Trust and obey
I am currently an online student at Midwestern Seminary, which is located in Kansas City, MO.
Much of the content that I am learning is unfamiliar and at this time in my life, I feel very ill-equipped to share anything I write from a scholastic point of view. In other words, there is no way I could write about something I don’t even understand. Yet this week’s assignment was much more practical as we are working our way through the Old Testament. And as I researched and read, it was a great reminder to me to remain focused on using well whatever God has given me! Allow me to share the questions we as a class were asked and the answers I came up with. Perhaps this would be a healthy exercise for us all!
Compare and contrast Samson and Ruth.
Who was more faithful to Torah? How do you know?
Which of the two characters is more worthy of emulation?
The content of these questions are so applicable and practical that I can hardly wait to dive in. But before we do that in detail, L.G. Stone brings a fantastic point of view based upon anyone in Judges or Ruth for that matter on how we view heroes in the Bible. He writes, “The more we learn of the heroes as individuals, the less we like them. More disturbingly, the spirit of Yahweh becomes the prominent toward the end of the series, suggesting a reservation about this particular manifestation of divine power.”[1]
No matter how extraordinary the gifts were or how much potential was given, these men and women throughout history were not the Savior. We should keep that in the forefront of our minds as we trudge forward.
Compare and contrast Samson and Ruth.
Samson - We see Samson as a remarkable human being with God-given ability and stature. What he was able to accomplish physically will never be emulated. And based upon how he started from Judges 14-15, it appears he is well on his way to an incredibly meaningful life. Judges 14-15 “…presents Samson in a positive, even triumphalist, manner, celebrating hist trumping of the Philistines…”[2]
But, as we see far too much in today’s world, people may rise to the top based upon their gifts, but their real character comes to light in how they finish their race. And just one chapter later, in Judges 16, we see the hero surrender himself to the forces of sin. He started so well and finished so poorly. “Judges 16 presents a negative view of Samson in which the spirit plays no role, but the vow is decisive. The chapter ends with a prayer for vengeance whose answer leads to Samson’s death.”[3]
Samson started so well yet finished so poorly. He may have had the upbringing, abilities, and education; however, he lacked the heart. And in the end, his life was viewed as more of a disappointment than a victorious Christian life.
Ruth - On the other side of the coin, we have an unlikely woman of deep-seated character who steps into the picture. Ruth is born a Moabite and comes from a paganistic culture. He was not raised or educated in the scriptures. Yet when given the opportunity to return to her people when her husband dies, she remains loyal to her mother-in-law Naomi. As Ruth 1:16 states, “But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following 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.”
The passion and commitment bleed out through the pages of scriptures and into the reader’s heart. She is later called in Ruth 3:11, a “virtuous” woman who deeply fears God. And little did she know that her grandchild would be King David, and hundreds of years later, through her line, we would have Jesus, the Son of God.
She was not gifted or extraordinary in anything that would have made her stand out. But she was, above all, loyal and trustworthy. And possessed a heart that God in heaven deemed fit for his Divine purpose. This is, in fact, almost the complete opposite of Samson’s story.
Who was more faithful to the Torah?
Samson was born as a Nazirite, which meant his life was supposed to be “separated” for God in complete service and obedience. Among other things, he was called to abstain from wine. He could not go near or touch a dead body, whether it be from a human or an animal. He was also called never to cut his hair. Within the course of his short-lived life, all of these things were knowingly disobeyed. He grew up and was instructed from the Torah as to what was expected yet deliberately turned his back in prideful arrogance leading to his destruction.
I appreciate that the question is not worded “Who KNEW more about the Torah?” because that would have more than likely been Samson with his upbringing. But in the end, even if she was not raised in it, Ruth demonstrated more faithfulness to God despite needing the most guidance and mentoring of how she was to carry out her business. This is evidenced by having been a Moabite woman, growing up in a pagan culture. Yet throughout the book of Ruth, we see humility, faithfulness, and a genuine fear of God. As a result, her life is worth emulation.
Which of the two characters is more worthy of emulation?
This question is complicated in the aspect of emulation. There are qualities one can draw from each of the examples given on how we ought to live. Samson, before he fell from greatness, showed incredible courage in the face of any obstacle standing in his way. If God’s children showed half as much passion and bravery, perhaps many more of our friends would come to Christ.
Ruth, on the other hand, was not outstanding in anything other than her loyalty and faithfulness. She simply would not give up or go away. What depth and profound lessons are applicable in the life of Ruth.
I struggle internally, answering this question in light of L.G. Stone's words at the beginning when he said, “The more we learn of the heroes as individuals, the less we like them.” The hero of scripture is not Samson, nor is it Ruth. It is, in fact, Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God. It was He who could have had even greater strength than Samson yet humbly demonstrated more resolve than Ruth, coming to earth as a baby to die a death He did not deserve for people who did not deserve Him. That is truly someone who is worthy of emulation.
Yet because of Christ shedding His divine blood and giving His life on the cross, we now have peace with God through the forgiveness of our sin. And because of that, I am brought to Proverbs 20:7, which states, “The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him.”
If, from the two options, I was to pick a flawed human’s life worthy of emulation, it would be that of Ruth.
Why? Because men look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.
[1] Stone, L.G., Dictionary of the Old Testament Historical Books, Judges, Book of, 2005, 601.
[2] Ibid., 596.
[3] Ibid., 596.
