Boaz and Ruth

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Boaz and Ruth

• Firm Foundations

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Lesson Titles

• Sunday Family Affairs
• Monday Devotion of Ruth
• Tuesday Boaz
• Wednesday The Proposal
• Thursday Redemption
• Friday The Hand of God in History

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Lesson Emphasis

• Week at a Glance
• In Boaz and Ruth we can see many features that
  make a good foundation for a successful marriage
  and for a faithful life in general.
• Summary
• Despite some aspects of their situation not
  being ideal for marriage, Boaz and Ruth had the
  essential qualities for a solid relationship.
  Both demonstrated a spirit of caring and sharing,
  and both were deeply committed to God.

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Background and History

• When did all this happen?
• In our Bibles Ruth is a separate book. In the LXX
  (one of the oldest Bibles) it is a sort of
  appendix to the Book of Judges.

• Rameses the Great Egypt
• 59 sons
• 60 daughters

Palamedes invented dice
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Moab

• Started with Lot and his daughters (Gen. 19 36,
  37.
• Kinship with the Israelites.
• Religion

• The chief deity of Moab was Chemosh (kemosh),
  frequently mentioned in the Old Testament .
• He was the national god of Moab, and it is pretty
  certain that he was propitiated by human
  sacrifices (2 Kings 327).
• In Numbers 25, where it is also clear that their
  idolatrous worship was corrupt.

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Moab
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Moab
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Moab

• Deut 233-6
• Ammonites or Moabites may not join the assembly
  of the Lord. Not one descendant of theirs may
  join the assembly of the Lord for ten
  generations.
• They cannot join because they didn't greet you
  with food and water on your trip from Egypt. They
  even hired Balaam, son of Beor, . . . to curse
  you. . . .
• Never offer them peace or friendship as long as
  you live. (Gods Word Version)

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Customs in the Story

• Widows and mothers-in-law.
• The law of levirate marriage.
• Land redemption laws and customs.

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Ruth and Naomi
Sunday This must have been some kind of family
a Hebrew mother-in-law to two pagan
daughters-in-law wouldnt, on the surface, seem
to form a great relationship. It had all the
earmarks for disaster. And yet, the dedication
to each others well-being is phenomenal. We
dont know all that went on in their homes, but
they obviously had something many homes certainly
could use.
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Monday Ruths Devotion

• Ruth 114,15
• Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but
  Ruth held on to her tightly.
• Naomi said, Look, your sister-in-law has gone
  back to her people and to her gods. Go back with
  your sister-in-law. Gods Word version).

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Monday Ruths Devotion
Paulinus of Nola an Early Church Father But
the broad road seduces many, and those who glide
on the easy downward course are snatched off
headlong by sin that cannot be revoked. (Poems
27115).
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Moab

• Deut 233-6
• Ammonites or Moabites may not join the assembly
  of the Lord. Not one descendant of theirs may
  join the assembly of the Lord for ten
  generations.
• They cannot join because they didn't greet you
  with food and water on your trip from Egypt. They
  even hired Balaam, son of Beor, . . . to curse
  you. . . .
• Never offer them peace or friendship as long as
  you live. (Gods Word Version)

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Monday Ruths Devotion

• Ruth 116-18
• But Ruth answered, Don't force me to leave you.
  Don't make me turn back from following you.
  Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you
  stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people,
  and your God will be my God.
• Wherever you die, I will die, and I will be
  buried there with you. May the Lord strike me
  down if anything but death separates you and
  me!  
• When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go
  with her, she ended the conversation (Gods Word
  version).

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Becoming a Jew A Contemporary Comment

• The Jewish people do not seek proselytes. Our
  Torah tells us that when a would-be proselyte
  wishes to become a Jew, it is our duty to point
  out to him or her all the difficulties this would
  entail, as well as the burden of responsibility
  that rest upon the Jew in his obligation to
  fulfill the Torah and its commandments. We are to
  show him that he is choosing a very difficult
  path, and a life that is not popular with the
  rest of the world.
• If, despite all these considerations and
  warnings, the person still persists in his or her
  desire to embrace Judaism, then indeed we can be
  proud to accept such a man or woman into our
  fold, for they will surely become devout and
  sincere Jews. (chabad.org)

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Boaz Ruth 2 1-12

• Ruth 2 1
• Naomi had a relative. He was from Elimelech's
  side of the family. He was a man of outstanding
  character named Boaz. (GW)

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What Did Boaz Know?

• Ruth 2 11, 12
• People have told me about everything you have
  done for your mother-in-law after your husband
  died. They told me how you left your father and
  mother and the country where you were born. They
  also told me how you came to people that you
  didn't know before.
• May the Lord reward you for what you have done!
  May you receive a rich reward from the Lord God
  of Israel, under whose protection you have come
  for shelter. (GW).

Deut . Never offer them peace or friendship as
long as you live.
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Tuesday - What Did Boaz Do?

1. He gave Ruth full encouragement to glean in his
   fields.

• He provided for her peace of mind by informing
  her that the men had been instructed not to
  bother her.
• He provided for her further needs by making his
  drinking water available to her.
• He gave her spiritual encouragement.

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Wednesday The Proposal

• The kinsman-redeemer.
• The law of levirate marriage.

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Wednesday The Proposal

• The kinsman-redeemer.
• Lev 2523-25 - Land must never be sold
  permanently, because the land is mine the Lord.
  To me you are strangers without permanent homes.
• People must always have the right to buy their
  property back.
• If your brother becomes poor and sells some of
  his property, then the one who can assume
  responsibility, his nearest relative, must buy
  back what he sold. (GW version)

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Wednesday The Proposal

• The Lord bless him! Naomi The
  kinsman-redeemer.
• said to her daughter-in-law. He has not stopped
  showing his kindness to the living and the dead.
  She added, That man Boaz is our close
  relative he is one of our kinsman-redeemers.
  (NIV)

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Wednesday The Proposal

• Lev. 25 47-50 If an alien or a temporary
  resident among you becomes rich and one of your
  countrymen becomes poor and sells himself to the
  alien living among you or to a member of the
  aliens clan, he retains the right of redemption
  after he has sold himself. One of his relatives
  may redeem him An uncle or a cousin or any blood
  relative in his clan may redeem him. Or if he
  prospers, he may redeem himself. (NIV)

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Theological Implications

• Jer. 314- Return, faithless people, declares
  the Lord, for I am your husband (NIV)
• Ruth 413-15 So Boaz took Ruth and she became
  his wife. Then he went to her, and the Lord
  enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a
  son. The women said to Naomi Praise 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 (NIV).

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Theological Implications

• Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left
  you without a kinsman-redeemer.
• Heb 1113-16 - All these people died having
  faith. They didn't receive the things that God
  had promised them, but they saw these things
  coming in the distant future and rejoiced. They
  acknowledged that they were living as strangers
  with no permanent home on earth. Those who say
  such things make it clear that they are looking
  for their own country. If they had been thinking
  about the country that they had left, they could
  have found a way to go back. Instead, these men
  were longing for a better countrya heavenly
  country. That is why God is not ashamed to be
  called their God. He has prepared a city for
  them. (GW)

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Theological Implications

• Eph 111-14 In him we were also chosen,
• having been predestined according to the plan of
  him who works out everything in conformity with
  the purpose of his will,
• in order that we, who were the first to hope in
  Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
• And you also were included in Christ when you
  heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
  salvation. Having believed, you were marked in
  him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
• who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance
  until the redemption of those who are Gods
  possessionto the praise of his glory. (NIV)

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Theological Implications

• Isa. 62 4, 5 and your land Gods people
  will be married. As a young man marries a maiden,
  so will your sons marry you as a bridegroom
  rejoices over his bride. so will your God rejoice
  over you. (NIV).
• Isa. 545 - For your Maker is your husband the
  Lord Almighty is his name (NIV)

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Thursday - Redemption

• Lev. 2525 - If your brother becomes poor and
  sells some of his property, then the one who can
  assume responsibility, his nearest relative, must
  buy back what he sold.

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Law of Levirate Marriage

• Deut 255-10 When brothers live together and
  one of them dies without having a son, his widow
  must not marry outside the family.
• Her husband's brother must marry her and sleep
  with her. He must do his duty as her
  brother-in-law.
• Then the first son she has will carry the dead
  brother's name so that his name won't die out in
  Israel.
• But if the man doesn't want to marry his
  brother's widow, she must go to the leaders of
  the city at the city gate. She must say, 'My
  brother-in-law refuses to let his brother's name
  continue in Israel. He doesn't want to do his
  duty as my brother-in-law. Then the leaders of
  the city must summon him and talk to him.
• If he persists in saying that he doesn't want to
  marry her, his brother's widow must go up to him
  in the presence of the leaders. She must take off
  one of his sandals and spit in his face. She must
  make this formal statement This is what happens
  to a man who refuses to continue his brother's
  family line.
• Then in Israel his family will be called the
  Family of the Man Without a Sandal. (GW)

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Law of Levirate Marriage

• The most famous Bible story about this law is in
  Genesis 38 the story of Tamar and Judah.
• It is kind of twisted up, but the motivation
  behind what Tamar did is the law of levirate
  marriage.

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Ruth 4 - Redemption

• Ruth 33,4 Then go down to the threshing
  floor, but dont 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. (NIV).

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The Redemption (Digging a Little Deeper!)

• Ruth 33 Wash and perfume yourself, and put on
  your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing
  floor, but dont let him know you are there until
  he has finished eating and drinking. (NIV)

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The Redemption (Digging a Little Deeper!)

• Chrysostom (Early church Father and golden
  tongued orator).
• Agree or Disagree?
• Thus the church was not made lovable to her
  spouse before she had forsaken her prior customs.

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Boaz Confronts the Other Kinsman

• Ruth 41-8 Boaz went to the city gate and sat
  there. Just then, the relative about whom he had
  spoken was passing by. Boaz said, Please come
  over here and sit, my friend. So the man came
  over and sat down. . . .
• The man said, I'll buy back the property
• Boaz continued, When you buy the field from
  Naomi, you will also assume responsibility for
  the Moabite Ruth, the dead man's widow. This
  keeps the inheritance in the dead man's name.
• The man replied, In that case I cannot assume
  responsibility for her. If I did, I would ruin my
  inheritance. Take all my rights to buy back the
  property for yourself, because I cannot assume
  that responsibility.
• (This is the way it used to be in Israel
  concerning buying back property and exchanging
  goods In order to make every matter legal, a man
  would take off his sandal and give it to the
  other man. This was the way a contract was
  publicly approved in Israel.)
• So when the man said to Boaz, Buy it for
  yourself, he took off his sandal. (GW)

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The Wedding
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How it all Came Out

• And They All Lived Happily Ever After!

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The Rest of the Story

• Ruth 4 16 Then Naomi took the child, laid him
  in her lap and cared for him. The women living
  there said, Naomi has a son. And they named him
  Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of
  David. (NIV)

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The Rest of the Story

• Ruth 4 18-22 This, then, is the family line
  of Perez (Tamar and Judahs son)
• Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father
  of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab
  the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of
  Salmon (The man Rahab married), Salmon the father
  of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed (Ruths son),
  Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of
  David. (NIV)
• Which leads to Jesus The Son of David.