Outline to Ruth

“The Kinsman Redeemer”

KEY VERSE: Ruth 1:16-17, “And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”

THEME: God’s reward for committing our ways to him. • Faithfulness in times of hardship. • Sustaining grace. • His redeeming hand.

DATE: Ruth probably lived around 1250 B.C. about the time of Gideon. • Ruth begins with the statement, “Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land.” The famine mentioned in Judges 6:3-6, may well have been the famine Elimelech experienced. • The last verse reveals that at least some of the book was recorded as a much later narrative, because it lists Ruth’s descendants.

WRITER: Samuel is traditionally given credit for writing Ruth, but we have no concrete evidence of this in scripture.

WRITTEN: Ruth is closely tied to the book of Judges.

• The history of the children of Israel shows a definite cycle of walking near God, being at ease, being enticed by other gods, being judged by God, repentance, and once again walking near God. This cycle can be seen in Ruth through the beginning famine, and later the definite godly attitude of the people mentioned in the book. This would also coincide with the time when Gideon was a judge. The attitude of the people revealed Israel’s relationship with God at that time.

• “Boaz” means “Redeemer,” one quick to do things and no procrastination (putting off). He met people with an attitude of respect, and blessed them. He was careful to only take Ruth lawfully. He was shown to be generous, a type of Grace.

• Boaz’s servants. Greeted their master with “The Lord bless thee” and they treated Ruth well. Ruth Page 1

• The Nearer Kinsman. Released the responsibility to redeem Ruth in the correct manner.

• The neighbor women – Type of Law – Could not redeem. Blessed the Lord for his kindness to Naomi.

THE BOOK: Number in the Bible – 8th of 66 Books; Number of Chapters – 4; Number of Verses – 85

PURPOSE: To show the faithfulness of God to His people

• To show the reward Ruth gained by trusting in the God of Israel.

• To record the genealogy of David.

TRADITIONS: We find the use of dress has symbolic meaning in the book of Ruth

• Spreading the Skirt over someone. When Ruth presents herself to Boaz she asks him to spread his skirt over her. This would have been a common seal of engagement between Ruth and Boaz, which was acceptable in the East.

• Removing the shoe. It was given under law that if a person refused the part of kinsman redeemer they must remove their shoe.

• Removing the veil (or shawl). It is quite possible that a statement is being made by Boaz sending this widow home with her veil removed and full of barley.

Remember the statement made at the end of the Book of Judges when studying this time period; Judges 21:25. “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

OUTLINE:

I. The decline of Elimelech’s family – 1:1-5

II. Naomi returns to Bethlehem – 1:6-22

A. The decision to return – 1:6-7

B. Orpah departs to her people – 1:8-15

C. Ruth commits herself to Naomi and her God – 1:16-18

D. The entrance into Bethlehem – 1:19-            22

III. Ruth gleans in Boaz’s field – 2:1-23

A. Introduction of Boaz – 2:1-3
B. The kindness of Boaz – 2:4-17
C. Naomi’s concern for Ruth – 2:18-23

IV. Ruth seeks her rest – 3:1-18
A. Naomi’s council – 3:1-5
B. Boaz’s acceptance – 3:6-11
C. Ruth waits for confirmation – 3:12-18

V. The Widows’ rewards for waiting on the Lord – 4:1-22

A. Boaz buys all that was Elimelech’s – 4:1-9
B. Boaz marries Ruth – 4:10-12
C. The generations of Ruth and Boaz – 4:13-22

FACTS: Of the top one hundred names of girls, “Ruth” is the seventh most popular. There are one and one-half million girls in the United States named “Ruth.”

The Book covers a period of ten years of heartbreak and sorrow caused by the philosophy, “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

Bethlehem means – “The House of Bread”
Judah means – “Praise”
Moab means – “The World” (Garbage Dump); of his father – descendants of Lot (Thirty miles from Bethlehem) (Psalm 60:8 God’s Wash Pot – Gets one clean)
Elimelech means – “God Is My King”
Naomi means – “Pleasant One” (Delightful)
Mahlon means – “Sickly”
Chilion means – “Puny” (Piney)
Ruth means – “Beauty”
Orpah means – “Fawn”
Boaz means – “Redeemer” (Quick to do things. No procrastination)
Ruth is read in the synagogues by the Jews at Pentecost (Harvest Festival).

Dr. Tom Wallace