Ruth - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

So the final chapter brings resolution to all that was discussed. Still, let's walk through it.

The Bible takes time to tell us an amazing amount of detail regarding what would appear from the outside as a legal transaction but as we on the inside know it ran much deeper than that. 

Boaz goes to the gate, he sits and waits for the KR to come by which happens rather soon. It's interesting how once he makes the plan and puts it into action all the moving pieces come together.  That day the town elders were assembled, he took aside ten of them. He began to discuss the situation in great detail. He says that Naomi is selling the land.  This sounds strange but what he is actually saying is that Naomi is selling the right to redeem or purchase the land. He. Brings the KR to a point of decision and gives him a now or never scenario. Redeem it, or don't redeem it but if you don't, I will.  He gives the man the opportunity to say yes.  This saves the reputation of the KR. If he had said no right off it would have been a black mark on him in society. It was shameful to not carry on your family's name and property and to help your relative's widow was considered a responsibility not just a right.  So here we see Boaz saving the dignity of this close relative. He then lays out the second layer of facts. Interestingly this is the only time he refers to Ruth as "Ruth the Moabite". Every other Time he has used familial references. 

Then the redeemer said, I can't - you do it and drew off his sandal as was the custom.

Then Boaz declares to the witnesses exactly what just happened so that everyone is clear, this man has passed on redeeming the land and passed the right to Boaz who will buy the land, marry Ruth and perpetuate the name of the dead keeping his name in good standing with the town, the elders, the family, the legacy, the genealogy.  And the elders agreed. They said back to him, we are your witnesses. Next they spoke blessing over him.  This blessing was very significant.  I am sure the town knew who he was, who his father was, who his grandfather was and who his great great great great grandfather was.

First they blessed Ruth with what seems likes great blessing of fertility. May she grow your house like Leah and Rachel grew Israel. Then they say, may you act worthily and be renowned. And may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah because of your children.

Genesis 38 - Tamar (Palm or Palm Tree) was married to the oldest son of Judah (Let God be Praised).  That son was evil and the Lord put him to death.  Tamar was given to the second son to raise up offspring for his brother. But knowing the offspring would never be his, he wasted his seed on the ground. What he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord and he put him to death as well. Judah, their father was a bit nervous about giving his last son to this black widow and told her to go back to her father's house saying the third son was too young to marry. 

Some time later Judah's wife died. He went out to shear the sheep and around that time Tamar heard that the third son was of age and that Judah had not sent for her as promised. She dressed herself and covered her face and went where she knew she would run into Judah. Sure enough there he was and he thought she was a prostitute.  He slept with her and gave her his staff and signet as a promise to return with a goat. When he came back to deliver she had disappeared and no one around knew who he was talking about. Three months later she was found to be pregnant and when Judah questioned her as to who the father was she produced his signet and staff. When she gave birth she had twins. One baby stuck out his hand and the midwife tied a thread around it. But then his hand withdrew and the other baby came out first! She said "what a breach you have made for yourself ! And she named him Pere (Breach or Erruption).  Then, later, his brother Zerah  (Dawning, Rising of great light, brightening) was born with the thread still tied to his hand. Interesting how here we see another fight for the firstborn right - the first being Jacob and Esau - in this family line.

When Ruth has a baby, the women of Bethlehem bless Naomi.  In their blessing they actually refer to the baby as Naomi's redeemer. He shall restore your life and nourish you in your old age. Naomi takes the child into her lap and became his nurse.  We think this just means that she took care of him as if he were her own.  This act of taking a baby in her lap was much like when Jacob had children by Rachel's Handmaids and the child would be laid in her lap and become her children, given the same rights and privileges as Jacobs other sons though born of another woman not his wife. Here, Naomi bestows Elimalech's name and inheritance upon this child born of Ruth.  The women of the town also name him.  They name him Obed. The name Obed means "worshipper/worshipping" or "serving" it's an action word.

Imagine the legacy he was born into and having such a name! He is the great grandfather of David!

Ruth ends with a recap of the genealogy in which it makes such a huge contribution.  It's an amazing story of God's determination and commitment to fulfill His promise of a deliverer for the people to whom He made that promise.  It displays again how important His word and His seed are, how no situation is a lost cause and no life is meaningless or useless. It is a story of redemption that speaks volumes about Jesus, our redeemer

When Swiftness and strength found a companion, worship of the God who is King returned to the house of bread. Bitterness returned to Pleasantness. What a Vision of Beauty!