Boaz’s Mother
Lesson 8
One of my very favorite Bible characters is Boaz. He was a man who obviously loved God, keeping Him a part of his everyday thoughts and actions. I admire the way he treated those who worked for him with great respect and at the same time gave God the glory! A lot can be assumed about his character by the way he showed concern for the well-being of others. In the endless parade of scoundrels who fill the Old Testament pages, Boaz shines like a beautiful, sparkling jewel.
I believe that Boaz was a reflection of the person who bore him and taught him, his mother. Who was she and what was she like? If you don’t know already, you will be surprised to learn that his mother was a harlot. That is who she was when we read of her in the Scriptures but she became someone totally different.
Let
us establish how we know who Boaz’s mother is:
1. _______ begot Boaz by _____ , Boaz
begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,... (Matthew
1:5)
2. Please read the following chapters and tell what you learn about Rahab: Joshua 2 and Joshua 6.
3. Find a NT passage which proves that Rahab was justified by her faith.
4. Find another NT passage which proves she was justified by works.
Something I Have Observed
Rahab was a sinner before the spies met her. She left that life for a much better one. She became one of God’s children through the Jewish proselyte process. Perhaps it happened with Rahab as it often does today when people are converted to Christianity. All evidence points to the fact that she took her conversion to heart, that it meant something really special to her. She appears to have been more faithful than most of those who were born into Judaism, so much so that she is one of only two women listed by name in the exclusive roll call of the faithful found in Hebrews 11. As noted above, she is also named in the genealogy of Christ.
Today many who are born into Christian families grow up to resent the boundaries of righteous fellowship found inside the church. They long to be freed from its restraints so they can enjoy wallowing in sin along with the world. On the other hand, someone who grows up in the world and finds true Christianity will often embrace it with all joy because they have already experienced the world outside of Christ and know firsthand the ugly, painful side of sin all too well.
So common is this fact concerning those who grow up in the church that many through the years have been amazed when learning that I grew up in the church, have remained a faithful Christian and have always been passionate about my religion. This being the case, I continually have a difficult time understanding those who, possessing something so valuable and precious, throw it away or continue to worship but have become totally apathetic.
Rahab was evidently a special lady and she bore and raised up a very special son.
5. There was a relative of Naomi’s ________ , a man of great________ , of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. (Ruth 2:1)
6.
So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean
heads of grain after _____ in whose
sight I may find _____ .” And she said to her, “Go, my
daughter.” (Ruth 2:2)
7.
Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she
happened to come to the part of the ______ _________
to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. (Ruth 2:3)
8.
Now
behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem,
and said to the reapers, “The _____ ____ ____
you!” (Ruth 2:4)
9.
And they answered him, “The ______ ______ _____
!” (Ruth 2:4)
10.
Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose ______
________ is this?” (Ruth 2:5)
11. So the servant who was ___ ________ of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. (Ruth 2:6)
12. And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has _________ from morning until now, though she _____ a little in the house.” (Ruth 2:7)
This
concludes our study of Ruth Part 1. We will continue our
study of Ruth and Boaz in Part 2.