Ruth clung to Naomi. This word is used as a man holds on tight to his sword (2 Sam 23:10), or the Leviathan keeps his teeth together (Job 41:17). Naomi pleads with Ruth a third time to return back to Moab as Orpah did. Orpah had returned home, why don't you. Now I mentioned before the importance of personal pronouns. Naomi pleads with Ruth explaining that Orpah went back to HER people and HER gods. You would think that Naomi would say return to YOUR people and YOUR gods. At this point in history, I am not sure if Ruth is a believer. I tend to think it happened somewhere on the way to Judah. Yet, at this point, Ruth is not a worshiper of Moabite gods. Maybe you could say Ruth is a skeptic or a seeker.

Ruth responds to Naomi with her first recorded words. They are beautifully profound, emotional, and theological.

"Do not urge me to leave you or to return 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 will I be buried.

May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you."

Ruth clung to Naomi, not only physically, but she was willing to follow her. Here on the side of the road between Moab and Judah, Ruth, a Moabite, outside the people of God, becomes a worshipper of God. She confesses her loyalty to Naomi, which shows her character. Previously Ruth and Orpah said, "we will return with you to YOUR people." Now Ruth calls them MY people. But she also professes her devotion to God, "Your God, MY God." She cannot turn back to the false gods of Moab, but she devotes herself to the worship of YHWH. The same God as Abraham, but this is just why God called Abram, not only to be blessed but that all the families of the earth would be blessed by the Lord (Gen 12:1-3). She is no longer going to the land of Judah to be with Naomi. She is going to the promised land to be with her God. You could see the similarities between Naomi and the parable of the prodigal Son; however, Naomi is the prodigal who returns home. However, Tim Keller rightly explains it is not about the sons at all but the Prodigal God:

"God's love and forgiveness can pardon and restore any and every kind of sin or wrongdoing. It doesn't matter who you are or what you've done… The younger brother knew that in his father's house, there was abundant "food to spare," but he also discovered that there was grace to spare."

There is enough grace to spare even for Ruth, who didn't even grow up in the house, to begin with. The Moabite woman who worshipped false gods was welcomed into the people of God with wide arms. Maybe you are like Ruth moments before you are not sure what you think of God, you are happy to call him their God but not your God, but you also are not willing to leave just yet. We invite you to stay. There is plenty of grace to spare.

It is also interesting in verse 22 that explains that Ruth returned… Ruth had never set foot on the ground at Israel, and yet the author writes that she returned. Ruth was home for the first time in her life. She finally knew where her family was, where she belonged, where she would spend her life. There is a famous song that is one of Australia's unofficial national anthems. It is called "I still call Australia Home." One of the stanzas says,

"Someday we'll all be together once more
When all of the ships come back to the shore
I realize something I've always known
I still call Australia home."

For Ruth, she realized that she was, finally, home, she finally had a family, she finally had a home to return to.

V. Naomi's Return, Part II (19-22)

Naomi and Ruth finally return to Israel, to Bethlehem, at the beginning of the barley harvest. When they get there, the gossip begins to spread around the town, and the people ask the question, "Is this Naomi?" Naomi speaks and explains that they should not call her Naomi (Lovely or Pleasant), but Mara, which means bitter. Naomi understands the providence of God at work even in the past years living in Moab. She understands that it was at the Lord's hand. The Almighty, Shaddai, dealt bitterly with her. She went away full but has come back empty. The prodigal daughter who left the promised land to move to the fields of Moab. She sees God's hand at work. Although the Lord was not mentioned in the first five verses, Naomi knows he was the one bringing calamity upon her. She clearly sees leaving was a sinful action that the Lord dealt with her bitterly. But he also brought her back. She explains in verse 21, "The Lord has brought me back empty." She came back bitter and empty, but she came back. And maybe you are more like Naomi, who has been in the people of God and have turned away, sought your own way, tried to escape and wander, yet you see you need to return home. It is never too late to come home. Whether you are like Ruth, who has never come to Church or like Naomi grew up in Church and wandered for years, you can always come home.

Conclusion