Open: Spend a moment just clearing your mind and asking God to show you something from his Word.
Recap: Were you able to act on something yesterday as a result of your reading from Ruth?
Starting Point:
- How much of God’s work is done through our efforts? I mean we pray for God to do stuff, but is it possible that the answer to our prayers sometimes comes from our plans and wisdom?
- Is there something that you have waited to act on that may require you to step out in faith?
Read: Ruth 4:1-12 (The sale of Ruth)
Some things to consider:
- Once Boaz and Ruth are out in the open about the fact that they think a marriage between them could work rather nicely, Boaz devises a plan to make sure that he will be the person who can marry Ruth (because there is someone legally closer to Ruth who should have the first right to ask her to marry him). It might sound complicated, but Boaz tries to work it all out so he and Ruth can spend their lives together.
- So, Boaz goes to the gate - the place where all official business takes place.
- Boaz sees the next of kin and asks him to stop and grab a seat. Then he grabs ten elders to view a pending transaction.
- Apparently, Naomi has a tract of land for sale and Boaz knows the first person that can buy the land is this next of kin (we don’t know his actual name).
- The next of kin decides to buy it, but Boaz saves this little nugget for the end – that in order to buy it the next of kin will have to marry and have children with Ruth.
- The fact that the next of kin says it will damage his inheritance plans means that he is already married and has children. Taking on another wife could be done, but it would be a risky affair over something that he just learned about five minutes prior. So in front of ten elders the next of kin relinquishes his claim and hands Boaz his sandal (a sign that the transaction is sealed).
- Boaz is very crafty – he was able to make this next of kin person uncomfortable about a piece of land in front of ten elders so that he doesn’t even think of letting go of a young pretty widow named Ruth.
What is it saying?
· In this passage, what is one thing that sticks out to you that God seems to be saying?
What should I do?
· If God is saying something in this passage, what do you feel He is leading you to do?