Boaz Redeems Ruth Ruth 4:1-13 MEMORY VERSE IS AIAH 47:4 “As for Our Redeem Er, the LORD of Hosts Is His Nam E, the Holy One of Israel.”
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Lesson 069 Boaz Redeems Ruth Ruth 4:1-13 MEMORY VERSE IS AIAH 47:4 “As for our Redeem er, the LORD of hosts is His nam e, the Holy One of Israel.” WHAT YOU WILL NEED: “Whodunnit” cross puzzle template included with your curriculum, enough copies for the children in your class, construction paper and glue. “Boaz, Ruth and Obed” finger puppet template included with your curriculum, crayons or markers and tape. ATTENTION GRABBER! Whodunnit? Before class make enough copies of the cross template for the children in your class. Cut up the cross puzzles in the shapes of puzzle pieces. Make enough cross puzzles either for all of your kids or for very small groups to work together. You can decide whether or not to mix up the pieces depending on your children’s ability. Next, allow the children to put together the puzzles. You can have them glue the puzzle pieces to a piece of construction paper. Ask your class the question, “Who has redeemed (saved) us?” The puzzle will tell…Jesus! LESSON TIME! In the first two chapters of Ruth, we see heartache and tears. Now we come to one of the most beautiful love stories ever written. It is the story of love and redemption with Boaz and Ruth. Boaz had given Ruth a promise that he would redeem her (buy back the land belonging to his brother, Elimelech), and being an honorable man he was true to his word. In fact in chapter 3, verse 18, Naomi tells Ruth to “sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall; for the man (Boaz) will not be in rest until he has finished the thing this day.” Naomi knew that Boaz would not rest until he had completed the transaction to redeem his love for himself. As we read these verses we can also see a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ who redeemed (or bought back) His church for Himself. Jesus has paid the price for us all. R U T H 4:1 N o w B o az w e n t u p t o t h e gat e an d s at d o w n t h e r e ; an d be h o l d , t h e c l o s e r e l at i v e o f w h o m B o az h ad s p o k e n c am e by . S o B o az s ai d , " C o m e as i d e , f r i e n d , s i t d o w n h e r e ." S o h e c am e as i d e an d s at d o w n . Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. The gate was the open space before the city gate; it was the forum of the city, the place where the public affairs of the city were discussed. There he sat down, calling “court” immediately. What drove this man to act so quickly? Perhaps it was his love for Ruth. We are not told that she was incredibly beautiful, but she did have the precious beauty of a virtuous woman. All who saw and knew her could not mistake her gracious conduct, particularly to Naomi. Boaz knew that she was “far above rubies” (Proverbs 31:10). The redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken of earlier, (Ruth 3:12-13) who was a closer relation of Elimelech passed by. Boaz asked him to come near and sit down. His name is never mentioned, perhaps because he refused to become the redeemer. R U T H 4:2-4 An d h e t o o k t e n m e n o f t h e e l d e r s o f t h e c i t y , an d s ai d , " S i t d o w n h e r e ." S o t h e y s at d o w n . T h e n h e s ai d t o t h e c l o s e r e l at i v e , " N ao m i , w h o h as c o m e bac k f r o m t h e c o u n t r y o f M o ab, s o l d t h e p i e c e o f l an d w h i c h be l o n ge d t o o u r br o t h e r El i m e l e c h . " An d I t h o u gh t t o i n f o r m y o u , s ay i n g, 'B u y i t bac k i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e i n h abi t an t s an d t h e e l d e r s o f m y p e o p l e . I f y o u w i l l r e d e e m i t , r e d e e m i t ; bu t i f y o u w i l l n o t r e d e e m i t , t h e n t e l l m e , t h at I m ay k n o w ; f o r t h e r e i s n o o n e bu t y o u t o r e d e e m i t , an d I am n e x t af t e r y o u .' " An d h e s ai d , " I w i l l r e d e e m i t ." Boaz calls together ten of Bethlehem’s elders, and they also sit down with him. They would be witnesses of a legal transaction. Boaz had thought about all of this and had carefully planned out his strategy. He explains that Naomi had a field for sale that belonged to Naomi’s late husband. The closest relative (kinsman) had the first right to the property and Boaz was next in line after him. If the closer relative would not redeem the property, Boaz agreed to redeem the price of the land. Jesus has paid the price for us all. Now there are two Old Testament laws involved in our story here, the law regulating redemption (buying back) of property (verse.3), which is in Leviticus 25:25-34 and the other one we will see in verse 5. The man then said, “I will redeem it.” Oh, now what would Boaz do? Did he lose his beloved? R U T H 4:5-8 T h e n B o az s ai d , " On t h e d ay y o u bu y t h e f i e l d f r o m t h e h an d o f N ao m i , y o u m u s t al s o bu y i t f r o m R u t h t h e M o abi t e s s , t h e w i f e o f t h e d e ad , t o p e r p e t u at e t h e n am e o f t h e d e ad t h r o u gh h i s i n h e r i t an c e ." An d t h e c l o s e r e l at i v e s ai d , " I c an n o t r e d e e m i t f o r m y s e l f , l e s t I r u i n m y o w n i n h e r i t an c e . Y o u r e d e e m m y r i gh t o f r e d e m p t i o n f o r y o u r s e l f , f o r I c an n o t r e d e e m i t ." N o w t h i s w as t h e c u s t o m i n f o r m e r t i m e s i n I s r ae l c o n c e r n i n g r e d e e m i n g an d e x c h an gi n g, t o c o n f i r m an y t h i n g: o n e m an t o o k o f f h i s s an d al an d gav e i t t o t h e o t h e r , an d t h i s w as a c o n f i r m at i o n i n I s r ae l . T h e r e f o r e t h e c l o s e r e l at i v e s ai d t o B o az , " B u y i t f o r y o u r s e l f ." S o h e t o o k o f f h i s s an d al .