Ruth 4:15
He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth."
He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age.
This phrase refers to the child Obed, born to Ruth and Boaz, who is seen as a restorer of life and a sustainer for Naomi. In the cultural context of ancient Israel, children were considered a blessing and a source of security for the future, especially in one's old age. The birth of Obed symbolizes hope and redemption for Naomi, who had previously lost her husband and sons. This renewal of life can be seen as a type of Christ, who offers spiritual renewal and sustenance to believers. The idea of renewal and sustenance is echoed in other scriptures, such as Isaiah 40:31, which speaks of those who hope in the Lord renewing their strength.

For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons,
Ruth's devotion to Naomi is highlighted here, emphasizing the depth of her love and loyalty. In the cultural context, sons were highly valued for carrying on the family name and providing for their parents. The comparison to "seven sons" underscores Ruth's exceptional worth, as seven is a number often associated with completeness and perfection in the Bible. Ruth's actions reflect the biblical principle of hesed, or loving-kindness, which is a key theme throughout the book. Her loyalty and love are reminiscent of the love Christ shows to His people, as seen in John 15:13, where Jesus speaks of the greatest love being to lay down one's life for friends.

has given him birth.
The birth of Obed is significant not only for Naomi and Ruth but also in the broader biblical narrative. Obed becomes the grandfather of King David, placing him in the direct lineage of Jesus Christ, as outlined in Matthew 1:5-6. This connection highlights the providential hand of God in orchestrating events for His purposes. The birth of Obed is a fulfillment of God's promise to bless all nations through Abraham's descendants, as seen in Genesis 12:3. This event foreshadows the coming of Christ, who would be the ultimate Redeemer and bring spiritual renewal to all who believe.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Naomi
The mother-in-law of Ruth, who experienced great loss but is now being restored through the birth of her grandson.

2. Ruth
A Moabite woman, Naomi's daughter-in-law, whose loyalty and love for Naomi lead to her becoming the great-grandmother of King David.

3. Obed
The son born to Ruth and Boaz, who is seen as a restorer of life and sustainer for Naomi.

4. Boaz
A kinsman-redeemer who marries Ruth, ensuring the continuation of Naomi's family line.

5. Bethlehem
The setting of the account, significant as the birthplace of both King David and Jesus Christ.
Teaching Points
God's Restoration
God can renew and restore life even in seemingly hopeless situations. Naomi's account encourages us to trust in God's timing and provision.

The Value of Relationships
Ruth's relationship with Naomi exemplifies the power of love and loyalty. It challenges us to value and nurture our relationships.

The Role of a Redeemer
Boaz as a kinsman-redeemer foreshadows Christ's redemptive work. This invites us to reflect on our own redemption through Jesus.

Legacy and Impact
Ruth's faithfulness impacts generations, reminding us that our actions and decisions can have lasting effects beyond our lifetime.

God's Inclusive Plan
Ruth, a Moabite, is included in the lineage of Christ, demonstrating God's inclusive love and the breaking of cultural barriers.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Naomi's transformation from bitterness to joy in Ruth 4:15 encourage you in your current life circumstances?

2. In what ways can you demonstrate the same loyalty and love that Ruth showed to Naomi in your own relationships?

3. How does the concept of a kinsman-redeemer in Ruth's account deepen your understanding of Jesus' role as our Redeemer?

4. Reflect on a time when God restored something in your life. How can you use that experience to encourage others?

5. Considering Ruth's inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus, how does this influence your view of God's plan for people from diverse backgrounds?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 21
The birth of Isaac to Sarah in her old age parallels Naomi's renewal through Obed, highlighting God's faithfulness in restoring life.

1 Samuel 1
Hannah's account of longing for a child and her eventual blessing with Samuel mirrors Naomi's transformation from emptiness to fullness.

Proverbs 31
The description of a virtuous woman connects to Ruth's character, emphasizing her worth and the impact of her love and loyalty.

Matthew 1
The genealogy of Jesus includes Ruth, underscoring her significance in God's redemptive plan.
The Benevolent Happiness of Old AgeJ.R. Thomson Ruth 4:14-17
People
Amminadab, Boaz, Chilion, David, Elimelech, Ephratah, Ephrath, Hezron, Jesse, Leah, Mahlon, Nahshon, Naomi, Obed, Perez, Pharez, Rachel, Ruth, Salmon, Tamar
Places
Bethlehem, Ephrathah, Moab
Topics
Age, Better, Birth, Born, Borne, Comforter, Daughter, Daughter-in-law, Giver, Law, Love, Loved, Loves, Loveth, Nourisher, Restorer, Seven, Sons, Sustain, Sustainer
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ruth 4:15

     5726   old age, attainment
     5903   maturity, physical

Ruth 4:13-17

     5652   babies
     5720   mothers, examples

Ruth 4:13-22

     5086   David, rise of

Ruth 4:14-15

     5674   daughters

Library
The Gospel of Matthew
Matthew's Gospel breaks the long silence that followed the ministry of Malachi the last of the Old Testament prophets. This silence extended for four hundred years, and during that time God was hid from Israel's view. Throughout this period there were no angelic manifestations, no prophet spake for Jehovah, and, though the Chosen People were sorely pressed, yet were there no Divine interpositions on their behalf. For four centuries God shut His people up to His written Word. Again and again had God
Arthur W. Pink—Why Four Gospels?

Christ the Redeemer
Q-xxx: HOW DOES THE SPIRIT APPLY TO US THE REDEMPTION PURCHASED BY CHRIST? A: The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. In this answer there are two things. It is implied that Christ is the glorious purchaser of our redemption, in the words, The redemption purchased by Christ,' and it is declared that the Spirit applies to us this purchased redemption, by working in us faith, &c. The thing implied
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Appendix ix. List of Old Testament Passages Messianically Applied in Ancient Rabbinic Writings
THE following list contains the passages in the Old Testament applied to the Messiah or to Messianic times in the most ancient Jewish writings. They amount in all to 456, thus distributed: 75 from the Pentateuch, 243 from the Prophets, and 138 from the Hagiorgrapha, and supported by more than 558 separate quotations from Rabbinic writings. Despite all labour care, it can scarcely be hoped that the list is quite complete, although, it is hoped, no important passage has been omitted. The Rabbinic references
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Job's Faith and Expectation
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. C hristianity, that is, the religion of which MESSIAH is the author and object, the foundation, life, and glory, though not altogether as old as creation, is nearly so. It is coeval [contemporary] with the first promise and intimation of mercy given to fallen man. When Adam, by transgression, had violated the order and law of
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Ruth
Goethe has characterized the book of Ruth as the loveliest little idyll that tradition has transmitted to us. Whatever be its didactic purpose--and some would prefer to think that it had little or none-it is, at any rate, a wonderful prose poem, sweet, artless, and persuasive, touched with the quaintness of an older world and fresh with the scent of the harvest fields. The love--stronger than country--of Ruth for Naomi, the gracious figure of Boaz as he moves about the fields with a word of blessing
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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