Daily Bible Reading for April 7, 2020

Today my Bible reading plan covers a beautiful love story of which many of us are familiar. It is the book of Ruth, Chapters 1-4.

In Chapter 1, it opens during the time when there were judges in Israel and there was a famine in the land of Bethlehem of Judah. The focus is on one family’s response to the famine, Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion. They travel to Moab to live for relief. While there, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi with her two sons. Her two sons found their wives among the Moabites, Ruth and Orpah. Later the two sons die, and Naomi learns that her homeland is no longer in famine, so she decides to return to Judah.

Naomi tries to coax her daughters-in-law to go back to their homeland. Orpah agrees to return, but Ruth refuses.

“Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Vs. 16

In Chapter 2, Ruth wants to help provide for her and Naomi and asks to go to glean in whichever field she is allowed. Ruth ends up gleaning in Boaz’s field. Boaz is a relative of Naomi’s husband. Boaz notices Ruth and asks about her and advises her that she only gleans in his field offering her protection. He later allows her to have a meal with the reapers, and has her bag filled. Ruth reports how she fared to Naomi, telling her she gleaned in Boaz’s field. Naomi lets her know that he is a close relative.

In Chapter 3, Naomi wants to secure a marriage for Ruth. Naomi gives Ruth instructions to bathe, get dressed and go to see where Boaz goes to sleep after eating, and to uncover his feet and lay at his feet. (This was a symbolic act of Ruth asking Boaz to marry her.) When Boaz notices her, she asks him to redeem her.

“Spread your wings over your servant, for your are a redeemer.” Vs. 9b

Boaz confirms to Ruth that he is honored by her request, and that there is one redeemer who has the first right of redemption, and if he does not, then he will.

In Chapter 4, Boaz speaks with the man among witnesses of an available parcel of land by Naomi for sale that he has first rights to. The man agrees to purchase. Boaz tells him with the land he will also acquire Ruth, the Moabite. The man then turns it down opening the door for Boaz to marry Ruth.

Boaz marries Ruth and they have a son. They named him Obed. Obed would be the father of Jesse, and Jesse would be the father of David.

My Thoughts On This: God is sovereign and he is always working. Through the providence of God, Naomi returns to Judah with Ruth, and Boaz marries Ruth so that the line through whom Christ the Messiah would come is preserved. One need only look at all of the seemingly inconsequential circumstances in our own lives that point to the providence of God.

Let’s read the Book!