Ruth 1 and 2

  We are going to push “pause” on the book of Joshua so that those who are traveling for Christmas do not miss anything.  For this week and the next, we will look at the book of Ruth.  Honestly, two weeks does not give us nearly enough time with this book so we will see this as an introduction and hope that you will study further on your own.  Alistair Begg has a sermon series on Ruth that is very helpful and can be found HERE.  Also, John MacArthur has a sermon on Ruth that contains a lot of helpful background on the Moabites HERE.

Let’s start with some background.  The book is written anonymously, so we can’t be sure, but Ruth was probably written by Samuel during the reign of King David.  There are a few scholars who believe that Solomon could have written it.  The story itself takes place during the time of the judges, possibly during Jair’s judgeship (Judges 10:3-5).  Ruth is a historical narrative written to give hope amidst stories of a dark time.  It also gives insight into the lineage of Christ.  Some themes in Ruth include God’s redemptive plan for ALL people, women as coheirs with men of God’s salvation grace, virtuous women, God’s sovereign care even in ordinary situations, emptiness to fullness, the cost of disobedience, faithful living, and redemption.  The largest theme in Ruth is that of the kinsman redeemer.  Boaz is shown as a type of Christ because he redeems Ruth (and Naomi), saving her from a life of poverty and barrenness.  

Read Chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Ruth

Who? Naomi and her family, Ruth, Orpah, Boaz and his servants

What? The story of how Naomi and Ruth came to be together and how they ended up in Bethlehem

Where? The story begins in the land of Moab, east of the Dead Sea, and then moves to Bethlehem in Judah

When? During the time of the judges, about 1300 - 1050 BC; this is a time of great apostasy and instability

Why? Naomi and her family go to Moab because of a famine; she and Ruth return to Bethlehem because Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, and her sons, Mahlon and Chilion, have died and she has heard that the famine in Judah is over

How? God’s sovereignty and people’s choices; while I don’t totally understand the complex way these two things work together and ultimately end with God being sovereign, they do work together and God is sovereign

We won’t go into a large amount of background concerning Moab.  You can listen to the sermon mentioned above or do some research to find out more if you want more that what we include here.  Moab was the son of Lot and his oldest daughter (Genesis 19:7).  God curses the nation of Moab because of its idolatry and lack of help for Israel (Deuteronomy 23:3-6 and Nehemiah 13:1-3, see also Numbers 25 and Judges 3).  God does, however, allow for foreigners to join Israel if they have surrendered to the One True God, Yahweh (Isaiah 56:1-8).

The time of the judges was a time of apostasy and instability unlike any other.  Judges 17-21 include two stories of disobedience and trouble (these chapters are not chronological with the rest of the book’s timeline).  Ruth adds a story of redemption and hope.  God always gives us hope, even in the darkest times.  

 

Chapter 1

This story opens with a family in trouble because there is famine in the land.  This famine was probably due to Israel’s unfaithfulness.  “Bethlehem” means “house of bread,” but there was no bread to be found.  Elimelech, whose name means “my God is King” or “God is mighty,” takes his family to the land of Moab which is east of the Dead Sea.  We are not sure if he decides to do this out of disobedience to God, distrust of God, or good intentions as the story does not expand on his motives.  He obviously does not think about the spiritual influences he will be exposing his family to in Moab.  He takes with him his wife, Naomi (“pleasant” or “sweet”), and his two sons, Mahlon (“illness” or “to be sick”) and Chilion (“destruction” or “wasting away”) (Ruth 1:1-2)  They are called “Ephrathites” because the name of the town of Bethlehem in Judah was once Ephrath.  It is also referred to as Bethlehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2).  While they are in Moab, Elimelech dies, the sons marry, and then they die as well.  Chilion’s wife is Orpah (“stubborn”) and Mahlon’s wife is Ruth (“friendship”) according to the historian Josephus (The Antiquities of the Jews 5.9.1.319).  Note that marrying a foreigner was forbidden in God’s Law (Deuteronomy 7:1-3) but God can take a questionable marriage and redeem it for His own purposes as we will see Him do here.  Naomi and her family have lived in Moab for about 10 years and, while in Moab, Naomi has been completely emptied.

When Naomi hears that the Lord has lifted the famine in Bethlehem, she decides that she will go home.  Throughout this story, pay attention to God’s timing and His sovereignty.  When Naomi decides to “return” to her homeland, this word gives the return spiritual implications as well as physical ones.  Naomi is returning not only to her land, but to her God.  In this culture, it would be normal for loved ones to accompany one beginning a journey for quite a while before they turned back and said a final goodbye.  Orpah and Ruth accompany Naomi out of town and probably even further.  Naomi’s faith and her character have been a great witness to these women.  Remember that, in those days, when a son married, he brought her home to live in the family house.  These women have been living together for as much as ten years.  Finally, Naomi reaches a point where she encourages her daughters-in-law to be practical and return home to their mothers so that they can remarry.  She probably has waited until they are far enough out of town that she could not be persuaded to stay in Moab.  Naomi is being selfless here, pointing out that, even if she had sons and they could perform a levirate marriage, they would be waiting years (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10 for information on levirate, from the Latin for “husband’s brother," marriage).  Naomi is probably 50 or more years old and knows that she will no longer bear children.  Her grief has convinced her that God has turned against her, although she does recognize God’s sovereignty (see 1 Peter 1:6-7).  Orpah chooses the practical path and returns home.  Ruth, however, is totally committed to staying with Naomi, no matter what happens.  You will note in verses 15 and 16 that the choice really comes down to Moab’s gods or the One True God of Israel.  Ruth embraces faith in God, even though she is a Moabite.  She would be an outcast in Israel, but God wants all people to be saved.  He is mostly concerned with a person’s heart and what that heart worships.  God doesn’t see race or ethnicity (see Acts 17:26).

Ruth and Naomi travel for seven to ten days, a distance of 60-75 miles.  Life has been hard on Naomi, and it shows.  The women of Bethlehem are unsure that it is really her.  Naomi’s life has become bitter and she has become embittered, grieving and blaming God.  She wants to be called “Mara,” which means “bitter.”  Ruth is called “Ruth the Moabitess” often in Bethlehem, pointing out that she is a foreigner and a childless outcast.  There is a glimmer of hope, though.  Ruth and Naomi arrive in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.  This is a time of God’s favor and a return to fruitfulness.  Barley and wheat are planted in November in this area of the world.  Barley was harvested in April, while wheat was harvested in May (give or take - scholars differ on the exact time period of the harvest, but it was in spring, with the barley being harvested first).  

Chapter 2

In this chapter, we are introduced to Boaz (“in him is strength”).  The story unfolds with God’s sovereignty front and center.  Alistair Begg says of this, “God’s will isn’t a package let down by a string.  It is a scroll that unrolls from day to day.”  We are shown God’s grace to the outsider, Ruth, in this chapter as He provides for her.  Ruth takes initiative.  She is prepared to work, trusting God while she works.  The Christian life is practical - use your common sense, think carefully, and proceed accordingly.  Ruth also seeks the advice of the person who loves her the most, Naomi, as we should also seek God’s will in the sensible advice of those Godly men and women who love us most.  Ruth goes into the field to glean (see Leviticus 19:9-10 and 23:22 - anything that has fallen is to be left for the poor to pick up and the edges of the fields are also to be left for them).  She “happened to come” to Boaz’s field, again showing God’s hand working in her life.  Boaz lives in Bethlehem and comes to check on his fields, again, showing the timing of God’s sovereignty.  Boaz has a relationship with his Lord and speaks freely of Him.  He also teaches those who work for him to love the Lord and serve Him.  

Once we have the scene set, we are told of Ruth’s character and reputation.  They have not been in Bethlehem long, but already people are praising her character, even if she is a foreigner.  Ruth does not expect anything, but humbly requests of Boaz’s manager that she be allowed to glean in the field.  She is diligent and works selflessly to provide for herself and for Naomi.  Boaz shows his Godly character by providing her protection and being generous to her.  He does far more than the Law requires of him.  Ruth knows that she is only allowed in Judah by special accommodation and is humbly grateful for all Boaz does for her.  She is amazed that he is so generous, even if Naomi herself had spoken well to him about Ruth.  Boaz recognized God’s protection for His own (see Psalm 63:6-8) and recognizes that Ruth belongs to God even if she is from Moab.  Boaz crosses racial/ethnical lines here.  God had told them not to intermarry with idolatrous people, but Ruth has surrendered to God.  Boaz’s abundant provision displays affection, even if he is most likely much older than Ruth.  

When Ruth returns home to Naomi with the fruit of her labor and the excess from Boaz’s generosity, Naomi begins to see the Lord’s hand at work in her life, rather than the bitterness she once felt (see Romans 8:28).  We get our first glimpse of the idea of a kinsman-redeemer here.  The kinsman-redeemer is a picture of Jesus redeeming His people out of slavery to sin (for more on the kinsman-redeemer, see Numbers 35:19-21, Leviticus 25:25, 47-49 and Deuteronomy 25:5-10).  Naomi begins to plan for Ruth’s future as Ruth works the harvests, about two to three months worth of labor.  

Question 1: Examine the faith and character of Elimelech, Naomi, Orpah, Ruth, and Boaz (we have covered this in the notes above)

Applications

Ruth is a woman worth emulating.  She surrendered her life to God, even though it meant leaving the familiar and possibly being an outcast.  She also works hard and does not expect a handout, working hard not just for herself, but for Naomi.  We need to be surrendered and obedient to God as she was, humble and grateful as she was, too.  

We need to understand the concept of a kinsman-redeemer and how that applies to Jesus with us.  Take some time to look over the verses listed above and others that your cross references take you to and really think through this idea.  Jesus redeemed us.  Amazing.  Let that sink in and fill your heart with gratitude and humility.