The Ultimate Love Story

Love’s Resolve - Chapter 1

Ruth clinging to Naomi

Ruth 1:16–17 LSB

16 But Ruth said, “Do not press me to forsake you in turning 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. 17 “Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may Yahweh do to me, and more, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Love’s Response - chapter 2

Ruth gleaning

Ruth 2:2–3 LSB

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one whom I may find favor in his eyes.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she went. And she came and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And it so happened that she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

HInt: Holy Spirit seen in Boaz being introduced to Ruth by an unnamed servant.

John 15:26 NIV

26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.

Love’s Request - Chapter 3

The threshing floor scene

Ruth 3:4 LSB

4 “Let it be that when he lies down, you shall know the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do.”

Ruth 3:9 LSB

9 And he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maidservant. So spread your wing over your maidservant, for you are a kinsman redeemer.”

Moab was a people whose origin resulted from incestuous relations between Lot and his daughter.

the law of God forbade Israelites to marry Moabites.

Grace trumped the Law

How?

Ruth was a convert to the God of Israel. She was not a pagan believer.

Love’s Reward - Chapter 4

The redemption of both land and bride

Ruth 4:9–10 LSB

9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon from the hand of Naomi. 10 “And also, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the one who had died, on behalf of his inheritance, so that the name of the one who had died will not be cut off from his brothers or from the gate of his birth place; you are witnesses today.”

Important Names:

Elimelech - my God is King

Naomi - My delight

Mahlon - Sickly

Chilion - Wasting Away

Ruth - Friendship, desirable one

Israel - One who struggles with God

Bethlehem - House of Bread

Goel - Kinsman redeemer

Boaz - In him is Strength

Jesus is the kinsman redeemer - seeking and saving that which is lost for the glory of God.

Revelation 5:9–10 LSB

9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain and purchased for God with Your blood people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10 “And You made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”

• Jesus alone has the right to redemption.Rules and regulations do not, will not, and cannot.

• Jesus alone has the resource for redemption.He purchased us with the richness of the blood that flowed through His veins and onto the ground at Calvary.

• Jesus alone has a reason for redemption. It is His grace, his undeserved, unmerited, unearned favor which brings us into His family.

The Ultimate Love Story - That God would send His only begotten son into our world to redeem a people in eternal love.

Praise God for what he has done!

before you go, exalt the Lord together in prayer in the realization that He is in your midst.