Book Talk Thursday

Today we will continue reviewing Chapter 4: "Womanly Dominion In The Old Testament". I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this :)

This week's woman of dominion is Ruth. Next week we will take a look at Abigail.

"So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest." Ruth 1:22

Ruth being a Moabite, was considered a social outcast in the Israelite town of Bethlehem. On top of that she was a widow. But Ruth didn't let her circumstances lead to a terrible existance for her and her mother-in-law. Instead she took action. She went out to glean the grain left behind by the harvesters. In Ruth 1:16 we read "Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God". Ruth was trusting her new Lord and stepping forward in faith.

"Ruth's mother-in-law, in seeking out provision for the future, counseled Ruth to make a bold attempt at securing the wealthy and dashing Boaz as her husband: "Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor...(Ruth 3:3)(Chanski, page 72).

Ruth did just that and was rewarded by becoming the wife of Boaz. She eventually became the great grandmother of King David (Ruth 4:17-22)

Chanski writes, "Realize also that Ruth's discreet and deliberate "hankie dropping" overture is a far cry from the bawdy and brassy female "stalking" that takes place in our day. High school and college girls "hit on" boys in the hallways and parking lots, constantly telephone males seeking their attention, forwardly "ask out" young men on dates, and physically force their suductively attired bodies into male laps. This is an unfortunate perversion of the lovely "weaker vessel", and a sad forecast of manly passivity in marriages." (page 73).

"We must be men and women of dominion, boldly making decisions on the basis of our duty, obligation, and opportunity, not on the basis of our fears and insecurities" (Chanksi, page 74).