The
book of Ruth is a beautiful story in the Old Testament. The author of the book is unknown, but some
think it was Samuel. The book is about 2
women who had lost everything. Naomi
lost her home and family because of famine and death. Ruth gave up her life in Moab to accompany
Naomi back to her home land. Naomi
claimed that God hated her, but she was wrong.
The loyalty of Ruth paved the way for the loyalty of God to show itself
to Naomi.
This
book demonstrates that God responds to His people’s cry. By providing for Naomi and Ruth, we learn
that He cares for the outcasts of society just as He asks us to do in James 1:27. We belong to a loving, faithful, and powerful
God who never fails to care and provide for His children. Like Ruth and Boaz, we are called to respond
in faithful obedience in spite of the godless world in which we live.
THE
MAIN CHARACTERS
Naomi was the widow of
Elimelech. She changed her name to Mara,
which means bitter. She begins the book
empty and hopeless and ends the book renewed and with a new son. Her plan for Ruth’s future reflected selfless
love.
Ruth as a young Moabite woman is
disgraced by her position and despised for her ethnicity. By faith, she leaves her country, her people
and her gods to follow her mother-in-law, Naomi and her God. She was patient, selfless, loyal and
obedient. Her sacrifice and hard work to
provide for Naomi reflected God’s love. She
never argued or complained. Her selfless
love is like that of Jesus’ love. She is
listed in Jesus’ genealogy.
Boaz was a relative of Naomi’s
husband. He was a godly man. He was a rich and honorable. He was responsible and generous. Boaz saw Ruth as she collected grain from his
fields. He treats her with respect and
kindness. He views her as a worthy
woman. His loyalty as a kinsman
reflected God’s faithfulness. He was a
kinsman-redeemer, a picture of Jesus, our kinsman-redeemer. He marries Ruth and they became Israel’s
royal family. King David and Jesus
belonged to this family.
RUTH 1 – The Choice
Because
of famine in Israel Elimelech and Naomi moved to the country of Moab. They had 2 sons who married Moabite
women. When Elimelech and his sons died,
the women were left alone. Naomi heard
that things were better back home so she decided to return to Bethlehem. She urges her 2 daughter-in-laws to remain
there and begin new lives, but one of her daughter-in-laws, Ruth was loyalty to
Naomi and went with her. She told Naomi,
“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 1:16.
They
arrived in Bethlehem and the town’s women recognized Naomi. She explained her circumstances to them. She said she had nothing, no husband, no
sons, and that God was against her. She
thought her name should be Mara, which means ‘bitter’. She still believed in God, but didn’t
understand why her life was so sad.
RUTH 2 – The Provision
Naomi
had a relative on her husband’s side.
His name was Boaz who was a rich and honorable man. It was harvest time and Ruth offered to
gather grain that the harvesters left in the fields. This was called gleaning. Landowners were to reap once and then leave
what was left for the widows and the poor to glean for food. Ruth chose Boaz’s field by chance, but we
know God had a hand in it. As Ruth was
working in the field, Boaz arrived. The
foreman of the field told him who Ruth was.
Boaz accepted Ruth and gave her protection and offered he water. He was very generous and kind. Ruth was very grateful and humble.
Boaz
continued to offer Ruth more than God’s law required. He was happy for Ruth to share food with
him. He allowed her to take grain from
the whole field not just the edges. God
is generous to us in the same way.
Ruth
told Naomi about the field where she had been working. Naomi told her that he was one of their
kinsman-redeemers.
Kinsman-redeemer
means to gain possession of something.
In this case it is a male who had the privilege or responsibility to act
for a relative who was in trouble or danger or need of vindication. It was the obligation of the next of kin to
buy back property for the family. If a
man dies and fails to leave behind a son, his brother or the nearest relative
is commanded to take his widow as wife and both redeem the land and provide a
son to carry on the deceased father’s name.
RUTH 3 – The Proposal
Naomi
realizing that Boaz is a kinsman used the opportunity to regain the family
properties lost by her deceased husband and also a chance for Ruth to have a
new life. So Naomi instructs Ruth on how
to proceed.
After
the men finished harvesting they had to thresh the wheat and barley. They worked all day and all night. Naomi instructed Ruth to wash, wear perfume,
and put on her best clothes. She is to approach
Boaz privately at the threshing floor. She
approaches Boaz while he’s sleeping positioning herself at his feet and waits
until he notices her. Then she is to
announce her mission. She proposes
marriage to Boaz by requesting that he fulfill his role as kinsman-redeemer.
Ruth
showed courage and trust when she offered herself to Boaz. He was surprised, but grateful that this
young woman was willing to become his wife.
By this time Boaz and Ruth had spent much time together getting to know
each other and were now in love.
RUTH 4 – The Redemption
Boaz
agrees to marry Ruth, but there is a problem.
There is one other kinsman who is a closer relative who would have to
step aside for Boaz to marry Ruth. Boaz
confronted him in public so there would be witnesses. He told him about the land that needed to be
redeemed. The man agreed to be the
kinsman-redeemer. Then Boaz told the man
to redeem the land he would have to marry the widow, Ruth. The man knew by taking her and into his home would
ruin his own inheritance so he changes his mind and steps aside. He man probably already had children and knew
there would be problems dividing the land among his future children. Boaz knew exactly what he was doing. Now there is a clear way for Boaz, which was
what Boaz wanted.
Ruth and
Boaz were married and had a son named Obed.
Rahab was the mother of Boaz.
Obed became the father of Jesse and Jesse became the father of King David. As you can see they are in the line of Jesus
Christ (Matt. 1:1-17) Jesus, who
is the greatest of all kings.
Principle: Boaz foreshadows Jesus, our Ultimate Kinsman
Redeemer.
Do you
ever feel like you are losing everything? God is on your side. He will show His commitment to you through
people like Ruth.
Have
you ever felt deserted by God and people?
Have
you ever sacrificed to help someone in deep need?
Who do
you know that are loyal people like Ruth?
We all
go through painful trials, but through them God allows us the joy of pointing
others to their Redeemer. Ask God to
give you compassion and to see opportunities that He provides. Then explain the way to redemption in
Jesus. God used Naomi to point Ruth to
her redeemer, Boaz. We can all be Naomi
to those around us that still need to be redeemed.
Who do
you know who needs Jesus as their Redeemer?
Jesus is
woven throughout this book. He is
pictured by Boaz as kinsman-redeemer. A
kinsman-redeem had to be a family member.
Jesus added humanity to His eternal deity so He could be our kinsman and
save us. The kinsman-redeemer had the
duty to buy back family members out of slave.
Jesus redeemed us from slavery to sin and death.
Boaz
was motivated by love for Ruth. Jesus
was motivated by His love for us. Boaz
had a plan to redeem Ruth. Jesus had a
plan to redeem us. Boaz took Ruth as his
bride. Believers are called Jesus’
bride. Boaz provided a glorious destiny
for Ruth. Jesus provides a glorious
destiny for us.
LESSONS
FROM THE BOOK OF RUTH
We
learn that God is concerned and cares about all people regardless of race,
nationality or status.
Man and
women are both equally important to God.
God
uses all things, big or small, to accomplish His plans.
God
sent Jesus as our Redeemer to rescue us from our sins.
Everyone
loves the love story of Ruth and Boaz. I
know I do. Next week we will continue
our study in 1 Samuel. See you here.
__________________________________________
If you
have enjoyed my post and have found if helpful, please leave a comment or share
this post with the buttons below.
You can also join this site by clicking on the blue button at the top left "Join this site" or you can "Subscribe by Email". If you follow by email, you will receive an email every time there is a new post.