“. . . TELL ME ALL ABOUT GREAT GRANDMA RUTH”

JOHN PIPER is pastor for preaching

and vision at Bethlehem Baptist

LIFE WAS BLEAK FOR NAOMI. HER

Church in Minneapolis. His other

HUSBAND WAS DEAD, AS WERE HER

poetry books include The Misery of Job SONS. SHE FOUND HERSELF IN A FOREIGN LAND WITH ONLY ONE FRIEND—

and the Mercy of God, The Innkeeper, HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW RUTH. BUT AS

and The Prodigal’s Sister.

SHE RETURNED TO HER HOMETOWN OF

BETHLEHEM, A RAY OF DIVINE HOPE

BROKE THROUGH THE DARK

CORY GODBEY is a writer and artist

CLOUDS OF PROVIDENCE.

for Portland Studios. He has il ustrated several children’s books and was recently h

accepted into the Society of Il ustrators Annual 50. He lives in South Carolina

with his wife, Erin.

JO

IT WAS THE BARLEY HARVEST,

H

AND SHE WASN’T ALONE.

h

N P

This beautiful y il ustrated cycle of poems by John Piper tel s the story of I

o

P

God’s care for Naomi and the romance between Ruth and Boaz through Ruth is the companion to A Sweet E

the eyes of their son, an aged Obed, as he narrates the account to his R

Walk with Boaz from promise to

and Bitter Providence, which takes 8-year-old grandson David, the future king of Israel.

fulfillment, with Ruth from widow-

a more expositional approach to

hood to motherhood, and with

the biblical account.

o

Naomi from death to life.

CHRISTIAN POETRY

www.crossway.org

JOHN PIPER

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Other Books by John Piper

A Sweet and Bitter Providence

Velvet Steel

This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence Spectacular Sins

When the Darkness Will Not Lift

What Jesus Demands from the World

The Prodigal’s Sister

The Innkeeper

The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God For a complete listing of books by John Piper, see page 92.

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JOhn PiPer

illustrated by

Cory Godbey

W h e a t o n , I l l I n o I s

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Copyright ©2010 by Desiring God Foundation Published by Crossway Books

a publishing ministry of Good news Publishers 1300 Crescent Street

Wheaton, illinois 60187

All rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover il ustration: Cory Godbey

Cover design: Matt Mantooth

First printing, 2010

Printed in Singapore

hardcover iSBn: 978-1-4335-1495-1

PDF iSBn:

978-1-4335-1496-8

Mobipocket iSBn: 978-1-4335-1848-5

ePub iSBn:

978-1-4335-1849-2

Library of Congress Catalog-in-Publication Data Piper, John, 1946-ruth : under the wings of God / John Piper.

p. cm.

iSBn 978-1-4335-1495-1 (hc) — iSBn 978-1-4335-1496-8 (pdf) 1. ruth (Biblical figure)—Poetry. i. Title.

PS3566.i59r88 2010

813’ .54—dc22

2009026649

iMG

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Ruth Part I

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Ruth Under the Wings of God

“My daddy lets me watch three sheep

Beside the mill; and if i keep

Them safe, and make them fat, he said

That next year i’d get five instead.

‘if you can keep your three in line,

Then you can handle five at nine.’

My daddy’s always making rhymes.

But they’re not very good — sometimes.”

his grampa laughed. “You’re pretty sharp For being eight. And how’s your harp

These days? i’d like to hear you play

Sometime. i heard your daddy say

You’ve gotten real y good. Let’s go

Sit down beside the sheep, and show

Me what you’ve learned.” So David took

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Part I

his grampa down beside the brook

And mil , beneath the carob tree,

And cradled, like a lamb, the C-

Shaped kinnor in his lap and played

A bal ad Jews had sung and prayed

For centuries. The old man laid

his head back on the tree and swayed,

As if the music made the tree

A ship mast on the rolling sea.

Then David noticed Obed’s eyes

Were closed. “it better satisfies

The ear to close the eye,” he once

had heard his teacher say. “it blunts

The beauty of a thing to feel

A rival pleasure make appeal.”

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Ruth Under the Wings of God But when he saw on Obed’s face

The tears, he stopped. “Grampa, in case You’d like to hear a happier tune

i know one called ‘The red raccoon.’

i’m sorry that you’re sad. What’s wrong?”

“My mother used to play that song.”

“You mean Great-grandma ruth, Grampa?”

“That’s right. She was a great grandma in more ways than you know, young man.”

“Grampa, i’d love it, if you can,

To have you tell me all about

Great-grandma ruth. Can you stay out

With me and tell me how she came

To live in Bethlehem? her name

Still makes the people smile and sing

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Ruth Under the Wings of God Down by the barley fields. They ring

A bell at harvesttime, and al

The grown-ups go down every fal

To watch some actors do a play

About Great-grandma ruth. But they

Won’t let the kids go down. it’s got

Some parts that Daddy says are not

For kids. Grampa, i am a youth,

But tell me ’bout Great-grandma ruth.”

“The story starts with God, as al

True stories do. As i recall,

Almost a hundred years ago

God stopped the rain and broke the flow Of blessing in the fruitful land

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Part I

Of ephratha. By his command

There was a famine from the shores

Of Lebanon south to the doors

Of hebron and beyond. And none

Could stay his hand or make undone

The deed of God. he had his aims,

And one of these was ruth. God names

Whom he will have and moves the earth

To bring them to himself. By birth

She was a Moabite, outside

The Law, and israel, the bride

Of God, cut off from sacrifice

And priest and covenant. no price

Paid to her gods of wood and stone

Could ever cleanse her heart, atone

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Ruth Under the Wings of God For sin, or satisfy the just

And holy claims of God. Sheer dust

Upon the scales, all this, to weigh

Against idolatry each day.

And yet God had a plan to bring

her out of darkness, make her cling

To him, and give her royal seed.”

“Grampa, what’s royal seed?” “A breed

Of children, David, who will be

Like kings. i don’t know how. But she

Was sure of it and prophesied. We need it too. But let’s go back. What deed

Delivered her out of the hand

Of Chemosh, brought her to the land

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Part I

Of israel, and put her name

in songs and gave her godly fame?

it was a famine, David. God

Closed up the clouds and laid his rod

Against the back of israel.”

“But, Grampa, how did famine tel

Great-grandma ruth to leave her land

And come to Bethlehem?” “The hand

Of God is very roundabout,

And there is time and room to doubt

At every turn, my son. A man

Of Bethlehem was in the plan.

his name: elimelech. he took

his wife naomi and forsook

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Ruth Under the Wings of God The land of God. it was an act

Of unbelief. naomi packed,

But every movement was a grief.

She knew that God would bring relief

if they would stay in israel,

if they would seek his face and dwel

Among the righteous few who cleave

To future grace. ‘But that’s naive,’

elimelech replied. ‘There’s grain

in Kedemoth, but only pain

in Bethlehem.’ And so they went,

Unknowingly, to judgment sent,

But also on an errand of

Amazing grace and sovereign love.”

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Part I

“You mean, Grampa, because they’d find Great-grandma ruth?” “That’s right. But mind You, David, this was all of God.

none saw the wielding of the rod

To save the tail and strike the head.

Within a year elimelech was dead.

And then the rebel sons, to break

naomi’s heart, began to take

in Moab girls.” “What do you mean,

Grampa?” “i mean, young man, that clean And upright boys will never sleep

With girls until the day they keep

One woman for a wife. Beware,

Young man, no commoners should dare,

nor even kings, to break this law.

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Ruth Under the Wings of God naomi trembled at the raw

And lustful sins of Chilion.

And Mahlon would carouse till dawn.

‘no more!’ she cried. ‘i meant for you To have two virgin wives. And do

You plan to put me in the grave

Beneath this soil, or in a cave

Cut for a Moabite?’ And so

To mock their mother’s faith, as though To grant her wish, they sought

Two virgin Moabites, and bought

Them with the birthright of their dad.”

“Wow, Grampa, they were real y bad.”

“But, David, do you know who those

{ 20 }

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Part I

Wives were whom these blind rebels chose?

One’s name was Orpah, here’s the truth: The other was Great-grandma ruth.”

“But, Grampa, that sounds terrible.”

“Oh, no, my lad, incredible

is what it was. The rescue of

The century: relentless love

is what it was. The broken saint

Just took them in without complaint,

And from her lips and from her way

They met her God and learned to pray.

And then one day, as quickly as

Their dad, her sons were dead. it has

The ring of judgment, David. Do

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Ruth Under the Wings of God You see? They drowned while swimming through The Arnon river just to spite

The bragging of a Moabite.

naomi wept till she could weep

no more, and then she said, ‘i sweep

My place today, tomorrow i

Will leave it clean, and by and by,

God helping me, i’ll put my feet

in Bethlehem, and there complete

My years with bitter memories.

Go back and find your families.

i have no sons to offer now,

nor any man to keep his vow.

The Lord be with you in the house

Where you grew up, and may your spouse

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Ruth Under the Wings of God Be better than the last.’ And so

She kissed Orpah farewel . ‘now go.’

But when she turned to ruth, she saw

A different face. As if the Law

Of God, with every promised hope

And all of its eternal scope

Were written on her very soul

Unrolling like an endless scrol .

And thus she spoke: ‘entreat me not,

naomi, to return, or take my lot

Again among the Moabites

With wooden gods and pagan rites.

Turn me not back to these, but let

Me go with you. Whatever threat

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Part I

Or hope you have, i will embrace.

i have no other dream or place

To live. Where you stay, i will stay.

The path you take will be my way.

And where you die, there i will die,

And bury me beneath the sky

Of israel. There is a cal

Upon my life, naomi. Al

That you’ve endured these ten long years has been for me and you. And tears

Cannot conceal that generations yet

To come through us will not forget

To praise the bitter providence

Of God that wrought for us immense

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Ruth Under the Wings of God And precious mercies in this place

And lavished me with painful grace.

A rod of famine was the price

For me that opened paradise.

i am Moabite to you,

But more than that, your daughter too.

Come, let us leave this place, i cleave To you, naomi. i believe,

Beneath this sweet and bitter rod,

That your great God will be my God.’”

“Grampa, how did you memorize

All that?” “it came with lul abies

And bal ads that she sang to me,

Just like the one you played. Could be,

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Ruth Under the Wings of God My good grandson, that you will sing

Like that and put the truth on wing

With harp and psalm and song. She would Be pleased. Perhaps, then, if you should, Your son, when you are gone someday,

Will sing it in a whole new way.”

And so with faithful Ruth we pray

That bitter providence today

Tomorrow will taste very sweet,

And every famine that we meet

And every broken staff of bread

In death, will bring us life instead.

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Ruth Part II

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Ruth Under the Wings of God

“Grampa, when i put my three sheep

Down in the fold tonight to sleep,

Can you stay here and tell me more

About Great-grandma ruth before

i go to bed? naomi said,

Because elimelech was dead,

And both her sons, that when

She came to Bethlehem again,

There would be bitter memories

And nothing more. Are these

The only things, Grampa, that she

Could see? Just grief? it seems to me

That God was doing more.” “indeed

he was. But, David, sometimes creed

Can’t keep up with the speed of pain

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Ruth Under the Wings of God And has to make the meaning plain

When suffering slows down. Do you

Know what i mean?” “i think it’s too

Complex, Grampa.” “i mean that what

naomi knew of God was not

rejected when she wept her way

Back home to Bethlehem. The day

Would come when tortoise faith would catch The bounding hare of pain and match

his power, not his pace, and win.

Judge not from how the two begin.

Does that make sense?” “i think it does.

But, Grampa, tell me what it was

That turned it all around and made

naomi glad again.”

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Part II

“She prayed.

And, David, when she prayed, God did

A hundred miracles and bid

A barley field become a place

Of quiet power; and there the race

Of faith was won. My dad, your great-

Grandfather, Boaz, conquered hate

And loved a Moabite beneath

The wings of God and did bequeath

naomi, thus, more faith than she

had ever known or thought could be.”

“Oh, Grampa, that’s the part that most Of all i’d like to hear. i’ll post

The gate and put the sheep away

And you can eat with us, okay?”

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Part II

“i have a better plan. You get

Permission from your dad to let

You spend the night with me, and we

Will go down to my house and see

The very place, the barley field,

Where, seven decades past, God sealed

A kind of love that’s known by few:

Between a Moabite and Jew.

And, David, did you know that your

Great-grampa Boaz has a pure

And faithful memory of what

it cost him then? And there’s a lot

Of love still left, though he turns ninety-nine This year and cannot see or walk. But line On line, he knows the story of

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Part II

his ruth and how they came to love

each other when the barley yield

Was ripe and they met in the field.

i think you’re old enough to go

And visit him. But he won’t know

Your name or who you are. So bring

Your harp, and maybe we can sing

Our way into his mind and set

Some memory on wing, and get

The treasure of his heart up to

his lips.”

At dusk the east wind blew,

And as the sun was going down,

The two approached the little town

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Ruth Under the Wings of God Of Bethlehem and made their way

Around the soft and splashing bay

Of blowing barley waves. The house

Was smal , for neither had a spouse.

“A servant in the loft and two old men Can manage with a fox’s den,”

Old Obed used to say when folks

Would pester him and try to coax

The two of them to live at home

With Jesse’s family. “i roam

The local hil s at my own pace,”

he said, “and come back to my place.”

Tonight Boaz was by the fire

And wrapped in blankets for attire.

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Part II

Young David stood in awe that here

Was his own flesh who, in a year,

Would have a century of life

On earth and one whose wife

Was his Great-grandma ruth. he took

his harp and cradled in the crook

Of his small arm the music of

A fam’ly’s century of love.

When Boaz heard the song that he

And ruth had sung for sixty-three

Unbroken years, he blinked his blind

And glassy eyes. And in his face a kind Of deep and strong and gentle joy

Began to shine. “Come here, my boy,”

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Ruth Under the Wings of God he whispered. David stopped and sat

Down at the old man’s feet. “is that

A story you would like to know?”

he asked. “how Boaz, long ago,

Became the husband of a maid

From Moab, even though he swayed

A city with his wealth?” “Yes, sir,

i would. Why did you marry her?”

“it wasn’t easy, child, at least

For some. A woman from the east,

And not a Jew, was barely good

enough to be a slave and would

not enter any mind to be

A wife. My father couldn’t see

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Part II

What i could see. i still recall

his speech: ‘Boaz, the gal ,

To bring this on our family!

The girl’s a Moabite, and she

has got no name. She was a slave,

And Chilion a rebel knave

To buy her as a virgin just

To pique his mother and his lust.

And don’t you know, Boaz, the way

her people got their start? Don’t say

it was a noble thing that Lot

Was drunk and lay down on his cot

With his own daughter. She deceived

her grieving father and conceived

A child by incest. And his name?

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Ruth Under the Wings of God Moab! A people born in shame.

And, Boaz, will you sacrifice

Your name and, by that price,

raise up a seed to Chilion

So there is nothing when i’m gone?

And while i live will you disgrace

My silver head and go abase

Yourself to marry such a thing?

And even use your mother’s ring?’”

he paused, as if the sting were yet

Alive. “i never will forget

Those words.” “Great-grampa, how did you reply?” “i said to him, ‘it’s true

That she’s a Moabite and that

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Part II

her husband was apostate at

The core and that she was a slave

And has no high-born name to save

From stigma and contempt. And should

The sin of Lot destroy the good

For every generation, then

There is no good in any men.

i bid you, father, think with care,

Lest you forget the evil pair,

Five generations past, that bore

Our father Perez at the door

Of harlotry. incest is not

Unique to Moabites. We got

Our life from Tamar’s little trick

To get the seed of Judah. Pick

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Ruth Under the Wings of God Your people, tongue, or tribe, for none is pure from disrepute, not one.

But, Father, have you thought about

What ruth is like inside? i doubt

That in a thousand israelites

One has embraced our God with heights

Of faith one-half as free and great

As she. Do you desire a mate

For me with Jewish nose and skin,

Or sacred Jewish faith within?

And is there not more fruit in her

Than can be hidden with a slur?

For those who care about the truth

There is none fairer than my ruth.

They all can see her love for God,

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Part II

how she has borne the biting rod,

And loved naomi without pay,

And worked throughout the blist’ring day, And gathered only where the poor

May glean, and kept her garments pure

Among the men. This woman lives

Beneath the wings of God. it gives

Me more delight to share the shame

Of faith and love than save my name.

i love you, Father, and i pray,

Please look at her another way.’”

“Grampa, i mean, Great-grampa, sir . . .”

“Yes, son?” “i’m glad you married her.”

“Me too. i think i better sleep

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Ruth Under the Wings of God now, son. i’m sure the rest will keep

Until tomorrow. So despite

how much more i could say, good night.”

And meanwhile in the darkness here, Where tribes and races hate and fear, O Lord, grant that we now ignite

A flame of truth, and let us fight With love and joy to make it plain That fam’ly links are not a chain, And origins do not control,

Half-images are not the whole,

Nor true, and take a rending toll, Beneath the skin there is a soul.

And may we lift this light and truth For Boaz and for every Ruth.

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Ruth Part III

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Ruth Under the Wings of God When David woke, he was surprised

To see old Boaz energized,

And waiting for the boy to wake.

The old man couldn’t see or make

his feet tread where his mind said, Go.

But he could recollect, and, Oh,

how he did love to tell the tale

Of how the God of israel

Turned famine into wedding feast,

And formed the greatest from the least, And wakened love when it had died,

And brought a Moabitess bride

into his life, and made a field

Of barley, barren once, to yield

Such seed as he had never dreamed.

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Part III

he heard the boy awake and beamed,

“Young man, my son tel s me that you

Are David, Jesse’s son.” “That’s true, And you’re my great-grampa.” “Last night i didn’t know, without my sight,

That it was you. Come here and let

Me touch your face. There is a debt

To parentage that one can feel.

My wrinkled fingers can reveal

More memories of ruth than both

My eyes. Yes, there, a little growth,

And that will be her nose, and this,

her cheek, where once i placed my kiss.

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Ruth Under the Wings of God Obed!” “Yes, Father?” “Take me and

The boy down by the gleaning stand.

You know the one.” So Obed took

his father in his arms. A look

Told David to make wide the door.

he set him on a cart before

The cottage plot, and then the three

Of them, at dawn, rode happily

Down to the gleaning stand. The face

Of Boaz beamed as if the place

Were like a home, and he had been

Away for years. And Obed’s grin

Burst into laughter once or twice,

As if he drove to paradise.

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Ruth Under the Wings of God it was a bright and lucid dawn,

And both of these old men were drawn

not just by this well-seasoned mare,

But by a memory out there

Beyond the edge of Bethlehem,

Where bitter providence for them

had been reversed, and God had turned

A famine into feast. it burned

inside their hearts with hope,

And as they rode the final slope

Down to the gleaning stand, the two

Of them, one blind and due

in heaven thirty years ago,

The other one with hair like snow,

Broke into song.

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Part III

“O barley field! O barley field!

When you were bent with heads,

i feasted on your ample yield

And ate your simple breads.

O barley field! O barley field!

All scorched with desert breath,

You starved the one i would have healed And stole my love in death.

O barley field! O barley field!

A paradise in truth,

You kept for me a better yield

And brought to me my ruth.”

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Ruth Under the Wings of God

“Great-grampa, you

Made up that song. But tell me who

You mean — the one you would have healed But lost in death.” The wagon wheeled

Down to the gleaning stand and stopped.

The morning sun warmed al , and topped The half-grown grain with tiny crowns

Of gold, and wrapped the trees in gowns Of yellow green. “Yes, David, i

Will answer you. But first now, try

To put yourself back eighty years.

Your grampa isn’t born. Great fears

Grip all of Judah. Drought has left

The barley field unsown, bereft

Of even root and stem. i’m not

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Part III

Quite nineteen years of age. This spot, One year ago at seventeen,

i married Mara.” “Do you mean,

Great-grampa, you were married once

Before?” “i was, for fourteen months.

eight weeks before she died, again

here at the gleaning stand, the men

Persuaded me to leave and go

With them to Moab. i should show,

They said, my bride more love and take her to a place where there is cake

And wine. But when i told her of

The plan, she said, ‘Boaz, such love,

You know full wel , will not endear

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Ruth Under the Wings of God Me to your soul. in this i hear

The counsel of elimelech,

Your uncle. And i will not trek

To Moab in his godless train.

it is not love to trade for grain

Your God. i will not suck with these

The breast of foreign deities.

i’d rather starve beneath the wings

Of God than live with foreign kings.’

And so we stayed. eight weeks, and she Was dead — too weak and thin to see

The fever through. And as she died

She said, ‘Our God is on your side,

Boaz, and do not doubt that this

is best. i know there is more bliss

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Part III

in dying underneath the wings

Of God than living by the springs

Of Chemosh. Boaz . . .’ ‘Yes, i’m here.’

‘Boaz, i don’t want you to fear.

i had a priceless dream last night.

i dreamed that God would show his might And take your bitter providence

And by this famine here dispense

For you a feast — a wedding feast —

And make the greatest of the least,

And waken love when it has died,

And bring an unfamiliar bride

into your life, and make this field

Of barley, barren once, to yield

Such seed as you have never dreamed.

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Ruth Under the Wings of God And that he will be born esteemed

in this our little town, so smal

Among the clans, and God will cal

him out of ancient days to sway

The nations with his rod. Don’t say

That you were wrong. This very hour

God makes the sin of man, with power,

To serve your faithfulness. in ten

Short years you will be healed. And then . . .’

‘Oh, Mara, what of you?’ ‘My task

is done. The Lord did only ask

That i should serve to keep you here,

Lest out of mingled love and fear

You flee to Moab and make void

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Part III

The mercy of your God. employed

For such a God-like work, your bride

is now content to step aside.’

And ten years later, David, there,

Just over there beside the stand, as fair As any in the world, stood ruth.

She rested in the gleaners’ booth.

Ten years to turn the mutiny

Of sin into the ecstasy

Of faith. i knew that it was she

i watched her, breathless, steadily.

i still can see her tawny neck.

The daughter of elimelech!

Do you see, David, why we sing?

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Ruth Under the Wings of God O barley field! O barley field!

A paradise in truth

You kept for me a better yield

And brought to me my ruth.

i’d rather live beneath the wing

Of God, or die there if i must,

Than try to save my life by trust

in my own plans. Oh, David, do

You understand? O son, how few

There are who wait for God to act!

how few who trust the solid pact

That God has made, that he will work

For those who wait for him, nor shirk

One moment in a ten-year plan,

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Part III

Or more. Perhaps he wil s to span

A thousand years before the space

Of time is full for him to place

his final king upon the throne.

And when he does, it shall be known

That here in Bethlehem we played

A part.

if you are not afraid,

Tonight, God willing, we will ride

Down here again, and i will guide

You to the place that i love best

And sightless show you all the rest.

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Ruth Under the Wings of God So waiting is a holy work

Of faith in God. Nor does there lurk Beneath the timing of his ways

Some secret malice that displays

Itself in holding back the flow

Of future grace. God does not go

From here to there by shortest routes; He makes a place for faith and doubts.

Nor does he hasten on his way,

But comes when it is best, today,

Or maybe twenty years from now,

Or more. With Boaz we will bow

To God, and there embrace the truth: Some serve like Mara, others Ruth.

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Ruth Part IV

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Ruth Under the Wings of God Blind and lame, the old man drew

The blanket close and clutched the shoe That he held in his lap and sat

Beside his faithful son. And at

The back the boy rode bumping down

The same hill from the quiet town

Of Bethlehem. The wooden cart

Was witness to the master art

Of Obed’s craft. When he was ten

he built it for the poorest men

And women who would glean the sheaves

That every godly farmer leaves

in Judah for the ones who own

no land. his mother, ruth, had shown

him how she used to gather grain

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Ruth Under the Wings of God And beat it out, and what a strain

it was to take the winnowed seed

And walk it up the hil . “They need

A cart,” she said. “Don’t you believe, My son, that Moses meant to weave

Together with his law that we

Leave something for the poor, a plea

That, if we can, we help them bear

it up the hill and take it where

They need to go? it seems to me

The holy Torah ought to be

interpreted to see as much

Compassion as we can. The touch

Of love from this great Book

Once wakened me from death and shook

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Part IV

Me to the bottom of my soul.

Why not make something that can rol ,

And let the gleaners use it when

They’re tired?” And so the boy, at ten, Built them a cart. he thought, “Perhaps My cart, made out of love and scraps,

Will help the poor to see the hand

Of God and trust in what he’s planned.”

now sixty years have passed. Tonight

The aged craftsman drives his bright

And eager grandson and his blind

And failing father down to find

The place he promised David they

Would go when it was dark. The gray

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Ruth Under the Wings of God Of twilight turned to night. The boy

Could see on Boaz’s face a joy

That broadened to a wrinkled smile.

he knew the ruts of every mile,

especial y the final two

Around the fields, that led down through The hollow where he used to sift

The barley seed at night and lift

The spirits of his workers there.

he used to sing a song, and wear

The same clothes as the working men,

And rake and toss his share. And when

The other owners asked him why,

he said, “The Torah says that i

Should love my neighbor just the way

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Part IV

i love myself. Would you not say

That if you labored for a boss,

it would be good to see him toss

The barley every now and then?

We ought to read the Torah, men,

To see as much compassion as

We can. Go read, and find it has

More mercy than you think.” But these

Were not the only memories

That made the old man smile tonight.

“Stop here, Obed,” he said. “The light.

how much is there tonight? is there

A moon? And are there stars?” “it’s fair, My father, and the moon is ful .”

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Ruth Under the Wings of God

“That’s good,” he said, “Obed, let’s pul The cart down to the cedar at

The end.” “Great-grampa, isn’t that

The one where all the people go

To watch the play?” he laughed. “You know About the play?” “i don’t know much.

They say it’s all about the touch

Between you and Great-grandma ruth.”

“This is my favorite spot,” the old

Man said, “And now you shall be told

About that touch and where it led.

here seventy short years have sped

Away since that great night. Because

The heat was great by day, i was

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Part IV

Down winnowing at dark. And when

The work was done, i told the men

To fetch the food and wine so we

Could eat and rest. i couldn’t see

What God was just about to do.

When i was full and tired, i threw

This blanket over me and lay

Down underneath that tree. Today

it must be twice as big. i fel

Asleep and dreamed about my belle.”

“You mean Great-grandma ruth?” “i do.

And, David, then my dream came true.

At midnight something stirred beneath

My blanket at my feet. My teeth

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Part IV

Clamped like a vise. i carefully

Unsheathed my knife and tried to see

Where i could strike the beast to kil , Lest i should miss the head, and stil

Be bitten by some snake or worse,

i knew not what. it is a curse,

i thought, for dreaming of my ruth.

And as i raised the knife, the truth

rose like a hand against my wrist.

i looked and thought, ‘This moonlit twist Beneath the blanket at my feet

is not a snake. nor will it eat

My leg. This is a human form.

A child in search of being warm

Perhaps. Or worse, some woman of

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Ruth Under the Wings of God The street who hopes to sell me love.’

i whispered, so as not to wake

The men, ‘Who are you? Do not make

A sudden move or you will die.

if you’re a child and cannot buy,

You shall be fed. But if a wench,

You will find nothing here, nor quench Your hunger in my bed. i would

not touch a woman, be she good

Or great, outside a covenant,

Though there is one i truly want.’

i pulled the blanket gently back

And there, as still as night, the black

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Part IV

And piercing eyes of ruth. ‘My name

is ruth,’ she said. ‘Your servant came Because naomi told me i

Should lie down at your feet and by

This action say you are a kin

To her, in hope that she may win

Your willingness to raise up seed

To Mahlon, if you are agreed.’

‘These are naomi’s words, i hear.

i know her mind, but not, i fear,

her daughter’s heart. This too i would Be pleased to learn. i hope you could, Besides this well-taught speech, reveal Your own designs and how you feel

About the prospect in her mind.

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Ruth Under the Wings of God Or have you no emotions unassigned?’

She lay there motionless, then said,

‘My heart’s desire is that you spread

Your holy wing and cover me.’”

“Great-grampa Boaz, i don’t see

What all this means.” “Wel , David, now You know why they do not allow

The kids to come down to the play

each year.” “But listen, here’s the way it ends. My heart was beating in

My throat, and crouching there was sin, Awaiting one misstep. i spoke

The hardest words and almost broke:

‘There is another kinsman stil

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Part IV

More close to you than i. he will

Be given legal right to take

You if he wil . Tomorrow make

Your prayer, and i will settle this

With elders in the gate.’ no kiss

That night. But when she left, still dark, She took my hand and drew an arc

And said, ‘The God of exodus

And flood at dawn will fight for us.’

That was our only touch.

And so

As soon as light shone on the low

Gate leading into Bethlehem

i gathered elders and to them

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Part IV

Laid out my case, and to the head

Whose right preceded mine i said,

‘naomi’s land is yours. The claim?

You marry ruth, and keep the name

Of Mahlon in your line. Declare

Your wil , for i am next, and swear

That i will take her if you can’t.’

i wondered how the Lord would grant

The longing of my heart and by

Another providence comply

With ruth’s appeal and my desire.

And then i learned. he said, ‘Acquire

it for yourself. The land i would

have had, for it is very good.

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Part IV

But ruth? She is a Moabite,

And we are Jews. it isn’t right.

The land is yours, and Mahlon’s name

For what it’s worth. And ruth. And shame.’

he took his shoe and gave it to

Me in the gate. i turned and threw

it out to ruth among the crowd.

She caught it like a wreath and bowed.

i quieted the shouts and cried,

‘What do you think of this, my bride?’

And she replied, ‘i think the Lord

has fought today and with his sword

has stuck a sin up on the gate

And hung on it our wedding date.

As for the badge of shame, you tell:

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Ruth Under the Wings of God The line of Judah bears it wel ,

And will for generations yet

To come. The book of Moses set

Me free. There is a mercy in

The law of God beyond my skin:

By faith God makes a person right,

Be she a Jew or Moabite.’”

O God, she was a rock of truth;

Ignite in us the faith of Ruth.

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Complete List of Books by John Piper God’s Passion for His Glory

Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die The Pleasures of God

God Is the Gospel

Desiring God

What Jesus Demands from the World

The Dangerous Duty of Delight

Amazing Grace in the Life of

Future Grace

William Wilberforce

A Hunger for God

Battling Unbelief

Let the Nations Be Glad!

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God (with Justin Taylor)

A Godward Life

50 Crucial Questions

Pierced by the Word

When the Darkness Will Not Lift

Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ

The Future of Justification

The Misery of Job and the Mercy

of God

The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World (with Justin Taylor)

The Innkeeper

Spectacular Sins

The Prodigal’s Sister

Final y Alive: What Happens When We Recovering Biblical Manhood

Are Born Again

and Womanhood

John Calvin and His Passion for the What’s the Difference?

Majesty of God

The Justification of God

Rethinking Retirement

Counted Righteous in Christ

This Momentary Marriage:

Brothers, We Are Not Professionals A Parable of Permanence

The Supremacy of God in Preaching

Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Beyond the Bounds

Saints (with Justin Taylor)

(with Justin Taylor)

Velvet Steel

Don’t Waste Your Life

A Sweet and Bitter Providence

The Passion of Jesus Christ

The Swans Are Not Silent Series

Life as a Vapor

The Legacy of Sovereign Joy

A God-Entranced Vision of All Things The Hidden Smile of God

(with Justin Taylor)

The Roots of Endurance

When I Don’t Desire God

Contending for Our Al

Sex and the Supremacy of Christ

(with Justin Taylor)

Fil ing up the Afflictions of Christ Taste and See

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if you would like to further explore the vision of God and life presented in this book, we at Desiring God would love to serve you. We have hundreds of resources to help you grow in your passion for Jesus Christ and help you spread that passion to others. At our website, desiringGod.org, you’ll find almost everything John Piper has written and preached, including more than thirty books. We’ve made over twenty-five years of his sermons available free online for you to read, listen to, download, and in some cases watch.

in addition, you can access hundreds of articles, find out where John Piper is speaking, learn about our conferences, discover our God-centered children’s curricula, and browse our online store. John Piper receives no royalties from the books he writes and no compen-sation from Desiring God. The funds are all reinvested into our gospel-spreading efforts.

Desiring God also has a whatever-you-can-afford policy, designed for individuals with lim-ited discretionary funds. if you’d like more information about this policy, please contact us at the address or phone number below. We exist to help you treasure Jesus Christ and his gospel above all things because he is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in him. Let us know how we can serve you!

Desiring God

Post Office Box 2901

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

888.346.4700

mail@desiringGod.org

www.desiringGod.org

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“. . . TELL ME ALL ABOUT GREAT GRANDMA RUTH”

JOHN PIPER is pastor for preaching

and vision at Bethlehem Baptist

LIFE WAS BLEAK FOR NAOMI. HER

Church in Minneapolis. His other

HUSBAND WAS DEAD, AS WERE HER

poetry books include The Misery of Job SONS. SHE FOUND HERSELF IN A FOREIGN LAND WITH ONLY ONE FRIEND—

and the Mercy of God, The Innkeeper, HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW RUTH. BUT AS

and The Prodigal’s Sister.

SHE RETURNED TO HER HOMETOWN OF

BETHLEHEM, A RAY OF DIVINE HOPE

BROKE THROUGH THE DARK

CORY GODBEY is a writer and artist

CLOUDS OF PROVIDENCE.

for Portland Studios. He has il ustrated several children’s books and was recently h

accepted into the Society of Il ustrators Annual 50. He lives in South Carolina

with his wife, Erin.

JO

IT WAS THE BARLEY HARVEST,

H

AND SHE WASN’T ALONE.

h

N P

This beautiful y il ustrated cycle of poems by John Piper tel s the story of I

o

P

God’s care for Naomi and the romance between Ruth and Boaz through Ruth is the companion to A Sweet E

the eyes of their son, an aged Obed, as he narrates the account to his R

Walk with Boaz from promise to

and Bitter Providence, which takes 8-year-old grandson David, the future king of Israel.

fulfillment, with Ruth from widow-

a more expositional approach to

hood to motherhood, and with

the biblical account.

o

Naomi from death to life.

CHRISTIAN POETRY

www.crossway.org

JOHN PIPER

Document Outline

- Cover

Table of Contents

Cover