AM Bible Study Group; February 2, 2011

Ruth 4:13-22

Theme: This chapter describes the birth of Ruth’s baby, and the restoration of Naomi’s joy.

These closing words tell us the happy ending of the story of Naomi—and ultimately, of the happy story of the provision of our Redeemer Jesus Christ!

I. OBED IS BORN (v. 13).

A. We’re told that Boaz “took Ruth and she became his wife”. Through this act, all that was promised by him was fulfilled. Even though Ruth was a foreigner, she was established in the household of a man of Israel. And even though Boaz had know natural relationship to Naomi, he thus met her need for a kinsman-redeemer.

B. We’re told that, after Boaz married Ruth, “the LORD gave her conception and she bore a son”. The law has been fulfilled. The name of Ruth’s dead husband has been preserved—along with the name of the dead husband of Naomi. And notice that it was the Lord who did it!

II. NAOMI IS BLESSED (vv. 14-17).

A. The whole matter was the talk of the town when Naomi first returned to Bethlehem with her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth. And it was still the talk of the town. But note that the women now offer a blessing—not to Ruth, but to Naomi! She who had formerly asked to be called “Bitter” now was “blessed”. “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel” (v. 14).

B. They offer the prayer/wish that the name of Naomi’s “close relative” be famous in Israel. But this could not be Boaz. He was already highly esteemed. Note also that the one that the women speak of as Naomi’s restorer is not Boaz, but the child that was born to him! The surprise ending of the story is that the baby was Naomi’s real kinsman- redeemer and restorer all along! “And may he [that is, the baby] be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher [or "sustainer"] of your old age” (v. 15a). The baby was given the name Obed, which means “Servant”; and he would, indeed, be the one who would serve the needs of Naomi. “. . . [F]or your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has born him” (v. 15b).

C. “Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him” (v. 16). She cared for her new grandson as if he were her own. And this is remarkably confirmed in verse 17; where we’re told that the women gave him the name Obed and said, “There is a son born to Naomi” (v. 17). Boaz could not take Naomi as a wife and give her a child, because she was past that age. But Ruth bore the child for her that would be the heir to her husband’s property and name; and thus the women said that Naomi had a son. As the goel (kinsman-redeemer), Boaz should legally have married Naomi in order to raise up a son in her dead husband’s name. “However”, as Dr. Leon Morris wrote, “since she was too old Ruth was a substitute and the child in a sense was Naomi’s” (Arthur E. Crandall and Leon Morris, Judges & Ruth [Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1968], p. 315). This helps us further appreciate the loving sacrifice that Ruth made for her mother-in-law (see 1:16-17; 2:11; 3:10; 4:10).

III. THE LINEAGE IS ESTABLISHED (vv. 18-22).

A. The closing comment of verse 17 leads to the genealogy that comes at the end of this book. And this closing genealogy suggesting that one great purpose of the book was to show the sovereignty of God in His work to protect the lineage of promise that would lead to the birth of King David—and ultimately to the birth of King Jesus!

B. The ten names that follow lead all the way to David

1. First was Perez. He was the son that was born of Judah through his daughter-in-law Tamar. She lost two husbands; and she forced Judah through deception to be the one through whom a son would be born (see Genesis 38:29).

2. Perez begot Hezron, Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; who was the father-in-law of Aaron (see Exodus 6:23).

3. Amminadab’s son was Nahshon, who was the leader of the tribe of Judah as it marched out at the exodus (see Numbers 1:7; 2:3; 7:12; 10:14).

4. His son Salmon became the husband of Rahab “the Harlot” (Judges 2:1-24; 6:22-25; Matthew 1:5).

5. Salmon begot Boaz; and Boaz begot Obed, and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David. And all of this leads up to the great descendant of David, the Lord Jesus Christ (see Matthew 1:1-17).

* * * * * * * * * *

The tiny thread of the great genealogy of our Savior was sovereignly held together by the birth of this baby boy Obed. And because this was so, like Naomi, we too can say, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given . . .” (Isaiah 9:6). The Restorer truly was born; and His name truly became “famous in Israel”.