But Ruth Clung to Her…

 

At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.—Ruth 1:14

The word ‘cling’ speaks of covenant loyalty. It is the opposite of ‘leaving’ or ‘forsaking’.  In Ruth’s “clinging” to Naomi, her widowed mother in law, we see a sincere biblical expression of fealty and devotion. 

And she said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law."

But Ruth said:

"Entreat me not to leave you,

Or to turn back from following after you;

For wherever you go, I will go;

And wherever 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.

The LORD do so to me, and more also,

If anything but death parts you and me.

These were not just beautiful words to Ruth. She walked the walk.  Her word and deed matched.  Ruth forsook all and clung in love and loyalty to Naomi.  She chose to follow and serve her widowed mother-in-law rather than seek a husband.  According to Walvoord, in Ruth’s mind the decision probably meant that she would never have a husband or children. James would have considered her concern for her widowed mother-in-law a profoundly religious act (James 1:27)

Orpah, Ruth’s widowed sister-in-law, chose not to follow her mother-in-law back to Bethlehem. She turned back to her country, her home , her family and her gods. She loved Naomi and maybe even loved Naomi’s God but not enough to forsake all and follow her to a foreign country and a very uncertain future.  One commentator says that as Orpah turns back to Moab she walks off the pages of Scripture and we never hear anything about her again.

Ruth, however, made a different decision that day.  She chose  the God of Naomi, to be her God and Naomi’s people to be her people.   What was the fruit of Ruth’s decision? Read the very first chapter of the New Testament where she is mentioned in the genealogy of Christ. 

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king…And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.—Matthew 1:1-6…15

I looked up the definition of ‘cling” in Strong’s. A few of my favorites were: hold fast abide fast, adhere, cleave, to catch by pursuit, follow hard after, overtake, stick….okay…I liked them all.  I want to be one who follows hard after my God and who “abides fast.” The one who is faithful and never turns back from following Him. 

Beloved…the Spirit produces fruit in our lives as we faithfully abide in Jesus…as we make that moment by moment decision to stay close to Him.  Without Him we can do nothing. With Him all things are possible. 

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.—John 15:4-5

You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name.—Deuteronomy 10:20

You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.—Deuteronomy 13:4

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"

But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."—John 6:66-69

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.—Matthew 16:24

that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."—Deuteronomy 30

I cling to Your testimonies;

O LORD, do not put me to shame!—Psalm 119:31

A friend loves at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.—Proverbs 17:17

A man who has friends must himself be friendly,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.—Proverbs 18:24

For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob.—Isa 14:1