"So Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. When the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, Boaz called out to him, "Come over here, friend. I want to talk to you. " So they sat down together." Ruth 4:1
This is it! This is what we've been waiting for! The tension is high. Boaz has a plan and we're pretty sure he has all his 'ducks in a row', but this other guy could still throw a wrench in things. Boaz is smooth and this other family redeemer is caught off guard - how will this situation play out?
Welcome to the 11th chapter of The Girl's Still Got It and the first half of chapter 4 in the Book of Ruth. Just when we thought things couldn't get any more intense, Boaz pounces on the unnamed, aforementioned, first-in-line family redeemer.
One of my favorite TV show genres is murder mystery. I've been watching them all my life! From Perry Mason & Matlock (currently on MeTV) to Castle and NCIS. If it has a dead body, a bad guy/girl, and someone out for justice you can bet that I've watched it. When I read the scene of Boaz at the town gate, I picture Perry Mason, walking into the court room, asking questions he already knows the answers to, catching the real murderer off guard causing him or her to confess, right there in open court! I can see that Boaz knows more than he letting on (or the story teller is telling us) and he's using his insight to follow the law and win 'his case'.
This part of the story could have been rather dry & boring - have you read a legal document lately? But the ancient story tellers knew how to spin a tale, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats and thoroughly entertained. They have not failed their 21st century audience, either! Although we know the ending, watching the events unfold & seeing how Boaz works the situation and the system, is still exciting!
Even more exciting is the parallels between what Boaz does for Ruth & Naomi and what Jesus does for his church & for us. Read carefully and see if you can note how we (God's people) are like Ruth & Naomi and how Boaz is like Jesus. And to add another layer: Jesus, in his ministry, told parables so that we could better understand His Kingdom and His ways. I think the Book of Ruth, in all it's fairy tale loveliness, is also a real-life parable. I find THAT totally mind-blowing!!
Dig into this story more with the Study Guide questions in the back of the book. And don't worry if you don't agree with the whole picture Liz paints. I didn't, and as it turns out, I wasn't too far off in my opinion.
I can't wait to hear what you think of this "courtroom drama" scene from Ruth!
Your Partner in Ministry,
Shelly
warrior
"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Proverbs 16:24
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