Ruth, a widow redeemed

Welcome & Happy Mother’s Day!

We want to celebrate all sorts of mothers today. There are biological mothers and adoptive mothers and foster care mothers. But there are also those who want to be mothers but have not yet had the chance. There are also people who did not have great and awesome mothers because they grew up in difficult circumstances.

We know that family can be difficult and coming to church to hear a series about family can be difficult for some. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can be particularly trying in these situations. We are sensitive to this and want to be caring with you if this is your situation.

In recent weeks we have looked at some of the women named in the lineage of Jesus Christ. Matthew’s genealogy shows the lineage of Christ from Abraham to David, then David to the Babylonian Exile (a pivotal point in the history of Israel) then from the exile to the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Only a handful of women (Matthew 1:1-16) are listed in this genealogy.

We talked last week about Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah, who suffered some truly heartbreaking neglect at the hand of Judah and his sons, who were considered evil in the sight of the Lord. Tamar, was a Canaanite woman who married into the house of Judah and was considered righteous and bold in her actions that helped to preserve the line of Judah, making way for Christ, the Messiah.

Before that we looked at Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute, who believed in Yahweh and helped the Hebrew spies, leading to the conquest and fall of Jericho, a city that stood against God and his plan for the world. Rahab’s story of redemption is an awesome example of how redemption works and how God sometimes surprises us in the way that he uses people to accomplish his work in this world.

This week we will look at Ruth, a well known and much-loved book in the Old Testament. We will be doing a high-level overview of the book this week so that we can look at some of the family relationships that happen. But we’ll never be able to delve the depths of the book in the time that we have available today.

I. Naomi & Ruth Mourning Together

The chapter starts with a bit of family background of Ruth’s husband, Elimelech, who brings the family to Moab in order to escape a draught in their home back in Bethlehem. Elimelech died and their two sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth, who were left bound to the house of Elimelech. Eventually the sons died as well and the women are left in a difficult situation.

Naomi, in her grief, decided to return to Bethlehem...

Ruth 1:6–17 CSB

6 She and her daughters-in-law set out to return from the territory of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the Lord had paid attention to his people’s need by providing them food. 7 She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and traveled along the road leading back to the land of Judah. 8 Naomi said to them, “Each of you go back to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. 9 May the Lord grant each of you rest in the house of a new husband.” She kissed them, and they wept loudly. 10 They said to her, “We insist on returning with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Am I able to have any more sons who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, 13 would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying? No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me.” 14 Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth replied: Don’t plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.

[pray]

Ruth’s declaration of support for Naomi is a classic piece of literature. Her insistence of devotion for her mother-in-law is enough to inspire mother-daughter relationships. And while this is good, I think it only captures a portion of what is happening here.

Ruth 1:16–17 CSB

16 But Ruth replied: Don’t plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.

Ruth clearly loved her mother-in-law, and this is a good thing. But I think the bigger picture here is that Ruth was aligning herself with Israel and with the God of Israel. This is another example of a pagan woman who married into the family of Israel and had no desire to return to her home in Moab.

Naomi takes some of the focus for the rest of the chapter as we see a rather familiar family dynamic taking place...

After this glowing poem of support for Naomi by Ruth, we can see Naomi’s response:

Ruth 1:18 CSB

18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped talking to her.

The Hebrew text says that Naomi stopped talking to Ruth.

How often do we use either an abundance of communication or a complete denial of the same to punish others in our extended family?

Naomi gives Ruth the silent treatment.

Now I know that some of you might think it would be a good thing if your mother-in-law would refuse to talk to you. But Naomi’s passive aggressive behavior here seems to be something she is using to punish Ruth.

The passage continues...

Ruth 1:19–22 CSB

19 The two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was excited about their arrival and the local women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” 20 “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara,” she answered, “for the Almighty has made me very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” 22 So Naomi came back from the territory of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Naomi’s name comes from the Hebrew word נֹעַם (no'am) and means “kindness, pleasantness, or sweetness.” But Naomi wasn’t feeling sweet, so she asked her friends to call her Mara, which means “bitter.” Naomi went so far as to blame God for her bitterness, since she thought it was his fault that she was left a widow.

II. Ruth Meets Boaz

Naomi and Ruth were back in Bethlehem, though they were left with very little resources. Ruth asked Naomi to allow her to gather grain as a means of providing for themselves. Ruth went to the fields to gather grain left behind by those who were paid harvesters.

Ruth began gathering grain in the field of Boaz, the son of Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute who married into the Hebrew family. Boaz happened to be “prominent man of noble character from Elimelech’s family” (2:1). Boaz caught sight of Ruth and asked about her. Ruth asked him permission to gather grain, which he granted. In fact, Boaz seemed to take a special interest in Ruth...

Ruth 2:5–13 CSB

5 Boaz asked his servant who was in charge of the harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 The servant answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the territory of Moab. 7 She asked, ‘Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters?’ She came and has been on her feet since early morning, except that she rested a little in the shelter.” 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go and gather grain in another field, and don’t leave this one, but stay here close to my female servants. 9 See which field they are harvesting, and follow them. Haven’t I ordered the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.” 10 She fell facedown, bowed to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor with you, so that you notice me, although I am a foreigner?” 11 Boaz answered her, “Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death has been fully reported to me: how you left your father and mother and your native land, and how you came to a people you didn’t previously know. 12 May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” 13 “My lord,” she said, “I have found favor with you, for you have comforted and encouraged your servant, although I am not like one of your female servants.”

Boaz and Ruth shared a meal together and Boaz continued to provide for her by ordering his harvesters to leave some extra grain behind for her to gather. Some may see this to be a romantic gesture on Boaz’ part, and it may well have been, though he might have explained that he was providing for the family of his fallen relative.

When Naomi learned where Ruth had been working in the fields, she identified an opportunity...

Ruth 2:19–23 CSB

19 Her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you gather barley today, and where did you work? May the Lord bless the man who noticed you.” Ruth told her mother-in-law whom she had worked with and said, “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz.” 20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May the Lord bless him because he has not abandoned his kindness to the living or the dead.” Naomi continued, “The man is a close relative. He is one of our family redeemers.” 21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also told me, ‘Stay with my young men until they have finished all of my harvest.’ ” 22 So Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “My daughter, it is good for you to work with his female servants, so that nothing will happen to you in another field.” 23 Ruth stayed close to Boaz’s female servants and gathered grain until the barley and the wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

III. Ruth Appeals to Boaz

Of course Naomi was interested in Ruth’s well-being and gave her advice that would provide protection for her working among strangers. However, Naomi knew of the levirate law, that we spoke about last week. She knew that Hebrew tradition would allow her to seek the protection of a kinsman of her fallen husband, Elimelech. To Naomi, Boaz looked like a good candidate to become her son-in-law...

Ruth 3:1–4 CSB

1 Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I find rest for you, so that you will be taken care of? 2 Now isn’t Boaz our relative? Haven’t you been working with his female servants? This evening he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on perfumed oil, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, notice the place where he’s lying, go in and uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will explain to you what you should do.”

Ruth did exactly as Naomi suggested and lay down at his feet when he rested. As he woke, Boaz was surprised to find a woman there at his feet...

Ruth 3:8–13 CSB

8 At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman! 9 So he asked, “Who are you?” “I am Ruth, your servant,” she replied. “Take me under your wing, for you are a family redeemer.” 10 Then he said, “May the Lord bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not pursued younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 Now don’t be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you say, since all the people in my town know that you are a woman of noble character. 12 Yes, it is true that I am a family redeemer, but there is a redeemer closer than I am. 13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, that’s good. Let him redeem you. But if he doesn’t want to redeem you, as the Lord lives, I will. Now lie down until morning.”

Boaz knew that there was another family member that was a closer relation to Elimelech than he was. Boaz was a man of integrity and wanted to make sure that the levirate law was followed properly. He continued to protect Ruth and provided her some of the barley that he had recently threshed.

IV. Ruth & Boaz Marry

Boaz followed the proper procedure at the gate of Bethlehem before the elders and he secured redeemer rights to marry Ruth. We don’t have time to go through the details of the exchange, but it is enough to know that Boaz offered the other man the opportunity to marry Ruth, which he refused. He encouraged Boaz to take up the position of kinsman-redeemer and marry Ruth, taking over the inheritance of Elimelech’s line.

Ruth 4:9–12 CSB

9 Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to perpetuate the deceased man’s name on his property, so that his name will not disappear among his relatives or from the gate of his hometown. You are witnesses today.” 11 All the people who were at the city gate, including the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you be powerful in Ephrathah and your name well known in Bethlehem. 12 May your house become like the house of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

Of course this final verse is a reference back to the account that we read last week in which Tamar secured a place in the house of Judah and gave birth to Perez, securing the lineage that extended to Boaz and on to King David and eventually to Christ, the Messiah.

Ruth 4:12–17 CSB

12 May your house become like the house of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring the Lord will give you by this young woman.” 13 Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord granted conception to her, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became a mother to him. 17 The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

V. Ruth’s Impact On God’s Plan

Ruth 4:17 CSB

The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Both Ruth and Naomi took actions here in this account to protect and provide for themselves. However, in the bigger picture, they were actually taking action that would preserve the lineage of Christ, the Messiah.

Each of these women that we have studied in recent weeks were bold action takers.

They were strong and decisive women, who accepted their place in the family.

They knew and loved God and followed his laws to the best of their ability.

They worked to preserve the law and protect the lineage of their husbands.

Ruth, a Moabite woman, who was left widowed and stranded, was the great-grandmother of King David.

Today’s account is more than just an interesting story about a mother in the line of Jesus. While it is a wonderful literary piece of writing that is easily accessible to modern day readers, the story is a masterful picture of moving from a place of emptiness to a place of fullness. While Naomi and Ruth suffered the loss of their men and all of their resources, God protected them and preserved them and brought them to a place where they could be restored and recovered—in effect, they were redeemed by their kinsman-redeemer, Boaz.

This account is likely included in scripture as a way to support and legitimize the government and authority of David as the king of Israel. However, I think that we can look to this scripture to teach us about God’s hesed love.

Hesed is a rich Hebrew word that wraps up many of the positive attributes of God: his love, mercy, grace, kindness, goodness, benevolence, loyalty, and faithfulness. God’s hesed love is a something that he has for his people. The one’s that God loves can expect these forms of love without having to earn them and God really does not gain any advantage from his relationship with us. But because of this love, he takes care of us and provides for us.

This is the same kind of love that Boaz expresses for Ruth.

This may be the same kind of love that many of you have received from your mothers. I know that not everybody has a mother that is great at this, but some of us have experienced great love from our mothers and because of this we have great love from them as well. Perhaps many of us learned how to love other people because of the love that we experienced in our families.

Conclusion

You might take some time to reflect on God’s love for you today.

I want you to know that God loves you dearly, whether you are a mother, a daughter, a father, a son, or none of the above. God loves you and desires to have a relationship with you. However, God is holy and we are naturally sinful. We may get around to talking about sin and the Fall of Man in coming weeks. But know that this sin blocks us from having a relationship with God. But God provided a way that we could be forgiven of that sin by believing in his son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross, so that we might find pardon and salvation.

If that is something that interests you, I would invite you to come have a conversation with me or with Brother Joe. I’d love to be able to tell you more about this.

For now, I’m going to open the altar.

There may be those of you who wish to respond to this message by praying:

Some of you might want to pray for your mother or your family members.

It could be that you are going through a time of emptiness and seeking for God to bring you to fullness or to provide for you as he provided for Ruth and Naomi.

It could be that you would like to experience this salvation that we’ve talked about. I’m available to you if that’s your case.

It could be that you would like to move your church membership to join us here at FBC Pharr. If you already have another church that you normally attend, that’s okay. We encourage you to be involved and attend the church that God leads you to join. However, if you’d like to join us here, we would gladly take some information from you and include you in our upcoming membership class.