Ruth: Romance of Redemption (Chuck Missler)
Session 1
During the time of the judges.
Barley harvest= spring time. Flax harvest also in spring.
Jews read Book of Ruth on Shabbot (Feast of Weeks)
Goal is to get the Land back to Naomi and a bride for Boaz.
Love=Cleaving and gleaning
Love’s Resolve—Ch.1 Loves Response—Ch.2 Love’s Request—Ch.3 Love’s Reward—Ch.4
Famine
13 Famines in the Bible. Why people move, especially from Israel.
In Ruth:
-Famine had to last several years for them to compelled to move.
-Naomi was moved at least 10 years.
-Naomi’s husband: from Bethlehem of Judah (more than one Bethlehem).
Study “Bethlehem”. Very important town. “Beth” (house of) “Lehem” (bread).
Also where Racheal was buried.
Moab= son of Lot. Associated with Balaam. Also where David sought shelter with the Moab King.
Moab to Bethlehem- about 75 miles, not straight thru.
Moab national god- Chemosh-accepted human sacrifices (Num 21:29).
Names:
Elimelech: God is my King Naomi: Pleasant
Mahlon: From root of “Chalah”-sickly Chilion: wasting
Orpah: fawn Ruth: friend/desirable
Marah: bitter Boaz: name given to one of the pillars of Solomon’s temple.
Kinsman to Elimelech, not Naomi.
Naomi thinks Lord is against her. Wants to be called “Marah”.
Session 2
Ruth: she happened upon Boaz’s field. Did not know it was owned by a kinsman.
She also gained a reputation for her caring for Naomi.
Session 3
Every 10th man: Noah, Abraham, Boaz
Three Conditions for a Kinsman levirite:
- Had to be a kinsman
- Had to be able
- Had to be willing
- If not willing, then give a shoe to the widow as a symbol of shame
Law of Gleaning: Lev 19:9-10, Deut 24:19,21
Law of Leviritte Marriage: Deut 25:5-10. “Levir” is Latin for “a husband’s brother”, husband’s brother marries his widow.
Law of Redemption: Lev 25:17-55
Hems of Skirts/robes (Hebrew: shuwl, Greek: kraspedon): Significance:
-where person’s ranks were embroidered.
-to cut off a hem was to strip of one’s authority, role, identity
-a husband could divorce his wife by cutting off her hem
-David’s removal of Saul’s hem in 1 Sam 24.
-Levitical garments
-Lord’s hem sought for healing in gospels.
-Joseph’s and Jesus’s coats/robes
Threshing Floor:
-where the grain was separated from the shaft by the wind.
-after threshing was complete, would celebrate, then sleep with the grain to protect it. Isa 41:14-6.
-Boaz would be by one heap while his servants were in other areas by other heaps. Gave Boaz privacy.
Naomi was faced with 3 issues:
- How could name of Elimelech be maintained?
- How to protect/get back her inheritance that Elimelech sold/left behind.
- How to provide rest and security for Ruth.
Naomi’s plan: (she hasn’t met Boaz yet, but knew who he was).
-Not sexual. Be in a servant’s position, at one’s feet.
-“spread the skirt”- asking him to marry her. Hem/fringe.
-handmaid- eligible for marriage.
-he is under the law for levirite marriage.
Look up “Goel”. Goel= Kinsman.
-Young men (in Ruth 3:10) were not Goel, and would only benefit Ruth but not Naomi. Boaz is saying Ruth could have chosen anybody, but thinking of Naomi she went for Boaz.
The nearest Kinsman had to wave this priority before Boaz could act.
Boaz tells Ruth to “lie down until morning” it is now in Boaz’s hands. He will resolve the issue.
6 measures of Barley
-a message to Naomi that she would understand.
-code for Boaz won’t rest until all is done, like God and creation. Naomi understood.
Verse 17 accomplishes 2 things:
-Ruth’s transition from active to passive role
-Put’s Boaz and Naomi on center stage, active roles.
Session 4
The land needs to be redeemed for Naomi.
Nearest Kinsman said he will do it until Boaz reminds him that Ruth is also involved – a Moabite, not just Naomi. Kinsman then is unable to redeem bride. Unknown why.
-he would have to use his own money to redeem the land
-having to marry Ruth he would have to have son through her which meant that the son would really be legally the son of Mahlon and would inherit the land. The kinsman would lose the investment and the property.
-the nearer Kinsman represents the law. The law cannot save us.
Law is given to reveal sin/condemnation. What the law cannot do, grace does.
Boaz purchases the land for Naomi and “purchases” Ruth as a bride.
Prophesy of Ruth: House of Pharez (Gen ch 38)
-Pharez born because of a levirite marriage. Boaz a decendent of Pharez. Pharez (a bastard son (not fully Israelite)). 10th generation from Pharez= David.
-Nashon is a leader at time of Moses. Salmon married Rahab (Boez’s mother).
“Bible codes” and “Codes of Torah” says at interval 49 in Gen. 38 there is “Boaz”, “Ruth”, “Obed”, “Yishay”(Jesse), “David” in chronological order.
How could Samuel anoint Saul when he knew that a King should come from tribe of Judah? David not old enough yet. David came from Bethlehem (home of Boaz).
Ruth= church Naomi= Israel Boaz= God, Redeemer
Title deeds are written on both sides of scrolls= -like the 7 sealed scroll of Rev. (title to world)
Christ- like Boaz, cannot move until we claim him as our Kinsman Redeemer
-In order to bring Ruth to Naomi, Naomi needed to be exiled.
-Ruth did not replace Naomi. She enables Naomi’s redemption.
-Ruth learns of Boaz’s ways thru Naomi
-Naomi meets Boaz thru Ruth
-No matter how much Boaz loved Ruth, he had to wait for her to make her move.
-Boaz, not Ruth, confronts the nearer Kinsman (it’s usually the other way around).