Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Ruth is a book about a widow and her faithful daughter-in-law, who are rewarded for their faithfulness by God's provision. Naomi's daughter-in-law, Ruth, said "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." Naomi needed a relative on her husband's side to "redeem" her husband's land and property in order to maintain their family name and estate. God provided Boaz, who was a relative and became interested in helping Ruth and Naomi. Before witnesses, Boaz announced that he would take Ruth as his wife and redeem the property of Elimelek and Mahlon. The Lord blessed Ruth further by giving her a son by Boaz, and the people said to Naomi: "Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth."