What is the effect here? In the NT, the name is applied to the church as the spiritual descendants of Abraham (Gal. The older one made this connection with her father known to all by naming her son Moab literally: From father.. She is shown to be the epitome of modesty. King David will not be with God as he is a descendant of an 2:89). Essentially it is a rhyming of concepts rather than sounds. [24] Itzik Manger, Medresh Itsik (ed. This kings sovereignty is potent in its harmful ramifications for the lives of his subjects but pathetic in its foolish ineptitude. The story does not directly judge Elimelech, but in what ways might we see his move to Moab as problematic? Boaz prays that God will repay and reward Ruth for her selfless care of her mother-in-law (2:12). The Bible is full of needy people who receive favor from those who have power to help them. David and Jesus. According to Esther 3:12, the kings edict went out on the thirteenth day of the first month, which would have been Passover eve for the Jews (see Ex. As we begin this study, what questions do you have about this book? Look at the prominent role of Naomi in the beginning (ch. Ruth 1 shows the context of Naomis desolation (the time of the judges, famine, alienation from home, death, bitterness) and yet the seeds of hope in a return to a food-filled Bethlehem along with a faith-filled daughter-in-law, Ruth. . How do the details of Esther 8:914 dramatically undo those in 3:1215? May these things become a treasure for you throughout your lifewhich we pray will be true for you, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Why is this process so important? God made male and female from the beginning to enjoy sexual purity in relation to marriage, the marriage of a husband and a wife (Gen. 12). Upon the return of Naomi to her homeland, Ruth, in her selfless act, leaves everything behind and accompanies her grieving mother-in-law who lost everything. How do they mark the progression of the story? [25] This piece is published here in Hebrew for the first time along with an English translation by Yehudah Mirsky. God said to Moses, I am who I am. And he said, Say this to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you (Ex. Heres the question: what similarities do you see in the circumstances of Esther, Ruth, Joseph, and Daniel? A PLEADING INTERCESSOR. Gods people are to offer the most beautiful pictures of him in the way we live as sexual beings (either in the sexual relations within marriage or in sexual celibacy outside of marriage). Step back for a moment and consider how the circumstances of this moment depend on Gods hand of providence at work. How might it relate to the final promise of God to Abraham in Genesis 12:3? Hamans counselors articulate that sense in Esther 6:13, and then immediately we watch those words come true. He has covenanted with this people to do great things through themeternal thingsthings that come to fruition in the promised Christ (2 Cor. A GOSPEL FOR THE NATIONS. Of course, Ruth was not sinless, and we know that God drew her from a pagan society of idol-worshipers. Reflect again on the key themes that the Lord has been teaching you about himself and about his Word. In addition, when she returns with her mother-in-law Naomi to the Land of Israel, they were both poor and hungry. Chapter 10 shows Mordecai to be a good ruler, seeking his peoples welfare. What general observations can you make about the narrative method of telling this story? By the time were a few verses into the story, all the gents are dead and their ladies are left to fend for themselves (taking center stage in the process). Processing the Meeting of Boaz and Ruth (2:1723). The Women in Jesus's Genealogy: If Not Scandalous, What? (Part 2) - Bible HESED. Neither of these narratives tells of grand miracles. But this blessing peeks through from the moment we open Ruth and begin to read about Bethlehem in JudahJudah being the land named after the tribe from which David came. How have these books helped you glimpse the gospel not only as a personal, individual matter but also as God creating a people, in fact, from all the peoples of the world? Ruth D. Williams, MD, on the value of listening to those with whom we Kings are supposed to rule their kingdoms with a sovereign hand. In Esther, the darkness comes from the pagan setting of the Persian court after the exile, from the threatened annihilation of the Jewish race, and from the fact that God is never mentioned in the course of the narrative. Naomi was known to be the wife of a wealthy and noble man. 16:8; Hos. TheTorah.com is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.We rely on the support of readers like you. It is evident from the start of the book of Esther that Mordecai's heart always beat for the needs of others, beginning most of all when he took in his orphaned niece Hadassah (later named Esther) after her parents' deaths. Make notes on the personal implications for your walk with the Lord that you find in (1) the Gospel Glimpses, (2) the Whole-Bible Connections, (3) the Theological Soundings, and (4) this passage as a whole. Ruth and Esther have much to contribute to Christian theology, not through direct teaching but through a narrative that tells the truth about Gods nature and his redemptive plan. Consider the ways in which the narrator introduces us to Boaz in the first four verses. [1] (9) SUSAN. Take time to reflect on the implications of Ruth 4 for your own life today. In 'Whitman's Descendants,' photographing some of America's greatest living poets. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul. . (Luke 1:6869). Like Paul, the descendants of the woman in Revelation 12 were the remnant or remainder of the true Israel, likely scattered abroad. t e The Book of Ruth ( Hebrew: , Megilath Ruth, "the Scroll of Ruth", one of the Five Megillot) is included in the third division, or the Writings ( Ketuvim ), of the Hebrew Bible. The final chapters, however, bring home the full implications of that conclusionfirst of all by summarizing the final shape of the action. We also feel the huge significance of a foreigner like Ruth so boldly purposing to become part of the people God has covenanted to bless. ], Kolech: Religious Womens Forum. And yet, there is an unfortunate irony in the rabbis extremely derogatory portrayal of Orpahs character. When Christ came, he began to gather this remnant to himself. All such earthly dramas remind us of the one great heavenly one, in which Christ Jesus represents his people before a holy God, whose wrath is turned away by the atonement made by Christ himself on the cross (1 John 2:12). 1:89). Remnant (Seventh-day Adventist belief) - Wikipedia The rabbis, however, after offering several creative interpretations, make use of the connotation of in-betweenness to call the integrity of Goliaths lineage into question: Having begun travelling down this path, the Talmud piles on further insults against Goliath and his mother: At this point, the Talmud moves to wordplay insults about Orpah directly: This piling on of coarse insults seems gratuitous, verging on the pornographic But it graphically makes the point that Orpah, Goliaths mother, was a dissolute, lecherous woman. GRACE. To what does she appeal? A HEART CHANGED BY GRACE. 2:23; also 1 Pet. In his redeemer role, Boaz shows the fulfillment of Gods lawjust as Christ our Redeemer perfectly fulfilled Gods law during his earthly life, in order to be able perfectly to secure our redemption. As Boaz blesses Ruth with his words, he builds up to the most important thing she has done. How might those words help clarify the big picture of what this book is about? The book ends with Queen Esther in a position of authority, having seen to the utter downfall of Hamans house and influence, and the high honor of Mordecai, who uses his power for the welfare of the Jewish people. In preparation for receiving our personal Torah, isnt it the perfect time to raise our standard of modesty? She is standing with and in Gods covenant community, as part of the people receiving his promises. Truly it was resolved long beforecertainly as far back as Gods eternal redemptive purposes revealed in his promises to this chosen people: that through their seed he would bring blessing to all the nations of the world, and that from Davids line would come a king who would rule the nations perfectly and forever. Ruth, the Moabite, in her admirable act of kindness towards her mother- in- law rectified the very same imperfection that the Moabite nation displayed. To reject this people and their God was to align with death, ultimately in opposition to Gods redemptive plan. the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen . She does not envision herself at the mercy of a random or chaotic universe. The purpose of the genealogy in Ruth is to show that Ruth's husband Boaz was a descendant of Judah, the man who fathered the tribe of the King-Messiah (Gen. 49:10). The simple explanation is that Goliath is an intermediary, acting as a champion for the Philistine side who goes into the no-mans land between the two battlelines challenging the other side to send an opponent to fight him. The Moabites worshiped other gods and were not friends of Gods people (see Numbers 2225). Mention a few of the ways each of these books helps you see the scope and beauty of Gods redemptive plan that culminated in Christs coming. In what ways is Gods salvation of his people truly a story of great reversal? . Now, having recalled this background, review 1 Samuel 15: in what ways did Mordecais ancestor Saul fail in that story? In Ruth 3:1014, in what various ways does Boaz honor and protect this worthy woman (3:11)? Its an episode that shows the utterly magnificent and intensely personal kindness of this God who is redeeming a people for himself from all the families of the earth. Both stories are about trusting Gods promises in the dark, finding the patterns of his providence that lead to the ultimate provision of an eternal kingKing Jesus. At the other end of the Bible come the final pictures of royal clothing: Christ himself clothed in a robe dipped in blood . 1:21). Why is this return so important? How are we readers left after chapter 5? [18] Joseph Qara points out that her kiss of Naomi (1:14), was a , kiss of separation. Others discuss whether or not she and Ruth had converted to Judaism when they married their husbands and questioned the sincerity of Orpahs conversion (cf. Now we would greatly encourage you to continue to study the Word of God on a week by week basis. One might call Mordecai lowly in spirit by contrast: it appears that he continued to serve the king for years without receiving or demanding a reward for his special service to him. Write a character sketch of the one who was promoted, according to careful observation of chapter 3. In the words of Zechariah, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David . Read Ruth 2 slowly and carefully. REDEMPTION. All these pieces of the plot must be in place just so, in order for the action to proceed as it does throughout the rest of the book. Our thoughts might turn by contrast toward the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim. She is featured in the book of Ruth, even though many Bible scholars claim Boaz or even Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, are the lead characters of that story. Gods declared war with Amalek from generation to generation (Ex. In chapter 3 the hope rises to a climactic moment, which will culminate in the resolution of chapter 4. In Esther, we see the wonder of the ways of God, a God who watches over his people, who makes a way for them to prosper, whose enemies will falland who will accomplish his purposes to raise up a people for himself through the perfect promised King. Boazs words in Ruth 3:13 ring out: I will redeem you. As the book progresses and these various pictures merge, the story of Boaz the redeemer resonates increasingly with the Bibles big story of redemption. (Note the following verses about Gods wings: Ex. Similarly, in the overarching biblical storyline of redemption, after the climax of the cross and the resurrection, what remains is to reap the fruit of that climax as we move toward the storys consummation, its final piece. The theme of redemption grows. The book of Esther shows that he is. The Redeemer Accomplishes the Redemption (Ruth 4:712). Her words might even echo Gods covenantal language to Abraham and his descendants, promising that he will be their God and they will be his people (see, for example, Gen. 17:78; Ex. HEADSHIP AND SUBMISSION IN MARRIAGE. How might you evaluate her theology? Write down a few of them. Matthews opening genealogy (1:117) summarizes the tracing, culminating in Jesus Christ. Lastly, take a moment again to look back through Ruth and Esther, which you have studied during these recent weeks. Biala is certainly responding to the rabbinic image of Orpah as portrayed in the sources cited above and is seeking to repair it. DC MCA 2017 Bible Midterm. The world is a confusing place right now. From that place, they acknowledge and pass on the kindness of the Lord himself. Both the laws concerning gleaning in the fields and those concerning redemption of land evidence the Lords compassion for the needy and his call for his people to extend that same compassion. a Lant and Ruth descendant, to sort out the marital tangles of Alanson and Rufus. A larger question involves the taking of lives, which will be treated in more detail in the final lesson. Why is it that when we read Meghillath Ruth our emotions and admiration arise? Another version of this midrash, which overlaps with much of the material from the Bavli (that will be quoted shortly) appears in Ruth Rabbah 2:20: [16] This word is of uncertain origin. A price paid to redeem, or buy back, someone who had become enslaved or something that had been lost to someone else. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus purchased redemption for all believers (Col. 1:1314). The Bible has one overarching storyline, and every little story connects to the big one: that is, everything connects to the big theme of God redeeming a people for himself through Christ. 13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then all people will, either willingly or regretfully, acknowledge his sovereignty (Phil. LIFE AND DEATH. Esthers story suggests a similar pattern, as she is called to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people (4:8). Ruth's blessing of Naomi physically 2:17-23 B. Ruth and Boaz had not read but evidently knew the weight of Pauls teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4:18. We glimpse here a sovereign God who at the right time perfectly saves his people. In what ways might this scene remind us (and/or not remind us!) Gods providence infuses this story from beginning to end, but in this chapter, the pictures of it are especially rich, particularly in relation to harvest plenty. In 1860, writing the third of six editions of his book "Leaves of Grass . We have described this book as the story of a God who provides for his people according to his promises. Davidic line - Wikipedia . Without a deliverer, this people is hopeless and helpless. Make notes on the personal implications for your walk with the Lord that you find in (1) the Gospel Glimpses, (2) the Whole-Bible Connections, (3) the Theological Soundings, and (4) this passage as a whole. In the very shape of the narrative emerge the raising up of Gods people and the destruction of his enemies that together show Gods promises in action. Take a moment now to ask God to bless you with increased understanding and a transformed heart and life as you study the book of Ruth. The rabbis derive this from when Eglon stands up from his chair upon hearing that Ehud has a divine message for him. We cannot press this pattern far: certainly not the specifics of the scene but rather the general contours remind us of Gods grace to us as suppliants of the heavenly King. Take a moment also to look back through this unit of study, to reflect on a few key things that the Lord may be teaching you and perhaps to highlight and underline these things to review again in the future. The book of Ruth is one episode in the story of Jesus. Such a story, like that of Rahabs before her (Joshua 2), makes us ask how and why God plucked this one person from out of an ungodly nation. What did God promise to do through his chosen people? Its chapter 6 that makes the turn, beginning with a king that could not sleep and ending with a dramatic reversal in the trajectories of these two men. which rushes to the conclusion of chapter 7 with a series of wonderful ironies. Esther is all about a people condemned to death by an irrevocable edict of the king. My thanks to Tamar Biala for permission to include her piece in my article. The inheritance of every Israelite was one given by God, originally administered through Joshua to the 12 tribes as they settled in the Promised Land. She looks forward to renewal, to beginning life anew in her beloved homeland. And let your house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give you of this young woman. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. Each in its own context tells of Gods providence at work in the imperfect lives of his called-out peoplewith huge historical and redemptive ramifications. The Scroll of Orpah, What is the Scroll that is not read on the Night of Shavuot, The Scroll of Ruth: Between Separations and Unifications. . But that report in Joshua came from the mouth of the Canaanite Rahab, who heard and whose heart both melted and believed. This story is full of Ruths blessedness and wonder at finding such a kind redeemer who is willing not only to pay a price for her but to marry her in love. Gods covenant promises to Abraham (Gen. 12:17) are beautifully displayed in Ruth. The Scriptures ultimately show the fulfillment of all Gods promises in the coming of Jesus Christ, the heavenly king born in Bethlehem, in the line of David. The elders blessing concluding this scene asks God to prosper Boaz and Ruth as he has done for his people in the past. Ruths story takes place in the days when the judges ruled (Ruth 1:1). But what we see here are Gods people rejoicing at being saved (and their enemies destroyed). A poetic device, employed in virtually all Hebrew poetry, that places together two or three concepts that are matching, opposing, or progressive in meaning. 15 And may he be to you a restorer of . Also, from the descendant whom the LORD will give you from this young woman, may your family become like the family of Perez, the son whom Tamar gave birth to for Judah." Good News Translation May the children that the LORD will give you by this young woman make your family like the family of Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar." SOVEREIGNTY. What various assumptions might we glimpse in her words, in verses 1516? 2:911). J.D. When he returns, he will gather his scattered, now multiethnic people, to himself, Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the kings command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. (Est. The plan to obtain descendants ch. Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct, Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that, Tamar -- daughter-in-law of Judah, also two Israelite women, also a place South of the Dead Sea, Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular, To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular, Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites, Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity, LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel, Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular, Preposition | second person masculine singular. After Naomis empty return to Bethlehem along with Ruth, we are ready to see how God will fill her. In Ruths life, the blessing promised to those who bless Gods people proves true. Back to the story . 2:13). In what ways has this study filled out your understanding of the Biblical storyline of redemption? Even though the climax of our salvation story has been accomplished in Christs first coming, our story awaits the consummation, just like Esthers story awaited that set day of battle. The needs of every single sheep must be considered. And may thy house he as the house of Pharez, whom Tamer bare to Judah, (springing) from the seed which Yahveh will give to thee of this young woman! Before looking at chapter 7 specifically, review where weve come in chapters 58. Ruth was of royal lineage, the daughter of the king of Moab. It also shows that anyone can follow God, even if they are from a different background. script>. This storys theme of redemption is a concrete one, but in Scriptures larger context we cannot help but follow this thread toward Jesus our Redeemer. Ruth 4:13 makes it clear that God gave conception to Ruth, who had been barren for 10 years. First, read Genesis 49:810; Isaiah 11:12, 10; Matthew 1:117; Revelation 5:15. Different as they are, the stories of both women point to a Lord God who steadfastly fulfills his promises to his people. Moab was the descendant of Lot, who was not only saved by his uncle Abraham, but benefited much from him. Scripture often uses clothing to shape the story: Joseph, for example, goes from being stripped of his many-colored robe to receiving Pharaohs signet ring and being clothed in garments of fine linen with a gold chain about his neck (Gen. 37:23; 41:42). For us women, the commandment of modesty is equivalent to that of the study of Torah for men. Is Jesus a descendant of Ruth? - Catholicism from A to Z