\u201cIn the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man\u2019s name was Elimelek <\/strong>(strength of the king), his wife\u2019s name was Naomi <\/strong>(beautiful grace of God), and the names of his two sons were Mahlon <\/strong>(sickly) and Kilion <\/strong>(failing). They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.\u201d Ruth 1:1-2<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This story takes place \u201cwhen the judges ruled\u201d. It was a time of chaos and evil. This is significant because this story shows God\u2019s love and protection for His children in difficult times. All generations have been evil. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Moses called his generation \u201cwarped and crooked\u201d<\/strong><\/em>:
\n\u201cThey are corrupt and not his children; to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation\u2026\u201d Deuteronomy 32:5
\n<\/strong>As did the Apostle Paul:
\n\u201cDo everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation…\u201d Philippians 3:14-15<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
God was the ruler in Israel – it was a theocracy. Under this system of government each person would recognize God as the authority and would be free to choose to follow Him.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
However, most of the Israelites chose what was wrong – even thinking they were right:
\n\u201cIn those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.\u201d Judges 17:6, 21:25
\n<\/strong>In other words, most people did not know God personally. They were not willing to listen to His authority. They even twisted His law (what they bothered to learn) to fit their own desires. There are many people like that today!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
During the suffering caused by their disobedience, God would raise up a judge to deliver His people when they called out to Him. Then there would be peace while the judge ruled.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
God let them have what their stubborn hearts desired when the Israelites rejected God\u2019s rule, wanting to be like their neighbors:
\n\u201cSo all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, \u201cYou are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have
\n\u201cBut when they said, \u201cGive us a king to lead us,\u201d this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: \u201cListen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.\u201d 1 Samuel 8:4-7
\n<\/strong>They wanted a king even though God, through Samuel, warned them of the consequences (1 Samuel 8:10-18<\/strong>).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a famine in the land\u201d<\/strong><\/em>. A famine at that time meant there was no food or very little food \u2013 not enough to live on. There was no government welfare, no churches to take care of the needy, no neighbors who could help (at least not for long) and not even people with food from which the unscrupulous could steal. It was a fearful and confusing time.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But God could have taken care of His children. We know that Naomi knew God, and probably Elimelek, Mahlon and Kilion did, also. Their decision showed a lack of faith. They left the land where God was ruler and protector as Boaz pointed out when he spoke to Ruth in Chapter 2<\/strong>:
\n\u201c\u2026May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.\u201d Ruth 2:12<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
They went to live in the country of Moab where Chemosh was god. Chemosh was an idol, and the people knew that their idol had power. The Bible says that behind every idol is a demon:
\n\u201cDo I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.\u201d 1 Corinthians 10:19-20<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Idols and demons are put together as something evil that is worshipped:
\n\u201cThey made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. They sacrificed to demons which are not God–gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear.\u201d Deuteronomy 32:16-17
\n\u201cThey worshiped their idols which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.\u201d Psalm 106:36-37<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The consequences of worshipping idols\/demons is to become like them:
\n“…Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” Psalm 115:2-8, 135:15-18<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Idols are said to speak \u2013 who is really speaking?
\n\u201cThe idols speak deceit\u2026\u201d Zechariah 10:2<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Demons and idols are put together as what is still being worshipped in the very last days.
\n\u201c\u2026they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood\u2014idols that cannot see or hear or walk.\u201d Revelation 9:20
\n\u201cHe was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.\u201d Revelation 13:15<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cNow Elimelek, Naomi\u2019s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, one named Orpah (stubbornness) and the other Ruth (friendship). After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.\u201d Ruth 1:3-5<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>When Elimelek\u2019s family left, they put themselves in the territory of Satan. Sometimes, people are called to do this, for instance, someone called to witness in bars, but otherwise it is a dangerous.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
First of all, Elimelek died. To what degree this was a result of moving to Moab, we are not told.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Then, from what we are told (\u201c…Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon\u2019s widow\u2026\u201d Ruth 4:10<\/strong>) Kilion married Orpah and Mahlon married Ruth. Then Kilion and Mahlon died. They lived in Moab ten years. We do not know how long they were married, but neither Orpah nor Ruth had children which might mean that they were not married long.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.\u201d Ruth 1:6-7<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When Naomi decided to return to Israel, she was deciding to return to God. God had never left her, of course, and she had not completely left God because she told her daughters-in-law about Him, but she had taken herself outside of His special protection.
\nThis could represent someone being backslidden \u2013 he\/she is a child of God, but is not serving Him. He\/she decides to return to God, often because of the hardship of living without Him. Now Naomi is returning to Israel, and bringing her daughters-in-law with her. She obviously had formed a strong bond with them – they were willingly to move to a foreign land at this dark stressful time.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThen Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, \u201cGo back, each of you, to your mother\u2019s home. May the LORD show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband\u2026\u201d Ruth 1:8-9<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Naomi loved her daughter-in-law and wanted the best for them. She wanted them to have a full life with marriage and children. But she was so misguided. It is like someone saying, \u201cYou don\u2019t want to follow Jesus, it is of no advantage to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThen she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud and said to her, \u201cWe will go back with you to your people.\u201d
\nBut Naomi said, \u201cReturn 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\u2014even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons\u2014would 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\u2019s hand has turned against me!\u201d Ruth 1:9-13 <\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>They still wanted to come with her, so Naomi kept trying to convince them to return.
\nAt that time, if a man died his brother was to marry the widow. Any children they had would carry on the name of the dead brother. That man was called a kinsman redeemer.
\n\u201cIf brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband\u2019s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband\u2019s brother to her. And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.\u201d Deuteronomy 25:5-6
\n\u201cThat same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 \u201cTeacher,\u201d they said, \u201cMoses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.\u201d Matthew 22:24 Mark 12:19 Luke 20:28
\n<\/strong>Naomi said that she didn\u2019t have any other children, and even if she had a husband and was giving birth to a son that very night, would they wait for the son to grow up to marry them? Of course not!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It was “more bitter”<\/strong><\/em> for Naomi than for them \u2013 without their kindness and help she would be a widow alone in a cruel world. To makes matters worse, she thought that the Lord had turned against her. She did not know that because she was returning to Him. He was planning to bless her more than she could imagine.
\n\u201cNow to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,\u201d Ephesians 3:20<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
\n\u201cLook,\u201d said Naomi, \u201cyour sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.\u201d Ruth 1:14<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>To go back was to go back to her gods\u2014and Naomi encouraged this! How bitter towards God (she calls herself bitter later) she must have been! Orpah did the logical thing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Ruth replied, \u201cDon\u2019t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.\u201d When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.\u201d Ruth 1:15-18<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>This is one of the most beautiful statements of commitment and love that is made in the Bible. Ruth was not only saying it to Naomi, she was saying it to God!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, \u201cCan this be Naomi?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>It had been quite a while since she had been there, but could the ravishes of sorrow and bitterness have aged her more than was natural?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t call me Naomi,\u201d she told them. \u201cCall me Mara (bitter), because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full<\/strong> (with husband and sons), but the LORD has brought me back empty<\/strong> (all of Naomi\u2019s family and future family, as far as she was concerned, were gone). Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.\u201d
\nSo Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.\u201d Ruth 19-22<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Naomi was so bitter, thinking it was God who had afflicted her, that she did not recognize the blessing in the person of Ruth, she had brought back with her.<\/p>\n
Was God afflicting her? He was discipling her in love, to bring her to Himself:
\n\u201cBlessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.\u201d Job 5:17
\n\u201cMy son, do not despise the LORD\u2019s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.\u201d Proverbs 2:11-12
\n\u201c\u2026\u201cMy son, do not make light of the Lord\u2019s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
\nbecause the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.\u201d
\nEndure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined\u2014and everyone undergoes discipline\u2014then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.\u201d Hebrews 12:5-11
\n<\/strong>Perhaps it took this much discipline to make Naomi turn back to God. If even one of her sons had lived, she might have stayed in Moab with him and his family all her life.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Her hardships had been her own doing \u2013 she had taken herself out from under God\u2019s protection.
\n\u201cLike a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.\u201d Proverbs 26:2
\n<\/strong>Only when we disobey God, can the devil harm us. God has said we will have suffering and persecution (Matthew 5:10, 12, John 15:20 1 Thessalonians 3:4 2 Timothy 3:12<\/strong>), but these are for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28<\/strong>).
\n\u201cShould God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent?…\u201d Job 34:33
\n<\/strong>If we want God\u2019s blessing, we have to obey.
\n\u201cA person\u2019s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.\u201d Proverbs 19:3
\n<\/strong>How many people blame God when they should be asking forgiveness for their own foolishness!
\n\u201cNaomi and her family made a choice ten years before and it was a choice made in a hard time \u2013 a time of famine. But they didn\u2019t have to make the wrong choice they did. The people of Bethlehem had not perished from hunger. They were still there. And they were blessed more than Naomi\u2019s family.\u201d Enduringword.com<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Even though her heart was not quite right as yet (we all have growing to do), she was returning to God. And as always, God had everything planned – they arrived just \u201cwhen the barley harvest was beginning\u201d<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
CHAPTER 2<\/p>\n
\u201cNow Naomi had a relative on her husband\u2019s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz (by strength).
\nAnd Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, \u201cLet me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.\u201d
\nNaomi said to her, \u201cGo ahead, my daughter.\u201d So she went out, entered a field and began to glean (pick up grain) behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.\u201d Ruth 2:1-3<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We are introduced to Boaz right at the beginning of chapter 2<\/strong> because he is so significant. He is a relative of Naomi on her husband\u2019s side, and, as mentioned twice, he was from Elimelek\u2019s clan (vs, 1 <\/strong>& 3<\/strong>). \u201cA man of standing\u201d<\/strong><\/em> meant that he had a high social position and was well off financially. We will also see that he was respected for his integrity, kindness and wisdom.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Boaz had the place Elimelech could have had if he had trusted God and stayed in Israel, even in hard times:
\n\u201cA man of great wealth<\/strong>: During the time of famine, when Elimelech, Naomi, and their whole family had left the Promised Land and went to Moab, Boaz had stayed behind – and God provided for him. In fact, God made Boaz a man of great wealth.\u201d Enduringword.com<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
At that time in Israel the owners of grain fields were to leave the leftover grain for the poor to gather. Naomi and Ruth were very poor. Since Naomi\u2019s age would have made it difficult for her to work, the best solution and the one suggested by Ruth herself is that Ruth should pick up grain for them to live on. Naomi agreed, and Ruth \u201cas it turned out\u201d<\/strong><\/em> went to work in the field belonging to Boaz.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.\u201d Leviticus 19:9-10<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a wonderful way of helping the poor. It commanded the farmers to have a generous heart, and it commanded the poor to be active and work for their food \u2013 and a way for them to provide for their own needs with dignity.\u201d Ruth 2 \u2013 Ruth As a Gleaner<\/em> enduringword.com<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cJust then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, \u201cThe LORD be with you!\u201d
\n\u201cThe LORD bless you!\u201d they answered.\u201d Ruth 2:4<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Notice that Bethlehem,the birthplace of Jesus, was the home of Boaz.\u00a0His greeting and the return greeting of the harvesters show belief in God and respect for Him and for each other. Peace, joy, trust and warmest for each other is shown.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cBoaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, \u201cWho does that young woman belong to?\u201d
\nThe overseer replied, \u201cShe is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi. She said, \u2018Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.\u2019 She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.\u201d
\nSo Boaz said to Ruth, \u201cMy daughter, listen to me. Don\u2019t go and glean in another field and don\u2019t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.\u201d Ruth 2:5-9<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The difference in age between Boaz and Ruth is shown in verse 5<\/strong> when he calls her \u201cyoung woman\u201d<\/strong><\/em> and in verse 8<\/strong> when he calls her \u201cmy daughter\u201d<\/strong><\/em>. He has lived long enough to be \u201ca man of standing\u201d. These clues would point to him being middle age. He is probably not as old as Naomi, yet he and Naomi have the same values and understanding. Most of this is, of course, due to their being Israelites who know God. Boaz is in good health and a hard worker as is described later.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Boaz shows at once that he will take care of Ruth. He has \u201ctold the men not to lay a hand on\u201d<\/strong><\/em> her. We can see that Israel could be dangerous for Ruth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, \u201cWhy have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me\u2014a foreigner?\u201d
\nBoaz replied, \u201cI\u2019ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband\u2014how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.\u201d Ruth 2:10-12<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When Ruth came to Israel, she put herself under the Lord\u2019s protection. Boaz points this out to her and adds his own blessing. In the small town and vicinity of Bethlehem, the character of Ruth and what she had done for her mother-in-law was common knowledge<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cMay I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,\u201d she said. \u201cYou have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant\u2014though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.\u201d
\nAt mealtime Boaz said to her, \u201cCome over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.\u201d
\nWhen she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, \u201cLet her gather among the sheaves and don\u2019t reprimand her. Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don\u2019t rebuke her.\u201d
\nSo Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah<\/strong> (about one bushel or 35 litres, about 30 pounds or 13 kilograms). She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.\u201d Ruth 2:13-18<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Boaz is more than kind to Ruth. His desire was to help Naomi as well as Ruth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cHer mother-in-law asked her, \u201cWhere did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!\u201d
\nThen Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. \u201cThe name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,\u201d she said.
\n\u201cThe LORD bless him!\u201d Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. \u201cHe has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.\u201d She added, \u201cThat man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsmen-redeemers<\/strong> (in Hebrew a legal term meaning obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulties).\u201d Ruth 2:18-20<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“At the end of the day she was left with an ephah of barley! Amazing aye? Ok, I\u2019m sure you, like me, have no idea how much an ephah is, so I looked it up and it\u2019s 22 litres. This would be enough to feed both herself and Naomi for about 10 days. No wonder Naomi was surprised and had to know where she had got this!\u201d Jesusplusnothing.com<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cA kinsman? This introduces an important word in the book of Ruth \u2013 the ancient Hebrew word goel. To say that Boaz was a goel (a kinsman) was more than saying he was a relative; it was saying he was a special family representative. He was a chieftain in the family.\u201d Enduringword.com<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Naomi recognized God\u2019s care for her and her family. The fact that she acknowledges \u201chis kindness to the living<\/strong><\/em> (herself and Ruth) and the dead <\/strong><\/em>(her husband and sons, especially Mahlon)\u201d<\/strong><\/em> and adding \u201cthat man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsmen-redeemers\u201d<\/strong><\/em> seems to mean she had begun to see God\u2019s plan for the future.
\n\u201cThen Ruth the Moabite said, \u201cHe even said to me, \u2018Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.\u2019\u201d
\nNaomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, \u201cIt will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else\u2019s field you might be harmed.\u201d
\nSo Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.\u201d Ruth 21:-23<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Here again we see that the country had its dangers: \u201cin someone else\u2019s field you might be harmed\u201d<\/strong><\/em>.
\n\u201cNaomi realizes what Boaz is trying to do for them and encourages Ruth to stay and glean in that field\u2026The wheat harvest would extend this harvesting by over a month.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough barley and wheat were both planted in the autumn, barley matured faster and would be harvested sooner\u2026Wheat ripens later than barley and\u2026was harvested\u2026end of April to end of May\u2026\u201d Grace Communion Church
\n\u201cWe need to see that the One who has been showing us such undeserved favours ever since we took our place as gleaners in His field has more and is more. We need to see that Jesus is our nearest Kinsman, with the right to redeem both ourselves and our situation, a right acquired through the mighty sufficiency of His blood. The Son of man has the right on earth to forgive sins, and more, to redeem and overrule for ultimate good the very losses occasioned by our sin. And it is all based on blood, in the shedding of which all blame attaching to us was anticipated and extinguished.
\nWith that vision of the blood must go a new vision of grace\u2014that our very lacks, faults and failures are our qualifications for what grace provides, in the same way that Ruth had to see that her poverty and widowhood were the very things that qualified her for a redeemer.\u201d
\nHession, Roy: Our Nearest Kinsman: The Message of Redemption and Revival in the Book of Ruth. <\/em>Christian Literature Crusade. 1976<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
CHAPTER 3<\/p>\n
\u201cOne day Ruth\u2019s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, \u201cMy daughter, I must find a home (Hebrew – find rest as is Ruth 1:9) for you, where you will be well provided for. Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don\u2019t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.\u201d
\n\u201cI will do whatever you say,\u201d Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.\u201d Ruth 3:1-6<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cNaomi was faced with three issues. First, how could the name of Elimelech be maintained among the tribes of Israel since both her sons were now dead? Second, what steps should be taken to protect her inheritance, which Elimelech had left in Naomi\u2019s trust? Third, how could she provide rest and security for her faithful daughter-in-law? A marriage between Ruth and Boaz would solve all three problems.\u201d (Fruchtenbaum, A. G. Ariel’s Bible Commentary : The books of Judges and Ruth<\/em>. Page 318. San Antonio, Tex.: Ariel Ministries)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThat it may be well with you<\/strong> – Recall that Naomi prayed for this very thing in Ruth 1:8-9<\/strong> now she plays a role in answering her own prayer. This is an example of divine sovereignty and human responsibility being beautifully interwoven to bring about the purpose of God.\u201d Preceptaustin.org
\n\u201cThe course Naomi advised appears strange to us; but it was according to the laws and usages of Israel. If the proposed measure had borne the appearance of evil, Naomi would not have advised it.\u201d Matthew Henry<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The author\/authors of Cutting Corners bible.org do not have such a high opinion of Naomi. They say that Naomi\u2019s purpose was to have Ruth seduce Boaz. She was doing what others did at that time:
\n\u201c\u2026everyone did as they saw fit.\u201d Judges 17:6, 21:25<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
However, their arguments can be easily answered. I\u2019ve mentioned some of their arguments (the ones that have any substance):
\n(1) Naomi proposes to solve a problem in secret that should have been dealt with in public… (2) Naomi\u2019s proposition is God-less\u2026 (3) Naomi\u2019s plan seeks to appeal to the baser instincts and impulses of Boaz, not his higher sense of duty\u2026(4) Naomi\u2019s plan does not call for thought and reflection, but rather for impulsive, irreversible action\u2026(5) Naomi\u2019s plan seems to deliberately bypass and exclude the nearest kin, giving preference to Boaz instead\u2026 (7) Naomi\u2019s plan wrongly implied that Ruth needed to take the initiative in this matter of redemption and levirate marriage, as though Boaz would not have done so on his own. 9) Naomi\u2019s plan only dealt with the matter of finding a husband for Ruth, and yet we shall see in chapter 4 that another pressing issue was the redemption of her property.<\/em><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Arguments 1, 3 and 7 can be answered from these quotes:
\n\u201cNaomi instructed Ruth 1) to put on her best appearance and 2) to propose marriage to Boaz by utilizing an ancient Near Eastern custom. Since Boaz is a generation older than Ruth, this overture would indicate Ruth\u2019s desire to marry Boaz which the older, gracious Boaz would not have initiated with a younger woman.\u201d Preceptaustin.org<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Boaz respected and admired Ruth, but being a man of integrity, he would not have dwelled on the possibility of marriage if it had ever crossed his mind. He would not presume to ask Ruth to marry him, so she had to ask him, in a humble, godly way. She had to appear at her best in order to give both him and herself worth and show that this was a request of great value.<\/p>\n
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Ruth followed the ancient Near Eastern custom by asking Boaz when he was alone at night \u2013 how could she have asked him in front of witnesses? The following quote adds to the significance of this act:<\/p>\n
\u201cUncover his feet, and lie down<\/strong>: At the appropriate time, Naomi instructs Ruth to go in, uncover his feet, and lie down. Some might think this was a provocative gesture, as if Ruth was told to provocatively offer herself sexually to Boaz. This was not how this gesture was understood in that day. In the culture of that day, this was understood as an act of total submission.
\nIn that day, this was understood to be the role of a servant – to lay at their master\u2019s feet and be ready for any command of the master. So, when Naomi told Ruth to lie down at Boaz\u2019s feet, she told her to come to him in a totally humble, submissive way.
\nDon\u2019t lose sight of the larger picture: Ruth came to claim a right. Boaz was her goel, her kinsman-redeemer, and she had the right to expect him to marry her and raise up a family to perpetuate the name of Elimelech. But Naomi wisely counseled Ruth to not come as a victim demanding her rights, but as a humble servant, trusting in the goodness of her kinsman-redeemer. She said to Boaz, \u201cI respect you, I trust you, and I put my fate in your hands.\u201d
\nHe will tell you what you should do<\/strong>: Of course, this was a situation that had the potential for disaster, if Boaz should mistreat Ruth in some way. But Naomi and Ruth had the chance to get to know Boaz, and they knew what kind of man he was – a good man, a godly man, one to whom Ruth could confidently submit.\u201d Enduringword.com<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026had not Boaz been a person of extraordinary piety, prudence, and continence, this experiment might have been fatal to Ruth. We cannot easily account for this transaction, probably Naomi knew more than she revealed to her daughter-in-law. The experiment however was dangerous, and should in no sense be imitated.\u201d Study.light.org<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
God does give directions that are not be imitated. Tamar used a secret plot to become pregnant by Judah because he had not done as was required in order to carry on the ancestral line of Jesus (Genesis 28). God can use whatever is necessary to enact His plans. He won\u2019t go against His character, but He can make a situation conform to His character.
\n\u201c\u2026Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes\u2026\u201d Ruth 3:3
\n<\/strong>\u201cRefers to a very general practice in the East. It originated from the relief from the effect of the sun that was experienced in rubbing the body with oil or grease. Among rude people the common vegetable or animal fat was used. As society advanced and refinement became a part of civilization, delicately perfumed ointments were used for this purpose. Other reasons soon obtained for this practice than that stated above. Persons were anointed for health (Mark 6:13), because of the widespread belief in the healing power of oil. It was often employed as a mark of hospitality (Luke 7:46<\/strong>); as a mark of special honor (John 11:3<\/strong>); in preparation for social occasions (Ruth 3:3; 2 Samuel 14:2; Isaiah 61:3<\/strong>).\u201d Preceptaustin.org<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cPut on your best<\/strong>: like Esther who risked her life going uninvited before King Ahasuerus put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace in front of the king’s rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. Esther 5:1 <\/strong>
\nCertainly Ruth was not risking her life but it is nevertheless in Naomi’s eyes a crucial encounter and she is to look her best.\u201d Preceptaustin.org<\/p>\n
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Answer to argument 2: It is not necessary to mention God when we are being directed by Him. The book of Esther does not mention God although He was obviously behind events that happen.<\/p>\n
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Answer to argument 4: Ruth understood what Naomi was purposing so they had obvious discussed it to some degree before. When Ruth carried out the plan it is clear that she understood what she was to do. It was not impulsive.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cA threshing floor is a hard flat surface made specifically for the purpose of threshing the grains during harvest. It’s usually made of rock or beaten down earth. It can be owned by a town or village or by a single family.\u201d Yahoo Answers<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits (heart was merry, to his heart\u2019s content, feeling satisfied, heart was glad), he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned\u2014and there was a woman lying at his feet!\u201d Ruth 3:7-8<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving ate and drank freely, though not to excess; and innocent mirth was always allowed in the time of harvest, and of the vintage, and of gathering the fruits of the earth, see (Judges 9:27 Isaiah 9:3<\/strong>) or “his heart was good”; he was in a good frame and disposition of mind, praising God for his goodness to him, and to his people\u2026\u201d John Gill commentary
\nNoah and Lot knew God and got drunk, but Boaz seems to be more sensible. If what he drank had alcoholic content, he would not have drunk too much, being that the purpose of his staying at the threshing floor was to protect his grain, and as shown by his quick understanding, dignity and wisdom when he discovered Ruth.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe farmer usually remained all night in harvest-time on the threshing-floor, not only for the protection of his valuable grain, but for the winnowing. That operation was performed in the evening to catch the breezes which blow after the close of a hot day, and which continue for the most part of the night. This duty at so important a season the master undertakes himself; and, accordingly, in the simplicity of ancient manners, Boaz, a person of considerable wealth and high rank, laid himself down to sleep on the barn floor, at the end of the heap of barley he had been winnowing.\u201d Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWho are you?\u201d he asked.
\n\u201cI am your servant Ruth,\u201d she said. \u201cSpread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer of our family.\u201d
\n\u201cThe LORD bless you, my daughter,\u201d he replied. \u201cThis kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don\u2019t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your kinsman-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.\u201d Ruth 3:7-13<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThis kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier\u201d<\/strong><\/em>: Ruth was showing more devotion to Naomi than ever before because any children Boaz and Ruth had would legally be the child of Naomi\u2019s son Mahlon and would give Naomi an heir.
\n\u201cYou have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor\u201d<\/strong><\/em>: Being young, Ruth could easily have done this, which might appear to have been to her advantage and which a woman not following God would have chosen to do.
\n\u201cAll the people in my town know that you are a woman of noble character\u201d<\/strong><\/em>: The righteousness of her proposal of marriage would not be questioned by anyone.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIn reply to Boaz’ question, Ruth identifies herself as a maidservant, again taking a lowly position. She acts toward Boaz in humility. And she looks for Boaz to take action because of who she is.
\nRuth uses a very expressive metaphor here in asking him to spread his skirt over her. The word “skirt” here is in the plural, and in such a case it more often means “wings” than part of a garment. It may be that Ruth was saying “spread thy wings over thy handmaid”, a very beautiful and delicate way for Ruth to express her wish.
\nShe calls Boaz GO-EL, “near kinsman”. This makes her request a formal one, and she’s looking to him to resolve the legal question of redemption.
\nKeil and Delitzsch say that the word “skirt” refers to the corner of the counterpane, or blanket, which Boaz had over him. A man and wife sleeping together would share this blanket. Therefore, in those times, the act of covering Ruth with part of the blanket would have been symbolic of a proposal of marriage.
\nHowever, Boaz did not take this action. As we see further on, there was a legal question to be resolved before Boaz could marry Ruth. But Boaz does begin the process here\u2026\u201d realtime.net<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Boaz told Ruth that he would marry her if the one \u201cmore closely related than I\u201d<\/strong><\/em> would not, and even confirmed it with an oath.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Answer to argument 5: Ruth did not seem to know about the kinsman-redeemer closer than Boaz. Probably Naomi did, but she could have reasoned that he would not accept the proposition so she was putting it in Boaz\u2019s hands. Boaz had already shown he would care for Ruth and herself.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Naomi realized that God was providing for her in this situation:
\n\u201cHe has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.\u201d Ruth 2:20
\n<\/strong><\/em>I think she was making a bold step directed by God. No one\u2019s integrity seems to be in question, adding to the beauty of the story.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ruth was showing even more courage. The wisdom she demonstrated in putting this plan into action is evidence she was directed by God. She knew exactly what she was doing, and she handled it with integrity as did Boaz. Both of them seem to have trusted Naomi\u2019s motive as shown by Ruth\u2019s quick submission and obedience to Naomi and by Boaz quick response to her proposal – \u201cthis kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier\u201d<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 to provide an heir for Naomi.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cSo she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, \u201cNo one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.\u201d
\nHe also said, \u201cBring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.\u201d When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he went back to town.\u201d Ruth 3:14-15<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though nothing immoral had gone on, Boaz was worried about gossip that would start if people saw that Ruth had spent the night on the threshing floor where he was.\u201d Rondaniel.com
\n\u201cAvoid every kind of evil.\u201d 1 Thessalonians 5:22<\/strong> NIV 1984 \u201cAbstain from all appearance of evil.\u201d 1 Thessalonians 5:22<\/strong> KJV<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
An added emphasis in keeping her visit secret was the fact that Boaz did not know yet if he could marry her. It would have been very difficult if the other kinsman-redeemer had chosen to marry Ruth and someone had found that she had been at the threshing floor.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, \u201cHow did it go, my daughter?\u201d
\nThen she told her everything Boaz had done for her and added, \u201cHe gave me these six measures of barley, saying, \u2018Don\u2019t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.\u2019\u201d
\nThen Naomi said, \u201cWait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.\u201d Ruth 3:16-18<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
He sent a gift back with Ruth for Naomi to show he would do what she wanted. The fact that Boaz gave Ruth so much barley, and told her especially not to \u201cgo back to your mother-in-law empty-handed\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>shows that the love and kindness Ruth was showing Naomi would also be the love and kindness he planned to show Naomi by doing all he could to marry Ruth. Naomi knew this – \u201cthe man will not rest until the matter is settled today\u201d<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cHebrew, “six seahs,” a seah contained about two gallons and a half, six of which must have been rather a heavy load for a woman.\u201d Biblestudytools.com\u00a0\u00a0 This shows us that Ruth must have been a strong, healthy woman.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Answer to argument 9 is given in the following quote:
\n\u201cBoaz gives Ruth six measures of barley to bring home with her, stating that he didn’t intend to have Naomi go empty-handed either. Upon seeing it, Naomi understood the message – he was not only going to marry Ruth, but also redeem Naomi’s land. And he would not rest until he had settled the matter that day.
\nHow did she understand this from a simple gift of six measures of barley? Remember that the standard for the fellowship offering was set back in Genesis 18<\/strong> by Abraham:
\nGen. 18:6 …Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead<\/strong> {it,} and make bread cakes.” <\/strong>
\nThree measures of meal became the standard fellowship offering. By giving them six measures, Boaz was letting Naomi know that his fellowship with Ruth was also with her.
\nShe also knew that he would not rest until the matter was finished. I imagine that this was also because of the gift. Just as Boaz gave her six measures, God finished His work on the sixth day of creation, and rested on the seventh. He did not rest until everything was done, until his job was complete. I believe that’s what Naomi is thinking, because she says
\nRuth 3:18 “…the man will not rest until he has settled it today.”<\/strong>
\nAnd indeed, Boaz would not rest until he settled it that day.\u201d Rondaniel.com<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Although it was flattering to have a young woman ask to marry him, we do not know what inheritance rights Boaz or any other heir of his would have to give up to their child. Of course, we know that obedience to God always brings abundant blessing, and Boaz (as had Naomi and Ruth) would have seen God\u2019s hand in this.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
God does more than show His divine protection and care for His children, show an example of love and commitment and other endless lessons in the book of Ruth. He defines redemption. A kinsman-redeemer has to be a blood relative (God became a man), have the means to redeem (gave Himself \u2013 sinless) and be willing to marry (Christ married the Church). Christ gave all that He could for us.
\nCHAPTER 4<\/p>\n
\u201cMeanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the kinsman-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, \u201cCome over here, my friend, and sit down.\u201d So he went over and sat down.\u201d Ruth 4:1<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Boaz went to the town gate where business transactions were carried out and where he was apt to find the kinsman he had mentioned to Ruth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I can imagine how anxious Boaz, Naomi and Ruth were. It is like waiting for an answer in the buying of a house \u2013 you know what you want and are waiting for all the factors to come into place. When one of these factors is the approval of another person, it makes the outcome more uncertain. We can see that God was even considering this and also making His will very clear because the other kinsman came along just as Boaz sat down.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cBoaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, \u201cSit here,\u201d and they did so. Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer, \u201cNaomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.\u201d
\n\u201cI will redeem it,\u201d he said.\u201d Ruth 4:2-4<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cTen men<\/em> \u2014 To be witnesses: for though two or three witnesses were sufficient, yet in weightier matters they used more. And ten was the usual number among the Jews, in causes of matrimony and divorce, and translation of inheritances; who were both judges of the causes, and witnesses of the fact.\u201d John Wesley Commentary<\/em><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
How simple business transactions were then! All Boaz had to do was find ten elders.\u00a0 He knew these men and Israel business well. In fact, he could have been the chief elder in Bethlehem. He explains his request. The men would have quickly understood:
\n\u201cIf one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold.\u201d Leviticus 25:25<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is difficult to determine the nature of Naomi\u2019s sale of land. She may have been selling the property rights to some land owned by her husband, Elimelech (10 years had elapsed). However, it is more probable that she held only the right to use the land until she remarried or died. Since she held the right to use the land, she had the right to buy it back from the present owner.\u201d Verse by Verse Commentary<\/em> Dr. Grant Richison<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Boaz knew Naomi wasn\u2019t able to buy back the land so would give that right to the next of kin. Naomi (through Ruth) had approached Boaz instead of the closer kinsman because she and Ruth knew Boaz was an honorable man who would take care of them. He showed that he would do all he could by sending her the gift of six measure of barley (as explained in the quote by rondaniel.com in chapter 3); he would not only marry Ruth (as requested), he would buy back the land for Naomi\u2019s family.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The other kinsman had a less noble motive for buying the land:
\n“I WILL REDEEM IT,’ HE SAID: “Yes, he would redeem the land’ he was willing enough to buy it, and add it to his own inheritance until the year of jubilee restored it to the family which originally owned it. He was the more willing to do this since there was no immediate prospect that there would be any other heir upon whom the property might devolve; so there was a fair chance that it might become his for good” (WJR). Agora Bible Commentary<\/em> (internet)
\nThe year of Jubilee is explained in Leviticus 25 and Numbers 36:4.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It is possible Boaz could have purchased the land without telling the other kinsman-redeemer, yet he did everything with integrity and honesty. He used wisdom (like Daniel in Daniel 1<\/strong>). He mentioned Naomi\u2019s name (although it involved Ruth) when making the request because she directed the negotiations. Because the other kinsman said yes to redeeming the land, Boaz clearly presented the stipulation of marrying Ruth the Moabite, the dead man\u2019s widow.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThen Boaz said, \u201cOn the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man\u2019s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.\u201d
\nAt this, the kinsman-redeemer said, \u201cThen I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.\u201d Ruth 4:5-6<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Marrying Ruth was an inconvenience for the other kinsman so he changed his mind and declined the offer. He readily understood what marrying Ruth would involve:
\n\u201cIf brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband\u2019s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.\u201d Deuteronomy 25:5-6<\/strong><\/p>\n
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\u201cMar<\/em> \u2014 Either because having no children of his own, he might have one, and but one son by Ruth, who, though he should carry away his inheritance, yet would not bear his name, but the name of Ruth’s husband; and so by preserving another man’s name, he should lose his own. Or, because as his inheritance would be but very little increased by this marriage, so it might be much diminished by being divided amongst his many children, which he possibly had already, and might probably have more by Ruth.\u201d John Wesley Commentary<\/em><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cLest I ruin my own inheritance: Probably, the man had grown sons that had already received their inheritance of lands. The problem of dividing that inheritance among future children he would have with Ruth was more than he wanted to deal with.
\nAlso, no doubt, the man was married – and knew it would be awkward (at best!) to bring home Ruth as wife number two. \u201c David Guvik\u2019s Commentary<\/em><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201c(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)
\nSo the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, \u201cBuy it yourself.\u201d And he removed his sandal.\u201d Ruth 4:7-8<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Since Boaz had already mentioned that he would redeem the land and the ancestry of Naomi, it was not such a stigma on the other kinsman because he refused. It was mainly to legalize the transaction that he removed his sandal:
\n\u201cHowever, if a man does not want to marry his brother\u2019s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, \u201cMy husband\u2019s brother refuses to carry on his brother\u2019s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.\u201d Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, \u201cI do not want to marry her,\u201d his brother\u2019s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, \u201cThis is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother\u2019s family line.\u201d That man\u2019s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled\u201d Deuteronomy 25:7-10<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cGave it<\/em> \u2014 He who relinquished his right to another, plucked off his own shoe and gave it to him. This was symbolical, and a significant and convenient ceremony, as if he said, take this shoe wherewith I used to go and tread upon my land, and in that shoe do thou enter upon it, and take possession of it.\u201c John Wesley Comentary<\/em><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The unnamed kinsman didn\u2019t know what he was missing. Matthew Henry mentioned in his commentary that the name of the other kinsman-redeemer was not mentioned because he had no significance in history having refused to marry Ruth. Like Orpah he was willing to go part way but his own desires kept him from going the full way. In this way Ruth and Boaz are contrasted to Orpah and the other kinsman.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThen Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, \u201cToday you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon\u2019s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!\u201d
\nThen the elders and all the people at the gate said, \u201cWe are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.\u201d Ruth 4:9-12<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Boaz clearly announced the legal requirement and his intentions. The people understood what he was doing as shown by the respect and blessings they gave him.
\nRachel and Leah were the wives of Jacob \u2013 God calls Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob several times in both the Old and New Testament. Jacob (God changed his name to Israel) had twelve sons so built up his family and the nation of Israel.
\n\u201cThen the man said, \u201cYour name will no longer be Jacob<\/strong> (supplanter), but Israel<\/strong> (triumph with God, who prevails with God), because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.\u201d Genesis 32:28
\n<\/strong>Perez was born to Tamar who like Ruth was not originally a Jew, but like Ruth acted in great courage to fulfill the laws of Israel (Genesis 38<\/strong>).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cSo Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: \u201cPraise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.\u201d
\nThen Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, \u201cNaomi has a son!\u201d And they named him Obed (servant). He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.\u201d Ruth 4:13-17<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Isn\u2019t it wonderful that the women of Bethlehem praised God, recognizing Him as the giver of life. They knew what Obed would mean for Naomi. He would give her hope for the present and for the future. Also unknown to Naomi is that she would have a part in the birth of Jesus. Surely God had given her \u201c\u2026immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine\u2026\u201d Ephesians 3:20<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The women of Bethlehem were giving Ruth the highest compliment when they told Naomi Ruth \u201cis better to you than seven sons\u201d<\/strong><\/em>.
\nThere are several examples of the number seven represented in Jewish history – \u201c\u20267 represents wholeness and completion.\u201d Ask the Rabbi
\n<\/em>\u201cSeven is one of the greatest power numbers in Judaism, representing Creation, good fortune, and blessing.\u201d Judaism & Numbers<\/em><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The character of Ruth is shown in Proverbs 31<\/strong>:
\n\u201cA wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
\nShe selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family (she has shown that she would take care of Naomi) and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks<\/strong> (she had shown her desire and ability to work hard). She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
\nShe opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy<\/strong> (she knows what it is to be poor and already shown her care for Naomi). When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.\u00a0 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
\nHer husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land <\/strong>(Boaz is a respected elder, and will be free to manage the affairs of the city and perhaps even more outreaching with Ruth as his wife). She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come (she has shown her faith in God). She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness <\/strong>(she does more than her share).<\/strong>
\nHer children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: \u201cMany women do noble things, but you surpass them all.\u201d Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised <\/strong>(we don\u2019t know what Ruth looked like \u2013 in God\u2019s eyes all who love Him are beautiful). Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate <\/strong>(the women have already praised her at the city gate). Proverbs 31:10-31<\/strong>
\nWhat Ruth has not already shown (because of circumstances) would have been, no doubt, fulfilled in the rest in her lifetime.<\/p>\n
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Ruth was the great grandmother of King David who was the ancestor of Jesus:
\n\u201c\u2026Ruth herself, who forsook the gods of her people to become a child of the true God is, indeed, better than seven sons. Through her would come the greatest blessing the world will ever know.\u201d Head and Heart<\/em><\/p>\n
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\u201cThis, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez<\/strong> (whose mother was Tamar – Genesis 38<\/strong>) was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab,\u00a0 Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon <\/strong>(the husband of Rahab – Joshua 6<\/strong>), Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.\u201d Ruth 4:18-22<\/strong><\/p>\n
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Ruth and Boaz were ancestors of Jesus. Jesus, along with the Jewish people, would have known the story of Ruth well. It was part of His heritage:
\n\u201cAnd Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.\u201d Luke 2:52<\/strong>
\nJesus was fully God, but He was also fully man.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIn the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man\u2019s name was Elimelek (strength of the king), his wife\u2019s name was Naomi (beautiful grace<\/p>\n