©2012 Scott King REDEMPTION IN BETHLEHEM The Story of Ruth ©2012 Scott King 1 ©2012 Scott King 2 5 A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS BOOK 7 INTRODUCTION 9 WEEK ONE: Sovereignty 19 WEEK TWO: Grace 29 WEEK THREE:©2012 Scott King Refuge 39 WEEK FOUR: Redemption 51 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 3 ©2012 Scott King 4 A few words about this book… As we move into the Christmas season, you hold in your hands a Bible study guide for use throughout the Advent season… one that’s focused on the Old Testament short story known as Ruth. A little odd? Maybe. Or maybe not. While Ruth is certainly not a traditional Advent text, there are some striking parallels. Ruth is a beautifully written narrative all about redemption through love. Like the gospel itself, Ruth begins with death, but ends resoundingly with life. Ruth is set in the small Hebrew town of Bethlehem. The story revolves around one who is undeserving of love and grace, but freely receives it due to the kindness of another. And, (spoiler alert!), the story ends with Ruth becoming the great-grandmother of King David and humbly stepping into the lineage of Jesus Himself. We’ll consider this beautifully written story as we journey together through the Advent season this year. With each section of this incredible story, we’ll look at one of the characteristics of our great Redeemer: His sovereignty, His grace, the refuge He gives, His redemption, and finally, on Christmas Eve, the Redeemer Himself. My encouragement for each of us as we walk through this season together is that we use the studies within this book to deepen our understanding©2012 Scott of King this story, and thereby, our understanding of the gospel as well. Within this study guide, you’ll find three studies for each of the four Advent weeks. Please don’t feel pressure to complete every part of these studies—use them in a way that makes sense with your own personal study. If you get stuck on a particular section or question, feel free to move on, and then revisit at a later time. While the studies themselves are intended for adults and teens more than children, I think you’ll find that reading the book of Ruth with your kids will bring out some incredible discussion around the same truths that we are studying each week. In addition to the studies, you’ll also find a sermon notesheet and facilitation questions for each week’s message. These are meant to be used within the LIFE groups at York Alliance, but they could certainly be used as personal or group application questions as well. The intent of this study is to help us all gain a deeper understanding of this timeless and beautifully written narrative. 5 Because of the literary structure and beauty of this piece of the Biblical narrative, I’ve asked Scott King to be the lead writer for this study. While we’ve worked together on this project, he is behind some of the profound ideas this study contains. I will take credit for the holes and the mistakes, but as for the things that really work in this study, Scott is the author. I want to personally express my thanks to him for being willing to use his gifting as a blessing to the body of Christ at York Alliance, and for deepening our Advent celebrations this year. If you have any questions or comments about the book, I would love to hear them! You are welcomed to email me at [email protected]. Blessings for a joyous and meaningful Advent season, Brian Kannel York Alliance Church ©2012 Scott King 6 Introduction The structure of the narrative of Ruth is among the most compelling, heart-breaking, and simultaneously beautiful stories in all of scripture. It is a story in the truest sense in that the book of Ruth unravels characters and their struggles from beginning to end. It introduces to us two women, both of whom are products of their suffering, marked by the lot that has been cast against them as well as the commitment that they have to each other and to God. This book asks essential questions about suffering and why it has to be such a giant part of our existence in this life. Ruth is full of questions about the reality that we are born into and the state in which we often find ourselves: questioning wandering wondering warring Ruth makes the reality of fear a very tangible one: how can we survive in a place where we have such little control, where the people who are closest have left us alone, where God feels distant and the only hope that we have is a very long shot in a very dark place?©2012 Scott On King earth we are products of our fear, and Ruth shows us that love casts out all of our fear until we are left with nothing but the ability to reach for our Savior, who lifts us up to save us from the very fears that have brought us to the end of ourselves. If you have any doubts as to why we are studying the book of Ruth during Advent at York Alliance Church, as you read the text, remind yourself of the condition into which Christ entered the world. He was not in a position of opulence or of considerable comfort. Christ was brought into this world and placed in a feeding trough. As Isaiah prophesied, he would become a “man of sorrows” who is “despised and rejected by men.” Christ’s life is marked by the following of a select few, the disbelief of many and the death of one. He was familiar with suffering; he was despised; he was rejected; he was feared; he was misunderstood; he was born to die; he died for our life. 7 In Ruth we encounter a very similar experience of life. As you read, as you explore and wonder, remember the life that Christ lived. Out of suffering and death, the life of grace is discovered. Out of the deplorable hopelessness of death, God redeemed all of creation. And, incredibly, He first used the obedience of a Moabite woman to accomplish His purpose for His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Scott King ©2012 Scott King “Father, I thank You for the privilege of being the recipients of your eternal Word. As we journey through this season of anticipation celebrating the joy of the incarnation, may our joy be made complete again this year as we study Your Word and Your marvelous plan of redemption. Jesus, I pray that You would, in Your grace, show us Yourself as our Redeemer, and then draw our hearts close to Yours so that our faith would be shown in our daily living. Thank You that You are the sovereign God in the midst of life’s struggles and challenges, that You offer us Your free and abundant grace, that You provide a refuge under which we can take shelter, and that You ultimately redeem us by Your great power and through Your great love. Amen.” 8 SOVEREIGNTY Ruth 1:1-22 Naomi finds herself in a terrible situation. However, in the midst of tragedy, she recognizes that God is ultimately in control. It's out of this brokenness that God's greatest triumph, the incarnation, will emerge. Are we willing to recognize the sovereignty of God in the midst of suffering? It's only in the recognition of God's ability and control that our suffering is given meaning. ©2012 Scott King 9 The Exposition The book of Ruth wastes no time in unraveling a marvelous story of redemption in that it begins at the root of tragedy; it begins with death. Every story that finds its characters experiencing true healing and redemption must have those same characters know what it means to be broken. In Ruth, the author shows us the core of that brokenness in Naomi’s experience of death and her expression of her state to her daughters. Read Ruth 1:1-22 • What themes do you see unfolding at the onset of this story? • Describe the state in which the author begins the story. What words would you use to illustrate Naomi’s situation? ©2012 Scott King • In verses 8-14, Naomi paints a bleak picture of her future, asking very specific things of her daughters. What do you see as significant in this passage? • In terms of storytelling, what makes verse 14 so meaningful? What do you think the author is trying to illustrate? 10 Slowly re-read Ruth’s response to Naomi’s heart-cry in verses 16-17. • What is your initial reaction to these words? • How does Ruth’s posture of clinging to Naomi, as compared to Orpah’s obedience to Naomi’s command, influence the meaning behind her words? As a response to Naomi’s wishes, Orpah expresses love in that she follows Naomi’s wish for her to remarry. Ruth, however, shows her love for Naomi by remaining her daughter. The fact that Ruth “clung” to Naomi (v. 14) is not simply an act of obedience; it’s©2012 also Scott an King act of commitment. Ruth’s verbal response following her posture is an earnest plea that nothing will separate her from Naomi, not even death. At the very core of this expression of commitment to Naomi is a promise to accept her God. Naomi’s trust in God and love for Orpah and Ruth in the midst of doubt and questioning then, is a powerful expression of faith in that it leads Ruth to regard herself as under the covenant of God’s chosen people.