Ruth 4:8 "So the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, 'Buy it yourself.' And he removed his sandal."
Well, to make this whole deal nice and legal, Boaz has to go through the legal process of acquiring Ruth as his wife, and bypassing the eligible kinsman-redeemer. So in the presence of the elders of the town, he lets them know that Naomi is selling some plot of land, and he suggests that the other guy buy it, as recorded in Leviticus 25. Of course Other Guy wants to. Now this is new. I didn't know, and couldn't find anywhere previously in Ruth where Naomi was selling land. Apparently she was, or else Boaz wouldn't have brought it up. Would have been too entangling if Other Guy called his bluff.
Anyway, then Boaz drops the marriage bomb on Other Guy. Other Guy balks at the unexpected baggage, fearing a complicated transaction. He probably also figured that the land wouldn't completely stay in his family.
Then they do that sandal thing that seals the deal, and Ruth belongs to Boaz, and they live happily ever after, promised great renown in Ephrathah.
To continue the epilogue, Ruth has a son, named Obed, and this is, according to Ruth, greater for Naomi than having seven sons. Naomi, once bitter, holds her grandson in her arms with joy. This Obed was the grandfather of some guy named David. Which is apparently the point of this book. It could be a nice story about loyalty and respect and integrity. But we'll have to wait and see.
Showing posts with label Ruth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ruth. Show all posts
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Ru. 3: Naomi Makes it Happen
Ruth 3:9 "I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer."
Naomi is ready to move this whole Ruth-Boaz thing into motion. She convinces Ruth to go lay at Boaz's feet after he is done partying. And I love Ruth's response here. She doesn't question why she needs to go uncover Boaz's feet. On the surface, this may have seemed kind of lewd. But instead, she answers: "I will do whatever you say." She trusts that this must be some sort of Israelite custom unfamiliar to the Moabites.
When Boaz is awakened, he sees Ruth laying there, and is kind of startled. "I am your servant, Ruth," She says, divesting herself of any presumption or self-importance. This kind of consistent attitude must have delighted Boaz when Ruth told him he was her kinsman-redeemer. She didn't chase after status or youth, she followed integrity and character.
Another interesting point is how Boaz mentions the existence of a closer relative than he to Naomi. He must have been thinking about it, or at least had done some research to find out. And he does the honorable thing, by bringing it up, instead of just marrying Ruth. That would have been displeasing to God. Apparently not Boaz's style.
Naomi is ready to move this whole Ruth-Boaz thing into motion. She convinces Ruth to go lay at Boaz's feet after he is done partying. And I love Ruth's response here. She doesn't question why she needs to go uncover Boaz's feet. On the surface, this may have seemed kind of lewd. But instead, she answers: "I will do whatever you say." She trusts that this must be some sort of Israelite custom unfamiliar to the Moabites.
When Boaz is awakened, he sees Ruth laying there, and is kind of startled. "I am your servant, Ruth," She says, divesting herself of any presumption or self-importance. This kind of consistent attitude must have delighted Boaz when Ruth told him he was her kinsman-redeemer. She didn't chase after status or youth, she followed integrity and character.
Another interesting point is how Boaz mentions the existence of a closer relative than he to Naomi. He must have been thinking about it, or at least had done some research to find out. And he does the honorable thing, by bringing it up, instead of just marrying Ruth. That would have been displeasing to God. Apparently not Boaz's style.
Ru. 2: Ruth Meets Boaz
Ruth 2:16 "Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don't rebuke her."
Chapter two tells us that Naomi has a relative of some standing named Boaz. He owned a field. Ruth wanted to go glean in a field. The LORD provided that people shouldn't reap the edges of their fields, or gather the sheaves in Leviticus. Ruth went to a field to gather what was left behind. She just so happened to glean in a field owned by Boaz? Coincidence? I think so. I mean...I don't think so. Of all the landowners in the area, of all the fields, Ruth manages to get to the field owned by Naomi's own relative.
Boaz treats her extremely well for her being a Moabitess. This had a lot to do with her loyalty to Naomi. It took a lot for Ruth to come back and adopt Naomi's people and her God. Boaz even set it up so that the harvesters would leave behind good grain for Ruth to pick up. Which was nice of him.
I think probably most landowners would be annoyed by the scavengers...the moochers, as it were, in spite of (or maybe because of) God's command in Leviticus. But Boaz was the complete opposite of what one would expect. He actually asked Ruth to remain with his workers until they were done.
Naomi was very glad to hear this, and fully expected Boaz would be their kinsman-redeemer. Which one could presume would continue the family line of Naomi, as her husband was dead, as were both of her sons...her line of descent would be cut.
Chapter two tells us that Naomi has a relative of some standing named Boaz. He owned a field. Ruth wanted to go glean in a field. The LORD provided that people shouldn't reap the edges of their fields, or gather the sheaves in Leviticus. Ruth went to a field to gather what was left behind. She just so happened to glean in a field owned by Boaz? Coincidence? I think so. I mean...I don't think so. Of all the landowners in the area, of all the fields, Ruth manages to get to the field owned by Naomi's own relative.
Boaz treats her extremely well for her being a Moabitess. This had a lot to do with her loyalty to Naomi. It took a lot for Ruth to come back and adopt Naomi's people and her God. Boaz even set it up so that the harvesters would leave behind good grain for Ruth to pick up. Which was nice of him.
I think probably most landowners would be annoyed by the scavengers...the moochers, as it were, in spite of (or maybe because of) God's command in Leviticus. But Boaz was the complete opposite of what one would expect. He actually asked Ruth to remain with his workers until they were done.
Naomi was very glad to hear this, and fully expected Boaz would be their kinsman-redeemer. Which one could presume would continue the family line of Naomi, as her husband was dead, as were both of her sons...her line of descent would be cut.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Ru. 1: The Ruth, The Ruth, The Ruth is on Fire...
Ruth 1:21 "I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."
Naomi is an Israelite whose family moves to Moab because of a famine in their hometown of Bethlehem. Her sons hook up with some Moabite women (Moabites...descendents of Lot and his daughters). Within ten years of living there, Naomi's husband dies, and her sons die. Leaving her and her daughters-in-law. She finds out the famine lifts, and returns back home. Orpah goes back to Moab after briefly considering going back to Bethlehem, while Ruth refuses to leave her side. Even to the point of begging God to deal with her severely if she ever left Naomi's side. This Moabitess knew who God was, and apparently was well aware of His power. And respected it, despite her mother-in-law's disdain for God even though she was a part of God's chosen people.
There are a few points of interest here. Were Naomi's sons (whose names meant "weak" and "sickly") and her husband dead because of the curse God promised if they intermarried with other races? I don't know. They were probably aptly named, however.
Another thing is that Ruth is recognized upon her return to Bethlehem after a decade abroad. In Moab. Who was the enemy. And she brought back a Moabite woman with her. She no longer wanted to be called "Naomi," rather "Mara," presumably meaning "bitter," because God made her life bitter. God made her life empty. She lost her husband, two sons, and a daughter-in-law. No heir. Sad. But she seems to rail pretty good against God here.
Naomi is an Israelite whose family moves to Moab because of a famine in their hometown of Bethlehem. Her sons hook up with some Moabite women (Moabites...descendents of Lot and his daughters). Within ten years of living there, Naomi's husband dies, and her sons die. Leaving her and her daughters-in-law. She finds out the famine lifts, and returns back home. Orpah goes back to Moab after briefly considering going back to Bethlehem, while Ruth refuses to leave her side. Even to the point of begging God to deal with her severely if she ever left Naomi's side. This Moabitess knew who God was, and apparently was well aware of His power. And respected it, despite her mother-in-law's disdain for God even though she was a part of God's chosen people.
There are a few points of interest here. Were Naomi's sons (whose names meant "weak" and "sickly") and her husband dead because of the curse God promised if they intermarried with other races? I don't know. They were probably aptly named, however.
Another thing is that Ruth is recognized upon her return to Bethlehem after a decade abroad. In Moab. Who was the enemy. And she brought back a Moabite woman with her. She no longer wanted to be called "Naomi," rather "Mara," presumably meaning "bitter," because God made her life bitter. God made her life empty. She lost her husband, two sons, and a daughter-in-law. No heir. Sad. But she seems to rail pretty good against God here.
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