Gospel Project: Ruth
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Introduction
Video: Gospel Project re-introduction
Good Morning,
We are launching out into another season of the Gospel Project this morning. If you remember, the idea behind the Gospel Project is that the Bible is one continuous story of God’s plan to rescue His people from sin and death through Jesus Christ. Typically, when we hear about “The Gospel” we think of the first four books of the New Testament, but in the Gospel Project we are made aware of God’s movement toward this end through out all of human history. And when we see this, it changes how we understand all of God’s Word, especially the Old Testament.
we have discovering God’s plan for redemption has been in operation since the beginning of time. And when we understand this, it changes how we understand all of God’s Word.
Beginning next week week will be following up the morning service with Bible studies for all ages where we will have the opportunity to dive even deeper into our text for the week and reflect on how we might apply it to our week. I am really excited about the insights and reflections that I believe will come from studying God’s Word like this so let me encourage you stick around next week and check it out with us.
What we once taught as motivation toward religious duty or sacrifice, now frees us to live and serve with grace and love.
The credit we once gave to extraordinarily heroic men and women is now given where it belongs, to the one true hero of the Bible.
Our good deeds are no longer aimed at personal recognition, but they are done as part of the great mission that God has designed.
It is all about Jesus, so it is all about the Gospel.
The Gospel Project exists to point kids, students, and adults to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Beginning next week week will be following up the morning service with group Bible studies for all ages where we will dive even deeper into how God’s plan of redemption unfolds throughout all of Scripture and into our lives today. The whole idea of reading and studying this is that we would be compelled to join God in His mission to rescue people from the devastation of sin. So I am excited about getting back into another season of the Gospel Project.
This morning we are going to spend the bulk of our time today looking at the book of Ruth, but we need to get a bit of a running start at it to understand it’s significance. It’s been a while now since we have been in the Old Testament, so we need to switch gears a bit. When we left off last spring we were in the book of Joshua, where the children of Israel finally take their rightful place in the land that God promised their forefather Abraham many generations before.
So I am excited about getting back into this, and this morning we are going to spend the bulk of our time today looking at the book of Ruth, but we need to get a bit of a running start at it to understand it’s significance. When we left off last spring we were in the book of Joshua, where the children of Israel finally take their rightful place in the land that God promised Abraham many generations before.
We are going to spend the bulk of our time today looking at the book of Ruth, but we need to get a bit of a running start at it to understand it’s significance. When we left off last spring we were in the book of Joshua, where the children of Israel finally take their rightful place in the land that God promised Abraham many generations before.
... but we need to get a bit of a running start at it to understand it’s significance. When we left off last spring we were in the book of Joshua, where the children of Israel finally take their rightful place in the land that God promised Abraham many generations before.
The book of Joshua ends with this epic scene where God renews his Covenant with his people and Joshua is addressing the whole nation of Israel with his very famous words:
“...choose this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:
24 And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”
and the peop
And then Joshua sends them all out to their inheritance, and then he dies and the book of Joshua ends and then the wacky book of Judges begins.
Some of you might remember almost 3 years ago when we went through the book of Judges verse by verse, or more accurately story by story. We found that the children of Israel did not follow through on their promise to obey God as the LORD or King over their life. The entire book can be described by this one verse:
25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
The did not obey God as King, they just did whatever they wanted to do and the book is just packed full of story after story of sin, selfishness and death. These “Judges” were not guys in robes with gavels, they were instruments used by God to Judge the enemies of God who were oppressing His people. Not that the people deserved rescuing, because they didn’t, they were not being faithful to the LORD but because they were God’s people He sent rescuers. So they found themselves over and over in this cycle of sin. Do you remember this graph?
The People Sin - The People Suffer - The People Cry Out - The Savior Rescues - Peace in the Land - Savior Dies - and we start all over again.
These “Judges” were not guys in robes with gavels, they were instruments used by God to Judge the enemies of God who were oppressing His people.
And we found that not only does this cycle go around and around it also spirals downward so that which each new Judges the sins of the people plummeted further and further into such barbaric and inhumane behavior that we cannot image any person doing such things, let alone the people that God chose to represent himself as a light to the whole world. In the end they were chopping up some of their own people and mailing pieces around. It was horrible and evil and it accurately represents what happens to God’s people when they stop fearing God and “Everyone does what is right in their own eyes”.
YHWY was supposed to be their King, their LORD, their sovereign and yet they were faithfully unfaithful
It is right after the barbaric story book of Judges is where we find this little book called Ruth, and it is important to keep Judges in mind because this little book is time stamped with the beginnings words being:
“In the days when the judges ruled...”
1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
So it is against the background of this ugly and barbaric time for the people of God that this story of Ruth takes place, which is especially striking since some of the prominent themes of this little book are Loyalty and Love. It is crazy to think that such a beautiful story would take place in such a dark and bleak time in the history of God’s people, but that is one of the most important points of the book.
It is a beautiful story with many ups and downs.
Tension
Something really interesting about the book of Ruth is that at first glance it doesn’t seem like God plays a very active role in the plot line. Unlike all the books before it, God doesn’t seem to be written as one of the main characters:
He doesn’t have any lines.
He doesn’t do anything uniquely miraculous
His name is only mentioned twice outside of the dialogue of the other characters.
It could make you wonder if He has an active role in this story at all, and if He doesn’t, why is it in the Bible?
Probably to teach us about that very thing. I didn’t mean to set you up, but the truth is that when we ask a question like that, it proves that we really aren’t thinking rightly about God and His relationship with the world that He has created.
There is no story that God does not play the leading role.
I don’t just mean in the Bible, I mean anywhere in our world. This is God’s created world. He designed it for His glory. He sustains it for His purposes. History truly is “His -story”. As a sovereign God, He is the author, director and hero of every story in our world...even when it might not seem like he is a part of the story at all.
The book of Judges is loaded with miraculous events where God intervened in the lives the characters giving them supernatural strength, wisdom and knowledge, but the book of Ruth is about ordinary God fearing people just going about their daily lives.
Sometimes all God asks is that his children be faithful in doing ordinary things, trusting that in the midst of those things He is weaving together something extraordinary. And this is what the book of Ruth is all about, lets see how this happens together.
In the book of Judges we read of fantastical stories where God gives the characters supernatural strength, cunning or wisdom, but the book of Ruth is about ordinary people just going about their ordinary lives. Sometimes all God asks of us is to be faithful in doing ordinary things, and then He will take those things and make something extraodinary out of them. And this is what the book of Ruth is all about, lets see how this happens together.
Open up your Bibles with me to the book of Ruth. It is only 4 short chapters, only three pages in most Bibles. You can find the book on page 222 in the Bibles in the chairs. As you are turning there, I will pray and we then we will get to enjoy this extraordinary story of ordinary people .
Truth
Time of the Judges was a barbaric time
So our story begins with the setting, timing, characters and plot tension...
Tension
1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. 3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, 5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. 6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return 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 will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. 19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. 1 Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. 4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.” 5 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.” 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” 13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.” 14 And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. 15 When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.” 17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.” 21 And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’ ” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” 23 So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law. 1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.” 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.” 14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.” 1 Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.” 7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. 8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” 11 Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, 12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.” 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.
God is barely mentioned in the story, but his movement is seen extrodinarily in the very ordinary... espcially in contrast to the message of the book of Judges.
Let me begin by saying... Yes, that Bethlehem…and I am glad you didn’t miss that, but there might be other things that you might have.
I have said this before, but we don’t really get the severity of the catastrophic event called “famine” in our world. I know this because our grocery stores have entire isles dedicated to peanut butter. How many different ways are there to smoosh up peanuts? Anyway, a famine means that people are daily starving to death because there is no food, “creamy or crunchy” there was nothing to eat. So it was a very natural decision for this family of four to pack up their belongings and at least for the short term to move somewhere that had food.
And this is where the plot thickens because unexpected tragedy strikes. They moved to Moab to escape death by starvation, but it found them some other way. So to make a short story shorter, Elimelek, the patriarch of their little family, dies and the two sons, who had since married Moabite women, also die. So of the original four members, only Naomi is left and her life is marked by these terrible losses.
So to make a short story shorter, the patriarch of their little family dies and the two sons, who had since married Moabite women, also die. So of the original four, only Naomi is left and her life is marked by loss.
This is when we encounter the first of only two narrative mentions of God’s movement in this story:
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food.
Long story short, the patriarch of their little family dies and the two sons, who had since married Moabite women, also die. So of the original four
Ruth 1:6movement, because in his perfect love for Naom
Being that she is found here in the fields of Moab, she was already surrounded by food, but as she has heard that their is now also food in Israel, she made her plans to return home.
Remembering that this was the time of the Judges we can know that the Lord did not visit his people with food because they deserved it, but because
Remembering that this was the time of the Judges we can know that the Lord did not visit his people with food because they deserved it, but because
God’s perfect love is steadfast ()
God’s perfect love is steadfast ()
And the end of the famine was not the only way that Naomi experienced God’s perfect love. We see it in the Loyalty of one of Naomi’s dauther in laws. The one that this book is named after. The woman called Ruth.
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
There is clearly a good relationship here between Naomi and her daughters in law. As often happens, they have gone through some significant trials together so they have become close.
I fear we could lose some of the weight of what Naomi is saying here when we hear the word “kindly”. This word is the very profound Hebrew word “he-sed” which in the Old Testament is most often attributed to God and translated “steadfast love”.
So Naomi is speaking a profoundly spiritual blessing over these Moabite women for their faithfulness to her sons when they were living and to her now that they are gone. She has freed them to return home to their mothers. She has accepted that her life as a widow in Israel will probably be difficult, but she knows the the life of a foreign widow will be near impossible.
But these women are so endeared to each other that they say that they will not go. They are not afraid. They declare in unison that Naomi’s people will become their people, and so they tenderly argue back and forth with Naomi until finally they appear to have been convinced to return home. They have a good cry together and the one daughter in law kisses Naomi gently and then returns in tears to her homeland.
Ruth, however, continues to cling to Naomi in demonstration of the “steadfast love” that Naomi just declared over her.
15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return 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 will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”
, but Ruth continues to hold onto Naomi. So t, and on of the girls starts on her way, but Ruth simply will not leave. She is already demonstrating the steadfast love that Naomi declared over her:
, but Ruth continues to hold onto Naomi. So t, and on of the girls starts on her way, but Ruth simply will not leave. She is already demonstrating the steadfast love that Naomi declared over her:
Ruth 1::
Wow! Ruth just made a solemn vow in the personal name of God. The all capital letters on LORD means that she is talking about God’s personal name YHWY. The words that she used earlier for “god” was the Hebrew word “Elohim” which can mean generic god of a people. Of course when speaking of the Israelites then “Elohim” is talking about YHWY but here at the end she is using his personal name. This is a very bold and significant statement and no one, even a persuasive and loving mother in law can argue with it.
So they traveled on together, entering the city of Bethlehem during the barley harvest and Naomi shares her story of loss with her extended family. She was so intent on communicating the depths of her grief that she tells them to no longer call her “Naomi” which means pleasant, but call her Mara which means bitter. But God wasn’t going to leave Naomi in that state for too long, for in the next chapter of this story we find that
or when speaking of the God of Israel it means YHWY, but she is specifically declaring her allegience not just to Naomi, not just to Naomi’s people, but she is declaring her allegiance to the LORD YHWY. Naomi could not argue with a declaration like this. So they traveled on together, entering the city of Bethlehem during the barley harvest and Naomi shared her story of loss with her extended family. She was so intent on communicating her grief that she changed her name from “Naomi” which means pleasant, to Mara which means bitter. But God wasn’t going to leave Naomi in that state for too long, for in the next chapter of this story we find that
God’s perfect love is gracious ()
God’s perfect love is gracious ()
The Jewish law had much to say on how God’s people were to treat widows, but remember that this is the time of the Judges, where “everyone did what was right in their own eyes” and yet, God is still working in the lives of those who fear Him. Even in the dark ages of the Judges, there were still some who were able to recognize the steadfast love of the LORD, this time even in actions of a foreign woman:
2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.
2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. 4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.”
that and so they continued back to the homeland of Naomi, the city of Bethlehem.
She
She just “happened” to ..., the story teller in me just loves how God tells “His-story”. Remember Elimelek is the deceased husband of Naomi and he is the reason that Ruth finds herself in this foreign land on this day. It was his decision, his call to sojourn away from the famine in Israel that sent everything in motion. This was a decision that any one of us in the same situation could have or would have made and yet God is using it to bring Ruth to this man’s field on this day. This is crazy cool to me.
So the owner of the field, an honorable man named Boaz, comes out to check on the harvest and asks about Ruth. You see according to the anciet Jewish law and custom, you were not to glean every kernal of grain from your field. You were to leave the edges of the field for the widows and sojourners. It was a kind of welfare program, with the caveat that you had to come out and harvest the edge of the field yourself. They weren’t going to dropped it off at your door, you had to work for it and Ruth was working harder than most.
Presumably, Boaz knew most of the widows that came to glean in his field, but this girl was new and Boaz appears to be a bit taken with her. He has heard of her “steadfast love” for Naomi and when he asks his foreman about her, he tells her that she has worked really hard all day.
Presumably, Boaz knew most of the widows that came to glean in his field, but this girl was new and Boaz appears to be a bit taken with her. He has heard of her “steadfast love” for Naomi and when he asks his foreman about her, he tells her that she has worked really hard all day. He recognizes a quality woman when he sees one. An interesting side note is that in the Hebrew Bible they place the book of Ruth after the book we know as Proverbs. It is believed that the reason for this is that the poem of the woman would be followed up with a story of one.
Boaz recognizes a worthy woman when he sees one. An interesting side note is that in the Hebrew Bible they place the book of Ruth after the book we know as Proverbs. It is believed that the reason for this is that the poem of the woman would be followed up with a story of one.
So Boaz responds by being abundantly generous to Ruth. He invites her to harvest right along with his workers and even tells his workers to pull some sheaves out to make it easier for her. Ruth is blown away by all of this so she inquires as to why he would treat her, a foreigner, with such kindness.
This is the honable Boaz’ response:
2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. 4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.” 5 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.” 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”
Of course their arrival caused
10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”
The story of Ruth is just one more example of how God’s grace is not limited to the Israelites. God’s covenant with Abraham back in said that through his people all the nations of the world would be blessed. So Ruth stands alongside people like Milchizedek, Rahab, Namaan and the Ninevites of Jonah’s day as a foreigner that found refuge in the God of Israel.
So Ruth left the fields that day excited and exhausted as she harvested more than anyone would ever expect in a day. As she excitedly shared about the events of her day with Naomi, she learned something about Boaz that would literally change her life.
ys work. She was so excited to tell Naomi the great news of this generous man. And when Naomi heard who this man was she was ecstatic:
19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.”
Ruth 2:
Remember that Naomi told everyone she wanted to be called “Mara” for the LORD had dealt bitterly with her, and now today she is declaring the steadfast love of the Lord, the ‘he sed” over both the living and the dead. because...
God’s perfect love is redeeming (Ruth 4:13-17)
God’s perfect love is redeeming (Ruth 4:13-17)
God’s perfect love is redeeming (Ruth 4:13-17)
God’s perfect love is redeeming (Ruth 4:13-17)
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return 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 will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”
movement, because in his perfect love for Naom
Naomi’s life was marked by loss
Naomi’s life was marked by loss
Truth
Naomi’s life of loss
Ruth’s life was marked by loyalty
Ruth’s life was marked by loyalty
Boaz’ life was marked by love
Boaz’ life was marked by love
After recognizing Boaz to be a redeemer, some time passes in the story until one day Naomi begins to formulate a plan to help Ruth move on with her life. According to the customs of their day, Ruth would have spent a long time wearing clothing that showed that she was in morning over her deceased husband. This would signify to everyone that she is not available for marriage, but Naomi believes that the time has come for Ruth to communicate something else. So she tells Ruth to change her clothes and get all dressed up and do exactly what she tells her. And Ruth agrees to do everything just as Naomi said:
5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.” 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”
Ruth 3:5-
Just so that you know, there is no ancient Jewish custom that coincides with this plan. This was something definitely outside the box of culturally acceptable behavior, but Ruth boldly followed through on everything Naomi told her to do. We don’t understand all that is going on here, but what is clear is that God does honor their plan. The honorable man Boaz finds this girl at his feet...
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.” 14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.” 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.” 14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.” 14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”
:
kindness = “he sed”
It’s kind of like a soap opera here, not that I have ever watched one, but in all honesty it is rather dramatic. She spends the night cozying up to his stinky feet, that probably isn’t translating well, but in the morning she sneaks home before anyone else wakes up and Boaz commands his people not to say anything. Ruth goes home to tell Naomi everything that happened and they get all excited together but they still have to wait to hear the results of some meeting.
And Boaz doesn’t waste any time, he goes to the city gate where all the business dealings where made and invited the other possible “redeemer” to sit down and declare his intentions toward Naomi and the property of their deceased relative.
And Boaz doesn’t waste any time, he goes to the city gate where all the business dealings where made and invited the other possible “redeemer” to sit down and declare his intentions toward Naomi and the property of their deceased relative.
3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.”
Ruth 4:3
What!? That is not how the love story is supposed to go. The boy is supposed to get the girl…well the boy hasn’t finished yet.
At this response to the land, Boaz acts quickly and shrewdly:
6 Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
Just kidding, we are going to finish it up today. At the sound of this other man’s response Boaz acts quickly and shrewdly:
3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
Ruth 4:5-6
Ruth 4:3 wisely see the one obstacle that stood in their way, and the very next day he moved to clear that obstacle. He gathered the men of the city at the gate and very shrewdly offered the land of Elimelech to the closer redeemer. choice
Can you imagine the response of Boaz at this point? He probably maintained a professional expression on the outside, but he had to be grinning ear to ear on the inside. And listen to the end of their story, to the “happily ever after” that we crave at the end of every good story:
wisely see the one obstacle that stood in their way, and the very next day he moved to clear that obstacle. He gathered the men of the city at the gate and very shrewdly offered the land of Elimelech to the closer redeemer. choice
leverite marriage
5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ 9 then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’
And listen to the end of their story, to the “happily ever after” that we crave at the end of every good story:
Duet 25:5-10
Ruth
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse.
This truly is a love story, but what rises to the top of everything else is that the perfect love of the Lord is steadfast, gracious and redeeming. It will buy back, or reverse those things that seem to be impossibly difficult.
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Verse 13 here in chapter 4 is the second time where the actions of the Lord are directly described in the book of Ruth. “The LORD gave her conception” Remember the first time was when the LORD moved to end the loss of life in a famine, this time he moves to bring about new life in the birth of a son. A son of great blessing who was born in Bethlehem. What does that remind us of…and the connection is even stronger than you think:
17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Naomi went from thinking her family line was lost to becoming the great grandmother of King David. And of course being a New Testament, New Covenant people we have the rest of the geneology as well. The New Testament begins with the words:
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Matthew 1:1
That is the abbreviated version, hitting on the highpoints but if want to keep reading about, “this person who was the father of that person“ and so on and so forth eventually you will get to verses 5 and 6 where it says:
5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,
What an amazing example of how God was moving in the lives of one little known ordinary family to bring out His extraordinary purposes!
Gospel Application
So great stroy, but what does this story have to do with me today?
There is no story that God is not a major character in.
Well let me remind you of my premise that There is no story that God does not play the leading role. Not in the Bible or in your life. I would encourage you to read through the book of Ruth this week sometime. It takes only about 15 minutes, but as you do, consider which of the three main -human- characters do you relate with most.
not in the Bible or in your life...
Do you feel like your ordinary life is something like Naomi’s. You look back and see that life has dealt you a pretty tough hand and while you aren’t really trying to complain, you just can’t figure out how God is working in your life right now. You may not see it, but God is still working in your little story to accomplish his big story.
Or maybe you relate better to Ruth. Like her, you feel like you are a bit of an outsider when it comes to his Christian stuff. Maybe you have some history that you aren’t sure everyone accepts or you have a boldness where you are willing to push against what is culturally acceptable to do what you think needs to be done. God can work with that. God is working with that, it might just not be in ways that you can see right now.
norms when there is a reason to do so. You are loyal in steadfast love, but sometimes it seems like life is long days in heat of a barley field. Stay the course, God perfect love is steadfast, gracious and redeeming.
Or maybe you relate most to Boaz. He is one of those principled no nonsense guys that works hard and does the right thing. He is steady. He stays at it. He watches over those things that the Lord has blessed him with and he desires to serve people well. But he doesn’t really long for miraculous things to happen and sometimes he wonders if that is o.k. Is God able to work thorugh the lives of the steady? You bet he is!
God’s perfect love is steadfast, gracious and redeeming and He is always at work in our stories.
Landing
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Over and over we heard Naomi, Ruth and Boaz speak of the steadfast love of the LORD. They were God fearing people who understood that their little story was all a part of God’s big story. The story of God’s never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love for His children. That is the purpose for everything that He has created in His world.
The miraculous, the everyday,
The natural, the supernatural,
The ordinary, the extraordinary.
God is working it all out for his good purpose, and that is the point of the beautiful little book of Ruth. What seemed like just ordinary people making ordinary decisions was really God working to bring about the most extraordinary thing that has ever happened in our world.
The salvation of His people through the arrival of Jesus Christ in this world. It is His-Story, and our every day can play a part in it. Let’s pray and then we will prepare our hearts for communion, a celebration of both the arrival and successful mission of Jesus Christ.
I hope that this brings you
Communion