Ruth – A Woman of Excellence

Introduction

We saw from our discussion on Naomi that Ruth was a young woman living in the land of Moab when she was brought into Naomi’s life and family through marriage to one of her sons.  As we now consider Ruth, as always through these Wise Woman/Foolish Woman discussions, let’s resist the temptation to “spiritualize” her right away, that we may focus and draw from the woman herself, according to what the Scriptures reveal.  The aim of this discussion point is that we may be encouraged onwards and upwards in the things of God, particularly in the one theme that is – or ought to be – nearest to our hearts.  That is, to grow in Christlikeness.  Lest we might be in a time of discouragement concerning this as present or become so, perhaps we might keep in our mind’s eye the words of Paul, recorded for us at Philippians 3:12-14:

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those thing which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ”

 

Overview on Ruth

Please read through the short Book of Ruth to get the most of our discussion points below. In brief, we can note from our reading that:

• Ruth originated from the land of Moab and married one of Naomi’s sons in that land – Ruth 1:4;
• she experienced widowhood as a relatively young woman – Ruth 1:5;
• despite her pagan background she came to be willing to believe in and accept the God of Israel as her God – Ruth 1:16-17;
• she left her homeland of Moab to accompany her mother-in-law, Naomi, to her homeland of Bethlehem, Judea – Ruth 1:22;
• her first job there was a reaper in the fields of Naomi’s husband’s relative, Boaz – Ruth 2:3;
• her beginnings in Bethlehem with Naomi on their return was quite humble (consider Leviticus 23:22) despite Naomi having her husband’s land, which circumstances would necessitate its sale in due course – Ruth 4:3; they, couldn’t eat the land though and Ruth worked hard to help sustain them – Ruth 2:5-7;
• She later married the relative of her dead husband, Boaz – Ruth 4:10. He was a respected man and of such high esteemed that one of the pillars in the temple Solomon built was named after him (see 1 Kings 7:21);
• She subsequently became the great-grandmother of Israel’s most famous and beloved King David – Ruth 4:17
• It is said that the name Ruth means ‘friend’ or ‘friendship’.

Above all of this, Ruth was known for being a ‘virtuous woman’ (Ruth 3:11) and the overall portrayal of her (not to mentioned that she is recorded in the Holy Scriptures) suggests she was a woman of high moral character and proven integrity.  The character traits her story brings out suggest an excellence which we can lose nothing by in admiration of them as an exemplar for any woman.  What makes her a great role model for us as women of God?  It is that these traits which crowned her with excellence are the very things that are precious – of value – before God.  Why are they precious?  Simply because to an extent, they reflect something of the nature of our Lord Yeshua and therefore the nature of God.  Consider this as we look at some of the “hallmarks” of her excellence.  These were:

• Kindness (see Ruth 1:8; Ruth 3:10) – we can see through the book of Ruth that this was a continuing trait;
• Faithfulness (see Ruth 1:14) – her unchanging loyalty to Naomi distinguished her from her sister-in-law Orpah, who only went part of the way towards Bethlehem with Naomi (see Ruth 1:6-10). As Naomi urged them to return to their mother’s home and leave her, at first both the women wept (Ruth 1:9 &14).   When the potential cost was outlined more clearly (Ruth 1:11-13), Orpah, however, chose to then turn back to what she knew – her people and her gods (Ruth 1:15).  Ruth chose to go on.
• Perseverance (see Ruth 1:12-18) – she had determination.
• Faith in the true God (see Ruth 1:16-17) – she did not go back to the gods of Moab. God had already begun a work of grace in her.  The declaration of faith and the subsequent outworking of that which followed in her new life in Judea was the manifestation the inward work of grace in her by God.
• Self-control, particularly over excessive emotionalism (see e.g. Ruth 1:19-22). It is interesting that there is the absence of any mention of Ruth’s feelings about being a widow and what this loss may have meant for her.  There is no mention of any bitterness displayed by Ruth.  Whilst Naomi expresses her feelings, Ruth, who also suffered loss (see Ruth 2:11) appears to hold hers in check.  At the least, the Scripture being silent on this could point to her not having as a marked feature of her character over-emotional obsessiveness about her feelings of loss;
• Hard Working (Ruth 2:2). She didn’t consider herself too good for working in the fields, she was an industrious woman and did what she could.
• Reverence/respectfulness (Ruth 2:10, 13). This comes out particularly in her response to Boaz in these verses and, as her story suggests, was something genuine and not affected.
• Considerate – (Ruth 2:14, 18) – especially to her mother-in-law.
• Obedience – (Ruth 3:1-5). Whatever Ruth may have thought of Naomi’s plan, she was willing to listen and obey.
• Love – (e.g. Ruth 4). None of these character traits would be possible without love.

Ruth had very probably not always been a woman of faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob however through faith in the true God, the excellence of His grace shone to her, in her and through her, shaping both her and her life.  How awesome the work of God that brings Ruth the Moabitess to Boaz, the son of Rahab (yes, that Rahab) into the excellency of His plan to bring salvation – Yeshua – both Jew and Gentile, to you and I.  How awesome to consider – as far as our finite minds will permit – the sovereignty of God that overruled in many things to bring this amazing turn of events in Ruth’s life and beyond.

In considering the life and person of Ruth, we may well consider her to have been indeed grown into a woman of God, a woman of excellence  that is, a woman who feared the Lord and lived out her faith in God.

 

Ruth’s Legacy

Amongst the gems we are enabled to glean in the Book of Ruth, one which we can daily set our hearts on is the encouragement to increasingly desire excellence to be revealed in us.  For women of God this is that more of the life and power of ‘Christ in [us], the hope of glory’ (Colossians 1:27) be revealed to us and in us and through us.  It is right that we stress “desire” since we usually tend to give more priority to and are more ready to discount the cost of the things we greatly desire.

As we learn more in God through growing in the grace and knowledge of Lord Yeshua by the grace of the Spirit of God in us, we truly are being transformed by Him from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18), experiencing the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).   Perhaps sometimes for a while it is very much a hidden work in that there seems little outward manifestation, but the true work of grace cannot be hidden for long.  Although a work of grace by God in us, there is still a part we are expected to play in it and that is the yielding of ourselves to and in co-operation with the work of the Holy Spirit.  In yielding and co-operating with the Holy Spirit through faith, obedience, and prayer in love towards God, Yeshua, who is our Excellence is being and will be revealed in us.

As difficult as it can often appear, it is SO much better for our own peace of mind to co-operate with the working of God in us than to try in our own strength (and flesh) to achieve excellence – a mistake that we may make more often than we perhaps realise.  We all know the passage of Scripture so well where Paul says at Galatians 3:3b, ‘Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by flesh?’  Yet are there perhaps areas in us where we are not really allowing that particular piece of light to shine upon?

Let’s briefly begin to consider a few points below which may be worth the thinking through – which no doubt will be amended or added to for us as we continue in learning and growing in grace.

Growing in Excellence

There is little doubt that as believers in Yeshua that in our own private times of prayer and “feeding” upon the word of God that we sense that stirring of our hearts towards God and the things of God.  We have the desire to be made more like Yeshua and to make Him known, especially through His unhindered reflection revealed in and through us.  Is this not the desire to grow in excellence in the Lord and to be known as women of God more by character than anything else?  Such a desire will surely make us more fruitful for The Kingdom when we seek to apply and walk in the light of the passages of Scriptures which give guidance concerning this.

One example is in 2 Peter 1:2-8 where we learn of two of the ways in which we can grow in excellence.  This first is outlined in 2 Peter 1:3-4.  At verse 3 we can see a cast-iron assurance from God that He ‘has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.’  It is at verse 4 however that we are given a “key” to understanding the will of God for us to ‘be partakers of the divine nature’ through living faith in Yeshua the Messiah.   Careful meditation on this verse can, as the Spirit makes it living for us, equip us with so much.  Consider:

• ‘we have been given’ (underline mine). Note, not will be given but have been given.  From this we can understand that when, for example, we seek God in prayer concerning the struggles we have between the flesh and Spirit, we are effectively asking the Lord to reveal/uncover what He has already given us.
• ‘exceedingly great and precious promises. We who have come to faith in God know that His promises are certain and sure.

Many people are able to say of at least one person that they trust their word with absolute certainty and that if that person has promised to do something, they will generally, fulfil that promise.  There is usually an unspoken caveat which is that they will fulfil that promise so far as they are able.  As trustworthy, as reliable and as dependable as the best of people can be, there is still the unknown element of whether something beyond their control will prevent them in fulfilling a promise, which they may earnestly intended to fulfil.  Not so with our God!  What is able to prevent God in fulfilling His promises?  What is beyond the control of our God?  What power can stand before His power?  Of some, it may well be said that their promise is a comfort to a fool.  Of our God, His promises are our comfort in the waiting, knowing that they are not just great, but exceedingly great, so very precious and will be fulfilled.

• ‘partakers in the divine nature’. Here is the promised excellence.  It is through faith in God and therefore in His promises that we are given the way to receive our portion in the gift of the divine nature.  That is, the enabling to walk in the light of the One who we now are in, Yeshua the Messiah.  To ‘walk in the light of’ is to go forward with, to go on with and to grow in Yeshua.

Having received this, Peter goes on to show us how we can grow and the intended purpose for that growth in verse 5 through to verse 11.  For the purposes of this discussion however, verses 5 to 8 are what I call real “spiritual fertilizer” in connection the work of grace for the production of fruit by the Holy Spirit  for that plot of ground called our hearts, that desire to more like Yeshua, to grow in excellence.   May we consider – and be enabled to consider often – the things these verses exhort:

But also for this very reason [i.e. that which has gone before at verse 1-4], giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue, knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.  For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [square brackets mine]

You may find it helpful at this point to consider again the character traits of Ruth outlined in the Overview above.  Just as she was fruitful in the grace given to her and was also tremendously blessed, so we too have a promised blessing.  As Peter goes on to say at verses 10-11:

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Hindrances to Excellence Revealed

As born-again believers we all know that THE hindrance is that ugly little word called “sin” that shows up so well through the world, the flesh, and the devil.  Perhaps it is because it is so very deadly and so ugly that people will call it anything other than what it really is.  We ourselves may initially resist the bald truth that the very thing we are looking at in ourselves or in our lives is sin.  If we are to press on and not hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in us we must call it as it is, whenever we see it in ourselves – and confess/acknowledge it and repent (note 1 John 1:8-10).  One cannot help but wonder at the sin in the Church at large and wonder whether we need to be given a renewed vision of the exceedingly sinfulness of sin – again? Let us consider that that ‘Church’, if we are saved,  includes you and me!  Praise the Lord for the power of the shed blood of our Lord and Saviour, Yeshua the Messiah!  Praise the Lord that the precious blood of Yeshua applied on our behalf through faith wipes away every sin and we are forgiven and justified through repentance and faith!  Praise the Lord for the grace that has broken the power of sin over our lives as we walk according to the Spirit of God!

Nevertheless, is there still not a time to mourn over sin?  Before rushing forth to the promised forgiveness and cleansing from sin, do we discount brokenness before God of grieving His Spirit by our sin?  We can go forth straight to the assurance of forgiveness through sincere acknowledgement and confession of sin, but consider, might we not forgo the fullness of the promised comfort which comes after mourning over sin (see e.g. Matthew 5:4)?

I believe that part of that comfort is that renewed revelation of Yeshua the Messiah and His love and grace which brings a deepened desire for obedience and for God Himself.  It may be that the renewed revelation of His love through His Cross can bring a genuine sense of brokenness/contriteness before God that we still need from time to time in maturing in the Faith.  I would rather not allow myself to be swayed by well meaning but misapplied comforts and prayers of people, where there is a clear inward conviction by the Spirit of God and remain in that place until the ministry of conviction has finished its work – lest I miss out on the comfort and will of God for me. How about you?

Let’s not forget, He that is in us through faith in Yeshua is the HOLY Spirit.  There are times that, although we “know” what the Bible says about sin we do not always immediately feel the horror of sin – not merely on an emotional level but beyond the natural senses with our inner-man.  Consider Paul’s words recorded at 2 Corinthians 7:10-11:

‘For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.  For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”

We are not talking of a salvation issue here for us as believers – rather, a fulfilment issue.  The fulfilment of the fullness of the ‘exceedingly great and precious promises’ given to us by God ‘that through these [we] may be partakes of the divine nature’ in knowing Yeshua the Messiah.  There is a time to mourn – but there is also the promised comfort.

 

Conclusion

We will never be perfect as long as we are in these bodies, but I praise the Lord for examples of godly women who fear God both in the Scriptures and living today who spur us on to press on in the things of God which magnify and glorify Him in us and through us.

Ruth, our example here, brings to mind in may ways the portrayal of the virtuous wife (wife of moral excellence) at Proverbs 31:10-31 and I’m especially struck, encouraged and edified by the words at verses 29-31 which say this:

                ‘Many daughters have done well,
                Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
                But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
                Give her of the fruit of her hands,
                And let her own works praise her in the gates.’

So true of Ruth, a woman of excellence.  May Almighty God our heavenly Father grant by His grace this to be true of us too in ever deepening measure for His glory in Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

God bless you.