Ruth
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Ruth is a story with a difference. Set in the time of the Judges, it portrays a foreign woman’s love not only for her man, but even for her love and loyalty to her mother-in-law and her mother-in-law’s God! It is a women’s book. The best of the males are but supporting roles.
The purpose of the book is threefold:
1.To rebuke narrow anti-racial orthodoxy of later Judaism, which from time to time, regarded mixed marriages as cancers on the body of Israel to be amputated.
2 To set forth the impeccable loyalty and faith of a foreign convert to Israel’s faith.
3 To reveal that this foreigner became an integral part of the family tree which produced the royal line of King David!

STORYLINE
Beware of follow the story together chapter by chapter, taking turns and letting the text tell its own story in its own words and through your re-telling.

Chapter 1 – Cover the reason why the family from Bethlehem were in foreign Moab and the tragedies which led to three women being widows together. Naomi magnanimously decided to set her daughters-in-law free to go home and re-marry. One of them, Ruth, stayed and swore loyalty and love to her mother-in-law and her mother-in-law’s God.(Especially quote Chapter 1 verses 16 to 17).

Chapter 2 – When Ruth met Boaz, all the proper social proprieties were observed, yet there was real attraction between them, but the discovery that Boaz was a ‘goel’ (a kinsman redeemer), suddenly opened up the way ahead.

Chapter 3 – The strict legal and religious formalities were observed and Boaz was free to act.

Chapter 4 – This provides a superb picture of how the law worked and how Boaz became the ‘goel’ legally. The last five verses are a revelation of the Great King David’s royal line. His great grandmother was Ruth the Moabitess!

This story should occupy the group fully prior to the prayer time, but if not, you may wish to discuss the protection of widows and inheritance, both then and now. If you do, here are some references to fuel the discussion:
Deuteronomy Chapter 25 verses 5 to 10
Leviticus Chapter 25 verses 25 to 35
Jeremiah Chapter 32 verses 8 to 15
Even in Isaiah Chapter 41 verses 13 to 14 where God himself is the ‘goel’!
Acts Chapter 6 verses 1 to 4 and
I Timothy Chapter 5 verses 13 to 16.

Optional Reading for the Next Session read I Samuel, Chapters 1 to 7.

Back to Old Testament Studies: Genesis to Ruth
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