21 Fellowship
Couples Class
Ruth 4
He Joyfully Did All That Was Necessary
April 11, 2010
1-2 The next morning Boaz goes to the _________of Bethlehem. This where they handled business matters.
Everyone in town knew the situation. There was only one Naomi, a widow with no one to provide for
her, and a daughter-in-law who had decided to become a Jew and stick with Naomi until death. The
Mosaic Law, as we read last week, commanded that the nearest male relative come to the aid of a
destitute widow. In this case there are two. One can no longer have children to preserve the name of her
husband, the other one could produce a son who would eventually inherit the property of Naomi’s
husband, Elimelech. This case is so awesome because Obed is not going to be the direct physical
descendent of Elimelech. He is like an adopted grandson, like we are as Christian, adopted into the
Family of God.
Boaz first stops the _____________ cousin (he is closer in the family tree to Elimelech than Boaz is
himself. That is all we know about him.) Next he gathers ______ men to be witnesses to the transaction
that is going to be made, which is the purchasing of Naomi’s land and house by Boaz.
3-12 Then, Boaz explains the situation to the nearer cousin with only Naomi and her property being
mentioned. This results in the closer relative saying, ‘I will _______it” (vs. 4). Then, Boaz
mentions the fact that if he redeems Naomi’s property, he will also be buying ___________, who will
become his _________ to raise up a son to carry on the name of her dead husband. Immediately the
nearer kinsman changes his tune, and says “I _______________ buy it.” It will ruin my estate, meaning
it is too expensive and I will be too poor. The reason he says this is because he knows Ruth will have a
child, probably a son, and he will eventually get the land back as his own, and the nearer kinsman will
have paid for the whole deal.
Do you think Boaz was excited when this man said he could not do it?____________
The nearer kinsman tells Boaz to _____________ it for himself. And Boaz addresses the elders and
the large crowd that has gathered and tells them they are all witnesses that today he is buying everything
that belongs to Naomi. And that he is also taking _____________ to be his wife to raise up a son to
perpetuate the name of the dead. Everyone is excited and says, “May the Lord make the woman who is
becoming your wife be like Rachel and Leah who built the entire house of ______________. And may
you, Boaz, become famous in ______________________.” Do these witnesses think that Ruth is going
to have a son from her marriage to Boaz? _________________.
13-22 And, what is the son’s name?_________________ What does the name mean?___________________
What do you think about this name for today?_________________________________________
Appl: What this book says more than anything else is that our Heavenly Father loved us and sent one of
our relatives, who was also His Son, to purchase us with His blood that He shed on that cross some 2000
years ago. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for his friend.”