Ruth Series

April 24, 2021

The story of Ruth occurred during the time of the Judges. It was a turbulent time in Israel due to the cycle of disobedience-defeat-despair-deliverance. Remember:

• Judges 21:25 - In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.

My Favorite Thing About RUTH is the concept of “HESED” = loyalty, goodness, kindness / lovingkindness, devotion, faithfulness, favor, mercy, unchanging love --- going above and beyond what is expected.

Ruth’s HESED toward Naomi

Boaz’s HESED toward Ruth and Naomi

God’s HESED toward us

As we know from the story, there was a famine in the land. Elimelech, Naomi and their 2 sons; Mahlon and Chilion, left Bethlehem and went to Moab, which was an interesting choice considering that Israel and Moab were enemies ---- the family lived in Moab for 10 years.

• Not long after arriving in Moab Elimelech died.

• Mahlon married Ruth

• Chilion married Orpah

• Both Mahlon and Chilion died and now all three ladies were widows. They were destitute and without hope because widows had no social standing and no way to provide for themselves financially.

• Naomi decided to go back to Bethlehem and encouraged both Ruth and Orpah to stay in Moab and remarry.

Orpah returned home, but Ruth chose to stay with Naomi and here we find HESED:

• Ruth 1:16-17 ….. Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.

It would have been so much easier – more convenient – for Ruth to stay home in the land of her birth, among her own people, but she chose, instead, to extend HESED to her mother-in-law. She chose to go beyond what was expected. She chose loyalty, devotion, faithfulness and unchanging love.

Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest {late April/early May} and Ruth went to work gleaning in the fields – Boaz’s fields – and here we find HESED:

• Ruth 2:8-9 - So Boaz said to Ruth, "My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled."

Ruth was a Moabite. She was looked upon with suspicion and even hatred. It would have been so much easier – more convenient – for Boaz if she had just moved on to the next field. Out of sight – out of mind – don’t get involved – maintain unsullied reputation – Boaz chose, instead, to extend HESED to Ruth. He chose to go beyond the expected. He chose goodness, kindness, faithfulness, favor and mercy.

Boaz’ HESED toward Ruth would go deeper still and he would add loyalty, devotion and unchanging love, by becoming her Go'el – her Kinsman Redeemer.

The Go'el’s job was to redeem something – usually property – that had been lost/sold.

To be Go'el 3 conditions had to be met:

• He had to be qualified – a blood relative.

• He had to be able – possess the resources necessary to pay the redemption price.

• He had to be willing – the role was completely voluntary.

When Boaz became Go'el, he redeemed both land {Naomi’s} and people {Naomi and Ruth}

He didn’t have to do any of it, but he chose, once again, to go beyond the expected --- he chose HESED.

It’s been said, "the New Testament is in the Old concealed and the Old Testament is in the New revealed".

The story of Ruth is a human love story, but the HESED found there points to something beyond. It points to something eternal - God’s HESED toward us – His consistent, ever-faithful, relentless, constantly-pursuing, lavish, extravagant, unrestrained and furious love.

Where are you? = HESED

I have come to deliver you from slavery and I will take you to a good land = HESED

I’m going to wander with you = HESED

I choose to deliver you again and again and again and again = HESED

Of course, the Jesus of the New Testament is the supreme example of HESED and the Kinsman-Redeemer.

He is our Go'el

He had to be QUALIFID.

• John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.