Shavuot is Coming

Ruth and Naomi, by H. G. Theaker

​While you may not recognize that term or season, it is significant in the Jewish culture, and even more so in the Christian culture.

Shavuot is recognized by other names and is called the “Festival of Weeks” in Exodus 34:22 and Deuteronomy 16:10; “Festival of Reaping” in Exodus 23:16 and a “Day of First Fruits” in Numbers 28:26. This feast takes place seven weeks after Passover and, in later times became known as Pentecost. 

This is the time was when God gave the Law to Moses, a time to celebrate the first of the Harvest, and in the New Testament, in Acts 2, it became a time of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  These are all times where God came down to man and poured out.  His word, His blessings, and His Spirit.

In my daily Bible reading, I came to the book of Ruth yesterday.  I’ve read that book many times but didn’t realize there is a strong connection between the book of Ruth and this season.

The book of Esther is always read at Purim, in early spring.  That is because Esther is the story of the salvation of the Jews from an evil antagonist.  But the book of Ruth is about a famine and a couple of destitute women.  Please take time to actually read this book, it isn’t long.

After reading it, I did a bit of digging and found out some very interesting information that isn’t in the actual book of Ruth that we see in the Protestant Bible.  To find the different types of Bibles, go to What are the different types of Bibles?  

In the book of Ruth, we see a couple, Elimelech and Naomi who decide to leave their home in Bethlehem due to an extreme famine and travel to Moab.  They take their two adult sons and soon both get married.  10 years later, the father and his two sons die, leaving Naomi alone with these 2 daughters-in-law to care for. 

Naomi decides to move back to Bethlehem and the story really starts.  Ruth decided to move with Naomi and finds herself having to take care of them both.  I don’t want to tell the whole story here, again, I urge you to take time to read it to get the full impact of the points I’m about to make.
When studying, I like to dig into the Orthodox Jewish sites, to see information that may have been passed down through the Jewish sages.  This lends to some really great insight.

1. Famine?  What famine?  Apparently, the famine took place during the time of the Judges when the Israelites were disobedient.  Famine is a punishment for rebellion, so this took place during the time of the Judges, when much of Israel was in rebellion, however no famine is mentioned in the book of Judges. 
2. Elimelech and both of his sons die at young ages.  The Jewish sages say that this is because Elimelech should not have left his people and his homeland.  He was a wealthy man, and it is said that he didn’t want to spend all of his money to help others during the famine.  This was against God’s will, they were not to abandon their people, but pursue God’s solution to the problem which is total repentance and submission, returning to the law.
3. Who knew Ruth was a Moabite princess?  As you know, the children of Israel were not allowed to marry outside of their ‘family.’  So how could one of the sons marry a Moabite woman, and God still bless her?  Well, she was actually in the ‘family.’  She was a descendant of Lot.  After Lot and his family were sent out of Sodom, his wife became Salt (Genesis 19).  According to Jewish tradition, the daughters thought that the entire world had been destroyed and the only way to have offspring was through their father.   So, the oldest had a son and named him Moab and Ruth was a descendant of this union.  That in no way means God condones incest, however these two sons born of incest became two of the most aggressive and persistent enemies of the children of Israel throughout history.
   
4. She had complete devotion to God.  Ruth refused to leave Naomi and return to her birth family but chose to follow her back to Bethlehem.  Ruth 1:16 says that after Naomi begged her to stay in her own land, “But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”  Ruth converted, as it were.  She surrendered to the one true God and to her role as caretaker of Naomi.
5. Ruth had Royal character.  The Jewish sages say that Ruth had a strong character, and it was obvious in the way she acted and carried herself.  This was from her upbringing as a princess, and in her training under her mother-in-law Naomi.  Remember, Elimelech was wealthy, so they were a family of means.  After Naomi instructs her in gleaning in the fields, she encounters the owner of the field Boaz.  So, we see here what Boaz thinks of her.  Ruth 2:10-12  Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”  “Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers.  May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”
6. But what about Boaz?  We know that Ruth and Boaz marry, however the sages say that he was probably around 80 years old, which is why he was so impressed that she would pay attention to him.  It is also said that after they married, she conceived on their wedding night and Boaz passed away the following day.  I don’t know if that is recorded somewhere, but that is the story.
7. History records that this union birthed Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David.  The book of Ruth was apparently written during David’s reign to record and trace his lineage.  However, while the traditional Jewish writings record that Ruth is in the lineage of the Messiah, they stop there and never address the fact that Mary, the mother of Jesus is traced back to David.  Joseph is listed in his lineage in Matthew, but we all know that Joseph wasn’t his blood father, just the one who took care of him on earth. 
8. This story is read every year at Shavuot in the Jewish community.  Just like the book of Esther is read at Purim, this book is read at the Festival of Harvest because the entire love story took place during the harvest.   This story isn’t only about celebrating God’s blessings, but about redemption.  Just like Jesus.

 
Shavout is actually coming soon.  June 1st – 3rd will be the Jewish celebration, while the protestant Pentecost Sunday is June 8th.  Regardless of when it is celebrated, remembering God’s goodness through the tough times, how He always pours out His word, his blessings, and His Spirit.  Reading this story is a wonderful way for us to be encouraged and inspired.  I hope you’ve read the book by now and Happy Shavuot!

To study more about orthodox Judaism, the traditions and teachings, go to www.Chabad.org or www.AISH.com.