Join us as we conclude the book of Ruth, exploring the profound story of redemption and transformation. Boaz’s bold move to redeem Ruth isn’t just a marriage contract; it’s a reflection of God’s sovereign love and purpose. From Ruth’s humble beginnings to her essential role in the lineage of King David, witness how God orchestrates joy from bitterness through faithful devotion.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. We join Alan J. Huth as he shares Bible passages and comments from over 30 years of his personal Bible reading journals.
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Today we conclude the book of Ruth. We’ll listen to my wife Terry, our guest reader, read the 22 verses of Ruth chapter 4.
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Ruth chapter 4. Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the Redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, Turn aside, friend, sit down here. And he turned aside and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, Sit down here. So they sat down. Then he said to the Redeemer, Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Emelech. So I thought I would tell you of it and say, buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me that I may know. For there is no one beside you to redeem it. And I come after you. And he said, I will redeem it. Then Boaz said, The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance. Then the Redeemer said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it. Now this was the custom in the former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging. To confirm a transaction, one drew off his sandal and gave it to another. And this was the manner of attesting in Israel. So when the Redeemer said to Boaz, buy it for yourself, he drew off his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, you are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi and and all that belonged to Elimech, and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day. Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrath and be renowned in Bethlehem. And may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman. So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went into her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the woman said to Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a Redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel. He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age. For your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him. Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, A son has been born to Naomi. They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now these are the generations of Perez. Perez fathered Hezron. Hezron fathered Ram. Ram fathered Amadab. And Amadab fathered Nashon. And Nashon fathered Salmon. Salmon fathered Boaz. Boaz fathered Obed. Obed fathered Jesse. And Jesse fathered David.
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In 1983, in the first Bible reading journal I ever wrote at 28 years old, I finished the book of Ruth concerning chapter 4 with this statement. Boaz redeems Ruth. Ruth has son who becomes father of David. The family is born. As Naomi predicted to Ruth the night before, Boaz would settle the matter today. In chapter 4, he sits at the gate and waits for the first line redeemer to show up. He properly gives that redeemer the right to purchase the land and Ruth as his wife. That Redeemer was interested in the land, but was not interested in another wife. He was not interested in having more children to divide up his inheritance. I have a sense that Boaz knew all this. In the book of Ruth, he’d already done his homework many times. He probably knew exactly what he was offering to this first Redeemer. When that redeemer rejects the offer, I think Boaz is pretty excited. He says to the witnesses in town, You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Emmelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. I think Boaz was pretty darn excited, and I think the people of the town were also excited. I think Boaz had a great reputation among his peers. They respond by saying in verse 11, We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. In other words, may she be very fruitful and bear many offspring to Boaz. So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And the Lord gave her conception and she bore a son. And the women of the city say to Naomi, and a nourisher of your old age for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons has given birth to him. Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. Remember, back in chapter 1, when Naomi showed up in Bethlehem, she said, Don’t call me Naomi, call me Marah, bitterness. God has changed her bitterness into joy. She has a new son-in-law, and she has a grandson. The childless widow, Naomi, becomes the grandmother of Obed. who was the grandfather of King David. What a turn of events. When we started the book of Ruth, we said the theme was how God’s people experienced sovereignty, wisdom, and covenant kingdom, even under difficult circumstances. Kindness and redemption are two key themes. We have seen the kindness of Ruth. We have seen the kindness of Boaz. And now we transfer this into the redemption of Boaz for Ruth, but not only that, the redemption of Jesus for each one of us. Maybe you started the book of Ruth with a spirit of bitterness. Maybe you were angry at God, or maybe you think God shafted you in some way. What we’ve learned here is God is sovereign. His bigger plan always takes precedent over our small plans for life. Naomi didn’t know that God was looking for a mother for the future king of Israel, King David, and for the future Messiah. Boaz didn’t know it either, nor did Ruth. We may not know it either, what God is doing in our lives to fulfill His purposes on earth. What we can see, what we can gain from a book like the book of Ruth, is to back off and understand and watch for God’s sovereignty in our lives. Oh, I understand we want it our way, but we serve a God who wants it His way. Yes, the book of Ruth is a love story, between Ruth and Boaz. But it’s more than that. It’s a love story between God and you. When Boaz redeemed Ruth, it changed everything for Ruth and Naomi. When God redeems you, it also changes everything. May we learn from Ruth that regardless of how difficult our circumstances may become, that we remain faithful and humble and grateful to God. May we also learn from Ruth to do all we can to keep moving forward, not looking for help from somewhere else. And finally, may we also learn from Ruth and Naomi to keep our eyes open and watch God work things out around us. May God turn your bitterness into joy. May God be to you like he was to Naomi in verse 15, a restorer and a nourisher of her life. Friends, he can do the same for you today. Trade your bitterness for joy. Lean into God. Accept his sovereignty for your life and all that goes on around you. And just like the book of Ruth, you will have a happy ending. To God be the glory, great things He has done. Amen. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. Maybe you wonder if Old Testament prophecy is true, came true already, or is coming true in the future. First, most prophets had a recurring theme. God loves us. Because he loves us so much, he gave us commandments, rules, statutes to live by. If we live by them, we can be blessed beyond what we can think or imagine. But when we choose to disregard, ignore, and set aside his rules, we are subject to his curses. We live under curses until things get so bad we cry out to God. He’s always there, waiting for our cry. Most often, but not always, He responds with grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness. We get back in line, then the cycle repeats. The Old Testament prophets cover this cycle over and over. Sometimes we wonder how the Israelites could have been so foolish. Yet, in our day, we have the same choice. We know God loves us. We generally know the rules, and we’d know them a lot better if we were more consistent in our time in God’s Word. Yet, we decide, like those in the Old Testament, to ignore them and live out our lives. Things don’t often go well, so we finally cry out to God. As we see in the Old Testament, prophecy comes true as God restores rebellious, disobedient people like us back into right relationship with Him. But it is not always the case. Sometimes He has enough and does not deliver them. So yes, Old Testament prophecies are true, They came true, and they will come true in the future as we cycle through the same life choices the Israelites made. Thus, the value of reading all the Old Testament prophets. Maybe we will learn what they tried to teach. God loves us. Keep his rules, love him back, and enjoy his blessings.
