Ruth’s Commitment to Naomi

Ruth 1:15–22
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Naomi told Ruth, “Orpah has gone back to her people and her gods, and you should go back with her” (v. 15).  Ruth answers her by begging her not to make her go back and said she wanted to go where Naomi goes and to stay where Naomi stays (v. 16).  She made it evident that this determination was not meant to be short-lived as she states that she will stay with Naomi until death and die where Naomi dies (v. 17). She even concluded by calling down divine punishment upon her­self should she fail to keep her word.

Naomi saw that Ruth was determined and so she accepted the situation and stopped arguing (v. 18).  When the two women arrived back in Bethlehem, the city was buzzing with excitement (v. 19). She told them, “Don’t call me Naomi any longer! Call me Mara because God has made my life bitter. I had everything when I left, but the LORD has brought me back with nothing. How can you still call me Naomi, when God has turned against me and made my life so hard” (vv. 20-21)? Most of the men were out in the fields working as it was the beginning of barley harvest (the end of April) but the women of Bethlehem came out excitedly to greet them (v. 22. Several years had passed since Naomi had left and because of the hard time she had gone through she no doubt looked much different.

Application

Ruth’s decision to leave her country and her people and the vow she made to stick with Naomi is one of the scriptures’ greatest illustrations of true friendship and loyalty. I need to have a similar commitment to the family that God has given to me and not allow the circumstances and temptations of this life separate me from their friendship.