by John O’Malley
“And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem” (Ruth 4:11).
Boaz listened as the people spoke. Each one shared their prayerful cry and desires for Bethlehem-judah’s newest couple. One by one, people in the crowd amongst the invited and the interested gave their heart’s best to Ruth and him. None could know the joy sensed in his heart as he heard them share prayers for fruitfulness, favor, and fame. Surely, he could not wait for the opportunity to share these matters for the heart with Ruth.
The prayerful desire of the people brought out two interesting phrases. They said, “And do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem.” Boaz and Ruth had the well wishes and prayers of the people in Bethlehem-judah.
It is interesting to combine their reminiscing of Rachel with the mentioning of Ephratah. Ephrathites were the original inhabitants of the city which is now called Bethlehem. Their desire was for the couple to do well in the name of the old city. This was logical, as the couple sought the old ways of kinsman-redemption and levirate restoration.
They desired for Boaz and Ruth to honor both their ancestor's name and their virtues. It was honorable for a man to set aside whatever would be exclusively his inheritance and share it with another. It was virtuous for a man to lay aside his best for one who needed his best. It was upright for Boaz to take Ruth and restore the family name of his kinsman Elimelech.
The people also desired that they be famous in Bethlehem-judah. Little did they know the notoriety that would come to this couple and to the little town of Bethlehem. In this time of the judges, when every man did what was right in his own eyes, here stood a man who was doing what was right in God’s eyes. The townspeople wanted them to find distinction and to be renowned for Boaz’s redemption and Elimelech’s restoration by Boaz and Ruth.
A reading of the Bible reveals that the desires of the townspeople for favor and fame were met fully. A whole book of the Bible was devoted to the act of one man: Boaz. His very deed illustrated a greater act of redemption by our Eternal Boaz. Bethlehem-judah became well known for its hospitality for taking in strangers and hosting them in time of birth, with this couple and with Joseph and Mary.
The people’s desires for Boaz and Ruth should be our own desires. They wanted them to honor their spiritual heritage and to make a name for their homeland. It must be our chief aim to honor our spiritual heritage in our choices as we face life’s challenges. While many today seem quite content to seek fame for themselves, it should be the desire of the child of God to seek to bring attention to the homeland of heaven.
Our lives must bring to God glory and honor in every area. Did your decisions yesterday bring honor to God and bring to others an awareness of His salvation? Will everything you do today?
Think about it...