Ruth

Living in Covenant

A Personal Perspective

Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5) 

A Mother-Daughter Covenant Covenant

Deuteronomy 25:5-10 New International Version

5 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
7 However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” 9 his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” 10 That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.

For Reflection

The Law is intended to bring order to chaos.  In this case, it also is designed to keep the bloodlines of the families intact and to protect the distribution of the family resources. "Spit in the face" could also be interpreted as "Spit on the ground." In any case, it was intended as an insult. The magistrate kept the sandal as a sign of the younger brother's defiance. The covenant between the family members protected the widow from having no family to support her.  

Pray

Pray for those whose families are not engaged in a covenant of love. Pray for those who lose civil protection and suffer greatly because of it. Pray for the socially aware who come to the aid of those who find themselves in devastating predicaments.


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