Ruth
chapter one shows the unfolding of God’s
gracious plan of redemption amidst a suffering
people. Naomi, a woman of Israel, lives in a
foreign land and has lost her husband and two
sons during a famine. In her sorrow, Naomi
urges her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to
return to their people and find new husbands.
Orpah reluctantly complies, but Ruth chooses
to stay with Naomi and make a new life in
Israel. In doing so, Ruth displays her faith
in God and her allegiance to the people of
Israel. This loyalty is seen as an act of
faith in the Lord, and God rewards Ruth’s
faith by providing her with a new husband and
a place in the lineage of King David. Ruth’s
loyalty to Naomi and her faith in the Lord
serve as powerful examples of what it means to
trust in God’s grace and mercy. Through Ruth’s
story, we see God’s love and faithfulness are
available to all, and He will always provide a
way of redemption, even while suffering.
Chapter Two:
Ruth
2 begins with the Lord showing his kindness to
Ruth by blessing her with a field to glean.
Next, Boaz, the field owner, shows Ruth even
more kindness by ensuring she is safe and
well-provided while she works. Boaz also shows
grace to Ruth by allowing her to glean grain
from his fields and encouraging his workers to
help her. In response to Boaz's kindness, Ruth
blesses him and expresses her gratitude.
The
chapter ends with Boaz showing his generosity
to Ruth by providing her with a significant
amount of barley and offering to become her
kinsman-redeemer, a significant gesture of
grace and mercy and a reminder that God is
always watching over and providing for us.
Through Boaz's kindness and mercy, God shows
His love for Ruth and all of us. He is
faithful to us, and His grace and mercy are
abundant.
Chapter Three:
In
Ruth 3, Naomi instructs Ruth to approach Boaz,
a close relative of Naomi’s deceased husband,
and ask him to fulfill the duties of a
kinsman-redeemer, which would involve marrying
Ruth and redeeming Naomi’s family property.
Ruth follows Naomi’s instructions, and Boaz is
pleased with her actions. Boaz promises to
fulfill the duties of a kinsman-redeemer, but
he must first go through a legal process to
ensure he is the closest relative who can
redeem the family property.
From
a reformed theological perspective, chapter
three of Ruth displays God’s sovereignty and
faithfulness in providing a redeemer for Naomi
and Ruth. God uses Boaz to fulfill the law of
the kinsman-redeemer, which ultimately
displays God’s faithfulness to His people. As
Boaz is willing to fulfill the duties of a
kinsman-redeemer, so also God willing to
fulfill His promises of redemption and
salvation for His children. Furthermore, God’s
sovereignty is displayed through the legal
process that must be fulfilled for Boaz to
redeem the family property. It is only through
God’s providence that Boaz is the redeemer.
Chapter Four:
Ruth
4 begins with Boaz approaching the closer
relative of Elimelech, asking him to redeem
the land of Elimelech and to marry Ruth. The
relative refuses, but Boaz can redeem the land
and marry Ruth. In doing so, he can restore
the name of Elimelech and provide an heir for
Naomi, an imperative event in the lineage of
Jesus, as Ruth becomes a great-grandmother of
King David, an ancestor of Jesus.
This
chapter demonstrates God's sovereignty,
faithfulness, and care for His people. Through
Boaz, God brings restoration and redemption to
Naomi and her family. The redemption provided
by Boaz serves as a reminder of God's
commitment to his covenant people, as seen
throughout the Old Testament. Finally, it also
points to God's ability to bring beauty from
ashes, as He brought restoration and a new
family line through Ruth and Boaz. It shows
the power of God to work amidst tragedy and to
provide hope in the darkest times. Ultimately,
this chapter serves as a reminder of God's
faithfulness, providing for His people in
seemingly impossible circumstances.
In closing:
The book of Ruth
highlights the importance of faithfulness,
loyalty, and commitment. Ruth’s decision to
leave her homeland and follow her
mother-in-law to a new land is a testament to
her faith in God and her willingness to trust
him even in the face of fear and uncertainty.
Ruth’s faithfulness is rewarded when Boaz, a
wealthy Israelite, decides to marry and
provide for her and her mother-in-law, which
exemplifies God’s faithfulness (and love) to
those who are faithful to him.
The
book of Ruth also serves as a reminder of
God’s redemptive power. After suffering the
loss of her husband, Ruth finds redemption
through Boaz and is ultimately rewarded with a
lineage that includes King David. *
“Study
to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman
that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
Mr.
Kettler has previously published articles in
the Chalcedon Report and Contra
Mundum. He and his wife Marea attend the
Westminster, CO, RPCNA Church. Mr. Kettler is
the author of 15 books defending the Reformed
Faith. Books can be ordered online at Amazon.
* This article is an
experiment. It was written by ChatGPT and
perfected with Grammarly