3 Purposes of Ruth (there are others)
- Defends David and David’s lineage of kingship — and therefore also defends Jesus’ lineage
- An example of God’s laws being lived out in personal lives — particularly for the widowed, the orphaned, the foreigner
- Shows how God is involved in the day to day joys of our lives
Hesed
The Biblical concept of “Hesed” → It is mostly used as a descriptor about God and God uses it to describe Himself. It is translated as lovingkindness, mercy, loyalty. It is about LOYAL, faithful love. There is a sacrificial element to it: it is one person’s actions for another, that only one person can give. “Long Acting Love” is my new favorite way to understanding “hesed.”
When you think of “Long Acting Love” what comes to mind?
Read and Discuss
Ruth 2 — mark it up
Come up with 5 thoughts/questions that come to mind as you read Ruth 2
Discussion Questions
“Divine loyalty takes shape in community and in individual lives through human actions.”
Katherine Doob-Sakenfeld
- What do you notice about Boaz?
- “Gleaning” is the Biblical concept of provision for the poor, widowed, orphaned and foreigners by picking what was leftover in the fields after harvest. Owners of the fields were not supposed to harvest everything but to leave behind the corners so that others could come and harvest what was left.
- In what ways are we called to “leave the corners” for people today? In what ways are we gleaners?
- Why do you think the chapter keeps referring to Ruth as “The Moabitess” as opposed to “Naom’s daughter-in-law” or something else?
- How does each character seem to change from chapter 1 to chapter 2? What made them change?
- How do the different characters demonstrate hesed in chapter 2? (2:11) How do the different characters seem to understand God?
- What are all the different things that God is doing in this chapter? How?
- As you think about your own life, perhaps in this past week, how has God been at work in ways you might not even have realized? Through whom? How has God shown you God’s hesed this week? Are there opportunities for you to show God’s hesed?
Anchor & Hope Church 