Ruth

Ruth –

Ruth 1:1-5 Elimelech’s Family Goes to Moab

Elimelech and his wife Naomi and their two boys headed for Moab to find food during a famine in Judah.  While they were there, Elimelech died, his two sons married Moabite women and then the sons passed away; this left Naomi in a foreign land responsible for herself and her widowed daughters-in-law.

Ruth 1:6-22 Naomi Returns with Ruth

Naomi heard that the famine was over in her hometown of Bethlehem and had to head home where she could be cared for.  Remember that in this time, women couldn't just go out and get a job and take care of themselves.  She told her daughters-in-law to return to their families, that their commitment to her and her family was over following the death of their husbands.  At first, both women said that they were going to stay with her.  After some urging, Orpah returned to her family but Ruth refused to return to her family and returned with Naomi to Bethlehem.  Her words, found in Ruth 1:16-17, were, 

"Entreat me not to leave you,

Or to turn back from following after you;

for where you go, I will go;

and wherever you lodge, I will lodge;

Your people shall be my people,

and your God, my God.

Where you die, I will die,

and there will I be buried.

The Lord do so to me, and more also,

if anything but death parts you and me."

What a promise of loyalty!!  A note from my Bible... (Women's Study Bible by Thomas Nelson Publishers 2006)

Gratitude on the part of one awakens loyalty in the heart of the other.

Selflessness on the part of one demands unselfishness from the other.

Bitterness in one gives opportunity for creativity in the other.

Interest from one is rewarded by responsive communication in the other.

Counsel from one bears fruit as accepted and honored by the other.

Ruth 2:1-23 Ruth Meets Boaz
Ruth 3:1-18 Ruth’s Redemption AssuredRuth 4:1-12 Boaz Redeems Ruth

Boaz was a rich person in Bethlehem.  He was of the family of Elimelech.  Naomi told Ruth to go to Boaz' fields to gather the left over wheat that was dropped by the pickers to provide for their little widow family.  When Boaz saw her gathering and knew who she was, he instructed his people to make sure that they left enough behind to provide for her and Naomi.  In those times, a man's family was to take care of the widows of their men and if their was a suitable male among them, to marry the widow and continue to bear children to increase their family line.  Boaz eventually married Ruth and they gave birth to sons, importantly, they gave birth to Obed.

Ruth 4:13-22 Descendants of Boaz and Ruth

Boaz and Ruth had a baby, Obed.  Obed was father to Jesse, Jesse was father to David, who became King David.  King David is in the human lineage of Christ.  I for one am quite glad that Ruth followed Naomi back to Bethlehem for the ultimate purpose of giving birth to the humanly lineage of Christ.