Ruth: The Value of Loyalty

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Ruth: The Value of Loyalty


Brandon: I readjusted this layout to better fit the formatting needed when I print. If you will just keep all your text within the blue margin lines on this page, I shouldn’t have any more issues ☺. Thanks! Dr. Brandon Park | August 28, 2016 In God’s book, the quiet virtues and values of loyalty can set the stage for what God wants to do in In God’s book, the quiet virtues and values of loyalty can set the stage for what God wants to do in your life. The Book of Ruth is, on the surface, a love story, yet it is much more than just a romance your life. The Book of Ruth is, on the surface, a love story, yet it is much more than just a romance novel. novel. Reading the Bible can be compared to viewing an optical illusion. There are Reading the Bible can be compared to viewing an optical illusion. There are patterns and symbols that are hidden. They may not be obvious when you look patterns and symbols that are hidden. They may not be obvious when you look at them, but a close examination can reveal the much deeper truths of at them, but a close examination can reveal the much deeper truths of Scripture. This is certainly true about the Book of Ruth. The deeper story is Scripture. This is certainly true about the Book of Ruth. The deeper story is about God’s amazing grace and His redeeming love for us. about God’s amazing grace and His redeeming love for us. Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scan this QR Scriptures we might have hope.” (See also Luke 24:27.) Scriptures we might have hope.” (See also Luke 24:27.) code to watch an SYMBOLISM IN THE BOOK OF RUTH: overview of the Book of Ruth • Boaz = Represents __________ ____________, our Redeemer • Ruth = Represents the ______________ (we are the Bride of Christ) • Naomi = Represents the nation of ______________

This story then is not just about the redemption of one Moabite woman named Ruth. It is the story of the redemption of us all!

Ruth Chapter 1 (Love’s Resolve): When you are in the midst of loss, God sees and rewards your ________________ to Him and others.

This story begins in the country of Moab. During a famine, an Israelite family left Bethlehem for the land of Moab. Elimelech took his wife, Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, to live in Moab. Those two boys married two girls in the land of Moab – Ruth and Orpah. Unfortunately, Naomi’s husband died along with her sons, leaving herself as well as Ruth and Orpah as widows. Naomi decides to go back to her hometown (Bethlehem) and suggests that Ruth and Orpah do the same. But Ruth is so loyal that she begs Naomi to let her go back to Bethlehem with her. READ Ruth 1:14-18 – What Ruth was doing was choosing against paganism. She was choosing against the gods of Moab. Naomi had said, “Go back to your god,” but Ruth said, “Your God is going to be my God” (Ruth 1:15–16).

Many times we ask God to bless us. But the question is: “Are you in the _____________ of blessing?” Naomi and Ruth were not in the place of blessing. They were in the pagan land away from God. If you want God to bless you, you need to get back to where you need to be so that He can.

If Ruth was not loyal – both to Naomi and to her God – she would have never reached God’s destiny for her life. Commitment is staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the _________ you said it in has left you. Some people will “love you” as much as they can use you. Their loyalty ends where the benefits stop. Some people aren’t loyal to you – they are loyal to their need of you. Once their needs change, so does their loyalty.

The Problems that Hindered Ruth: • She was ________________. Ruth was a Moabite. Moab was the son of Lot and he was born out of an incestuous relationship. The Moabites were always a thorn in the side of the people of Israel, and the curse of God was upon Moab. That’s a picture of every person today without the Lord Jesus Christ. (See Ephesians 2:11-12.) • She was _________________. She was a broken-hearted woman. Death had invaded her house. Poverty had come upon her. Her life was marked by tragedy and sorrow. (See Ruth 1:5.) • She was ___________________. She lost her estate because of the death of her husband. We lost our estate because of the death of Adam. (See Romans 5:12.) The law excluded her, but grace is going to include her. Mankind only has three problems: ______, ___________, and ___________. The Bible is the only book in the world that has the answer to those three problems.

Ruth Chapter 2 (Love’s Response): Sometimes when things seem to be falling ___________ they may actually be falling into ___________.

God is hardly mentioned in this book. Why? It’s a brilliant literary technique. God invites you to read this story and start looking for His activity, and there are signs of it everywhere. The story is filled with all sorts of “coincidences” that force you to see God at work behind-the-scenes.

READ Ruth 2:1-3. In that day, when people would reap down the field, the poor people could get the grain in the corners that the reapers left; they called them gleaners. That was the welfare system of that day. The Bible says that she happened to go into the field of the one man in the whole world who could be her true redeemer. The carnal mind would call that a coincidence, but the spiritual mind calls that the Providence of God.

When you put God in His _______________ place; He will put you in the ___________ place.

Providence means "to provide." The Latin word provideo, from which we get our word providence, means “to see beforehand, a prior seeing, a foresight.” Providence means that the hand of God is in the glove of human events. Everything you need will come to you at the perfect time.

Read Ruth 2:8-10. Ruth recognizes that it is grace that has caused this man to show love to her as she falls at his feet. Has the grace of God caused you to fall at His feet?

Ruth Chapter 3 (Love’s Request): A woman’s heart should be so ____________ in _______ that a man has to seek Him just to find her.

The law in that day stated that if a man lost his estate, a relative could buy back his estate on his behalf. And, if a man died without children, the relative could marry his widow. Ruth knows that Boaz stands in the place to be her redeemer, to buy back her lost estate, and to give her children. So she goes and places herself at the feet of her redeemer.

Read Ruth 3:7-8 - She has placed herself there at the feet of the only man she feels who ought to redeem her. That was a culturally acceptable way for a woman to signal to a man that she's interested and available for marriage.

God longs to have a ___________________ with you, but you need to make the ________________.

Read Ruth 3:9-13. Boaz wanted to marry Ruth, but there was a problem. He was not the first in line. There was a kinsman redeemer nearer to Ruth than Boaz was, and he would need to be given the first chance. These two kinsmen represent two different things. Boaz represents the Lord Jesus Christ. The other kinsman represents our old sinful nature from Adam. Notice in Ruth 3:17 that Boaz gave Ruth a large pile of barley saying, “Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.” In chapter one, Naomi declared once she had returned to Bethlehem that she went away full, but the Lord brought her back empty. The grain symbolized the fact that God was in the process of filling the emptiness of these two women.

Ruth Chapter 4 (Love’s Reward): As our Redeemer, God has the right to _________________ our lives.

In this fourth chapter, the keyword is redemption. It’s mentioned 15 times! Boaz is a Picture of Who Christ is to the Believer (The name Boaz means “in him is strength.”) 1. He was from __________________. Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Boaz filled their emptiness with bread. Jesus would later be born in Bethlehem and become the “Bread of Life.” 2. He was a __________ kinsman to Ruth. He was a near kinsman to Ruth, as Jesus is a near kinsman to us. You say, “Is Jesus a near kinsman?” (See Hebrews 2:14-17.) The Son of God took on flesh and blood to be made like man. 3. He was ______________. In order to redeem, you had to be wealthy enough. To redeem, you had to have no obligations against you; you could not be bankrupt yourself. All of the riches of Heaven reside in the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. He was _______________ to redeem. Boaz came to the fields where Ruth was, just as Jesus met me where I am. The story that began with a funeral ends with a wedding. It opens with a famine; it ends with a feast! When God writes our story, the same shall be true of us.

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Brandon: I readjusted this layout to better fit the formatting needed when I print. If you will just keep all your text within the blue margin lines on this page, I shouldn’t have any more issues ☺. Thanks! Dr. Brandon Park | August 28, 2016 In God’s book, the quiet virtues and values of loyalty can set the stage for what God wants to do in In God’s book, the quiet virtues and values of loyalty can set the stage for what God wants to do in your life. The Book of Ruth is, on the surface, a love story, yet it is much more than just a romance your life. The Book of Ruth is, on the surface, a love story, yet it is much more than just a romance novel. novel. Reading the Bible can be compared to viewing an optical illusion. There are Reading the Bible can be compared to viewing an optical illusion. There are patterns and symbols that are hidden. They may not be obvious when you look patterns and symbols that are hidden. They may not be obvious when you look at them, but a close examination can reveal the much deeper truths of at them, but a close examination can reveal the much deeper truths of Scripture. This is certainly true about the Book of Ruth. The deeper story is Scripture. This is certainly true about the Book of Ruth. The deeper story is about God’s amazing grace and His redeeming love for us. about God’s amazing grace and His redeeming love for us. Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scan this QR Scriptures we might have hope.” (See also Luke 24:27.) Scriptures we might have hope.” (See also Luke 24:27.) code to watch an SYMBOLISM IN THE BOOK OF RUTH: overview of the Book of Ruth • Boaz = Represents __________ ____________, our Redeemer Jesus Christ • Ruth = Represents the ______________ (we are the Bride of Christ) Church Israel • Naomi = Represents the nation of ______________

This story then is not just about the redemption of one Moabite woman named Ruth. It is the story of the redemption of us all!

Ruth Chapter 1 (Love’s Resolve): When you are in the midst of loss, God sees loyalty and rewards your ________________ to Him and others.

This story begins in the country of Moab. During a famine, an Israelite family left Bethlehem for the land of Moab. Elimelech took his wife, Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, to live in Moab. Those two boys married two girls in the land of Moab – Ruth and Orpah. Unfortunately, Naomi’s husband died along with her sons, leaving herself as well as Ruth and Orpah as widows. Naomi decides to go back to her hometown (Bethlehem) and suggests that Ruth and Orpah do the same. But Ruth is so loyal that she begs Naomi to let her go back to Bethlehem with her. READ Ruth 1:14-18 – What Ruth was doing was choosing against paganism. She was choosing against the gods of Moab. Naomi had said, “Go back to your god,” but Ruth said, “Your God is going to be my God” (Ruth 1:15–16).

place Many times we ask God to bless us. But the question is: “Are you in the _____________ of blessing?” Naomi and Ruth were not in the place of blessing. They were in the pagan land away from God. If you want God to bless you, you need to get back to where you need to be so that He can.

If Ruth was not loyal – both to Naomi and to her God – she would have never reached God’s destiny for her life. Commitment is staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the mood _________ you said it in has left you. Some people will “love you” as much as they can use you. Their loyalty ends where the benefits stop. Some people aren’t loyal to you – they are loyal to their need of you. Once their needs change, so does their loyalty.

The Problems that Hindered Ruth: cursed • She was ________________. Ruth was a Moabite. Moab was the son of Lot and he was born out of an incestuous relationship. The Moabites were always a thorn in the side of the people of Israel, and the curse of God was upon Moab. That’s a picture of every person today without the Lord Jesus Christ. (See Ephesians 2:11-12.) crushed • She was _________________. She was a broken-hearted woman. Death had invaded her house. Poverty had come upon her. Her life was marked by tragedy and sorrow. (See Ruth 1:5.) • She was ___________________. She lost her estate because of the death of her husband. condemned We lost our estate because of the death of Adam. (See Romans 5:12.) The law excluded her, but grace is going to include her. Mankind only has three problems: ______, ___________, and ___________. The Bible is the only sin sorrow death book in the world that has the answer to those three problems.

Ruth Chapter 2 (Love’s Response): Sometimes when things seem to be falling apart place ___________ they may actually be falling into ___________.

God is hardly mentioned in this book. Why? It’s a brilliant literary technique. God invites you to read this story and start looking for His activity, and there are signs of it everywhere. The story is filled with all sorts of “coincidences” that force you to see God at work behind-the-scenes.

READ Ruth 2:1-3. In that day, when people would reap down the field, the poor people could get the grain in the corners that the reapers left; they called them gleaners. That was the welfare system of that day. The Bible says that she happened to go into the field of the one man in the whole world who could be her true redeemer. The carnal mind would call that a coincidence, but the spiritual mind calls that the Providence of God.

rightful right When you put God in His _______________ place; He will put you in the ___________ place.

Providence means "to provide." The Latin word provideo, from which we get our word providence, means “to see beforehand, a prior seeing, a foresight.” Providence means that the hand of God is in the glove of human events. Everything you need will come to you at the perfect time.

Read Ruth 2:8-10. Ruth recognizes that it is grace that has caused this man to show love to her as she falls at his feet. Has the grace of God caused you to fall at His feet? hidden Ruth Chapter 3 (Love’s Request): A woman’s heart should be so ____________

in _______ that a man has to seek Him just to find her. God

The law in that day stated that if a man lost his estate, a relative could buy back his estate on his behalf. And, if a man died without children, the relative could marry his widow. Ruth knows that Boaz stands in the place to be her redeemer, to buy back her lost estate, and to give her children. So she goes and places herself at the feet of her redeemer.

Read Ruth 3:7-8 - She has placed herself there at the feet of the only man she feels who ought to redeem her. That was a culturally acceptable way for a woman to signal to a man that she's interested and available for marriage.

God longs to have a ___________________ with you, but you need to make the ________________. relationship proposal

Read Ruth 3:9-13. Boaz wanted to marry Ruth, but there was a problem. He was not the first in line. There was a kinsman redeemer nearer to Ruth than Boaz was, and he would need to be given the first chance. These two kinsmen represent two different things. Boaz represents the Lord Jesus Christ. The other kinsman represents our old sinful nature from Adam. Notice in Ruth 3:17 that Boaz gave Ruth a large pile of barley saying, “Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.” In chapter one, Naomi declared once she had returned to Bethlehem that she went away full, but the Lord brought her back empty. The grain symbolized the fact that God was in the process of filling the emptiness of these two women.

Ruth Chapter 4 (Love’s Reward): As our Redeemer, God has the right to _________________ our lives. redeﬁne

In this fourth chapter, the keyword is redemption. It’s mentioned 15 times! Boaz is a Picture of Who Christ is to the Believer (The name Boaz means “in him is strength.”) 1. He was from __________________. Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Boaz filled their Bethlehem emptiness with bread. Jesus would later be born in Bethlehem and become the “Bread of Life.” 2. He was a __________ kinsman to Ruth. He was a near kinsman to Ruth, as Jesus is a near near kinsman to us. You say, “Is Jesus a near kinsman?” (See Hebrews 2:14-17.) The Son of God took on flesh and blood to be made like man. 3. He was ______________. In order to redeem, you had to be wealthy enough. To redeem, wealthy you had to have no obligations against you; you could not be bankrupt yourself. All of the riches of Heaven reside in the Lord Jesus Christ. willing 4. He was _______________ to redeem. Boaz came to the fields where Ruth was, just as Jesus met me where I am. The story that began with a funeral ends with a wedding. It opens with a famine; it ends with a feast! When God writes our story, the same shall be true of us.