Wildside 09.15.19

Ruth and Boaz

Bible Passage:

Main Point: God provided a redeemer for Ruth.

Key Passage:

Big Picture Question: How does God accomplish His plan? God uses people for His glory and our good.

Small Group opening

(10–15 minutes)

Large Group Bible study

(25–30 minutes)

Small Group activities

(25–30 minutes)

Leader BIBLE STUDY

Only two books in the Old Testament bear the name of a woman: Ruth and Esther. Ruth’s story occurs at the time when judges ruled over Israel. God’s people were characterized by rebellion and immorality. At a time when the Israelites desperately needed a king to lead them back to God, Ruth’s story of faithfulness points us to Jesus Christ, a coming Redeemer who will make all wrong things right again.

Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, a woman from Bethlehem who settled in Moab with her husband and two sons to escape a famine. Naomi’s husband died, and her two sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. They lived in Moab for 10 years; then Naomi’s sons died.

Naomi heard that the Lord had provided food for His people during the famine, so she decided to go back to Judah. Naomi encouraged Orpah and Ruth to return to their families. Orpah returned home, but Ruth clung to Naomi. Ruth said, “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” (). So Naomi and Ruth traveled back to Bethlehem together.

Naomi permitted Ruth to gather fallen grain in a field. The owner of the field was Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s late husband and a family redeemer. Boaz noticed Ruth and told her she could safely gather grain in his field. At Naomi’s urging, Ruth sought to be redeemed by Boaz. Boaz bought back the land Naomi and Ruth had lost when their husbands died, and he married Ruth. They had a son named Obed, whose grandson would be King David.

God gave Ruth—a foreigner—a special place in the lineage of Jesus Christ. As you teach kids today, introduce them to Jesus, our Redeemer. He bought for us salvation, paying the price with His very own blood.

The BIBLE Story

Ruth and Boaz

Naomi lived in Bethlehem in Judah with her husband and their two sons. At that time, the people of Israel were ruled by judges like Gideon, Samson, and Deborah. There was a famine in the land, so it was difficult to find enough food to survive. Naomi and her husband decided to go to Moab.

While they were in Moab, Naomi’s husband died. Naomi’s sons married women from Moab, Orpah and Ruth. They lived in Moab for 10 years, and then Naomi’s sons died. Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth were all alone. The famine was over, so Naomi decided to go home.

The women were very sad to leave each other. Orpah returned home, but Ruth clung to Naomi. “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,” Ruth said. So Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem together.

Naomi gave Ruth permission to go into the fields and gather fallen grain. She happened to go to the field of Boaz, a good man from the family of Naomi’s late husband. Boaz saw Ruth in his field. He had heard how kind Ruth was to Naomi, so Boaz told Ruth to stay in his field where she would be safe. Boaz made sure Ruth had enough food.

Ruth gathered plenty of grain in the field. She returned to Naomi and told her about Boaz. “Boaz is one of our family redeemers,” Naomi replied. A family redeemer was someone who would help his close relatives if they were in trouble. Naomi knew Boaz would take care of Ruth, so she encouraged Ruth to stay in his fields.

Naomi wanted to make sure Ruth had a husband to care for her, so she gave Ruth special instructions. Ruth put on her best clothes and laid down near Boaz’s feet. In this way, Ruth showed Boaz that she hoped he would marry her. Boaz was surprised to find Ruth at his feet. “You are a family redeemer,” Ruth said.

Boaz promised to redeem Ruth, which meant he would buy back the land that Naomi sold after her husband died, and he would marry Ruth. He gave Ruth grain and sent her home.

Boaz bought back the land that had belonged to Naomi’s family, and he married Ruth. Ruth and Boaz had a son named Obed. Naomi took care of Obed. When Obed grew up, he was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David.

Christ Connection: Boaz was a family redeemer. That means he would help his close relatives who were in trouble. Boaz cared for Ruth and Naomi because their husbands had died. In a similar way, Jesus is our Redeemer. We need help because we sin. Jesus bought our salvation for us by taking our punishment when He died on the cross.

Small Group Opening

Session Title: Ruth and Boaz

Bible Passage:

Main Point: God provided a redeemer for Ruth.

Key Passage:

Big Picture Question: How does God accomplish His plan? God uses people for His glory and our good.

Welcome time

Greet each kid as he or she arrives. Use this time to connect to your group and make sure each student is checked in.

As kids arrive, invite them to stand, facing a partner. One partner should begin slowly moving, and the other partner should copy her actions, like a mirror.

Say • Today we are going to hear a story from the Bible about a woman named Ruth who followed her mother-in-law, Naomi, wherever she went.

Table Wars

Transition to large group

Large Group LEADER

I sure hope you are ready for today’s Bible story. It is a wonderful story about some people who were part of Jesus’ family—long before Jesus came to earth.

We’ve been learning about the judges of Israel. The first judges were Othniel (AHTH nih el), Ehud (EE huhd), and Shamgar (SHAM gahr). Then came Deborah, Gideon, and Samson.

Today’s Bible story is called “Ruth and Boaz.” Neither of them were judges, but they lived at the time when the judges ruled over the Israelites. I love the story of Ruth and Boaz because it reminds me so much of Jesus. Are you ready to hear it?

Big picture question

Leader • Before we listen to the Bible story, do you remember the answer to our big picture question? How does God accomplish His plan? God uses people for His glory and our good. As you listen to the story of Ruth and Boaz, think about how God used them to bring about His glory and the good of His people.

Tell the Bible story

Open your Bible to the Book of Ruth. Let’s watch the Bible story video “Ruth and Boaz.”

Leader • The story of Ruth happened during the time of the judges. Naomi and her family went to Moab, a land east of the Dead Sea. The people who lived in Moab were not part of God’s people, Israel. They were from the family of Lot, Abraham’s nephew, and they did not worship the one true God.

But Naomi’s sons married women from Moab. One of those women, Ruth, decided to stay with Naomi when she went back to her home in Israel.

God provided a redeemer for Ruth. Ruth was gathering leftover grain in a field when she met Boaz. Boaz was a wealthy man and a relative of Naomi’s dead husband. Boaz redeemed Ruth—he agreed to take care of her—and he married her.

A thousand years before Ruth lived, God promised Abraham that He was going to bless his family. Ruth was part of that family. Ruth and Boaz had a son named Obed, who grew up and had a son named Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David! Through this family, God planned to bring His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the world.

Picture this: Ruth was in a field near Bethlehem, gleaning grain so she and Naomi would have food. Does that sound familiar to anyone? Who was in a field near Bethlehem when some angels appeared to them? Yes! Hundreds of years later, angels appeared to shepherds to tell them that Jesus—one of Ruth’s descendants—had been born.

Key passage

Show the key passage. Lead girls to read together. Then lead the boys to do the same. Review the titles Judge, lawgiver, and King.

Leader • Can you name some of the people who were judges over Israel? (Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Samson) Name someone who was a lawgiver for the Israelites. (Moses) Later in the Old Testament, God gave the Israelites a king. Saul was a king, and so was David and his son Solomon.

says that the Lord will save us. He saved the Israelites from their physical enemies, but what does He ultimately save His people from? (sin and death) Yes! We know that people will die physically, but those who trust in Jesus will live with Him forever.

Discussion starter video

Leader • Has anyone ever stepped in to get something for you that you could not get for yourself? Watch this.

Show the “Unit 9, Session 5” discussion starter video.

Leader • What do you think? How did Carlos probably feel to get back what belonged to him?

In our Bible story, Naomi’s and Ruth’s husbands died. Without husbands, Naomi and Ruth struggled to support themselves. They needed husbands or sons to protect them and take care of them. Boaz agreed to redeem Ruth by buying the land that belonged to Naomi’s husband. He agreed to support the whole family.

Invite kids to discuss the importance of having a protector and provider. Ask them to name people in their lives who protect them and provide for them.

Point out that God used Ruth, who was not part of Israel, to grow Abraham’s family. Ruth would become the great-grandmother of King David, and Jesus was born into King David’s family.

Leader • How does God accomplish His plan? God uses people for His glory and our good.

Pray

Invite kids to pray before dismissing to small groups. Thank God for Ruth’s story. Thank Him for not leaving us to fend for ourselves and for involving people in His plan to send His Son into the world.

Pray that God would use you and the kids in ways that bring about His glory and our good.

Dismiss to small groups