A LOVE STORY: THE BOOK OF RUTH

CHAPTER 3

RETURNING TO GOD IN AGAPAO LOVE

07-01-07

(Ruth 1:1-5) Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled[1380-1050 B.C.], that there was a famine in the land[a famine of food symbolizing a famine of the Word of God]. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn [lodge]in the country of Moab [a bad (evil) decision], he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech[my God is King], and the name of his wife Naomi[pleasant], and the name of his two sons Mahlon[sickly] and Chilion[pining: failing (wasting away)], Ephrathites[fruitfulness (CONTRAST); another name for Bethlehem] of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left[remained], and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah[stiff-necked], and the name of the other Ruth[friendship]: and they dwelled there [in Moab]about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left[remained] of her two sons and her husband.

THE BEGINNING OF THE RETURN

(Ruth 1:6-9) Then she [Naomi]arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD[Jehovah/Yahweh - first mention] had visited his peoplein giving them bread [symbolically, the famine of the Word of God had been lifted, and law and order had been restored]. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they wenton the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said[in agapao love] unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD[second mention] deal kindly[favour, have mercy, have loyal love, (grace, connoting agapao love)] with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The LORD[third mention] grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her [new] husband [through a remarriage]. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

  1. Commentary: “And Naomi said….” The tree of Naomi’s family had voluntarily (Elimelech’s bad [evil] decision) experienced a fall away from God and had been sorely pruned (purged, purified) by famine and death during the ten years of their dispersion in Moab, symbolic of the world. Now Naomi the cleansed seed, the only true believing remnant (Heb: remainder) of the family “left” (vv. 3,5),begins her return to God, and we note successively the first mention of the LORD in this narrative, and not coincidentally thereafter, agapao love being manifested in Naomi.
  2. (John 15:1,2) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me thatbeareth not fruit[Elimelech, Mahlon, Chilion]he taketh away[because they bore no fruit for the Lord; they died outside the Promised Land (a type of heaven); Elimelech was “cut off” as were Mahlon and Chilion]: and every branch that beareth fruit[Naomi will bear fruit, as we shall see],he purgeth it[to cleanse, i.e. (spec.) to prune; fig. to expiate /// purify],that it may bring forthmore fruit.
  3. Commentary: Ruth (a type of us) married twice. Our first marriage is to someone in the world, our second marriage is to Jesus in Heaven.

THE SEPARATOR (the instrument of separation) IS AGAPAO LOVE:

(separation of the called from the not called for the marriage of the Lamb of God - Boaz)

(Ruth 1:10-14) And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me[make bitter, provoked, vexed] much for your sakes[agapao love] that the hand of the LORD[fourth mention] is gone out against me [Naomi viewed her tragic experiences as an act of God’s judgment upon her and her family]. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law [goodbye: phileo love; Orpah dissolved back into the world, and we hear no more of her, ever]; but Ruth clave[clung; agapao love: BECAME A COVERING]unto her [impoverished mother-in-law].

King James Bible Commentary: Naomi’s statement is an indication of the concept of the Israelite law of levirate marriage which required a man to marry the widow of his deceased brother [thereby keeping the widow from poverty (secondary purpose)] and to raise a family [(primary purpose)] in memory of his deceased brother’s name (Deut 25:5,6; Mat 22:23-28).