AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF RUTH

TEXT: "An Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God" (Ruth 1:16).

INTRODUCTION

1. What a picture we see in the book of Ruth of a mother.

2. A woman endeared first by her husband, then by her sons, then by her daughter-in-laws, and finally by her people.

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT RUTH

A. TITLE AND AUTHOR

1. The book is named for its central character: Ruth.
2. We do not have the author by name, but tradition (not inspiration) holds that it was written by Samuel.

B. DATE AND SETTING

1. It is during the time of the judges: "Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land..." (Ruth 1:1a).
2. It begins in the village of Bethlehem of Judah (Ruth 1:1), goes into the country of Moab (Ruth 1:2), and returns to the village of Bethlehem (Ruth 1:19).

D. AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE

1. Written to the nation of Israel it showed them:

a. The custom and need of a kinsman redeemer.
b. The lineage of David, king of Israel.

2. To all men, including us, it shows:

a. The need and role of the Kinsman Redeemer, which all men need.
b. The sovereignty (supreme, independent authority) of God.
c. The wisdom of God.
d. The covenant kindness of God.

3. It shows how often these things come disguised in hard circumstances and are delivered through the kindness of others--or even through our kindness to others.
4. It is New Testament principle exposed: "(31) When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (32) And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (33) And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. (34) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (35) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: (36) Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (37) Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? (38) When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? (39) Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? (40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Mat. 25:31-40).
5. Just as what Ruth did for Naomi, Naomi did for Ruth, and Boaz did for Ruth and Naomi--so we should do for others and when we do it we do it for the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

II. AN OUTLINE OF RUTH

A. THE AFFLICTIONS OF RUTH AND NAOMI

1. The move to Moab (1:1-2)
2. Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah (1:3-5).
3. The return to Israel (1:6-22).

a. Naomi encourages Ruth and Orpah to return to their fathers' homes (1:8-13).
b. Orpah, even though she loves her mother-in-law, returns to her father's home (1:14).
c. Ruth though with a deeper love for her mother-in-law desires to follow her (1:15-22). [Note: Verses 1:16-17 are often quoted at weddings to stress the kind of love a woman should have for her husband, but is truthfully speaking of the love a woman should have for her mother-in-law!]

B. THE APPEARANCE OF RUTH TO BOAZ

1. Ruth, as the manner of God to care for the poor, gleans in Boaz's fields (2:1-3).
2. Boaz shows kindness to Ruth because of the kindness she has shown to Naomi (2:4-17).
3. Ruth reports to Naomi of the kindness of Boaz (2:18-20).
4. Naomi advises Ruth on how to treat Boaz (2:21-23).

C. THE ADVISEMENT OF RUTH BY NAOMI

1. Naomi plans for Ruth's security, her future (3:1-5).
2. Ruth follows Naomi's instructions (3:6-7).
3. Boaz acknowledges the kinsman's right and his desire to fulfill it (3:8-11).
4. A closer kinsman has first right (3:12-13).
5. Ruth is assured by her redeemer--Boaz (3:14-15).
6. Naomi advises patience, but also sees the urgency that Boaz has placed on this right of the kinsman (3:16-18).

D. THE ARRANGEMENT OF RUTH'S SECURITY

1. Boaz meets the closer kinsman (4:1).
2. Boaz and the closer kinsman discuss the options (4:2-5).
3. The unnamed kinsman declines to redeem the right (Ruth)--seeing it would dilute his inheritance by having to marry Ruth (4:6-8).
4. Boaz states the transaction in the gate before witnesses (4:9-10).
5. A song of blessing and celebration is sung for Boaz and Ruth (4:11-12).
6. Ruth bears a son named Obed (4:13-14).
7. Naomi is blessed by her patience and the redemption of Ruth, which is also her redemption (4:15).
8. The ten generations of David are listed (4:16-22). 

III. THE ONE WORD THEME OF RUTH: REDEMPTION

A. REDEMPTION CANNOT BE FOUND BY SELF

1. Elimelech attempted to redeem himself from the famine by following his own way.
2. Rather than trusting in God it was trust in self.
3. Trusting in self failed for Elimelech:

a. He left his wife a widow in a strange land.
b. He left his sons fatherless in a strange land.
c. Without his leadership his sons married women of a strange land (against the commands of God [Deu. 7:3; 23:3]).

4. Ruth could not redeem herself--she needed a kinsman redeemer.

B. REDEMPTION CANNOT BE FOUND EXCEPT IN THE ONE WAY

1. Boaz was a kinsman, fully capable of redeeming Ruth.
2. Yet, there was a closer kinsman and therefore a process to follow.
3. Ruth could only be redeemed by following that process--to go outside that process, even with Boaz's right and capability to redeem, would have resulted in loss.
4. Boaz was a truly faithful kinsman redeemer, willing to what it took to redeem Ruth.

IV. THE PICTURE OF CHRIST IN RUTH: HE IS THE KINSMAN REDEEMER

A. BOAZ THE KINSMAN REDEEMER

1. A man that showed compassion because of a family relationship (Ruth 2:11f).
2. A man that desired to redeem because of being entreated (Ruth 3).
3. A man willing to all that was needed in urgency to redeem Ruth (Ruth 4).

B. CHRIST OUR KINSMAN REDEEMER

1. A man that showed compassion because of a family relationship--think of the miracles performed by God in the flesh!
2. A man that desired to redeem because of being entreated--think of the thief on the cross as an example of entreating Christ.

a. Yet even now, we must entreat Christ for salvation.
b. How does on entreat the King?

3. A man willing to do all that was needed in urgency to redeem each of us--He suffered personally (the prayer with sweat as drops of blood), privately (before the high priest in an illegal trial), and publicly (before the Romans, ending with His crucifixion).

CONCLUSION

1. What a glorious picture we see in Ruth:

a. The true love that a daughter-in-law should have for her mother-in-law.
b. The true love that a mother-in-law should have for her daughter-in-law.
c. The love that a family should have for its own members.
d. The fact that circumstances are no excuse to be unfaithful to God:

1) Boaz was faithful--as a rich man!
2) Naomi was faithful--as poor woman!
3) Ruth was faithful--in spite of irreligious training!

2. But a more glorious picture is seen in the redemption of Ruth.

3. The honor she is given by being the great-grandmother of the king, David.

4. But the even greater honor of being in the lineage of Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords!

5. He is her true Redeemer, just as He is ours and if you are not a member of His kingdom, He can be yours right now!