Ruth 1:16, Winston Churchill and the Incarnation

I just finished preaching the book of Ruth with my church.  I looked back at the last few months preaching through Ruth and I thought about how one of the most powerful moment in the book was when Ruth, a widow, profess her loyalty to her mother in law Naomi and how Ruth was going to stay with her mother in law to help this older widow out.  Listen to the words of Ruth 1:16=

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back 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.

What particularly stands out to me is the last part of the verse: “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”

While reading a recent history book I found out how this verse was quoted and used in another important historical moment.

 

It goes back to 1941.  A year that was a difficult year for England.  The US has not yet been involved with World War Two.  The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at that time was Winston Churchill.  He wanted to convince America to help out England as much as possible.  But that road would not be easy.

Let me let you read this story from a news blog:

In 1941 Roosevelt sent one of his most trusted advisors to Europe, to get a sense of the situation of the ground. His name was Harry Hopkins. Roosevelt was under immense domestic pressure not to enter the war. But he knew that if Britain and Russia collapsed, the history of the world would forever be altered.

First his envoy went to Russia. Then to Britain. He met Churchill, and was given a tour of the armed capabilities of the British army. His mission was to report on how badly American intervention was needed.

On the last night of his visit, historian the late Martin Gilbert tells us, Churchill and Hopkins were given dinner in Glasgow by the Regional Commissioner for Scotland, Tom Johnston, at the Station Hotel. After dinner, Hopkins replied:

“I suppose you wish to know what I am going to say to President Roosevelt on my return. Well, I’m going to quote you one verse from that Book of Books … ‘Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.’” Then he added very quietly: “‘Even to the end.’”

Observers present saw the Prime Minister in tears. He knew what it meant.

To think the great orator Prime Minister was moved by what someone said is incredible; and more incredible is that Harry Hopkins was not saying something original but quoted a verse in the Bible: Ruth 1:16.

This incident in 1941 shows how moving are the words in this passage.  “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”  Like Naomi, Churchill was in a desperate situation.  For Churchill the sake of the world hangs in the balance before him.  I would also say for Naomi in hindsight the sake of the world hangs in the balance before her too although she might not necessarily understood all of it in the beginning.  And like Naomi Churchill had someone that wanted to help and identify with him and her in a very deep way.

Again let those words sink in: “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”  That’s the loyal love Ruth has for her mother in law Naomi.  I think it is a good example for us but it’s also more than an example for us.  As amazing as Ruth’s loyal love for Naomi was there’s still a greater love than that which is the love of God for sinners and His work to make them saved by the grace of God through Christ alone.  Yes.  It is a great love.  Whereas Ruth said “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” God the Son instead said “I will become like my people (in his humanity) in order for Me to be their God.”  Two thousand years ago God the Son was sent by God the Father to be born to the Virgin Mary, to live a perfectly sinless life and then die for our sins.  What a beautiful love story.  What an amazing truth from the Greatest Story Ever told.