Lessons from the Book of Ruth: Ruth’s Blessing By Jim Laffoon

Before continuing read Ruth Chapter 4.

This is a nice text Lucasz shared with us to take a deeper look to the fourth chapther from the Book of Ruth.

Then the elders and all those at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. Through the offspring the Lord gave you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.” Ruth 4:11-12

It was probably the wedding of the year.
Boaz, one of Bethlehem’s most eligible bachelors, was taking Ruth, the beautiful young widow from Moab, to be his wife. The whole city was ecstatic; Boaz had always been one of the city’s favorite sons, and no one could ever remember seeing a widow as virtuous as Ruth.
The elders of the city blessed their coming union by asking God to give Ruth the blessing of Rachel and Leah. They also gave the couple’s future children the blessing of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.
In the blessing of Boaz and Ruth’s coming union, we find some of the most fundamental principles in all of Scripture. The fact that the elders asked God to make this couple’s children like Perez, whom Tamar bore, is amazing, especially when you consider Tamar’s story.
According to Genesis 38, Tamar’s first two husbands were killed by the Lord because of their wickedness. Although her father-in-law Judah promised his third son to her as well, he never fulfilled his promise to Tamar. Finally, both in anger over her father-in-law’s injustice and her own desire to have a child, she dressed up as a temple prostitute and seduced her own father-in-law.

When she became pregnant from this illicit union, Judah sentenced her to death. Once she proved to him, however, that he himself was the father of her child, Judah forgave Tamar and let her live.
When the day of birth finally came, Tamar had twin sons, whom she named Perez and Zerah. When Zerah’s hand appeared out of the birth canal, the midwife tied a scarlet thread around it, because she thought for sure that he would be the firstborn. Much to her amazement, however, the other son was born first, so he was named Perez (breaking out).
What does this tragic tale of immorality and pain have to do with us today?
When the elders asked for the blessing of Perez to be on Ruth’s children, they were asking God to give them the “spirit of breakthrough.”
Despite the pain surrounding Perez’s birth, it was his family line that produced King David and ultimately, Jesus. Both King David and Jesus, like their forefather Perez, demonstrated that through faith and obedience there is no barrier one cannot break through.
Do you understand? God wants to give you the spirit of Perez today.
You may be suffering the pain of a horrible past or the crushing realities of your present circumstances, but there is nothing that God, through His Word and Spirit, cannot bring you through. In my own life, however, I have found that these breakthroughs do not always come instantaneously. This may very well be the most discouraging thing about the whole process.
Although we would rather blow out of our problems by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit, most of us actually grow out of our problems.
According to Isaiah 10:27, Israel broke out of their yokes because they had grown so fat. In other words, most breakthroughs are produced as we progressively grow out of sin and into the image of Christ. This is one of the reasons why a consistent life in the Word and prayer is so critical.
Your faithfulness in these basic Christian disciplines will probably determine whether or not you ever receive the breakthrough for which you have been longing.
May God give you the spirit of breakthrough as you ponder this story’s message today.

The Book of Ruth Chapter 3: Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

Brief Summary: After the harvest had finished, at Naomi’s request, Ruth dresses up, puts on perfume, and goes to the threshing floor. Ruth waits until Boaz falls asleep and then quietly lies down by his feet. When Boaz awakes Ruth asks him “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer.” In other words, she expresses her desire to marry him according to the custom of the kinsman-redeemer. But Boaz tells her that another man has a prior claim. He commands her to lay down at his feet until morning, when he will go to solve this matter.

What, if anything, surprises you?

It was surprising that Naomi sent Ruth to Boaz, even though there was some nearer kinsman-redeemer. Probably, Naomi did not know or heard about him the time they were already in Bethlehem. However, Ruth does not rebuke Naomi and obeys her words; she goes to Boaz even though she might be rejected. It is also surprising how Boaz answers so quickly to her, as if he already was thinking about asking her for marriage.

The face of Boaz in the Sistine Chapel

Ruth 2

Brief summary: After Ruth and Naomi got back to Bethlehem, Ruth starts gleaning in the fields to help provide food for both of them. The fields she ends up working in belong to Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s deceased husband. Boaz notices the young woman immediately and allows her to glean in his fields treating her like one of his servant girls. He even tells his men to not touch her and allows her to share water and food with all the workers. Ruth herself is very surprised about the special treatment especially since she is a foreigner. After her first day gleaning, she returns home to Naomi with an ephah (~22 liters) of barley and some left-over food from lunch. Naomi is impressed and tells Ruth to return to Boaz’ fields since he has taken such good care of her.

Spotlight on Ruth – how does she behave? what does she feel? Ruth seems to be a very determined but also humble person. She is determined to help provide a living for Naomi and herself. She is humble when Boaz talks to her and praises her for her good deeds. And she is a loving and kind person, saving some of her food for Naomi and doing as her mother-in-law instructs her.

Spotlight on Boaz and Naomi – what do they do? how to they interact with Ruth?

• Boaz is a very caring man who cares deeply about Ruth’s well-being. He tells his men to not harm her and instructs her to stay in his fields where he can ensure her safety. He allows her to remain in his fields and gives her the standing of a servant girl even though she is a foreigner. He seems to be impressed with her actions towards her mother-in-law and asks the LORD to bless her richly for it. Thus, Boaz also seems to be a faithful believer in the LORD.
• Naomi seems to be worried about Ruth’s well-being and relieved when she finds out that Ruth has been treated well by Boaz. As we were discussing Naomi’s role in this story, we were wondering what she was doing all day long and how she would have made a living without Ruth.

Spotlight on God – what role does he play in the text? The LORD does not seem to directly act in this story, his actions are rather through people like Boaz. Boaz seems to be aware that the LORD has blessed Ruth and that he is needed to help fulfill the LORD’s blessing. In general, the LORD is depicted as a blessing, loving, providing God who also provides for the foreigner. Even though the Israelites think of themselves as the chosen people, the idea that other people can be saved through God’s love, too, appears in this passage.

Other thoughts, surprises…: In contrast to chapter 1, chapter 2 provides the reverse motif: Naomi and Ruth arrive empty-handed and are left with plenty of food at the end of the day.

How can we relate to the people in the text? What can we learn from them?

• Don’t give up in the face of misery – the LORD will show you his way out.
• Ruth’s determinism to act instead of giving in to their misery and waiting for Naomi or somebody else to help them reminds us that we cannot just sit around and wait for good things to happen.

The Book of Ruth Chapter 1: Naomi and Ruth

Before continuing reading review carefully Ruth chapter 1.

Who? What? When? Where?

In the first line we read “In the days when the judges ruled”. So, the history we are about to read happens in a time where appointed judges ruled. Look at the book preceding Ruth, it is ‘Judges’. The history of Ruth (so far) develops in Bethlehem and Moab.

The history starts when Naomi, her husband, Elimelech, together with her two sons left Bethlehem since there was a famine in their homeland. They headed to Moab, where her two sons married two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth.

After the death of Naomi’s husband, her two sons also died. Then, she heard ‘the LORD had come the aid of his people by providing food for them’ and decided to go back to her native land. Naomi said to both of her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to stay in Moab and go back to their people. Orpah obeyed with sadness, but Ruth decided to follow her to Bethelem.

Read the text again quietly. Pay close attention to the people in this incident. What do you observe about them? How do they interact with each other? What do you think are their attitudes or feelings?

There is a strong bond between the three widows. They wept most of the time they talked about the leaving of Naomi.

Some thought Ruth was really close to Naomi, since Ruth leaves a life in her own land and family to accompany Naomi to her native Bethlehem. Ruth said to Naomi ‘Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God’. She is willing to embrace the God of Israel, and probably, their rules as well. What will this mean for her? Will she be able to marry again? How open could Israelites be to a foreigner?

Others thought that Ruth was not considering the fact that her decision could mean their ruin. Two widows were very vulnerable people, as marriage was the only source of stability and security for a woman in those times. Will Ruth be able to find a husband despite the fact she is a foreigner?

What phrase or word is used the most frequently?

The word LORD and God appears repetively.

The idea of ‘returning home’ is constantly repeated.

The fact that Naomi is in a foreign land, and that Ruth is a foreigner is stressed over the whole chapter.

Identify the contrasts in chapter one? e.g. husband & two sons – no husband & no sons

The chapter begins with a famine, and ends when a harvest begins.

Naomi means pleasant, but at the end of the chapter she makes herself call Mara that means bitter.

Which sentence, do you think, is the key statement in this section of the narrative? Explain your answer.

Some though of Ruth’s reply to Naomi: “Don’t 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.” This, some felt, was the most moving moment.

What, if anything, surprises you in the narrative thus far?

Naomi, interestingly, told her people when arriving to Bethlehem ‘I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty’. Did she value Ruth’s company? Was she happy Ruth decided to come along with her? Some of us though she was not thrilled by the idea of having the responsibility of Ruth’s well-being.

Some asked why ‘When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them’. Was Naomi famous? Was her late husband an important figure?

Others were surprised how Naomi convinced Ruth to be faithful to her God, but at the same time, she only complains about the way God has treated her.

In what ways does God participate in this scene? What – do you think- is the narrative revealing thus far about God?

Your are invited

A few of us are really eager to continue looking deeply into God’s word
together. You are welcome to join with us:

When: Tuesdays, 6:00pm
Where: apartment of Marcelo & Daniela (910 Constitution Dr. Apt 815 Phone: 919-323-1196)
What: Old Testament character of Ruth
(READ the entire four chapters in ONE sitting before you come.)

If you happen to miss a study-discussion, we will post all comments and discussion in this blog. What’s more , you can post your own thoughts!