Elimelech had intended to go back home. Her best days were not behind. We also see the freedom in their relationship. Who only wants to go out at night even when there are opportunities to go out during the day. She grew up in an evil country an enemy of Israel. Lesson 4 - Fulfilling God's Plan. When these two women arrive back in Naomis home town, they are destitute, devastated, and broken. Whether youre going through a break-up or divorce, there is a reason for all of the pain. Ruth was a model of responsible living in an irresponsible age. Boaz was a type (prophetic symbol) of Christ and His redemptive work in our lives today. Just 10 years later her sons die, too. It might mean he was old enough to be her father. Once they realize that their significant other doesnt have bad intentions when they make mistakes, theyll discover that their relationship will truly prosper. The choice is always yours. The Book of Ruth, the second of the Tanakh's five scrolls to be read on Shavu'ot, turns on at least one of these mandated forms of charity. He and his wife Naomi, along with their two sons Mahlon and Chilion, left for Moab. If she had to go it alone, it would be 10 times harder. Look out for a man who is willing to wait for you without pressure. Through love we learn how to deal with people and how we can become better people within our individual relationships and as an entire society. God will not necessarily stand in your way. The book of Ruth focuses on this romantic story that represents Jesus and what He did for us. Loss Is Hard. Boaz rescued Ruth from the brink of poverty and enslavement like Jesus did for us. Later we see him ensuring that they have food to eat during their lunch break and he sits and eats with then. On the other hand, Ruths husband had died leaving her without children and she was still young. When the meeting was done, Boaz publicly declared and celebrated his relationship with Ruth. As we see in Ruth 1:16, Ruth chose that she will serve the God of Naomi even to the point of death as she had fully resolved and purposed in her heart. Both of these women showed faith and clung to the belief that better days were ahead. She lived a simple live in obscurity. Just because one couple doesnt live like another doesnt mean that theyre any less or more in love than another couple. Site by Gretchen Louise. She urges Ruth and Orpah to stay in Moab and find new husbands. So the Book of Ruth would roughly equate to the Book of Friendship in Hebrew. Lets face it, no one is perfect! The time of year is early spring, "the beginning of the barley harvest " (Ruth 1:22 ). Remember to thank and recognize your partner each day. When you least expect it God provides His children with the things they need in life. They were living in Moab when both of their husbands died. v 2 - Moab: located east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. Yet she showed incredible character. Chances are that he thought he would have had time to go back. We often feel like we need to keep our questions and thoughts about God to ourselves within a relationship. Naomi and her husband decided to move away from Judah to Moab because of a terrible famine that was hurting their family. Go get married. Love works in mysterious ways. Boaz invited Ruth to eat with his employees. This redemption comes in the form of a relative of Naomi named Boaz. How would you describe Ruth in the Bible? Be careful of the decisions you make thinking you have time. There is Always Hope. A famine in Canaan forces Elimelech and Naomi, along with their sons, to migrate from Bethlehem to Moab. Boaz recognized that Ruth was quite vulnerable. Although Boaz was in love with Ruth, he never pushed or pressured her to commit to him. 2: Ruth wins Boaz's admiration and protection. Soon, Naomi becomes aware that Boaz has a thing for Ruth. In fact, we know more about the relationship between these two women than we know about them individually. Ruth is the festal scroll for Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, 50 . Lets face it, no one is perfect! When Boaz showed up, Ruth was having a pretty rough season in her life. But Boaz was different. People can be great pretenders. This would mean marrying the widow of the deceased and making children. If there was ever a Hallmark-worthy story in the Bible, this is it. Even though we are basically desolate because of our sinful actions, we will all be forgiven and have the opportunity to make our lives better. When entering into a relationship, its important that each person understand and respect the other as an equal. While your confidence may be wavering, Gods promises are not. Ruth could have waited on the benevolence of stranger to come to her door but she did not. There are three lessons that can be learned from Ruth and Naomi's relationship that are reflected in this verse. The story is told in the Book of Ruth, part of the biblical canon called Ketuvim, or Writings. These previews of Christ are a bit of a foreshadowing that falls across Old Testament pages, fully coming to reality in the New Testament with the birth of Jesus. Naomi was open with Ruth about the joy, the fear, the pain, and the anguish that came with her faith in God. In the end, everyone lived their life and love prevailed. Moral Lesson 1: The Value Of Making Wise Choices. God had an amazing plan for Ruth. She didnt just pray. Since Boaz was the great-grandfather of David (4:21), the book recounts events that Looking at the bigger picture of the Book of Ruth its evident now to see how the famine, Naomis relocation to Moab, the return to Bethlehem, Boazs blood line, and several other events had a hand in the overall plan for Ruths life. Even though we are basically desolate because of our sinful actions, we will all be forgiven and have the opportunity to make our lives better. A simple Moabite widow becomes an essential character in the powerful story of salvation woven through the Bible. The sons too perish, and at last Naomi . He also made sure she got a little bit more than everyone else. All these little details in the story, gives us a glimpse of Boazs character and influence. Ruth is a traditionally feminine name with Hebrew roots and origins in the Bible which means "companion" or "friend." Ruth was "of the women of Moab" but was related to Israel . She was so thankful, especially considering her status of widow which made her automatically become a part of the lowest class in society, right there with beggars, orphans and people with disabilities. The love of a man and the love of a woman should always be considered as an equally powerful element. Serving God Requires Faith. Ruth is a woman of great character who embodies many positive traits. This other characteristic of Ruth in the Bible often goes unnoticed. God is always in the business of rewarding the faithful. She might have been married before but now she was practically starting her life over. Naomi hatches a "plan" to join Ruth and Boaz for "good" ( Ruth 2:22 ). While there are many things to learn from the story of Ruth, here are seven powerful lessons from this tiny book that stood out to me. When life brings devastation, its not easy to hope. It was their faith that was at the center of their relationship and intimate communication. After Naomi's two sons died in Moab, she decided to return to Bethlehem. 51 Best Bible Verses About Relationship With God. Because Ruth was a childless widow of a Hebrew male, she was entitled to remarriage from a member of Mahlons family. There is no bitterness or hostility that shadows over their relationship. In fact, we know more about the relationship between these two women than we know about them individually. Lesson 2 - Obedience Brings About Breakthrough. But she cannot wash her face with the looking-glass. When Boaz decided to act on Ruths interest in being married to him, he was not willing to break the law or conduct underhanded business. Don't miss the rest of our series on loving your in-laws! If you are a Bible study teacher, you are free to allow this content to influence the lessons you teach or the sermons you present. Character its who you really are when no one else is watching. Ruths faith was rewarded with a wonderful husband. What makes the story particularly interesting is that Ruth is . Relationships today are the exact same! Love works in mysterious ways. Each person within the relationship must understand that everyone has imperfections and its imperative that they come to terms with this reality. The first concerns the happy accident of Ruth's Answer. Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. And looking at the book of Ruth, we can see that even when we cant see beyond our pain to his plan, we can have hope that our story isnt over better days are coming. She doesnt come from a famous family. Now, what are some of these characteristics that you should be looking for in your Boaz? The book of Ruth in the Bible is an anthology of love and forgiveness. We dont usually share our unedited feelings and thoughts about God with friends or family members. Rahab was a prostitute whose faith saved her from the crashing walls of Jericho. The second is that he set her up to get more than just what had fallen by the way as the employees worked. The love story of Ruth and Boaz can be found in the book of Ruth. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the series, Ruth: A Story of Redemption, prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on January 10, 2010. Ruth is just a widow one from an enemy nation, at that. Couples must balance each other and have a forgiving heart. The word that Boaz used to describe Ruth is the same word used to describe the Proverbs 31 woman. Anissa McClain November 1, 2014 English 280 Penny Riggs The Case of Winnie Ruth Judd Winnie Ruth Judd was born in 1905 and raised in Darlington, Indiana, by her parents Reverend and Mrs. McKinnell. Ruth, biblical character, a woman who after being widowed remains with her husband's mother. But when things are the most difficult, thats when we need faith and hope the most. Its heart-wrenching to lose a child. Boaz did say that Ruth chose not to marry a young man. The Book of Ruth is literally the Book of Friendship. The book of Ruth follows the book of Judges in our Bibles because its setting was in that time period. Note that he addressed her as daughter. Stressful. Naomi decided to move back to Bethlehem to be near family. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Ruth could have had her fill and left it there. Id say yes but they were definitely not in her control. Ruth went above and beyond in the way she honored and respected her mother-in-law, and in doing so became known in the entire city as a virtuous woman. She worked hard to provide food for her and her mother-in-law. 1. But we explore just a few that specifically have to do with dating. Act 3: Ruth and Boaz are at the threshing floor ( Ruth 3:1-18 ). He went to meet with the kinsman who was before him in line as well as the elders. Ruth was a Moabite and a widow. This means she was ready to be taken as his wife and to enter into a relationship of mutual submission and trust. Each lecture focuses on a key character in Ruth and what they represent. Be sure to check out The Story of Naomi in the Bible and lessons you can learn. Here we glean 13 moral lessons from Ruth's story. The Book of Ruth relates that Ruth and Orpah, two women of Moab, had married two sons of . . As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Be wary of men who are uncomfortable with your relationship being public knowledge. It is unlikely that it was written before the time of David (cp. She was letting him know she was ready for the next stage. Examining the second chapter of Ruth. Through Naomi, Ruth learned about the God of Israel and chose to put her trust in him. 3.9 Rate this book. Love is a very interesting concept. Naomi was essentially empty and devastated after she lost her husband and sons. Doing the right thing isnt always easy. Naomi planned to return to Israel and encouraged Ruth to stay in Moab and return to her mother's family. So, Ruth and Naomi both return to Bethlehem. For Ruth everything seemed hopeless when she lost her husband even worse for Naomi. Dear Lord, Now that we have dealt with what it means to wait for your Boaz, there are some other relationship nuggets buried in the story. Boaz listened to the voices of those who also observed and interacted with her. God had every intention of Ruth being part of the story for the lineage of Jesus. Which man is going to ignore a beautiful, well-dressed sweet smelling damsel, especially one who has already caught his attention with her character? It is true that dating can be quite a drama-filled journey. . Lesson 1: Sometimes, the right choice requires immense sacrifice. At the beginning of the story, we meet Elimelech, the husband of Naomi. Naomi reminded Ruth that she was free to leave and go back to her family. But thats not what she did. 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