Ruth Act IV: Faithfulness & Blessing

Recap: Ruth 1–3

• Ruth chooses costly loyalty over personal comfort and security (Ruth 1).
• If Ruth remains faithful to her vow, marriage and children can come only through a kinsman of Naomi.
• After several months, no near kinsman has offered to redeem the family through marriage to Ruth (Ruth 2-3).
• Ruth offers Boaz a chance to provide low-cost redemption by providing an heir outside of marriage (Ruth 3.7, 9; cf. Gn. 38).
• Prompted (or perhaps convicted) by Ruth’s costly loyalty to Naomi, Boaz chooses to offer full but costly redemption through marriage to Ruth (3.11)

Ruth 4: Faithfulness & Blessing

• This redemption is costly financially & socially (4.3-4, 6; cf. Deut. 23.3).
• Boaz does everything carefully, openly and fully (4.7, 9-10).

Conclusion

• The love and faithfulness of God toward Naomi is made manifest in the costly loyalty of Ruth and Boaz (4.14-15).
• Redemption is always costly, but the potential for blessing is almost limitless (4.17).

Discussion Questions

1. In your own words, summarize this story in terms of God’s steadfast love for Naomi.
2. How does this story of costly redemption prepare us for the life and ministry of Jesus?