A Love Story

1. A Love Story

2. KEY IDEAS • God’s faithfulness and loyalty expressed through people’s faithfulness and loyalty to one another • David’s faith shown to be the legacy of his ancestors • The light of loyalty dispersed during the apostasy of the Judges period • The concept of kinsman-redeemer introduced

3. Purpose Statement The purpose of Ruth is to show that when people are faithful, God is faithful. It provides a contrast to the book of Judges, showing that faithfulness survived in Israel among some of the common folk. God preserved families of faithfulness, and that is the very background from which David came.

4. Historical Background • Most likely occurred during the time of Jephthah, Israel’s 8th judge (1100s BC) • The Moabites: • Kin to the Israelites, descended from Abraham’s nephew • Hostile toward the Israelites at the time of Moses

5. Historical Background • Widows were provided for by their sons, so they needed to bear sons in order to be cared for in old age • If a widow had no son but could still bear children, the deceased husband’s brother was supposed to marry her and produce a son (levirate marriage) • Land owned by the dead husband could be purchased by his family—kept property in the family • Rare for foreigners to adopt the religion of another nation

6. Literary Background • Framed as a dramatic play with four scenes • Type of idyll (short description of a picturesque scene): • Pastoral setting • Portrayal of common people • Lack of a villain

7. Purpose and Message Purpose • In context, Ruth occurs during the time of the judges, where apostasy and disobedience are epidemic; faith is at a premium • The purpose of Ruth, then, is to explain how faith survived during this period

8. Purpose and Message Message • God rewards and preserves families who are faithful (cf. King David) • God is relentlessly faithful in his covenant commitment to his people

9. Major Themes • The Kinsman-Redeemer • Hesed

10. Major Themes • The Kinsman-Redeemer

11. The Kinsman-Redeemer • Under the levirate system of marriage, if a man died without having a son, his brother was obligated to bear a son by his widow. That son would then be considered the heir to the dead brother’s household. In this way, families could not easily die out. • Levirate marriage + system of land redemption rights = legal setting for book of Ruth

12. The Kinsman-Redeemer • Hebrew term gō’ēl = kinsman redeemer • Taken from land redemption law • Land sold by a person could be brought back by a relative in order to keep the land in the family • Provided a means by which covenant blessing could be regained—a metaphor for God’s grace

13. Hesed • Deals with God’s covenant-keeping loyalty to his people (love + kindness + loyalty + mercy = hesed) • In Ruth, hesedworks on two levels: • Human level • Ruth’s commitment to Naomi; Boaz’s commitment to Ruth • Divine level • The Lord’s hesedis what leads to the successful remarriage of Naomi’s daughters-in-law • Recognized as provision of gō’ēlfor Ruth

14. Ruth’s Significance • Shows God’s sovereignty over the chaos and unpredictable situations in our lives • Shows God’s care, love, and protection of the weak and vulnerable • Shows God’s concern for and commitment to his promise to Abraham • Shows God’s faithfulness

15. David’s Lineage

16. A Love Story