A Widow’s story of honour and love: A Journey in the Book of Ruth. Delve into the inspiration found within this enchanting tale, where grief transforms into a powerful narrative of love, surpassing all expectations and shaping a lineage with enduring influence.
A grieving wife and mother
Naomi had gone to live in Moab with her husband, Elimelek and sons Mahlon and Kilion. This was during the times of the Judges in ancient Israel, as there was a famine in Israel. Elimelek died after a while.
Naomi’s sons later married Moabite wives, Orpah and Ruth.
Ten years later, Naomi faced another heart-wrenching blow as her sons passed away, leaving her with only her two daughters-in-law. This loss undoubtedly plunged Naomi into profound sorrow and uncertainty, affecting her emotional well-being and financial stability.
In ancient Israel, a widow without children faced heightened vulnerability, many challenges and hardships. Here are some of the ways it manifests:
- Loss of Labour Contribution: In an agricultural society where manual labour was crucial for sustenance, losing a husband meant the loss of a significant contributor to the household’s labour force. Without a husband to help with agricultural tasks, keep livestock, or engage in trade, the widow might struggle to manage the workload alone.
- Inheritance and Property Rights: Inheritance laws often favoured male heirs in ancient Israelite society. If a widow had no sons or other male relatives to inherit her late husband’s property, she might face difficulties in retaining ownership of land or other assets. This could lead to a decline in economic status and stability for the widow.
- Social Safety Nets: Ancient Israelite society placed a strong emphasis on maintaining family and community support networks. Widows without children or close relatives to offer help might lack the social and economic support systems available to other women in similar circumstances. Without the protection and resources provided by a husband or adult sons, widows could be vulnerable to exploitation or marginalisation.
- Limited Employment Opportunities: While some women, including widows, engaged in economic activities to support themselves, societal norms and cultural expectations limit work available to them. Widows without children to help with household responsibilities might find it challenging to balance work outside the home with their domestic duties, further constraining their economic prospects.
Overall, in ancient Israelite, widows without children grappled with economic challenges. These were connected with broader social, legal, and cultural factors shaping women’s roles and status in the community.
Naomi returns to Israel with Ruth
With no relatives in Moab and the famine in Israel gone, Naomi decides to return. Orpah and Ruth insist on following her. All three women were grieving widows, but Orpah and Ruth decide to leave their families and go with Naomi.
Naomi blesses and urges them to go back to their families. She had no other son for them to marry to keep their husband’s linage open, according to the levirate marriage custom. At Naomi’s insistence, Orpah kisses her mother-in-law and goes back home.
Ruth makes a covenant with Naomi
Ruth’s deep convictions led her to cling to Naomi and make this powerful statement:
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.
Ruth 1:16-18 (NLT)
The elements in Ruth’s words “Your people will be my people and your God my God. And where you die, I will die and be buried”. That only death will separate them, sounds almost like a covenant you make with your spouse. In her words, she is leaving behind her family and gods and totally embracing Naomi and her God.
This was a remarkable and selfless action, as Ruth had nothing to gain from following Naomi. She was also a grieving widow, who set aside her grief to take care of her grieving mother-in-law.
Her statement and action definitely gets God’s attention and attracts His favour. It converges with His Devine order on how Israel should treat the widow, fatherless and alien among them. Exodus 22:22-24. Ruth was not an Israelite, but she was displaying the values of their law in her behaviour towards Naomi.
We can read God’s heart for widows and orphans in Psalm 68:5.
Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
Psalm 68:5 (NLT)
Naomi and Ruth in Bethlehem
In Bethlehem, Ruth wasted no time, but went to work in the fields gleaning wheat to provide food.
When we actively orient our hearts towards blessing others it opens doors for us. It also guides our footsteps towards places where we can connect with blessings.
Ruth Encounters Favour with Boaz
Ruth had been working in a field of a wealthy relative of Naomi on her late husband’s side, called Boaz. Boaz noticed Ruth, and his workers informed him who she was and how she’d been working very hard.
Boaz extended favour towards her and advised her to glean with the women who worked for him. He also invited Ruth to lunch and gave her more food to take home.
Ruth was oblivious that Boaz was Naomi’s relative, till she got home with the food he gave her.
Ruth, faithful to her promise
Faithfully, Ruth continued working hard and taking care of her mother-in-law daily.
Meanwhile, Naomi had returned to Bethlehem feeling empty, childless and perhaps ashamed and overwhelmed with grief. She felt abandoned by God, this reflected in her statement in Ruth 1:19-20.
19 So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked.
20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me.
Ruth 1:19-20, (NTL)
‘Naomi’ means ‘pleasant’, but so deep was her grief that she wanted her name to reflect her bitter circumstances. Blind sided by grief, she did not initially notice that God was blessing her with a daughter. Ruth was doing for Naomi what a daughter would do for her mother.
During difficult times, especially if they happen repeatedly, it’s tempting to think that God is punishing us. However, according to scripture, God desires to bless us with a fulfilling life. It’s also instinctive to become so upset, we don’t notice the opportunities and people He places around us to bless us.
But as Ruth persevered faithfully serving Naomi, and found favour with Boaz, it lifted Naomi’s head from her grief. A spark of hope ignited within her, as she realised Boaz was a family redeemer. He could marry Ruth, what a blessing! He could also redeem the estate of her late husband, and provide an heir.
But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
Psalm 3:3, (NLT)
The cycle of blessings
Naomi gave Ruth a strategy to set in motion the levirate marriage custom.
First, Ruth was blessing Naomi, now Naomi’s blessing Ruth. They’re syncing in an echo system that converges with God’s word, will and ways, and leads to an outcome of blessings.
26 When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” 27 And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on, this disciple took her into his home. John 19:26-27.
Blessings disguised as an inconvenience
God’s usual way of blessing people is often through others who make themselves available. Both parties often get blessed through the process. The opportunity is not always attractive and will often come when it is more convenient and reasonable to say “no”.
We see this later with the nearer family redeemer. Ruth 4:1-6. Where Boaz sought another family redeemer nearer than him in the pecking order.
Boaz approached this family redeemer with the question of redeeming the lands of Mahlon and Kilion. His willingness faded once he realised he’d have to marry Ruth and that their first child wouldn’t belong to him. He thought that his agreement could jeopardise his estate, so he rejected the offer.
What we see as a blessing depends on the filters we have developed for our vision, forming our worldview. Elijah prayed for rain after a three-year drought in Israel and asked his servant what he could see. His servant, observing, told him there was a cloud the size of a man’s fist. But Elijah saw a mighty storm brooding on the horizon. But his servant saw just a small cloud with a zero potential of producing drought braking rain. I Kings 18:41-45 (NTL)
Ruth marries Boaz
Boaz bought the land of Elimelech, knowing the risks to his as well. But he went ahead, joining Naomi and Ruth in the sequence of God’s blessings.
A widow’s story of honour and love evolves as Boaz married Ruth, who bore him a son. Everyone was pleased, as they saw this as Naomi’s son and the entire village were wishing this family well.
It’s interesting that the Bible says that God enabled Ruth to become pregnant. She wasn’t a young wife, neither did she bear children for Mahlon, her late husband. However, doors opened for her in this marriage.
Their son’s name was Obed, who became the father of Jess, the father of David, the linage of Jesus. God’s covenant to David was that He would establish an eternal throne through his linage.
This promise has an eternal weight of glory that outweighs the fading glory the first family redeemer, sought to preserve. God’s ways are for more vast and intricate than ours.
A thought and question for you
“Have you ever experienced a blessing disguised as an inconvenience? Share your stories and insights in the comments below, and let’s explore together how God might be inviting us to partner with Him in birthing something new!”
Joanne Sojinu, Author, A Mother’s Prayers, Week By Week Devotional for Your Unborn Child