Ruth 4:15
Ruth 4:15 “Indeed he (the child) will be to you a restorer of life
and a sustainer of your old age;
for your young daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given birth to him.
Truly she is better to you than seven sons”
Introduction
Our text this morning continues our study of the book of Ruth.
Notice then the story thus far: Ruth has just given birth to a son. However, to our surprise, the women assisting with the birth bring the child to Naomi as matriarch of the family and not to Boaz the father.
In fact, for the remainder of the book, we will not see Boaz or Ruth again. Instead, our focus will be on Naomi. Why? There is something incredible about the very heart of God’s love and salvation that we all need to see.
Regardless, as the women are caring out the child to Naomi, they bless Naomi. Not only that, as we just saw in verse 14, their blessing began with God’s goodness to Naomi in His provision of a redeemer, through whom God will do great things.
In our text this morning, the women’s blessing (and with it, God’s goodness) continue.
Verse 15
Notice at once, as the women continue their praise about what God has done, they announce to Naomi that this this child will be to her a restorer of life. Importance: as easy as it would be to get caught up in the grand themes of the book and all that God will bring about through these events, God never loses sight of Naomi His child. Notice then what these women say: notice how Naomi hears their words: As these women praise God, they declare that God has restored the very life of Naomi. But how? On the one hand, God has taken Naomi from hardship and poverty, where there was little hope for the future, and through these events has restored to her joy, provision, and (in a book that is all about the future) God has placed in her very arms a bright tomorrow. However, more profoundly, God has restored Naomi on a much deeper and more comprehensive level. How? Think about it: not very long ago, Naomi was in a pagan land and at the whims of two apostate sons who forsook God and intended to remain there. When she returned, she was destitute, widowed, and fully convinced that God had rejected her from the role, line, and future of His people. Therefore, to hold this child is divine proof that God did not ever (even for a moment) forsake her or cut her off. Instead, God came and got her. He delivered her in the most extraordinary way FN#1. Importance: at once verse 15 reminds me that God never lets go. And no matter where life has taken me and no matter in what situation I find myself, God never forgets me and I am never beyond His reach. Naomi’s longing for God did not go unheeded. Instead, God was with her every step of the way, even when she could not see the deliverance that God was working right then and there FN#2.
Next, notice the women go on to proclaim that this child will sustain Naomi in her old age. Importance: remember, this child stands as Elimelech’s heir. Thus, while Boaz and Ruth will care for Naomi and the child in the immediate future, eventually Naomi’s care will fall to this son. In other words, God has not simply delivered Naomi from her immediate poverty/situation. He has provided for her wellbeing for the remainder of her life. Notice the result: as God was providing for the grand future of His people, He did not forget to provide for the future of Naomi, a single child of His. Importance: even though all the major factors in the book that needed to be accomplished have been accomplished, God does not allow us to leave the book until we have seen His love and care for Naomi. Why? The message is clear: God never loses sight of any one of His children. He never regards you as less important or what you face as trivial. Instead, like Naomi, you and each of His children (however great or small) are precious in His sight.
Next, notice the reason the women give for Naomi’s blessing, hope, and change of circumstance: they say, for your young daughter-in-law has given birth to this restorer/sustainer FN#3. In other words, the women say that this child will restore and sustain you because your young daughter-in-law has provided him for you. In other words, this once foreign pagan widow has been God’s direct means of deliverance. Importance: not only have the town’s people seen and accepted Ruth’s conversion, they now point to her as the direct instrument that YHWH has used to bring about these amazing events. Not only that, notice how the women describe Ruth: They call her the one who loves you. However, please note: the women are not simply being nice or saying pretty things because it is a happy occasion. Instead, behind their description of Ruth is the culmination of every detail that we have seen in the book so far. Notice then, the women know that Ruth’s love for Naomi is genuine and deep. That is, they know Ruth does not merely love Naomi as just her mother-in-law. Instead, she loves her as the mother of her faith (the one who’s faithful witness led her to God). In turn, the women know that Ruth loves God as well as God’s people. Not only that the women also know that Ruth’s love is more than just kind sentiment or cheap and easy well wishes. Instead, it is a love of profound commitment FN#4. Therefore, Ruth refused to abandon Naomi despite the cost. Instead, she left everything– her home, her family, and the pagan gods of her land, in order not to be apart from Naomi or Naomi’s God. Notice the result: front and center behind every detail of the women’s acceptance as well as their blessing is Ruth’s conversion. They know that none of this would have ever happened if YHWH did not first deliver Ruth and give her to Naomi as Companion. In other words, from the delivered (Ruth) YHWH has provided deliverance (it is grace from grace). Such then is the heart of YHWH both then and now.
Finally, the women conclude by saying, truly she is better to you than seven sons. Importance: remember, in the Old Testament, seven is the number of completion/perfection (God created/finished His work of creation in 7 days). As such, seven sons is a poetic expression of the perfect or ideal family situation. That said, how is Ruth better than the perfect house full of sons? First, in the most general sense she is better than 7 sons because she did not leave. Remember in Genesis 2:24 God says: a man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave to his wife. However, unlike a son, Ruth did not leave Naomi for the chance of remarriage, her own home, and a new life in Moab (as Orpah/Back Turner did) FN#5. Instead, she stayed with Naomi to help her despite the immense difficulty and personal cost. However, in a much more specific sense, Ruth is far better than the perfect number of such sons as Naomi lost. Why? Unlike Naomi’s two apostate sons, Ruth did not abandoned God, leave the family destitute, and settle them in a pagan land. Instead, Ruth is faithful to God. As such, she returned with Naomi to God’s people, worked for the family’s wellbeing, and secured the future of her house/line. In fact, (as so often is the case) what seemed like a curse when God took Naomi’s apostate sons was actually the first step in God’s deliverance FN#6. Notice then profound message/assurance that the women’s blessing provides: as the women speak, their blessing reminds both Naomi and reader alike, that the gift of this newborn child is not where God’s goodness to Naomi started. Rather, it is the result of God’s unwavering goodness and provision at work all along. In fact, Naomi’s steady faithfulness (her faithful longing to return home; her faithful witness to Ruth; and the faithful hope of her plan) is a sure sign that God was upholding her and keeping her close through all the difficulties she faced. Not only that, God used Naomi’s faithfulness to bring about a purpose that far exceeds Naomi’s wildest dreams; and yet it was a purpose that never lost sight of Naomi herself.
Bottom Line: As the blessing concludes, cases for kings and royal lines seem to be far away. Instead, all that remains is the awesome heart of our God for each one of His children (however great or small). At the same time, we notice, that as the women finish speaking, they hand the child to a beaming Naomi for her to hold for the very first time. And there is not a dry eye in the room as the goodness of God squawks and squirms in her arms for all in the room to hear. However, as joyful as this moment is, there are a few last things that we need to see before the book concludes.
Footnotes
1] This child the biggest event in Naomi’s life. It is proof of God’s favor and deliverance. Not only that, it is a big deal to us (it ministers to us) because in this last section of the book we are allowed to sit with Naomi and see things through her eyes (with our focus on just Naomi).
2] Importance the very assurance and commitment that God gives to Naomi, is the very same that He gives to every single one of His children. In fact, it is this picture of God that is a big reason the author has turned our focus exclusively to Naomi before bringing the book to a close. He wants to make sure you see it.
3] Note: the Hebrew word here for “young daughter-in-law” (כַּלָּה) indicates a young, recently wed women and thus one who is still in the prime childbearing age. Notice then the very way Ruth is described underscores the birth she has just given and the way God has used her. In fact, this is the very word (young daughter-in-law- כַּלָּה) used throughout the book to describe Ruth, thus foreshadowing this moment/fulfillment and the way that God had always planned to use her.
4] Over and again the book of Ruth has demonstrated what God’s love looks like and thus what His people’s love is to look like. It is kesed (a love strong enough to commit and commitment born out of love for the other). Notice then we have seen this in Ruth’s love for Naomi; Boaz’s love for God and family; and here in the final section, YHWH’s unrelenting love for Naomi despite her relatively minor role when compared to kings, royal lines, and a Messiah. As the book puts this love forward it provides a very intentional lesson of how we are to love God, each other, and the promises that God has given us.
One last point: as we have said, Biblical love (kesed) is love that is strong enough to commit and a commitment born out of love. In fact, in the truest of loves these notions of affection and commitment are not at odds. Instead, they are inseparably bound. Thus, in Biblical love (kesed), love is the motive behind the commitment; while commitment is the description of love’s content.
5] Remember, Orpah is a Hebrew nickname which means back turner. It is given to Ruth’s sister-in-law by the author in order to set up the contrast between Ruth’s faith born determination not to be separated from the mother of her faith; and Orpah eventual willingness to leave. In the end, and in a book that is all about names, to realize that we never knew Oprah’s real name is truly stunning. As she walked away from Naomi’s witness to return to Pagan Moab, she turned away from God and thereby excluded herself from the line of God’s people. Her name then is altered with no consequence because it is a non-genealogical name (it does not factor into nor is it remembered by the future of God’s people). In contrast, to see how God has used Ruth’s simple faithfulness to bless her family, eventually her nation, and finally the entire world is truly astounding and a strong reminder to each of us that following God is always the best path through any situation.
6] However, please note: God giving far more than He has taken is not a divine pay off or a biblical example of the ends justifying the means. Such is never God’s way nor is it ever condoned in Scripture. Instead, it is a case of justice where justice is due and mercy where mercy is due. In other words, God’s justice does not prohibit His mercy; nor does His mercy compromise/exclude His justice. Instead, mercy and justice find perfect agreement in the divine nature of God. As such, we see them working simultaneously in agreement over again in this world (think the Cross: justice that works mercy and mercy that informs/direct justice)
Out take: Importance: throughout this entire passage we are quietly (though profoundly) reminded that Naomi’s faithfulness (even when all seemed hopeless and grim; even when she could see no possible solution) was not in vain. God heard and honored her desire for Him. And God will honor your desire for Him as well, always. In other words, faithfulness is always the way through whatever you face. God never forsakes those who trust in Him.