RUTH---THE ROMANCE OF REDEMPTION
INTRODUCTION
1. Ruth is an appendix to the book of Judges.
A. It has been likened to an oasis in a desert.
B. “Ruth is like a lovely lily in a stagnant pool.”
2. Ruth shows that despite the prevailing apostasy of the nation there were individuals living godly lives.
A. The familiarity of Boaz with the Mosaic Law and his personal knowledge of Jehovah are in marked contrast with the general ignorance, immorality, indifference and idolatry of the times.
B. “The blackest times were not so dismal in reality as they look in history.”
--Alexander Maclaren
3. Ruth is the story of a young widow’s love for her widowed mother-in-law. It is also a story of love between Ruth and Boaz.
4. Ruth is the story of redemption. (4:10)
DATE OF COVERAGE - about 10 years, probably of the early time of the Judges (1:1,4)
KEY WORDS
1. Rest - 1:9; 3:1
2. Redeem - 4:4, 6
VALUE OF THE BOOK
1. It shows the cultural and moral life of the times.
2. It shows the actual carrying out of the practice of the kinsman-redeemer as described in Leviticus 25.
3. It shows how a major part of the genealogy of Christ was carried on. (4:17-22)
MESSAGE OF THE BOOK
1. The primary message of the book is that of REST. Though the word is only found twice, the thought of rest permeates the whole. In the East, the position of unmarried women is dangerous and trying - only in the house of a husband can she be sure of respect and protection.
2. Ruth found rest through redemption and union with her redeemer.
3. For us there is no rest in the world but in union with our Divine Redeemer.
PREDESTINATION AND SOVEREIGNTY AT WORK
We see God setting in motion a chain of events which at last brought Ruth to Boaz and lifted her into the royal line and gave her a living link with Christ Himself. (Matthew 1:5)
1. The First Link - Famine (1:1)
A providential act of God over which she had no control, for the famine was in Judea, not Moab.
2. The Second Link - Family (1:1,2)
There moved into her a life a family from Bethlehem. Although they were away from God, Ruth first heard of Jehovah through them. She married into this family where she had first-hand opportunity to learn of the Lord.
3. The Third Link - Funeral (1:3,5)
In fact there were three funerals, one after the other. It was a tragedy at the time, but she would never have come to Boaz without that funeral.
4. The Fourth Link - Fear (1:6-17)
Her mother-in-law announced that she was leaving Moab. She feared being left alone and vowed to go with Naomi and to get to know Naomi’s God. (1:16,17)
5. The Fifth Link - Field (2:3)
When she arrived at Bethlehem she sought some means to support herself and her mother-in-law, Naomi, and went into the field of Boaz to glean.
TYPOLOGY OF THE BOOK
1. The Moabite, shut out by the Law (Deut. 23:3) is admitted by grace.
2. Ruth is a type of Gentile sinners.
A. Stranger and far off
B. Poor and needy
C. Related to Boaz by marriage, as we are related to Christ by the marriage of our human nature to His divine.
D. One nearer kinsman, our fellow creature, or perhaps the Law, but he cannot help.
3. Boaz is a type of Christ.
A. The Lord of the Harvest
B. “Mighty man of valor” (2:1 margin)
C. Takes notice of us and treats us kindly (2:5)
D. When we come to Him and lie at His feet in penitence He responds immediately.
E. Redeeming us, and uniting Himself to us, loneliness ceases. We become fruitful and a blessing to others. (4:14,15)
OUTLINE OF THE BOOK
I. REST FORSAKEN (1:1-5)
A. Rest forsaken due to famine - cf. Jud. 6:3, 4
B. Out of the will of God there could not be real blessing and prosperity.
C. Naomi permitted her sons to marry heathen wives.
II. REST DESIRED (1:6-22)
A. Naomi’s decision to return to the Land
B. Naomi’s warning to her two daughters-in-law
C. Naomi reaches Bethlehem
III. REST SOUGHT (2-3)
A. Ruth’s gleaning in the field of Boaz (2)
B. Ruth’s act in making her legal claim to redemption (3)
IV. REST SECURED (4)
A. Boaz moves in the matter of redemption (vs. 1-8)
B. Boaz and Ruth married (vs. 9-13)
C. Naomi comforted and happy (vs. 14-19)