98 lines
23 KiB
HTML
98 lines
23 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
|
|
<html><head>
|
|
<title>Blue Letter Bible: Text Commentaries</title>
|
|
<script src="../../../js/basepath.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script src="./js/nav.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script src="./js/MainHeader.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script>
|
|
currentBook = 'Rth';
|
|
currentChapter = 4;
|
|
PriorBook = 'Judges';
|
|
PriorBookURL = './Comm/david_guzik/sg/Jdg_1.html';
|
|
PriorChapter = 'Ruth 3';
|
|
PriorChapterURL = './Comm/david_guzik/sg/Rut_3.html';
|
|
NextBook = '1 Samuel';
|
|
NextBookURL = './Comm/david_guzik/sg/1Sa_1.html';
|
|
NextChapter = '1 Samuel 1';
|
|
NextChapterURL = './Comm/david_guzik/sg/1Sa_1.html';
|
|
Title = 'Study Guide for Ruth 4';
|
|
</script>
|
|
<script src="./js/Comms/DG.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,'1-');">Rth 4</a> - The Marriage of Boaz and Ruth</h2>
|
|
<p>A. The nearer kinsman declines his right of redemption.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,'1-2');">1-2</a>) Boaz meets the nearer kinsman at the city gates.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, "Come aside, friend, sit down here." So he came aside and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Now Boaz went</span></b>: The previous chapter left us at a dramatic point. Ruth and Boaz were obviously in love and wanted to get married, with Boaz exercising the right of the <i>goel</i> - the kinsman-redeemer. Yet, there was a kinsman closer to Ruth and he had priority. Would <i>he</i> claim the right of kinsman-redeemer towards Ruth, and keep her and Boaz from coming together?</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Boaz went up to the gate</span></b>: The <b><span class="c3">gate</span></b> of the city was always the place where the esteemed and honorable men of the city sat. For an ancient city in Israel it was a combination of a city council chamber and a courtroom.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. The city gate was "A kind of outdoor court, the place were judicial matters were resolved by the elders and those who had earned the confidence and respect of the people . . . a place for business and as a kind of forum or public meeting place." (Huey)</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">The near kinsman of who Boaz had spoken came by</span></b>: Boaz surprised Ruth in <a onclick="return mV('Rth',3,12);">3:12</a> by telling her there was a nearer kinsman than himself. Now this man came by the city gates as Boaz sat there.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. Because Ruth had quietly gone back home after being at the threshing floor at Boaz's instruction (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',3,14);">Rth 3:14</a>), Boaz's approach to this nearer kinsman was be a complete surprise to the other man. Clearly this was a tactical advantage to Boaz.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">Come aside, friend, sit down here</span></b>: Literally, in the ancient Hebrew, when Boaz greeted the nearer kinsman he called him "Mr. So-and-so." The writer of Ruth never identified the name of the nearer kinsman, because he was not worthy of the honor. He declined to fulfill his obligations as the nearer kinsman to Ruth.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. "Doubtless Boaz both knew his name, and called him by it; but it is omitted by the holy writer, partly because it was unnecessary to know it; and principally in way of contempt, as is usual, and a just punishment upon him, that he who would not preserve his brother's name might lose his own, and lie buried in the grave of perpetual oblivion." (Poole)</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,'3-4');">3-4</a>) Boaz asks the nearer kinsman to redeem the land of Naomi (and Elimelech).</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">Then he said to the close relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which <i>belonged</i> to our brother Elimelech. And I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy <i>it</i> back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem <i>it,</i> redeem <i>it;</i> but if you will not redeem <i>it, then</i> tell me, that I may know; for <i>there is</i> no one but you to redeem <i>it,</i> and I <i>am</i> next after you.' " And he said, "I will redeem <i>it."</i></p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Naomi . . . sold the piece of land</span></b>: The duty of the <i>goel</i> - the kinsman-redeemer - was more than the duty to preserve the family name of his brother in Israel. It was also to keep land allotted to members of the clan within the clan.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. When Israel came into the Promised Land during the days of Joshua, the land was divided among the tribes and then among the family groups. God intended that the land stay within those tribes and family groups, so the land could never permanently be sold. Every fifty years, it had be returned to the original family group (<a onclick="return mV('Lev',25,'8-17');">Lev 25:8-17</a>)</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">ii. But fifty years is a long time. So God made provision for land that was "sold," that it might be redeemed back to the family by the kinsman-redeemer.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">iii. Again, the kinsman-redeemer had the responsibility to protect the <i>persons</i>, <i>property</i>, and <i>posterity</i> of the larger family – and all of these duties went together.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">The piece of land</span></b>: When Boaz brought the matter up to the nearer kinsman, he brought it up as a matter regarding <i>property</i> - something any man would be interested in. Anyone would want to buy back a piece of property and keep it in the family name by keeping it for one's self.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">If you will redeem it, redeem it</span></b>: When Boaz put it in terms of purely a land transaction, there was no hesitation on the nearer kinsman's part. Of course he said, "<b><span class="c3">I will redeem it</span></b>."</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. Certainly Ruth and Naomi were watching and listening. How their hearts must have sunk when they heard the nearer kinsman say, "<b><span class="c3">I will redeem it</span></b>." They heard from his own lips that he would exercise his right at kinsman-redeemer, and that meant that he would gain not only the property in question, but also marry Ruth - instead of Boaz. But Boaz knew exactly what he was doing, and he had the situation all under control.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,5);">5</a>) Boaz informs the nearer kinsman of his duty to redeem the <i>posterity</i> of Elimelech, if he will redeem the <i>property</i> of Elimelech.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy <i>it</i> from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance."</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess</span></b>: Boaz then put the surprise on the nearer kinsman. He told him that he wasn't only dealing with Naomi and the property of Elimelech, he also had to deal with Ruth.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. Because Naomi was older and beyond the years of bearing children, the nearer kinsman was not expected to marry Naomi and raise up children to the family name of her deceased husband Elimelech. But Ruth was another matter - she <i>was</i> able to marry and bear children.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance</span></b>: Boaz explained what everyone knew – that this was a package deal. If someone was going to exercise the right of kinsman-redeemer towards the deceased Elimelech, he had to fulfill the duty in regard to <i>both</i> the property and the posterity.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. Because of Boaz's wise (perhaps shrewd) way of framing the occasion, this was the first time the nearer kinsman considered this, and it was a pretty big question to take in all at once. When it was just a matter of property, it was easy to decide on; but if he must take Ruth as a wife, that was another matter.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">4. (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,6);">6</a>) The nearer kinsman declines his right of redemption towards the property and posterity of Elimelech.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">And the close relative said, "I cannot redeem <i>it</i> for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem <i>it</i><span>."</span></p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">I cannot redeem it for myself</span></b>: Though it would be great to receive the property associated with Ruth, the nearer kinsman knew that taking her into his home and raising up her children would <b><span class="c3">ruin</span></b> his <b><span class="c3">own inheritance</span></b>.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Lest I ruin my own inheritance</span></b>: Probably, the man had grown sons that had already received their inheritance of lands. The problem of dividing that inheritance among future children he would have with Ruth was more than he wanted to deal with.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. Also, no doubt, the man was married - and knew it would be awkward (at best!) to bring home Ruth as wife number two.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it</span></b>: These were glorious words in the ears of Ruth and Naomi. A moment before, all seemed lost when the nearer kinsman had said, "<b><span class="c3">I will redeem it</span></b>." But Boaz's plan had a surprise and an unexpected wisdom to it. And it worked!</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. Some might of have thought Boaz's plan was foolish: to gain Ruth by offering her and her land to the nearer kinsman. How could that work? But the seemingly foolish plan did work.</p>
|
|
<p>B. The ceremony to document the proceedings.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,'7-8');">7-8</a>) The custom of the sandal in transactions.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">Now this <i>was the custom</i> in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave <i>it</i> to the other, and this <i>was</i> a confirmation in Israel. Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, "Buy <i>it</i> for yourself." So he took off his sandal.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">It was the custom in former times in Israel</span></b>: <a onclick="return mV('Deu',25,'5-10');">Deu 25:5-10</a> describes the ceremony conducted when a kinsman declined his responsibility. The one declining removed a sandal and the woman he declined to honor spat in his face. But in this case, because there was no lack of honor was involved, they just did the part of the ceremony involving the sandal.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Buy it for yourself</span></b>: The nearer kinsman said, "The land is yours to redeem, because you are also willing to redeem the posterity of Elimelech by taking Ruth as wife, something I am not willing to do."</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,'9-10');">9-10</a>) Boaz's announcement to the elders and the people.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You <i>are</i> witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that <i>was</i> Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi. Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You <i>are</i> witnesses this day."</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Boaz said to the elders and all the people</span></b>: Boaz joyfully proclaimed - legally sealing the transaction - that he would redeem both the property and the posterity of Elimelech, and (best of all!) take Ruth, the woman he loved, as his wife.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">That the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of this place</span></b> is a good description of the idea of preserving the posterity of the deceased.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Rth . . . I have acquired as my wife</span></b>: Back in chapter one, Ruth seemed to be giving up on her best chance of marriage by leaving her native land of Moab and giving her heart and life to the God of Israel. But as Ruth put God first, He brought her together in a relationship greater than she could have imagined. Today, God will bless those wanting to get married in the same way if they will only put Him first.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">You are witnesses this day</span></b>: This explains why a marriage ceremony is important, and why it should be recognized by the civil authorities. Boaz had a love for Ruth that was public, a love that wanted to be publicly witnessed and registered.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. Sometimes, people wonder why a marriage ceremony or a marriage license is important. "Can't we just be married before God?" But there is something severely lacking in a love that doesn't want to proclaim itself; that does not want witnesses; and that does not want the bond to be recognized by the civil authorities. That love falls short of true marital love.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">ii. So, those who say "Well, if we were on a desert island and no one was there to marry us, could we still be married before God?" need to hear the answer: "Yes - on a desert island. But you aren't on a desert island. There are witnesses and civil authorities for you to proclaim your commitment of marital love to. God wants you to do it!"</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,'11-12');">11-12</a>) The blessing of the witnesses to the wedding.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">And all the people who <i>were</i> at the gate, and the elders, said, <i>"We are</i> witnesses. The <span class="c6">Lord</span> make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the <span class="c6">Lord</span> will give you from this young woman."</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">All the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses"</span></b>: No doubt, the crowd cheered! The men thought Ruth was beautiful and the women thought Boaz was handsome. Everybody could see what a romantic, loving occasion this was.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Like Rachel and Leah</span></b>: These two had thirteen children between them, and were the "mothers" of the whole nation of Israel. This was a big blessing to put on Boaz and Ruth.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Like the house of Perez</span></b>: What was so special about Perez? The story of his birth is in <a onclick="return mV('Gen',38,'27-30');">Gen 38:27-30</a>.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. Trapp on <b><span class="c3">May your house be like the house of Perez</span></b>: "That breach-maker, as the midwife called him, because he would needs be born before his brother, and carried away the first birthright: and afterwards became happy in a numerous and honourable posterity."</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">ii. "Indeed, it seems that Pharez was the ancestor of the Bethlehemites in general (<a onclick="return mV('1Ch',2,5);">1 Ch. 2:5</a>; <a onclick="return mV('1Ch',2,18);">2:18</a>; <a onclick="return mV('1Ch',2,50);">2:50</a>f.). Moreover, Pharez gave his name to the section of the tribe of Judah that was descended from him (<a onclick="return mV('Num',26,20);">Num. 26:20</a>)." (Kidner)</p>
|
|
<p>C. Happily ever after.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,13);">13</a>) Ruth and Boaz have their first child.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the <span class="c6">Lord</span> gave her conception, and she bore a son.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">The <span class="c6">Lord</span> gave her conception</span></b>: The gift of children was never taken for granted in Israel. The fact that Boaz and Ruth were able to raise up a son to the deceased Elimelech was evidence of God's blessing.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,'14-16');">14-16</a>) The blessed life of Naomi.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed <i>be</i> the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him." Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Blessed be the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>: Look at blessed Naomi! She now had a grandson; she was now <b><span class="c3">famous in Israel</span></b>; and she got to be a nurse to her own grandson.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Who has not left you this day without a close relative</span></b>: It was fitting that these blessings in the life of Naomi be given so much attention at the end of the book. Naomi was the one whose original returning to the <span class="c6">Lord</span> began all this great work of God. If Naomi had not decided to go back to Bethlehem, the land of Israel, and the God of Israel, none of this would have happened.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. This is a marvelous demonstration of what God can do through one poor woman who gets right with Him.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">ii. It is also fitting because Naomi was the one who said in chapter one, <i>the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me . . . the <span class="c6">Lord</span> has brought me home again empty . . . the <span class="c6">Lord</span> has testified against me</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',1,'20-21');">Rth 1:20-21</a>). If only Naomi could have seen <i>then</i> how greatly the <span class="c6">Lord</span> would bless her at the end!</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">iii. We can't blame Naomi - we certainly do the same kind of thing. But we should also learn from what she learned. We should learn that God's plan is perfect and filled with love, and even when we can't figure out what He is doing and it all seems so desperate, He still knows what He is doing. We should learn that <i>all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',8,28);">Rom 8:28</a>).</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Rth',4,'17-22');">17-22</a>) Ruth and Boaz: Great-grandparents to David, king of Israel.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." And they called his name Obed. He <i>is</i> the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now this <i>is</i> the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">There is a son born to Naomi</span></b>: The son of Ruth and Boaz was named <b><span class="c3">Obed</span></b>. He had a son name <b><span class="c3">Jesse</span></b>. He had a son named <b><span class="c3">David</span></b>. And David had a descendant named <i>Jesus</i>!</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. "God's hand is all over history. God works out His purpose, generation after generation. Limited as we are to one lifetime, each of us sees so little of what happens. A genealogy is a striking way of bringing before us the continuity of God's purpose through the ages. The process of history is not haphazard. There is a purpose in it all. And the purpose is the purpose of God." (Kidner)</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">The father of David</span></b>: Naomi's return to Bethlehem, and the roots of David in Bethlehem, going back to Ruth and Boaz, are why Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem to register in the census of Augustus (<a onclick="return mV('Luk',2,'1-5');">Luk 2:1-5</a>). Ruth and Boaz are the reason why Jesus was born in Bethlehem!</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. But the consideration of Jesus in this book of Ruth doesn't begin with the mention of King David; Jesus has been through the whole book, pictured by Boaz and the office of the kinsman-redeemer.</p><ul class="c6"><li>The kinsman-redeemer had to be a family member; Jesus added humanity to His eternal deity so He could be our kinsman and save us.</li><li>The kinsman-redeemer had the duty of buying family members out of slavery; Jesus redeemed us from slavery to sin and death.</li><li>The kinsman-redeemer had the duty of buying back land that had been forfeited; Jesus will redeem the earth that mankind "sold" over to Satan.</li><li>Boaz, as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, was not motivated by self-interest, but motivated by love for Ruth. Jesus' motivation for redeeming us is His great love for us.</li><li>Boaz, as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, had to have a plan to redeem Ruth unto himself - and some might have thought the plan to be foolish. Jesus has a plan to redeem us, and some might think the plan foolish (saving men by dying for them on a cruel cross?), yet the plan works and is glorious.</li><li>Boaz, as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, took her as his bride; the people Jesus has redeemed are collectively called His bride (<a onclick="return mV('Eph',5,'31-32');">Eph 5:31-32</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Rev',21,9);">Rev 21:9</a>).</li><li>Boaz, as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, provided a glorious destiny for Ruth. Jesus, as our redeemer, provides a glorious destiny for us.</li></ul>
|
|
<p class="c5">ii. But it all comes back to the idea of Jesus as our <i>kinsman-redeemer</i>; this is why He became a man. God might have sent an angel to save us, but the angel would not have been our <i>kinsman</i>. Jesus, in His eternal glory, without the addition of humanity to His divine nature might have saved us, but He would not have been our <i>kinsman</i>. A great prophet or priest would be our kinsman, but his own sin would have disqualified him as our <i>redeemer</i>. Only Jesus, the eternal God who added humanity to His eternal deity, can be both the <i>kinsman</i> and the <i>redeemer</i> for mankind!</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">ii. <a onclick="return mV('Isa',54,'4-8');">Isa 54:4-8</a> describes the beautiful ministry of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> as our <i>goel</i> - our kinsman-redeemer: <i>Do not fear, for you will not be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame . . . your</i> [Kinsman] <i>Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel . . . For the <span class="c6">Lord</span> has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit . . . with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you, says the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, your</i> [Kinsman] <i>Redeemer</i>.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">iii. From eternity, God planned to bring Ruth and Boaz together, and thus make Bethlehem His entrance point for the coming of Jesus as our true Kinsman-Redeemer, fully God and fully man. Spiritually, we need to come to Bethlehem and let Jesus redeem us. As it was written in the Christmas hymn, <i>O Little Town of Bethlehem</i>:</p>
|
|
|
|
<script src="./js/Comms/DG_Footer.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script src="./js/MainFooter.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|