Ruth 3-4 Bible Study

This morning we're going to be finishing the book of Ruth with chapters 3 and 4 so only 4 chapters in the book. Last time in Ruth chapter 2 Ruth met her future husband Boaz. And before we look at this chapter I just want to read this passage from Proverbs 31 on the virtuous woman or the virtuous wife.

Because this really corresponds with Ruth and who she was. Proverbs. Actually some people believe that Solomon wrote Proverbs 31 and he had Ruth in mind. We'll talk about that in a moment. Proverbs 31 10 through 12 says who can find a virtuous wife.

For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her. So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. So Ruth is a good example of this perhaps the best example because if there is one thing that comes out about her character is That Ruth was a virtuous woman.

She was a virtuous wife so far in the Bible next to maybe Sarah Ruth I would say is the role model for.

Women.

I think a lot of women these days, you know After the feminist movement, they might want to look to Deborah as the role model, you know, Deborah was in charge. She was shattering the glass ceiling, you know, Barack was weak.

Deborah is telling them what to do. Deborah is not the role model. She's sort of the exception to every rule first. Peter 3 verse 4 talks about the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. This the Bible says is very precious in the sight of God.

So Ruth is the virtuous wife. Ruth is submissive. If we view all of this as the Old Testament is an allegory or a Story pointing to Christ in the church. This should be the way we are in relation to Christ.

I should be submissive to Christ. The church should be submissive to.

Christ.

All of God's people should have that Submissive attitude towards the Lord. So Boaz is a type of Christ the kinsman Redeemer. Ruth therefore in this.

Allegory.

She represents Christians. She looks to Boaz becomes his bride just as Christians Look to Christ the church being the bride of Christ and just point this out. When I say allegory Obviously, I don't mean to imply that the story of Ruth didn't happen.

It's a true story it all happened, but it also points.

Ahead.

It points to Christ all of the Old Testament points ahead to Christ. So Ruth is a virtuous woman and not only does Boaz recognize this in Ruth. The Lord sees her virtue and because of it the Lord blesses this Moabite woman Beyond measure giving her the privilege to be included not only in the genealogy of David Israel's great king.

She is also included in the lineage of Israel's Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ. And One other thing this book does before we start reading in chapter 3. This book really serves as a great picture of God's grace Towards those outside of the nation of Israel.

Remember Ruth was called Ruth the Moabitess. Remember Rahab. Rahab was not an Israelite. She was of the city of Jericho. The Lord redeemed Rahab from the doomed city of Jericho. He redeemed Ruth the Moabitess and brought her into the covenant Family of God.

So this is really a foreshadowing of how Christ will save the Gentiles. So many different things can be drawn out of this story. So with all that said let's begin reading Ruth chapter 3 starting in verse 1.

Says then Naomi her mother-in-law. Said to her my daughter. Shall I not seek security for you that it may be well with you? Now Boaz whose young women you were with is he not our relative? In fact, he is widowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.

Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself and put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. So what's Naomi telling Ruth?

Hey, take a shower put on your best dress put on some perfume go down and meet Boaz. But don't bother him to wait until he's finished eating and drinking. Verse 4 then it shall be when he lies down that you shall notice the place where he lies and you shall go in uncover his feet and lie down and He will tell you what you should do.

And Ruth said to Naomi all that you say to me I.

Will do.

So Naomi acting as The mother she feels responsible for making sure Ruth has a bright future and Knowing Israelite customs, of course Ruth is in the dark about all this stuff and this custom of going in uncovering his feet.

And that may seem strange, but you know, there's a lot of things thousands of years ago. That would seem strange to us but it's a custom and Naomi knows about it. So she instructs Ruth of what she should do and Ruth submissive right?

This is her mother mother-in-law, but she views her as her mother. She's honoring her mother. That's another part of her virtue. So now this thing about uncovering Boaz feet lying down. You know, it does kind of seem strange to us for her to lie down at his feet.

You shouldn't read into this at all. There's nothing scandalous going on a lot of things in Bible times they seem Odd to us and I'm sure a matter of fact, I'm positive if they could see some of the things That we are doing if some of the customs we have I'm sure that That would seem strange to them even stranger.

So Ruth verse 6 went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. So after a long day Boaz he eats he drinks he falls asleep. And scripture is very careful to point out that he's not lying in his bedroom.

This isn't a private chamber. He's out in the open. This is the place where he was working. He probably has servants around so there's nothing inappropriate happening here. So he wakes up in the middle of the night and realizes that there's someone there.

There's somebody Laying at his feet verse 9 and he said who are you? So she answered I am Ruth your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing for you are a close relative. So Boaz immediately knowing the custom He knows why she's there.

So let's just briefly explain this. Why is she there? What is the kinsmen Redeemer?

So.

This is a male relative Who according to various laws in the Torah or the Pentateuch? That's the first five books of Moses Genesis through Deuteronomy according to various laws in the books of Moses the kinsmen.

Redeemer as It is called is a male relative who had the privilege or the duty to act on behalf of a relative Who is in danger or in need. The male relative would then rescue or redeem either a person and.

Or a.

Property.

And of course this points ahead to Christ as well who according to Hebrews 2 11 Christ is our brother. And through the cross he rescues or redeems us. But Ruth. Ruth is in need so she turns to Boaz. She says take me under your wing.

Why. Because you're a close relative. She is looking to him to be to act as kinsmen Redeemer. She's asking Boaz.

To.

Marry her essentially. So realizing that a young beautiful woman like herself could have chosen any number of younger men stronger men but she chooses instead a godly man and Boaz is willing to marry her and thereby redeem her but according to the law of Moses there was one Thing that stood in the way there was one relative closer than him so to follow these customs and laws You had to go about it the right way.

So there's somebody who would have a More rightful place. There's one relative closer versus 11 and 12 Boaz says and now my daughter do not fear I will do for you all that you request for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.

Now it is true that I am a close relative. However, there is a relative closer than I. So Ruth stays the night and just to make this point because people are again tempted to sort of read into this assume the worst just as It said Boaz ate and drank and was married sometimes people I've heard people say well Yeah, he drank and he was married.

That means he's intoxicated. No, it doesn't. Or that they say well, you know Ruth got into bed with him. No, she didn't. She was laying it's careful to say that she was laying at his feet. So I'm just gonna repeat this again.

If this is what you have in your mind of what's happening get it out of your mind. There's nothing immoral going on. Otherwise, the scripture wouldn't make such a point to highlight Ruth's virtue. Boaz and Ruth did not have relations until after the wedding and just to make sure people didn't talk that there weren't any rumors.

Boaz has her leave before daybreak and Then gives word maybe to his servants who were there. Remember this is Where they were working this isn't his private home. This is out in the open where they were working he tells probably his servants.

Hey, don't tell anyone she was here. He doesn't want her to get a bad reputation verse 14 so she laid at his feet until morning and She arose before one could recognize another. Then he said do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.

So not only was there no fornication. Boaz wanted to make sure there wasn't even an appearance of that. This type of thing is reiterated to all of God's people in the New Testament where the Apostle Paul tells the Thessalonians to avoid all appearances of evil.

That is not only should you not Sin, you should not even put yourself into a situation where it might look like you're sinning. This is part of what it looks like to walk Circumspectly in this world walk in wisdom.

Do not take unnecessary risk. Don't put yourself into situations where people would get even get the wrong idea. And I know it's typical today that people have the attitude. Well, I don't care what it looks like.

I know I know I didn't do anything wrong. Well, maybe you know that but other people don't know that and We want to be careful not to cause other people to stumble. So that's Partially what's happening here?

That's again another New Testament commandment. Do not cause your brother to stumble. So Boaz point being not only cares about his own reputation. He wants to protect Ruth's reputation. Because once a person gets a bad Bad reputation or as we say once they lose their testimony.

It's very difficult to get it back. What takes you years to build can be lost in a matter of minutes if not seconds. So Boaz will redeem Ruth. He will act as kinsmen redeemer. But there is first still this other relative who is first in line.

So to make a long story short this closer relative Chooses not to fulfill his duty and this brings us into chapter 4. Boaz speaks with the relative. The elders of the city were present. It's made official that Boaz will marry Ruth.

Verse 9 of chapter 4 says. And Boaz said to the elders and all the people you are witnesses this day that I have Bought all that was a limilex and that was Killian's and Malin's from the hand of Naomi.

Moreover Ruth the Moabitess the widow of Malin. I will I have acquired as my wife to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance. That the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate.

You are witnesses this day and all the people who are at the gate and the elders said we are Witnesses the Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah. The two who built the house of Israel so they offer this blessing.

May Ruth Be like Rachel. May Ruth be like Leah. Why. Because Leah and Rachel According to them according to how the Israelis looked at it. They helped build the house of Israel By giving birth to the patriarchs and Isn't that what?

Ruth is going to do. She is going to give birth to the man who is going to give birth to the man. Who's going to give birth to the man who is going to be the greatest figure? In Old Testament Israel, you know with the exception of maybe Moses King David will come.

I guess let's see King David would be Ruth's great-great-grandson. If if that's correct great-great-grandson something like that. So Ruth is going to be like Rachel and Leah. So do we see what the Lord has done?

He has taken tragedy the death of Naomi's husband and her two sons. And what has he done? He's sovereignly Brought about this good result.

Naomi.

Once empty is now full. Ruth who is once a widow is now married in the kingly line of Judah is being prepared To bring about not only David But also David's greater son.

The Christ.

Verse 13 so Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife and When he went into her the Lord gave her conception and she bore a son and isn't it interesting that the Lord Gave her conception. Remember Rachel for a time she couldn't give birth and Part of how she was treated compared to Leah.

God blessed Leah and Leah was having one child after another after another. Why because the Lord gave her conception? But the Lord many times in the Old Testament it talks about how the Lord closes a woman's womb and You know, we we don't look at it that way today.

Well, there's medical reasons or it just happens. Well, according to the Bible the Lord gives conception and The Lord closes the womb so make of that what you will. Verse 14. Then the women said to Naomi blessed be the Lord after Ruth.

Has this child? They all bless her. They bless her mother-in-law. Naomi blessed be the Lord. Who has not left you this day without a close relative and may his name be famous in Israel and indeed it was and may he be able or may he be to you a Restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age.

For your daughter-in-law Ruth who loves you. Who is better to you than seven sons? Has born him. So what a blessing Ruth is to her mother-in-law. And I think that every person should want to have Other people say that about them that hey.

You are a blessing to your mother. You are a blessing to your father. You are a blessing to your parents because the other option is you know, you're you you grew you really grieve your parents.

Well.

Ruth was a blessing and That's something that all of God's people should aspire to as the commandment says you shall honor your father and mother. It's not something that's big in this culture. It's obviously our culture has kind of discarded the Ten Commandments even in churches.

They're not really emphasized sometimes. But Ruth indeed Was a great blessing. So we see the reversal of events back in chapter 1. Naomi wanted to be called Mara remember that She told the Israelites call me Mara which means bitter.

She thought that God was against her. But in actuality God was for her sometimes it just takes Time instead of seeing Naomi as a woman cursed by God now They all recognize her as a woman greatly blessed by God and by having this story immortalized in the pages of Scripture.

The grace shown to Naomi by the Lord will never be forgotten. So back to this picture of Ruth. Fitting the description of the virtuous wife where some people know it the Proverbs 31 woman. This is really interesting.

So we're going to compare Ruth to the virtuous wife of Proverbs 31. You can say that Ruth's strength her strength was her godly Character. I just want to read this comment by Pastor John MacArthur. He writes the virtuous wife of Proverbs 31 is personified by virtuous Ruth.

With amazing parallel they share at least eight character traits. One wonders because this is also a Jewish tradition if King Lemuel's mother. He's the one King Lemuel wrote Proverbs 31 people wonder.

Was his mother Bathsheba who passed the family heritage of Ruth spotless reputation along to David's son Solomon? Lemuel which means devoted to God could have been a family name for Solomon who then could have penned Proverbs 31 10 through 31 with Ruth in mind.

It's an interesting theory. But here are the eight character traits. They share both Ruth and the Proverbs 31 woman woman woman. Were devoted to family number one so both Ruth and The Proverbs 31 woman was devoted to family.

They both delighted in their work. They were diligent in labor. They were both dedicated to godly speech. They were both dependent upon God. They dressed with care. They were discreet with men and both delivered blessings.

So compare Ruth chapter 4 the things we read about Ruth to Proverbs 31. We're just going to read 28 through 30 About the virtuous wife. It says her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also and he praises her.

Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but a woman who fears the Lord. She shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates.

One of the blessings Ruth delivered was a blessing upon her mother-in-law whom she loved. Naomi lost her sons. But the grandson that Ruth gave her brought her a great joy. Verse 16. Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom and became a nurse to him.

Also the neighbor Women gave him a name saying there is born. There is a son born to Naomi and they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse the father of David. At which point we should probably remember that great verse on the sovereignty of God and it's great to see how these Old Testament stories work out.

Bad things work for good. You know the story of Joseph obviously is the best example of that but even with Ruth. Romans 8 28 says that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.

To those who are the called according to his purpose and that has certainly happened here with Naomi and Ruth and now for the most significant thing of all the chapter closes with the genealogy an Old Testament genealogy that later reappears in the nativity account of Jesus the genealogy and Ruth is from the son of Judah Perez.

Going nine centuries later to Israel's great King David. Ruth chapter 4 verse 21 says. Solomon or Solomon begot Boaz. Boaz begot Obed. Obed begot Jesse and Jesse begot David and this is how the New Testament begins.

Matthew chapter 1 the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of Abraham. Abraham begot Isaac. Isaac begot Jacob. Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zarah by Tamar.

Perez begot Hezron and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot a minute dab and a minute dab begot nation and nation begot Salmon and Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab and Boaz begot Obed by Ruth. Obed begot Jesse and Jesse begot David the king.

So we see here that Ruth who was a Moabite is included in Israel's genealogy leading to.

The Christ.

Matthew Henry writes this about Ruth. She was a witness for God to the Gentile world. That he had not utterly forsaken them but that in due time they should become one with his chosen people and partake of his Salvation.

So in conclusion What's the application if you would love God if you would trust in the Lord? God has promised to work all things together for good. So whether you have faced tragedy in your life Like Naomi or whether you feel like you are outside of the grace of God like Ruth would have been seen.

Originally, the lesson is this. Don't give up. But all of this is a wonderful picture of Christ and the church. Boaz is a type of Christ the kinsmen Redeemer Ruth a picture of Christians being submissive to Boaz just as we should be Submissive to Christ.

And if we do that, he will lead us. He will guide us. He will protect us. So this concludes our study of the book of Ruth.