Today's Scripture Reading (March 16, 2022): Ruth 3
While romantic marriage seems to be the
norm today in the civilized world, that is actually a recent development in human history. Often, marriage has been an economic or even a political reality in the lives of
very ordinary people. Maybe it is not surprising that someone like King Solomon was involved in
hundreds of political marriages, allying Israel with the neighboring tribes and
nations. But it was also a reality in the marriages between the
common people. Children were promised in marriage often, at a very young age, to bind families together who shared similar socio-economic or other cultural
experiences. Marriage was rarely an "I love you and can't live without you" moment. It was simply a monetary and social agreement made between two families. Maybe feelings of love would develop, but
that wasn't the aim of marriage; love was nothing more than a possible outcome.
Today such marriages are often viewed as old-fashioned and an act against the person's rights. But supporters of the traditional system of
arranged marriages often point to the divorce rate in the modern world, which is dependent on the idea of romantic marriage, and remind the rest of us that romantic marriage
obviously doesn't
work well either. Maybe the traditional concept of marriage is the ideal way to go.
Ruth and Naomi are in trouble. But Boaz has already been a bright light in their lives. And Naomi has
instructed Ruth to go at night to the threshing floor with an interesting
proposition for Boaz; marriage. Does Ruth love Boaz, or does Boaz love Ruth?
Maybe, but that is not the main purpose of the proposal. Boaz is older than Ruth, and he can care for both Ruth and Naomi. Economically, Ruth has little to offer Boaz. But she will be a faithful wife to the one who will take her. But we can't miss that the main reason for Ruth's proposal is
based on an economic principle that says that the late husband's family is
responsible for the care of the widow left behind. Naomi, through marriage, is part of Boaz's family, and so is Ruth. Therefore, Ruth comes to Boaz to
remind him of his financial obligation to the two women.
Ruth has proposed marriage, and now she waits for the
answer. Like anyone, even in our world, that moment between
the proposal and the acceptance or rejection of the invitation can be a
nerve-wracking time. But this moment is different from any other in modern
society. Naomi is sure that the answer to the proposal will be yes. The only
real question that is left is actually as to the husband's identity. Ruth will be married, but Boaz might not be the
husband. But Naomi is sure that Boaz will settle the matter of who it is that
will marry Ruth by the end of the day. But waiting for the answer to the question of who Ruth's husband might be probably makes this proposal even more worrying than it might otherwise be.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ruth 4
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