Rute 1

Rute 1:16

Piper writes "Ruth is an "unclean" pagan Moabitess. But she is drawn into faith and into the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Her marriage is an interracial marriage. There are lessons here that we need as much as ever today." (3) Ruth appeals not to Chemosh but to Jehovah, and invokes His covenant Name. - "Thus may Jehovah do to me and worse if anything but death parts you and men." This is a familiar oath formula (1Sa 3:17; 25:22; 2Sa 3:9;35 19:13; 1Ki 2:23; 19:2; 20:10; 2Ki 6:31). The speaker calls for a terrible fate to befall someone if the oath is not fulfilled. Ruth therefore pronounces a curse upon herself, elevating the preceding promise to a formal, unconditional level. If she is not faithful to her promise, she agrees to become an object of divine judgment. (Acts 20:24) Ruth is a good Old Testament illustration of total surrender similar to that seen with the Apostle Paul who said "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ." (Php 3:7; 3:8) From this section we learn that the people of God are spiritually defined, for physically Ruth is a daughter of Moab, an "unnatural branch" (Ro 11:20, 21, Ro 11:22, 23, 24) and yet becomes an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (He 11:7, cp Gal 3:7, 29, Ro 4:11, Ro 8:17) Hubbard agrees commenting that "Significantly, though the oath formula normally has Elohim, Ruth invoked the personal, covenantal name Yahweh—the only time in the book in which she does so. Since one appeals to one’s own deity to enforce an oath, she clearly implies that Yahweh, not Chemosh, is now her God, the guardian of her future. Hence, while the OT has no fully developed idea of conversion, Ru 1:16–17 suggest a commitment tantamount to such a change. As a result, one expects the story subsequently to reveal some reward from Yahweh for this remarkable devotion… Ruth’s leap of faith even outdid Abraham’s. (Ed: And he was accounted as righteous - Ge 15:6) She acted with no promise in hand, with no divine blessing pronounced, without spouse, possessions, or supporting retinue. She gave up marriage to a man to devote herself to an old woman—and in a world dominated by men at that! Thematically, this allusion to Abraham sets this story in continuity with that one. Thus, a sense of similar destiny hangs over Ruth’s story. The audience wonders, May some larger plan emerge from it, too?” (See context in The Book of Ruth - NICOT or borrow The Book of Ruth). And so clearly the weight of evidence strongly supports that Ruth was a genuine believer and had experienced a true conversion. And of course she is in the lineage of the Messiah (Mt 1:5) and I am unaware of any of the names in the line of Messiah who are not believers (please write me if you find Scriptural evidence against this presumption). Robert Hubbard (in addition to his note above) says that "Ruth's renunciation foreshadows Jesus' teaching: to be his disciple requires one to renounce all family ties for the sake of the kingdom of God (Matt. 8:21; 10:37; 19:29). (See context in The Book of Ruth - NICOT or borrow The Book of Ruth) Warren Wiersbe has this note on the testimony of Ruth (Ruth 1:15–18). - Naomi was trying to cover up; Orpah had given up, but Ruth was prepared to stand up! She refused to listen to her mother-in-law’s pleas or follow her sister-in-law’s bad example. Why? Because she had come to trust in the God of Israel (Ruth 2:12). She had experienced trials and disappointments, but instead of blaming God, she had trusted Him and was not ashamed to confess her faith. In spite of the bad example of her disobedient in-laws Ruth had come to know the true and living God; and she wanted to be with His people and dwell in His land. (See context in The Bible Exposition Commentary or borrow Be Committed) Trible rightly says “There is no more radical decision in all the memories of Israel.” Don Fortner - She was converted by God’s grace. We understand that. “Salvation is of the Lord!” It is God’s work alone! Yet, our God condescends to use human instruments to accomplish his work. And the instrument God used to save Ruth was Naomi. (The Resolute Consecration Of True Faith) Matthew