What is the story of Ruth and Boaz?

Answer

The book of Ruth primarily focuses on the relationship between Ruth and Boaz. Ruth, a Moabite woman, had come to Israel as the widow of an Israelite man. She returned with her mother-in-law, Naomi, who had also been widowed. They resided together in humble circumstances, and Ruth would go to the fields daily to glean food during the harvest season.

Boaz, a landowner where Ruth went to gather grain, was aware of her situation. He instructed his workers to intentionally leave an abundance of grain for her. Boaz also invited her to share meals with his workers and ensured her safety while working in his fields throughout the harvest.

Naomi recognized that Boaz was a close relative who, under Jewish law, had the right to marry Ruth following her husband’s passing. Naomi advised Ruth to approach Boaz in the evening and express her willingness to accept a marriage proposal from him. When she did so, he was pleased but mentioned that there was another relative with a closer claim to marry Ruth.

The following day, Boaz discussed the matter with this relative, who declined the offer due to concerns about its impact on his own family. Boaz then publicly declared his commitment to marry Ruth in front of the town’s leaders.

Boaz and Ruth wed and soon welcomed a son named Obed. Naomi’s sorrow turned to joy as she became a grandmother. Obed later became the grandfather of King David, who would also be an ancestor of Jesus Christ.

Ruth is one of the four women specifically mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus. Matthew 1:5–6 states, “Boaz was the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.”

The narrative of Ruth and Boaz provides numerous valuable lessons for today. One of these is the idea that God frequently works through individuals who have endured tragic circumstances to impact the lives of others.

By others. Second, God will work through unlikely means. Ruth was a poor widow and a foreigner, yet God used her as part of the family line of both David and Jesus. Third, God’s sovereign power can be seen. He is in control of everything that happens, even when we do not understand the situation.