February 2015 Ruth Discussion Guide

February 2015 Ruth Discussion Guide February Dates to Note: MEETING WILL BE HELD: Date: Time: Place: Person to Contact with Questions: PASTOR S INTRODUCTION TO Ruth Monday, February 2, 7:00 p.m., Room 482-86, Mpls Campus BEFORE YOUR SMALL GROUP MEETING 1. Read Ruth We suggest you read through Ruth: Theme and Purpose on page 4 and Who or What Is...? on page 5 before you begin your reading. Use the To Guide Your Reading section on pages 6-8 to help you think through what you read, paying particular attention to the questions in boldface. 2. If possible, attend, listen to, or watch the DVD of the Pastor s Introduction to Ruth. 3. Read and recite this month s memory verse often! It is: Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Ruth 1:16 Our goal and prayer is that you will walk away from each study having had at least one important insight that informs your faith and your knowledge of God s Word. In other words, we hope you will discover a message just for you! 1

AT YOUR SMALL GROUP MEETING Welcome Welcome to the February meeting of your Living the Message Bible discovery group. In order to keep to your agreed-upon time frame, place a clock where it is clearly visible or ask someone to be timekeeper and let the group know when 15 minutes remain for discussion and closing. Opening Prayer Pause to quiet your hearts and minds with a few moments of silent prayer. Then have someone open with his or her own prayer or pray the following together: God of Mercy, You call us to be your hands in the world, bringing light and love into the lives of others and especially those struggling with darkness and feeling lost. As we learn and share together, grant insight into how we, like Ruth, can be models of loyalty and faithfulness who bring your blessing to all we meet. Amen. This Month s Memory Verse Recite this month s memory verse (including the book, chapter, and verse) together as a group. Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Ruth 1:16 Getting Under Way Share a story from your own life about one of the following: A time when you were the stranger in a new place and someone helped you to fit in and belong. A time when someone s loyalty had an important impact on your life. Setting the Scene Before beginning discussion, invite your small group facilitator and anyone else who attended, listened to, or saw the DVD of the Pastor s introduction to Ruth to share what they learned. Discuss Together Go to To Guide Your Reading on pages 6 8. Discuss together the questions in boldface and/or others of the questions that particularly struck members of your group. Remember, a good discussion on fewer questions is better than rushing through all the questions. If you wish, ask if any of the questions (boldface or not) were of particular interest to someone and begin there. Following your discussion, go to For Next Month on the next page for reminders about your next meeting and closing prayer. 2

FOR NEXT MONTH Our next meeting will be in March: Date: Time: Place: Person to Contact with Questions: March s Reading Assignment: Colossians March s Memory Verse: As God s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe your selves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12 Save the date! Next Pastor s Introduction: Monday, March 2, 7:00 p.m., Room 482-486, Mpls. Campus CLOSING PRAYER Gather requests for prayers, encouraging both things for which God s help and guidance is needed and things for which people are grateful. If someone is comfortable doing so, ask that person to pray aloud a prayer bringing these concerns to God, or take time for silent prayer during which these concerns can be brought to God. End with a prayer of your own, by reciting the LORD s Prayer, or by praying the following together: Dear Lord, Sometimes in the midst of our distress we wonder why we have to bear such pain and anguish. Help us at these times to recall that you, too, endured pain and anguish. Help us to trust that you do understand and will help us to bear our burdens. Remind us that just as you did for the grieving Naomi and Ruth, you will bring provision and hope to us. And fill our hearts with peace found in the promise that no matter what we bear here on earth, we will know joy, light, and eternal live and love when we come home to you. Amen. FOLLOWING YOUR SMALL GROUP MEETING Consider this: American humorist John Billings once said, Life is grindstone, and whether it grinds a man down or polishes him up depends on the stuff he's made of. What would be on your list of stuff that makes polishing more likely than grinding down? What part might faith play? 3

Ruth: Theme and Purpose Ruth follows the Book of Judges and takes place during that same dark time. On one hand, the story is quite simple, with three main characters: A Jewish woman, Naomi, her Gentile daughter-in-law, Ruth, and a Jewish farmer/landowner, Boaz from the line of David who lives in Bethlehem. The background to the story is set in the first five verses, where we learn that during a time of famine, Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and two sons move from Bethlehem to Moab where the sons meet and marry Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. Following the death of her husband and two sons, Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. Though she encourages her childless daughters-in-law to return to their mothers homes, Ruth decides to remain with and care for the bereft Naomi. In Bethlehem, Ruth meets Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi s and man of some means. Knowing she is an outsider, but recognizing Ruth as a woman of worth, Boaz accepts the role of go el haddam (redeemer/next of kin) and enters into a levirate marriage with Ruth. Together they have a child, Obed, who becomes King David s grandfather, and thus ultimately puts Ruth in the lineage of Jesus. A levirate marriage is one in which a childless widow is given in marriage to the male next of kin, usually a brother (see Levirate Law on next page). In the story, Boaz finds a way to stretch the law to apply to him as next of kin or go-el. He is thus fulfilling the spirit, if not the letter of the law. Luther Seminary Professor Diane Jacobson points out that in the final two chapters of Ruth, the Hebrew word go-el (redeemer/next of kin/redeem) occurs twenty-one times. The issue is who will redeem/buy back/act as next of kin for Ruth, Naomi, and ultimately for Israel. In the final use of go-el in the Book of Ruth, the women apply it to the child born to Ruth, declaring that the LORD has not left Naomi without a next of kin (4:14). In this and other circumstances, Jacobson says, the story of Ruth shows God's involvement in the lives of his covenant people and in the lives of those people outside the covenant who seek to know him. The providence of God in the book foreshadows the redeeming work of Jesus Christ in calling all peoples of the earth to salvation (Jews and Gentiles) through his saving act on the altar of the cross as the blood/kinsman redeemer to all men and women of every age. It is important to note that Ruth, the heroine of the story, is from Moab, one of Israel s most hated enemies. (See entry for Moab on next page.) This would have shocked ancient Israelites, as would the idea that Elimelech would move his family to Moab and allow his sons to marry Moabite women. That this Moabite Gentile becomes the grandmother of King David reminded early readers that righteous foreigners can be used to serve God s purposes; that everyone deserves care; and that God s promises extend beyond the Israelite nation. Three key words in the Book of Ruth underscore primary themes. In Hebrew, they are hesed (covenant loyalty/faithfulness), baruk (to bless), and berukah (blessing). The first refers to both action and attitude (Ruth 1:8; 2:20; 3:10). The next two refer to bestowing favor (Ruth 2:19; 3:10; 4:14). In the story, Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz demonstrate hesed by going beyond expectations of family duty or religious law, while God shows hesed through blessings bestowed upon Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz for their loyalty and faithfulness to each other and to him. Other acts of blessing in the story include Naomi blessing her daughters-in-law (1:8) and Boaz (2:19-20), Boaz blessing his workers (2:4) and Ruth (3:10), and the women blessing God for the birth of Obed (4:14). In all of this, we see God at work in the lives of the people. Interestingly, food also plays a major role in the story, as Jacobson points out. It begins ironically with famine in Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means house of food. Each subsequent scene transition is marked by a mention of grain or food: Naomi hears the Lord has ended the Continued next page 4

famine; the harvests begin and continue; Ruth gleans; Boaz shares a meal with Ruth and sends grain home to Naomi; Ruth shares food and grain with Naomi. The entire book moves from famine to birth and fullness both in the life of Naomi and in the life of the entire nation, who move in this book from the time of judges to the time of kings. Readers are invited to consider how and why life moves from emptiness to fullness, including the role of God and the loving behavior of ordinary people. Lastly, while God never speaks in the story, God is mentioned twenty-three times in the book s eighty-five verses, leaving no doubt that God is the force behind the events that bring hope and salvation. Who or What Is...? City Gate Place where the elders of the city gathered to decide issues, disputes, and legal matters. Family. Family ties were of extreme importance in ancient Israel. On one hand family was defined by blood ties, or kinship. On the other hand, family was the father s house, meaning the entire extended family, including the head of the house and his wife, his sons and their wives, his grandsons and their wives, and any unmarried sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, and so forth. One s rights, duties, and status were defined through kinship and/or place in the family. Gleaning God s Law required that when grain was harvested, some would be left on the ground for the poor to glean, or gather (Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19-22). Go el This Hebrew word means redeemer or next of kin. It is used twenty-one times in the last two chapters of the Book of Ruth (see Ruth: Theme and Purpose on previous page). Levirate Law If a husband died without children, a brother or male next of kin (go el) was bound by duty to marry the widow. The first son from this marriage was considered to be the son of the first husband, which assured family property remained in the family (Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Numbers 36:5-9). A brother or next of kin could relinquish the right to marry a widow by taking off his shoe and giving it to a neighbor, as happens in the story of Ruth (4:7). In addition to protecting family name and property, this law provided protection and a home for the widow. Moab The enmity between the Israelites and Moabites began when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness and Moab refused to give them food or allow them to pass through their land (Numbers 21 33). At one point, Moab even placed a curse upon Israel. As a result, Moabites were forbidden to enter into the covenant with Yahweh (Deuteronomy 23:3-7). Spirit of the Law. Several laws come into play in the Book of Ruth, including the laws pertaining to levirate marriage and gleaning. Behind these laws is the idea of caring for those most vulnerable widows, orphans, outsiders, and the poor. As we see through Boaz s actions, it is the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law that is of most importance. Content on this and the previous page draws heavily from www.enterthebible.org s summary and overview of Ruth, written by Diane Jacobson, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Luther Seminary, and is used with permission. 5

To Guide Your Reading Use the following questions to guide your reading and personal reflection, jotting down your thoughts in the space between each question. For those who wish, we have suggested a threeweek schedule to help you in your reading and reflection. Questions in boldface are the ones we suggest you consider at your small group meeting. Groups are free, however, to focus on whatever questions are of most interest and concern to the group. Let the Spirit lead! WEEK ONE Ruth 1:1-22 1. Naomi credits God for the good in her life (1:6) and in blessing her daughters-in-law (1:9-10) voices a belief in God s power to care and provide for them. Yet at the same time, she believes God to be responsible for her own misfortune (1:13, 20-21), indicating a belief that everything in her life good and bad is in God s control. To what extent do you agree or disagree that God controls everything? 2. In 1:16-17, Ruth swears an oath, invoking God s name and binding herself to Naomi s life and God. In doing so, she models hesed, a faithful, loyal covenant love. Her loyalty extends both to the bonds of family and to God. Her words and actions indicate she has converted to the faith of her husband s family. If someone were thinking of converting to Christianity and asked you why you are and remain Christian, what would you answer? 3. When she returns to Bethlehem, Naomi tells people to no longer call her Naomi, which means pleasant ) but to call her Mara, which means bitter (1:20). She also declares that she has returned empty, unable to recognize that because of Ruth, she is not empty. In her grief, Naomi feels only what has been lost to her, including her own sense of self. Have you ever experienced such a time yourself or helped someone through such a time? Was faith a factor? As you are comfortable doing so, share your story. 4. Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem just in time for the barley harvest. In what ways is this alone a sign of hope? 6

WEEK TWO Ruth 2:1 3:18 1. The laws regarding gleaning were meant to offer protection to the poor and hungry, but human sinfulness meant that permission to glean was not always generously offered or given, particularly to outsiders. Who are the outsiders in our society? As Christians, what part can we play in assuring they have the aid and protection needed to become fully accepted and succeed? 2. In 2:10-13, how does the way Boaz sees Ruth differ from how she sees herself? 3. How is Boaz's petition to Yahweh for a reward for Ruth a summary of the theme of the Book of Ruth? 4. In telling Ruth to uncover Boaz s feet and lie down with him (3:3-4), Naomi is using phrases that suggest a sexual encounter. If indeed, Naomi in her desperation meant for Ruth to trick Boaz, Ruth obeys her mother-in-law, but at the same time acts honorably, waiting until Boaz wakes and then asking that he marry or spread his cloak over her (3:9). What happens after this (3:10-18)? What can we learn about living righteously from the way in which both of them conduct themselves here and at other times in the story? 7

WEEK THREE Ruth 4:1-22 1. How does Boaz exemplify qualities of the Redeemer Jesus? In what ways does Ruth exemplify how God works in the world? 2. As a result of her decision to go with her mother-in-law and adopt the people of God as her own, Ruth becomes the great-grandmother of David. She moves from being an enemy foreigner to having a place in the genealogy of Jesus. Can you think of other examples biblical, historical, or personal where one person s humility, loyalty, and faith had far-reaching, positive effects on the lives of others? 3. Three primary concerns for ancient peoples were food, marriage/family, and children, all of which figure prominently in the story of Ruth. Famine and harvest compel the actions of the primary characters as do the need for the protection of marriage and family and the concern for an heir to preserve the family name and property. In the story, where do you see God acting in these concerns of daily life? 4. The story of Ruth moves from death, suffering, and emptiness to life, happiness, and fulfillment. Have you or do you know someone who has experienced such a transition in life? What or who provided hope? Looking back, how was God present or active in the situation? Where was God s loyalty and blessing evident? To end your discussion time, go to For Next Month on page 3. 8