THE BOOK of RUTH - 10.02.09

RUTH: Our Kinsman Redeemer
The Romance of Redemption

Ruth gets its title from the heroine of the book. She is a foreigner, from the land of Moab, who becomes the great grandmother of King David. It is not fiction, but is the real story of the lineage of the king and the future Messiah. She is the widow of Mahlon, the son of Naomi and Elimelech who were living in Moab because of famine. Ruth was a Moabitess, a descendent of Lot (Gen. 19:37), who lived in the area east of the Dead Sea. The god of the Moabites was Chemosh, to which children were sacrificed. Never measure a book by its size. This little booklet of a few pages “is one of the rarest and most beautiful idylls in literature.” It is a delightful picture of the domestic life in time of anarchy and poverty from famine. It is as Clyde T. Francisco says, “one of the master short stories of all time.” This is the story of how God has a witness during the darkest days of Jewish history. God is all-sufficient for those who trust in Him.

AUTHOR: of Ruth is unknown.

DATE: The setting for the events in the book of Ruth is stated in 1:1. “Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land.” Therefore it is placed in the dark ages of Hebrew history, a time of deterioration, apostasy and disorganization. The land was in social chaos. The time covered is about twelve years. Ruth serves as a bridge in the history of Israel between the Judges and the monarchy. It was probably written during the reign of David, but before Solomon began his reign since it gives only a partial genealogy of David.

PURPOSE: One of the purposes of the book is found in the genealogy in 4:17-22 demonstrating the lineage of the Messiah through Obed, Jesse and David. The majestic sovereignty of God is seen in the unfolding of the plan of redemption through the lineage of David and the Messiah. God did not allow the lineage to be broken even during the dark ages of Hebrew history. A thousand years have passed since God called Abraham to be the father of a nation and another thousand will pass before the coming of the greater Son of David, the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:1-16; Luke 3:31-38). Ruth is important to us because of its teaching on the lineage of the messiah. This foreigner was included in God’s grace. This is a picture of the wonder of God’s love in the midst of human depravity at its worst. God’s eternal purposes were not thwarted by the sinfulness of mankind. He had His person to continue the lineage of the Messiah. The world’s most unimportant people are God’s most important. This Moabitess was excluded by the law, but received by God’s grace. The main purpose of this book is to make practical application of the law of the kinsman. Ruth demonstrates the providence of a loving God in the lives of ordinary, unimportant people during turbulent times.

THEME: The most important theme is redemption with its main teaching centering on the Kinsman redeemer as a type of the Messiah. The Goel is the one who redeems. He must be a blood relative, have the ability to purchase, be willing to buy the inheritance and be willing to marry the widow of the deceased kinsman. God has provided a kinsman redeemer (Goel) for His people (Lev. 25:23-25, 47-49). “Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may His name become famous in Israel” (Ruth 4:14). Boaz is Naomi’s kinsman redeemer who marries Ruth and keeps the family line alive and illustrates God’s redeeming work to come through Jesus Christ (Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). In the book of Ruth the kinsman who is able and willing is Boaz.
KEY VERSE: 4:14