Ruth 1:14-18
And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.” When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.
Naomi, Elimelech (her husband), and their two sons were living in Moab. While there, Elimelech died, and the sons took Moabite women as their wives. Ruth was one of these Moabite women. After about 10 years, both sons died, leaving both daughter-in-laws and Naomi on their own.
Naomi was tired of living in a foreign country and decided to go home to Bethlehem. She told her daughter-in-laws to stay in their own country, but Ruth was not interested in staying. She had watched Naomi for over ten years and had learned about and accepted Naomi’s Lord.
The writer of Ruth uses words that could be defined as persistent words. In verse 14, “Ruth clung to her” meaning she held tightly to Naomi as a dryer sheet holds to a fleece jacket. Verse 16 says, “Ruth urged Naomi” or entreated earnestly for Naomi to let her go along to Bethlehem. Ruth also said in verse 16, “Your people shall be my people.” The verb “shall” indicates that the action will definitely take place. Ruth also said that “If anything but death parts us” meaning that nothing would separate them. Ruth was not going to allow anything to get in her way of going back to Bethlehem with Naomi.
The ultimate blessing was Boaz! When Naomi and Ruth get back to Bethlehem, Ruth is blessed with Boaz as he becomes her kinsman-redeemer. Boaz is a symbol of Jesus. And, Jesus is our Kinsman-Redeemer. Without her decision to stay with Naomi and return to Bethlehem, Ruth would not have been in a position to receive all that God had for her.
Are we persistent and tenacious in the pursuit of our Savior?
Are we letting things and people get in the way?
What things and/or people in your life are keeping you from your Kinsman-Redeemer?