Of all the people who set themselves in opposition to the children of Israel on the way from Egypt to Canaan, there were none more diabolical than the people of Moab. It was Balak, king of Moab, who called Balaam, saying: "Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: Come now therefore, I pray you, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me; peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land." (Numbers 22:5-6)
Although this purpose failed, and Balaam was constrained to bless when he opened his mouth to curse, the Lord assured the king of Moab, "Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel." (Numbers 23:23)
Nevertheless the Moabites proved a snare and a curse to the children of Israel; for, acting on the advice of Balaam, the Moabites seduced the Israelites in the most flagrant and disgraceful heaven-defying sin. (See Numbers 25, and 31:16) Thus the curse did come upon Israel through Moab, after all, and many were destroyed.
The unscrupulous, lewd, and vicious character of the Moabites is plainly revealed in the narrative to which we have referred. It was, indeed, quite in keeping with their origin. That they were idolaters, appears from Numbers 25:1-2, where we are told that they called the Israelites unto the sacrifices of their gods, "and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods." (Numbers 25:2)
From all this we see that the people of Moab were as distinct from Israel, and as much opposed to them, and unlike the people of God, as it was possible for any people to be.
It was to the country of this people that many years later, when Israel had long been dwelling in the land of Canaan, a man from Bethlehem came with his wife and two sons. Famine had driven them from their home, but even though there was bread among the Moabites, the man found among them the death which he feared in his native country, and his wife Naomi was left a widow with two sons. The sons married Moabitish women but soon died; and the mother, left with only her two daughters-in-law, determined to return to the land of Israel; "for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited His people in giving them bread." (Ruth 1:6)
Both the daughters-in-law of Naomi started with her as she took her journey back to Canaan; but one of them, Orpah, was soon convinced that it was the wisest policy for her to remain among her own people. "And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her." (Ruth 1:14)
Then Naomi said to Ruth, "Behold, your sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods; return after your sister-in-law." (Ruth 1:15)
And then the loving loyalty of Ruth shone out in the words so well known: "Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you; for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge: your people shall be my people, and your God my God." (Ruth 1:16)
The story that follows is as romantic as could be imagined, but it is nevertheless a sober history. We do not need to dwell upon it in its details, for anybody can read it in a few minutes. What interests us mostly at present is the outcome. Ruth, who forsook her native country and its gods, to dwell among a people whom she had not known before, and to trust under the wings of the Lord God of Israel, (Ruth 2:12) married Boaz, a God-fearing man of Bethlehem, and bore a son, "And they called his name Obed; and he is the father of Jesse, the father of David." (Ruth 4:17)
Thus in a few words we have the story of the progress from idolatry to the worship of the true God,--from a daughter of a Gentile race to a mother in Israel; and in this we have a complete revelation of who constitute Israel, and of how that people is built up. Even as it was the victory of faith that gave Jacob, the supplanter, the name Israel, so it is by faith that the house of Israel is built up. "Know you therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." (Galatians 3:7) "Jesus Christ [is] the Son of David," (Matthew 1:1) "according to the flesh." (Romans 1:3)
And David, whose name stands for Israel since it is from him that the King comes who is to rule over the house of Jacob for ever, (See Luke 1:31-33) was directly descended from Ruth, the Moabitess. Not only may one by faith become a member of Israel, and a sharer in the blessings pronounced upon that people, but steadfast faith constitutes one a head of the nation. So we see that Israel is a people whose sole characteristic is faith, and the righteousness which springs from it.--Present Truth, November 27, 1902--International Sunday-school Lesson for December 7--Ruth 1:16-22
E.J. Waggoner