A love story written by God:the story of Rug and Boaz

 

The story of Ruth and Boaz is a key narrative in the Bible, found in the Book of Ruth, and it provides a beautiful example of loyalty, faith, and God's providence.

Background (Ruth 1)

The story begins with a woman named Naomi, who, along with her husband Elimelech, and two sons, moves from Bethlehem to the land of Moab to escape a famine in Israel. While in Moab, Naomi's husband and sons die, leaving her widowed with two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. Naomi hears that the famine in Israel is over and decides to return to her homeland.

Naomi urges both daughters-in-law to stay in Moab, as she feels too old to bear more children and remarry. Orpah decides to stay in Moab, but Ruth makes a remarkable decision to stay with Naomi. Ruth's famous words to Naomi are:

> "Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God" (Ruth 1:16).

Ruth Meets Boaz (Ruth 2)

Upon returning to Bethlehem, Naomi and Ruth are in need of food. Ruth goes to glean in the fields, a practice allowed under Jewish law where the poor and widows could gather leftover grain after the harvesters had passed. By divine providence, Ruth ends up in the field of Boaz, a wealthy and kind relative of Naomi's late husband Elimelech.

Boaz notices Ruth and, after learning of her loyalty to Naomi, shows her kindness. He instructs his workers to leave extra grain for her to collect. Ruth, amazed by his generosity, asks why he has shown such favor. Boaz explains that he has heard of her devotion to Naomi and praises her for her noble actions. Ruth continues to glean in Boaz’s field for the remainder of the barley and wheat harvests.

Naomi's Plan (Ruth 3)

After the harvest, Naomi, seeing an opportunity for Ruth to find security, devises a plan. She instructs Ruth to approach Boaz at the threshing floor, where Boaz will be winnowing barley. Naomi tells Ruth to wait until Boaz has finished eating and drinking, then go to him, uncover his feet, and lie down. This was a symbolic gesture of seeking Boaz's protection and possibly his proposal for marriage.

Ruth follows Naomi's instructions, and Boaz is startled when he finds her lying at his feet. Ruth asks him to spread his cloak over her, a symbolic act of asking him to redeem her as her kinsman-redeemer. Boaz praises her for not pursuing younger men, whether rich or poor. He reassures her, but also points out that there is a closer relative who has the first right to redeem her.

Boaz's Redeeming Action (Ruth 4)

Boaz goes to the city gate, where legal transactions are made, and sits down with the nearer relative, who is first in line to redeem Ruth. The nearer relative initially agrees to buy the land that belonged to Naomi's family, but when Boaz mentions that this also involves marrying Ruth to maintain the family line, the man declines, unwilling to risk his own inheritance.

Boaz then publicly declares that he will redeem both Naomi's land and Ruth. He takes Ruth as his wife, and they have a son, Obed. Obed becomes the grandfather of King David, which places Ruth and Boaz in the direct line of the Davidic monarchy. Their story is a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and His ability to work through seemingly ordinary events to fulfill His greater purposes.

Themes of the Story

1. Loyalty and Faithfulness: Ruth's loyalty to Naomi is a central theme. Despite being a Moabite, Ruth chooses to remain with Naomi and embrace her faith, showing a deep commitment that leads to her eventual redemption.

2. Providence and God's Plan: The events in the story unfold in a way that reveals God’s hand in the lives of His people, guiding Ruth to Boaz, and ultimately bringing about the lineage of David.

3. Kinsman-Redeemer: Boaz serves as the kinsman-redeemer, a key legal and cultural role in Israel. A kinsman-redeemer was responsible for ensuring the welfare of a relative, particularly by redeeming land or marrying a widow to preserve the family line.

4. Redemption: The concept of redemption runs throughout the story. Boaz's actions are a foreshadowing of Christ’s ultimate redemption of humanity.

The story of Ruth and Boaz is a beautiful tale of love, loyalty, and God's redemptive plan that reaches far beyond what the characters themselves could have imagined. It shows how God works in the lives of individuals to bring about His larger purposes in history.