Volume 3, Issue 2

February 11, 2025

As immigration becomes an even hotter topic in our society, it would be in our best interest, First name / friend, to see what the Bible has to say about it. And I just so happen to be spending time in the book of Ruth, which tells the story of an immigrant.

 

While God gives the Israelites instructions on how to treat strangers and sojourners, the book of Ruth is just one account of many that allows us to see how things play out when an outsider joins the Israelites. And we get to see it from her perspective.

 

A few things to consider:

Why would Ruth make such a huge sacrifice? 

 

 

In joining the Israelites, Ruth was required to assimilate. Do you remember all of those rules in the book of Leviticus? She had to accept them and live by them. And she did. The section of the book where she gleans in Boaz’s field is in line with God’s commands to His people.

 

It was not her place to enter Israel and start suggesting changes. In fact, the most famous verses in the book are her covenant with Naomi: 

 

“But Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you’” (Ruth 1:16-17 ESV).

 

Ruth understood the seriousness of what she was doing. In fact, it becomes clear just how serious it is when we watch her sister-in-law, Orpah, turn back and go home to Moab.

 

There is so much more we could dissect, First name / friend, but this is something to keep in mind as we are urged to “love our neighbor” and chastised with “no human is illegal.” 

 

Ruth’s response to her situation was a far cry from those who are burning our flag while waving the flags of their nations yet refusing to leave America.

In Exodus 32, we see the Israelites crafting a golden calf when Moses is gone longer than they expected. I studied this passage and created a mark-up video for you. I would love to know if you find different things as you study this passage on your own.

If you are interested in going deeper in your study of Exodus, some interesting topics to study include:

The book of Leviticus is where Bible-reading plans go to die. Here are a few tips to help you stay engaged as you tackle this book.

By the time we get to the book of Ruth, Israel has been in a cycle of disobedience, judgment, repentance, and forgiveness with God. The famine they are experiencing at the beginning of the book is judgment for their disobedience.

 

Elimelech, Naomi's husband, chooses to run rather than call Israel to repentance. He leads his family into sin. They run to the country of Moab, a land that had not submitted to God's authority and is called God's "wash basin" (Ps. 108:9). That is not a compliment, by the way.

 

If you notice the wording, there is a progression of sin. The family grows more and more comfortable as first they "sojourn," then they "remained," until they "lived" in Moab. Even ten years after the death of Elimelech, Naomi and her sons continue to live in Moab.

 

We are never told if Naomi was in agreement with the move or not, and there are definitely some cultural aspects to consider in this situation. But we do know she never strayed from her faith. Her faith was so strong Ruth saw its power and chose to leave everything she had ever known to be a part of it. While Naomi's story begins in tragedy, it ends in blessing because she continued to follow God.

 

I know many women who struggle because their husbands are either unsaved, are backslidden, or simply aren't the spiritual leaders in the home. If you fall into one of those categories, take heart! Follow Naomi's example and stay faithful even if your husband leads you to live in Moab.

Let's take a minute to ponder Ruth's reputation. The author of the book of Ruth repeatedly reminds us that Ruth is a Moabite. Moab and Israel had repeated conflicts, and Moab was a sworn enemy of Israel. Most Jews would never trust a Moabite. Yet Ruth is accepted and even admired among the Israelites after she arrives in Bethlehem with Naomi.

 

When she asks Boaz why he is so kind to her, he tells her that her reputation precedes her. Everyone knows about her kindness to her mother-in-law, and he respects her dedication to God. Her work ethic has left an impression on his workers, and they've communicated that to Boaz.

 

It is really popular these days to say that we don't care what people think of us. While we shouldn't let people's opinions keep us from doing what God wants us to do, like speaking the truth, living in integrity, and calling out sin, Ruth shows us that our reputations do matter.

 

Our lives should always point others to Jesus. Our reputations should be evidence of our loyalty to God. Years ago, it was popular to ask, "if you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence in your life to convict you?" How would you answer that question today?

Most scholars transliterate this word as "Go'el," but Strong's Concordance uses "Ga'al." Biblical Hebrew did not have vowels, so it isn't surprising that words would be transliterated differently based on how one hears the word spoken. This word occurs 105 times in 84 verses of the Old Testament.

 

Jesus is our "Ga'al":
•He redeems those in need
•He is a close relative because He became a man
•He paid a high price

 

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