Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards-A Divine and Supernatural Light, IMMEDIATELY IMPARTED TO THE SOUL-13

 

III  RUTH’S RESOLUTION°

Ruth I. 16.—And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following thee: for whither thou go, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.

The historical things in this book of Ruth seem to be inserted into the canon of Scripture, especially on two accounts:

First, Because Christ was of Ruth’s posterity. The Holy Ghost thought fit to take particular notice of that marriage of Boaz with Ruth, whence sprang the Saviour of the world. We may often observe that the Holy Spirit who indited the Scriptures, often takes notice of little things, minute occurrences, which do but remotely relate to Jesus Christ.

Secondly, this history seems to be typical of the calling of the Gentile church, and indeed of the conversion of every believer. Ruth was not originally of Israel but was a Moabitess, an alien from the commonwealth of Israel: but she forsook her own people, and the idols of the Gentiles, to worship the God of Israel, and to join herself to that people. Herein she seems to be a type of the Gentile church, and also of every sincere convert. Ruth was the mother of Christ; he came of her posterity: so the church is Christ’s mother, as she is represented, by Rev. xii., at the beginning. And so also is every true Christian his mother: Matt. xii. 50, “Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Christ is what the soul of every one of the elects is in travail within the new birth. Ruth forsook all her natural relations and her own country, the land of her nativity, and all her former possessions there, for the sake of the God of Israel as every true Christian forsakes all for Christ. Psalm xlv. 10, “Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house.” 

Naomi was now returning out of the land of Moab into the land of Israel with her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth; who will represent to us two sorts of professors of religion: Orpah, that sort that indeed makes a fair profession, and seems to set out well, but dure but for a while, and then turn back; Ruth, that sort that is sound and sincere, and therefore are steadfast and persevering in the way that they have set out in. Naomi in the preceding verses represents to these her daughters the difficulties of their leaving their own country to go with her. And in this verse may be observed, 

1. The remarkable conduct and behavior of Ruth on this occasion; with what inflexible resolution she cleaves to Naomi and follows her. When Naomi first arose to return from the country of Moab to the land of Israel, Orpah and Ruth both set out with her; and Naomi exhorts them both to return. And they both of them wept and seemed as if they could not bear the thoughts of leaving her, and appeared as if they were resolved to go with her: verse 10, “And they said unto her, surely we will return with thee unto thy people.” Then Naomi says to them again, “Turn again, my daughters, go your way,” &c. And then they have greatly affected again, and Orpah returned and went back. Now Ruth’s steadfastness in her purpose had a greater trial, but yet is not overcome: “She clave unto her,” verse 14. Then Naomi speaks to her again, in verse 15, “Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law.” And then she shows her immovable resolution in the text and following verse.