Sunday Notes: Ruth 4:1-12

by | Mar 12, 2022 | Ruth: An Exposition, sunday | 0 comments

  • (Rth 4:1 ESV) Now _______________ 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, _______________ ; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.
    • The gate served several purposes:
      • Entrance to the city
      • _______________ 
      • Legal center for hearings
      • _______________  for functions
    • Why is the name of the other redeemer never given?

_____________________________________________ 

  • (Rth 4:2 ESV) And he took ten men of the _______________ of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.
    • Boaz is assembling elders to hear and affirm an important matter – to make it official for the whole of their society.
  • (Rth 4:3 ESV) Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of _______________ , is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative _______________ .
    • If Naomi has land to sell, why have she and Ruth been living in such a destitute condition this whole time?
      _____________________________________________
      _____________________________________________ 
    • If Boaz of the other redeemer bought this land, what would be their responsibility with it?

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________ 

  • (Rth 4:4 ESV) 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 besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.”
  • (Rth 4:5 ESV) Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire _______________ the _______________ , the widow of the dead, in order to _______________ the name of the dead in his inheritance.”
    • The land is not without strings attached. 
      • You also acquire Ruth
      • And you are responsible for raising up an heir 
        • In the name of Ruth’s dead husband.
        • This heir will become the owner of the land.
    • The problem now is big:
      • Ruth is a _______________ woman – she may not be able to have a child.
      • Ruth is a _______________ – a people forbidden by God
      • Ruth is a _______________ – that brings its own set of responsibilities to this covenant.
  • (Rth 4:6 ESV) Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own _______________ . Take my right of _______________ yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
    • Impairing his own inheritance might be….
      • Risking the loss or division of what he has with future children
      • Adding stress to his existing wife and children
      • Tarnishing the reputation and status he has worked for all his life
    • Legally, the duty to redeem is not in the letter of the law
      • Maybe it is in the _______________ of the law
      • We should weigh the cost of doing what is right in all things.
        • Matthew 10:37-39
      • What is the most important thing in your life?

_________________________________________

  • All things considered, the most important things to the other redeemer outweighed this moral obligation.
  • (Rth 4:7 ESV) Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a _______________ , the one drew off his _______________ and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel.
    •  Deuteronomy 25:5-10
    • This is certainly as case of the spirit of the law
      • Overarching the letter of the law.
    • There are some other connections we can draw out of this:
      • The connection with feet and shoes symbolizes humility and power.
        • _______________ removed his shows in the presence of God at the burning bush
        • David removed his shoes in _______________ submission before God
        • On of these men removes his shoe and hands it to the other
    • We can also make a connection to the uncovering of Boaz’s feet  by _______________ and the threshingfloor.  
      • She uncovered his feet 
      • Symbolizing her request upon Boaz to exercise his right of redemption
        • A sign of her humbling herself and submitting to the one who could do what she could not do.
      • The unnamed kinsman uncovered his feet handing Boaz his shoe 
        • Symbolizing the passing of a right to Boaz.
          • _______________ to the one who would redeem.
  • (Rth 4:8 ESV) So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his _______________ .
  • (Rth 4:9 ESV) Then Boaz said to the _______________ and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to _______________ and all that belonged to _______________ and to _______________ .
  • (Rth 4:10 ESV) Also _______________ the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my _______________ , 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 _______________ this day.”
    • The the assembled elders
      • And likely a crowd that has gathered to see what is going on
      • Boaz proclaims officially the deal that has been made.
        • All that belonged to Elimelech
        • All that belong to _______________ 
        • All that belong to their sons _______________ and Chilion
        • All of that transfers to Boaz as of this day
          • Including the Moabite girl, Ruth.
  • (Rth 4:11 ESV) Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the _______________ make the woman, who is coming into your house, like _______________ and _______________ , who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem,
    • Rachel and Leah were sisters
    • Both married to _______________ whose name was changed to Israel
    • They bore the 12 sons who would be fathers of the 12 tribes of the nation _______________ .
      • One of which was Judah
        • The father of the tribe of Boaz and Elimelech
  • (Rth 4:12 ESV) 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.”
    • The Tamar/Judah scene is super sketchy.
    • And we know very little about this son Perez.
      • 1 Chronicles 27:3
      • Nehemiah 27:3
    • Note the providence of _______________ in their words
      • The LORD will give _______________ 
        • Colossians 1:16-17
      • The _______________ hand of God is written all over this story
        • He controlled the _______________ 
          • That led to the departing of Elimelech and Naomi so long ago
        • The deaths of the three men
        • The call to come back for Naomi
        • The field Ruth ended up in
        • The surprise meeting with Boaz
        • All of this 
          • All orchestrated
          • By  sovereign God
          • Who controls all things
      • Remember this week that the same sovereign God orchestrates our lives as well.

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