God Knows No Foreigners

MEMORY SELECTION: “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.” —Ruth 1:16,17

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Ruth 1:1-5; 2:1-3; 4:13-17

THE Book of Ruth is a simple story concerning the loyalty and love of two women. And while there is no obvious attempt to include lessons of doctrine in the account, there are lessons for us as Christians.

The account states that the family of Elimelech, which included his wife, Naomi, had gone from Bethlehem to Moab because of a famine. After residing there for approximately ten years, Naomi’s husband and their two sons died, leaving her a widow, with the wives of the two sons, who were Moabites. When the famine was over, Naomi decided to return to her native land and her kinsmen.

The two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, determined to go with Naomi; but she, thinking of their best interests, suggested that they remain in their own land and remarry, seeking happiness in familiar surroundings. Orpah heeded the advice of Naomi, but Ruth refused to be persuaded and uttered this beautiful declaration of loyalty and love: “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.”—Ruth 1:16,17

In taking her stand with Naomi, Ruth also accepted Judaism as her religion. Even though she had been an alien from the commonwealth of Israel and a stranger from God, he apparently accepted her and began to deal with her in a very special way. We are reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 2:28,29: “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Ruth clearly met this condition of heart.

The willingness on the part of Ruth to turn her back on her father’s house, leaving her family behind and casting her lot with Naomi and her God, reminds us of the affirmative and positive decision made by Abraham when God called him while in the land of Ur. We read in Genesis 12:1-4: “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee. … So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him.”

The Heavenly Father is pleased with an affirmative and unreserved commitment, and thus did Ruth from the heart declare herself. It is wonderful to note how the Lord was able to use one who had been alienated from him but, because of complete dedication and a proper heart attitude, was fully accepted. Because of a provision of the Jewish law it was possible for the next of kin to marry her in order to preserve the line, and the Lord provided Boaz, who was related by marriage.

A son was born to Ruth, and here again she demonstrated her love and spirit of sacrifice toward Naomi, for she permitted the child to be accounted to the line of Naomi. And God accepted the arrangement, for we read these words spoken to Naomi: “Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter-in-law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”—Ruth 4:14-17

The beautiful story of Ruth and her love for Naomi is an example to the footstep followers of Jesus as to how the Lord is pleased with such a relationship, for it is this kind of love and concern for one another that the Lord expects among his people.

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