Week 7
Monday - 10/3/22
Ruth
- Takes place during the period of Judges
- The story of Ruth contrasts the miserable stories found in Judges
- The story of Ruth also contrasts the unfaithfulness of the Israelites and the faithfulness
of a Moatbitess
Characters
- Naomi - An Israelite who becomes a widow during the story
- Ruth - A Moabitess who will also become a widow as the story unfolds. She is described
as a “woman of noble character”
- Boaz - An israelite farmer. Described as a “Man of noble character”
Scene 1
- Problem: A famine in the land of Bethlehem. Naomi’s family leaves for Moab
- Problem: Naomi’s husband and sons die. She is left without a man to support her or her
daughters-in-law
- Solution: The famine in Bethlehem ends, and Naomi decides to return. Ruth stays with
Noami while the other daughter-in-law leaves.
- Conclusion: Naomi - My life is one of death and tragedy. God has dealt bitterly with me. I
left full and I come back empty. Call me Mara
Scene 2
- Problem: They need food
- Solution: THe barley harvest is taking place, therefore Ruth will go to the field to collect
the scraps
- Result: Ruth chooses Boaz’s field to harvest from. Boaz notices Ruth and tells his
reapers to leave extra for her
- Result: Naomi is amazed at what Ruth brings home. She is even more astounded that
Ruth chose Boaz’s field, their kinsmen redeemer
- What is a kinsmen redeemer?
- In the case of a man’s death, thebrother of the deceased takes his widow as a
wife and redeems the land and provides an offspring.
- Requirements:
- Be related to the deceased
- Be able to perform financially
- Be willing to provide an heir
Scene 3
- Problem: Naomi and Ruth wonder how they can tell Boaz that Ruth is willing to marry
him
- Solution: Ruth will make known her availability to him
- Action: Ruth meets Boaz on the threshing floor, sleeping at his feet and seeking
marriage and redemption
- Reaction: Boaz gladly accepts her and will settle the matter in the morning
Scene 4
- Problem: There is a kinsmen redeemer who is closer than Boaz
- Action: The closer kinsmen redeemer agrees at first, but backs out after he realizes it will
involve marrying Ruth and having a child with her
- Solution: Boaz requests to marry Ruth, and his proposal is accepted
Conclusion
- What begins in bitterness, tragedy, and death ends in birth and joy. Ruth and Boaz give
birth to a son: Obed
- Obed becomes the father of Jesse, who will become the father of David
Implications
- God is at work in all of the small details of life
- People of faith can live fulfilling and beautiful lives no matter what happens
- We are powerless to complete our own redemption, we need a redeemer to rescue us
- THe result of redemption is the same for us as it was for them: A reversal of an empty
and hopeless life to one of fullness
1,2 Samuel; 1,2 Kings; 1,2 Chronicles
The Kingdom: United and Divided
- Samuel: The Boy
- Birth: Samuel’s birth was a blessing from God. HIs mother Hannah prayed for a
child for years before receiving one
- Commitment: Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord. When he was old enough,
he went to serve at the Tabernacle
- Call: God was going to replace Eli’s sons with Samuel because of their sins
- Contrast: God’s blessing on Samuel stands in contrast to the rejection of Eli’s
sons
- Eli and His Sons
- Eli the Priest had two sons - Hophni and Phinehas. Both were scoundrels who
stole from the temple and committed adultery in the Tabernacle
- They allowed the Ark of the Covenant to be used as a “good luck charm” against
the Philistines
- The Israelites lose to the Philistines; Hophni and Phinehas die; Eli dies upon
hearing the news of his son’s death
- Samuel the Leader
- With Eli and his sons dead, Samuel assumes leadership and travels the land
- 1 Samuel 7:3
- Israel responded to Samuel’s challenge and served the Lord throughout
Samuel’s lifetime
- As Samuel got old, he made his sons judges in Israel. However, Israel rejected
the idea and demanded a King instead
- God tells Samuel they have rejected me and not you
- King Saul
- Selection: From outward appearances, Saul was the perfect candidate to be the
King
- Disobedience: Against God’s instruction, Saul offers a sacrifice
- Rejection: Saul defes God’s instructions to destroy the Amalekites by sparing
their king and their best. God rejects Saul because of this
