Day 90: Ruth and Boaz

Judges 4:1-24 Deborah is one of several female heroines of the Old Testament; another is Jael, who was Kenite rather than Israelites. Women were not considered leaders outside of their own households, so the emergence of Deborah as a JUDGE of all Israel is remarkable. It is a strong reminder of how both women and men alike have important roles in salvation history. Deborah is a type of Mary, the Mother of God, who gave birth to the Savior of the world (TYPOLOGY!!). God often calls people who are powerless and weak to serve as his messengers and leaders; Deborah fits this category because of the social standing accorded to women of that time and culture. (CCC 64, 128-129, 489)

Ch 5:1-32 Throughout Scripture Israel celebrated its deliverance with song, proclaiming the blessings of God and the fulfillment of his plan of salvation. In this hymn, Deborah lauded the tribes that had assembled for the great battle and criticized those that did not. She offered special praise for Jael, who slew the pagan commander Sierra in her own tent. (CCC 1097, 1156-1158)

Ruth 2:1-22 God rewarded generously the faithfulness of Naomi and Ruth. The law forbade reapers from going back over the fields to pick up any grain that had been dropped or missed; the spirit of the law was so the needy could scavenge the fields to obtain the food they needed. Ruth’s devotion to Naomi drew the admiration of Boaz, a distant family member, who offered his favor and protection. 

Psalm 134 Another brief psalm, this contains the words of blessing that conclude the evening Temple worship, addressing first the Temple servants and then the assembled faithful. It is similar to the blessing or benediction at the end of the celebration of the Eucharist, in which the celebrant blesses the people and exhorts them to continue to serve the Lord. Liturgical blessings come from God mediated through his priests. (CCC 287, 1078-1079)

(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006)

Good to Bad 

• The first judges are good, the next are morally ambiguous, and the last judges are more villains than heroes. 

• As noted before, the descending character of the judges seems to represent the descending state of the people. 

• Judges like Othniel and Deborah are faithful and good. 

• Yet, although Deborah judges the people righteously, the military leader of her time, Barak, is so afraid to fight that God delivers his enemy Sisera into the hands of a woman as a rebuke to Barak’s lack of trust and courage.

(*Walking With God: A Journey Through The Bible)

• Gosh Man oh Man! 😉

• Let’s highlight Ruth for one second

• It is kind of easy to read Ruth Ch 2 today and think, “What a massively blessed person. Man, is she LUCKY!!”

• We need to remember that this is ONE DAY in Ruth’s life

• It is maybe the FIRST DAY of BLESSINGS in Ruth’s life

• Recall her life back in Moab

• She married this son of Naomi in Elimelech

• Imagine that she had plans for a full life and a family with this man

• What happens?

• Her father-in-law dies which puts the family in some trouble

• Her brother-in-law dies which puts the family in even more trouble

• Her husband dies which puts the family in even more trouble

• For the entire time of her recent history of her life, Ruth has been in trouble

• She had no guarantees that things would get better

• She had no promises that things would get better

• She had no certainty that things would get better

• AND YET...😉

• SHE KEPT WALKING IN FAITHFULNESS with her mother-in-law, Naomi

• Where Naomi goes, Ruth will go

• Where Naomi dies, Ruth will die

• Her God will be Ruth’s God

• Her people will be Ruth’s people

• In the midst of all that, there is this one day where Ruth works really hard and for whatever reason, Boaz notices her

• Boaz protects her and guards her

• This is the first time Ruth has been protected and guarded maybe since her first husband Elimelech died

• Let’s not jump to the idea that Ruth had an easy life

• This was the FIRST DAY OF HOPE in Ruth’s life in a REALLY LONG TIME

• This was the FIRST DAY OF HOPE in Naomi’s life in a REALLY LONG TIME

• YOU may be in a place right where you are wondering, “Where is the hope for me? Because I have been walking and trying my best to be faithful, and it’s been a REALLY LONG TIME SINCE I’VE HAD HOPE.”

• Remember that sometimes it takes a long time 

• TO GOD A THOUSAND YEARS ARE LIKE A SINGLE DAY AND A SINGLE DAY IS LIKE A THOUSAND YEARS

• But there are GLIMMERS OF HOPE in EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR LIVES if we are WILLING TO LOOK FOR IT

• Think of one of the DARKEST DAYS in the history of humanity

• Genesis Ch 3

• Adam and Eve, our first parents, REBEL AGAINST THE LORD

• Adam and Eve DISOBEY GOD

• So what happened?

• They experience the CONSEQUENCES of their disobedience 

• But what ALSO HAPPENS?

• God also promises a REDEEMER

• Genesis 3:15 God says to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.” (POP QUIZ!! What is this particular verse called in terms of being the FIRST PROPHECY in Salvation History? Answer in the Comments of the Facebook Post 🤓)

• THIS IS SO GOOD

• WHY?

• THIS IS HOPE!!

• God ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES

• Here in this story of Deborah, Barak, Sisera, and Jael, we have a FORESHADOWING of the fulfillment of what God had promised

• Yes, this may sound strange

• Remember Judges Ch 4

• Jael CRUSHES THE HEAD OF THE ENEMY, SISERA

• This seems very violent to us

• AND YET...😉

• This is a FORESHADOWING OF THE FULFILLMENT of Genesis 3:15

• The head of the enemy will be CRUSHED

• We know that the head of the enemy IS CRUSHED by the offspring of THE WOMAN

• That WOMAN is MARY

• That OFFSPRING is JESUS CHRIST

• Jesus Christ is the ULTIMATE REDEEMER

• Jesus Christ is the ULTIMATE JUDGE

• Jesus Christ is the ULTIMATE WARRIOR (You know, without the need for all that face paint and steroids 🤪)

• Jesus Christ is fighting for YOU, his people

• Jesus Christ is the one to whom we belong

• Jesus Christ is the one in whom we place all of our trust

• Even when we walk in darkness, WE CAN ALSO WALK IN HOPE

• In the course of an instant, or a single day, EVERYTHING CAN CHANGE

• Fr. Mike is praying for you, that you walk in faithfulness

• Fr. Mike is praying for you, that if you are walking in darkness then that GLIMMER OF LIGHT shines upon you very very soon because YOU ARE NOT ALONE

• WE DO NOT WALK ALONE

• We continue to pray for each other

• GOD IS WITH YOU

Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven we give you praise and we give you thanks. Wow. Just even, Lord God, hearing this story of the faithfulness of this woman who did not know you. This woman, Ruth, who did not know you, and yet she was faithful to what she did know. She was faithful to her mother-in-law. And Lord, you’re blessing her in this story. You’re blessing not only Ruth, but also Naomi, and also Boaz, this man who will be blessed, and also the People of Israel, who will receive a king through this incredible woman, this woman of faithfulness. Lord God, help us to be faithful like Ruth. Help us to be faithful not only to our relationships, our families, but also faithful to you. Lord God, when things are difficult and when things are dark and it seems like our faithfulness is only met with trouble, and when it seems like it would just be easier to be unfaithful, help us to hold on and cling to you in the darkness. We make this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”