{"id":1297,"date":"2019-01-17T10:38:11","date_gmt":"2019-01-17T02:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/?p=1297"},"modified":"2019-01-17T11:01:36","modified_gmt":"2019-01-17T03:01:36","slug":"the-wonderful-statutes-of-the-lord-what-did-the-book-of-ruth-say-about-it%ef%bc%8falex-hu%ef%bc%8ftranslated-by-grace-hu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/english-bible-study\/the-wonderful-statutes-of-the-lord-what-did-the-book-of-ruth-say-about-it%ef%bc%8falex-hu%ef%bc%8ftranslated-by-grace-hu\/","title":{"rendered":"The Wonderful Statutes of The Lord \u2013 What did the book of Ruth say about it?\uff0fAlex Hu\uff0fTranslated by Grace Hu"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Wonderful Statutes of The Lord \u2013 What did the book of Ruth say about it?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/h6>\n

03-23-2015 Bible Study and Interpretations<\/em><\/p>\n

The generous and kind system statutes of the Lord allow the nations to have long period of stability if they emphasize land economics and wealth justice.\u00a0 If they depart from nation justice, repeated dynasty will occur and people will suffer in the soaring waves of changes.\u00a0 The world will never have peaceful days.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Alex Hu (Executive Director of Jubilee Foundation for Economic Ethics)<\/em><\/p>\n

Translated by Grace Hu<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"To a Jewish immigrant family, the statutes of the Lord were wonderful.\u00a0 In ten years they had repeatedly suffered economic blows and all the males in the household had died.\u00a0 The family had fallen on hard times.\u00a0 You can only use \u201cles miserable\u201d to describe their situation.\u00a0 Even when we study the Book of Ruth today, we still feel compassionate to the family of Naomi.<\/p>\n

Back then, if there was no male in the home, not only did it mean there was no productivity and income to live off, but it also meant the family lost its right to inherit their land in the year of Jubilee. There was no chance for them to stand their house up again.<\/p>\n

What was the virtue of Naomi?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

However, let us not forget David, Naomi\u2019s great grandson, said before, \u201cThe law of the Lord is perfect.\u201d Naomi manifested the law. Even on a foreign land like Moab, Naomi kept the law of the Lord on her lips and often meditated on its wonder day and night.<\/p>\n

How do we know?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

First, she must have compared Moab to Bethlehem and said with a sigh: Back in my hometown, even in the most difficult time, we had no one dying on the street \u201cbecause the poor can go to the field and pick up the leftover grain (Ruth 2:2) from the reserved field corner.\u00a0 They cannot be driven away because it is their right as written in our Law of Moses.\u201d\u00a0 Therefore, Moab was at a much greater risk than Bethlehem to receive an economic impact.\u00a0 We should know that a society with people helping each other (equalization) can help lessen the blow of an economic depression.<\/p>\n

Secondly, she understood the right of God\u2019s people.\u00a0 She said again with sigh, \u201cDear daughters-in-law, I no longer can give birth to sons.\u00a0 If I had grown-up sons now, you could marry them and have hope for the rest of your lives.\u00a0 For the land I have back home will return to me in the year of Jubilee or it can be redeemed by the kinsman-redeemer before then. Alas! Alas!\u201d<\/p>\n

Notice that Naomi often described the wonder of the law.\u00a0 It is pleasing to God when we remember His law and meditate them day and night, including the promised economic right!<\/p>\n

Naomi\u2019s emotions did not frustrate Ruth\u2019s heart.\u00a0 On the contrary, Ruth had become attracted to and admired the wonderfully designed law as she listened carefully to Naomi\u2019s talks (Ruth 1:16).<\/p>\n

Notice that in the Book of Ruth, the center of all virtues was Naomi, the mother-in-law, who kept God\u2019s wonderful law on her lips.\u00a0 Ruth\u2019s careful listening became the beginning of the journey to follow Naomi home.\u00a0 We can say the faith that manifested on Naomi in the bitter situation made a mark on Ruth at the same time.<\/p>\n

Admiring God\u2019s law during a dark time<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Indeed, the Book of Ruth is very ordinary.\u00a0 But even during the darkest time, Ruth understood and admired what Naomi had told her.<\/p>\n

Even though Naomi had never hoped to give birth to another son, Ruth nonetheless still listened intently.\u00a0 Naomi\u2019s virtue was not only being amiable, bearing hardship and taking care of others, but also being able to talk about God\u2019s law and meditate on the wonder of it in such a difficult situation.<\/p>\n

When Naomi felt helpless to give her daughter-in-law any guarantee (to give birth to a son and make him grow up immediately). Ruth on the contrary showed extraordinary wisdom, vision, and determination.\u00a0 Ruth had said the most famous words, \u201cDon\u2019t urge me to turn back from you —– Your nation is my nation, your God is my God\u201d. It is so moving!\u00a0 Ruth was attracted to not only her mother-in-law\u2019s virtue, but also the hope of a society governed by the law.\u00a0 She was fascinated by God\u2019s law.\u00a0 When she said to Naomi, \u201cYour (nation) God is my (nation) God\u201d, it also meant, I love my mother-in-law\u2019s God and the law of the nation!<\/p>\n

This was the real reason why Ruth never retreated or gave up.\u00a0 Here, I would like to point out that some people stop at the section describing the beautiful relationship between Naomi and Ruth because they do not see the central meaning and the truth of Book of Ruth.<\/p>\n

From a ten-year family tragedy, to the hope of the vulnerable, their faith was built upon the economic law of the Lord.\u00a0 In this declining family, Ruth never gave up the idea to stay with Naomi which showed how different she was from the other daughter-in-law.\u00a0 It was because of her insight from heaven and her adventurous heart.<\/p>\n

What was the real reason Ruth followed her mother-in-law?\u00a0 It must have been some kind of divine hope from listening to Naomi, who shared the law-abiding society back home.\u00a0 Even though there was economic ups and downs, people could return home and settle down to live with dignity by picking grains in the field as they helped each other.<\/p>\n

There is a divine hope in life<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ruth followed Naomi back to Bethlehem with a low status.\u00a0 From the beginning, she did not expect all the economic right such as \u201cgetting the land back,\u201d which showed her faith.\u00a0 In other words, she was prepared to glean in the field for twenty years if no kinsman to redeem the land for them before the Jubilee.<\/p>\n

What Naomi had told Ruth was, of course, not just words without guarantee.\u00a0 Psalm 27:13 \u201cI am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.\u201d\u00a0 How wonderful were a group of people who were law-abiding in Bethlehem, including the kinsman Boaz!<\/p>\n

At the time in Bethlehem, which was an occasional bright moment in the Book of Judges, this small group of people were keeping the law in good order.\u00a0 They respected the teaching of Moses and followed the Jubilee rules to return the land to its owner, or by counting the years, to sell the land to the kinsman-redeemer according to the buy-and-sell laws.<\/p>\n

Naomi and Ruth had a good mother-daughter relationship.\u00a0 Ruth came home and would share with Naomi that she was taken care of while gleaning in the field.\u00a0 To Naomi\u2019s ear, this kind of heart to heart communication showed Ruth\u2019s exceptional judgement and wisdom.\u00a0 Besides, proclaiming the Lord bless Boaz, Naomi also told Ruth, \u201cIt will be good for you, my daughter, to go with his servant girls, because in someone else\u2019s field you might be seen.\u201d (Ruth 2:22)<\/p>\n

Moses\u2019s law allows the orphans, widows, and foreign temporary residents to glean in the field without limiting them to which fields.\u00a0 You can guess why Naomi had told Ruth this.\u00a0 We can only respond with Psalm 16:2 \u201c— apart from you, I have no good thing.\u201d (also see Song of Songs 4:16)\u00a0 Even though Ruth and Naomi understood the goodness of the law, they didn\u2019t know God would get involved in those who loved His law during their return journey and afterwards.<\/p>\n

As a foreigner and a woman, Ruth was in a low position when she gleaned in Boaz\u2019s field for the first time.\u00a0 It was obvious the working classes were in their order during the busy harvest time.\u00a0 Under the master Boaz were the foreman, harvesters, servant girls (gathering the sheaves of grains) and then the lowest class. Ruth gleaned behind the servant girls.\u00a0 However, Ruth also said, \u201cThough I do not have the standing of one of your servant girls, you have given me comfort and have spoken kindly to me.\u201d (Ruth 2:13)\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Everything changed after entering Boaz\u2019s field<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Boaz was a boss who noticed the smallest detail in everything.\u00a0 In his peaceful greetings with his workers, he soon found out there was a newcomer. \u201cThe foreman replied, \u201cShe is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi.\u00a0 She said, \u201cPlease let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.\u201d She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.\u201d (Ruth 2: 6-7)\u00a0 This report was accurate and detailed, including that under Boaz\u2019s authority, Ruth was allowed to work in the field.\u00a0 It appropriately reflected the kindness of the Hebrew society at that time.\u00a0 It also approved Boaz\u2019s business culture (a shrewd and responsible high level manager) and his virtue of sympathizing with the foreign worker.<\/p>\n

Earlier, Boaz had heard of this Moabitess who came here refusing to desert her mother-in-law.\u00a0 He did not think that Ruth was here only to make a living, or she thought of herself as a boss to feed others.\u00a0 Boaz was sure that Ruth \u201ccame to take refuge under the wings of God of Israel\u201d and he blessed her: \u201cMay you be richly rewarded by the Lord\u201d.<\/p>\n

When we study the Bible, we also respect and admire Boaz\u2019s faithfulness.\u00a0 His conversation with Ruth had crossed over the rank and made her work more convenient.\u00a0 He even told the men not to touch her, and she could get a drink from the water jars (She did not get the water herself) which were filled by the men (whose position was higher than hers).<\/p>\n

Hearing this, Ruth felt so unworthy that she bowed down with her face to the ground and thanked Boaz. (Ruth 2:10)\u00a0 He never liked to listen to gossip, but he was keenly observant to the respectable news in the society.\u00a0 Ruth 2:11 \u201cI\u2019ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband \u2013 how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even at mealtime, Boaz made an exception to let Ruth and the harvesters eat together with him.\u00a0 With his body language, he lifted this foreign woman\u2019s status.\u00a0 He gave an order to his men: \u201cEven if she gathers among the sheaves, don\u2019t embarrass her\u201d. (Ruth 2:15)\u00a0 He also told the men to \u201cpull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don\u2019t rebuke her.\u201d (Ruth 2:16)\u00a0 In the workplace, Boaz had demonstrated the following virtues: 1) a kind relationship between master and servant, 2) a straight-forward communication without barriers, 3) clear and gracious instructions. 4) a complete grasp of news, 5) a practical demonstration with actions, 6) to work together with details, 7) a command from well-used authority, and 8) to put faith in perspective.<\/p>\n

A law-abiding person does things in precise order<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Finally, the scripture recorded the conversation between Naomi and Ruth.\u00a0 It seemed that Naomi was almost certain her plan would work, and she took a big risk.\u00a0 However, Boaz was worthy of Ruth\u2019s proposal, so she played a theme of proposing marriage at midnight.<\/p>\n

Honestly speaking, it was unthinkable for Ruth to have the courage to follow the plan step-by-step if not encouraged by her mother-in-law.\u00a0 She successfully brought up the marriage proposal without being rejected.\u00a0 Boaz was a mature man and he was familiar with the law.\u00a0 He clearly knew who was the kinsman-redeemer and that person had the priority to marry Ruth.<\/p>\n

At dawn, Ruth went home abundantly carrying six measures of barley. Naomi was nervous but also wild with joy. She was joyful because Boaz was a good man.\u00a0 This righteous man realized not only the desperate need to be the kinsman-redeemer but also that it was better to do it sooner than later.\u00a0 He wanted to protect Ruth\u2019s name, for he knew there was risk of leaking the marriage proposal secret.\u00a0\u00a0 He wanted to remove any barrier to marry the bride immediately.\u00a0 Boaz\u2019s reaction was just like what Naomi had expected: a law-abiding man\u2019s wise reaction.<\/p>\n

Jewish society\u2019s blessing was admired \u00a0by its neighboring country<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

It seemed that Naomi\u2019s prediction was accurate.\u00a0 However, to her, all Boaz\u2019s behaviors and proceedings were natural for a shrewd man who obeyed the law.<\/p>\n

Besides, readers can also pay attention to Boaz\u2019s \u201cfamiliarity to the proceedings\u201d and how he understood the buying and selling the land, the order of the right to buy the land\u201d and \u201copen witness\u201d processes.\u00a0 We will be surprised that the law of Moses was still respected by this Bethlehem community during the \u201cdark era of the judges\u201d!<\/p>\n

It seemed that even in the Book of Judges when there were no formal kings, the law (commanded by the Lord) was still able to be realized\u00a0 We can see the kindness relationship and rescue system were not disintegrated in that society.\u00a0 It was a blessing so unthinkable yet so admired by the neighboring Moab.\u00a0 Ruth believed in \u201cthis hope,\u201d and that\u2019s why she was attracted to Naomi\u2019s unwavering faith to the law.<\/p>\n

We can guess that Naomi and Elimelech sold their land with a \u201creasonable price\u201d ten years ago. (According to Leviticus chapter 25: the annual drop harvest value x years left until Jubilee = the land sale price).\u00a0 They used the money to migrate to Moab.\u00a0 Although in retrospect it was a questionable family decision, Naomi knew very well the right of the family in the future.\u00a0 She felt sorry and \u201chelpless\u201d for her daughters-in-law and had urged them to leave her because she could not provide them with a good life.<\/p>\n

Pursuing land justice returns to the gracious and kind law<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bethlehem shone in the era of the judges because there was a group of people like Naomi and Boaz who obeyed the teachings of the law.\u00a0 Everybody\u2019s economic life was protected because they helped each other.\u00a0 It even surpassed the era of the kings when the rich \u201cadded house to house, joined field to field\u201d for personal gain.\u00a0 Therefore, the rich and the poor became as unequal as warned by the prophet Isaiah because the law had been abandoned!<\/p>\n

Next, an economic new start<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Boaz\u2019s generosity and prosperity were the redemption for the poor family.\u00a0 However, the system set up by the Lord had a long lasting effect.\u00a0 It was not only a design to give people the privilege to pick grains in the field but also to retrieve their land so they were able to have a dependable income in the long run.\u00a0 If there were no Canaan, there was no development opportunity.\u00a0 Even if there was Canaan, if people did not share with each other and were not given an opportunity to start over, it would have become a polarized society and its economic system would eventually be disintegrated.<\/p>\n

The generous and kind system statues of the Lord allowed the nations to have a long period of stability if they emphasized land economics and wealth justice. If they departed from nation justice, repeated dynasty would occur and people suffered in the roaring waves of changes.\u00a0 The world would never have peaceful days.\u00a0 Therefore, the wisdom and essence of Jewish economics always gives people the right of dawn and brings blessing to their countries.\u00a0 Is this recognized by all the nations and people at the present time?<\/p>\n

Jubilee\u2019s land economics is to let the poor (everyone who has the image of God) to have food to eat every day in the short term.\u00a0 In the long term, every family in the 50th<\/sup> year can restart their livelihood and completely change their fate.\u00a0 In Jubilee, they can have all the debt forgiven and the lost land can also be retrieved without any condition.\u00a0 Therefore, no matter how vulnerable and low-status a person is, he is most honorable and his economic need will be taken care of by God.\u00a0 There is one condition: we must return to the place where God\u2019s law is applied, such as Bethlehem at that time.<\/p>\n

Today, the polarized phenomenon of \u201cextreme richness\u201d and \u201cextreme poverty\u201d happens everywhere.\u00a0 The more developed world is, the more serious the poverty problem.\u00a0 This system is exactly the argument in Henry George\u2019s \u201cProgress and Poverty\u201d published in 1879.\u00a0 Influenced by the idea of \u201cthe Jubilee\u201d, he discovered the land problem was the nature of wealth inequality of the current nations.<\/p>\n

Henry George promoted simple tax system which influenced our founding father Dr. Sun Yat-Sen\u2019s land theory and the following idea of \u201cstate-owned land used by people\u201d.\u00a0 Both men were giants of the era who stood by the Bible teaching.<\/p>\n

After we read the Book of Ruth, how about let people of all ranks in this society have hope, especially the young people.\u00a0 Let them not be oppressed by debt but have a livelihood to rely on.\u00a0 No matter how heavy their debt is, it should all be deducted in the year of Jubilee.\u00a0 Even the poorest family should have the right to retrieve their small piece of land to start making a living again at the end of the 50th<\/sup> year cycle.\u00a0 If young people have the divine hope like Ruth\u2019s, will they not love the society and nation they belong to?\u00a0 Surely we will not see anyone who takes his own life because he has no hope for tomorrow!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Wonderful Statutes of The Lord \u2013 What did the book of Ruth say about it?\u00a0 03-23-2015 Bible Study and Interpretations The generous and kind system […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english-bible-study"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1297"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1373,"href":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1297\/revisions\/1373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jubilee.economic-ethics.org\/ourjubilee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}