“Hidden Bondages” – Soul Ties Part 3 – Session 3

[Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD]

Genesis 2:24 is the famous "leave and cleave" passage concerning marriage. From the very beginning God's intention has been that the man and woman's soul ties with their parents should be broken prior to marriage. Why is that? Because few things are as destructive to a marriage as when one partner or another is still emotionally tied, and often as a result, manipulated and controlled, by a meddlesome parent. So, interestingly enough, we see that the first Bible reference to a soul tie is an admonition to break a soul tie.

FRIENDSHIP SOUL TIES

A good example of a Godly friendship soul tie is in the book of Ruth (Ruth 1:14-17). They really loved one another, and would always desire to help each other. Ruth always looked out for Naomi. They both had God in the center of their life. They were both willing and did put the other ahead of self. They did not try to manipulate and control one another. They were led by the love they had for God and for one another.

Ruth 1:14 (KJV): And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

Ruth 1:15 (KJV): And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

Ruth 1:16 (KJV): And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

Ruth 1:17 (KJV): Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

Ruth 1:14 (NIV):  At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

Ruth 1:15 (NIV): “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

Ruth 1:16 (NIV): But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

Ruth 1:17 (NIV): Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

Ruth meant this from her heart. She truly cleaved to Naomi, she gave up her plans to help Naomi. 

Naomi had two sons and two daughter-in-laws. After her sons died, she told her daughter-in-laws they were free to return to their people. One of them, Orpah, did just that. But the other, Ruth, refused to leave, “¹⁴ At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.¹⁵ “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me." (Ruth 1:14-17). Ruth was bonded to Naomi like glue.

In fact, the Hebrew word for `clung' (dabaq) is a word similar to the one used in Israel today for `glue'. So, we see they were "glued together" in a loving and faithful relationship of mother and daughter-in-law. Jonathan and David are another example of Godly Friendship ties (1 Samuel 18:1).

Click here for PDF version of "Hidden Bondages" S3

NOTE: Part 3 – Session 3, was taken from “Hidden Bondages” – http://www.b4prayer.org/index13.html

God Bless,

Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks