Landon Lacy brings comforting truths from the book of Ruth, reminding us of how God is always at work in the background of our lives, regardless of what we see or how far he feels from us.
Key Takeaway
We do not need to doubt for a second that God is not going to let our story end in suffering. Even if we have to sacrifice in our abundance or lack, God is always at work for His glory and for the good of those who love Him.
The Bible can feel like you're reading about really elite people who are having incredible and powerful encounters with God, but you're stuck in your normal, boring life. You're not hearing from God or seeing anything supernatural.
Does it feel like God is being silent in your life?
In the book of Ruth, we never hear from God. There's no major supernatural, miraculous event that takes place. We don't ever hear a prayer. They are just normal people living their everyday lives.
Just because God is not speaking or acting clearly in your life does not mean that God is not near, that He's not involved, or that He's not working to bring about His purpose for His glory and for the good of those who love Him.
How does Naomi interact with God in the midst of suffering and loss?
- Suffering tends to exaggerate God's silence, making Him feel distant and far away. God doesn't want us to pull away from Him but to lean in.
- Naomi's grief causes her to isolate herself from others and then identify only with her grief. She as far as wanting to change her name to "bitter." Yet, Ruth clings to her and offers friendship.
- God may write suffering into a page of your life, but He will not let it be the final story. Romans 8:35 assures us that no suffering can separate us from Jesus. Every story with Jesus ends with life and love. Your past suffering does not exclude you from a hopeful future.
How does Boaz interact with God in the midst of success and abundance?
- There are times when we have been faithful and it's costing us while everyone else is doing what is right in their own eyes and not only getting away with it, they're flourishing.
- We always find Boaz being obedient to the revealed Word of God. He's not waiting to be spoken to have a vision or a dream; he's just being faithful to what the Old Testament talks about in the law.
- It cost Boaz to be the kinsman redeemer. He had to buy the land back into the family, marry the widow, produce an heir, and then give that land back to the heir. The kinsman redeemer didn't get to keep it. He sacrificed to follow the law.
So, the story concludes with Naomi holding her grandchild on the restored land, blessings from friends spoken over her. However, the story doesn't end with her. There's a blessed genealogy produced. Boaz and Ruth had Obed, Obed had Jesse, and Jesse had David. David would become a redeemer for the nation.
It seemed like God was silent, but God was working through Naomi and Boaz to bring a king who would replace the judges and redeem the people into life, hope, and a future from all the wickedness and evil the people had done.
The redeemer is not just for God's people. David was promised that a King would come from his line and rule forever to redeem all people with His life from sin and death. See Colossians 1:13-14.
All of us are found like Naomi, needing to be redeemed from a life far from God in a foreign land and left with no protection. However, God sent Jesus, just like He sent Boaz, to sacrifice and redeem us, giving us life and securing our inheritance with Him. Jesus paid it all for us so we could live forever with Him.
Discussion Questions
Do you feel like God is only active in the Bible and in other people's lives, but He is distant and silent in yours?
When you can't hear or see God, what is a practical thing you can do to lean in towards God?
Since sometimes people in the Bible appear to be the elite of humanity, how is the book of Ruth a comfort? What is unique about this book?
Read Ruth 1:20-21. What has Naomi's grief done to her?
What does Ruth do to Naomi in Ruth 1:14, 16-18? When you are suffering, who is clinging to you? When others suffer, who are you clinging to?
Boaz lived in a world where he was faithful, and it was costing him, but everyone else was doing whatever they wanted and flourishing. We are, too. Are you tempted to stop being faithful to God when you see others prosper in their disobedience?
Did Boaz ever hear from God, see a vision, or have a dream? How did he know he was doing the right thing?
When Boaz agreed to be the kinsman redeemer, what did that entail? How big of a sacrifice was it to be a kinsman redeemer?
Naomi's, Ruth's, and Boaz's lives were forever changed. At the funeral of her husband and sons, could Naomi have even fathomed what would come from her suffering? Could Ruth see what was coming as she left her home? Did Boaz know where his lineage would lead when he became the kinsman redeemer? What hope does this give you in your own life?
How has Jesus stepped in to be our redeemer? What have we been promised through His sacrifice?
Scripture References
