Good and Bad Influences
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The Israelites seemed content, after forty years of wandering, to settle down in the midst of Canaan with enough room to raise a few sheep in relative security.
They had no desire to conquer or live in the fortified cities of the Canaanites, but “living thus among the Canaanites the Hebrews were brought into close contact with the religion of the country and its cult system.
This seemed so attractive to many that great sections of the people accepted the Canaanite religion. The repeated periods of apostasy were always followed by periods of moral weakness, a situation that provided their more powerful enemies an opportunity to oppress them. In such periods of distress a strong political leader invariably arose and, driven by the Spirit of God, led His people—in whole or in part—through repentance back to God.” As the Israelites grew in numbers over the centuries, this cycle of war and peace developed between the two nations. Periods of peace existed only as long as a current judge lived.
During this time, there occurred a famine in Judah. Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, sojourned in Moab, east of the Dead Sea.
There, the sons married women of Moab; “the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth” (Ruth 1:4). The husband and sons died, leaving Naomi and her daughters-in-law destitute. With the famine being over in Judah, Naomi decided to return to her home near Bethlehem. Orpah chose to remain in Moab, but Ruth passionately refused (vv. 16, 17). Being poor, Ruth went out to glean the fields around Bethlehem.
Here she came to the attention of Boaz, a rich relation of Elimelech.
Boaz purchased Elimelech’s land from Naomi, thereby gaining permission to marry Ruth, whom he had come to admire. Ruth, the converted Moabitess, gave birth to Obed—“the servant of God”—perpetuating the family line reaching to King David.
“All will have associates, and will influence and be influenced in their turn.”
