Ruth's Appeal: The Purpose, Structure, and Theological Lessons of the Book of Ruth

2. Last Week • Ruth’s Appeal • Author • Purpose • Canonical Position • Structure • Theological Lessons • Practical Applications • Concept of Hesed

3. Today’s Outline • Setting & Background • Period of Judges • Famine • Lament for Moab • Elimelech’s Choice • Our Own Moabs

4. Setting & Background “In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.” (Ruth 1:1 ESV) • When does this story take place? • What images would this setting bring to mind for the original audience? What do we know about this period in history?

5. “In the days when the Judges ruled”It was the worst of times • This is not a date-stamp to locate the moment in history in which the characters lived … • … It is a theological description of the character of the times in which these events take place • Timeframe: ca. 1200-1020 BC – the time between Joshua's death (Judges 1:1) and the coronation of Saul (1 Samuel 10) • Era of frightful social/religious chaos; moral and spiritual declivity • The book of Judges teems with violent invasions, apostate religion, unchecked lawlessness, and tribal civil war

6. Pattern of Israel’s and YHWH’s experiencesduring the “days when the judges ruled” Pattern Of Israel’s Experience Pattern of YHWH’s Reaction Apostasy Anger Oppression Punishment Deliverance Deliverance Change of Mind Groaning

8. Treacherous Behavior of Israel Samson Cycle Othniel Cycle Gideon Cycle Barak Cycle Ehud Cycle Jephthah Cycle Degree of Devotion to YHWH Time

9. Death Spiral of Judges • As Book of Judges progresses there is a change in: • Nature of deliverers who are sent • The deliverance God's people receive • The first judge, Othniel, is a squeaky-clean hero • The last judge, Samson, systematically undermines our expectations of what a deliverer ought to be • Called to be a Nazirite at birth, separated for God from defiling influences, he systematically breaks every vow that was made on his behalf • Instead of avoiding contact with everything dead, he scoops honey from the corpse of a lion • Instead of avoiding contact with the Philistines, he wants to marry one • Instead of avoiding fermented drinks, he participates in a drinking party with his future Philistine in-laws • Samson ends his life bringing judgment on God's enemies, but establishing no rest for God's people

10. Summary statement of Judges “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” (Judges 17:6; 21:25) • R.C. Sproul as ethics professor in secular university • What contrast to the thinking in the days of Judges do you find in Proverbs 3:5-6? “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

11. “…there was a famine [racab] in the land” • What would come to mind for the original audience as they hear there was a famine in the land at this time? • Biblical famines have many “natural” causes: • Drought (Gen. 41:27; 1 Kings 18:2; 2 Kings 8:1; Acts 11:28; etc.) • Disease, locust invasions (Amos 4:9-10) • Loss of livestock (1 Kings 18:5) • Warfare (2 Kings 7:24-25; Isa. 1:7). • Many are a direct result of God's judgment (2 Kings 8:1; Isa. 3:1; Jer. 14:13-18; Amos 4:6; Mark 13:8; cf. Hag. 1:10-11) • Current biblical commentary writers on Ruth (notably Frederick Bush) say, “There is not the faintest suggestion that the famine is Israel's punishment for her sin…Later rabbinic exegesis used such themes of retribution and punishment to the full, but they are read into the story, not out of it.” • Do you agree with this assessment?

12. Famine in Ruth: A Silver Lining (although there are no clouds)? • First: it recalls the biblical pattern that famines, despite tragic appearances, often advance God's plan for his people • What great destiny might this story portend? • Second, it hinted at some thematic link between this story and the patriarchs • The same phrase (“there was a famine in the land”) occurs elsewhere only in Gen. 12:10 and 26:1 • Abraham who left the land to live as a foreigner (gur) in Egypt • Isaac who left the land to live (gur) in Gerar among the Philistines (cf. similar terms in Gen. 41:54, 56; 42:5) • In both of these instances, in spite of the tragic famines and patriarchs' false witnesses concerning their wives, Yahweh's sovereign plan brought blessing on his people • Could the text infer this may happen again here? Is the author serving notice to watch for the development of that thematic continuity?

13. Famine in Ruth: Result of Disobedience? • Deut 28: 23-24: “And the heavens over your head shall be bronze, and the earth under you shall be iron. The LORD will make the rain of your land powder. From heaven dust shall come down on you until you are destroyed.” • Deut 28:47-48: “Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.” • Lev 26:18-20: “And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins, and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.” • Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” • Why did God cause or allow the famine in Bethlehem to occur? • What does God intend by allowing “famines” in our lives?

14. Bethlehem Iron(y) • What is the meaning of “Bethlehem”? • Bethlehem which means "house of bread" • But there is no “bread/food” in that city • Puns closer to home: • Gang Warfare in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love • Demonic Activity in Los Angeles, the City of Angels • Granted, neither Philly nor LA lives up to its name in any full sense • Bethlehem probably didn't live up to its name either

15. Elimelech: Decision Making and the Will of God • What choices faced Elimelech? • He could stay in Bethlehem, the empty breadbasket of Judah, mourning sin that surrounded him & trusting God to provide • He could leave the Promised Land behind in search of greener fields … the fields of Moab, where food was more abundant • What thoughts/images would come to mind for the original audience of Ruth when Moab is mentioned? • What was the Israelite disposition toward the Moabites?

16. Background: Lament for Moab “Moab” in hieroglyphs “Who are these guys?” Israelite disposition toward the Moabites seems to have been colored by several factors in their history: • Gen 19:30-38 – Origins of Moab • Num 22-24 – Moab’s encounter with Israel as they pass through their territory from Egypt • Num 25:1-9 – Moabite women's encounter with Israel • Deut 23:3-6 – Israel's “left-hand” of fellowship with Moab in the assembly of the LORD • Judg 3:15-30 – Recent rule and reign of Eglon the king of Moab over Israel

17. Origin of Moab -- Genesis 19:30-38 “Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, ‘Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.’ So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose. The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, ‘Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.’ So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.” Do we believers make assumptions about people based on race, skin color, place of birth, personal appearance, etc.? What is Lot’s concern here? What are his two daughter’s dilemma? How could they get away with this sin? When/where does the action take place? How do you think the story of Moab’s origins influenced the way Israelites & Moabites viewed one another? What is the oldest daughter’s solution? Why? What is ironic about this story?

18. Meeting the Moabites – Numbers 22:1-6 “Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. And Moab said to the elders of Midian, ‘This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.’ So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.’ “ What did he plan to do with the Israelites? Was his plan successful? How did the king of Moab react to the arrival of Israel on his border?