GREAT BREAKTHROUGHS: RUTH’S REDEMPTION

Week 3: THE AFTERMATH

During this study, we will be doing a ‘deep dive’ into a scriptural passage. It is strongly encouraged that you study the passage and entire chapter ahead of the study. Also be prepared with your research tools, for example Google or your study Bible, as you will need to reference it during the study. Spend time answering and discussing each question with the intention to gain sufficient understanding to help your own private Bible study as you further explore these topics.

Study Chapters: Ruth 1-4, Phil 3, Eph 1-2

Pilot text

Ruth 4:9-12 9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.” 11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman.”
Eph 1:20-23 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Eph 2:4-5 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

We have just celebrated Easter to mark the death, burial and triumphant resurrection of Christ. Outside of our bible studies, we have relived the events leading up to the cross, reminded ourselves of the depth of God’s love for us, revisited Christ’s sacrifice, and rejoiced at His resurrection. The story of Ruth, which we have studied for the last few weeks, is an Old Testament depiction of redemption at work. As we close out this study series, we ask ourselves: what is the aftermath of these events – what happened the day after?

Discussion Points

1. A change of identity: Before Ruth married Boaz, she was known as ‘the Moabitess’, ‘a foreigner’ or at best ‘Naomi’s daughter-in-law’. After her redemption, she became known as ‘the wife of Boaz’, ‘the mother of Obed’, and ‘the grandmother of David’. This was not simply a change of name, but a fundamental shift in her state of being. As an outsider, she had no access to the covenant blessings of the nation of Israel at the time. As the wife of Boaz and grandmother of David, the story of that nation could not be complete without her. Likewise, because of the resurrection of Christ, ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor 5:17). Our transformation in Christ is not simply a change of name, but a fundamental change of nature; which is the only way we can access the promise of salvation delivered to us in Christ.
2. A change of position: When Ruth first met Boaz, her position was lower than his servants. She was positioned behind the reapers, who were young male and female labourers overseen by a servant (Ruth 2:3,6). So the order of priority was Ruth at the bottom, then the reapers, then the servants, and then Boaz at the top. But after Ruth’s identity changed, she became seated at the side of Boaz; such that the servants and reapers were also in service to her. Likewise, as a result of Christ’s resurrection, God “even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:5-6). This means that things that ruled over us in times past when we were not in Christ, are now under our authority in Christ: whether they are of principality, power, might, dominion, or name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come (Eph 1:20-23).
3. A change of pursuit: When Ruth first met Boaz, she was chasing after what to eat, drink or wear because these were her primary focus at the time. But after her change of identity and position, her focus and therefore pursuit also changed. A consequence of the resurrection of Christ for us is that, now having direct access to God, we have (by faith) all that we need. And so our primary pursuit is no longer of things, after which ‘the Gentiles’ seek (Matt 6:32). Our primary pursuit is Christ – that we may know him and fully walk in the power of His resurrection. In Apostle Paul’s words, “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:13-14 AMP).

Closing thoughts:

Ruth’s story in the Old Testament is a preview of God’s perfect plan for mankind’s redemption, as completely fulfilled in Christ Jesus. We also see the real-life narrative of someone who, at their lowest point, found a path to breakthrough by faith in God’s power to do the impossible.
At the beginning of the story, it was an impossible situation – impossible for Naomi to give Ruth a husband (Ruth 1:11-13), impossible for what she lost to be restored; so impossible that she asked to change her name from pleasant (Naomi) to bitter (Mara). Ruth had given up everything in her homeland for a future that seemed full of nothing. But thank God that the story was not over.
By the end of the story, God had worked it so that Naomi was – in a manner of speaking – able to give Ruth a husband. By the end of the story, God had made it so that there was ‘a son born to Naomi’. It may have looked like Ruth gave up everything for nothing; but at the end of the story, it turned out to be quite the opposite: nothing became everything and more. By the end of the story, the restoration that Naomi thought was impossible came in the form of redemption, where everything she had lost was purchased back in full. ‘Naomi the empty’ became ‘Naomi the full’; ‘Ruth the Moabitess’ became ‘Ruth, a mother in Israel’; and impossible became nothing.
For us, as we walk in the triumph of Christ’s resurrection and our heavenly identity and place in Him, we have the boldness to step into that which God has prepared for us. We can have the confidence that, even if it looks impossible to us, God’s grace is more than sufficient to lead us into victory.

Zech 4:6-7 (CEV) So the angel explained that it was the following message of the LORD to Zerubbabel: I am the LORD All-Powerful. So don’t depend on your own power or strength, but on my Spirit.
Zerubbabel, that mountain in front of you will be levelled to the ground. Then you will bring out the temple’s most important stone and shout, “God has been very kind.”

Application Questions (use scriptures to support your position):

1. “The main job of the believer is to earn the salvation that God has prepared for us in Christ”. Agree / disagree with reasons.
2. A believer tells you that he believes God is calling him to do the impossible. He tells you that, in order to position himself for this, he needs to turn his back on his family, just like Ruth. What would you say to him?