1 Samuel 17:1-30: Fear and Eighty “Psalms” of Goliath

Fear is contagious and can be powerful. It can be amplified to petrify the entire national army for 40 days. However, those who are rooted in the covenant of the LORD can reject that kind of fear.

Summary

The camp of Israel and Philistines gathered at the opposite side of the Valley. Goliath, a heavily-armored Philistine of more than 9 feet tall, provoked the army of Israel and instilled fear into the heart of Saul and the entire Israelites. The entire Israelite army continued to be petrified for 40 days as the taunt of the Philistine continued.

David came to the camp to provide supplies to his brothers, who were among the armies. He heard the taunting of the Philistine and became indignant.

Contagious Fear

Who was the natural person to lead the Israel army when Goliath, the Philistine, taunted and defied them? That would be Saul himself. Not only was he the king, but he was also a very tall person as well. King Saul may not have been as tall as Goliath, but he was described as a head taller than the rest of the Israelites (1 Sam 10:23).

His leadership greatly mattered. Yet, he fell into fear (17:11), and that was not good. When a leader fell into fear, the effect of fear would amplify to his/her followers. Therefore, the entire Israel greatly feared and was dismayed.

Source of Fear

Although Saul was the legitimate, appropriate choice to fight Goliath one-on-one, he did not have to fight Goliath himself. It would not be rational to send a king to fight one-on-one battle. However, King Saul had no reason to fear Goliath, either.

Then, what was the source of the fear? The primary source of fear was the absence of the Lord God in the heart and mind of Saul and the entire nation of Israel.

As Saul disobeyed the word of the Lord, Saul was rejected being king (15:23). The Spirit of the LORD was no longer with Saul. Without the protection of the LORD God, Saul was vulnerable to succumbing under fear. Also, this was the time of Judges (1 Samuel 1:3) during which people did whatever they saw fit and they showed no honor to God. The Spirit of the LORD was absent in the top national leader, Saul, and in Israel as a nation had little fear of God. In the absence of the fear of the LORD God, something would fill that void. That would be the fear of men. Saul and the Israel army allowed the fear of men, in this case, Goliath, to fill the void created by the absence of the fear of God.

The secondary reason for fear was the wrong focus. Note that the author intentionally described the details of Goliath’s armor, helmet, shield, and spear to highlight the splendor of them (17:4-7). Their combined weight was estimated to be more than 60lb. Saul and the Israel army allowed their vision to be captivated by the splendid armor and weapons and their ears to be captured by the taunts of Goliath. The fear that started with Saul spread to the rest of the Israel army.

Solidification of Fear: Goliath’s Eighty “Psalms”

Although the fear was contagious, it could have been contained early. However, Saul and Israel allowed the fear to solidify.

The Israel army allowed and yielded an open forum, the valley of Elah, to Goliath for the opening of his insults and mockery of the LORD God and the Israelites army freely. For the next forty days, in the morning and evening, the Philistine would come out to taunt the living God and defy the Israelites. Given that he did this twice a day, his taunt went on for eighty times, which continued to assault the mentality and spirits of the Israel army. As sound travels upward, his morning and evening taunt traveled upward and transmitted to both the Philistines and the Israelites: a booster effect on the Philistines and debilitating effect on the Israelites.

By listening to the eighty “psalms” of Goliath, the fear of Saul and the Israel army was cemented day by day, to a point of no recovery: they fled from Goliath and were greatly afraid (17:24). Because they allowed the message of the Philistine to form and cement their fear, Israel had no chance.

Fear Repelled: Identity in the Covenant of the Lord God

While Saul and the entire Israel were under fear, David came to the battlefield unaffected by their fear. When he heard the 81st “psalm “of Goliath, he responded very differently from Saul and all Israel.

Unlike Saul, David showed himself to have a firm identity in the LORD and under His covenant. He dismissed Goliath as merely someone who was uncircumcised (17:26). To David, the enormous and splendid armor and weapons were invisible, and instead he focused this battle from the perspective of God’s covenant. Then, David possibly spotted the major weaknesses of Goliath, his mobility and his large surface area. Given that he was a very tall man, his shield bearer was not able to cover his face, which David might have seen as an opening for his slingshot. With this focus, instead of allowing external visual and hearing inputs to dictate his perspective, David stayed firm within God’s truth to set his thought and perspective straight against Goliath.

What to do with fear?

Fear is powerful. However, God is far more powerful. Almost all Israel succumbed to fear when Goliath taunted and defied them. However, David had his identity firmly rooted in the LORD God to assess the overall situation from God’s perspective. He simply rejected it.

Do not let fear dictate your thoughts. Do not let fear take the open forum. Instead, squash it with your identity in the LORD God as David did.

1 Samuel 16 Part 2 (16:14-23): David the Polymath, a Man After God’s Heart

Summary

Meanwhile, the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and he was being terrorized by an evil spirit. Saul’s servants recommended that he brought David, a skillful musician, a mighty warrior, and a man of God to sooth his terror from an evil spirit. David was brought before Saul, and whenever the evil spirit tormented Saul, David would play the harp to refresh and soothe Saul. Saul loved David greatly.

Identity in the Spirit of the LORD

The name David means “beloved.” Indeed, he was the beloved man of God.

Notice that the name David does not appear until the arrival of the Spirit of the LORD mightily upon him. Before that, he was referred to as the youngest who was tending the sheep (16:11). Even after he was brought in, only the descriptions of him were given – ruddy with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance (16:12). The Lord confirmed that he was the anointed one. Only after the mighty coming of the Spirit of the LORD, his full identity – David – was revealed to the readers (16:13).

David’s Reputation

Although only a young shepherd, David already earned a reputation as a man of God. One of Saul’s servants described David as “a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, warrior, one prducent in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him (16:18).”

Where did this reputation come from? We can trace his reputation back to that of Ruth, his great-grandmother. In the book of Ruth, Boaz was already aware of Ruth’s reputation: the kindness that Ruth demonstrated for her mother-in-law after the death of her husband and the courage to leave her people, the Moabites, to come to join the people of God (Ruth 2:11). Boaz stated that “all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence (Ruth 3:11).” Ruth was recognized as a woman of excellence by her godly respect of her mother in law, late husband, the LORD’s people, and her diligent work ethic.

From a godly great-grandmother Ruth came David. He demonstrated a similar set of godly attributes, and he became well-known, even to a young servant of Saul. Although a widow and a shepherd, they let their light shine before people as Jesus said of his followers: “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16)”

David the Meek Polymath

Some of the well-known descriptors of David include the following: David the shepherd, David the man after God’s own heart, David the slingshotter, David the sinner, etc. However, I would like to give him a new descriptor from a new perspective: David the Polymath

Polymath: An individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems (wikipedia)

The importance of polymath is not necessarily the variety of expertises, but the ability to maintain a humble posture to be teachable and learn new things in order to connect a variety of subjects that are seemingly unconnectable. David was a polymath – skillful in multi-disciplines. Being a polymath probably allowed David to experience God from a variety of angles.

David was described as “a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, warrior, one prducent in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him (16:18).” He was a skillful musician – his softside to sooth other people from anxiety and his main tool to worship the LORD God. On the other hand, he was a fierce, mighty warrior. When the time required him to protect his flock and sheep from predators like lions and bears, he was fierce, putting his life to protect them. Finally, he was prudent in speech. What does it mean by being prudent in speech? Not the eloquence, but the use of speech in Psalms and hymns to encourage and give life to people around him and vertically honor and worship the LORD God. In other words, being prudent in speech is equivalent to loving God and loving your neighbor.

These attributes demonstrate that David was meek: power under control. David used his power, slingshot, to protect the weak, his flock and sheep, from the fierce enemies, lions and bears. Jesus was the most meek person. Jesus, the most powerful “person,” used His power to protect and save the weak, us, from the ultimate power of the enemy, the eternal death.

David served Saul

Multi-talented David served Saul. Whenever Saul was under torment, David would play the harp to help Saul overcome the evil spirit (1 Samuel 16). David, who was full of the Spirit of God, could have looked down on King Saul, who was under torment from the evil spirit. In addition, David knew that he was anointed by Sameul, a more reason not to serve King Saul with all of his heart. David could have fallen to a trap of self-righteousness over King Saul. However, David faithfully used his musical talent to sooth King Saul’s pain. David probably used his musical talent and harp to praise God, and the invitation of presence of God allowed King Saul to withstand the torment from the evil spirit.

Conclusion

David found his identity in the Spirit of the LORD. David’s multiple talents allowed him to experience God from a variety of ways. David used his talents to serve those who were in need.

1 Samuel 16 Part I (16:1-13): Covert Operation by the LORD God and Samuel

King Saul was rejected. Prophet Samuel was dejected. But, the LORD God selected. Despite Saul’s failure as king of Israel, the LORD continued to work out His redemptive plan – with Samuel through David, and eventually to Christ.

Recap of 1 Samuel 16:1-13

The Lord told Samuel to overcome his grief over Saul and go down to Bethlehem to anoint a king that the LORD Himself had selected, one among the sons of Jesse. Samuel obeyed promptly and went down from Ramah to Bethlehem to anoint the one that the LORD had selected. Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but none of them were selected. Finally, the youngest son was brought in, and the LORD indicated that he was the selected person. Samuel anointed him, and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David.

The LORD God is active

One of the key words in the first half of the chapter is “for Myself.” God chose a king for Himself. Previously, the LORD allowed the people of Israel to choose their king. In accordance with their desire, value, and criteria, Saul was chosen as king (1 Samuel 8-10). Saul was the king that reflected the desire of the people of Israel to become like other nations. Because Saul’s heart was not completely devoted to the LORD God, he failed and God subsequently rejected him.

However, the LORD continues to work out His plan even when man fails. He rose up and by working with an individual who feared Him, such as Samuel, the LORD chose the king to continue to further His redemptive plan.

Macro Perspective: Book of Judges vs. Book of Ruth

1 Samuel 16 depicts a major turning point for the nation of Israel and more broadly, a redemptive plan of God for man. In some way, 1 Samuel 16 directly follows the book of Ruth with two main connections: Bethlehem and David. In the book of Ruth, the redemption took place in Bethlehem and ended with the introduction of David in the genealogy that includes Boaz and Ruth. 1 Samuel 16 brings back both Bethlehem and David to be connected to the book of Ruth. In contrast, previous chapters in 1 Samuel (from 1 to 15) are continuation of the book of Judges

The book of Judges vividly depicts how far the people of God can fall away: everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25). The book describes national-scale massacre and oppression of the weak (Judges 21), corrupt worship system (Judges 17), fallen priests (Judges 19), and powerless people of God against adversaries. Despite their calling to be the people of God to be the light and hope for other nations, they failed to heed the LORD’s words and commandments. They followed the way of other nations by worshiping false gods and oppressing their fellow brothers and sisters.

Likewise, 1 Samuel starts with little changes from the periods of Judges – the word from the LORD was rare and visions were infrequent (1 Samuel 3:1). Why? Because the Israelites deliberately ignored the word of God, the LORD God stopped speaking to them – conversation is a two-way communication. Even the high priest at that time, Eli, failed to heed and listen to the LORD God. Eli was the high priest that was the byproduct from the anemic spiritual conditions during the period of Judges.

Yet, in contrast with the book of Judges, the book of Ruth was where the promise of God and His redemptive plan reignited – from a relatively invisible city of Bethlehem. The event started with two widows, Naomi and Ruth: the people in the lowest economic ladder. However, Ruth demonstrated loving-kindness (hesed) to Naomi, her mother-in-law, and to the dead husband, and came to join the people of God in Bethlehem for love of the LORD God. Ruth proved herself to be a woman of God, and Boaz, a man of God, redeemed the family of Naomi by marrying Ruth. After a few generations, David was born from this genealogy.

Micro Perspective: Intimate, Covert Operation

The whole content of the text, 1 Samuel 16:1-13, signifies the intimate, close relation between the LORD God and Samuel. Both were on a secret, stealth mission to anoint a new, future king for Israel, who would eventually be a physical ancestor of Christ. Given that this was an incredibly important mission, we can see that the LORD God trusted Samuel and the LORD God loves to work with His people.

By the way, why did this mission have to be stealthy, secretive?

First, there was a practical reason: to protect Samuel from Saul. See how Samuel responded to the LORD’s command in honesty and in worries that Saul might kill him if Saul found out that Samuel went down to Bethlehem to anoint a new king (16:2). The LORD provided a solution to disguise this trip to Bethlehem as a peace offering event. The LORD God heard and empathized with Samuel’s concern to provide him with a wise tactic. Just as the LORD did with Samuel, God does hear our concerns to give us a wise solution.

Second, the stealthy nature of this anointing mission aligned well with the character of God, especially associated with the way He works out His plan. Let’s go back to the book of Ruth and the book of Judges. The book of Judges was filled with visible, national headline events: national wars, civil wars, gruesome death of a concubine and her chopped body, etc. Notwithstanding these national-scale events and battles, God’s verdict on the people of Israel was that everyone did as they saw fit with little reverence to God and His work. In contrast, the book of Ruth depicts the work of the LORD God that started in a small town of Bethlehem with two helpless widows. His firm, redemptive plan was stealth and invisible, but firm and unstoppable in the book of Ruth. Likewise, the work of the Lord for selecting the next king, whose heart was aligned with Him, was stealth as it was conducted primarily by the man of God and the LORD on one-on-one basis.

Imagine how cool it would be to have this secret mission with the LORD God based on an intimate personal relation. Contrast this with Eli, the previous high priest who preceded Samuel. There was rarely any vision from the lord to the Israelites (1 Samuel 3:1). Eli refused to listen to God and honored his sons more than he honored God (1 Samuel 2:29). The only significant message from the LORD God on Eli was a severe judgment (1 Samuel 2:32-36)). On the other hand, the LORD partnered with Samuel to complete this secret, stealthy mission of finding and anointing David. Samuel took the risk and quickly obeyed.

Lesson for Samuel, a Man of God

The LORD God did not reveal everything about anointing the next king to Samuel. He led Samuel little by little. First, the LORD revealed that it would be among the sons of Jesse. Even after going through seven sons of Jesse, the LORD told Samuel that none of them were selected. Even Samuel had to go through this process. What was the lesson that the LORD wanted Samuel to learn?

“…for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”

1 Samuel 16:7 NASB

Let’s note that this was spoken to Samuel by the LORD God. Samuel was already a man of God, and he walked with God for many years since he was a child (1 Samuel 3). Yet, even Samuel was prone to be impressed by the appearance and the stature of a man. Even Samuel needed God’s direct message to stay alert to perceive the inner heart of man instead of being impressed by the appearance of man.

Conclusion

This passage can be looked at from a macro and micro perspective. From a macro perspective, we see God continues to work out His plan, which may be stealthy and covert, but would not stop. From a micro perspective, we see that God works with His person (or people) intimately and through this process, He wants His people to learn a valuable lesson.

I pray that every follower of Christ will have this kind of amazing opportunity to work with God that becomes an integral part of His macro work of redemptive plan.

Second Thessalonians: Be Prepared to Stand Firm

Before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you (John 15:18).” In other words, do not be surprised if the world hates you, followers of Christ.

Faith is an intimate relation between Christ and His followers. Growing faith is an action. Growing faith will be hated by the enemies of God, and associated battles will be inevitable. Therefore, faith must be practiced, trained, and disciplined to stand firm until the end.

The second letter to the Thessalonians directly and indirectly describes the kinds of battles that the followers of Christ faced, are facing, and will be facing. More importantly, however, the letter highlights the fundamental principles of God that would empower the Thessalonians to withstand those battles.

Chapter Summary

What kind of attacks do the followers of Christ face? Enemies of God launch multi-pronged attacks on the followers of Christ, especially those who are growing in faith. Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians provides a great, vivid example of three kinds of attacks: 1) brute persecutions from the Jews; 2) confusing, disturbing false message of the coming of the Christ; and 3) disorderly lives of some Thessalonians who belong to the church.

The letter not only describes the attacks, but apostle Paul implicitly counters them by highlighting the principles of God, providing specific commands to the Thessalonian church, and praying for them.

Each chapter corresponds to different kinds of battle that the Thessalonian church was undergoing. Chapter 1 addresses a situation that pertains to the direct, physical persecution of the Jews in Thessalonica. Chapter 2 depicts a situation where people were confused with false messages. In Chapter 3, Paul urges people to work and concludes with his prayer for the Thessalonian church.

The table below provides a snapshot summary of the entire Second Thessalonians by chapter and criteria.

In each chapter, the nature of attack on Christians is either explicitly or implicitly stated. In each chapter, Paul encourages the Thessalonians by reminding them of the relevant principle of God and in addition, gives customized commands to withstand the attacks. In each chapter, Paul includes prayers to strengthen them. the main takeaway applicable message is that we fill face attacks, but we have God and prayer to counter them.

Conclusion

Last Sunday was Easter when we celebrated the victory of Christ. Some of us may be undergoing severe battles as the Thessalonian church did about 2000 years ago. I pray that you will be victorious by reminding yourself of God’s principles and being empowered by prayers of other fellow followers.

1 Thessalonians 2: Agape in the Midst of Fierce Battle

Some of the key repeated concepts in the entire letter of Thessalonians are as follows: hardship, suffering, and trials. None of these terms are popular. However, these were very frequently associated with the advancement of the Gospel and the church. The entire letter of Paul to the Thessalonians revolve around them. Paul, his companions, and the Thessalonian church were in the midst of fierce external and internal battles.

Summary

Apostle Paul states that he came with boldness in God to speak to the Thessalonians about the gospel of God despite a strong opposition from the local Jews. At the same time, Paul and his companions were gentle to the Thessalonians as a nursing mother nurtures her tender child.

Paul further reminded them that he and his companions labored hard to serve the Thessalonians. Furthermore, Paul also constantly thanked and prayed for them because they received the word of God. Paul complimented them that they became the imitators of the churches of God in Christ despite severe persecution from the Jews.

For that reason, Paul expressed his strong desire to come and see them because they were Paul’s glory and joy.

Paul’s Boldness in Truth

In all of Paul’s epistles, he showed confidence – confidence in God rooted in the truth of Gospel. He knew that in all his soul and body that he was the messenger with the authority approved by God (1 Thess 2:4 and 2:6). For that reason, he was able to come to the Thessalonians with boldness (1 Thess 2:2), not with flattering speech or a pretext for greed (1 Thess 2:4).

Jew’s Boldness in Brute Force

On the other hand, let’s contrast the violent behaviors by the Thessalonian Jews with the boldness in truth displayed by Paul. The Jews were bold on the outside, wildly swinging their brute force. They had the power to severely persecute Paul, his companions, and Thessalonians (Acts 16:5, 16:13). However, this persecution by violence was merely an expression of their insecurities.

What were they afraid of? The Jews were afraid of losing their political privilege with a potentially diminished number of followers of the Jewish tradition if they started to follow Christ. The Jews were filled with jealousy because they posited that their exclusivity as the people of God would be tainted by the influx of the Gentiles. To them, protecting their privileges was of utmost importance. Therefore, when the Gospel threatened their prime interests, they became fearful and started to express violence to suppress the truth that Paul and his companions were preaching.

Invoking God’s Wrath

In response to the Jews, Paul had never taken personal vengeance on them. Instead, notice how Paul took this issue to God by invoking His wrath. Paul stated that not only did they fail to please God, but also were working against all humanity (1 Thess 2:15). The accusation that Paul invoked was extremely strong – the Jews were working against all humanity! Why did Paul decide to go this far?

The sin that the Jews were committing was similar to what the serpent did in Genesis 3 by driving a wedge between man and God. The serpent separated man from God by introducing sin to the world. The serpent was “hostile to all people (1 Thess 2:15).” That was what the Thessalonian Jews were doing. Therefore, Paul was making a very strong statement by invoking the wrath of God (1 Thess 2:16).

Agape >> Fierce External Threats

Despite the persecution by the Thessalonian Jews, the love and longing between Paul and the Thessalonian church continued to grow. Even in the midst of severe persecution, Paul and the Thessalonians started to anchor greater hope in each other in the presence of Lord Jesus.

This is the biblical love. Love that transcends persecution, difficulties, and trials – active love.

1 Thessalonians 1: Receive, Reorient, and Resonate

Receive. Reorient. Resonate. These three terms came to my mind when I read the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians. They received the power. They reoriented their hearts to serve the true and living God. Their influence resonated through the entire region. Paul, Timothy, and Silvanus were extremely thankful and joyful to hear this great message.

Background

Thessalonica was one of the cities that Paul visited during his first missionary trip (Acts 17:1-9). He stayed in the city for three Sabbaths only, after which he had to flee southward due to a severe, violent persecution by the jealous Jews.

However, the church of the Thessalonians must have been very dear to the heat of Paul, Timothy, and Silvanus. Although the total stay in the city was short, this first letter to Thessalonians showed no shortage of expressed yearning and brotherly love from Paul. What enabled Paul, Timothy, and Silvanus to develop such a strong bond with the Thessalonian church and its saints? Let’s explore this in the five chapters of 1 Thessalonians.

Summary

Paul is giving thanks to the Thessalonians for their work of faith, labor of love, and perseverance of hope. He states that the Gospel came to them in power with full conviction. As a result, the Thesslanians became the imitators of Paul and of the Lord, receiving the word with joy despite ongoing great trials and afflictions. Because of the joy with which they received the word, they became a great example of Christians to all the believers in Macedonia. They also turned to God from idols, served God, and waited for the coming of His Son from heaven.

Recipient: Church

Very clear and important was the recipient of Paul’s letter: the church of the Thessalonians. Although Paul visited the synagogue of the Jews for three Sabbaths in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-3), the primary recipient of the letter was the church.

Then, what is church? As Paul’s main message indicated during the three Sabbaths in the synagogue, church is the assembly of people who profess Jesus as the Christ (Acts 17:2). Although he preached the message to the people at the synagogue at that time, his letter was addressed to the people of Christ, not the people at the synagogue. Again, church is the assembly of people who profess Jesus is the Christ – in other words, Jesus as their master and Lord.

First Step: Received the Gospel in Word and Power

Paul states that “our gospel did not come to you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction (1 Thess 1:4).” What a statement. Let’s unpack this profound statement by focusing on the two terms, “word,” and “power.”

The Gospel came in word. Let’s not take this for granted. Why is this important? It is important because words can be understood by finite people like us. It came in words so that the Thessalonians can grasp the love languages of God. In addition, it came with power. The absolute power resides in the Gospel because it unshackles us from the grip of the power of death to eternal life with God.

The opportunity to receive the Gospel is utterly by the sole grace of God. The Gospel is the most precious gift to mankind. Paul was the messenger to the Thessalonians. That Thessalonians received the Gospel through Paul was by grace.

Second Step: Reorient and Grow

The Thessalonians received the Gospel in word and power. By seeing Paul’s prayer for them, we can tell three important elements that pertain to the reorientation and growth in Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).

Work of faith: Faith is a relation with and an utter trust in Christ. Any relation requires sincere work. Paul wanted to include this in prayer so that the church of the Thessalonians continue to work on deepening their relation with Christ. This is not saying that work is required to be saved – this is solely based on the grace of Jesus Christ. However, as faith is an active relation between two entities, it makes sense to use a phrase, “work of faith.”
Labor of love: Loving your God and neighbor is not a natural extension of man’s heart and behavior. The world often uses a phrase like “falling in love” as if love is a passive and emotion-driven element. However, biblical love is agape. Love requires labor. It needs to be deliberate and action-oriented. God demonstrated this by persistently chasing the Israelites, His people, by eventually sending Jesus to forgive and save them. Paul wanted the Thessalonians to labor to show love.
Perseverance of hope: Reorient your perspective to behold the great glory with Christ in the near future. The church of the Thessalonians was under severe afflictions from the Jews. Therefore, Paul was encouraging them to persevere and look for the future of Christ and His glory.

The Thessalonians seem to be already demonstrating the results of these. As they “turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven (1 Thess 1:9-10).”

Third Step: Resonation

The Thessalonians had already become influential as they became imitators of Christ and Paul demonstrated joy despite ongoing great trials and afflictions (1 Thessalonians 1:6). This was one of the key attributes that distinguished the genuine followers of Christ from others. Because of the expressed joy, they became a great example of Christians to all the believers in Macedonia.

So let us pray that we will receive the word of God, let the Holy Spirit reorient our hearts, and let the work of God resonate from us.

Ruth 4: Celebration

The story ended in chapter 3 in suspense. Ruth and Naomi were waiting in a mixture of great expectation and anxiety because their status would be changed in the next 24 hours. They would be redeemed by either the closest redeemer, whose name was never revealed, or Boaz. Ruth and Naomi would prefer Boaz. However, nothing was certain at that time.

Summary of Ruth 4

Boaz acted immediately. While he was near the city gate, he happened to see the closest relative. Then, he quickly summoned the ten elders of the city and explained to them that Naomi came back from Moab to Bethlehem and she needed to be redeemed. At first, the closest relative said that he would redeem. Then, Boaz explained further that redemption would include not only Naomi’s land, but also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, in order to raise up the name of the deceased. Then, the closest relative told Boaz that he could not redeem it. Boaz, who was next in line for redemption, officially proclaimed that he had bought the land that belonged to Naomi and acquired Ruth to be his wife.

Boaz married Ruth and they had a son named Obed. The whole village celebrated and blessed Naomi as well. This Obed came to be the grandfather of king David.

Repeated Keywords

In an Inductive study, we examine the text closely to make a few simple, fundamental observations on the frequently repeated phrases and words. Here are a few repeated keywords: redeemer, redeem, Boaz, deceased, fathered, and witnesses,

Boaz was repeated eight times. The chapter clearly showed that the main character in chapter 4 was Boaz. The main repeated verb was redeem. Therefore, the main continent of this chapter was that Boaz redeemed Ruth and Naomi. However, this event did not just take place at the individual or the family level. Plenty of witnesses partook and confirmed this redemption event, and this signified that the redemption was for the whole community to celebrate. Then, there was a dramatic change in status from the deceased to “life” for Naomi, Ruth, and even Elimelech. As a result of this event, they became the ancestor of King David, who was the representative physical ancestor of LORD Jesus.

Boaz: A Man of Action

As Naomi predicted, he immediately launched into action to settle the matter related to redemption. He happened to meet the redeemer in the city gate and quickly summoned ten elders of the city. We briefly see how the LORD guided Boaz to meet the redeemer near the city gate on that very morning. Also, we can see the extent of Boaz’s (positive) influence in the city by the quickness with which he was able to summon all the elders in a very short time.

Swift, Decisive Proclamation

Although the closest redeemer was willing to redeem Naomi’s land initially, after being informed about his additional duty to acquire Ruth the Moabite, he stated he could not redeem (Ruth 4:9). With his refusal, Boaz made a swift, decisive proclamation. Boaz proclaimed to all the witnesses that he redeemed the land of Naomi and acquired Ruth to be his wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased. It was a firm statement that no one could object.

Let’s notice a few things. Boaz followed the principle thoroughly. Based on the law of Moses laid out by God, he followed it step-by-step, ensuring that every important person, the closest redeemer and the ten elders, were summoned and consulted. Boaz, although being wealthy and very influential, did not circumvent the law and procedure laid out by God.

When God was to redeem us from sin, the all mighty God could have used His power to unilaterally forgive. However, even God, He subjected Himself under a “proper process.” In order to save us from sin, a sinless person had to shed his blood to free us from sin. He allowed Jesus to undergo death on the cross to free us from the dominance of sin. God followed the process. So did Boaz in a miniature manner.

Side Note: Nameless Redeemer

On a side note, the name of the closest redeemer was never revealed in this chapter. There are potentially two reasons for this – one for negative, and the other for positive.

The first reason for his anonymity was that his name was irrelevant overall. Because he refused to redeem, the author of this book saw no need to reveal his name.

On the other hand, the second reason was to protect his descendants from humiliation. The author could have deliberately shielded his name. If his name was revealed, the descendants of his family may have felt shamed because the closest in line refused to redeem.

Boaz and Ruth’s City-wide Celebration

This event was not to be an isolated event. Marriage and celebration permeated to the whole community. The word witnesses was repeated three times (Ruth 4:8, 9, and 10). Although the redemption took place at a private and family level, this became a public event in the presence of many witnesses. The ceremony of redemption was to be witnessed by the people. Because of what Boaz did to redeem Naomi and Ruth, the whole village indirectly experienced a key aspect of the character and the law of God, which gives life and hope to those who had fallen and been subjected to captivity of poverty and no inheritance.

Besides, we see that the LORD God is the one who literally gives life. The LORD allowed Ruth to conceive – in contrast, Ruth was childless when she was married to Mahlon. It is only the LORD who determines life and death. The gift of life is common around us. Yet, everyone is precious because without God’s permission a new life would not be realized.

Coming Home

This whole book of Ruth reminded us of the parable of the lost son given by Jesus (Luke 15:11-32). The second son ran away from the presence of the father and eventually came back to be embraced and redeemed by the father. In a similar manner, Naomi stepped away from her hometown to spend 10 years in the land of Moab before coming back to her home, where God was waiting with a hidden treasure. In her hometown, Naomi and Ruth were redeemed.

Jesus Christ: The Ultimate Redeemer

Borrowing the definitions provided by Merriam Webster dictionary, redeem means: 1) to free from captivity by payment of ransom, and 2) to free from the consequences of sin.

With his wealth and willingness to marry Ruth, Boaz freed Naomi and Ruth from the captivity of poverty and the risk of losing their name forever without inheritance. On a far greater level, Jesus was the ultimate redeemer who freed us from the consequence of sin with the payment of His life.

Let us remember Jesus Christ the Redeemer in this season of the year.

Ruth 3: Risk and Suspense

Although two main characters of the book of Ruth are Ruth and Boaz, in this chapter, I gave a little bit more focus on Naomi and the important role that she played as a connector in this chapter.

Summary of Ruth 3

At the end of the barley harvest period, wanting to provide a safe family for Ruth, Naomi gave a specific instruction for Ruth to go see Boaz at the threshing floor. Ruth obeyed and went down.

At the threshing floor, Ruth waited until Boaz had finished eating and drinking and let his heart merry. After he went to lie down, Ruth approached him quietly and uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night, Boaz was startled by the unexpected presence of Ruth. Ruth asked Boaz to redeem her and Naomi. Boaz praised Ruth for showing kindness and informed her that there was a closer relative, who was first in line to redeem. Boaz told Ruth that he would redeem Ruth and Naomi if the closer relative refused to do so.

Ruth went back to Noami and told everything that had happened. Namoi was certain that Boaz wouldn’t rest until the matter had settled.

Naomi the Connector

Naomi played a crucial role in connecting Ruth with Boaz in this chapter. The time gap between chapter 2, the beginning of the harvest period, and chapter 3, the end of the harvest period, was two to three months. During this time, Ruth did what she did the best by diligently gleaning. Boaz did what he did best by providing a generous opportunity for people like Ruth to glean. This day-to-day happenings lasted for two to three months.

Then came Naomi, who was instrumental in connecting Ruth with Boaz. Naomi must have seen and heard the character of Boaz. Naomi also must have sensed how Ruth thought of Boaz. Perhaps, noticing the opportunity and the hesitancy from both Ruth and Boaz, Naomi took the initiative to build the first step for them to be connected as a potentially redeemer-redeemed pair. Naomi gave an instruction to Ruth to anoint herself and change to her best clothes (to signify that she was no longer a grieving widow) and go down to the threshing floor where Boaz would be threshing harvested grains (Ruth 3:3-4). In fact, Naomi was instructing Ruth to propose to Boaz as a redeemer-redeemed pair. Without Naomi’s intervention and active role as a connector, a private meeting between Ruth and Boaz might not have happened.

Ruth the Risk Taker

Ruth obeyed Naomi by following her instruction (Ruth 3:5). She took a great risk by going to the threshing floor, which was typically located outside the village. Walking to the threshing floor alone and staying there until late night as a woman can be a risky venture. Plus, this was during the times of Judges, when the level of the fear of God was low society-wide. Regardless, Ruth obeyed and took this risk to have a private encounter with Boaz.

Boaz’s Reaction: Second Kindness > First Kindness

After drinking and eating, Boaz was merry and lay down. In the middle of the night, he was startled to find out that a woman was at his feet. It was Ruth. Ruth asked Boaz to spread his garment over her as he was a close relative, a redeemer (Ruth 3:9). Notice the word, “garment”, is the same word that denotes the wing of the God of Israel (Ruth 2:12 May the Lord reward your work, and may your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge). This request to redeem her and Naomi’s family was practically a marriage proposal. This can be a risky situation because Ruth can be rejected and spurned by Boaz. .

In response, however, Boaz praised Ruth that her second kindness was greater than her first (Ruth 3:10). What does this mean? Ruth’s first kindness was leaving the land of Moab for Bethlehem to provide for Naomi. Ruth’s second kindness was to the deceased Elimelech, whose name would be preserved by Ruth getting married to Boaz. Ruth could have sought a young man for marriage for herself (which is not necessarily bad). For this reason, Boaz complimented her.

Suspense with Great Expectation

Boaz told Ruth that he would be glad to redeem her and Noami. However, he stated that there was a closer relative than him. Boaz stated he would redeem Ruth if the closer relative would not redeem. After this conversation, Ruth waited until dawn and went back to Naomi.

That day must have been a sleepless day for both Noami and Ruth. Naomi knew that Boaz would not rest until he had settled the matter that day. In the next 24 hours, their status would change: they would be redeemed by either the closest relative, whose name was unknown, or Boaz. It must have been an exciting, anxious, sleepless night and day for both.

Ruth 2: Proactiveness meets Kindness

Proactive Ruth meets kind Boaz – like a beautiful, shining star in the crooked days of Judges, when the law of the LORD was despised by people as they did what was right in their own eyes.

Summary of Ruth 2

After talking with Naomi, Ruth went out to the field to glean behind the harvesters. She happened to come to the portion of the field that belonged to Boaz.

Noticing Ruth, Boaz showed kindness to her. Not only did Boaz allow her to glean after his harvesters, but he also invited her to have water and eat roasted grain with him and his workers.

After spending all day gleaning, she went back to Naomi with an ephah of barley (about 50 lb). Naomi was pleasantly surprised with the amount of barley which Ruth gleaned. After finding out that Ruth worked in the field that belonged to Boaz, Naomi became ecstatic, telling Ruth that Boaz was one of her closest relatives, who could be a redeemer.

Entrance of Boaz: A Man of Standing

The first verse of this chapter introduced Boaz. He was described as a relative of Naomi’s husband and the family of Elimelech (Ruth 2:1 and 3). Boaz was also a redeemer (Ruth 2:20).

Note the description given to this man. The NIV (New International Version) describes him as “a man of standing.” The NASB (New American Standard Bible) version says a man of “great wealth.” The NLT (New Living Translation) version states “influential man.” The Hebrew word used to describe Boaz is chayil, which has all the meanings described before, plus strength. This description was not limited to men. The same word was used to describe Ruth’s character as “a woman of excellence (Ruth 3:11).” Also, the same word was used for an excellent wife described in Proverbs 31 (Proverbs 31:10).

Ruth’s Work Ethics: A Woman of Standing

Let’s notice what Ruth did after she came to Bethlehem with Naomi. She went out to the field to glean and gather grains (Ruth 2:2). Her example of work ethics shows a great application of “dependence on God” in everything she did.

She was proactive. Although Ruth was a Moabite in a foreign land of Israel, she was brave and proactive to support Naomi and herself. This was the day of Judges, which meant that working outside as a widow could be dangerous. Despite the implicit danger, she went out to the field. She did not just stay downcast, but walked out to the field to gather and glean grains.

At the same time, she was dependent. She knew that the success of her glean depended on the favor shown by the owner and the workers at the field at that time (“…after one in whose sight I may find favor” Ruth 2:20). She was brave and took calculated risks in this endeavor.

She was a diligent worker. Based on the testimony of the servant in charge of the reapers, she came and remained in the field except for a short rest (Ruth 2:7). After Boaz allowed her to glean and have free access to the water jars, she gleaned diligently until evening (Ruth 2:17).

Boaz’s Kindness

We can tell that Boaz’s servants and reapers did not repel Ruth the Moabite from gleaning. Although not explicitly stated in the text, they showed kindness to Ruth, allowing her to gather and glean sheaves although she was a foreign Moabite widow (traditionally, the relation between Israel and Moab was not exactly friendly).

Where did they learn how to treat the weak, the foreigners, the poor, and the women in this manner? They probably learned it from how Boaz treated the weak, the foreigners, the poor and the women who came to his field. Boaz asked Ruth to stay with his maids (Ruth 2:8-9), knowing that venturing out to other fields may be dangerous as this was in the days of Judges. Boaz allowed her to drink from the water jars that servants drew (Ruth 2:9). Boaz served her with roasted grain (Ruth 2:14). Boaz’s action was probably a routine one, which his servants observed from him on a regular basis.

If those workers did not permit Ruth to glean after the reapers, then the meeting between Boaz and Ruth would not have happened. Boaz’s kindness permeated to his workers. His workers showed kindness to Ruth. It was a virtual cycle.

What was the foundation of Boaz’s kindness to the weak of the society? I believe it was his fear of the LORD as demonstrated in this statement, “the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge (Judges 2:12).” He knew that the weak of the society, and especially those who came to seek refuge, were the guests of the God of Israel. They were not just people. To Boaz, they were people who were made in the image of God. To Boaz, they were the special guests of the God of Israel.

Remaining Puzzle Pieces

When Ruth came back to Naomi with an ephah of barley (50 lb), she must have been very pleasantly surprised – probably the first great news since the death of her husband and two sons. The more amazing news was to break out for Naomi as the two separate information merged into a complete one.

Ruth gleaned in the field of Boaz, but did not know Boaz’s relation with Naomi
Naomi knew Boaz’s relation to her, but did not know where Ruth gleaned.

When Ruth told Naomi that she gleaned at Boaz’s field, it must have been a bright moment of optimism for Noami. Naomi knew that Boaz was a close relative of her, but did now know what became of him as this was her first visit back to Bethlehem in the past 10 years. Based on the kindness that Boaz shown to Ruth as a man of God, Naomi must have thought that being redeemed could become a reality for her and Ruth.

Ruth 1: God in the midst of a Gentle Whisper

The Book of Ruth starts with two widows, who were at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. Yet, Ruth was included in the genealogy of King David, and eventually in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, our LORD. The story of God simply amazes us.

Summary of Ruth 1

In the days of Judges, a severe famine came in the land. A man named Elimelech decided to leave their land of Bethlehem in Judah for the land of Moab, along with his wife, Naomi, and two sons, Mahlon and Chilion.

In the next ten years, Elimelech died and their two sons married two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth, respectively. Then, the two sons died, leaving Naomi without her husband and two sons.

When Naomi heard that the LORD provided food to His people back in her hometown, Bethlehem, she decided to go back. Although Orpah left, Ruth made her confession of “faith” in the LORD God, clung to Naomi and went to Bethlehem with her. As Naomi stepped into her hometown with Ruth for the first time in ten years, the whole city was stirred.

God’s Invisible Hand

Let’s take a step back and see where the Book of Ruth stands in the Bible, especially in relation to its previous book, the Book of Judges. I would like to use Elijah’s special experience of encountering God in 1 Kings 19 to compare these two books.

When Elijah was in a cave, downcasted, the LORD God decided to show His presence. Soon mighty forces were on full display as a great and powerful wind, an earthquake, and a great fire (1 Kings 19:11-12). However, the LORD was not in any of those mighty forces of nature. After in a small voice, a gentle whisper that came to Elijah was the presence of the LORD God (1 Kings 19:13).

The Book of Ruth is like a whisper of God to Elijah whereas the Book of Judges is like the great, powerful wind, earthquake, and fire that preceded the whisper. The Book of Judges is filled with major political and military leaders and events associated with them. Othniel, the first judge, saved Israel from Cushan the King of Mesopotamia. Ehud delivered Israel by killing Eglon, the Moab king. Deborah and Barak defeated Sisera’s formidable 900 chariots. Gideon used 300 men to defeat 130,000 Midianites. Jephthah was a valiant warrior, defeating the Ammonites. These leaders were well-known heroes. In contrast, the Book of Ruth starts with two nameless widows, one Israelite and the other Moabite daughter-in-law. Their presence was indeed like a whisper compared to those well-known Judges. However, the sovereign presence of God’s hand was with those two widows.

Tragedy and Brutal, Harsh Life

It would not be an exaggeration to state that the story of Ruth started with a series of tragic events. The three verses (Ruth 1:3-5) summarizes a brutal, tragic event for Naomi.

In response to famine, the Elimelech family chose to move to Moab to search for better life circumstances. However, for Naomi, it was only the start of her 10 years of nightmare. Not only did she lose her husband (Ruth 1:3), but also, she lost her two sons (Ruth 1:5). Although two sons were married, there was no mention of her grandchildren. Naomi lost everything: no sons, no husband, no heir to continue her family line.

These must have been brutal life events for Naomi. Her family came for a better life, but she underwent a harsh reality, almost to a point of utter hopelessness. What good would be to Naomi with two daughters-in-law? Try to imagine the level of sorrowfulness when you had to bury your husband and two sons in a foreign land.

Glimpse of Hope

Once she heard that the LORD had visited His people in Judah by providing them with food (Ruth 1:6), she decided to return to Bethlehem. A decision to return to her hometown, after losing her family, was a natural response. So was the decision made by Orpah, one of Naomi’s daughters-in-law, to leave to seek a different path (Ruth 1:14).

What was unnatural was Ruth’s response. Ruth clung to Naomi and made a remarkable confession of her faith in God (Ruth 1:16-17). Ruth said that she would follow Naomi unless death separates them. Ruth said Naomi’s people would be her people, and Naomi’s God, the LORD, would be her God.

Ruth following Naomi into the land of Judah would not be a rational decision. Ruth would be going into a foreign land where nothing would guarantee a better life for her. Ruth would be an alien – being a Moabite in Israel would not elicit a natural good reception. Ruth, by going with Naomi, would need to support Naomi, who was older, economically. Naomi would be a net negative to Ruth in terms of economic well-being. Then, what enabled Ruth to make such a bold decision?

It must have been that Ruth somehow experienced a personal encounter with the true LORD sometime in the past ten years. We, the readers, do not know the details of that encounter. However, Ruth truly grasped the value of the “Kingdom of God.” Her decision reminded me of the parable that Jesus spoke: when a man found the treasure hidden in a field, he sold all he had and bought that field (Matthew 13:33-46). Ruth found the treasure, the LORD, in Israel and she knew that it would be far more worth than all the risks that she would be taking by going with Naomi.

What kind of conversation do you think Ruth and Naomi had over the 60 to 70 miles (which would have taken a week to 10 days) of journey from Moab to Bethlehem?

God’s Invisible Hand II

Let’s try to picture how God’s invisible hand worked over the (tragic) lives of Naomi and Ruth.

Natural famine pushed Naomi to move to the land of Moab. A series of family tragedies took place to move Naomi back to her hometown Bethlehem with Ruth.

Without the famine, Naomi would not have emigrated to Moab. Without tragedy, Naomi would not have come back to Bethlehem.

Indeed, what a sorrowful, excruciating event for Naomi and Ruth! Although it was bitter for Naomi, these tragedies placed Naomi along with Ruth in a perfect place for God’s sovereign plan to unfold.

God’s Hidden Treasure

Although Naomi was bitter, relegating herself to the name Mara (which means bitter), God’s gracious hands had prepared something beyond her imagination. First, God brought her in perfect timing at the beginning of barley harvest (Ruth 1:22). Plus, Naomi still had Ruth who would support Naomi economically by going out in the field to glean (Ruth 2). Then, finally, Boaz, a godly man with a standing, was a relative of Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, which meant he could be redeemer.