Plan Four: Courageous FearSample

COURAGEOUS FEAR…CREATED TRUE LOVE STORIES

The touching story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz is one of the great love stories of the Bible. Because of a famine, Naomi, her husband, and two sons left their town of Bethlehem and traveled east and lived in the land of Moab. The two sons grew up, and each married a Moabite woman—Ruth and Orpah. Tragically, Naomi’s husband and two sons died there, leaving three widows.

Orpah stayed in Moab, but a broken Naomi and a loyal Ruth returned to Bethlehem. It was the beginning of the barley harvest, and Boaz, a successful farmer, was harvesting his crops.

We are first introduced to Boaz as a “man of standing” within his community of Bethlehem. He was a kind and honorable man of noble character. Ruth happened to be gleaning in his field when Boaz arrived. He noticed Ruth and instructed the harvesters to leave extra stalks for her. When Ruth returned home, Naomi explained that Boaz was one of their kinsman-redeemers and was required to marry her.

Boaz knew this requirement and lovingly married Ruth. Together they had a son named Obed, who had a son named Jesse, who had a son named David. Yes, Boaz is King David’s great-grandfather, and Boaz and Ruth are part of Jesus’ lineage. However, a careful examination of Jesus’ lineage also reveals that Boaz’s mother was Rahab, the harlot of Jericho who assisted the Hebrew spies sent by Joshua. The two spies found refuge in Rahab’s home. She told the spies the stories of how their God had dried up the waters of the Red Sea and destroyed the army of Egypt. Yes, Rahab acted with courageous fear to help the Hebrews conquer the land that God had promised them.

Rahab later married Salmon, who, according to Jewish tradition, was one of the two Jericho spies. Perhaps Rahab and Salmon took young Boaz to the section of the wall where Rahab and family had sheltered during the siege, and there they instilled in Boaz a fear of a sovereign God so powerful that He destroyed the walls of Jericho, lovingly protected Rahab, and gave this Hebrew spy and harlot a true love story. Courageous fear transformed this harlot of Jericho into a noble woman of God who raised Boaz to be full of courageous fear and an exemplary man of God.