musings on ruth
5 Dec 2024
I started the year reading the book of Ruth (I even mentioned it in this post) and now that we're approaching the end of the year and advent season begins I've found myself drawn to it again. The parallels between two stories of two women in the city of Bethlehem is always striking but it hits different at this time of year.
The book of Ruth begins with no king on the throne in Israel and it ends with the genealogy of a king, which will lead to the King of Kings it starts with barrenness and ends with provision. In the same fields where Ruth meets Boaz the angels will proclaim to the shepherds the Good News because in both stories, a baby is born in Bethlehem, Obed to redeem Naomi, and Jesus to redeem the world.
Biblically, Bethlehem has always been a place of redemption and provision. Yet right now, Bethlehem would love some redemption - redemption from war and unrest and hunger. Bethlehem, House of Bread, where a broken family came with no bread and ends with the promise of the Bread of Life. Yet as we look on, the city known as the House of Bread, doesn't have any bread. When Jesus was a child He and His family had to flee to Egypt to escape the persecution of a king who was adamant to wipe him out, much like how we look upon Gaza today and see its inhabitants doing the same as they flee or withstand the ongoing attack from Israel. A lot of the time we find it so easy to Nativity-ify Bethlehem but the fact of the matter is that a simple Google search will tell you that Bethlehem still exists and it's located in the West Bank, an area under constant fire from an Israel far removed from the one we sing about at Christmas.
I find it tricky these days to sing carols where we glorify the name of Israel, but Zion, the place where God's presence resides is no longer a place, or a tribe, or a nation, it's within his people. Israel forfeited their right to that long ago. While biblical Israel and the Israel we have today are two different nations, Bethlehem is the same. This discomfort is something I'm praying into right now because becoming jaded with Christmas is really not something I want to struggle with.
I've also found it helpful to support organisations working in conflict-affected areas such as Palestine. One of my favourites is Doctors Without Borders. As we give and receive gifts this Christmas season, consider donating to help those currently having a less-than-peaceful Christmas.
They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.
Jeremiah 6:14
I use studies from Daily Grace Co to really delve deep into what the Bible is saying and I LOVE their book specific studies which is where I picked up most of this Ruth content from so definitely check them out - I've learned so much!