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Ruth 1:1-19a - Lectionary for Pentecost 18C, Proper 23C

10/7/2019

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10/7/19
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Many people have Ruth 1:16-17 read at weddings. It does speak a wonderful sentiment about the attachment people can have to one another. However, let’s take a look at the context. The passage actually does a lot more in real life than it ever could at a wedding.

Ruth, the widowed daughter-in-law of Naomi, herself widowed, is from Moab. She has always served gods which the Israelites would consider idols. But now, when confronted with her mortality and loss, she speaks to Naomi and declares that she is now committed to the true God of Israel. She does not wish to return to her family and her false gods. She wants to live for the true God. She pledges to faithfulness through life and to death. Yes, this is a love story, but it is about love for God, not love for another person.

Those who have come to believe in the true God, the God described in the Bible, the Triune God, turn from all their past error. There’s a definitive shift from wrong belief to the truth. This is a shift which changes our lives, from a life of hopelessness and fear to a life of confident hope. No matter what happens to us in this life, even though it brings death, we know that God is our redeemer and that we have no cause for fear.

The reality of this move from death to life, from darkness to light, from other gods to the true God seems to be lost on some, especially those who have lived as Christians all their lives. Perhaps it is difficult to see the contrast when we have not been confronted with the hopelessness of our unbelief. But that contrast is something we need to pursue. It is imperative that we seek to understand just how huge and revolutionary a statement we make when we affirm that we are Christians. It’s leaving the world and its error behind. It’s following the true God even through death. That’s what Ruth did. That’s what every Christian does.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Transition through Crisis

1/30/2018

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Tuesdays are for the Old Testament
1/30/18

Lessing, R. Reed & Andrew E. Steinmann. Prepare the Way of the Lord: An Introduction to the Old Testament. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2014. Chapter 10, “Ruth” pp. 179-188.

Lessing notes that though Ruth is a brief book, it has important themes of love for family and God’s provision in advancing his promise of a Messiah (Lessing 2014, 179). The inclusion of David as king and the view of a unified Israel points to composition during the reign of David or Solomon (Lessing 2014, 179). Lessing sees the presence of a main character from Moab and the inclusion of some Aramaic elements as a negligible element in dating. This does not convince him of a late date (Lessing 2014, 180).

The plot is centered around various crises. In each situation a character needs help and protection. There is an obstacle which is eventually overcome (Lessing 2014, 80). The issue of Levirite marriage comes up frequently. In this system, if a man dies childless, his brother is responsible to raise up offspring. This may also be extended, as in Ruth 3-4, to a more distant relative in case of an inheritance (Lessing 2014, 181). Lessing notes that the law may well not have applied to the reeemer in Ruth, but that it is suggested by Boaz that it would (Lessing 2014, 182).

Lessing discusses the exchange of a sandal along with the land transaction in chatper 4 (Lessing 2014, 182). The custom a pparently predates much written documentation. Ruth looks back in history to an activity which had since fallen out of common use.

The genealogy of ten generations, a number of symmetry, with Boaz at the important sevent position, suggests an artful depiction of the move from Jericho to Jerusalem (Lessing 2014, 183).

Ruth features the theme of fidelity, both God’s to his people and his people’s to their families (Lessing 2014, 183). Closely related to the theme of fidelity is that of God’s providential care for his people (Lessing 2014, 184). The promise of redemption is also a strong, recurring theme(Lessing 2014, 185). This includes not only the symbolic return to Israel but the kinsman redeemer and the genealogy pointing to David (Lessing 2014, 185).

Lessing notes the thieme of sin and grace in Ruth is very important. The sin in this text is a returning to our own plans, wisdom, or background rather than depending on God (Lessing 2014, 186). Despite this sinful pattern God repeatedly intervenes and points his people back to himself.

​
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Ruth 1:1-19a - Lectionary for Pentecost 21 C, 10/9/16

10/4/2016

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Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

The story of Ruth, introduced to us in this week’s Old Testament reading, is very sad. Naomi, a woman of Judah, left her homeland with her husband and two sons. The husband died. The two sons married women from a foreign land, then they also died. There was a famine, making life very difficult. Naomi, not wishing to burden her daughters-in-law with any claims she might have on her, sends them back to their homes, where they may be able to marry well.

Ruth, one of the daughters-in-law, declares that she will not return to her former life and her gods. She will remain with Naomi. She is ready to adopt Naomi’s people, Naomi’s God, and all the fortunes or troubles that Naomi might have.

What is the determination of Jesus’ people? Christians confess that they have left a former life, along with the gods of this world, to follow Jesus. Will we walk with him, regardless of the difficulties, regardless of the inconvenience, regardless of the cost to us? This is what Jesus calls his followers to do. We are to lay down our lives, as he has laid down his life for us.

If we read on through the rest of the book of Ruth, we see that God preserves his people through Ruth, continuing the line of the Messiah, who came to be God’s blessing to all nations. Jesus’ lineage, including the Moabite woman Ruth, shows that God’s kingdom includes people from all different nations. In him all believers are one family. Thanks be to God who has brought life and joy from desperate circumstances.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

​
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