Naomi As Israel

Ruth is perhaps the most beautiful book in the entire Old Testament. The story telling is simple and sublime. I love it. One of the most interesting features is the friendship between Naomi and Ruth. This relationship is central to the text. The words of Ruth 1:16-17 often bring tears to my eyes. Ruth 'clings' to Naomi as a woman clings to a husband. Her love for Naomi is the love of a friend, but no less intense and important than spousal love. Naomi proclaims her obedience to God, an obedience she discovered through her love for Naomi. Naomi's goodness has brought a Moabite to worship of Yahweh. Her simple goodness, her love for her daughter-in-law, has drawn the woman into worship of the True God. Naomi really is acting as a symbol for all Israel, and indeed for all real evangelism here. She is embodying Exodus 19:16, where Israel was to act as a kingdom of priests, drawing all peoples to Yahweh. There is an important lesson here for all of us. If we are the people God wants us to be, we will bring people to Him. Words are of less value than love. If we love as we are commanded to love, people will come to know the Lord who places that love in our hearts. The Book of Ruth is perhaps the best commentary on proper evangelism in all of scripture.