Unit 7: Judges OT7.7 Ruth and Boaz Lesson...1 OT7.7 Ruth and Boaz ©Beverly Wilson 2018 Unit 7:...

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OT7.7 Ruth and Boaz ©Beverly Wilson 2018

Unit 7: Judges OT7.7 Ruth and Boaz Lesson

Scripture: Ruth 2-4

Lesson Goal: The story of Ruth is a wonderful love story that takes place during the time of the

judges. In this lesson we will learn how Boaz became the Kinsman Redeemer for Ruth and how we too have a Redeemer in Jesus our Savior.

Introduction: This lesson about the life of Ruth comes from the Book of Ruth. In this lesson Ruth chooses to care for Naomi. We will see that we too have to make choices about loving and serving God. Ruth is in the second group of books in the Old Testament called the historical books. These books begin with Joshua and go through Esther. Let's say these books--Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.

Attention Getter: “Foreigners” Do you know what a person who is from a different country is called? They are called foreigners. Sometimes people treat foreigners rudely because they speak English with an accent or they may look different. Maybe they have skin that’s a different color or eyes that are slanted. Sometimes people are mean to someone with a skin color that is different from theirs. God loves all people; He made each of us special and unique. Have you ever felt like a stranger or an outsider? Have you ever been the new kid in school? How did that feel? How do you treat people that are new in school? Do you try to make them feel accepted and comfortable? What a foreigner needs is a friend who will come alongside and help them become part of the group. In this lesson we will continue learning about Ruth, a foreigner in the land of Israel. We’re going to find out if she was treated as an outcast or if she was shown kindness.

Opening Prayer: “Father, we admit to you that we are sinners. And we want to thank you that you came down out of heaven and lived among mankind. Thank you that your death on the cross paid the penalty for my sins. It is because of what you did on the cross, I can say today, that I am saved; I am now a child of God; and, I will someday be face-to-face with you, living in Heaven. Thank you for paying the price to make me part of your family just like Boaz did for Ruth. In your name, we pray. Amen.

Memory Verse: The memory verse is Isaiah 47:4 “As for our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel.”

Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/tck7CkfQB54 The story of Ruth began with Naomi and her husband Elimelech and their two sons who lived in the town of Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Because there was a famine in the land, the family did not have enough food to eat. So they decided to move to Moab. Leaving Israel was not a good idea because they were leaving the land of God’s promised blessings. Moab had food but the Moabite people were idol worshippers. Soon difficult things began to happen. After their arrival Naomi’s husband Elimelech died and she was left with her two sons. The two sons grew up and married local Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. Marrying Canaanite women was against God’s law. Sadly tragedy struck again. Ten years after the two sons had settled in Moab, Mahlon and Killion both died. That left three widows, Naomi and her two young Moabite daughter-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah. Widows were poverty stricken because there was no man to watch after them.

https://youtu.be/tck7CkfQB54

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When Naomi heard that the Lord had provided food for the people back in Bethlehem she decided to return. But Naomi was thoughtful and considerate of her daughters-in-law. Naomi told Ruth and Orpah, “Go back to your own mothers’ homes. May God help you find new husbands.” Naomi knew that it would be difficult for Ruth and Orpah to find new husbands in Bethlehem because they would be foreigners. Ruth and Orpah had to decide whether they would choose to go with Naomi or remain in their homeland where false gods were worshipped. Finally Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye and returned to her mother’s house. Ruth, however, clung hold of Naomi and would not let go. Ruth had learned to worship the true God and she was willing to give up the possibility of security and children to care for Naomi. “Don’t urge me to leave you,” Ruth replied, “Where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to stay with her, she stopped urging her to return home. They both set off on the road to Bethlehem. Naomi and Ruth arrived back in Bethlehem just as the barley harvest was beginning. The town was about five miles southwest of Jerusalem. Bethlehem was called the “bread basket” because it was surrounded by lush fields and olive groves. Their arrival caused quite a stir. Naomi’s grief and suffering had changed her appearance so much that many did not recognize her. People must have wondered about Ruth. “ Who is this young foreign woman from Moab?” “Can this be Naomi?” the people asked. “Don’t call me Naomi,” she insisted. “Call me Mara (which means bitter) because God has made my life bitter. I went away full but the Lord has brought me back empty. The Lord has brought misfortune on me.” Naomi had once been married with children and had love and security. Now she was alone, widowed, and in poverty. She was so bitter that she was now blaming God for all the difficulty that she faced. After Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem they needed food. “Let me go into the barley fields to pick up the leftover grain.” Ruth said. This was a law that God had given in order to care for the needy. Those who were poor were allowed to pick up grain that the harvesters had left on the ground. “Go ahead, my daughter,” Naomi replied. As it happened Ruth went into the field belonging to Boaz. God was guiding Ruth even though she did not know it at the time. Boaz was a relative of Naomi’s dead husband Elimelech. Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The Lord be with you.” The harvesters replied, “The Lord bless you.” These greetings showed that Boaz was a man of God and treated his workers well. Boaz noticed Ruth collecting grain with the poor. “Who is that woman?” he asked the man in charge of the harvesting. “She is the Moabite who returned with Naomi,” he answered. “She asked permission to pick up grain and has been working hard. She has been working steadily from morning until now.” Ruth was grateful that God was providing food for her and Naomi by giving her work in the fields. Boaz looked with compassion upon her and went across the field to Ruth. “Stay in these fields with the women who work for me,” Boaz told her. “I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. When you get thirsty help yourself to the water jars the men have filled.” Boaz had noticed Ruth’s hard work and was giving her protection! He even made sure she had water to drink!

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Ruth bowed down before Boaz. “Why are you treating a foreigner so kindly?” she asked. Ruth had a very submissive attitude and realized that Boaz was going out of his way to be kind to her. Ruth did not know that Boaz’s own mother was a foreigner too. She was Rahab the harlot who had been rescued out of Jericho when the walls of that city had fallen and was conquered! “I have been told how you have cared for Naomi,” Boaz answered. “May God under whose wings you have taken refuge, richly reward you.” “Even though I do not have the standing of one of your servants you have spoken kindly to me and put me at my ease,” Ruth responded. Ruth’s love and trust in God had obviously already become known throughout the town of Bethlehem. At mealtime Boaz invited her to eat with the other harvesters. “Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar,” he said. When she sat down with the harvesters, Boaz offered her roasted grain. Ruth ate all she wanted and had some left over. When Ruth got up to continue working Boaz gave secret orders to his men. “Let her gather among the sheaves without telling her to leave. Even pull out some stalks from the bundles and drop them for her to gather.” Ruth busily gathered or gleaned the grain until evening. Then Ruth threshed the barley she had gathered and carried it back to town. Naomi saw how much Ruth had gathered! It was a large amount about 30 pounds. She also brought Naomi the food leftover from the meal she had with Boaz and the harvesters. “Where did you gather grain today?” Naomi asked. “Who is the man who has been kind to you?” “Boaz,“ Ruth replied. “The Lord bless him,” said Naomi. “He is a close relative we know as a guardian redeemer. He has an obligation to look after a relative who is in need.” Then Ruth said, “He even said to me, “Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.” Naomi said, “It will be good for you my daughter to go with his girls because in someone else’s field you might be harmed. So from that time on Ruth continued gathering grain in the fields belonging to Boaz. She stayed close to the other women gathering grain knowing that she would be safe. She worked hard in the barley harvest and then in the wheat harvest that followed making sure that Naomi had enough food to eat. One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter you must have a future where you will be provided for. Tonight Boaz will be winnowing barley. Wash, put on perfume and dress in your best clothes.” Then she told Ruth what do next. Ruth agreed to do whatever Naomi told to her. Ruth made her way down to the threshing floor where Boaz was working making sure that she was not seen. When Boaz had finished eating and drinking he lay down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth quietly crept up to him, uncovered his feet and lay down. During the night Boaz woke up to find a woman asleep at his feet. “Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your garment over me as you are a guardian-redeemer of my family.” A guardian redeemer was someone obliged to look after a relative in need. Boaz was related to Naomi’s dead husband Elimelech. “The Lord bless you,” replied Boaz. “You have not run after younger men even if they were rich or poor. Don’t be afraid, I will do what you ask. People know you are a woman of good character. I am your guardian redeemer but there is another person who is more closely related than I am. If he is

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not willing to redeem you then I will.” Ruth lay at his feet until morning. Boaz filled the shawl she was wearing with grain to take back to Naomi. When Ruth came back home to her mother-in-law Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then Ruth told Naomi everything that had happened. She said, “He told me not to go back to you empty handed so here is all the grain.” Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter until you find out what happens. For Boaz will not rest until the matter is settled.” Meanwhile Boaz went to the town gate where all the business deals were done. When he saw his relative the man was the closer guardian-redeemer related to Naomi’s former husband, he asked him to sit down with ten elders who were gathered as witnesses. “Naomi is selling the land that belonged to our relative Elimelech,” Boaz explained. “You have the first right to buy it but if you do not want to then I will.” At first the relative wanted to buy the land, but then Boaz said, “On the day that you buy the land from Naomi and her son’s widow Ruth, you will also acquire the requirement to marry the dead man’s widow.” This was because Elimelech had died first and Ruth’s husband had inherited the land. “I cannot buy the land without causing problems for my own estate,” replied the relative. “You buy it as I cannot.” Probably the man already had a son and acquiring this land this would cause part of his estate to go to Ruth and Naomi. Whatever the reason, the way was now clear for Boaz to marry Ruth. During that time period when a deal was made to purchase property the person selling the land would take off his sandal and give it to another. This was a sign that the right to the land was transferred to another. Because the nearer relative was giving Boaz the right to redeem Ruth he took off his sandal and gave it to Boaz. He said, “You may buy the right to redeem Naomi and Ruth . Boaz made an announcement to the elders and those gathered. “Today I have bought from Naomi the property of Elimelech and his sons Mahlon and Killion. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite as my wife. You are my witnesses. So Boaz married Ruth and the Lord blessed them with a son. The women of Bethlehem told Naomi, “Praise the Lord. He has looked after you in your old age. Ruth loves you and is better to you than seven sons.” Ruth and Boaz named their son Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse whose youngest son David became the King of Israel. A descendant of King David was Mary the mother of Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer. In this lesson we learned that Boaz was a family redeemer. That means he would help his close relatives who were in trouble. Boaz cared for Ruth and Naomi because their husbands had died. To be a Kinsman-Redeemer Boaz had to be a relative, be financially able to redeem the property, and be willing to redeem the property. What Boaz did for Ruth is a beautiful picture of what the Lord Jesus has done for us. First Jesus came to Earth and took upon himself the form of a man. He was God who became flesh or man and lived here on earth. He did that to make us a part of His family. He was our near relative just like Boaz was a relative of Naomi and Ruth. Jesus was God in man. That means He lived a Perfect life while He was here on earth. Because Jesus had no sin He was able to redeem us from our sin. Only by being sinless could Jesus pay the price for our sin by dying on the cross and then coming back to life. He had victory over death! Just as Boaz had the means or ability to redeem Ruth Jesus is able to save us!

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Finally Jesus was willing to become our Savior. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. When Jesus took the punishment for our sin by dying on the cross, He paid the price to redeem us. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us! He gave His blood for you, to make you His own so you don’t have to be a stranger to God. You can now be a member of His family. God wants everyone to come into His family; He doesn’t want anyone to be an outcast. But you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 16: 31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." To believe in Jesus means that you trust Him as the only way to go to heaven. It means that you know that Jesus was God's Son and that He came down from heaven to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Remember if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior then you are a child of God. You are a member of His family and will someday live with Him in heaven forever. Just like Boaz who paid the price to make Ruth his very own Jesus has paid the price for us so we can be in His family. Remember Jesus is our Kinsman-Redeemer!

Review Questions: “Gleaners” Preparation: You will need an odd number of plastic drinking straws and a set of index cards with different point values written on the cards such as 1, 3, 5, 10, and 20 as well as Zonk for 0. Procedure: Divide the class into two teams. Have the two teams line up. The first child in each line takes a turn; one child from each team. On the signal “go” the teacher throws down an odd number of plastic drinking straws. The child who picks up the most straws earns the chance to get points for a correct answer to one of the following review questions. If the team doesn’t answer correctly, the other team gets to a chance to answer the question. Upon a correct answer the team picks a card with a hidden number of points on the back or a Zonk for no points. Then the second child in each line takes a turn.

1. What is the name of the little town that Naomi and Ruth came home to in the land of Israel?

(They came from Moab to the town of Bethlehem.) 2. Naomi and Ruth had no way of making a living. So what plan did God specify in the law that

widows and the poor should be cared for? (The poor could glean in the fields by picking up the staffs of grain that were left behind by the gleaners. The harvesters were not allowed to pick up any grain left behind. They had to leave some for the poor.)

3. Boaz was Naomi’s kinsman? What is a kinsman? (A person who is related to you by family is a kinsman.)

4. What did Boaz do for a living? (Boaz was a wealthy farmer who raised wheat and barley.) 5. What is a gleaner? (Someone who comes along after the harvesters and picks up the stray

pieces of grain left behind.) 6. When Boaz came from Bethlehem what did he do that showed he was a man of God and

good to his workers? (He greeted them . “The Lord be with you” and the harvesters replied, “The Lord bless you.”)

7. Who did Boaz ask his head field worker about? (He saw Ruth and wanted to know who she was.)

8. What compliment did the head field worker say about Ruth? (She asked to work in the field and she worked hard from morning to noon.)

9. When Boaz talked to Ruth what question did Ruth ask him and what was Boaz’s answer? (She asked why Boaz was so good to her and he said that he had heard how she was caring for her mother-in-law Naomi.)

10. What did Boaz do to make sure that Ruth was safe as she worked in the fields? (He told his men not to touch her, to leave her alone. He told Ruth to glean with the other women in the field.)

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11. What did Boaz do to make sure that Ruth got plenty of grain? (He told his field workers to leave extra grain for her to find. They were even to pull out some of the stalks so she would have extra grain to harvest.)

12. What did Boaz do when it came time to feed his harvesters? (He invited Ruth to eat with the harvesters, giving her bread, wine, and extra roasted grain. He allowed her to drink water from the barrels that the men had drawn.)

13. Why might have Boaz been extra considerate to foreigners in the land of Judah? (His mother had been a foreigner. She was Rahab the harlot who had come to live in Israel after the city of Jericho was conquered.)

14. What did Naomi tell Ruth to do to show that they wanted Boaz to be their Kinsman Redeemer? (She told her to put on perfume, get in her best dress, and to go secretly lay at his feet while he was asleep on the threshing floor.)

15. What did Boaz do when he woke up and saw Ruth? (He was surprised that she had not gone after younger men and that she had chosen him to redeem her.)

16. What problem did Boaz face in buying back Naomi’s land and marrying Ruth? (There was a nearer kinsman who had the right to purchase the land before he did.)

17. What did send Boaz send home with Ruth show his good intentions? (He sent home with her lots of grain in her shawl.)

18. Why did Boaz speak to Ruth secretly in the night and send her home early in the morning? (He knew that she was a woman of good character and he did not want anyone to think ill of her. He was protecting her reputation.)

19. What did Boaz do in order to have the right to be the Kinsman Redeemer? (He had to go to the town square and before witnesses secure the right to purchase Naomi’s land from the nearer relative.)

20. What custom did Israel have to show that an agreement had been reached in purchasing property? (The person selling the land would take off his sandal and give it to another. This was a sign that the right to the land was transferred to another )

21. What announcement did Boaz make to the elders of the town once the agreement had been reached? (“Today I have bought from Naomi the property of Elimelech and his sons Mahlon and Killion. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite as my wife. You are my witnesses.)

22. What happened after Boaz married Ruth? (They had a son named Obed who was the grandfather of King David who was in the lineage of Jesus our Savior.)

23. What did the women of the town say to Naomi? (God had blessed her by giving her Ruth who was better than seven sons.)

24. What famous children came from the family line of Boaz and Ruth? (King David and Jesus were from this family.)

25. Why is the story of Ruth and Boaz a picture of Jesus our Savior? (Jesus redeemed us from sin like Boaz redeemed Ruth.)

26. In what three ways was Boaz like Jesus? (Boaz had to be a relative and Jesus took on the form of man. Boaz had to be financially able to redeem the property and Jesus was the Perfect Lamb so he could be our sacrifice for sin. Boaz was willing to redeem the property just as Jesus was willing to lay down His life for us.)

27. What do we have to do in order to receive the gift of eternal life? Acts 16: 31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.")

28. What is the memory verse? (Isaiah 47:4 “As for our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel.”)

Bible Memory Verse Activity: “Redeemed Hand Clap” Our memory verse is Isaiah 47:4 “As for our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel.” Have students look up the verse in scripture and read it several times together. Say: “This verse means that just like Ruth we are a poor and needy people. We have sinned against God and our sin has separated us from Him. The penalty of our sin is death. The good news is that the Lord has sent us a Redeemer. It is His Son Jesus.”

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Procedure: Form a circle. Instruct kids to place their hands palms up. Their left hand should be under their neighbor’s right hand. Their right hand should be on their neighbor’s left hand. When you give the signal, one kid should start the hand movement by taking his right hand and clapping his neighbor’s left hand. Kids should continue the clapping movements as you add the chant. Increase the speed each round. Try to make it all the way through the chant three times without stopping. Repeat the memory verse as a chant or select one of the following chants or create your own: “Redeemed, redeemed, I am redeemed, I am redeemed by Jesus Christ” or “One Redeemer, one Redeemer, one Redeemer, Jesus Christ.” Say: “Who is our redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. Boaz was a family redeemer, but he could not save anyone from sin. When we repent and trust in Jesus, He is our Redeemer. He paid the price for our sin. How would you share with a friend that Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation? What would you say to someone who has heard about Jesus but doesn’t trust in Him? What would you say to someone who has not heard of Jesus?”

Group Learning Activity: “Boaz’s Picnic” (Grades K-3) Preparation: Place a cloth tablecloth in a wicker basket, then add paper napkins and paper cups. Bring popcorn, or popped wheat cereal. You may also want to add some cookies or graham crackers, a bottle of juice, some sliced fruit or other extras. Bring a big folded blanket to spread out on the floor. Procedure: Invite the children to come to a picnic. Have them participate in spreading out the blanket and passing out the napkins and cups. Before you pass out the snacks or drinks, ask the children if they think you have brought some food. Go ahead and pass out the snack. Just like they “knew” you would bring the food, in an even greater way they can know that God always provides for His children. (As the children are eating) Say: “In our lesson we learned that Boaz invited Ruth to come and eat with the other workers at noon. According to Ruth 2:14 they ate parched grains. Parched grain would have been like popcorn or popped wheat. “Ruth was not left to fend for herself as gleaners usually were. Boaz saw to it that his servants would abundantly provide her, purposely allowing grain from the bundles to fall in her path. As a result, Ruth had provisions to feed Naomi and herself for many days. “Ruth must have felt totally overwhelmed with awe because of what was happening. Could you imagine what was going on in her heart as God was blessing her? Although she was living in a foreign land, poor and all alone, Ruth was in the care of a loving God who was abundantly providing for her every need. Though there was danger beyond the fields of Boaz, Ruth found refuge and protection as she worked in his fields.” Closing Prayer: Lead the children in a prayer of thanksgiving for all of God’s provision. Just like God provided for Ruth through Boaz, He provides for all of our needs in Christ Jesus.

Group Learning Activity: Gleaning Game (Grades K-3) Purpose: To help experience what it meant for Ruth to glean stalks of grain from the field Preparation: You will need red, yellow, and green paper squares and red, green and yellow paper bags. Procedure: Have children form three groups. Distribute a different colored paper bag to each group. Say: “In this game you will be pretending to gather grain for your meals just as Ruth had to in our Bible lesson. Each group has a different color bag. You will only be gathering the color that

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matches your bag.” Scatter the paper squares so they mix across the floor. Set a time limit and see how much “grain” each group can gather. Repeat as the time allows. Say: “When Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem, Naomi told Ruth that she could glean wheat that was left along the sides of the field. These stalks of grain were left as a way to care for the poor and needy in Israel. Gleaning wheat required a great deal of work and Ruth loved Naomi so much that she was willingly to do whatever it took to care for her. Ruth worked hard and cared for her mother-in-law Naomi. When Boaz met Ruth he said that he had heard all of the things that she had done for Naomi. Ruth's actions showed that she cared for Naomi but more importantly her actions showed that she loved God. Ruth was willing to work. Boaz also said that he desired that the Lord God of Israel would bless or reward Ruth for all of her hard work. God always see what we do and wants to bless our work. He rewards us in many ways. God provided for Ruth and Naomi when they returned to Bethlehem. God had a plan for them. He was going to use their bad times to bring something very good for them. God can use anything –good or bad—to accomplish His good plans for us. God is always with us even when things are bad. We can trust God to help us. God extended grace to Naomi and Ruth through Boaz.” Group Learning Activity: “Near Kinsman Relay” (Grades K-5) Purpose: To help children remember that the passing of a shoe was the custom to show that a legal transaction had taken place. Boaz received the “shoe” or the right to buy Naomi’s land. Preparation: You will need to have the children take off their shoes and put them in a pile on the floor. Procedure: Divide the class into two teams and form two lines. Have all of the children take off their shoes and put them into a big pile at the end of the room. Next, when you say “go” have one child at a time go to the pile, find their shoes and put them on and then return and tag the next person in line. Continue through line until a team has won. Say: In our lesson Boaz called together ten of Bethlehem’s elders and they sat down with him and the nearer kinsman. The elders would be a witness of a legal transaction between the two relatives. Boaz explained that Naomi had a field for sale that belonged to Naomi’s late husband. The closest relative had the first right to the property and Boaz was next in line after him. If the closer relative would not redeem the property, Boaz agreed to redeem the price of the land. At first the closer relative wanted to redeem it, but then when Boaz explained that he had to marry Ruth the Moabitess, he did not want to do it. So now Boaz was free to marry Ruth. The legal transaction then took place. The passing of the sandal symbolized Boaz’s right to walk upon the land as his property.” We, too, have a redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our everlasting Redeemer. He looked at mankind with tender compassion, as Boaz looked at Ruth. In Philippians 2:6-8, we see the price He paid for us. “Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Jesus paid the price with His own blood, for He was both able and willing to redeem us. Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer.”

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Group Learning Activity: “Threshing Grain” (Grades K-3) Purpose: To show children how step by step the grain was harvested and ground down to be made into bread. Preparation: You will need heads of wheat or barley stalks and some whole wheat flour, a small loaf of whole wheat bread, and a knife to cut bread. Cream cheese, or jelly, or preserves, can also be served. You will also need an electric wheat grinder or a hand grinder. Pictures of people grinding and threshing wheat by hand are helpful for children to visualize the process in ancient times. (If you don't have access to any wheat plants, you can pick the head of a tall grass that's gone to seed and explain where the grain is and how it is similar.) Procedure: Show the children step by step how the grain was harvested and ground down to be made into flour for bread. First show the class stalks of wheat, wheat seeds, and flour. Ask if they can identify each item and how the items are related. Explain that each item represents a step in the process of making flour. Wheat grows in a field and produces tiny seeds. The seeds are then removed and ground into flour. Ask the students to list some of the foods that can be made using flour. (bread, cake, cookies, brownies, pasta, crackers, etc.) Give each student a wheat stalk. Help students identify the stalk and the head of the plant. Explain that inside the head of the wheat plant are wheat seeds, Have each student place their stalk of wheat between the palms of their hands and rub them back and forth vigorously. The seeds in the stalk will fall onto the floor or table. In Bible times these seeds would fall into a basket. The flax and the seeds would then be thrown into the air and the wind would then blow the husks and stalks away. This process was called “winnowing the grain.” The wheat seeds are then placed into a wheat grinder. If you have a mill or a mortar and pestle you can give the children turns at trying to grind the wheat berries into flour. If you use a hand-cranked grinder, allow each student to turn the crank. If you use an electric grinder, place all of the seeds in the grinder and turn it on. Show students the whole-wheat flour. Tell them that the flour is used to make whole wheat bread. Serve the bread along with the cream cheese, or jelly, or preserves. Show pictures of harvesting, gleaning, threshing, and grinding wheat in ancient times. Say: “In our lesson today Ruth went out into the fields to collect the wheat and barley stalks. Picking up the stalks by hand was a lot of work. Then Ruth threshed the wheat. In Bible times farmers used large stones turned by their horses, donkeys, or oxen to grind the wheat. Sometimes the women would beat the wheat against a large basket to collect the grain from the head of the stalk. Getting enough grains of wheat to make flour to bake a loaf of bread required a lot of physical labor. When Boaz saw Ruth working in the field long hours he was impressed with her hard work and willingness to provide enough food for herself and her mother-in-law Naomi. Boaz said that he had heard all of the things that Ruth had done for Naomi. Ruth's actions showed that she cared for Naomi but more importantly her actions showed that she loved God.” “What do your actions show? Do your actions show that you love Jesus? Do you say you love Jesus, but then your actions don't show that you love Him? For example you tell people at school that you are a Christian but you don't act like it! Maybe you know someone who is having a hard time and they need help. Do you help them? Or do you just continue to play? By helping others your actions can show people that you love Jesus. Maybe someone in your family doesn't know about Jesus as their Savior. Did you know that you could be an example to your family with your actions? For example, what is your reaction when your mom asks you to clean your room? Do you roll your eyes or maybe complain the entire time. Instead of complaining you can obey right away!”

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Group Learning Activity: Bible Study: Ruth and Boaz’s Living Family Tree” (Grades 3-5) Purpose: To understand the importance of the genealogy of Ruth and Boaz’s family as including Jesus our Savior Preparation: You will need Bibles, sticky notes, pencils, masking tape and markers. Before students arrive, write the names of the people from Ruth and Boaz’s family line on sticky notes. Start with Ruth and Boaz and end with Jesus. For a short list use Ruth 4. A longer list of names is found in Matthew 1 if you have a larger group of children. Procedure: Say: “Today we are going to use our Bible to make Ruth and Boaz’s Living Family Tree. Ruth and Boaz’s family reached all the way to Jesus. Ruth 4 tells the genealogy that came from Ruth and Boaz. “I am going to place a sticky note with one of the names of their family on your forehead. We are going to use the masking tape to make a line for a family tree on the ground. We will start with Ruth and Boaz and go all the way to Jesus. Use your Bibles to put the people in the correct spot on the tape so we can complete the family tree.” Have children stand on the masking tape in the correct genealogical order. Give children time to read in Ruth 4 and Matthew 1 for the correct order and to check for accuracy. Say: “God had a plan for Ruth and Boaz’s family. He was working in their lives to prepare the way for the coming of King David and the birth of Jesus our Savior. Ruth was very faithful to God and learned to obey His commands. Because of her obedience her life and legacy were used by God even though she could not see all the results. When we live in faithfulness to God the importance of our life will extend beyond our own lifetimes. The rewards of living a faithful life far outweigh any sacrifice that we may make for Him. God also has a plan for our lives.”

Craft Learning Activity: “Grain Collage” (Grades K-4) Purpose: To make a craft that reminds the students of the events in the story of Ruth and Boaz Preparation: You will need grass stalks with a good head of seeds. (Ideally if you can get stalks of grain, do so.) You will need a lot of these so you may need to go to an open field or nearby park. You will need printed copies of the pictures of Ruth and Boaz (one set per child), a large size of poster board cut approximately 8 ½” by 12” for each child to use as the background, strong glue, scissors, and colored pencils, crayons or colored markers. Procedure: Collect lots of grass with seed heads. Have children color the Ruth and Boaz figures and cut them out. Pass out the larger sheets of white poster board. Have students glue the grass stalks onto the cardboard. Add Ruth and Boaz last of all to complete the picture.

Craft Learning Activity: “Wheat Field Triaramas” (Grades K-4) Purpose: Students will make wheat field triaramas (wheat field scenes) to remind them of how God provided Ruth and Naomi wheat from Boaz’s field. Preparation: You will need printed copies of the “triarama pattern” on cardstock for each student. You will also need scissors, glue, colored pencils, crayons, or colored markers for each student. Procedure: Have the students color the wheat stalks, the sun, sky, mountains and foreground (the flap that says “God provides food for

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Ruth and Naomi”) with crayons, markers, or colored pencils. Have students cut out the “triarama” and wheat stalks on the solid black lines. Have students fold on the dotted lines. Glue the flap that says, “God provides food for Ruth and Naomi” on top of the flap that has the box that says “glue.” Optional: You can also glue stalks of wheat or grass to the triarama to look like a field. As students are working on their triaramas, remind them that it was God, through Boaz, that provided leftover wheat for Ruth to collect. It was customary for farmers to leave some wheat behind for poor people to glean from the field. Help students realize that God is concerned with our physical needs too. We need not worry about what we will eat or drink. God provides for us (sometimes in ways in which we cannot even imagine).

Craft Learning Activity: “Boaz, Ruth, and Naomi Finger Puppets” (Grades K-2) Purpose: To retell the story of Boaz and Ruth and Naomi using finger puppets. Preparation: Print the template of finger puppets below on card stock. You will need to print enough copies so that each child will have all the characters. Children will need crayons, colored pencils, or colored markers to color or decorate the puppets. You will also need scissors. Procedure: Cut out the characters and pass out to the children. Allow the children to color or decorate the puppets. After coloring, attach the puppets to the children’s fingers by using tape. Allow a few of the children to re-enact the story of Boaz and Ruth. Remind the children that just as Boaz redeemed Ruth, Jesus has redeemed us by paying the price for our sin on the cross. Because of His sacrifice on the cross for us, we will spend eternity with Him.

Craft Learning Activity: “Wedding Bells” Purpose: Students will make wedding bells to remind them that Boaz married Ruth Preparation: You will need large plastic party cups, pipe cleaners, jingle bells, and aluminum foil. Procedure: Pass out a large plastic party cup, a jingle bell, and a pipe cleaner to each student. Tear off a piece of aluminum foil for each student to wrap the outside of the cup with (to make it look like a silver bell). Or use gold or silver paper cups so you do not have to wrap the cup with foil. Poke a hole in the bottom of the cup. Push a pipe cleaner through. Tie a knot so that the pipe cleaner will not slip back out of the hole. Tie a jingle bell to the end of the pipe cleaner that is inside the cup. As students are working on their wedding bells, remind them Boaz wished to marry Ruth. Before he could, he had to give Ruth’s kinsman-redeemer a chance. The kinsman-redeemer, in this case, would keep the land in the family and keep the family name going. Since the kinsman-redeemer chose not to buy the land (and ultimately marry Ruth), Boaz was able to do so. Remind the children that just as Boaz redeemed Ruth, Jesus has redeemed us by paying the price for our sin on the cross. Because of His sacrifice on the cross for us, we will spend eternity with Him. Repeat the memory verse together: Isaiah 47:4 “As for our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel.”

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Craft Learning Activity: “Field of Promises” (Grades K-4) Purpose: To help students brainstorm ways that God promises to care for us. Preparation: You will need brown and yellow construction paper, glue, scissors, and colored markers. Cut yellow construction paper into strips, approximately 1” X 5”. Procedure: Distribute a brown sheet of construction paper to each child. Start with the short side and show the children how to fold the paper accordion style. Flatten the construction paper back and place it on the table. This will be a “field.” Give each child several strips of yellow construction paper. Say: God has made many promises to us just as He promised to take care of Naomi and Ruth. What are some promises that God has made to us? Ask children to respond. (Examples: God had promised to provide for our needs, to answer our prayers, to give us strength in temptation, to give us boldness in telling others about Jesus, to comfort us in sorrow, to give us our daily bread, to love us with an eternal love, to forgive us our sins, and to take us to heaven if we believe in him.). Guide the children to write one promise on each strip of yellow construction paper. After finishing their promises, instruct the children to fold part of the strip back and glue it in their “field.” Now they have a field of promises. Say: “One of God’s promises is to use anything—good or bad—to accomplish His good plans for us.”

Craft Learning Activity: “Cardboard Sandals” (Grades K-4) Purpose: To make a cardboard sandal to remind students of the sign that Boaz was given that he could redeem Naomi’s land and marry Ruth. Preparation: You will need heavy weight cardboard boxes, scissors, and gorilla wood glue, and glue on type of Velcro. Procedure: Find a box or pieces of cardboard to trace the pattern of a sole onto. To make the pattern use a pair of shoes or sandals that you have. Eight “soles” are needed. Two soles are needed for the right foot and two soles for the left foot. Two each of the top and bottom straps are also cut out. The patterns for the straps were drawn free hand, then cut out and fit onto the sole. Layer the bottom sole, then the straps for the top and bottom and finally glue the upper sole on top of the straps. Use gorilla wood glue to hold each layer together. Use masking tape or duct tape to cover the edges of the straps to provide a smooth edge against the foot. To keep the sandals on, add self adhering velcro as a closure. Say: “In our lesson Boaz called together the ten elders of Bethlehem. The elders would be a witness of a legal transaction between two relatives. Boaz explained that Naomi had a field for sale that belonged to Naomi’s late husband. The closest relative had the first right to the property and Boaz was next in line after him. If the closer relative would not redeem the property, Boaz agreed to redeem the price of the land. At first the closer relative wanted to redeem it, but then when Boaz explained that he had to marry Ruth the Moabitess, he did not want to do it. So now Boaz was free to marry Ruth. The legal transaction then took place.”

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“During that time period when a deal was made to purchase property the person selling the land would take off his sandal and give it to another. This was a sign that the right to the land was transferred to another. The passing of the sandal symbolized Boaz’s right to walk upon the land as his property.”Because the nearer relative was giving Boaz the right to redeem Ruth he took off his sandal and gave it to Boaz. He said, “You may buy the right to redeem Naomi and Ruth.” “Today we do not use sandals to formalize agreements. We write contracts and sign them.”

Craft Learning Activity: Bread Dough Sculptures (Grades K-5) Purpose: To make sculptures of shapes that remind us that God keeps His promises. Preparation: You will need refrigerated bread/biscuit dough to give a large lump to each student in your class. You will need small bowls of water, and a large baking sheet and access to an oven. Procedure: Have children carefully wash their hands. Provide plastic gloves if desired. Give each student a large sheet of aluminum to cover the table area he or she will use to mold their dough. Distribute the refrigerated bread or biscuit dough to each student. Have children dip their fingers in the small bowls of water so they can shape the dough into thin pieces on the foil. Have children shape the dough into shapes that remind you that God keeps His promise. Try shapes such as stars, angels, mangers, Bethlehem houses. Bake the shapes at 325) for 45 minutes or until hard. Baked dough should not “give” when tapped with a knife. Add jelly or honey and eat!

Life Application: “One Way” Procedure: Explain that you will assign everyone the same task but everyone will complete the task in a different way. For example you can have the students carry a book across the room. One student will carry the book in his right hand, one in his left hand, one under his chin, or one on top of his head. Another student may slide the book across the floor, another may throw the book to his friend, another may put the book under his left arm, or under his right arm. Another may scoot the book with his left foot or scoot the book with his right foot, etc. Say: In this game we performed a task but did it in different ways. Going to heaven is not like that. God has provided only one way for us to be saved from our sins. He does not ask us to go different ways to heaven. Jesus paid the price for us. Salvation is a gift that we receive. In the Old Testament the Israelites had a family or kinsman redeemers. The family redeemer was a family member who had a special responsibility to help his family in times of need. Boaz the family redeemer in our Bible lessons was a part of Jesus’ earthly family. Who is our Redeemer? Jesus is our Redeemer who gives us salvation. What does it mean to have a redeemer? Why do we need to be redeemed? Close in prayer, asking God that He would help the children to trust in Jesus to be their Redeemer.

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Ruth and Boaz

Isaiah 47:4 “As for our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel.”

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Ruth Gleans Wheat Help Ruth find her way to the field.

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Ruth Married Boaz Ruth 4: 1-17

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Boaz, Ruth, and Naomi Finger Puppets

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Ruth and Boaz Figures for Collage

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Wheat Pattern

Unit 7: Judges OT7.7 Ruth and Boaz Lesson...1 OT7.7 Ruth and Boaz ©Beverly Wilson 2018 Unit 7:...

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Transcript of Unit 7: Judges OT7.7 Ruth and Boaz Lesson...1 OT7.7 Ruth and Boaz ©Beverly Wilson 2018 Unit 7:...