Ruth Devotions

These next two weeks we are going to be looking at the book of Ruth… ALOT. My hope is that these short devotional times are not wearisome to you but that they might edify you and help you to see the narrative, or story of the book of Ruth in a new and a fresh light.

Here’s how these morning are going to look:

There are three things I want us to do each morning,

Read parts of the book of Ruth

Clearly and Entusiatically

Look at the big picture of the Book of Ruth

2) Look at the big picture of the Book of Ruth

Because time is short, we won’t go verse by verse, but will look at the story of each section.

3) Think about how this applies for our lives.

Think about how this applies for our lives.

What did the Characters learn, what are we learning?

Pray

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BITTER NAOMI

Quick Prayer:

Read

Have you ever been bitter? What are some things that makes us bitter?

Bad grades

Not being as good as others when it comes to grades/singing/acting.

Not having the role you wanted

Maybe you are having relationship issues, maybe you lost one or never had one.

Maybe you’ve lost something very dear to you. It could be a person, but it could also be a thing too.

Something stolen or broken

Maybe someone you loved very much died.

We’ve all probably been bitter at one point or the other.

This past semester, you guys may not have noticed it but I have been very bitter. I won’t tell you every reason but one of the major ones came from my internship this past summer.

I learned at my internship that I don’t think I am called to be a pastor. Why did God take me through three years of college and only then reveal that to me? It seems like a waste.

Other things were eating at me, discontentment with what I have, and burn out, you don’t want to know the amount of times I yelled at God. I felt drained spiritually, and hardly read my Bible anymore.

It can happen to me, and it can happen to you. These were just small things, but Naomi’s were much bigger. I learned something important by studying the book of Ruth, and I hope you learn it too.

Today, we are not going to address how to deal with that bitterness. We will, but today we will only paint a picture of what influenced Naomi’s bitterness.

Today, we are not going to address how to deal with that bitterness. We will,

Naomi was bitter because she was loosing everything.

Q: What are some of the things that Naomi lost?

Loss of Land (leaving her home)

The house of bread (Bethlehem) had no bread.

Loss of Elimelech (Husband)

Loss of Sons (Mahlon and Chilion)

Naomi lost a lot, and one of the most Ironic parts of what she loss was Elimelech. What doesn’t Elimelech’s name mean?

It means God is King.

Naomi might have been tempted to wonder ‘Is God even king?’ ‘Is God a good King?’ ‘Is he in control?’

That’s really the Question at the heart of the Book of Ruth. Is God in control and does he care about his people?

Or perhaps, more likely… from what we hear her say later, maybe she ask

And I believe the answer is yes. And we can see God’s care for Naomi in Orpha, but also especially Ruth.

So I ask you the Question. What makes you bitter? What makes you angry at God?

I want you to take 10 seconds of silence and think about what things make you bitter and angry,

After you are done, I am going to pray for all of us.

PRAY: FATHER HELP OUR BITTER HEARTS.

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RUTH: AN EXAMPLE OF FAITHFULNESS.

PRAYER

Before we read, lets try to remember where we left off.

Naomi lost both of her sons and her husband, and was left very bitter. We asked the Question, ‘IS GOD KING? AND IS GOD IN CONTROL?’

But we also learned that Naomi gained to new people. Daughter in Laws. Ruth & Orhpa.

But now, Naomi tries to send both of them away.

Someone read

So we hear good news! There is food in the promised land again. So Naomi is going to return.

But realize that she is also bringing Ruth and Orhpa with her.

Then suddenly, they stop, and Naomi’s like ‘Go, return to your mother’s house...”

It’s easy to give a bad rap to Naomi here but what Naomi is doing is not selfish. She is looking out for Ruth and Orpha. In a sense you could say this is sacrifical love, if only a flawed one.

I think that’s true, but Naomi really was in a defeated mentality here, at the least she was trying to do what was best for the two ladies.

Naomi seeks what’s best of Ruth and Oprha. Or at least, what she thinks is best.

Naomi wants them to remarry and find rest.

Lets be honest, it would have been a lot easier for both Ruth and Orhpa to find a man in Moab than in Isreal. The odds of finding a man in Israel who would want to marry a Moabite was very low. The Moabites had a bad rap all the way back to Lot and to Balaam as well.

Also remember the time period Ruth and Orpha were living in. Men were essentially the only providers of income. Finding marriage in Moab would have ensured their safty.

So Naomi is looking out for them, she wants them to marry and find safty.

Both of them say No.

Naomi begs them once more. Read this with me.

(ESV)

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.”

To summarize it, Naomi’s argument is twofold.

“I’m not going to have children so there’s no use waiting around.”

“The Lord’s hand is against me, so get away!”

Orpha ends up leaving.

She is the FOIL, as the readers, we are supposed to compare her to Ruth.

The Narrator doesn’t say that Orpha did anything wrong. Naomi already laid out the argument, what leaving makes perfect sense!

But, what Ruth does is far more nobler.

It says Ruth WHAT? Q: Fill in the blank, RUTH _______ TO HER.

A: Clung.

She wouldn’t let go.

We know what happens. Naomi still tries to get her to leave. Basically she says three things.

‘You’re sister in law went back! You should too’ (PEER PRESSURE!!!!)

‘Go back to your people!’

‘Go back to your gods.’ (WHICH IS REALLY BAD ADVICE BY THE WAY!!!)

But Ruth resisits. Naomi’s people will be her’s and Naomi’s God will be her’s.

Notice how Ruth basically refutes everything that Noami says.

Ruth 1:16–18 ESV

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.

Ruth 1:16-

Ruth is basically saying ‘till death do us part!’ She will not leave her mother in law.

Ruth 1:16–17 ESV

Ruth is willing to bear the pain of loss with Naomi (a pain she probably already feels because she lost her husband as well).

Ruth is willing to leave her people behind to go with Namoi.

Ruth declares her alligence to the God of Israel. (A God that Naomi has a major grevance agaisnt, nevertheless, Ruth still trusts in the Lord.

So What? Basically, Ruth is a beautiful example of faithfulness. She is faithful through her family even when things are rough. And we shall see, that it is this kind of faithfulness that the Lord loves to use!

Ruth 1:16-

Both Ruth and Naomi were selfless in this scene. Naomi, though extremly flawed, sought the best for Ruth and Orpha at her own expense. And Ruth sought the best for Namoi at her own expense.

If you want to put a word to this, I guess you could call it sacrifical love.

None of us can love perfectly, the only one who could was Jesus. He died on the cross and rose again for our sin. But as God’s people, we have the opportunity so show a refection of God’s sacrifical love to eachother. That’s what Ruth essentially was doing.

THIS NEEDS MORE WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD

Ruth 1:19–22 ESV

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.

Read Ruth 1:19-22

Ruth 1:19-22

Have you ever felt like God was against you? Like instead of fighting for you he was opposing you?

Let me ask you another question, we know as Christians we are free from the wrath of God, Jesus took our fully deserved wrath upon himself. Jesus was punished so that we can go free. But, and here is the question. Do you ever believe that God is punishing you for something wrong you did? I think that might have been how Naomi felt.

So we last ended with Naomi leaving Moab. She lost everything and she sent Orpha away. But Ruth was determined to stay.

A few questions should be on our mind.

How will the Israelites respond to Noami’s return.

How will the Israelites respond to Ruth

How will the Israelites respond to Noami’s return.

The author doesn’t exactly tell us what the people thought of Ruth, but we do see their response to Naomi’s return.

It says that the whole town was stirred?

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

At the least, they were interested in Naomi. The women of the town quickly start to talk about her (not TO her but ABOUT her).

Is This Naomi?

Naomi tells them not to call her Naomi, but to call her Mara.

Naomi = Pleasant

Mara = Bitter

Here’s the big part: Naomi said she was bitter because, as she says, “The Almighty has dealt bitterly with me.”

Ruth 1:21 ESV

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?”

Ruth 1

Naomi felt that God was punishing her, probably for leaving the promised land.

She left the promise land ‘full’

She returned ‘empty’

She said “The Lord has testified agaisnt me”

In essence, Naomi is saying that she is under God’s judgment, and that is why her husband and sons have died.

So now, let me ask you a question. Is this true?

To be honest, I don’t know. The author does not say definitively. I think we can say that Elimelech and Naomi didn’t display a right trust in God when they left the promised land (since the Land is a very important concept to Israel), but I don’t know if we can say for sure.

If you want my opinion, I think Naomi is right. But only partly. It was a sin for them not to trust in the Lord, and to leave the promised land. Going to Moab was very dangerous. The place she thought that she could be made full, she became empty at.

We all experience this in some way, you beleive something will finally satisfy you, or bring you good fortune, but then, you realize that it doesn’t. The job you took a gamble on fails, the relationship breaks, the movie just plain ol’ stinks. Naomi and Elimelech sought fullness in something other than God, and they ended up suffering the consequences.

I think it’s fair to guess that the Lord was disciplining Naomi (and Elimelech)

But, Naomi didn’t see the full picture. She might have been under God’s dicipline, but she was also under God’s grace.

Hebrews 12:6 ESV

6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Let me ask you a question. Naomi said she returned empty, right? Q: But, there was one thing that Naomi still had. Who was that?

A: Ruth

I like to imagine it this way. Naomi is saying to the whole crowd of people “I came back empty! I have nothing.” But who’s standing next to her … RUTH!!! The woman who clings to Naomi and refuses to leave her.

Naomi had thought she lost everything. But she had gained something more valuable than she could possibly imagine.

You see, even though God was disciplining Naomi, he was also showing her immense grace. He brought Ruth into her life, and it was by Ruth Naomi’s redemption would come!

There is hope on the horizon. It says “They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.”

Naomi came home empty, but she came home at the perfect time. Harvest was coming, and that meant food… and we know how the story goes. It would be through this harvest that Ruth meets Boaz.

So what about you, does it feel like God is agaisnt you?

If you are not a Christian, and I say this because you know, then turn to Jesus. Something worse than being poor or death awaits you.

Eternal separation.

But Jesus can forgive you sins, and redeem you! Take what was empty and make it full.

And for those of us who are Christians, recognize that Jesus loves you, even if he is discipling you.

You may feel empty right now, but God can make you full.

Your sins may weigh heavy on your shoulders but God can help you to overcome and be free from them.

But what you need to do is change your mindset. Stop believing the lie that God is agaisnt you, but beleive that he is for you. He loves you and wants you to have the fullness of Joy.

This isn’t prosperity. Full doesn’t equal money.

PRAY: FATHER, WE NEED YOUR FORGIVENESS AND THE JOY YOU ALONE CAN BRING.

Full equals

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Worthy Man/ Worthy Woman

Read

Notice how it’s Ruth who takes initiative to go and glean. Naomi doesn’t say anything. She basically just says “Go, My Daughter.”

Ruth 2:2 ESV

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.”

a. Ruth was looking for someone ‘in whose sight I might find favor,’ So now, we as the readers ask “Who might this man be?” We learn that pretty quickly.

And ‘she just so happened’ to come to the part of the field that belongs to Boaz.

The author is being tounge in cheek here. He knows it’s not by chance, and we do to.

Boaz, is a ‘gibbor Hayil’ a worthy man!

The first words that come out of Boaz’s mouth is about God, “The LORD (YHWH) be with you!”

We also see that Boaz protects the vulnerable. Ruth, being a widowed moabite woman would fall into that catagory. Boaz tells him men not to lay a hand on her, but also he tells her to stay in his feilds providing serveral benifits.

We also see that he cares about his workers. For instance, when he sees Ruth, he asks who she is.

Boaz is told that she is a Moabite, but he learns much more than that.

We also learn that Ruth is a worthy woman!

Ruth is describes as an ‘eset hayil’ in chapter 3… that means ‘A Worthy Woman’

And in chapter two, we also learn that Ruth is an extremely hard working individual.

Boaz’s servant said “She came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.” (2:7)

So we know what happens, Boaz talks her her, and then she falls on her face saying “Why have I found favor in you your eyes… since I am a forginer.”

Listen to what Boaz says.

Ruth 2:11–12 ESV

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!”

He heard of how much she cared for her mother-in-law

Ruth 2:11-

how she left her homeland and came to Israel

And he prays for her as well, that she might be given “her full reward” by God. Saying that she has taken refuge under God’s “wings.”

So we already see, Boaz and Ruth meeting. A worthy man and a worthy woman meeting. But the author isn’t putting much romance into the story, at least not yet. His (or her cause we have no clue who wrote this book),focus is entirely on the two’s character… especially Ruth’s. We see Ruth’s noble character is noticed. Already, as we are about to see, her faithfulness to Naomi is paying off.

NOT DONE YETTTTTTTT!!!!! TEACH THIS MORE NARRITIVELY, AND ADD APPLICATION AT THE END. HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH GOOD CHARACTER....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Read

THE LORD PROVIDES

HESED

Read

Ruth gleaned until evening. And she came back with an Ephah of barley. Now you might think… “Cool, and Ephah. What’s so important about that?”

Well, an Ephah is about a week’s worth of grain. So you see what happened? In ONE day, Ruth managed to gather a WEEK’S WORTH of grain. I mean, for a second imagine how great it would be if you just went into work one day, and managed to get paid a whole week’s worth in one day? That would be amazing!

So you can imagine how surprised Naomi would have been when Ruth came home with an ephah of barley. So Naomi asks which field she gleaned in.

Ruth says that she was in Boaz’s field, and Naomi… instead of speaking out of bitterness, speaks out of joy!

Ruth 2:20 ESV

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

take notice of the word KINDNESS: That’s the Hebrew word Hesed.

Hesed means fulfilling obligations, loyalty, faithfulness, and goodness. It’s often translated as kindness or steadfast love.

Boaz was showing God’s Hesed through providing for Ruth and Naomi.

Boaz was showing God’s Hesed through providing for Ruth and Naomi. (and also, I think, though the word is not used to describe Ruth, Ruth also is showing Hesed by taking care or Ruth.

So we see that both Ruth, and Naomi are being provided for. God uses other people’s kindness to care for his own people.

Also, Ruth learns that Boaz is a relative, and a redeemer. But we’ll look at that more tommrow

ADD MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE KINSMAN REDEEMER

Read Ruth 3:

BIG POINT: THE LORD PROVIDES FOR HIS PEOPLE, THROUGH HIS PEOPLE

Before the musical, when you think of the Book of Ruth, what sort of things come to your head?

A: I think one of the most obvious ones is ‘the idea of a Kinsman redeemer’

The idea of a kinsman redeemer has to do with ‘levirate marriage,’ Levirate is when a close relative of a deceased man marries the deceased relative’s wife to continue on the family name.

No today, we usually think that’s weird. It sounds weird to me. But in Bible times, this was done for a very important reason.

s weird. It sounds weird to me~But in Bible times, this was done for a very important reason.

Israel had a high emphasis on family and clans, and it was considered a tragedy if a clan lost it’s property and especially if it died out. The biggest issue at stake in the book of Ruth was that the family of Elimelech was going to die out if Ruth did not bear a son, and, being a Moabite widow in Israel, having a son was VERY unlikely. It was also important in those days for a woman to have a husband and especially a son so that when she became old and was unable to care for herself, her son and his family would take care of her. Putting these two together, that is the need for Ruth’s future stability in a home, and for the clan of Elimelech to continue, you can understand why levirate marriage was a part of Israel and a Kinsman-Redeemer’s role.

A;sp

The biggest issue at stake in the book of Ruth was that the family of Elimelech was going to die out if Ruth did not bear a son, and, being a Moabite widow in Israel, having a son was VERY unlikely. It was also important in those days for a woman to have a husband and especially a son so that when she became old and was unable to care for herself, her son and his family would take care of her. Putting these two together, that is the need for Ruth’s future stability in a home, and for the clan of Elimelech to continue, you can understand why levirate marriage was a part of Israel and a Kinsman-Redeemer’s role.

Also, the idea of Kinsman Redeemer was actually very benifical for the time. In those days it was the man who worked, and it was the man who provided shelter and stability for his wife and children. The only problem… THIS IS NOT AN OBLIGATION.

But, Ruth was a Widow,

A Woman

And a Moabite

So even though Ruth, as we have seen is a very strong and hardworking woman, so strong that she has a whole book about her in the Bible, her future was still uncertain.

Also uncertain was the future of Elimelech’s clan.

So Naomi had a plan: Get Boaz to marry Ruth. She was told to...

Wash and anoint yourself: I mean, it’s kinda obvious. Don’t stink when you’re asking someone out.

put on your cloak: This can mean a few things, some people think this has to do with the removal of the traditional ‘widow’s’ clothing and putting on that of a young woman’s eligible for marriage.

Then she was told to hide, wait till Boaz ate and drank (Naomi was hedging her bets here. She trusted that Boaz would be drunk, but that he might be under the wine’s infulence to be in a happier mood.

Is this great advice? At the least, it’s dangerous advice.

Ruth, without any argument agrees to do everything that Naomi says.

So fast forward to the Threshing Floor scene.

Boaz is having a good night’s sleep, and all of a sudden he becomes startled and turns over and.... I love how the Bible puts this.... BEHOLD! A WOMAN LAY AT HIS FEET.

First off, can you imagine how confusing that would be. Like what on earth lady, where did you come from?

I think think the first question Boaz asks is a very reasonable one.

“Who are you?”

And Ruth gets straight to the Point. “I am Ruth. Will you Kinsman redeemer me?”

But notice how Ruth says it. This is kind of cool.

Ruth 3:9 ESV

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

“Spread your wings over your servant.” How poetic right?

But wait, SOMEONE READ what Boaz says to Ruth in

Ruth 2:12 ESV

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!”

So in essence, Ruth is asking Boaz to be the answer to his own prayer! Boaz prayed to God and notes that Ruth has come to take refuge under God’s wings.

Ruth hopes, that God, through the day to day human actions of Boaz, will continue to provide refuge and safty for her!

So the dice have been cast. We’ve been reading about Ruth for over two chapters! We saw her loose everything along side of Naomi, we’ve seen her hard working spirit, and naturally, we all cross our fingers in hope that she will end up with Boaz. So we all hold our breath, hoping BOaz says ‘yes!’ So what is Boaz’s response?

Well, Basically Boaz blesses Ruth for going after him instead of younger men. I’m not sure how old Boaz would have been, but I got a feeling they wouldn’t make a halmark movie out of these two.

And as we know. Boaz says yes.

Ruth 3:11 ESV

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.

Ruth

Boaz realized that Ruth was a ‘worthy woman,’ in hebrew a ‘eset hayil’ … meaning some on of power and strength… but in this case, someome onf strong Character.

If you Recall, when we first met Boaz in chapter to, he was called a gibbor hayil, a worthy man. The Eset Hayil and the Gibbor Hayil comes together at last.

And it wasn’t as if Boaz was the only one who realized Ruth’s strong character, rather he says that the whole town knows that she is a worthy woman!

And so, the to are set to get married at last. It’s a happily ever after. The spotlight shines on them from the heavens as music swells around them. Nothing can ruin this moment!

Well, Hold your horses. Stop the music… cause not everything went exactly as Ruth and Naomi had planned. Remember, Boaz is a worthy man, someone of good character. And being such a man he sought to follow the word of God. Boaz was more than willing to redeem and marry Ruth, but there was some who had the right… or ‘first dibs’ at redeeming Ruth.

Ruth 3:12–13 ESV

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.”

Ruth 3:

And so, Boaz would give this other man the opertunity first.

Whatever the case though, while we want Ruth to end up with Boaz (that certainly is idea) at least Ruth would be provided for in another home. No matter what, The Lord had provided for Ruth. But nevertheless, we hope that Boaz is the one to redeem her.

Ther is more to tell of course, but we’ll just end here today. So tommorow we can look at Naomi’s response.

APPLICATION

DON’T LEAVE EMPTY HANDED: THE LORD PROVIDES FOR NAOMI

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