The book of Ruth weaves a redemption story that begins with one family from Bethlehem and points toward the Messiah born in the same city. In the story of Ruth, we see how God sees and cares for His people, even demonstrating His love for the nations through a Moabite woman who became a part of Jesus’ lineage. God’s provision for not only Ruth, but all people is revealed through the theme of a redeemer.
What does Ruth’s story teach us about our need for redemption? How does faith play a role in this book of the Bible?
In the time of the judges, famine overtook the land of Judah. So, a man named Elimelech traveled with his family to the land of Moab. Eventually, Elimelech and his two sons died, leaving his wife Naomi and her two daughters-in-law seemingly without provision or protection in their time of need. Naomi granted her late sons’ wives to return to their homelands, yet Ruth swore to remain with Naomi and declared that Naomi’s God would be her God too.
Ruth remained faithful to Naomi and took to the fields to glean grain for them both. It was there she received kindness from the field’s owner Boaz, whom she soon learned was their family redeemer. Boaz had the power to bring Ruth and Naomi back into Elimelech’s family so their lineage would continue. He took Ruth as his wife to provide her with the food and protection she needed. Like Ruth, we need provision, but our need goes even further: salvation from sin. The kindness of Jesus led Him to the cross to redeem us amid our sinful state.
Lead kids to see that this story goes beyond mere physical provision to reveal a God who made the way to offer us salvation. Pray that the children in your class would see God’s sovereign hand at work in this story and that they would trust in Jesus as the perfect and final Redeemer.
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