A Tale of Two Spirits: Jezebel or Ruth?

Men, which one of these spirits are you looking for? Women, which one of these spirits do you seek to embody? 

Jezebel was one of the most infamous and most wicked women in Biblical history, whereas Ruth was one of the most God-fearing women and highly favored for her obedience and love for the Lord. 

The Jezebel Spirit 

Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab of Israel. Jezebel was a Pagan woman who encouraged Ahab to introduce the worship of a nature God. “…he married Jezebel, daughter of King Ethbal of Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal.”– 1 Kings 16:31. In order to please his wife, King Ahab built an alter of worship for Baal and led the entire nation of Israel into sin and idolatry. Jezebel was strong-willed, fierce, power-hungry, and tyrannical and sought out to kill anyone who opposed her, including the Godly. And her husband followed her lead. She ruled over her husband. She represents vanity, greed, selfishness, lustfulness, cruelty, and manipulation. 

The Ruth Spirit 

Ruth was a widowed woman who faithfully gleaned the fields, alongside her mother-in-law, Naomi, after her husband and father-in-law passed away. She worked diligently and faithfully for the glory of her Lord, even though her work was tiring and tedious. “She has been hard at work ever since, except for the few minutes rest in the shelter.”– Ruth 2:7.  She was faithful to those she served. “Don’t ask me to leave you to turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” – Ruth 1:16. She eventually wins the heart of the prosperous farmer, Boaz, through her kindness and servanthood. In her, he saw a woman after God’s own heart, a hard-worker, and a woman he wanted to build with. Ruth represents the ideal woman that is humble, loyal, submissive to her husband, a servant to others, and a wife of the greatest noble character. 

What can we take away from each of these tales?

In sum, choose who you marry wisely. Your union with your spouse can impact nations around you and generations beyond you. King Ahab chose a Jezebel, a woman that heavily influenced him, to the point of manipulating him and ruling over him. As a result, he led his nation into sin and away from God. Whereas Boaz, chose a Ruth, a woman who humbly served God. Their union led to a legacy in which they became a part of Jesus’s lineage. Ahab’s marriage with Jezebel led to destruction of the nation of Israel; Boaz’s marriage with Ruth was pregnant with God’s purpose, which produced a mighty harvest through their work together as partners. 

Ever heard the saying, “A man’s success has a lot to do with the type of woman he has in his life.”? I believe that by comparing the marriages from each of these stories, that saying has some Biblical truth. Men, when seeking a wife, seek a Ruth, not a Jezebel. A Ruth will stand by you. She will be submissive to you as you are to the Lord. She will work along-side with you and will not seek to rule over you. She will serve you, as she serves the Lord, as well as the people that she loves around her. She is not afraid of hard work, no matter how degrading, because it will be work that she does joyously and humbly for the Lord. She will know that her purpose is in Christ and will be driven by that purpose. 

Women, when waiting for your husband to seek you, make sure that you are praying to God to prune you and produce characteristics that resemble a Ruth, not a Jezebel. A Godly man like Boaz will see a true wife in a Ruth, not a Jezebel. Worry less about your looks and material things (although there is nothing wrong with keeping up with your physical beauty; in fact, it is encouraged for Godly women to take care of themselves. But your spirit is more important to maintain than your outward appearance). Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.- 1 Peter 3:3-4. Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears God will be greatly praised. – Proverbs 31:30. Worry less about power over your future husband and look for ways to serve Him. Worry less about how you look while you work or the type of work that you do and more about finding ways to do work that is pleasing to the Lord, and you will find favor in Him. Just as Ruth did.