EXPLORE THE TEXT
We can be assured of God’s continual care for us since He demonstrated it in His redemptive plan.
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 a mother to him.
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.
Briefly review Ruth 4:1-12.
Highlight that Boaz had spoken with the primary redeemer as promised and that man passed the right of redemption to Boaz.
God completely rewrote Ruth and Naomi’s story
by providing a family redeemer and a baby boy:
[The neighbors] praised Ruth’s dedication and love as better .
than seven sons.
Resting in her arms was the providential love of God.
Naomi could not see it earlier.
In her human frailty, she could only see the unfavorable circumstances of her life.
But God’s timing was perfect, and His plan was fulfilled. .
Naomi’s crisis had come to an end.
Her family redeemer secured her future,
and the generations who followed would know God’s providential care. (PSG, p. 124)
Ruth’s story is common to everyone who has ever lived.
We all fall short of God’s grace.
We all need a Savior, a Kinsman-Redeemer.
Jesus is the ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer.
Review these points from Apply the Text on page 126 of the Personal Study Guide:
Guide the group to discuss the first set of questions on page 126 of the PSG. Encourage adults to find ways to encourage one another to remember God’s love and grace during difficult times. Challenge them to read and reflect on the second set of questions on page 126 of the PSG during the week ahead.
Remind adults that Ruth’s story is everyone’s story because we all need a Kinsman-Redeemer to rescue us. Briefly review the Plan of Salvation on the inside front cover of the PSG. Affirm again that you are available to talk to anyone who wants to know more about accepting the redemption Jesus offers as our Kinsman-Redeemer.
Refer back to Pack Item 9 (Handout: Praying Scripture in Joshua, Judges, Ruth). Urge adults to use the handout to guide their prayers during the week. Close the session in prayer, thanking God for providing a Kinsman-Redeemer and for the peace that only He provides. Ask Him to strengthen each person during situations of uncertainty.
During the week, send the group a text or an email, encouraging them to reflect on what they learned from the book of Ruth. Suggest they write their thoughts in a journal and review what they have written often. Remind them that they can trust God with their future even when it looks uncertain. Let the group know that the next session begins a study on the book of Romans.
In His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. (See
Romans 5:6-10; Ephesians 1:7.)
Create a compare/contrast chart to study a passage.
In ancient Israel, the kinsman-redeemer pointed to the coming Messiah. Review these passages from Ruth again and consider how Boaz served as an illustration for what Jesus would do centuries later. Record your comparisons on the chart below:
Boaz as Redeemer