A Love Story A Six Session Bible Study By Bass Mitchell From E-Books By Email Student Book
2 Table of Contents Biblical Map 3 INTRODUCTION 4 Session One 6 Session Two 11 Session Three 15 Session Four 18 Session Five 21 Session Six 26
Biblical Map 3
4 INTRODUCTION The Book of Ruth is a beautiful jewel among a collection of invaluable gems. Because of the beauty and value of those which surround it, its loveliness and worth often go unnoticed. That s unfortunate, for in it we find a message that is seldom surpassed in the whole Bible. Ruth is a simple and charming story, yet with profound insights. It s a love story - a most unexpected one - between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, between a man and woman, but most of all between God and all those who put their trust in God. If you have never really studied this book, you are about to fall in love yourself. You will grow to love the characters in it. You will never forget them. If you let it, this story will help deepen your love in all your relationships. Best of all, you will fall more in love with the loving God Ruth came to know, love, and trust. Now, sit down and get out your Bible. Find Ruth. Read the whole story through at least once in one sitting. It would also be good to read it again soon in another translation. After you have read the story at least once, get the handout for the first session. It has questions and activities to help you dig deeper into this wonderful story. Your leader/teacher will provide comments and further explanations in your sessions. At the end of the handout for each session you will see a place for NOTES. Use that section to list questions or insights you have as you study. Be ready to share these in your class session. Also, use this section to take notes
5 during each session. Studying the Bible is like most things in life - the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. Follow all instructions and answer all the questions as fully as you can. be ready and willing to share when you are together. If your fellow students do the same, get ready for an exciting and enriching learning experience.
6 Session One Turn in your Bible to the Book of Ruth. Read Ruth 1:1. Answer the questions below. 1. During what period in the history of Israel is this story set? 2. If you wanted to know more about this period, what book of the Bible would you read? 3. How many of the Judges can you name? 4. Where did this family live? 5. What did this family do and why? 6. Define famine. 7. What do you think are some causes of famines? A. B. C. 8. Who else had to leave Palestine because of a famine? (See Genesis chapters 42-47)
7 9. How long did a famine last during the time of Elisha? (See 2 Kings 8:1) 10. Does this still happen today - families having to leave home and country because of hard times? Do you know any families like this? Why did your family come to live in your country? 11. Where did this family go? 12. Suppose you were a member of this family. What would you have felt and thought as you had to leave your country? 13. How do you think the Moabites felt about these foreigners coming to their country? 14. Do refugees seek to come to your country? How do most of your citizens feel about them? 15. Look up and summarize what the two Bible passages below say about how we should see and treat foreigners. A. Exodus 23:9 -
8 B. Deuteronomy 10:17-19 - 16. What s your church and/or denomination doing to minister to refugees? Is there a ministry to them needed in your area? Read Ruth 1:2. Answer these questions. 17. What was the man s name? 18. He name means God is king. Do you think it suggest anything about him, the kind of person he was? 19. His wife s name was. 20. Her name means my pleasant or sweet one. Based on what you know about her, do you think this is an appropriate name for her? 21. Their two sons were named and. 22. Both their names mean to be sickly or weakening. These would seem to be appropriate names for them. Why? 23. When were infants named in Biblical days? (See Genesis 17:13 and Luke 2:21).
9 24. Below is a list of biblical names and their meaning. Beside each one share if you think the name is appropriate for that person. Why or why not? 11:5) A. Enoch = dedicated or consecrated (see Genesis 5:22,24; Hebrews B. Mary = bitter one. She s the mother of Jesus. C. Peter = like a rock D. Abraham = father of many E. Paul = small F. Jeremiah = appointed by God (see Jeremiah 1:4) G. Judas = praised H. Jesus = God saves (see Matthew 1:21) 25. Your name probably also has a meaning? What is it? Do you feel that it s an appropriate name for you? 26. Why were you give this name? Did your parents ever tell you why?
10 27. All followers of Christ have the same name - Christians. What does the name mean to you? 28. Do you feel that you and most Christians are living up to the name? -NOTES-
11 Session Two Read Ruth 1:3-5 and answer the questions below. 1. What happened to Elimelech? 2. Look up the following references and summarize what they say about the way widows were often seen and treated in biblical days: A. Isaiah 10:1-2 B. Job 22:9 C. Psalm 94:6 D. Luke 20:47 3. According to Genesis 38:14, 19, widows often wore special to show that they were widows. 4. Look up and summarize the passages below as to what they say about how widows should be seen and treated: A. Deuteronomy 24:19-21 B. Deuteronomy 26:12 C. Acts 6:1-3
12 D. James 1:27 5. Read and put into your own words Deuteronomy 25:5-10. Why do you think this is an important teaching for the story of Ruth? 6. What do you think are the needs of widows in your church and community, and how are you addressing those needs? 7. What did the sons do in vs 4? 8. The names of the women were &. 9. According to Ruth 4:10, who did Mahlon marry? 10. They lived in Moab for years. 11. Did they have any children? 12. What happened to the two sons? 13. Summarize below the situation in which Noami now finds herself. 14. Who do you know in your own family, church or community who may be in a similar situation and feeling what naomi must have felt? Take time right now to pray for that person. Also, make time to call or visit or do something to show that you care. Read Ruth 1:6-7 and answer these questions. 15. What had Naomi decided to do? 16. What had she learned that made her decide this? 17. The King James Versions has Naomi saying that God has visited the
13 people, in other words, the famine was over and now they had food back home. Reflect on your life this past week. How has God visited you? How have you recently experienced the loving care of God? Write it below and/or write a prayer giving thanks to God. 18. While Naomi was packing to go back to Bethlehem, what were her two daughter-in-laws doing? 19. Does this sound just a little strange to you? Why do you think they were doing this? 20. When persons get married today, they, in a sense, marry more than just one person - they marry into each other s family. This often requires certain duties or obligations to in-laws. If you are married, what would you think your in-laws would expect or need from you? 21. What do in-laws owe to the spouse of their son or daughter? 22. So often in-law relationships seem to be a source of tension and friction. Reflect on the reasons why this might be true. Share your thoughts below. Read Ruth 1:8-9 and answer these questions. 23. Put into your own words what Naomi is saying here? 24. Why do you think Naomi said this? 25. What does it say about her?
14 26. What do you think mother-in-laws today could learn from Naomi? -NOTES-
15 Session Three Read Ruth 1:10 and answer the questions below. 1. In the last session we saw how Naomi told Ruth and Orpah to go back to their homes. This verse gives us their first response. What is it? 2. What does this say about them? Read Ruth 1:11-13. Answer these questions. 3. What is Naomi saying here? Put it in your own words. 4. Do you think Naomi is losing some of her faith in God at this point? Why or why not? 5. Naomi refers to them in verses 11, 13 as my. 6. What does this suggest about the kind relationship they had and how she felt about them? Read Ruth 1:14. 7. After Naomi said all of this, what did Orpah do? 8. Do you think that Orpah s love for Naomi was genuine? Why or why not?
16 9. Do you think Orpah s decision says anything about her faith in God? 10. What did Ruth do here? 11. What do you think daugher in-laws and son-in-laws today could learn from Ruth and Orpah? Read Ruth 1:15. 12. Ruth was clinging to Naomi. She did not want Naomi to leave her. How did Naomi respond to this? 13. Naomi says here that Orpah had returned to her and her. 14. According to Jeremiah 48:13 and Judges 11:24, the chief god of the Moabites was. 15. What Israelite king built a temple for the worship of this god? (See 1 Kings 11:7) and what king later destroyed it? (See 2 Kings 23:13). 16. How would you define polytheism? Read Ruth 1:16-17. 17. Now Ruth responds to Naomi. Try to put what she says in your own words. What s Ruth really saying here? 18. What do these verses reveal about Ruth s relationship to God? 19. Ruth said, Your God shall be my God. Just who was Naomi s God? What was God s name?
17 Read Ruth 1:18. 20. How did Naomi respond to the words of Ruth? 21. How do you think Naomi felt about Ruth right now? Read Ruth 1:19. 22. How did the people in Bethlehem respond to Naomi s return? 23. The women in Bethlehem asked a question. What was it? Read Ruth 1:20-21. 24. When she heard them say her name, what did Naomi say? 25. What reason does she give for this name change? 26. Read and reflect on Psalm 13, especially how it might reflect how Naomi was feeling. Have you ever felt like this? Know anyone right now who feels like Naomi? How might you minister to that person? -NOTES-
18 Session Four Read Ruth 1:22 and answer the questions below. 1. When did Ruth and Naomi return to Judah? What time of the year was it? 2. Do you think it s significant that they just happened to arrive back in Bethlehem at this time? Was it just an accident? Why or why not? Read Ruth 2:1. Answer these questions. 3. This verse introduces a very important character in the story. Who? 4. Several things are noted about him. List them below. A. B. C. Read Ruth 2:2. 5. Ruth made a request of Naomi. What was it? 6. Look up the following passages. What light do they shed on what Ruth wants to do? A. Leviticus 19:9-10 - B. Leviticus 23:22 -
19 C. Deuteronomy 24:19-22 - 7. Ruth wanted to glean grain. What does that mean? 8. Why do you think Ruth made this request? 9. What does this request say about Ruth? 10. Here Ruth says, Let me...glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. What is she saying? 11. Does this in anyway reveal her faith in God? If so, how? Read Ruth 2:3 12. What exactly was Ruth doing in the barley field? 13. Whose field did she happen to come to? 14. This verse in the King James Version says her hap was to light on a part of a field belonging to Boaz or it so happened... Do you think this was just a coincidence? How do you explain it? 15. Think back over your own life to the right places God brought you at just the right time. How would your life have been different if not for your own barley field encounters? Read Ruth 2:4. 16. Boaz came out to the field. Why do you think he did that? 17. How did Boaz greet his workers?
20 18. What does this greeting say about the kind of person he was? 19. If we love and serve God, how does that influence our relationships with others? Read Ruth 2:5-7. 20. It wasn t long before Boaz noticed something. What was it? 21. What did he ask his foreman? 22. Sum up what the foreman said. 23. This man had noticed something about Ruth. What? -NOTES-
21 Session Five Read Ruth 2:8-9 and answer the questions below. 1. These verses record the first meeting and words between Boaz and Ruth. Boaz begins by saying, Hearest thou not, my daughter? (King James Version). This is not clear. Look it up in a couple other translations. What is Boaz saying? 2. Boaz goes on to tell Ruth something she should not do. What? 3. Why do you think Boaz said this? 4. Next Boaz tells Ruth to... 5. Boaz had told something to his male workers in regard to Ruth. What was it? 6. In the last part of verse 9 Boaz gives Ruth special permission to do something. What was it? Read Ruth 2:10. 7. What was Ruth s first reaction to what Boaz had said? 8. What did Ruth ask Boaz. Put it into your own words. Read Ruth 2:11-13 9. Why does Boaz say he is being so kind to her? 10. In verse 12 Boaz pronounces a blessing on Ruth. Put it into your own words.
22 11. In the last part of verse 12 Boaz uses a vivid symbol to describe the loving care and protection of God. He says that Ruth has come under God s. Read Ruth 2:14 12. What time of the day was it? 13. What invitation does Boaz give to Ruth? 14. What did they have for lunch? 15. Boaz was very generous with the food he gave to Ruth for lunch. How do we know this? Read Ruth 2:15-16 16. After Ruth went back to the field to continue gleaning, what did Boaz tell his field workers? 17. Why do you think Boaz made sure to tell the workers this only after Ruth had gone back to the field? Read Ruth 2:17. 18. What is an ephah? Read Ruth 2:18. 19. This verse gives us a hint of where Naomi and Ruth lived. Where?
23 20. What did Ruth show Naomi? 21. Ruth gave Naomi something else. What? Read Ruth 2:19. 22. Put Naomi s words here into your own words. What s she saying? 23. What do you think Naomi thought and felt when she heard the name Boaz? Read Ruth 2:20 24. Read Ruth 1:20-21 and contrast that with how Naomi feels now. 25. Naomi proclaims that now God would take care of the living and the. Who does she mean by the latter? 26. What very important thing does Naomi say about Boaz? Read Ruth 2:21-23 27. What did Ruth tell Naomi in verse 21 that made Naomi even more happy? 28. Naomi thought this was a good idea (vs 22). Why? 29. So what did Ruth do from then onward? (vs 23) Read Ruth 3:1.
24 30. What was Naomi concerned about here? Read Ruth 3:2. 31. In the first part of this verse Naomi reminds Ruth of something very important. What? 32. Naomi even knew where Boaz would be. Where? 33. What was Boaz doing there? 34. She even knew when he would be there. When? 35. Why do you think Boaz was spending the night there? Read Ruth 3:3. 36. Here Naomi tells Ruth to do three things. List them below: A. B. C. 37. Naomi told Ruth to go to the threshing floor but not to let her presence be known until Boaz had finished and. 38. Why do you think she had to wait until then? Read Ruth 3:4. 39. After Boaz was asleep, what did Naomi tell Ruth to do?
25 40. What was the purpose of this act? What was Ruth asking Boaz to do? Read Ruth 3:5. 41. How did Ruth feel about this plan? -NOTES-
26 Session Six Read Ruth 3:6,7 and answer the questions below. 1. After reading these verses, what are some words you would use to describe Ruth? 2. What does vs 7 tell us about how Boaz was feeling about this time? Read Ruth 3:8,9 3. Boaz woke up about what time? Why do you think he woke up? 4. How do you think he felt at that moment? 5. What did he ask and why do you think he asked it? 6. What did Ruth ask Boaz to do? Read Ruth 3:10,11 7. How does he respond to her and how does he feel about her request? 8. What promise does Boaz make to Ruth in the first part of vs 11? 9. In the last part of vs 11 he says that he and all the people knew something about Ruth. What?
27 Read Ruth 3:12,13 10. These vss introduce some tension into the story. There s a problem that could ruin all their plans. What is it? Read Ruth 3:14-18 11. What was Boaz concerned about in vs 14? 12. Why do you think he gave her the grain? Does the last part of vs 17 give you a hint? 13. What advice does Naomi give to Ruth in vs 18. Read Ruth 4:1. 14. Where did Boaz go the next morning? 15. Why did he go there? 16. When Boaz saw the next of kin there, what did he say to him? Read Ruth 4:2. 17. What did Boaz do next? 18. Why do you think he did this? Read Ruth 4:3,4 19. Some land is in question here. Who does it belong to?
28 20. How would you put into your own words what Boaz is saying in these verses? 21. How did the man answer at first? Read Ruth 4:5,6 22. But Boaz points out to something to the nearest of kin as a condition. What is it? 23. How did the nearest of kin respond to this & why do you think he did? 24. Notice the tactics Boaz used in presenting this. Why do you think he presented this as he did? 25. With vss 1-6 of this chapter in mind, what are some words you would use to describe Boaz? Read Ruth 4:7,8 26. What did the nearest of kin do here and why? Read Ruth 4:9,10 27. What reason does Boaz give for purchasing this land and marrying Ruth?
29 Read Ruth 4:11,12 28. How did the people respond to Boaz? 29. Why do they ask that Ruth be like Rachel and Leah? 30. They also ask that they would be blessed like Judah and Tamar. Read Genesis Chapter 38 and see what they are actually asking God to do for Ruth and Boaz. What is it? Read Ruth 4:13-15 31. Ruth and Boaz are married. Then what happens? (vs 13) 32. What did the women of Bethlehem say to Naomi and why would they say this to her? Read Ruth 4:16 33. What does this verse say about Naomi s relationship with the child? 34. How do you imagine Naomi felt right now? Read Ruth 4:17-22 35. What was the child named? 36. Something very important is said about this child. What?
37. Think back over this story. What stands out to you? What is this story trying to tell us? What s it s message? What does it tell us about God? 30