The Romance of Redemption Ruth 4:1-12

2. The Romance of RedemptionRuth 4:1-12 • Through the actions of Boaz we see four characteristics of true love: • True love takes action (vv. 1-4) • True love is willing to pay the price (vv. 5-6) • True love is willing to be accountable (vv. 7-10) • True love receives God’s blessings (vv. 11-12)

3. Ruth 4:13-17 13So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. What structure do you see in this epilogue to the book of Ruth?

4. Ruth 4:13-17 A Narrative Statement 13So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. B Speech of the Women 14Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” A’ Narrative Statement 16Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. B’ Action of the Women 17And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

5. Ruth 4:13 13So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. • Note Ruth’s status as we progressed through this book: • Foreigner/heathen  maid servant/believer  • maiden (and eligible for marriage)  wife • How has God changed your life? • What has He brought you from? • One commentary writer noted: “This is the moment we’ve been waiting for, the huge pay-off; and our distinctly male narrator comes out with a marriage, a pregnancy, and the birth of a son that’s crammed into a tiny verse like he’s rattling off a grocery list. Could we not linger, tarry, relish for just one moment? Would it be so wrong to give each of these life-altering events its very own verse? Could we get a little wedding detail, news of the pregnancy, and the parents’ reaction to having a son? I mean, when we’re told things like how many pounds of barley Ruth could carry, would it kill us to know what kind of dress she wore, who her flower girl was? • How much time elapses in verse 13? • What does this verse tell us about God’s involvement in the process of birth and conception? • What does this imply about Ruth during her ten years of marriage to Mahlon? • What happens after the legal proceedings at the city gate? • Specifically, what is Ruth’s new status? • Remembering what Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz had been through, imagine what this wedding must have meant to each one of them. What thoughts and feelings do you think they might have expressed to God on that day? • Genesis reveals that every patriarchal wife required God’s intervention to conceive: • Sarah (21:1-2) • Rebekah(25:21) • Leah (29:31; 30:17) • Rachel (30:22-23) • What might this say about Ruth’s situation and future? • Why do you think all of these important events are telescoped into one verse by the narrator? • It is not the events themselves that the narrator is concerned with, but their meaning and significance, especially for Naomi

6. Ruth 4:13 “So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.” Ruth 1:6 “Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food.” • What similarities can you find between Ruth 1:6 and Ruth 4:13? • These are the only times in the book of Ruth where YHWH is said to directly intervene • While God’s sovereignty is noted indirectly throughout, in these two cases we are told that God directly solves the two biggest problems facing Naomi: need for an heir; need for food

7. Ruth 4:14-15 14Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” • What do we know of Ruth’s love (‘aheb)? • Her love was an act of covenantal commitment, expressed in acts of hesed • As commentator Daniel Block notes: “More than anyone else in the history of Israel, Ruth embodies the fundamental principle of the nation’s ethic: ‘You shall love your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.” In Lev 19:34 Moses instructs the Israelites to love the stranger as they love themselves. Ironically, it is this stranger from Moab who shows the Israelites what this means.” • What did the women of Bethlehem mean when they said Ruth “is more to you [Naomi] than seven sons”? • The women of Bethlehem function as a chorus in the drama • What did they do to help celebrate God’s goodness to Naomi? • When did they do this? • Who is the redeemer (go’el) referred to here? • Some commentators think that the women are referring to Boaz as redeemer here. Why is this most likely wrong? • What things could Boaz do as a redeemer (go’el)? • He could give provision to the two widows • He could redeem the land • He could acquire Ruth as his wife • What was beyond his ability to redeem? • He could not, by himself, restore Naomi’s emptiness as a result of childlessness • According to the women of Bethlehem, what will this new redeemer do? • In what way will this new baby son restore life to Naomi? • Why were the women convinced this redeemer would do all these things?

8. Ruth 4:14-15 14Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Ruth 1:20-21 20She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” • Compare the women’s comments about Ruth (4:15-16) with the sentiments Naomi expressed when she first returned to Bethlehem (1:20-21) • What different perspective did the women offer?

9. Ruth 4:16-17 16Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. • Ponder this seemingly obvious question: Whose son was Obed? • What historical significance does the birth of Obed have? • When we think about several generations in a family trying to live together, we tend to picture a situation this is very difficult. What details suggest that such was not the case for Naomi, Noaz, Ruth, and baby Obed? • Who participated in the naming of Ruth’s child? • What was unusual about this? • This is the only place in the OT where females (other than the mother) are said to be present at the naming event • This event likely involves the women affirming the name given to the child by his mother or father • What was Naomi’s response to the birth of Boaz’s son and to the blessing of the women? • The “lap” in Hebrew denotes the bosom, the front of one’s body applied to both males and females and is never referred to the breast at which a child nurses; thus nothing to do with wet-nursing • She becomes his nurse, which denotes a guardian, “nanny” in the true sense

10. Ruth 4:18-22 18Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

11. Genealogies (Toledoth) • Scholars in the past regarded biblical genealogies as inaccurate and unreliable • Generations/names skipped … timeframe too long • Comparisons among genealogies throughout scripture reveal many discrepancies • But recent studies reveal that genealogies were not intended to be historical sources • Rather, each served a different function/ purpose and could show relationships based on genuine kinship or political or even economic ties

12. Genealogies (Toledoth) • We tend to view biblical genealogies as a form of Scriptural sominex • But in the ancient world they represented an efficient and economical way of writing history • There are two types: • Segmented genealogies that display ethnic relationships among families, clans, tribes, and even nations by showing descent from a common ancestor • Linear genealogies trace the line of descent from the first name entered to the last entry; they are intended to establish the claims of the last person named to fulfill an official function • We are dealing with a linear genealogy here at the end of the book of Ruth

13. Linear Genealogy • Linear genealogies normally function to support the claim to a position, role, rights, or power of last person named • But as used here, the genealogy of the line of David is not being used to “legitimize” him by providing his kinship qualifications • The narrator turns this function of its head here in Ruth 4:18-22 • In form, linear genealogies have three characteristics: • Depth – usually 10 generations • Fluidity – names at the end are well-known recent generations; names at beginning are revered founders. Loss of names (telescoping) usually occurs in the middle of the list • The place of honor is normally reserved for the seventh generation

14. Ruth 4:18-22 18Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. • What is the purpose of this genealogy? • Throughout the book the narrator had deliberately cast the characters as stellar models of hesed, of deep and sincere devotion to God and to one another, expressed in self-sacrificial acts of kindness toward one another • He has also noted the providential hand of God who rewards authentic piety with His fullness and care • This book and genealogy demonstrates that in the dark days of the judges, the chosen line is preserved not by heroic exploits by deliverers or kings but by the good hand of God, who rewards good people with a fullness beyond all imagination

15. Matthew 1:5-6 … 5and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6and Jesse the father of David the king. • What further information do we discover about Boaz from the gospel of Matthew? • What do we know about Rahab? What line of work was she in? • How may Rahab’s story have influenced Boaz’s compassion for Ruth?

16. Conclusion • The loving commitment & obedience of Ruth the Moabitess to her mother-in-law transcended the claims of national origin and national religion • The wisdom of Boaz and his faithfulness to his family responsibilities to both Ruth and Naomi transcended the claims of self-interest • The concern and care of Naomi for the welfare of her daughter-in-law prompted the risky scheme on the threshing floor setting in motion the marriage of Ruth and Boaz • God’s precious provision of fruitfulness for field and womb • All of these afforded home and husband for Ruth, the restoration of life and fullness for Naomi, and as we learn with this final genealogy, an inestimable benefit for all of Israel

17. Trivial Pursuit • One of the great diseases of our day is trifling • The things with which most people spend most of their time are trivial • What makes this a disease is that we were meant to magnificent causes • None of us is really content with the trivial pursuits of the world … Our souls will not be satisfied with trifles • The book of Ruth wants to teach us that God’s purpose for His people is to connect us to something far greater than ourselves • God wants us to know that when we follow Him, our lives always mean more than we think they do

18. General Observations Central message: Writer of book of Ruth uses space, time, and circumstance to build the central message of the book – Naomi's restoration from emptiness to fullness through the selfless acts of loyal love (hesed) by Ruth and Boaz. Contrast used to good effect: • Pleasant (meaning of "Naomi") and bitter; full and empty; living and the dead • Use of contrast most strikingly developed between two of the main characters, Ruth and Boaz: The one is a young, foreign, destitute widow, while the other is a middle-aged, well-to-do Israelite securely established in his home community. For each, there is a corresponding character whose actions highlight, by contrast, her or his selfless acts: Ruth versus Orpah, Boaz versus the unnamed kinsman-redeemer. The issue of initiative: After the disasters of the prologue and the bitter emptiness expressed in Act 1, each of the main characters seizes the initiative • In Act 2, Ruth seizes the initiative, since Naomi is engrossed in self-absorbing bitterness and despair. She goes out to glean, to meet the needs of two destitute widows • In Act 3, it is Naomi who seizes the initiative; she concocts a plan to meet the needs of her daughter-in-law • In Act 4, Boaz seizes the initiative. He secures the rights of redemption for the field and for the marriage of Ruth. In all three cases, the initiator is acting out of or motivated by issues of hesed.

19. Theological Aim/Purpose • To reveal God's grace and loyal love to the believing remnant in spite of Israel's covenant unfaithfulness (1:1-6; 2:20) • To reveal God's sovereignty in furthering His purposes in spite of His people's covenant unfaithfulness (1:22b; 2:1-3; 4:13) • To reveal the character of true faith and love in light of Yahweh's sovereign grace (1:16-17; 2:11-12, 15-17; 3:1, 10-11) • To reveal a portrait of redemption (2:12; 3:12-13; 4:9-10, 14) • To reveal that even a Gentile can receive God's sovereign redemption through faith (1:4, 22; 2:2, 6, 21; 4:5, 10; cf. 2:12) • To reveal that there is always a remnant of those who believe, even in times of great apostasy (1:16-17; 2:4,11-12, 20; 3:10; see especially 4:11-14) • To reveal that God's sovereign plan of redemption continues on – through the Seed of the woman/Messiah – no matter the apparent state of the world (1:1-2; cf. 4:17-22; Judges 17:1; 19:1; 21:25; see also Rom. 8:28)

20. Bibilical topics we addressed • The meaning of hesed • The alien • The fatherless • The widow • The law of gleaning • Wheat and barley harvest • Threshing and winnowing • The role of the kinsman-redeemer (go’el) • Levirate marriage • Function, role and theology of genealogy

21. Theological Lessons • God will not let his promises to Israel and Judah and David die • God works in a mysterious way … His wonders to perform and His goals to perform • In all things God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28). • Genuine piety is expressed primarily in devotion, sensitivity, grace, and kindness toward others and openness to the working of God. • God's grace knows no boundaries. Even a despised Moabitess is incorporated into the nation of Israel. In fact, the royal [and Messianic!] line has Moabite blood in its veins.

22. Practical Application Topics • Widowhood and marriage • Bareness (infertility) and childbirth • Loss of a child • Single parenthood • Ending Well: Growing old and wise • Being a godly caregiver • Happy Wife, Happy Life • Suffering and the sovereignty of God • Social security vs. God’s safety net • How to choose a spouse • Dating and romance • Questioning the goodness of God • How to deal with anger and depression • Assimilating into another culture • Parental decision-making and its impact on our children • Racial and ethnic diversity and harmony • Learning to appreciate God’s hard providence • Dealing with our in-laws • Choosing where to live and work • How to honor our parents as adults • How to be a great boss: being a servant leader • Honoring God in our vocations

23. Case Studies Angela, a single parent Bob, a recent widower Steven, a single young man Kim, a single young woman