Tag: study

Ruth Day 27: Ch 4:18-22

19: Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron,

Perez is the oldest of the twin sons that Tamar bore to Judah.

Perez means “branch,” Hezron means “camping place,” Judah means “praise Yahweh,” and Tamar means “date palm.”

19: Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminidab,

Ram means “high, exalted” and Amminidab means “my people give freely.”

20: Amminidab fathered Nashon, Nashon fathered Salmon,

Nashon (also spelled Nahshon) means “serpent” and Salmon means “coat.”

21: Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed,

Boaz means “lively” and Obed means “serving.” It is interesting to note that Obed is not referred to as the son of Mahlon in this genealogy as would be the custom when redeeming a widow. Instead he is referred to as Boaz’s son.

22: Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

Jesse means “man” or “manly” and David means “favorite” or “beloved.”

David becomes the king of Israel. He is a king whom God promised. The people revered him as a good king and God promised a king greater than David which we learn is Jesus. Anyone who knows the history of David knows that although he was a great king, he had his share of mistakes. Jesus is the perfect king who will reign forever. He lived a sinless life and gave us His righteousness for our unrighteousness which makes it possible for us to enter heaven!

Although the meanings of the names aren’t important, it is good to know that God uses everyday people to achieve His plans. We don’t know much about many of the people in David’s ancestry, but God used them. They surely taught their children the truth of God’s Word. David sang songs to God and his faith was great. He was known as “a man after God’s own heart.” Sometimes our greatest achievement in the kingdom of God will be to raise children who are after God’s own heart. I’m not sure about you, but that is pretty encouraging to me.

Ruth Day 25: Ch 4:9-12

9: Then Boaz said to the leaders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon.

Being at the city gate, Boaz probably had plenty of witnesses besides the ones that he requested to sit with him.

10: Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.”

Boaz knew that the firstborn would not be seen as his child, but as Mahlon’s heir and he was okay with that. He explained the custom and reminded the people that they are witnesses.

11: Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem”

In case you don’t know who Rachel and Leah were, they were the wives of Jacob, also known as Israel. Through him, the twelve tribes of Israel come about. You may also know that there were two other women involved in the bearing of sons for the tribes: the maids Bilhah and Zilpah. (Let me take a second to note that this action of Jacob to have two wives and concubines was not condoned, but it is a historical account of what actually happened.) Returning to the verse, the focus seems to be that the people wish for Ruth to build up a family for Boaz.

As mentioned way back in the first week, Ephrathah was a people group located in Bethlehem. The people are wishing that Boaz would be worthy in Ephrathah and renowned in Bethlehem. This is funny because when he is first mentioned in chapter two, he is noted to be a worthy man.

12: “and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give to you by this young woman.”

The story of Tamar and Judah is another interesting story. Again it is something that is not condoned, but is historically accurate. Tamar was the wife to one of Judah’s sons. The son was wicked in God’s eyes so he died. The second son was supposed to create an heir for the first, but refused and was struck down. Judah had one other son who was too young to marry so he asked Tamar to wait. When she saw that the boy was old enough for marriage, but Judah hadn’t brought them to marry, she hatched a plan. She pretended to be a prostitute and slept with Judah. She later became pregnant with twins. Judah repented of his actions and Tamar bore Perez and Zerah.

I’m not sure why these interesting characters were chosen, but we can definitely see God’s work through their shortcomings. Perez is the ancestor of Boaz.

This concludes our awkward dive into family history and reminds us that not everyone obeyed God perfectly. When you read their stories, you see how they failed, but how God was still able to use them. It is encouraging, especially when I look at my own shortcomings. It is also encouraging because those people aren’t really known for their shortcomings, but rather for their faith. God never quits His work in us. We are being refined until He calls us home. I’m thankful that He doesn’t give up on me!

Ruth Day 24: Ch 4:5-8

(I apologize for the tardiness of this post. I thought I had completed it already, but found out that I did not and didn’t have time to work on it until now.)

5: Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.”

Since Mahlon had no heir when he died, a relative needed to marry Ruth in order to bear an heir. The land happened to play a part in this role since the land would go to the heir. It is two similar yet different customs that are combined in this situation.

6: Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take the right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

We aren’t told why the other relative refused to redeem except for that redeeming the land would cause problems with his own inheritance. My guess is that he did not realize that marrying Ruth was required. Naomi was older and had already born sons, although they had died, so the law most likely did not go into effect where they would need to bring up an heir. He probably thought that all he had to do was care for Naomi and the family land would be his. The land was to remain with the family which is why only a family member could redeem it. When the relative realized that he would have to marry Ruth and have an heir for Mahlon, he refused. Again, this is just my speculation since we are not told in Scripture.

7: Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel.

The author of this book wrote much later than the events of the book. We can clearly see that in this particular verse as well as in the length of the genealogy at the end of the book. Some suggest that the prophet Samuel wrote the book, but we are not told.

8: So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal.

The author mentions the custom and then tells us that the other redeemer did so in order to give up his right to the land, and thus Ruth.

If you read this book for the first time, you may have been holding your breath for a few verses. It seems like that one “perfect” couple are headed towards marriage when a wrench is thrown into the mix. There’s a mix of anxiety and groaning as you wait for the problem to be solved and the happy ending to be achieved. Well, unlike many TV dramas, you didn’t have to wait for long. The other redeemer has forgone his right and now Boaz has the chance to redeem Ruth.

In a way, this also reminds me of the Gospel. Back in the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were in charge of caring for the garden and there was no sin at that time. The only rule was to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In return, they could enjoy fellowship with God forever. Like the other redeemer, they chose to forgo their inheritance. They ate of the forbidden tree and were kicked out of the garden. Sin entered into the world and we suffer because of it. Like Boaz who sought to redeem Ruth, Jesus sought to redeem us. He had planned it from the beginning and put His plan into action. At the right time, He bore our sins on the cross and paid our debt! Now we can enjoy eternity in fellowship with God! Jesus is our kinsman redeemer!

Ruth Day 22: Chapter 4 Overview

Welcome to the last chapter of Ruth! Here we will see what Boaz does and what happens next. We’ll even dive into genealogies at the end of the chapter.

Here is the overview:

  • Boaz sets up a meeting (vs. 1-2)
  • Boaz speaks to the other possible redeemer (vs. 3-4)
  • Boaz mentions stipulation of marrying Ruth (vs. 5)
  • Other redeemer refuses (vs. 6)
  • Old custom (vs. 7-8)
  • Boaz redeems Ruth (vs. 9-10)
  • Witnesses praise Boaz (vs.11-12)
  • Ruth and Boaz have a son (vs. 13)
  • Praise the child redeemer (vs. 14-15)
  • As unto Naomi (vs. 16-17)
  • Genealogy of David (vs. 19-20)

As usual, think about what we learn about Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz through this chapter. Also notice how God’s plan for our redemption is shown. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at rerouted.blog@gmail.com

Ruth Day 21: Chapter 3 Review

A lot has happened for Ruth in one day. Her mother-in-law puts her up to a scheme to catch the man called Boaz and have him redeem her (through marriage). He accepts and sets the necessary steps in motion.

As usual, it is time for questions and answers!

  1. What happened during the chapter?
  2. What did we learn about Naomi?
  3. What did we learn about Ruth?
  4. What did we learn about Boaz?
  5. What did we learn about God?
  6. How can we apply what we’ve learned to our lives?

Tomorrow we’ll review chapter 4 and get an idea of what is to come regarding Boaz’s plans and the redemption of Ruth.

Answers! (They don’t have to be exactly the same)

  1. What happened during the chapter?
    Naomi tells Ruth of her plan
    Ruth agrees to obey
    Ruth obeys what Naomi said
    Boaz is surprised
    Boaz promises to put the plan of redemption in action
    Ruth returns with barley to Naomi
    Naomi tells Ruth that Boaz won’t rest until the matter is settled
  2. What did we learn about Naomi?
    Naomi is a bit of a schemer and match maker
    She understands the rules of a kinsman redeemer
    She is looking out for Ruth’s well-being
  3. What did we learn about Ruth?
    Ruth is obedient
    Ruth is worthy
  4. What did we learn about Boaz?
    Boaz is a man of God
    Boaz will seek to rectify the problem immediately
  5. What did we learn about God?
    God’s plan was in motion before anyone could see it
    Boaz implementing the steps to redeem Ruth can remind us of how God set up the steps for our own redemption
  6. How can we apply what we’ve learned to our lives? (Your answers may be different)
    We can thank God for putting His plan in motion to redeem us
    We can tell others of God’s redeeming love
    We can know that God is working in our lives, even when we can’t see it

Have a wonderful and blessed day!

Ruth Day 20: 16-18

16: And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her.

Spill the details! Ruth fills Naomi in on all that has happened.

17: saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’”

How could I forget? That’s what I get for not re-reading the chapter before writing yesterday’s post (insert face palm here). The reason that Boaz gave Ruth the barley was so that she would not go back to her mother-in-law empty-handed. It was a signal to Naomi. This answers my question from yesterday about Boaz’s knowledge of Naomi’s involvement. You can always learn something new even when you read something multiple times, especially in regard to the Bible.

18: She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

As we will see in the next chapter, Boaz wastes no time in setting this redemption thing in motion. He goes through the proper channels and redeems Ruth.

This reminds me a bit of the Gospel. For one, Jesus left His home in heaven to come live among men just as Ruth left her home in Moab to live with Naomi in Bethlehem. Jesus also didn’t take His sweet time to plan our redemption. Genesis 3:16 is referred to as the “protoevangelion,” which means “first Gospel.” The plan for our redemption was in motion from the beginning. God wasted no time in getting His plan in motion. When the time was right, Jesus came to earth as a man to take our sins upon Himself and die on the cross, bearing the punishment for our sins. Then He rose from the dead to show His power over death. Now all who believe will be set free and their sins wiped clean! I get excited every time I think about it!

Anyway, I apologize for the error on my part regarding the meaning of the barley. I can’t believe I missed it when it was right in front of my eyes! It’s good to know that our Savior does not make mistakes! God bless and see you tomorrow!

Ruth Day 19: 3:14-15

14: So she lay at his feet until morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”

Rumors. If you’ve every watched Veggie Tales, the rumor weed song pops into my head when I think of this. It is to protect her dignity that she leaves before she can be recognized. If you questioned their chastity, she laid at his feet until morning so I’m pretty sure nothing happened. I find it interesting that he says “the woman” here. My Greek and Hebrew are rusty which is why I haven’t brought the languages up during this study, but I am curious as to why Ruth is referred to in this way.

15: And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city.

Growing up I used to think that Boaz gave her the barley as an excuse to be out so early in the morning. If anyone were to ask why she was up, she could say that she needed barley for breakfast or something like that. Recently I heard a sermon where the pastor mentioned that it could be because he wanted to give Naomi a sign that he had accepted their request and would get it taken care of that day. My only question regarding this is; did he know that Naomi had put Ruth up to this? On the one hand, Ruth most likely did not know the customs so it would be obvious that Naomi had put her up to this. On the other hand, we are not told of Ruth mentioning anything about Naomi during their conversation. Either way he gifts her with barley

This section is a little short, but still interesting. We see how Boaz looks out for Ruth’s dignity and that both of them were respectful towards one another. Tomorrow we will look at Naomi and Ruth’s interaction that morning.

We should seek to honor one another and to look out for each other’s well-being. We can all guess that temptation was there, but they chose to remain pure. I’m sure that we’ve all faced temptation in whether it be the same as Ruth and Boaz, although most likely a different scenario, or some other temptation. We are told in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Ruth Day 14: Chapter 2 Review

It’s review time again! Just like in the previous chapter I’d like you to think through the questions and figure out the answers on your own. I’ll have an answer key at the end.

  1. What happened during the chapter?
  2. What did we learn about Naomi?
  3. What did we learn about Ruth?
  4. What did we learn about Boaz?
  5. What did we learn about God?
  6. How can we apply what we’ve learned to our lives?

I hope you’re enjoying going through the book of Ruth with me! Over the next week we’ll learn more about an interesting encounter between Ruth and Boaz and a plot by Naomi. If you have any questions about this chapter, or the upcoming chapters, please comment or email me at rerouted.blog@gmail.com Also, if there is a book or topic that you’re interested in going through with me, let me know! I’m brainstorming ideas for my next study. I’ll also take feedback. I’m always looking to improve!

Answer Key: (Answers may vary – they don’t need to be exact)

  1. What happened during the chapter?
    Boaz is introduced
    Ruth goes to glean fields
    Boaz learns about Ruth
    Boaz and Ruth speak and Boaz tells Ruth to stay in his field
    Ruth eats with Boaz
    Boaz instructs his reapers to leave extra grain for Ruth
    Ruth gleans
    Naomi sees all the food
    We hear about a (kinsman) redeemer
    Ruth relays Boaz’s instructions to Naomi
    Summary of three months
  2. What did we learn about Naomi?
    She no longer feels alone
  3. What did we learn about Ruth?
    She works hard to care for her mother-in-law
    She is obedient
    She is grateful to Boaz and God
  4. What did we learn about Boaz?
    He is a worthy man
    He is a man of God
    He is kindhearted
  5. What did we learn about God?
    God shows that He is still caring for Ruth and Naomi
    God’s plan is in motion
    God is always working in our lives
    God can use others to bless us
  6. How can we apply what we’ve learned to our lives? (yours does not have to be the same answer as mine)
    Our outlook can change how we view our circumstances
    We can always try to help others
    We can remember that God is always working, even when we cannot see Him
    Jesus is our kinsman redeemer

Ruth Day 13: 2:21-23

21: And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close to my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’”

Ruth lets Naomi know that Boaz is looking out for her. It is also interesting that Ruth is referred to as Moabite here.

22: And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.”

Naomi knows that it is safer for her to be in Boaz’s field, especially because he has offered protection. Ruth is referred to as Naomi’s daughter-in-law in this verse.

23: So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

As mentioned earlier in the week, the barley and wheat harvests last around three months. Ruth stayed in Boaz’s field this whole time and cared for her mother-in-law. The flip flopping of the use of men and women is most likely because she worked around both the men and women and thus the author just alternates the use of the terms.

We can learn that Ruth listens to Naomi and also takes Boaz’s offer to stay in his field. She didn’t have to stay, but she did. Sometimes we just need to listen to others and accept their generosity rather than try to fend for ourselves. It can be a hard thing to do, especially for those of us who prefer to do everything ourselves.

God is working through this. During this period of time, Ruth and Boaz will get to know each other better. We are not told whether or not there is any romantic inclination. Sometimes we want God to jump to the “good stuff” so that we don’t have to wait. It can be hard, and sometimes painful, to wait, but our waiting is for a reason. God is working even when we cannot see Him.

Ruth Day 12: 2: 18-20

18: And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied.

Ruth kept the extra food so that she could give it to her mother-in-law to eat. I imagine Naomi’s eyes being the size of saucers when she saw how much food that Ruth brought back. The city is Bethlehem. We can know this because verse 19 from chapter one says that they traveled until they came to Bethlehem. We can also know this because Naomi’s family was from Bethlehem before they went to Moab. Who else happens to be from Bethlehem? Boaz (2:4).

19: And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.”

Naomi seems surprised by Ruth’s gleanings and seeks out more information. She recognizes that someone must have taken notice of her and watched out for her in order for her to have gleaned so much food.

20: And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.”

Naomi’s first response is that the Lord bless Boaz and then she thanks God for not forsaking them. At the end of chapter one, Naomi believed that the Lord had testified against her, but now she can see that He is looking out for her and Ruth. Naomi also tells Ruth that Boaz is a relative of hers. This did not come up in the conversation between her and Boaz so we could guess that she had not known his relation to them before this point.

A redeemer in that time was a relative who could continue the family line so that it wouldn’t be broken. Often times when a woman was widowed without a child, in order to carry on the family line, the brother of the deceased would marry the widow and the first child born would be considered the child of the deceased and therefore inherit everything and carry on that family line. This can be seen in the book of Genesis when Judah’s son, Er, died. Judah’s second son, Onan, was to raise up offspring for his brother, but disobeyed and died because of that*. I’ll end the story there because it is long and complicated, but that is an example of the law that was in place.

We can learn from these verses that God is watching out for us. Everything seemed hopeless to Naomi, but in one day she realized that God was looking out for them by leading Ruth to Boaz’s field and having Boaz look out for Ruth. I also wonder that if this is the point where Naomi begins planning the events that happen in chapter three.

* Genesis 38:1-30 (This story also has an importance when going through the genealogy at the end of chapter four)