RUTH

"But Ruth replied, 'Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.'"

Ruth 1:16-17

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PAGE ELEMENTS

Names in Ruth

Ruth Outline

RUTH - 08 - GOD'S GENTLENESS

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Meaning of Names in Ruth

Obed (Church)

Elimelech
Mahlon
Chilion
Naomi
Mara
Orpah
Ruth
Boaz
Obed

God is king
Sickly / Weak
Wasting Away
Lovely / Beautiful
Bitterness
Mane / Back of Neck
Friend of Compassion
Strength
a Servant who Worships

Boaz (Christ)

Naomi (Jew)

Ruth (Gentile)

ELIMELECH

He was a hypocrite - God was not his king, when the famine hit he fled to Moab, the enemies of God's people. People like Boaz trusted in God and stayed and God delivered them. Meanwhile Eli allowed his sons to marry Moabite women. He died in time.

HIS 2 SONS

Like father like son, hypocrites, no spiritual strength, became sickly and died. 1Cor.11:30; weak, sick, asleep.

NAOMI

She is the spiritual giant in the family but had to obey and follow her husband. She could not influence her sons to God but the daughters-in-law both loved her for the spiritual person she was. How beautiful are the feet that bring good news. Ro.10:15; Eph.6:15.

MARA

Naomi changes her name to Mara - bitterness, for the way it turned out for her family. Returning with shame.

ORPAH

She tried to return but Mara dissuaded her so she turned around and returned to her people. We saw the back of her neck - Mane.

RUTH

Refused to listen and stayed and was a friend to Mara and declared, I will go where you go, your people shall be my people, your God shall be my God. She surrendered and took care of Mara.

BOAZ

Recognized the dedication and sacrifice of this Moabitess and provided comfort and protection for her and ultimately when asked became their redeemer, when a closer cousin refused the honor. Boaz redeemed the land for Mara, Naomi and married Ruth. He is seen as the Christ like figure, redeeming both Jew and Gentile under one roof, the church is born - Obed - a servant who worships.

1. Running Away From God - Sinful Lifestyle

Elimelech is a hypocrite, his name means, ‘God is king’ but his actions show the opposite, he does not trust God to help him through the famine so he flees Israel to Moab, the enemies of God’s people. Like father like son, his sons become spiritually sick just like their father and all three die.

2. Returning to God - Repent

Naomi being the faithful wife had to follow her husband, leaving the land and God whom she lovded, to stay with her family. She must be the most incredible mother-in-law in the world because after the men in her life die, she leaves to return to Israel, and both daughter-in-law’s want to remain by her side, probably because of her spiritual strength Romans 10:15.

Not wishing for the girls to follow her she tells them to return home, Orpah (back of neck) turns and stays in Moab. Ruth (companion) wants to make Naomi’s God her God and returns to take care of Naomi who changed her name to Mara (bitter) for her family has died.

3. Rewarded with Relationships

As Ruth gleans the fields and cares for Naomi, Boaz recognizes Ruth’s dedication to Naomi, Boaz gives her protection and blesses her well with the produce of the field. When asked by Ruth to be their redeemer, Boaz agrees and marries Ruth, buys the land back and they are blessed by God with a boy Obed.

The Gospel of Ruth

Boaz represents the Christ like figure, the strength, able to deliver us all. Naomi represents the Jews, Ruth, the Gentiles, both are united together in the family of Boaz, as one family, one body. The outcome is Obed, a servant who worships, Christians!

Get out of your sinful ways, you’ve been gone from God too long! Repent before you die and those around perish as well. Come back to God, He will redeem you and place you in His family, the body of Christ, through the waters of baptism and your reward will be all the relationships the church has to offer. 1 John 5:13

“Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who w ill not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Luke 18:29-30