1/8 black. The fact that he is not pure white would have automatically disqualified him for any national position. He could not have even voted, much less run for election. That is somewhat comparable to David's position when he started his campaign to become king of Israel.

Another thing from this story came out in the section I studied this morning: There is a significant age difference between Boaz and Ruth. Have you noticed this in chapter 3? When Ruth lies at Boaz's feet and he wakes up, he commends her that she did not run after younger men, whether rich or poor. Instead, she has offered her youth and beauty to this older man. I'm having difficulty placing my finger on what it is about that detail that touches me. But as an older man, I can somewhat relate.

Then I also notice the moral uprightness of both Ruth and Boaz. I've heard others comment that by her lying at his feet, she had already placed him in a compromising position. I don't accept that view. I see it as her simply offering herself to him. She was simply saying--in a culturally appropriate method--that she was available to him, if he was interested. He made it clear that he was indeed interested. But he had to follow correct, morally approved, practices. he did not touch her that night. But he took immediate steps the next day to clear the way so that he could take her as his wife.

I know that a lot of people like the story because of Ruth's statement in chapter 1, "Where you go I will go... and your God will be my God." But that is not a statement of romantic love. That is a decision to identify herself with the people of [the true] God. By contrast, when she lies at Boaz's feet, she places her reputation on the line to allow this godly man to take her into his life.

And as they say, the rest is history!

Thank you for reading.