Kindness to the Dead

Naomi was a woman in the Bible who suffered the loss of her husband and two sons in Moab, having left Bethlehem due to a famine.  She returned home bitter and empty years later with daughter-in-law Ruth.  The people of Bethlehem hardly recognised the grief-stricken woman whose only companion was a foreigner.  Though Naomi had forgotten happier days, God had not forgotten Naomi.  He would provide for her abundantly in unexpected ways, and her mourning would be turned to joy.

Ruth went out to glean in a field and was kindly greeted by the owner named Boaz.  He was kind to Ruth, having been appraised of her loyalty towards her mother-in-law and the God of Israel, and invited her to remain in his field throughout the harvest.  When Ruth returned home carrying a large amount of grain, Naomi was pleasantly surprised with her success.  After Ruth divulged she had gathered in a field belonging to Boaz, consider Naomi's response Ruth 2:20:  "Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!" And Naomi said to her, "This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives."

Isn't it amazing how God is kind both to the living and the dead?  Without a husband the womb of Naomi was good as dead, and her husband and sons all had passed away.  There was no way the inheritance could be retained in the family, but what is impossible with men is possible with God.  Those who die are beyond our help, but God would show kindness to the dead by providing Boaz as a husband for Ruth.  The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, "Naomi's mind immediately perceived the significance of the situation. Even the dead might soon be blessed, in that the name of Elimelech, her dead husband, could live on through her faithful daughter-in-law, Ruth. Boaz was a close relative, but more than that, he was a kinsman-redeemer. He could act as a redeemer of property and persons."  God's kindness was not only for dead Elimelech and his house, but for the widowed Naomi and Ruth.  God is able to bring life from death.  The resurrection of Jesus from the dead demonstrates His power over sin and death and proves the reality of the Gospel.

God allowed Jesus to die on the cross and rise again so all who are dead in sins and believe in Him can be redeemed forever.  We were dead and without hope, but God has given us eternal life through the Gospel!  Ephesians 2:1-7 reads, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."  God has not forgotten to show kindness to the living and to the dead.  He doesn't only raise up seed to carry on our family name but raises us from the dead to life to carry on His name as His adopted children.

Blessed be God, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!