B
For Elimelech to leave the good land meant that he was swerving from the rest in God’s economy, thus cutting himself off from God’s economy; he swerved from Bethlehem, the birthplace of the coming Christ (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-7), in Judah, the top part of the good land (Gen. 49:8-10; Exo. 3:8b; Deut. 8:7-10), to Moab, a country of idolatry (Judg. 10:6).
C
Naomi’s returning to the Holy Land was her returning to the rest in God’s economy from Moab, the country of idolatry, to Judah, the land of Immanuel (Isa. 8:8), to arrive at Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ (Ruth 1:19a, 22b); she returned with Ruth, her daughter-in-law given to her by God for the accomplishing of His economy concerning Christ (v. 22a).
D
Ruth chose the goal of participating with God’s elect in the enjoyment of Christ, and she became an important ancestor of Christ, one who helped bring forth Christ into mankind; this was her choosing God and His kingdom for the carrying out of God’s economy concerning Christ—Matt. 1:5-6.
Morning Nourishment
Ruth 1:16 But Ruth said, Do not entreat me to leave you…. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you dwell, I will dwell; and your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.19 So the two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem…
Matt. 2:1 …Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea…
In Ruth 1:1 and 2 we see that Elimelech swerved from the rest in God’s economy. He was in the good land and had a portion of it, and he should have remained there. Remaining in the good land that God has promised and given is the real rest. Israel’s rest, their prosperity for their enjoyment and their contentment, was related to their situation with God in His economy. For an Israelite to leave the good land meant that he was cutting himself off from God’s eternal economy. Elimelech’s mistake was to swerve from the ground, the standing, which gave him the opportunity to enjoy the rest in the good land. He swerved from Bethlehem in Judah…. Bethlehem, the city of David, was designated as the birthplace of the coming Christ (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-7). In the eyes of God, Bethlehem was a very special place, for it was the place where He, through incarnation, would be born to be a man.
Judah was the land of the royal tribe among Israel (Gen. 49:8-10)…. It was the top part of the God-promised land (Exo. 3:8b), the top part of the good land (Deut. 8:7-10), and the top part of the land of Immanuel (Isa. 8:8). How mistaken Elimelech was in swerving from this land! Elimelech swerved from Bethlehem in Judah to Moab, a place of incest rejected and condemned by God [Gen. 19:30-38; Deut. 23:2-4]…. Moab was a country of idolatry (Judg. 10:6). (Life-study of Ruth, pp. 5-7)
Today’s Reading
Naomi returned from Moab, the country of idolatry,…to Judah, the land of Immanuel. Naomi returned because she had been stripped by God first of her husband and then of her two sons, leaving her and her two daughters-in-law as widows without children (Ruth 1:5, 20-21). Naomi returned also because she had heard that Jehovah had visited His people by giving them food (v. 6).Naomi returned [to Bethlehem] with Ruth, her daughter-in-law given to her by God for the accomplishment of His economy concerning Christ (v. 22a).
In verses 8 through 18 we have an account of Ruth’s choosing for her goal…. Naomi made a proposal to her two daughters-in-law for their future. She said to them, “Go and return, each of you, to your mother’s house. May Jehovah deal kindly with you, just as you have dealt with the dead and with me. May Jehovah grant you to find rest, each of you in the house of your husband” (vv. 8-9a). Then she kissed them….Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. Naomi said to Ruth, “Your sister-in-law has now returned to her people and to her gods; return with your sister-in-law” (vv. 14-15). Ruth said to Naomi, “Do not entreat me to leave you and turn away from following after you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you dwell, I will dwell; and your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die; and there will I be buried. Jehovah do so to me, and more as well, if anything but death parts me from you” (vv. 16-17). When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she ceased speaking to her about it (v. 18).
Ruth chose the goal of participating with God’s elect in the enjoyment of Christ, and she even became a top ancestor of Christ who helped bring forth Christ into mankind. This was more than just a resolution on the part of the Moabite widow; it was a goal, a choosing. Ruth chose God and His kingdom for the carrying out of God’s economy concerning Christ. Hallelujah for such a goal and for such a person choosing this goal! (Life-study of Ruth, pp. 8-10)
Further Reading: Life-study of Ruth, msg. 2