RUTH

The story of Ruth: I love it when a plan comes together!

bRead all four chapters of Ruth.

The book of Ruth has reminded us of God's love for, and faithfulness to, His people in all situations, and this final chapter shows us how all the elements of a once seemingly-hopeless situation are part of God's plan for Ruth's life. God loves happy endings just as much as we do!

Most of us believe, in theory, that God has our best interests at heart and will work things out for us ... eventually; but, in reality, God's wisdom and timing are often unfathomable to us.

? What is one time when God's timing was definitely not YOUR timing?

nWhat do the following Scriptures say about God's timing and/or waiting on God?

Psalm 27:14  

Psalm 37:7  

Psalm 40:1  

Isaiah 30:18  

II Peter 3:8-9, 15  

Boaz seems to be a patient man; in the first part of this chapter, he implements a plan that will bring Ruth and him together, even though there is a kinsman-redeemer nearer in the family line, someone who could legally claim Ruth as his wife. As we have already seen, understanding the customs and laws of the day makes understanding Ruth's story easier. In 4:1-2, Boaz arranges a meeting among this relative, the town elders, and himself and reveals that in the purchase of Elimelech's land, the kinsman will also acquire a wife!

The kinsman-redeemer declines and leaves the way open for Boaz to marry Ruth (4:8-9). The town elders bless the union of Boaz and Ruth in verses 11-12, and the couple soon has a son.

nFrom 4:16-22, what is the name of Ruth and Boaz's son?  

nWho is this baby's grandson?  

nWho is David's (and thus Ruth's) most famous descendent (Matthew 1:6, 16, 17)?  

? How do you think Ruth would have felt had she known one of her descendents would be God's promised Redeemer?  

Now let's focus on some important, timeless themes in Ruth's story.

nWhat name does God use for Himself in Isaiah 48:17?

According to The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, the word redeemer comes from the Hebrew word goel, which means "the nearest kinsman." These kinsmen avenged slain relatives, bought back land sold by a relative in distress, and continued a dead relative's bloodline and memory through levirate marriage. Boaz was the redeemer of Ruth, Naomi, and Ruth's dead husband: not only did he continue the family's bloodline through his marriage to Ruth, but he also rescued the women from their hopelessness and despair.

nAccording to Naomi's friends (4:17), what did she gain?

The word redeem that we use today comes from a Latin word that means "to buy."

nAccording to the following verses, who is our redeemer and what has he "bought us back" from?

Galatians 3:13  

Galatians 4:4-5  

Titus 2:13-14  

nWhat high price did our Redeemer pay for us?

Acts 20:28  

I Peter 1:18-19  

These verses tell us that Jesus' blood redeemed these Christians from the world and from trying to earn salvation by keeping the Old Testament law perfectly. In Jesus' death (Hebrews 9:22, 28) God provided the perfect sacrifice--His son's blood--that saves those who accept it. If you are already a Christian, remember to daily thank our Redeemer for sacrificing his Son. If you don't belong to Christ, read Romans 6:1-11, 23 for a picture of how you can be saved by Jesus' blood. We deserve to die for our sins (verse 23), but we can instead turn to God, repent of those sins, and through baptism, participate in Jesus' death and receive the forgiveness His blood brings. Then, as He was resurrected by His father, we too are raised to live a new life of faith and will eventually be raised to eternal life.

nBack to Ruth, whose story is one of contrasts. Boaz's actions stand in contrast to those of the potential kinsman-redeemer's. What other contrasts do you see?

Ruth's decision versus ________________'s decision (1:14)

Naomi ("pleasant") versus ________________("_______") (1:20)

full versus ____________________ (1:21)

Naomi from Bethlehem versus Ruth from _______________ (1:22)

Compassion of Boaz versus self-interest of ______________(4:6)

And, of course, the big contrast is that of hopelessness in the first chapter versus redemption and hope in chapter four, a hope that we see leading to our ultimate Hope (Titus 2:13)! Take a moment to reflect on what you've learned from this story of a faithful non-Jew and her destitute mother-in-law blessed by their Redeemer through the selfless concern of an earthly kinsman-redeemer.

? List an insight you've gained from each chapter of Ruth:

Chapter 1:

Chapter 2:

Chapter 3:

Chapter 4:

Here are some additional insights concerning the book of Ruth from John MacArthur:
At least seven major theological themes emerge in Ruth. First, Ruth the Moabitess illustrates that God's redemptive plan extended beyond the Jews to Gentiles (2:12). Second, Ruth, demonstrates that women are co-heirs with men of God's salvation grace (I Peter 3:7). Third, Ruth portrays the virtuous woman of Proverbs. 31:10 (see 3:11). Fourth, Ruth describes God's sovereign (1:6, 4:13) and providential care (2:3) of seemingly unimportant people at apparently insignificant times which later prove to be monumentally crucial to accomplishing God's will. Fifth, Ruth along with Tamar (Genesis 38), Rahab (Joshua 2) and Bathsheba (II Samuel 11-12) stand in the genealogy of the Messianic line (4:17, 22; see Matthew 1:5). Sixth, Boaz, as a type of Christ, becomes Ruth's kinsman-redeemer (4:1-12). Finally, David's right (and thus Christ's right) to the throne of Israel is traced back to Judah (4:18-22; see Genesis 49:8-12).

Women IN God's Service

Ruth - lesson 4
Ladies Bible Class Lesson, 1 Oct 2002
West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, Arkansas