Good morning, everyone!
Today I read Ruth 1-3. That's actually the entire book of Ruth.
And I love to read this story. There are so many different elements even though it's so short.
So, the story begins and Elimilech and his wife Naomi move to Moab to escape the famine in Israel. They have two sons: Mahlon and Chilion.
Elimilech dies.
The two sons marry Moabite women: Orpah and Ruth.
The sons die.
Naomi decides to go back to her homeland, where God has provided for His people.
Long dialogue short: Naomi encourages her daughters-in-law to return to their families. Orpah leaves, but Ruth stays.
And Ruth says this famous quote:
Ruth 1:16-17 - But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me."
To be honest, part of it is left out when most people quote it, but I think the whole thing is great.
Ruth is an amazing example of love, loyalty, and family responsibility.
So, they travel to Bethlehem and Ruth goes to glean in the fields, which was completely acceptable in those days.
A man named Boaz takes notice of her and orders his servants not to touch her, and to drop more than the usual amount of grain for her. He tells her to glean only in his field, because he has instructed his servants to make sure no harm comes to her. He even invites her to eat with him and the workers.
When Ruth tells Naomi of his kindness, Naomi informs her that Boaz is their nearest kinsman, and bids Ruth to go tell him that.
Okay. Pause for a moment. What does that mean?
Well, there's a term: kinsman-redeemer. It means that the nearest relative could marry the widow and thus prevent her husband's property from being sold outside the family, and also would provide for her. I'm going to come back to this later with something interesting, so remember it.
So, Ruth goes to where he is sleeping on the threshing floor, uncovers his feet, and lays down by them. He wakes up and sees her there, and when she tells him that, he praises her for not seeking out a younger man, but for doing what was proper.
He has to admit, however, that there is another kinsman closer than he is. So, he goes to speak with him the next day.
Now, I found this part of the story interesting.
Basically, Boaz catches him walking through town, and bids him sit down with himself and several elders.
And he starts the story by talking about the land and the property that the man can redeem. And the man is interested. And then Boaz casually mentions, "Oh, but you'd have to marry the widow Ruth, the Moabitess." And then the other man declares that he can't do it otherwise he might "jeopardize my own inheritance" (Ruth 3:6).
As per custom, the man took off his shoe and gave it to Boaz as a sign of their agreement, and Boaz charges the elders as witnesses to it.
So, Boaz marries Ruth, and she and Naomi are provided for.
Now, Ruth has a son. And they name him Obed.
And Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse was the father of David.
So Ruth was the great-grandmother of David, God's anointed king.
God brought a Moabitess into the family of Israel so that she could marry Boaz and begin the lineage of a king.
Also the lineage of The King.
Did you know Jesus was born into the family of David's line? Joseph, Mary's husband, was a descendant of David.
Isn't that amazing?
Now, back to the kinsman-redeemer point. Jesus is our kinsman-redeemer.
Boaz redeemed the line of Elimilech by marrying Ruth.
Jesus redeemed all of us by taking our sins upon Himself, even though He didn't have to.
I love how much I learn from the book of Ruth. And there is still more that I didn't even cover. I encourage you to read it for yourself. Ask God for revelation. And don't stop learning.
I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read 1 Samuel 1-3.
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