Is Ruth in the Caravan?

Sermon Title: Is Ruth in the Caravan?

by Robin Meyers

 Sermon for Sunday, November 4, 2018

Scripture Reading: Ruth 1:1-8

[My personal notes appear in brackets.]

The book of Ruth is a about immigration. It comes after the book of Judges during which anarchy reigned over the Israelites. It was a lawless time during which the powerful ruled over the weak and vulnerable. [This is the same situation faced by those in Central & South America.]

In addition to this there was famine in the land. In our own time famine is something that happens far away. But it happens now, and when it does then as now, those who face it become refugees. The book of Ruth begins with the family of Elimelek and Naomi, who flee Judea into the country of Moab. The Moabites were hated by the Israelites who believed that they were populated by Lot’s daughter through incest with her father. The Moabites also worshiped a different god than Yahweh. But when you are starving or in peril of your life, you go somewhere.

Naomi’s husband died, and widows in the ancient world are destitute. However, she still had two sons who took Moabite wives, Oprah and Ruth. Each of their husbands also die meaning that all 3 were facing a life of poverty and starvation. Naomi urges her daughters-in-law to go back to their mother’s home and to their gods feeling that Yahweh has abandoned her.

Oprah does leave Naomi, but Ruth decides to stay with her making her famous statement so often used in wedding songs and ceremonies. Naomi reacts by ceasing to speak to Ruth for a while. However, Naomi hears about a relative named Boas, and she teaches Ruth how to get him for a husband which involves getting pregnant by him. Her child, named Obed, becomes Ruth’s “anchor baby. Obed is the grandfather of King David.

Famine and tragedy come one way or another into everyone’s life. Here come our refugees traveling in a caravan because of the tragedy they face in their home country. Here comes our president turning their tragedy into a political ad. Ruth and Naomi were refugees needing a way to eat. Their story is one of leaving their country to try to get into another country. We celebrate Ruth at wedding and demonize her at the borders. We have no right to pass judgement on their lives of which we know very little. We worry more about the possibility of criminals in their caravan than we do the reality of criminals running our country. 

Ruth, or someone very like her, is in the caravan trying to get away from anarchy and starvation. [Our decision is whether we will heed the lesson of Scriptures or heed those whose words bring only suffering and death.]