Leaving the House of Bread
In the days when the chieftains ruled, there was a famine in the land; and a man of Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the country of Moab. Ruth 1:1 JPS Ruth Commentary
Famine – Elimelech leaves Bethlehem in order to find food for his family. The very idea is fraught with contradictory implications. Elimelech (“God is my king” – but if God is my king, why am I not relying on Him?) leaves Bethlehem (“the house of bread”) in order to find “bread” elsewhere in the land of Moab (a land that is occupied by a people with whom Israel is to have no contact). Furthermore, this story begins in the time of the “chieftains” (sometimes translated “judges”). These were both men and women who were military leaders in charge of the people of Israel in the time before the monarchy. Some of them were righteous. Some were not. At the end of the period, there is a terrible tribal civil war that leaves the land in chaos and sets the stage for the appeal for a king. It isn’t simply famine that drives Elimelech from Bethlehem. In this time, it might not be possible to count on the community to support those in desperate need. We must also note that Elimelech doesn’t go to Moab to obtain food. He goes to reside there, to take up temporary residence. There must have been a good reason not to return to Bethlehem immediately. Chaos rules the land of Israel. As the book of the Chieftains says, “Every man did what was right in his own eyes.” That is the equivalent of “Every man did as he pleased.” Perhaps Ruth’s story is much closer to us than we might have imagined.
This is the background for the story of Ruth, and it is this background that acts as the foil for Ruth’s demonstration of hesed. But there are also parallels with older stories. We know that the Tanakh uses parallel repetition in order to demonstrate the continuing application of important themes. The relationship between famine, grace, hesed and the foreigner isn’t isolated to Ruth’s story. It is also part of the story of Abraham and Isaac. The Tanakh makes the allusion obvious with the use of the sentence “there was a famine in the land,” exactly the same words found in Genesis 12:10 and 26:1. Furthermore, ra’av (famine) is the reason Jacob and his sons travel to Egypt. Hunger drives human behavior – in more ways than one. It is worth noting that ra’av is the consonants Resh-Ayin-Bet, the combination of “evil” (ra) and the consonant Bet (“house”). Is famine not “evil in the house”? Of course, we know that there are many kinds of hunger inside our homes. Perhaps the Torah lesson is that any hunger that originates or is attached to evil produces undesirable results – even if God uses those results to serve His purposes. It is “evil in the house of bread,” both physical and social, that drives “God is my King” out of his home. There is a lesson here as well. Isn’t the purpose of being one of God’s citizens to restore order to His house? Doesn’t Peter instruct us to begin in our own house? Perhaps Elimelech needed to restore what Bethlehem had lost instead of fleeing to Moab? But perhaps Bethlehem lost what it needed to restore God’s people because it allowed ra’av in the first place. Do you think that the social and moral chaos that came from the chieftains had no effect on the land? If you unintentionally disconnected these two “spheres” of life, you were thinking like a Greek philosopher, not an ancient Israelite.
Elimelech, Naomi, Ruth and Boaz are all connected to the land, and the land is connected to the righteousness of the people who occupy it. Ruth’s story does much more than heal human relationships, right?
I suppose the next question is obvious. How does your life connect you to God’s land? What personal relationships are you developing that also heal the place where you live?
Topical Index: Ruth 1:1, Elimelech, famine, ra’av, Genesis 12:10, Genesis 26:1
Elimelech vs. Boaz.
One abandons ship when the trouble hits and dies. The other stays and is blessed.
It speaks volumes that the first apperance of this man is in relation to the workers in his field and the response that follows.
” The LORD [be] with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.”
“What personal relationships are you developing that also heal the place where you live?”
This weekend I’m attending a family reunion. I do not live near my relatives, and my world and theirs seldom cross paths. Many of them are not believers and live lives of desperation. Some are striving to overcome generations of religious guilt and hypocrisy with substitutions. The main event is today and today’s edition of Today’s Word is timely. I go with the intention of serving my family; not confronting them. I pray that the Creator’s love – through me – will heal the place that gave birth to me.
My prayers go with you. I know this kind of turmoil. My the grace and strength of YHWH and His Son Yeshua shine through you in all that you do and say, that perhaps they may “sh-v-b” and live.
Jhn 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
YHWH bless you and keep you….
In a pre-mediated act, Almighty God angled His life across eternity and intentionally collided His with mine. I’ve never been the same, for I died in that collision (Col. 3:3). I am raised in Him, was given a new and different life, am hidden in Him, and He lives in me, — such an impact was this collision that no one will ever seperate the peices again!
The book of Colossians points my focus on things above (Col. 3: 2). I am no longer defined by where I was born or where you were, what country or neighborhood I reside in, what my family was known for, what work I do or you do, where I educated my children, or where you educate yours, what we eat, (eat ham or refrain from eating–do all unto Christ), who I know or who you know, what I drive or what you drive, –these things are earthly differences and divide, –they are “things below”.
Focus on Christ. Seek to fit into, and wear, all day everyday; kindness, mercy, meekness, humbleness, long suffering, and love, and let peace rule. Its a decision.
THEN we, you and I, through Christs’ life in us, will affect those around us.
someone once said, you can use people to get things or use things to get people. which one focuses on things above? are the “things” heavenly or earthly or is it how we use those things that make the difference?
Dorothy, very good.. I have found that to be true in my own heart the goodness of the LORD.
A very timely teaching, especially for me. There is a book I am reminded of, the title is: “Acres of Diamonds.” It’s been too long since I’ve read this book- but it seems someone travelled the world looking for treasure, only to find it was located nearer than he thought, right in his own backyard.
I love (love) the story, song, symbolism and substance of Ruth. It is good for us to be here- and I hope we camp here for days. Much may be gleaned from Ruth.
We are Ruth…(honestly!). And just Who would our near-Kinsman Redeemer, our GoEl be? I love the story of Ruth! So sad, in the beginning, and so strange.. but as we delve deeper into each character and each Hebrew name (starting with “My God is King”-it’s always good to start with the Sovereignty of God) we find within Ruth a picture, a proverb and a parable of Providence! For God (once again) oversees every tiny detail in each life and this “story” (real people?) has such a happy ending for this, my brothers and sisters, is a love story par excellence! A story of Sovereignty and Providence- what a combo! -“The Divine Romance”- Gene Edwards) between a half-breed Moab girl having no expected future and (seemingly) no hope, and her near-Kinsman Redeemer, her Go’el-, her future husband, the ONE who owned the very fields where she was gleaning in the corners.
I second Carls’ motion to camp in this book of Ruth for awhile. I love it, too.
Do we hear and 3rd and 4th, (hoping we can slow down our Ferrari driver) to dwell here awhile? lol
Got a notebook I’m wanting to add treasures to, like this:
The outcome of Naomi and Ruth’s lives was not determined by Elimelech’s decision and wrong direction; it was determined by their own individual choices. So, sorry you can’t say, “My kids are that way because of their dad.”
No, your kids are that way because of the decisions they have made. We can’t go through life blaming everything that’s in our life on someone else.
yes let’s camp with Ruth for a while
it would be ruthless not to 🙂
Yes, Dorothy – love is a choice. “Choose you this day, (this very day) “Whom” you will “avad” (serve). Avad (love-serve-work-worship) ADONAI. I (and a million others!) freely, fully choose Him. “as for me and my house- we will serve the LORD, we will avad ADONAI. Dear family of God, dear brothers and sisters, – there is a wonderful unity in our diversity, each member different and totally unique- just like every other member of the body of Christ. Abraham, Moses and Noah had this in common- each were totally unique in their life’s story. Praise God for diversity and discernment- and the gift of choice. I choose Him. I will have this Man, the God-Man to rule and to reign over me.
slow down our Ferrari driver! lol! – love it!
A short story… (from me? short? ha!)
The extended family did a vacation together and started at the top of the mountain outside of Abingdon VA, and cruised downhill on our rented bicycles for several miles on a rails-to-trails bicycle path towards Damascus. The weather was primo and leaves were certainly showing off the colors of fall. The kids were hollerin’ (that’s what we call it in the South) “hurry up, hurry up!- let’s get there quicker,” but as all these beautiful sights and colors were rushing past my brain in a blended blur- I found myself squeezing the hand brakes to “slow it down.” Life in the slow lane- that’s fine with me. A front porch in the shade, glass of iced tea, evening breeze a blowin’ – throw in some summertime fragrant flowers- and I’m good-to-go! (What?- no Ferrari?) lol! Hurry, (it has been said) it not “of the devil”- “hurry is the devil!” I just don’t like to be rushed. ← (Yes, that is a period.) You cannot “rush” through an art gallery! – and aren’t we just rushin’ to get somewhere? Don’t even have a destination in mind, but let’s double our speed to get there (wherever “there” is!). lol! Slow down peoples- please. People havin’ a hiss-tissy (ever have one of these?) if they miss the subway. My goodness!- I might have to wait a whole five minutes to catch the next one- don’t these people realize I might miss the first five minutes of Gilligan’s Island? ”
And as the posted speed limit where I live is between 55 and 65mph- I might not ever get the thing out of second gear! -I would be all dressed up with no where to go! Unless of course I could move next door to the Autobahn- and as long as I made all the lights- it would definitely get me to work on time. I wonder how much insurance I would need?- and those loose shopping carts at Walmart would give me the heebie-jeebies!
Hmm… – ~ be still, and know that I AM God ~ (Psalm 46.10) I wonder if any us have ever tried the discipline of silent “stillness.” “Peace and quiet”- two words that seem to be traveling companions.
Would love to stay in Ruth:)
I will be teaching a study of the book of Ruth at the Winter Garden First Methodist Church starting this Sunday, June 17, at 5PM (for 2 hours) and every Sunday (except one) for the next 6 or 7 weeks. It will be recorded. Anyone who wishes to attend is welcome. There will be a study guide for each session.
Ruth is the traditional reading for Shavuot/Pentecost. Until this year I never saw the connection. Now I do. The themes of Shavuot are woven through the story (if you study Shavuot in the context of the other Feasts). It is likely that the story is also set around time time of Shavuot, since that is when the first fruits offering of the wheat harvest is brought. I look forward to listening to the sessions, since I can’t be there in person. I would dearly love to, but 20,000km or so each way is a long commute each weekend. 🙂
And don’t forget the link between Ruth and Lev 23:22, which occurs immediately after the instructions for Shavuot and before the Feast of Trumpets…
These laws, like Lev. 23:22, are great examples to keep in mind when I hear pastors, speakers, and others theologically denigrating “The Law”. I heard one on the radio the other day say something like, “Jesus came to teach us how to love, but the law doesn’t say anything about how to love your neighbor, it doesn’t tell us how to….”. He went on with 2 or 3 other examples of what the law lacked, but every example seemed only to suggest that he had never really read the law.
Hmmm. They obviously hadn’t read these:
The first 5 tell us how to love YHVH – the second 5 are all about how to love your neighbour. The rest of the “613” simply amplify and expand on the 10, which in turn expand on the two “greatest commands” (“love YHVH your God” and “love your neighbour”), which in turn flow from the ONE – “Hear O Israel, YHVH your God, YHVH is ONE”.
shalom skip, will it be posible to get the recordings over in george south africa? and the study guide?
daniel