THE BOOK OF RUTH JADE LEE

Transcription

1 THE BOOK OF RUTH JADE LEE

2 Women of the Bible Series Introduction This series will help women identify Godly Characteristics by taking a deeper look at various Women of the Bible such as: Esther Deborah Ruth, and Many More. Whether these women were Godly or unfaithful, we can learn valuable lessons, guiding us into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Each one of these women s lives brought different challenges and each woman responded in unique ways. This is why it is very easy to identify with at least one or more of the women of the Bible. From prostitutes to prayer warriors, each woman is used to teach us GOD s unconditional love for us, our appropriate response to GOD s love, the heartaches of disobedience to GOD and the characteristics that embody Christlikeness. Enjoy learning about women you may have never studied deeply or revisit the lives of women you have heard of for many years. Take the time to answer the Life Application Questions at the end of each chapter. Ask GOD to show you areas He wants you to experience His love or maturity on another level. Women of the Bible: The Book of Ruth is Part One of this Series. 2

3 THE BOOK OF RUTH Hidden Jewel of Moab JADE LEE 3

4 For the Women of FAM My Many Ruths. 4

5 Contents INTRODUCTION Who is She?... 2 ONE Characters in the Book of Ruth..6 TWO Setting of the Book of Ruth. THREE Chapter 1: The Journey Home. FOUR Chapter 2: Ruth Meets Her Kinsman Redeemer... FIVE Chapter 3: Ruth Approaches Her Kinsman Redeemer..... SIX Chapter 4: Ruth Redeems Her Family Legacy

6 CHAPTER ONE Characters in the Book of Ruth An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever Deuteronomy 23:3 1 The Book of Ruth: The Hidden Jewel of Moab The Book of Ruth is an amazing book of the Bible displaying the faithfulness of GOD to a woman from an ungodly culture and people group. This book demonstrates the importance of having loving, committed relationships with more mature women of GOD. It demonstrates the beauty of human love and how GOD can speak freely through our relations with others when we act selflessly. This is not merely an act of the will on our part; instead, it is an act of a fiery, warm, compassion moved heart towards a specific person, group of people or issue of injustice. The greatest injustice is when we are separated from GOD and no longer have a relationship with Him. Jesus died to renew and restore this connectivity and love with our Father, GOD. We can now be restored to deep covenant and intimacy with Him as our Father, Savior, Redeemer, Warrior and Friend. I. Characters in the Book of Ruth Ruth was a Moabite woman. The Moabites were in such a negative category spiritually that GOD literally made laws forbidding them specifically to enter into His house, An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever: (Deut. 23:3, Also see Neh. 13:1). Why were the Moabites forbidden to enter into GOD s congregation? Who were the Moabites? A Moabite was a person from the land of Moab. The name, Moabite, literally means from father? what father? In other words, these people were like a fatherless people. But we know 1 NKJV 6

7 in the Bible that GOD takes the role of a father and a son very seriously, whereas it reminds Him of His relationship with His only son. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Malachi 4:5-6 Instead of our heart saying in defiance, What father? I don t need a father! I m good on my own! We should have a heart willing to turn to our fathers. This is God s Heart. He wants the father-son relationship to be restored to loving intimacy. But, a fatherless people is a hurt and rebellious people that does whatever is right in their own eyes and heart. The very origin of the Moabite people was conceived in sin- the sin of incest: "Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. As for the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi; he is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day." Genesis 19:36-38 The Moabite people came from the firstborn daughter of Lot, who committed incest with her father, became pregnant and named her son, Moab. Therefore, Moab is the father of the Moabites. The other daughter was also impregnated by her father and had a son named Ammon. Both the Moabites and the Ammonites became major idolatrous nations and enemies of the Jewish people. These daughters were indeed affected by their surrounding of sexual perversion in Sodom and Gomorrah. Solomon later worshipped the god Milcom of the Ammonites: "For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites." 1 Kings 11:5 "because they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and observing My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did." 1 Kings 11:33 GOD was serious about people not mixing worship with Him with the worship of other gods. He is jealous for His Bride (His people and congregation): Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; Exodus 20:5 The god of the Ammonites was a sexual goddess, Ashtoreth. Ashtoreth is also known as Ishtar. The goddess was very closely associated with sex, fertility and war. She literally sat on a throne 7

8 and people would worship her to gain success in these specific areas. 2 Her pole, the Ashtoreth pole, was literally in the shape of a male penis, used to evoke sexual worship. This was clearly deeply rooted in the heart and environment of the origin of Ammon, the sexually driven cities of Sodom and Gomorrah combined with the generational curse of incest (a high form of sexual immorality and perversion). This truly reveals the root of sexual sin- idolatry of other gods and self-worship. The Moabites were worshipping many other gods and committed the sin of witchcraft (divination): And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. Numbers 22:7 The king of Moab literally encouraged others to curse Jacob (the Jewish people): And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel. Numbers 23:7 Furthermore, the Moabite women tempted and caused the Israelite men to live in a lifestyle of sexual sin and idolatry: And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. Numbers 25:1 Perhaps this is why Naomi s sons suddenly passed away- due to the sin of marrying Moabite women. But it also demonstrates God s great grace and redemption even when we marry sin. These women were not sin, but the act of marrying heathen people groups was considered a sin. Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. Exodus 34:11-16 Naomi was the mother in law of Ruth and a Jewish widow. She lost her husband and all of her children to death. But she was left with her two daughter in laws, Ruth and Orpah. Unfortunately, Orpah went back to her Moabites lifestyle and family instead of clinging to her 2 8

9 mother in law, Naomi. Due to this, she lost her opportunity to walk into the family lineage of Ruth, as her sister Ruth. The remainder of the characters in the Book of Ruth will be detailed in further study of this book. 9

10 CHAPTER TWO Setting of the Book of Ruth An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever Deuteronomy 23:3 3 The Book of Ruth begins in the land of Moab. Naomi s husband, Elimelech, moves his family to Moab due to a famine in the land. The Scripture tells us that Naomi s husband was from the family line and tribe of Bethlehemjudah. Bethlehem was a city in Judah and would also be the future birthplace of King David and the LORD Jesus Christ. 4 Judah was the son of Jacob and Leah. The Tribe of Judah lived in this area entitled Judah. The tribe of Benjamin also lived in this same region. 5 Elimelech and Naomi s two sons were named Mahlon and Chilion. Mahlon s name meant Sick and Chilion s name meant Wasting Away. This was not a mistake, whereas Jews named their children based off of 1 Samuel 25:25, As his name is, so is he. Many times, they will also name their children based off of their family heritage, to prophecy their future identity and based off of what was going on during the child s birth. 6 The Hebrew word for name literally means reputation, fame, or glory. It has a permanent type of meaning; another definition of this word for name is memorial or monument. When you think of memorials or monuments, they solidify one s reputation and what you are remembered for throughout generations. It speaks of legacy. 3 NKJV _Name.shtml?p=1 10

11 This is also why Jabez s prayer was so significant when he asked GOD to change his given name from Sorrow and Pain to Blessed. Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor. His mother had named him Jabez (Oh, the pain!), saying, A painful birth! I bore him in great pain! Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection don t let evil hurt me. God gave him what he asked. 1 Chronicles 4:10 (The Message) Strikingly, Mahlon and Chilion seemed to live out their names, wasting away prematurely. The root word for die in the Hebrew is muwth, meaning to die as a penalty or to be put to death. It also means, to die prematurely due to neglect of wise moral conduct. This type of death was related to killing, judgment and idolatry when spoken of by the Jews. This was not a natural death. This same Hebrew word for die was used first when describing the death of their father, Elimelech. It is the same word used in Psalm 106:28 when referring to eating the sacrifices of the dead as a form of idolatry and in Psalm 34:22 when GOD promises not to allow any that trust in Him to be made desolate or condemned. It is clear that there was something in Moab that Elimelech and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, seemed to be involved in, causing their utter destruction and condemnation through death. This word is often used to describe death literally sent by the hand of GOD Himself as a judgment. 7 The two daughters whom Mahlon and Chilion married were named Orpah and Ruth. Orpah s name (memorial) means Gazelle and Ruth s name (memorial) means friendship. Gazelles are known for running at incredibly fast speeds, up to 60 mph. In the Arab world, gazelle are symbolic for a woman s beauty. And Orpah may have been a beauty to behold, but like the meaning of her name, Gazelle, Orpah had a flighty spirit during the time of challenge and long term faithfulness. Ruth on the other hand had a name bearing the meaning friendship. She was known for her tight, long-term friendship with her mother-in-law Naomi. In the time of adversity and challenge, Ruth proved to stick to the end, regardless of the loss or cost ahead

12 Life Reflections: The Book of Ruth: The Hidden Jewel of Moab 12

13 A. Have you ever considered the meaning of your name? Take time to discover your identity in a deeper way. Search the meaning of your name at and write the meaning here: B. Orpah s name meant, Gazelle, and she proved to have a flighty nature when it mattered most. Consider your own life. When things begin to get uncomfortable, challenging or hard do you tend to begin to operate in fight or flight response? Have you learned to be consistently dependable to others, even when a fearful future tries to scare you away from faithfulness? C. Have you found that the meaning of your name is something you don t want to claim or walk into as a legacy? Don t fear! GOD is faithful and He can change the enemy s plan for your life. Take time to pray and ask the LORD, like Jabez, to change the meaning of your name. Thank the LORD for His plan and purpose in your life. Have you found that the meaning of your name is agreeable? Thank the LORD for more of a revelation of His plan for your life and your purpose. (Jer. 29:11). Write your reflections here. 13

14 CHAPTER THREE The Journey Home An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever Deuteronomy 23:3 8 Read Ruth Chapter 1. The Journey Home to Bethlehem-Judah: Traveling to a Town Called Praise. After living in Moab for a strong 10 years, Naomi found herself in a state of shock and sorrow. Both her husband and two adult sons were now deceased, but she was left with two daughter-inlaws. This was her only family in a foreign land, called Moab. Surely, Naomi went to Moab, following her husband, Elimelech, in search of a better life. Their family had already faced the hardship of economic struggle, a weakened economy struck by 8 NKJV 14

15 famine and now the unimaginable had occurred. Her entire family was suddenly stripped from her, never to return again on this side of heaven. Imagine the pain Naomi had to be experiencing and her two daughter-in-laws. They had to be in a state of deep sorrow and mourning. Perhaps some of us can even identify with this type of heart-wrenching loss that tears at the heart when a very close loved one passes away. Many questions begin to fill our minds such as, Why did this happen? What did I do wrong? What could I have done to avoid this? If only I If we are not careful, that enemy of the Christian named Regret could quickly fill our hearts. Then we would be in a terrible state of void. For there is nothing we can do about the past except cast it upon the LORD, throwing it into the Sea of Forgetfulness. Now Naomi was at a crossroads. What would she do next? There was nothing left for her in Moab and she was in a state of great pain. Moab represented nothing by sorrow and pain for her. In the midst of this, she received the news that things had changed back at home. Finally, there was a way of escape from this dreadful place. The famine was over and it was time to go back home to Judah. This very act of returning home to Judah could be representative of turning back to GOD. This was an act of turning from Moab (the land of GOD s enemies) and back to Judah (the land of GOD s people). She was leaving the land of pain and returning to the land of praise! They began to travel together back to Judah. But it is at this point that Naomi says a few words that would challenge Orpah and Ruth forever. Their response to these words would cause an eternal vibratory effect in both of their lives, although neither would have been fully aware of the ramifications. As they were traveling, Naomi told both of them to return to their mother s house in Moab (Ruth 1:8). The only problem with either of them returning to their mother s house is that their mother s house was probably a house of idolatry. The Moabites were very idolatrous and worshipped many gods. But this would have been a very hard decision for the two girls. Here they were following a widow with nothing to offer them, traveling to a foreign nation. They did not grow up in Judah. Their culture was surely completely different. This would be an entirely new experience for the two girls. Even in my own personal life, I know how hard it is to leave your family behind for the sake of doing what you feel is right. This is not an easy journey. The ones you grew up with your entire life could now feel like you are rejecting and forsaking them. You are leaving them behind for someone you have not known nearly that amount of time. Naomi wished them the best. She wanted them to live their lives and start over again. She wanted them to marry again and enjoy their lives as young women. It was what made sense. It was logical. It was normal. In fact, it probably seemed completely irrational to follow Naomi back to a place they had no apparent connections to beyond this single widow. 15

16 But we need to pay close attention to the response of Orpah and Ruth. Both Orpah and Ruth are found in this pivotal scene of emotion. As Naomi kissed them goodbye, they both began to cry, the type of cry where they were wailing out loud in deep pain. They truly both had a great connection and emotional tie to Naomi. Then they both said, We will go back with you to your people. (Ruth 1:10, NIV) They were going to follow Naomi back home all the way to her family! But Naomi insisted that they go home reasoning with them, Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD s hand has turned against me! 9 Now the rubber was meeting the road. It was clear that both Ruth and Orpah had to make a major life decision, where would they choose to live at this point, after both becoming widows at such a tender age. They were still at the age of child bearing and could both remarry and have children again. The decision to follow Naomi could cost them their ability to ever have a family again! At this point there was a great split indeed and the famous word that echo throughout history, the actions of faithful love verse emotionalism were then declared. These actions, which seemed to be a private encounter, have not fallen to the ground and are known by all of humanity thousands of years later. These actions were surely recorded in heaven: At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. 10 While Orpah took the opportunity to do what appeared reasonable and normal, Ruth decided to cling to her mother-in-law, Naomi. She would not let go. This was an extremely selfless and loving act on Ruth s behalf. This was an act of great sacrifice. It was at this moment that Ruth clave to Naomi like glue. She made a decision to follow hard after Naomi with all of her heart. From this time forward, Ruth s soul (mind, will, emotions) was attached to Naomi. This was a form of Covenant Love. Orpah, on the other hand decided to go back home to her family and her family s gods. At first sight, it appears as if Orpah was simply going back home. But home was not just home. Orpah was actually going back to her family s gods. These gods are fallen angels or demons. Orpah was going back to worship demons. This was forbidden by GOD. GOD had provided a way out of this former lifestyle, just as He had with great patriarchs such as Abraham and Moses. They 9 Ruth 1:11-13 (NIV) 10 Ruth 1:14 16

17 were both raised in idolatrous environments, but the time came when GOD provided the opportunity for these two to follow Him instead. This was Orpah s way of escape, but instead Orpah decided to go back to this former lifestyle of idolatry. The cost had proven to be too great for Orpah. Even after Orpah went back, Naomi instisted that Ruth go with her but Ruth made a very clear decision and Covenant with her words saying: Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Ruth 1:16 Ruth decided to follow passionately after Naomi and Naomi s GOD, no matter the cost! Her heart was deeply changed and she was like a house built upon the rock. When the storm came she would not be moved, even when Naomi herself told her to go back home. Ruth was not just making a commitment to follow Naomi. If you read closely, Ruth made a decision to follow GOD instead of the gods she had seen worshipped by the Moabites (her very own people) her entire life. This was a complete and utter lifestyle change because the Moabites included idol worship in every aspect of their lives. This is not unlike the culture we live in today in America. Everything has become connected to idolatry in ways that we are very much unaware of on a day-to-day basis. We have television shows based on American idolatry, our music blatantly exalts other god worship, and the biggest god we worship is many times our selves. The god of empty fame. The god of attention. The god of sexual immorality. The god of entertainment. The god of do what thou wilt. It is a time where every man and woman does whatever seems good in his or her eyes instead of consulting GOD for His will prior to making decisions (Judges 21:25). Ruth was saying, Do not let this evil come upon me; me going back home is wrong. Do not pray that I will go back home to live with my people and their gods. Do not pray that I will leave you. I want to live with you and interceding for me to go back to these gods is wrong. I will not have it. Wherever you live I will live and wherever you die I will die. Whatever lifestyle you choose to live I will live. I am following you that seriously, Naomi. 11 Ruth and Orpah s words and cries were both emotional, but Ruth s decision was more than emotion. It went beyond an emotion tie to a deep Covenant commitment with Naomi and her GOD. Ruth was saying that beyond her feelings, even when things began to get hard and tribulation struck her, no matter the loss, she was staying through the good times and the bad with Naomi. Ruth was literally dying to herself. She was laying down her very life before Naomi in Covenant. 11 Also see Ruth 1:17. 17

18 Ruth was a strong, courageous, bold woman. She was solid. She was not being moved. She was brave, alert, aware of her surroundings and decisions. She was wise. She exhibited great strength and knew how to confirm herself. She knew how to stand alone on her own two feet. She had a strong mind that was lifted up, encouraged and positive as opposed to being cast down and discouraged. She knew what she wanted, what she was called to do and she was settled in peace with her decision. She was settled and single minded; she had hardened herself like a rock and would not be moved from her decision. Her mind was made up and fixed. These attributes and the seriousness Naomi saw in Ruth caused her to suddenly stop saying anything else about the matter to Ruth. She left it alone and left Ruth in GOD s hands from that time forward. The two of them then traveled together to Bethlehem (the birthplace of King David and Jesus). When they arrived there they the entire town was shocked to see Naomi; they were all talking about her arrival back home after all those years! But Naomi responded to them not to even call her Naomi (My Delight) because she did not feel delightful or that she was delightful to see; instead she said to call her Mara (Bitter) because she felt she was being judged by the LORD. What Naomi could not see in this great despair and darkness surrounding her was the Divine Setup she was walking into All the signs of Victory and Blessing were surrounding her. Her very identity spoke that she was Blessed, she was Delightful to see. She was going back home to Bethlehem, the very place King David and Jesus would be born! She was loved and everyone was happy to see Naomi, their Delight. Not only that, but Naomi was coming back home in a very important and prophetic time- during the time of Barley Harvest. She was literally walking into the time of great blessing and harvest for the Jewish people. This was a time of celebration. She had left Judah during a time of great famine but now she was returning to a time of great harvest, lots of food and opportunity. She was at the beginning of a great harvest, yet she could not see it due to her great bitterness and pain. All she could see was her loss and self-pity. 18

19 Life Reflections: The Book of Ruth: The Hidden Jewel of Moab A. Both Ruth and Orpah were provided an opportunity to live faithfully with Naomi and to follow Naomi s GOD, but only Ruth was willing to live day-to-day with Naomi once the rubber met the road. Have you ever been in a situation where GOD placed a great, life changing decision before you? Did you look more like Ruth or Orpah in that decision? What is GOD requiring of you right now and how does your response compare to the normality of Orpah s decision vs. the sacrificial nature of Ruth s decision? B. We all have choices to follow GOD in a way that requires something of us of great price. But many times we do not choose GOD s best for our lives. Instead we choose the easy road. Pray with me that GOD will help you to choose the road lest taken, giving you a heart like Ruth- steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, no matter the cost (1 Cor. 15:58). Then write down your Ruth Commitment to the LORD in at least one specific area of your life. 19

20 CHAPTER FOUR Ruth Meets her Kinsman Redeemer An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever Deuteronomy 23:3 12 Read Chapter 2. Have you ever had a miracle happen on the first day of your job? Well, this is exactly what happened to Ruth. What some would call coincidence, I would call a God-Incident. Here, Ruth finds herself in the field of Boaz, her Kinsman Redeemer. Figuratively speaking, there was a one-in-a-million type of chance that Ruth would have began to work at his field. She applied for a job, just like you and I do in current times when we need work. After moving to a completely new area, it is very hard at times to make the transition. But moving to another nation is even harder and more complex. Ruth was now in a position of new beginnings. The curtain was closing and the scene was now shifting in the landscape of her life. She would have to find a way to try to make ends meet for not only herself, but her widowed mother-in-law. She had just left everything and now the ball was in her court. So, the first day Ruth went out job hunting, not only did she find a job, but a miracle occurred. You ve heard the saying, It s a small world. This story may appear unbelievable but think about your own life. How many times have you been somewhere and happened across someone you have met before much to your surprise? How many times have you been in a completely different environment, with people you ve never met before, began to talk to someone for the first time, only to find that they are related to you or know someone that is close to you. There is suddenly something you found you have in common with that person and now your heart is beating with a story to tell your loved ones when you go home. 12 NKJV 20

21 This has probably occurred in all of our lives at least once, and if not, just keep on living! Life is full of surprises. For Ruth, her knowledge base of the job market, the economy and all the people living in Bethlehem was surely more limited than the Bethlehem native. This was new territory. But Ruth stepped out by faith once again, all out of a heart of love for her mother-in-law. Then a miracle happened. Ruth asked her mother if she could go out to the field and try to find work gleaning (picking and gathering) corn. She was just going to go out and see if she could find any favor with anyone (Ruth 2:2). From this simple gesture, we can learn a lot about Ruth s character. Ruth was a woman of great character. She was not lazy and she took initiative. She was thoughtful and hard working. She was determined to find a way to make ends meet for her family and she was bold. She was not afraid to go out to the fields to work, even though this was a dangerous task for a young, beautiful woman. 13 Ruth wanted to glean, which was a part of the farming world of Ancient Israel. The financially needy were allowed to pick up the left-overs that the reapers or harvesters missed while they were farming. In today s world, there are machines that do this work, but during Ruth s lifetime this was manually done by cutting the grain and carrying it away. This was based off of a GOD-given type of welfare system to ensure that the poor were always fed and never neglected. Farmers were commanded not to reap their entire fields; they were to purposely leave corners of their fields for the poor to glean. And if farmers missed some of their harvest while gleaning, they were commanded not to go back and get it; they were to leave it for the poor to glean (Lev. 19:9) GOD went so far as to say to do this because He is the LORD their GOD. He attached His name to this command like a signature of validation. And He added a promise of blessing with this act of obedience. Ruth would have been gleaning during the spring, around the month of April. This was also the time of the Feast of Passover, a Jewish Holiday that celebrated the Death Angel s Passing Over of the Jewish homes alone during the Plagues of Egypt. This was considered and still is considered today a very holy holiday for the Jewish people. Every year during the Passover, the Barley Harvest would be reaped. 16 It was not a coincidence that Ruth arrived during this particular time of the year. This was another part of GOD s unforeseen plan in Naomi and Ruth s lives. 13 See Ruth 2:9 14 Also see more on Gleaning Law- Leviticus 23:22, Deut. 24:19 15 Tyndale Bible Dictionary, pg Remember Ruth 1:22 21

22 The Passover Celebration and Season was just beginning when Naomi and Ruth arrived to Bethlehem. The prophetic relevance of this timing is very important. GOD was clearly making it clear that He would provide a lamb for Naomi and Ruth. But it was greater than that! He was going to provide a way out of no way for the entire world through the lives of Naomi and Ruth. The first time we see the Passover is when the Jews were delivered from Egypt and the blood GOD told them to place on their doorpost was a sign for the Death Angel to bypass their homes. Later in history, we would find that this blood literally represented and was a foreshadowing of the Protective Blood of Jesus that would wash away the sins of the entire world. GOD was speaking, If you are obedient and faithful, If you keep Covenant with ME, I will protect you and never leave you. I will provide a way out of no way! This surely applied to Naomi and Ruth s lives, and if they were more aware of the Timing of GOD, they would have seen His Divine Providence in their lives! Nevertheless, Ruth went out that day to find work gleaning in the field of whomever would welcome her gladly and she found a field with open arms. This was the field of Boaz. Boaz was a very rich man and Boaz was a relative of Naomi s deceased husband, Elimelech. What are the chances that Ruth would walk right up to his field to glean? But the story gets even better than that! Not only did Ruth find the right field, she found tremendous favor in Boaz s eyes. Boaz chose to accept Ruth freely. And Ruth s reputation came in handy right on time. Remember, when Ruth and Naomi came back to Bethlehem? The entire town was in a state of shock and wonder at Naomi s return. Everyone knew about Ruth s great act of kindness and love. Everyone knew of Naomi s demise and their great family loss. Now was GOD s time to show up and show out! Now was GOD s time to prove the greatness of His immeasurable love to Ruth. In a moment, GOD made the slaves of Egypt the richest in the land. He passed the inheritance of the Egyptians and all their riches on to His people instead during this same exact time of the year 306 years ago! What would He do on Ruth s behalf? That same day Boaz came from Bethlehem back to his field and he casually began to have a conversation with his main leader over all of the reapers. As they were conversing a particular young lady struck his attention. Something about her caught his eye to the point where he asked his workers, Who is that young lady? They then told him that she was the Moabite girl that came back with Naomi from Moab. But Boaz s servant leader said more than that; even he took note of how hard and long Ruth was working. She was working from sun up to sun down and only took short one break. 17 Ruth was determined to help her mother through hard work and sacrifice. 17 Ruth 2:7 22

23 Apparently this caught Boaz s attention because he then went to have a talk with Ruth. He went out of his way to give specific instructions to all the men not to lay a hand on Ruth. He was ensuring that she was protected from any young men that would even think about touching her the wrong way because she was poor or from another nation. Then he went on to tell Ruth not to go to anyone else s field to work. She had a safe job right there in his field because he already told his men to leave her be. Now Ruth was in shock. The questions began to bubble up in her mind and flow out of her mouth. She was only a poor young widow with nothing but a mind to work and a heart to love. Why would such a rich, well off man want to help her so much? What did she do to deserve this type of treatment? When she asked Boaz this question he revealed that it was Ruth s love and commitment for Naomi that had touched his heart. He knew all about her story and he was impressed by her sacrifice. He wanted GOD to bless her because she had done what some deemed the unimaginable. She had left everything for a life of nothing- of literal poverty. She was completely in the hands of a GOD she was not familiar with and for this Boaz would protect Ruth. It was Boaz s prayer that GOD would give Ruth back everything she had lost in this journey to follow Naomi and her GOD. 18 Ruth s Response? She said, Oh sir, such grace, such kindness I don t deserve it. You ve touched my heart, treated me like one of your own. And I don t even belong here! (Ruth 2:13, MSG) Boaz backed up his well wishes and prayers for Ruth with a cafeteria meal plan. She was elevated and invited to eat with the reapers she would glean behind; she would sit next to them and eat when they ate. 19 Ruth ate so much and was given so much that she had left overs! After being invited by Boaz, the head man in charge, to eat lunch with the reapers, Ruth got up to go back to work. Then Boaz told his servants to let Ruth glean where there is a lot of grain on purpose and not to bother her; he told them to place the good grain out where Ruth was gleaning. Boaz told them to make it easy on her and to give her special treatment. 20 My Goodness! Good things do happen to God-fearing people! Needless to say, Ruth went home with almost an entire bag full of barley and her left over lunch for Naomi to eat. How sweet! Naomi was very surprised when her daughter-in-law came home with such a blessing. She naturally asked who s field was Ruth in; she wanted to know who took such care of Ruth. 18 Ruth 2:12 19 Ruth 2:14 20 Ruth 2:16 23

24 But her jaw probably dropped to the floor when Ruth told her the words, His name is Boaz. What?! Boaz was one of Noami s relatives, a kinsman redeemer! What are the chances? Naomi s eyes lit with hope for the first time since her husband and son s deaths. Maybe GOD wasn t done blessing them; maybe there was some condolence, some form of light at the end of the tunnel. And this was the type of blessing that added no sorrow! Ruth didn t have to worry about being raped by some stranger in someone else s field. God brought her right to the place of safety, favor and protection. GOD s eyes were on Ruth for the good she had shown to her mother-in-law when there was no one else to help her! GOD s heart was moved and turned; His love was being exhibited through circumstances and Divine Sovereignty. He was ordering Ruth s steps and the heart of those in leadership positions of her life. Ruth stayed in Boaz field, close to the reapers all the way through Passover (barley harvest) and Pentecost (wheat harvest). 21 KINSMAN REDEEMER A Kinsman Redeemer is a close relative that has the responsibility by law of buying back the land of a relative that was in debt. The kinsman redeemer could be anyone who is a relative, starting with the closest relative. If the closest relative is unwilling then this responsibility would be passed on to the next closest relative. Boaz was one of Naomi s kinsmen-redeemers. This was yet another way for GOD to protect and help the poor in the time of need. See Lev. 25:25-28, for GOD s Original Instruction

25 Life Reflections: A. What is a Kinsmen-Redeemer? Write out Leviticus 25:25-28 and What does this reveal about GOD as our Provider and Redeemer? B. Name 5 actions of Boaz revealing the Sovereignty (Control), Protective Love and/or Favor of GOD in Ruth s life (See Chapter 2 of the Book of Ruth). C. How can you relate to this chapter of the Book of Ruth? What can you learn from Ruth s actions, proactive nature, responses and behaviors? How can you be more of a woman of Faith, like Ruth was, even in the midst of seemingly difficult or impossibly trying situations? 25

26 CHAPTER FIVE Ruth Approaches her Kinsman Redeemer An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever Read Chapter 3. Deuteronomy 23:3 22 Ruth had already seen so much confirmation and favor out of her decision to follow Naomi to Bethlehem Judah. But now she was about to be in over her head with immense blessing. She was about to be blessed so much she could not even handle it on her own! The time had come when the LORD placed it on her mother-in-law s heart to advice Ruth to go to Boaz and strike the deal. She told her to get dressed in her best and to approach Boaz at a party one night. However, to completely understand Naomi s instructions to her daughter-in-law, you must understand the Jewish customs and culture. You would also have to understand ancient Jewish agricultural practices. Naomi told Ruth to go to Boaz s barley harvest celebration, at the threshing floor. But in most of our modernized lives, we do not have a contextual understanding (or even a basic understanding) of the definition of a threshing floor. A basic agricultural lesson is listed here to help catch us all up to speed! Step #1 Harvesting- Harvesting is when farmers use their hands or a sickle (a curved, sharp cutting instrument) to gather the grain in their fields. They do this only once the grain is fully ripe and ready to be pulled up for the harvesting process. The first harvest in Ruth s time period was the harvest of barley (seen in Ruth 2-3). 22 NKJV 26

27 Step #2 Threshing- Threshing is when farmers separate the edible part of the crop (the grain, etc.) from the part that is not edible (the husk and the straw). The non-edible part of the crop is entitled chaff and it surrounds the edible part. An instrument called a flail is used to separate the grain from the chaff. The grain is literally beat with this flail. Or, farmers may use a group of animals such as oxen or donkeys walking in circles on the threshing floor. The threshing floor can be inside or outside. Step #3 Winnowing- Winnowing is literally throwing the mixture of grain and chaff in the air so that the wind can carry away the lighter chaff and the weight of the grain remains in the bottom. This is done in a basket called a winnowing fan. Harvesting Gathering the rippened crop by hand or by sickle. Threshing Separating the grain from the husk and the straw. Winnowing Throwing the chaff and the grain in the air for separation. It was time for LOVE and it was time for NEW LIFE (Eccl. 3:8). Whatever was weighty would remain and whatever was without weight would simply blow away in the wind! This was harvest time. The harvest of the barley. And this was the time GOD chose for Ruth to go into Boaz s threshing floor to reveal herself as his wife. Boaz had the responsibility of taking her as wife if the nearest kinsman was not willing to take the responsibility. Literally, as I am writing this in the prayer room the singers are prophesying, It s time for LOVE, It s time for NEW LIFE. How beautiful. These words still reign true today. They re singing, Everything is changing; I promise. Love is going to win. In the time of crushing, loss and devastation in Ruth and Naomi s life, through the pressure that could have brought depression and overwhelming defeat; GOD was in the room crushing whatever was not of HIM, yet bringing forth NEW LIFE in the midst of death. 27

28 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. John 12:24 The Biblical paradox of death bringing forth new life was occurring in the life of Ruth and Naomi. And, once again, GOD was in control of the entire process. Surely, that wheat didn t want to be picked thinking it was hand selected only to find itself being threshed, pulled apart, separated from its natural habitat and comfort zone, then thrown into the air. Suddenly the wheat s entire life was being shaken violently around! But GOD had not forgotten the purpose of the grain. The purpose was the get the best out of the crop. The purpose was to leave on the best to be presented before the buyer. The purpose was to remove the grain from anything that was not edible of fruitful. The message is very loud and clear. GOD was speaking to Ruth and Naomi circumstantially. He was telling them that He was the thresher of their lives and they had been through a process of His very own threshing floor, not because they had done anything wrong, but because they were chosen! He was going to use them greatly to bring forth more fruit than they could ever imagine. And now here was Boaz right in front of Ruth as a visual demonstration of the recent events in her life! Here was Boaz demonstrating how the same Man who was bringing Ruth and Naomi through the threshing process would then bring forth much fruit in their lives Would he even be her Bridegroom Lover? What was happening as Ruth went to Boaz after he was good and full from eating and drinking (not necessarily wine, just having a good meal)? Why did Naomi tell Ruth to go lie at Boaz s feet? And how would Boaz know this meant Ruth was available for marriage? (Ruth 3:7) What was happening here was a Jewish custom that most would not be familiar with in modern times called the custom of Levirate Marriage. This was not man made. This custom was actually made by GOD Himself. The Levirate Marriage ensures that a family name can continue and that the inheritance of a family is passed on within the THE LEVIRITE LAW DEUT 25:5-10 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. And his name shall be called in Israel, 28 The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.

29 same family. It is a provision for the widow of a deceased man to be taken care of; GOD is so loving and involved in our daily lives that He actually put measures in place to take care of all these possible scenarios. GOD was now using His very law to help Ruth. This was not a law of rules just to have rules, it was a law of GOD s Great LOVE. This can always be seen in GOD s law when His law is accurately understood. Between the pages of the law, you can see His Big Heart of LOVE and Protection for His people! This law was so beautiful, deep and caring. It was so respectful of the deceased husband of the widow that if the widow had no children, the firstborn of the new marriage was regarded as a child of the deceased. 23 This was not only another Marriage Covenant. This was a time of deep emotional healing and Restorative Power in the life of the widow. She could literally dedicate this firstborn child to her deceased husband, in his remembrance. This was not a loss, it was an addition and a replacement a sort of continuation of her life, of family, of true joy! For GOD understand her pain and the need for deep healing and nourishment. She needed to be made complete now that she was without her lover. The firstborn would even take on the name of the widow s deceased husband and he would gain the land of his forefathers. Boaz was not the nearest family member, but Ruth went to him by faith, out of obedience to her mother in law. She would lay at his feet and uncovered them as she lay there. Why? Because it was common for a farmer like Boaz to lay on the threshing floor fully dressed. Uncovering his feet was a sign of revealing something to Boaz that he had not see before, like the uncovering of a veil from someone s eyes. She was revealing her heart to Boaz when she did this action. And, she was communicating that she was willing to submit to him as his wife. This is what it meant for a woman to sleep at the feet of a man (under his authority). This was a beautiful display of pure love and submission. It was not a sexual act of immorality. When Ruth did this it startled Boaz and he woke up saying, And who are you? His feet were probably suddenly cold and then he realized there was a woman laying at his feet. This was at night too. Ruth had put herself in an extremely vulnerable and open situation. She was in a place of great potential rejection, hurt and pain- but, she was obedient to her mother-in-law Naomi s instruction out of faith. She then revealed that she was Ruth, his handmaid and asked him a very bold question. She asked him to spread his garment over her. These were marital words that can be seen in GOD s use of this language (comparing Himself to a bird spreading His wing over his bride- spotless and without blemish). 23 Tyndale Bible Dictionary, pg

30 Ruth was representative of this perfectly, spotless bride ready and expectantly laying at the feet of her Kinsman Redeemer. The venerable Jewish Rabbi and scholar Rashi said this about Ruth s words to Boaz: Also, when she said, Spread your kanaph over your maidservant, this was an allusion to what Hashem (GOD) said to the Jewish people at the time of the giving of the torah: I have borne you on the kanaphei (wings) of eagles and brought you to me. Just as Hashem showed His love for the Jewish people in this way, Ruth asked Boaz to show her the love of marriage. 24 GOD covering His people when He gave them the Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy) was an act of marital loving commitment. It was an act of deep intimacy and passion. It was an act of pure love, seen also in the following passages. All of these passages reveal GOD s heart for His Bride: Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. (Ezekiel 16:8) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler [a] And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. Ruth was giving an image symbolic of GOD s great protection and love for His people. She was declaring, I will reveal your love for me Boaz through my obedience and commitment to you, my submission to you, as your bride. And this is the heart that GOD s people have for Him in the End Times as He returns for His Beautiful Bride! She is Bold and Stricken with LOVE; She is Beautiful and Humble: Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel 24 From and-4 30

31 said to me, Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true words of God. Revelation 19:7-9 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25-27 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2 Boaz did not take her as wife right away but he did make a verbal commitment to take her as wife if her nearest kinsman redeemer refused to take up the responsibility. Then he left her with a gift of barley in an intimate act of love. He told her to take off the shawl she was wearing and opening it up so he could put the barley in it for her mother-in-law. It was clear that Boaz s heart was in the right place for he did not take advantage of this opportunity to sin, he preferred her nearest kinsman redeemer respectfully, he made a commitment to ensure her heart that he was ready to take the responsibility and he left a gift for her mother-in-law (who he obviously cared for dearly). Just as Noami had said, Boaz knew exactly what to do and he told Ruth what to do with patience and respect. This is a clear sign that he was in the right positioning to marry Ruth. He even thanked for her not going after a man that was younger, poor or rich. He respected Ruth s value system more than anything else. This is a clear sign of a man worth marrying, when it s in GOD s will. When Ruth returned home, Naomi told her to sit back and relax because Boaz was going to take care of everything before the day closed. She said, That man is not going to be able to rest until this is taken care of so you might as well relax until we hear the news! And this concludes the Book of Ruth, Chapter 3. What will happen next? 31

32 Life Reflections: A. What can you learn from Ruth s attitude of obedience, submission and vulnerability/trust in Chapter 3? Who is your Naomi and how can being careful to listen to her instruction help you, especially when it comes to important matters of life? B. What can you learn about the character your Boaz should have when you meet him from the example of Boaz in Ruth Chapter 3? What does Boaz s character and the scene of Ruth at his feet in the threshing room reveal to you about your Greatest Boaz, Jesus Christ? 32

33 C. Summarize the lessons you have learn from this chapter of the Book of Ruth and how you can practically apply it to your life. Write at least one practical goal or challenge that you can measure out within the next week (i.e. I will pray every day this week that GOD will give me a pure, obedient heart like Ruth.) D. Read Ruth 3:5 again- Notice the similarity between both Ruth and Esther, Ruth said she will do whatever Naomi tells her to do (obedience) by faith. She didn t even have to understand why. And, Esther decided to do whatever Mordecai told her to do (obedience) by faith. She didn t have to understand either but her heart was still submitted to Mordecai as it was when she was a child (Esther 2:20). Esther obeyed to the point of placing her very life on the line (Esther 4:16). Both were obedient to go before their Redeemer, representative of the Messiah, Our LORD & Savior, Jesus Christ. Pray that GOD will give you this Redemptive Characteristic that Both of these Great Women of GOD displayed. 33

34 CHAPTER SIX Ruth Redeems her Family Legacy An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever Deuteronomy 23:3 25 Read Chapter 4. Apparently Naomi was a woman of greatness! She was able to lead and guide Ruth with wisdom into her destiny. Although she was bitter and discouraged at a time of great mourning and loss, she was able to share with Ruth the exact words of wisdom needed to step into GOD s Perfect Plan for her life. Chapter 4 opens with a busy Boaz, a man on a mission. Imagine being Boaz, the night before you were visited by a beautiful young woman providing you the opportunity to marry her if so desired! She stayed all night, awakening you out of your sleep in a pure, holy way. Revealing a deeper side of herself to you! And now your heart has been awakened. You want to know, What s Next?! There s only one piece of information between you and the woman of your dreams. Well, what are you going to do? You re going to go find that information right away to kill the suspense and hopefully move forward with your heart s desire. Boaz went and found this one man that had the right to marry Ruth before he did! He was sitting where the elders of the town were sitting. This is also mentioned of the Proverbs 31 Woman of Virtue: 25 NKJV 34

35 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. Proverbs 31:23 But what was the importance of being an elder in Jewish culture? What did this really mean to the Jewish people group? Once again, as in the entire lifestyle and government of Jewish people, this concept of the elders came from GOD Himself. It was instituted in the Book of Deuteronomy. The term elder was not used as in current times. In Ancient Israel, this word meant a man who was well respected or had a high position of authority in the city. There were literal elders of the city, acting in a position to handle the affairs of the city and even some legal-type issues between the common people. These elders were responsible for enforcing the Law of GOD, which was not a separation of Religion and Government. GOD s Law was the Government of the Jewish people and their city! They were put in place out of GOD s heart to protect His people. These Elders were not professional judges; GOD also had judges in place to handle major issues that could not be handled by the elders of the city (Deut. 19:17-18, 25:1-3). These judges were also officers in the Jewish military (like Deborah the Judge). GOD had placed all of these levels of authority into position Himself. He was interested in ensuring that His people operated in order and safety. This provides us with a deeper level of understanding and appreciation for GOD s instructions for us to obey the governing authorities for they are His Ministers: Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1, NIV GOD literally established these authority figures in the Book of Deuteronomy! 35

36 ELDERS in JEWISH SOCIETY These elders represented their fellow citizens in local matters. Their functions are best exemplified by the pertinent laws of Deuteronomy. The city elders are involved in five laws: (1) blood redemption (19:12); (2) expiation of murder by an unknown culprit (21:3, 6); (3) the rebellious son (21:19); (4) defamation of a virgin (22:15); and (5) levirate (25:9). All these cases deal with protection of the family and local patriarchal interests. In the first, the elders tend to the appeasement of the murdered person's family by delivering the slayer into its hands; in the second, they see to it that their town atones for a homicide committed within its borders. In the next two instances, the elders protect the family against a rebellious son and defend the family against defamation. In the last instance, the elders are concerned with preventing the extinction of a family in their town. No professional judgment is necessary in such cases: the elders preside over a case, whose consequences are clear beforehand. The same applies to Ruth 4:2ff., where the elders only confirm the act of levirate. In contrast, "the judges" in the laws of Deuteronomy have functions that are altogether different from those of the elders. The judges act in connection with disputes (19:17 18; 25:1 3) and controversies in the local courts (17:8ff.) that cannot be solved by the local patriarchal representatives, but need a higher and more objective judicial authority. From, American society and government mirrors this Biblical government. There were cities, towns and even states in Ancient Israel. And there were different level of government for each level of society. Jethro even told Moses to get 70 Elders to help him govern all of GOD s people upon their Exodus from Egypt. These men were expected to be GOD-Fearing men with great character, wisdom and the Spirit of GOD on their lives! They would meet at the gate of the city in a square that was adjacent to the gate. This square was also known as the Threshing Floor because it was shaped like a threshing floor (circular). This is of course interesting considering the symbolic thread of the threshing floor throughout the Book of Ruth: the place where she visited Boaz revealing her openness to marriage, the spiritual threshing of Ruth and Naomi and now the place where Boaz speaks on Ruth s behalf desiring her hand in marriage. Boaz is now consulting men of high positioning in the city of Bethlehem Judah. He is going to the furthest extent to help Ruth and to take her as his wife, if at all possible. 36

37 Naomi was in a position where she was having to sell her land and Boaz sat down the Kinsman Redeemer with 10 other elders to see if he would be willing to buy the land. Upon explaining Naomi s situation to the Kinsman Redeemer the relative said he would buy it. But then Boaz told him another stipulation, You realize, don t you, that when you buy the field from Naomi, you also get Ruth the Moabite, the widow of our dead relative, along with the redeemer responsibility to have children with her to carry on the family inheritance. (Ruth 4:5, MSG) But the man refused to do that once he heard about the inclusion of Ruth in the package and his responsibility to carry on the inheritance. This was too much of a sacrifice for him because he would lose his own inheritance. What he did not realize was that he would gain a greater inheritance. We must lose our own life in order to gain it! If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. Luke 17:33, NLT Boaz then gladly took the opportunity to buy the land, making a deal by pulling off his shoe (another Jewish custom). He did this in front of the elders and others in the public town square where he was making this contractual type of agreement. And what was Boaz s statement of agreement? You are witnesses today that I have brought from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech and Kilion and Mahlon, including responsibility for Ruth the foreigner, the widow of Mahlon I ll take her as my wife and keep the name of the deceased alive along with his inheritance. The memory and reputation of the deceased is not going to disappear out of this family or from his hometown. To all this you are witnesses this very day. (Ruth 4:9-10, Bold Emphasis Added) This was a public display of bold love and commitment for Ruth and Naomi! He was not ashamed at all that Ruth was a foreigner. He was proud of Ruth s display of faithful love towards Naomi and his people group. Now GOD was sealing the deal and blessing Ruth beyond her wildest dreams! She was now going to be the beautiful bride of a rich, well-respected man named Boaz. She came to this nation she did not know as an employed single widow. Now she was going to be a rich wife to one of the most respected men in Bethlehem Judah! This was every woman s dream! And not only that but GOD was restoring the entire family inheritance, every piece of property they owned and adding onto their family line! 37

38 This sort of adoption was such a beautiful love story. Naomi was not going to be alone or childless anymore and neither was Ruth. All the witnesses that day began to were in agreement with Boaz and so happy for Ruth. They declared, Yes, we are witnesses. May GOD make this woman who is coming into your household like Rachel and Leah, the two women who built the family of Israel. May GOD make you a pillar in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem! With the children GOD gives you from this young woman, may your family rival the family of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah. (Ruth 4:11-12) There is great significance to the blessings of Ruth Chapter 4:11. The blessing wished upon Ruth, Boaz s soon to be wife, is that she would be a woman like Rachel and Leah (foremothers of the Jewish people). Both Rachel and Leah were said to have built the house of Israel. How do you build a nation? By having children! This is why Rachel and Leah were attributed to have built the house (or nation) of Israel. This is the wisdom of GOD. The Jewish word for built here literally means for a woman to have children. This is the same exact word as used in Psalm 127: Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. 3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. This passage of Scripture is referring to a family being built by the LORD. This house is established by the LORD as a city is established by the LORD. After speaking of an entire city, it narrows down to the foundation of a city, the family unit. Here we see the Divine Wisdom and Pattern of GOD to build a long-lasting nation and legacy. It is built #1 By the LORD, #2 Upon the Family Unit, #3 With Understanding of the Purpose of Family. The Purpose of Family is therefore to strengthen an entire nation or group of people. The word nation can be used to describe a regional area occupied by a specific people group(s) or an actual people group itself (one s ethnic group). This hidden jewel (or lesson) in the Book of Ruth is extremely valuable for our current times. This is a time period in which the value of family and child bearing has been strongly dissuaded and brought to a level of humility. For example, if a woman willingly decides to have a large family of more than 4 or 5 children she is immediately considered under bondage, someone to be pitied, a shame or disgrace to society or some type of abnormal brainwashed woman. But is this in accordance with GOD s Original Plan or Heart for His People? Is there a deeper message we can glean from, just as Ruth gleaned in the fields of Boaz? Will we find our husband as we pick up pieces of the Bible that have been forsaken or thrown to the 38

39 wayside by our contemporaries? Have we failed to understand or take seriously the truth of GOD s Word simply due to the unpopularity of certain Biblical values? Could a restoration of the importance of the Family Unit be the answers to our prayers for revival, change in our communities and our nation? If there were more Christian women willing to raise their families as a privilege and honor of GOD would we see our nation catapulted into revival and reformation? If women saw having children as Ruth 4:11 declares it, as if they were nation builders would their perspective change the way they raised children and how many children they were willing to have? Could having children be a solution to America s current morality crisis? If we were to raise up our children in an understanding for GOD s Word and Biblical Truths there would be a new type of generation, willing to stand for Truth in the Midst of Great Darkness and Tragedy. This could indeed change the tide of America. But how can we see the long term effects in the inheritance of Elimelech, Ruth s deceased father-in-law, being continued? Was Ruth s life only about her and Naomi? Absolutely not! Ruth was a major key in continuing the legacy of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She carried on the line of Judah. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. Hebrews 7:13-14 The Bible prophesied that the Messiah (Jesus) would come out of the tribe of Judah: The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between His feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: Genesis 49: This is called a Messianic Prophecy. THE FAMILY LINE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST This is a record of the family line of Jesus Christ. He is the son of David. He is also the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah. Tamar was their mother. Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz. Rahab was Boaz s mother. Boaz was the father of Obed. Ruth was Obed s mother. Obed was the father of Jesse. And Jesse was the father of King David. So there were 14 generations from Abraham to David. There were 14 from David until the Jewish people were forced to go away to Babylon. And there were 14 from that time to the Christ. Matthew 1:1-6, 17 39

40 Jesus was literally born into the family line of Judah and of Ruth s great grandson, David! Because of Ruth s decision to love Naomi with faithful, gentle lovingkindness and to more importantly, love Naomi s GOD, she received the greatest blessing she could have ever received! She became a foremother of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. She also bore the heavy responsibility and weight of continuing the legacy of an entire nation! This reveals the deep necessity of the laws GOD Himself had put into place about inheritance (Num 27:8-11) and Levirite Marriage (Deut 25:5-6). Because these laws were put in place, the law literally made room for the Son of GOD to grace the earth. He came down GOD from Heaven as Man, GOD INCARNATE, as a baby in the literal family line of Ruth. He was born into the royal family line of David. And Ruth was already royalty in GOD s Heart. She was The Hidden Jewel of Moab! Figure 1The Family Tree of Ruth 40