RUTH

Prepared for CBF

14 January 2007

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Background

• Name: Ruth - “friend/ship”

• Era: 1300 - 1200BC (1261?)» between Joshua and King Saul» time of political and moral chaos in Israel

• Born: Land of Moab - ie a Moabite» Moab was incest-son of Lot’s eldest daughter

• Parents: Unknown• One of two women with Bible books

named after them (ie Ruth and Esther)

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There was..

• A famine in Bethlehem

• A husband and wife -Elimelech and Naomi (Israelites) and their two sons who shifted approx 50km to the other side of the Dead Sea- to the land of Moab in search of food

• previously - Moab- who was the incest-son of Lot’s eldest daughter

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Family tree..

Elimelech m Naomi

(both tribe of Judah)

KilionMahlon

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Unfortunately...

m

Naomi (both tribe of Judah)

KilionMahlon

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Where does Ruth fit in?

m

Naomi (both tribe of Judah)

Kilion m

Orpah (a Moabite)

Mahlon m

Ruth (a Moabite)

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THEN…..

m

Naomi

m Orpah

m Ruth

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So..

• Naomi decides to go back to Bethlehem

• Tells Ruth and Orpah -return to their

people

• They both want to go with Naomi

• Orpah is persuaded but Ruth clings

• Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem

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Back in Judah

• Naomi (means “pleasant”) wants to change her name to Mara (ie “bitter”)– because she left full and came back empty

• Ruth goes to glean barley in the fields• “Turns out” she chooses Boaz’s fields• Boaz is an honourable man, of Elimelech’s

clan (Rahab the Jericho prostitute is his mother) • Boaz spots Ruth and is impressed!

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The kinsman-redeemer….

• A brother-in-law to marry widowed sister-in-law to enable name and property to be maintained

• Naomi realises that Boaz can “help”• Naomi prepares Ruth as a bride and

sends her to Boaz to approach him after dinner/drinks at the threshing floor

• Ruth “interacts” with Boaz - he agrees

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How does Boaz help?

• Next day Boaz goes to the city gate

• Finds “nearer kinsman” - and challenges him in front of a “full court” -10 Elders

• Nearer kinsman declines - so as next kinsman Boaz happily marries Ruth

• Elimelech’s property is redeemed

• A son is born

• The local women name him Obed

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Obed..

• ..is presented to Naomi - & adopted?

• Raised by Naomi?

• Becomes the father of Jesse who..

• Becomes the father of David (the King)

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Thus..

• It is said that Ruth was better to Naomi than seven sons!! Quite a claim

• Naomi returns from emptiness to fullness• Ruth likewise is blessed and blesses her

mother-in-law by her faithfulness• A Moabite woman appears in Jesus’

lineage in Matt 1:5

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Questions?

• Did Ruth “sleep” with Boaz “that night”?

• Why is the story of Ruth in the Bible?

• What are the key themes?

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Response (1)

• Did Ruth “sleep” with Boaz “that night”?

– Bible doesn’t say that she did

– She may have - but based on both their previous behaviours -I don’t think so

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Response (2)

• Why is the story of Ruth in the Bible?

– Not really sure, it could be to show that we are all represented in the ancestry of Christ ie neither Ruth nor Rahab were Israelites

– Maybe the themes are important?

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Response (3)

• What are the key themes?– God fills emptiness in unexpected ways– God uses & blesses ordinary people whose

everyday decisions honour Him– Selfless love of both Ruth and Boaz – Unswerving devotion, not heritage, makes

us one of God’s people– The life-saving role of the willing “redeemer”

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Until our Redeemer appears..