Ruth Challenge Chapter Four
Ruth 4: Scripture Passage
Ruth and Boaz Marry
Boaz went to the gate of the town and sat down there. Soon the family redeemer Boaz had spoken about came by. Boaz said, “Come over here and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. 2 Then Boaz took ten men of the town’s elders and said, “Sit here.” And they sat down. 3 He said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the territory of Moab, is selling the portion of the field that belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 I thought I should inform you: Buy it back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, do it. But if you do not want to redeem it, tell me so that I will know, because there isn’t anyone other than you to redeem it, and I am next after you.”
“I want to redeem it,” he answered.
5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you will acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man’s name on his property.”
6 The redeemer replied, “I can’t redeem it myself, or I will ruin my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can’t redeem it.”
7 At an earlier period in Israel, a man removed his sandal and gave it to the other party in order to make any matter legally binding concerning the right of redemption or the exchange of property. This was the method of legally binding a transaction in Israel.
8 So the redeemer removed his sandal and said to Boaz, “Buy back the property yourself.”
Boaz, the Redeemer
9 Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to perpetuate the deceased man’s name on his property, so that his name will not disappear among his relatives or from the gate of his hometown. You are witnesses today.”
11 All the people who were at the city gate, including the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built the house of Israel. May you be powerful in Ephrathah and your name well known in Bethlehem. 12 May your house become like the house of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring the Lord will give you by this young woman.”
A Son is Born
13 Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord granted conception to her, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became his nanny. 17 The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
David’s Genealogy from Judah’s Son
18 Now these are the family records of Perez:
Perez fathered Hezron,
19 Hezron fathered Ram,
Ram fathered Amminadab,
20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon,
Nahshon fathered Salmon,
21 Salmon fathered Boaz,
Boaz fathered Obed,
22 Obed fathered Jesse,
and Jesse fathered David.
Devotional for Ruth Challenge Chapter Three:
God Uses Ordinary People to Change the World
In this final chapter of Ruth, we see one of the greatest lessons we can learn from this tiny book. We get to see how God uses ordinary people of faith to bring about extraordinary things for His kingdom.
A Dramatic Scene
The book of Ruth takes a turn into the dramatic at the beginning of this final chapter. We have been reading what seems to be the story of a young lady. She is shown to be faithful and kind in the midst of sorrow. She is hard working and deserving. She meets a man who is well-off and our story seems likely to be a straight-ahead love story.
He is a man of integrity who is willing to care for her and her mother-in-law.
Another Man Enters the Picture
However, at the start of chapter four, we learn of another relative who has first dibs on Ruth’s hand in marriage and any property left from the death of Elimelech. When told of the property of Elimelech, this closer relative is about to redeem the land. Then, he learns that the property comes with Ruth attached.
Saved by a Ruined Inheritance
Our love story is saved by a ruined inheritance. If this other relative takes advantage of his right to redeem the land, his marrying Ruth will ruin his chance to inherit from another interest. So, he releases his claim to the land and Ruth, making it possible for Boaz to marry Ruth.
The redeemer replied, “I can’t redeem it myself, or I will ruin my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can’t redeem it.” Ruth 4:6
Boaz, the Redeemer
9 Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to perpetuate the deceased man’s name on his property, so that his name will not disappear among his relatives or from the gate of his hometown. You are witnesses today.”
Boaz takes Ruth as his wife and assumes the care of Ruth and Naomi as his right and responsibility. They become man and wife, and Ruth gives birth to a son.
Naomi Goes From Bitter to Blessed
Naomi, who asked to be called Mara in chapter one because she came back home without husband or sons and bitter with grief, has been blessed by God with a full family again. God had not forgotten her. He has brought joy from her despair. Even the neighbor women see how blessed Naomi is:
14 The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became his nanny. 17 The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
A Kingly Lineage
Boaz and Ruth, these two ordinary people of faith, could not have imagined how God had orchestrated the fulfillment of prophecy through them. Their son, Obed, would be the grandfather of King David. The Messiah would come through the line of King David.
Through the marriage of this couple of integrity, a family line is set into action that would bring the long-awaited Messiah. These are the great, great, great….grandparents of Jesus.
God used ordinary people living ordinary lives of faith to change the world. And He still uses ordinary people today.
Action Step:
Will we live our lives in submission to His plan? Will we allow ourselves to sink into bitterness and despair during our life’s sorrows and struggles? Or, will we remember that God has not forgotten us and look for the blessings He is bringing?
Today, are we going to invite God into our lives to do His will through us? Even if it seems simple or ordinary, we cannot always see the importance of the actions of our ordinary lives. But God sees the full picture, the grand scheme of all history, and how we fit into it. His kingdom is brought about through ordinary people whose lives are submitted to His will. Let’s be those people today and everyday.
Ruth Challenge Chapter Four – Week 4:
Sunday/Monday: Read Chapter 4 and the devotional here.
Tuesday: Comment here or on the Devotion in Action Facebook Group or Instagram with one thought about the chapter. Follow @devoinaction.
Wednesday: Interact creatively (Bible art journaling, sketchnotes, doodles, etc.) with the chapter and share on social media with the hashtag #diaruthchallenge (dia is for Devotion in Action) Feel free to use the Ruth 4 free printable or do your own thing! If you haven’t gotten the Chapter freebies yet, click here for Chapter Four or subscribe to the blog newsletter to receive a download with all four chapters at once!
Thursday: Reread Ruth chapter three and pray for provision in one area of your life or reach out and provide for or protect someone in your life.
Friday: Read the Devotion in Action email newsletter (if you haven’t signed up yet, sign up HERE!)
Saturday: Catch up or rest day.
Prayer:
Dear God, show us Your direction for our lives. Use us ordinary people to do Your will on earth. Help us to follow Your plan today. In Jesus’ name, amen.