Working Notes
by
Sylvia Dooling
I am struck by the Say More! sidebar on Page 25 that gives the history of
the Moabites.
What has given me much food for thought is the contrast between Law and
grace. In Deuteronomy, Moses passes on the Law to the next generation of
Israelites who are about to cross over into the Promised Land. One of the
provisions that Moses gave them said that because the Moabites did not
provide Israel with food and water on their journey out of Egypt, and
because they had hired Balaam to curse Israel, Israel was to have nothing to
do with them.
Then, we discover that during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah after the Jews
had returned home from their exile in Babylonia they were forbidden from
marrying foreign women and men (including Moabites) because of their
propensity to fall into idolatry.
Yet, here we have the story of Ruth tucked in between Deuteronomy and the
post-exilic writings of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Ruth, a Moabite, was willing to leave her land and her gods, to live with
and care for Naomi, who was her mother-in-law. Not only would she see to
Naomi’s needs Naomi’s God would become Ruth’s God.
This is a story of amazing grace.
God had warmed Ruth’s heart to worship him rather than the gods of her
ancestors. In addition, not only would she be the great grandmother of King
David, but her name would also be included in the lineage of Jesus the
Messiah. Think about it. A foreigner, a Moabite, a Gentile woman is part of
the genealogy of Jesus. A woman who would have been considered an outsider
served as an object lesson to Israel that God would draw to himself people
from every nation, tribe, and tongue.
Yes, the story of Ruth is a story of kindness. But, first and foremost, it
is a story of the kindness and grace of our God that is lavish and surpasses
all we can think or imagine.