POWIP Piece of Work In Progress – Former Abode of Dan Collins

Government’s Role in Justice vs. God’s Role in Justice

Ruth 3

A commenter here raised some interesting questions as to the government's role in so-called "Social Justice." In my readings, I thought Ruth provided a lot of insight into the role of government in helping the helpless. As I researched the Biblical times of Ruth, what I found interesting is that the government did play a role in justice. However, it was a very different role than what our government plays now.

For example, during the times of Ruth and Boaz, the wealthy were required by law to let the poor and widows, etc. follow behind their workers and collect all the grains, barley, and other remains that did not get picked up by the workers. Whatever the poor collected that day, they were welcome to keep for themselves. Ruth was one of these poor. She was a widow and the daughter-in-law of a widow. She was a person, who by no fault of her own, came under difficult times.

So here's what I find interesting about Ruth, yes, the government required that the wealthy leave the left-overs to the poor, but the poor had to work to get it. There was no free hand-out. In fact, in Ruth it talks over and over about how she worked from sun-up to sun-down gathering food. No government housing, no food stamps, just a woman working hard for every grain of barley she found. Here is a woman in dire circumstances, the death of a husband, a father, brothers, and she doesn't expect a free hand-out just because she was entitled. She worked hard for every bit of grain she gathered. Nothing was free. Nothing that is, but grace.....

What is amazing about this story is how God truly looks out for his children. The food she was allowed to glean wasn't all the grace Ruth got. She was redeemed by Boaz. He saved her. He saved her mother-in-law. He gave Ruth a new life. A life full of blessings. And she ended up bearing the lineage of Christ himself. God loves his children so much that not only is He concerned with what we eat and wear (Matthew 6:33), no he wants to redeem us as well. And that is the ultimate in justice right there. Redemption from an eternity of suffering.

PS. If your interested, here is my post on Exodus 3 and justice.

Johanna

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