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Ruth 1-4
Righteous Loyalty
Rewarded
Psalm 40:1- 8 What Does God Want?
1.“I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry.2.He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.3.He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Yahweh.4.Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust, and doesn't respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.5.Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts which are toward us. They can't be declared back to You. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.6.Sacrifice and offering You didn't desire. You have opened my ears. You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.7.Then I said, "Behold, I have come. It is written about me in the book in the scroll.8.I delight to do Your will, my God. Yes, Your law is within my heart. "Observations
40:3.Fear precedes trust, just like awareness of sin and its unpleasant consequences precedes trust in God's provision for our sin.
40:4.
The one who is blessed trusts God and not man.
40:6.
God wants us to hear and do His will, as revealed in His word. That's why He gave us ears. Cf. Heb 10:7-9.
Application
If we delight to do God's will, His word will be in our heart, controlling our decisions.
Prayer
God of Innumerable Blessings, I praise You for being the God who hears and helps. Help me delight in Your will, and do it. Amen.
Proverbs 11:14 Plan for Peace
14.“Where there is no wise guidance/counsel, the people fail, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory/deliverance.”Observation
11:14.The counsel described in this verse is what wise people understand by studying Proverbs (1:5). You can't get it from ungodly people. The wise have God's perspective on life and choose His way, since that is best. Any other way leads to falling and failure.
Application
Seek out wise counsel to get God's perspective and peace.
Prayer
God, spare me from the presumption that I can do as I please without negative consequences, and guide me in seeking godly counsel for the decisions of my life. Amen.
Ruth 1-4 Righteous Loyalty Rewarded
The Book of Ruth gives a vignette of life during the time of Judges (similar to the Book of Esther in the later historical books). Note how both the providence of God and the obedience of individuals blend to bring about blessing out of tragedy.
Ruth 1 Your God is My God
1.In the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab.2.The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi...3.Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.4.They took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they lived there about ten years.5.(sons) Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.6.Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard how that Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.7....they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.8.Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother’s house: Yahweh deal kindly (hesed/loyal love) with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me.9.Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband." Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.10.They said to her, "No, but we will return with you to your people."11.Naomi said, "Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me?...13.Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me."14.They lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth joined with her.15.She said, "Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law."16.Ruth said, "Don’t entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you, for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God;17.where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried. Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part you and me."18.When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking to her.19.So they two went until they came to Bethlehem...all the city was moved about them, and they asked, "Is this Naomi?"20.She said to them, "Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.21.I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty; why do you call me Naomi, since Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?"22.So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess...to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.Observations
1:1.Naomi is not the most attractive witness for God. God doesn't seem to be helping His cause either, with a famine in Israel (and not in Moab) and the death of three husbands.
1:8-13.
Naomi blesses her daughter-in-law for their hesed/loyalty to her.
1:16-18.
For some reason, Ruth switches her allegiance to Yahweh, and remains loyal, despite Naomi's attempts to discourage her.
Application
In difficult times are you attractively loyal to God or bitter?
Prayer
Lord, may I trust in Your wise purposes even though I don't see how You will work it together for good. May others see my faith, and be drawn to You. Amen.
Ruth 2 Everybody Gets Blessed
1.Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth/virtue, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.2.Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor." She said to her, "Go, my daughter."3.She went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.4.Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, "Yahweh be with you." They answered him, "Yahweh bless you."5.Then Boaz said to his servant who was set over the reapers, "Whose young lady is this?"6.The servant who was set over the reapers answered, "It is the Moabite lady who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab.7.She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, except that she stayed a little in the house."8.Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Don’t go to glean in another field, and don’t go from here, but stay here close to my maidens.9.Let your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them. Haven’t I commanded the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink from that which the young men have drawn."10.Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take knowledge of me, since I am a foreigner?"11.Boaz answered her, "It has fully been shown me, all that you have done to your mother-in-law since the death of your husband; and how you have left your father and your mother, and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn’t know before. 12.May Yahweh repay your work, and a full reward be given you from Yahweh, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."13.Then she said, "Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken kindly to your handmaid, though I am not as one of your handmaidens."14.At meal time Boaz said to her, "Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar." She sat beside the reapers, and they reached her parched grain, and she ate, and was satisfied, and left some of it.15.When she had risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and don’t reproach her.16.Also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and don’t rebuke her."17.So she gleaned in the field until evening; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.18.She took it up, and went into the city; and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought out and gave to her that which she had left after she was sufficed.19.Her mother-in-law said to her, "Where have you gleaned today? Where have you worked? Blessed be he who noticed you." She showed her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, "The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz."20.Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of Yahweh, who has not left off his kindness (hesed/loyal love) to the living and to the dead." Naomi said to her, "The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen."21.Ruth the Moabitess said, "Yes, he said to me, ‘You shall stay close to my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.’"22.Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, "It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they not meet you in any other field."23.So she stayed close to the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she lived with her mother-in-law.Observations
2:1-3.By a happy “coincidence” Ruth manages to glean (collect grain missed by the reapers and also in the corners left for the poor, as God mandated in Lev 19:9; 23:22; Dt 24) in the field of a kinsman of Naomi.
2:4-9.
Boaz is clearly a man of God (even blessed by his servants), and goes above what is required by the law in meeting Ruth's needs.
2:10-11.
Ruth clearly benefits and is blessed because of her loyal actions toward Naomi, her humility, and hearty work ethic.
2:12.
Boaz will be used by God to answer his prayer.
2:17-23.
Ruth gleans about 30 pounds, a significant amount. Yahweh gets blessed for His loyal love toward Naomi and Ruth, through the generosity of Boaz.
Application
God blesses us so we can bless others so they can bless God. Simple.
Prayer
Loyal God, may I be blessable, so You can bless me; and may I be generous in sharing Your blessing, so others will magnify Your name. Amen.
Ruth 3 Holding Hope in an Open Hand
1.Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?2.Now isn’t Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he winnows barley tonight in the threshing floor.3.Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed, and go down to the threshing floor, but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.4.It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall mark the place where he shall lie, and you shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lay down; then he will tell you what you shall do."5.She said to her, "All that you say I will do."6.She went down to the threshing floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law told her.7.When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came softly, uncovered his feet, and laid her down.8.It happened at midnight, that the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.9.He said, "Who are you?" She answered, "I am Ruth your handmaid. Therefore spread your skirt/wing over your handmaid; for you are a near kinsman."10.He said, "Blessed are you by Yahweh, my daughter. You have shown more kindness (hesed/loyal love) in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you didn’t follow young men, whether poor or rich.11.Now, my daughter, don’t be afraid; I will do to you all that you say; for all the city of my people does know that you are a worthy woman.12.Now it is true that I am a near kinsman; however there is a kinsman nearer than I.13.Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for you, then will I do the part of a kinsman for you, as Yahweh lives. Lie down until the morning."14.She lay at his feet until the morning. She rose up before one could discern another. For he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."15.He said, "Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it." She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; and he went into the city.16.When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "How did it go, my daughter?" She told her all that the man had done to her.17.She said, "He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, ‘Don’t go empty to your mother-in-law.’"18.Then she said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until he has finished the thing this day."Observations
3:1-3.Ruth completely obeys Naomi's counsel in seeking Boaz's protection. It might have been done at night to give him the chance to refuse without it being known.
3:9-11.
The word for skirt/mantel and wing are the same in Hebrew (cf 2:12 where Boaz blesses Ruth for seeking shelter under Yahweh's wings). There is no hanky-panky going on, considering the rest of the passage and that both Ruth and Boaz were known as virtuous people (2:1). To spread one's skirt or mantel is used of God's covering protection of Israel (Ezek 16:8) and was a request for the protection of a marriage.
3:12-13.
Boaz is very willing to honor her request, but observes the law, which says the nearer kinsman has first right of redemption. So even though his desire is for Ruth, he sacrifices that desire in order to do what the law requires.
Application
Obedience to God's revelation must have the priority over our wishes and desires. We must hold our desires with an open hand, so God can give what's best, when it's best.
Prayer
God, thanks that when we obediently seek Your will as revealed in Scripture, we can trust that You will work it out for our best. Amen.
Ruth 4 Redemption and Blessing
1.Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there. Behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; to whom he said, "Come over here, friend, and sit down!" He turned aside, and sat down.2.He took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." They sat down.3.He said to the near kinsman, "Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s.4.I thought to disclose it to you, saying, ‘Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know. For there is no one to redeem it besides you; and I am after you." He said, "I will redeem it."5.Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance."6.The near kinsman said, "I can’t redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can’t redeem it."7.Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man took off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour; and this was the way of attestation in Israel.8.So the near kinsman said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." He took off his shoe.9.Boaz said to the elders, and to all the people, "You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi.10.Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses this day."11.All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May Yahweh make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which two built the house of Israel; and treat you worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem.12.Let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Yahweh shall give you of this young woman."13.So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and Yahweh gave her conception, and she bore a son.14.The women said to Naomi, "Blessed be Yahweh, who has not left you this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in Israel.15.He shall be to you a restorer of life, and sustain you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him."16.Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it.17.The women, her neighbors, gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi"; and they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.18.Now this is the history of the generations of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron,19.and Hezron became the father of Ram, and Ram became the father of Amminadab,20.and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon became the father of Salmon,21.and Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz became the father of Obed,22.and Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.Observations
4:1-10.The nearest kinsman had the right to buy the land of an impoverished relative, but also had the responsibility to raise up children to carry on the name of a deceased relative. Since the land of Naomi's husband would have passed to his dead son, the kinsman redeemer, not only had to buy the land, but marry the widow, Ruth, to provide an heir to carry on the name. The heir would share in the inheritance of the redeemer. The unnamed kinsman couldn't or wouldn't endanger his estate to provide an heir to Naomi by marrying Ruth, so Boaz makes good on his promise and desire.
4:11-13.
The elders bless Boaz and like Rachel and Leah, who were both initially barren, they ask that Yahweh will bless with both an heir and fame.
4:14-22.
The women of Bethlehem bless Yahweh for blessing His people and reversing the bitter barrenness of Naomi. The child becomes the grandfather of David, through whom comes the Messiah. Boaz, by the way, was a descendent of Rahab.
Application
Doing things God's way results in blessing that goes beyond our desire.
Prayer
God, thanks for giving us a record of how You creatively and abundantly provide for Your people; may I always trust that You know the best way to bless. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God always looks out for and protects His people who trust Him. He sovereignly works through the obedience of His people, who do His will, to bless others and bring blessing to Himself.Us in a nutshell: We need to trust that God knows what's best, and will bring it about at the best time. We should not get bitter when we don't get what we want, but expectantly seek what God has in store for us. We should hold our desires with an open hand, asking God to take or fulfill them according to His plan and pleasure, since that will give us the most pleasure. When we seek to bless others, we frequently get blessed as well, and God gets glorified.