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Today's Bible Reading...
March 31 - Ruth 1-4
The Moabites were descendants of Lot (Genesis 19:17), so distant relatives to
the Jews. They were idolaters and served the god, Chemosh. After the death of
their husbands Ruth and Naomi return to Bethlehem. Boaz was the son of Rahab
(the Jericho harlot of Joshua 2:1) Jesus had a Moabite, a 1/2 Canaanite, and a
prostitute in his family tree. Next to the field in Bethlehem where Ruth gleans
we have the "Shepherds' Field" where 1100 years later angels appear to the
shepherds to announce the birth of the Christ.
Chapter 2 - Ruth wastes no time in taking the initiative. She went to work. She
quickly gained a good reputation and earned the respect of the people around
her. Not only did Boaz allow Ruth to glean in his field, he made sure she
received more than the usual. He provided for the needy.
Chapter 3 - A kinsman-redeemer was a relative who took responsibility for an
extended family. When a woman's husband died, the law (Deuteronomy 25:5-10)
provided that she could marry a brother of her dead husband. Naomi had no such
sons. The nearest kinsman could become the redeemer. If he declined then the
next in line could redeem her. If no one redeemed her she would live in poverty
for the rest of her life.
Naomi is not suggesting a seductive act. It was common for a servant to lie at
the feet of a master and even to share the covering. By doing this, Ruth would
inform Boaz that he could be her kinsman-redeemer or he could find someone to
marry her.
Chapter 4 - Boaz presents the case to the nearest relative in front of
witnesses. The relative declines and Boaz marries Ruth. They have a son, Obed,
who becomes the father of Jesse, the father of David.
What can we learn from these chapters?
1. Bad things happen to good people
2. Sorrow can blind us to God's goodness
3. Pain makes us feel like God is against us
4. Believe that God is watching and will provide
5. Help yourself out of trouble by helping others out of theirs
6. Cling to the hope that your hurt will ease
7. Get involved with life - start over again
(not so important what she did, but that she did something)
8. Don't quit or go into seclusion
9. Maintain integrity - keep high moral standard
10. It is not always bad to go through bad times
11. Don't give in to self-pity
12. Stay close to God
13. God is always at work - no such thing as "coincidence" - "God
incidence"
Although Ruth belongs to a race often despised by Israel, she was blessed by God
because of her faithfulness. She became the great-grandmother of King David, an
ancestor of Jesus.
Boaz's redeeming of Ruth is a picture of Christ redeeming us. We have no hope.
Then Christ comes to us. By his death on the cross, He redeemed us from sin.
(See Romans 6:6-7; I Corinthians 6:20, Colossians 2:13,14, Hebrews 9:12, I Peter
1:18,19) We now have an eternal inheritance.
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