What's In a Name? A Love Story (3/29/12)

Warren Sentinel Weekly Pulpit

Reverend Christof A. Weber

Rockland Community Church

March 29, 2012

As we continue our journey through The Story at Rockland Community Church, we are reminded every week of just how much God loves us. The Bible (and The Story, an abridged version of the Bible) is, first and foremost, a love story. It is the story of God's amazing love for us.

The Bible teaches that we were created by a loving God. We were created to love God and to love one another. Sadly, when we look at the world around us it is impossible to ignore the fact that love is so often lacking.

Within the Bible there are a number of love stories. The story of Ruth is one of the most beautiful. But it is not just a story about Ruth's love for her mother-in-law. And it is not just a story about her love for Boaz and his love for her.

These may be the surface stories. But the deeper, even more important, story is of a loving God who not only provided for Naomi and Ruth's redemption (and Boaz's happiness) but who was working behind the scenes even then to provide for our redemption.

Naomi, whose name meant “beautiful/pleasant one,” found herself a childless widow in a foreign land. Her husband had died as had her two sons, leaving their respective wives also as childless widows. Orpah, whose name meant something like “the one who turns her back,” decides to remain behind when Naomi decides to return to her people in Bethlehem. Ruth, whose name meant “friendship,” chose to stick with Naomi no matter what.

Upon returning to Bethlehem, Ruth worked hard to provide for herself and Naomi by gleaning in the fields. Unbeknownst to her, she ended up in the field of Boaz (whose name meant “strength”). He was a relative of her deceased husband. Boaz had heard about Ruth's remarkable loyalty to Naomi and so not only permitted her to glean, but gave her food and told his workers to treat her well.

Given that Ruth was a Moabite woman, it was somewhat surprising that Boaz would treat her so well. You see, Moabites, in general, and Moabite women, in particular, had a long and rather checkered history with respect to the Israelites. But Boaz was able to see beyond her ethnicity and the stereotypes of the day.

Ultimately, Boaz married Ruth fulfilling the role of “kinsman-redeemer.” And Ruth gave birth to a son who was named Obed (which meant “servant”). When Obed grew up he fathered Jesse who in turn grew up and fathered David. And David eventually became king of Israel. And twenty eight generations later David's greatest descendent was born in a stable in Bethlehem.

God provided a “redeemer” for Ruth in Boaz. And as the ladies of Bethlehem told Naomi, God had provided her a redeemer in her grandson who they named Obed. And many many years later, God provided the world a redeemer, a descendent of Ruth and Naomi, whose name was Jesus (which meant “God Saves”).

The Story of Ruth is indeed a beautiful love story. It is the story of the amazing love of God and of God's relentless pursuit to restore, redeem, and reconcile people to right relationship with God and with one another.