The story told in the Book of Ruth is one of the most beautiful in the Bible. It only touched my live while I was living her in Israel. It focuses on two woman, Naomi (Pleasant, Delightful, Lovely) and Ruth (Friend) and shows us how God can turn sufferings into joy. The story focuses on Naomi first. In the introduction she has a husband Elimelech (My God is King) and two sons, Mahlon (Weak, Sickly) and Chilion (Failing, Pining). They lived on a family property near Bethlehem (House of Bread). They have lost everything because of famine in the land of Judah. The famine was the natural byproduct of sin; a judgement imposed by the people themselves through their disobedience. The Lord has previously warned them that the land would turn against them if they were unfaithful to Him (Deut 28:15-40).

In desperation, their leave family property and go east to Moab, not far from Bethlehem which was not touched by drought. They intended to stay there temporary. This story happens when the Judges started to rule in the land. It was a time of spiritual confusion, compromise and apostasy. Elimelech took this decision to move to Moab, which was a neighboring country east of the Dead Sea. They went there to find a way to make a living. Things must have been pretty bad for Naomi's family if they were willing to loose their family's inheritance in order to survive.

In Moab, Naomi's sons found for them wives, Orpah (Fawn) and Ruth (Friend). In Deut 23:3 we read that a child born of a Moabite was not permitted to the congregation of Israel until the 10th generation. Marriage was not prohibited. It was only prohibited between the seven Canaanite nations (Deut 7:1-3). It looked like life was turning out o.k. even though they were not in there own country. However it went the other way. Naomi's husband died, leaving her without support except for the provision from her sons. Their temporary stay became more permanent because they dwelled there for 10 years. Then her two sons died, leaving Naomi at her mercies of her two daughters-in-law and their families. She must have felt very vulnerable, being entire dependant on the charity who was not from her own people.

The she hears some good news. The famine was broken in the land of Judah. She decided to return to Bethlehem and she encouraged her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth to return to their families. The second part of the story continues with Naomi but focus on Ruth. She refuses to leave Naomi. Ruth is insistent. She utters a "poem" of commitment and she is reaching beyond friendship with faith. Ruth has learned much from Naomi in the years. She invokes His name with an oath. Her commitment to stay with Naomi is rooted in an understanding of the living God of whom she has learned from Naomi. Naomi and Ruth return both to Bethlehem. Things were at their absolute worst when they arrive in Bethlehem.

The people recognized Naomi. The nature of their reception suggests that Naomi be of an old or aristocratic family in the region. They still recognized Naomi after all these years, but she has changed so much. She suffered a lot. Naomi responded that they should not call her Naomi, but Mara (Bitter). Naomi contrasts the lovely meaning of her name with the bitterness of her plight. So, not only was Naomi completely at the mercies of people's good will without money or property and completely bereft of her family, except for Ruth. She was also bitter and she attributed her misfortune to God's afflicting her life.

Things were bad, but life had to go on. Ruth volunteered to do gleaning in the fields. The law required that the farmers leave the corners of their fields to be harvested by the poor (Lev 19:9; Deut 24:19). It was the beginning of the barley harvest. The work Ruth did was like a welfare program (Deut 24:19-22). People who were destitute would go to the fields that were harvested and follow along at a respectful distance behind the harvesters and pick up that little bit accidentally left behind or spilled. Even though God had instructed his people to allow this practice as a kindness, some people resented the poor getting the little bit they could pick up by gleaning. So, this practice must have been humiliating and frightening.

Just when Naomi are at the bottom of their lives, they kept walking in obedience to God, He begin to open the doors. Ruth picks up a field at random which belonged to Boaz (Swiftness). Naomi was related to Boaz through her late husband. Boaz had great wealth. Naomi begins to have hope that she will be able to get her land back. God made provision in the law for relatives to be able to buy back their property, which were sold during hard and difficult times (Lev 25:23-28). This provision was known as the Law of the Kingsman Redeemer. Boaz was in a position to do so. The law had an extra condition attached to it. The widow of the rightful heir of the land must marry the Kingsman redeemer so that she can produce children and thereby keep the line of inheritance going. Ruth was completely submissive and obedient to Naomi's directive (Ruth 3:5-6). This spirit is needed by all that desire to realize the fullest benefits of God's redemptive working toward them.

Boaz said that he would do this but he first had to invite the nearest relative to perform this duty for Naomi's family. By this time everybody knew and loved Ruth. They know that she was looking after her mother-in-law and worked hard to provide for them. Ruth believed and worship as they all did. Boaz talked to the other relative about the situation and he was keen to buy the land. When Boaz told him that buying the land would also mean that he has to marry Ruth and provide an heir for Elimelech. He was not willing to do it anymore. He removed his shoe, which indicated that he did not wish to perform his duty to Elimelech's family (Ruth 4:1-10). This opened the door for Boaz to marry Ruth. Ruth did not have children and it seemed that she was barren during the time of her marriage to Mahlon. Her marriage to Boaz turned out to be joyful. She bore a son, a heir for her inheritance. They called him Obed (Servant). Naomi was very happy about her grandson. Her friends rejoiced with her and told her that his name would be great in Israel. And so it was. Obed was to become the grandfather of David. Jesus will be born in the bloodline of Judah (Matt 1:3-6).

Naomi's life was restored. She got their family's property back. She got a grandson and all the bitterness in her life was forgotten. She was restored in fellowship with her people and was blessed by God, when she returned to the place where she rightfully belongs.

The story of Ruth needs to be an example for each of us. She was willing to leave behind her pagan beliefs, leave behind her home, her family and her friends and took up a new way of life. Ruth was committed to it. We all should be willing to do this. Naomi returned when she heard that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread. We should also return to the place where the Lord is giving "BREAD".