Ruth
Study 8
Ruth – 18
Hearts Shared
Goodness is shown
Out of a heart of love
No strings attached
No questions asked
Giving from a full heart
Into a shawl bursting forth
Of plenty.
Pure hearts knit together
With integrity and friendship
Binding souls together as
A piece of fabric.
The hand of God
Intricately weaved hearts
And eyes to want no other
And one day speak an oath
As husband and wife.
God’s Story
God in the beginning made man and saw he was not good without a wife. Out of God’s heart came Adam and his union with Eve. Before the fall, God had already set in place redemption.
Every law He set, every person He chose, was to bring about redemption. He made man to love; man was made in His image. He will use the Gentile to bring about the wife He lost, Israel
God uses Boaz to show Israel
God's redemption came at a time when no one expected Him and his second coming to redeeming this earth will come the same way, without any one expecting. God takes his wing and spreads it over the redeemed one, the same picture when God came to Mary and Mary invited Him to "To do to her according to His Word." The Holy Spirit came over Mary and see conceived God's Son.
The word refuge meaning to trust and faith in OT is the same as to trust, to roll on or roll over. He is asking us to come under his wing, his protection.
When the Woman touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, she knew one touch would bring her under His wing, his protection.
Boaz and Jesus’ Story
Boaz knew the law and he came under the law, just as Jesus was born under the law and obey it. He understood what he was giving up, just as Jesus knew what He must go through and leave in order to secure the glory of heaven.
Boaz was not a man of slowness. God knew he would make the right decision. Boaz would be giving his seed to Elimelech’s name, his wealth and promise. Jesus knew He would become the Son of Man and give His life for man. He was the Son of God but did not hold to it.
He knew that man would become the joint-heir of Christ and will rule on the throne with Him. He also knew that in His death, the seed of promise would permeate the human soul and they would become one in the spirit.
Boaz's Story - Boaz tells Ruth to tarry the night, in the morning he will approach the officials in the gate, 10 officials (God's complete number) and present to the near kinsmen a solution for Ruth. Boaz (fleetness and swift). Naomi told Ruth, Boaz will not wait a day until he makes a decision. Boaz's mother is Rahab. He understood crossing of lines.
Ruth’s Story
She was drawn to the field; she followed the instructions of Naomi and knew there was a risk.
Ruth's Story - Ruth has come under the wing of Boaz. She came to his feet, he spread his tailif over her, signifying his protection of her. God forbid Israel Israel
Full Reward – 1 Sam 24:19 enemies show kindness
Ps – keeping the commandment, great reward
Hebrew 11;26 – Moses looked to great Reward
Principles of Relationships:
Can we trust Jesus to make deals with whoever for us?
Can we trust Jesus to do in the perfect time.
When Jesus goes to the Father and is the advocate for us. How is He pleading our case.
How did Boaz plead Ruth's case?
What did Boaz have to lose?
What would was the kinsman who was nearest in kin, have to give up?
Principles and Relationship
1. Was Ruth looking for a relationship?
2. She was doing it for Naomi
3. Boaz was doing this for Naomi
4. Could she trust Boaz?
5. Why do you think she could trust him?
Chain of Events: Isaiah 32:8 – generous man will stnd
Gal – an opportunity
Ruth – sit still
Six seahs – a seah – 2 ½ gallons
Ps 37:3-5 Sit still
Isaiah 28:16 – will not act hastily
Ps 32:22 said in my haste, no innocent is haste
Ps 31:15 – my times in your hands
Redeeming the Land –Lev 25:25, Numbers 36:9, Numbers 78:8-11
The Cameo (The Story)
“I’ve done a great evil to you, Ruth. I begged you not to come,” Naomi said as Ruth came to meet her in the field.
“It is true, I am not use to working so hard, but I’ve stayed close to the women in Boaz’s field as Boaz instructed me. They seem jealous of me.”
“I am sure they do. They hate you because you are beautiful.”
“But look, I gleaned a whole ephah of barley today.”
The next morning Boaz rode through the fields where the reapers were busy working, and the women were gleaning after them. Boaz’s eyes were drawn to the slender, graceful figure.
“She must glean only in my field,” Boaz told his worker.
As Ruth drew near Boaz, she bowed.
“Don’t bow to me, You are in Israel Moab
Ruth nodded “No.”
“When you are thirsty, drink of the clear water that my harvesters have drawn.”
“Thank you.”
Naomi was waiting by the well when the reapers came from the field at sundown. She looked for Ruth. Ruth was following behind the other women.
“Tonight, I want you to wash and anoint yourself. You will be following the custom of my people. Boaz has a little place in the wall beside the old wine press. Tonight I want you to go to him. He is our next of kin and he has the right to redeem my land.”
Ruth fretted making herself ready as Naomi said. “What if he rejects me? What if he thinks I am too forward?”
“Ruth, it is our custom, he will understand why you have come.”
“He was kind to me today when he rode his fields.”
“Yes, and he will be kind to you this evening.”
“I noticed other men were looking at you in the field today.”
“I haven’t noticed. The women are jealous of me and I do not want to give
them any reason for thinking I am there for any other reason than gleaning.”
“Boaz spoke to me this morning. He said I was like the morning star; I was brighter than all the others. I am not sure what he was saying.”
“Ruth, what else did he say?”
“Nothing, we just looked at each other. His eyes met mine and he didn’t seem to notice the other reapers. They were standing close by. They might have heard him.”
“Naomi, I have never looked at anyone else except Mahlon that way.”
“I know, my child, but Mahlon is our past, we must look towards the future.”
“Now quickly go. When Boaz has eaten and drunk and is full of joy, he will lie down by the winnowed grain. He does that nightly during harvest season in order robbers do not steal his grain.”
“Softly lay at his feet and uncover his feet. Trust the words you will say. He has taken note of you in the field, he knows your heart. He knows you have not gone after the other men in the field.”
Ruth obeyed Naomi’s words. It was all so unfamiliar to her. Their customs, their respect for each other. In her country, she would be termed a harlot with such action. And men would take advantage of her and think she was asking to be seduced.
Ruth entered the winnowing shed and moved easily at Boaz’s feet. He sighed and turned in his sleep. She stopped, moved closer. Ruth kneeled at his feet; she could not bring herself to lying down beside him. Then Ruth gently took the end of Boaz’s skirt and crawled under it.
Ruth lay there which seemed like hours, but only a few moments had passed. Boaz moved and pulled the cover around him, when at once he woke, startled and starred at Ruth. “Who is it?”
“It’s Ruth, my lord.”
“Ruth!” he whispered, “Ruth!” Boaz looked down on her. His heart stirred. He had not lain beside a woman for years, since his own wife had died. There were many young men in the field she could have gone to, but why him? Boaz in his seventies and Ruth just in her forties seemed generations away, yet their hearts met in that whisper.
Ruth pulled back, her heart pounded, she panic with shame and humiliation. She shouldn’t have listened to Naomi.
Boaz sat up, “Ruth, don’t be afraid. I understand. There has been a movement of the wind between us since I looked on you in the field. You have stirred my heart which has been lonely for years.”
Ruth understood Boaz’s words. She felt those same feelings when Mahlon sat across the fire and wrote on his parchment. Ruth was curious then as to the things he wrote. Years later, Mahlon read his words to her. They spoke of how a man’s heart feels when he encounters a woman who turns his heart.
She saw the same fire in Boaz’s eyes. Boaz reassured her again. “Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.”
"There is someone else closer as kin, I must talk to him."
"There is someone else closer as kin, I must talk to him."
Workbook Lesson 8
1. How do we acknowledge Israel
2. Who draws who? Why pursues who?
3. When you came to the Lord, can you see how the Holy Spirit brought you in?
4. Was it a whisper, what did you sense? Did you feel uncomfortable as if it was a foreign thing you were doing?
5. When Boaz called her a virtuous woman, what was he saying?
6. Could we ever have the title, a virtuous woman?
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