The Era of the Judges and the Kingdom of God (7) The Blessings of Living under God’s Kingship

“So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.” (Ruth 4:13-17)
 
Review
Over the past few weeks, we have learned through the book of Judges what the life of God’s kingdom people should look like. In fact, the book of Judges contains very few good examples. The overall tone of Judges is quite bleak. The second generation of the Exodus experienced God’s guidance in the wilderness and witnessed His help during the conquest of Canaan. Even after conquering the land of Canaan, they lived their remaining lives according to God’s Word.
However, they failed in one crucial area: they did not pass on their knowledge and experience of God and His Word to the next generation. As a result, the third generation after the Exodus didn’t know God’s Word well and lacked correct knowledge of God. They were more influenced by the surrounding nations than by God’s Word and will, and consequently, they lived lives contrary to God’s desires.
Through the examples of various individuals and tribes in Judges, we have seen how a life that does not acknowledge God as King inevitably leads to chaos and tragedy.
Even the judges, whom God chose to deliver Israel from the oppression of surrounding nations, often acted according to their own desires rather than following God’s Word. Gideon, after winning battles, made an ephod of gold and displayed it in his town, leading Israel into idolatry. Jephthah made a vow contrary to God’s will and offered his daughter as a sacrifice. Samson drank wine, fell in love with foreign women, married them, and violated all the Nazirite regulations. And the consequence of living without acknowledging God as King always led to confusion and tragedy.
These examples are also seen in the story of Micah and the tribe of Dan in Judges 17–18, and in the story of the Levite, his concubine, and the tribe of Benjamin in Judges 19–21. The common factor among all the characters is that although they called upon God’s name, they did not live as if He were their King. They followed what they thought was right and their own desires rather than God’s Word. Neglecting knowledge of God through His Word led to disobedience.
 
This verse is both the final verse of Judges and a summary of the entire book.
"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit." (21:25) The phrase “there was no king in Israel at that time” appears four times in Judges.
The absence of a king doesn’t mean that Israel didn’t yet have a monarchy established. It means that during the period of the Judges, the people of Israel did not live acknowledging God as their King. The book of Judges vividly depicts the life that results from not recognizing God as King, warning readers not to follow the same path.
So, the ongoing question the author asks is throughout the book is “Who is the King of your life?” If we act according to what seems right to us or what appears good in our eyes, then regardless of what we confess with our lips, the true lord of our lives remains ourselves. In contrast, living under God as King involves reading and meditating on His Word daily and living according to His will revealed through that Word for His glory.
This is the life to which we are called as God’s kingdom people. God’s Word and His kingship are not limitations; rather, they guide us in understanding what we were created to be and how to live most freely and joyfully. Just as a fish can only swim freely when it is confined to water, we experience the highest freedom and joy when we live in God’s love, in accordance with His will, and in a right relationship with Him.
 
However, the book of Judges doesn’t only warn us. I said the phrase “In those days Israel had no king” appears four times in the book. But alongside it, another repeated phrase appears: “The land had peace.” (Jdg. 3:11, 3:30, 5:31, 8:28) This phrase also occurs four times.
When all periods of peace in Judges are added together, they total 200 years, which is about half of the entire era and the longest period of peace compared to any other eras in Israel’s history. So, how could Israel experience such long-lasting peace even when they didn’t acknowledge God as King?
Here we see God’s grace and mercy. Even though the Israelites didn’t acknowledge Him as King, God still regarded them as His people and loved them. Despite their constant rebellion, whenever they repented and sought His help, God heard their prayers and raised up judges to deliver them. In other words, even during the Judges period, when Israel didn’t recognize God as King, He remained their King.
This is why they were able to enjoy God’s peace even amid the chaos of the Judges era. This peace extends to us as well. God’s love toward us is unconditional. Even when we turn away from Him, He continues to love us. That love and grace draw us to Him today, despite our weaknesses, shortcomings, and sins.
 
The Book of Ruth
Thus, we have just concluded the book of Judges. However, the period of the Judges has not yet ended. The era of the Judges refers to the time from Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan to the moment when Samuel, the last judge, anointed Saul as the first king of Israel. And, there is another book that belongs to this period besides Judges: the book of Ruth..
As I mentioned earlier, the main theme of Judges is life lived with God as King, but the way it is expressed is mostly negative. The author of Judges vividly portrays the lives and consequences of those who didn’t acknowledge God as King, using them as a warning to show how crucial it is to live under God’s reign. This is why Judges contains very few positive examples of a life lived acknowledging God as King, and why reading Judges can often feel uncomfortable.
In contrast, the book of Ruth can be seen as almost the opposite of the book of Judges. Although both books belong to the period of the Judges, Ruth presents the story of one person who lived his life acknowledging God as King, showing how blessed and beautiful such a life can be.
Where Judges shows the destruction that comes from rejecting God, Ruth illustrates God’s kingdom working through obedience, mercy, and covenant faithfulness. Here, even in a world marked by loss and uncertainty, God raises up individuals who honor His law, care for others, and participate in His redemptive plan.
 Because of this, some describe the book as a refreshing rain in the midst of a drought—a book of hope and blessing amid the difficult and chaotic times depicted in Judges.
 
Now, let us take a deeper look into the book of Ruth. As we can see from the title of the book, Ruth is the story of a woman named Ruth.
The story begins during the time of the Judges, a period marked by social instability and moral chaos in Israel. A famine drove an Israelite man named Elimelek to move with his wife Naomi and their two sons from Bethlehem to Moab. In Moab, Elimelek died, and his sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. After about ten years, both sons died, leaving Naomi and her daughters-in-law as widows.
Naomi then decided to return to Bethlehem. She urged Orpah and Ruth to stay in Moab and remarry, but Ruth refused, pledging her loyalty to Naomi and to her God, saying, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16)
So Naomi returned to her hometown of Bethlehem with Ruth. However, they had no place to work and no food to eat. To provide for them, Ruth began gleaning in the fields, collecting the leftover grain after the harvest.
One day, she happened to go to a field that belonged to a man named Boaz, a relative of her late father-in-law, Elimelek. Boaz treated Ruth very kindly and allowed her to continue gleaning in his field rather than going elsewhere. He even told his workers to deliberately leave extra grain so that Ruth could gather more.
Ruth then brought the grain she had collected back to Naomi and told her everything that Boaz had done. Naomi recognized that Boaz was a relative of her husband Elimelek and therefore qualified as a guardian-redeemer” We will explore the meaning of guardian-redeemer shortly.
Naomi then instructed Ruth to go to Boaz at night and lie down at his feet while he was sleeping. Ruth obeyed, and when Boaz discovered her lying beside him during the night, he didn’t sleep with her. Instead, he protected her safely through the night and sent her home at dawn. Boaz’s choice not to be with Ruth that night was not because he lacked feelings for her; in fact, he cared deeply for her. What mattered more to him was that their marriage be conducted lawfully and in accordance with God’s Word.
So, the next day, Boaz called the elders of the town and another man who was a closer relative of Elimelek. This man had the first right to marry Ruth. Boaz asked him in front of the ten elders whether he would redeem Ruth as a wife, and the man declined, symbolically giving up his right by removing his sandal. This act allowed Boaz to legally take Ruth as his wife under the law of a guardian-redeemer, with the elders serving as official witnesses.
Boaz and Ruth then had a son named Obed. Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David, who would later be celebrated as Israel’s greatest king.
 
The Blessings of Living under God’s Kingship
This is the general outline of the Book of Ruth. What is repeatedly emphasized in Ruth is what a life looks like when one lives with God as King, and the results and blessings that follow such a life.
 
1) The Law of the Harvest and Loving Neighbors
First, Boaz observed the regulations regarding harvest and love for one’s neighbor. God consistently expressed special concern in Scripture for the marginalized, especially the poor, orphans and widows, and commanded His people to care for them well.
God said in Leviticus 19:9-10, “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. … Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 19:9–10)
He also said in Deuteronomy 24:18-22, “Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and that the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I am commanding you to do this. When you harvest your field and forget a sheaf in the field, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you do. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt. That is why I am commanding you to do this.” (Deut. 24:18–22)
Boaz knew these commands regarding the harvest and caring for the poor, and he followed them faithfully. When Ruth came to glean in his field, he didn’t scold or expel her. Instead, he instructed his workers to allow her to gather even more from the harvest, saying, “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.” (Ruth 2:15–16)
Boaz didn’t merely permit Ruth to glean; he intentionally provided conditions so that she could gather abundantly. He didn’t follow God’s Word in a mere formalistic way but lived out the love and mercy inherent in it. This scene demonstrates not only Boaz’s compassion and care for his neighbor but also his accurate knowledge of, trust in, and obedience to God’s Word.
 
2) The Law of Adultery
Boaz also followed the law regarding adultery. In the Bible, sexual relations are only permitted within the bounds of marriage. Anything outside of marriage was considered adultery, and God viewed it as a very serious sin. This law against adultery is explicitly stated in the Ten Commandments.
“You shall not commit adultery.” (Exo. 20:14)
As we saw earlier, when Naomi heard about Boaz, she advised Ruth to go to Boaz’s bed at night. Of course, this was not a good advice, but Ruth obeyed her mother-in-law. That night, Boaz awoke to find Ruth lying beside him. He would have immediately understood what it meant. It was a great temptation for him. To refrain from lying with Ruth in that situation required remarkable self-control.
However, Boaz didn’t sleep with Ruth that night. It was not because she was unattractive or because he didn’t love her. On the contrary, Boaz had already been drawn to Ruth’s charm and liked her. Yet he refrained from lying with her that night because doing so would have violated the law against adultery.
This demonstrates how strictly Boaz adhered to God’s law. He didn’t follow his own desires but obeyed God’s commandments. He prioritized God’s will and obeying His words in all situations.
 
3) The Law of Guardian-Redeemer  (go’el)
Third, Boaz also clearly understood his role as a guardian-redeemer, as specified in the Law, and faithfully fulfilled it. The term "guardian-redeemer" means “one who redeems an inheritance” or “one who restores or rescues an inheritance.”
The Hebrew root of this word is go’el, which comes from the verb ga’al, meaning “to redeem” or “to restore.” In other words, a go’el is a “close relative who redeems,” someone who restores lost rights, property, name, or freedom within a family.
The institution of the go’el was designed to preserve the inheritance allotted to the tribes of Israel, maintain family lineage, and provide restitution if harm had occurred.
Closely related to this institution is the law of Levirate marriage, which appears in Deuteronomy 25. Verses 5–10 say,
“If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out of Israel. But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and declare, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel; he will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.’ Then the elders of that town shall summon him and insist, and if he persists in saying, ‘I do not want to marry her,’ his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face, and say, ‘This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family.’ That man’s family shall be known in Israel as ‘the house of the one whose sandal was removed.’” (Deut. 25:5–10)
Although this law doesn’t align with modern views of marriage, it was necessary for the social and legal situation of Israel at the time. According to this law, when a husband died, his brother was to marry the widow in order to carry on his brother’s duties as a husband.
God gave this law for two purposes: first, to preserve the family line of the deceased brother, and second, to protect the family’s property and inheritance. This was not simply to enforce marriage but was a legal and social measure to protect the household and the community. In a time when women had almost no rights or protection, this law was truly necessary.
In Levirate marriage, the go’el was the deceased husband’s brother, who married the widow to continue the deceased brother’s lineage. If the brother was unavailable, the closest relative could assume this role.
Thus, the go’el was more than a legal role—it represented God’s justice and salvation. While originally it referred to a close relative restoring what was lost, Scripture later applies this term to God Himself. In Isaiah, the word appears thirteen times, mostly referring to God as the Redeemer of His people.
Let me read some passages for you.
“This is what the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord Almighty, says: ‘I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.’” (Isa. 44:6)
“Our Redeemer—the Holy One of Israel—lives; the Lord Almighty is his name.” (Isa. 47:4)
“Do not fear, for you will not be put to shame; do not be discouraged, for you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.” (Isa. 54:4–5)
Here, the Hebrew word translated as “Redeemer” is go’el. These passages emphasize that God is Israel’s Redeemer, promising their redemption and restoration.
 
Now, returning to the story of Boaz, he knew that as a relative of Naomi’s deceased husband Elimelek, he had the right to redeem Ruth and restore the family line. However, he was also aware that there was another man who was more closely related to Elimelek than himself. Therefore, on the night Ruth came to him, Boaz said to her:
“Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.” (Ruth 3:12–13)
Boaz could have claimed the right to redeem Ruth and Naomi’s family, but he did not ignore the order established by the Law. He acknowledged that the closer relative had the first right to redeem and determined to follow the proper legal process. In other words, Boaz didn’t act on impulse or emotion but respected the righteous order of the Law. He was not a man who selectively obeyed the Word—he was a man who sought to obey it fully.
So, the next day, Boaz went to the town gate, gathered ten of the elders of the city, and summoned the closer kinsman. Then he said:
“Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” (Ruth 4:3–4)
The man replied, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.” (Ruth 4:6)
As a sign of relinquishing his right of redemption, he removed his sandal before the elders, and they said:
“May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.” (Ruth 4:11–12)
Boaz followed the Word of God and carried out the lawful procedure in the presence of ten elders and many witnesses, receiving their blessing as he took Ruth as his wife. Boaz didn’t take her secretly out of emotion or private desire, but righteously and publicly according to God’s order. He honored God’s Word and authority above all things—and God richly blessed his life for it.
Boaz was a man who knew the Word of God well. In every situation, he discerned how to act, and his actions were always grounded in the Word. He valued God’s Word above his own thoughts, desires, and emotions, and he made obedience to it his highest priority. Therefore, his life was aligned under God’s will—marked by love, grace, mercy, compassion, and justice. And as a result, Boaz received the great honor of becoming the ancestor of King David and, ultimately, of Jesus Christ Himself.
This stands in stark contrast to the countless negative examples we read throughout the Book of Judges. Boaz’s life shows us what it truly means to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom.
As I have emphasized before through the story of Genesis, the most essential aspect of living as the people of God’s Kingdom is to live under His reign—and that means obeying His Word. But to obey God’s Word, we must first strive to know it. We must read it daily, meditate on it, study it, and wrestle to apply it in our lives. How can we obey what we don’t know?
Earlier, I mentioned that disobedience often comes in two forms—ignorance and willful rebellion. Many of us tend to be lenient toward disobedience that comes from ignorance. But before God, disobedience from ignorance is no less serious than disobedience from evil intent. On the day of judgment, the excuse “I didn’t know” will not stand, for God has already given us His Word to reveal His will. He sent Jesus Christ to show us the perfect example of obedience, and He sent the Holy Spirit to teach us, guide us into all truth, and empower us to live in obedience.
Therefore, we must not tolerate ignorance of God’s Word. Though we cannot know everything perfectly, we can and must strive to lessen the areas of disobedience that stem from not knowing. We do this by drawing near to God’s Word daily.
This is the life of a Kingdom citizen—to meditate on God’s Word day and night, and to do all that is written in it. When we place God’s Kingdom and His righteousness above our own desires, plans, emotions, and ambitions—when we live in faithful obedience to His Word—He will fill our lives with His love, justice, grace, and power. Through our obedience, He will establish and expand His Kingdom wherever we are.
Now, as we come to the end of today’s message, let us take a moment to reflect on what we have learned through the Book of Ruth. Today, we have seen what it means to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom.
Let us hold up our lives to the mirror of God’s Word. Are your life more like the people in the Book of Judges—those who didn’t not acknowledge God as their King, who neglected to read, know, and obey His Word? Or are you more like Boaz—who devoted himself to knowing God’s Word, made it the highest priority of his life, and faithfully obeyed it in every circumstance?
If our lives resemble the former, let us come before God in repentance today. Let us surrender our lives to Him once again, asking that He would reign as King over every part of us.
May we live each day under His rule—seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness—so that through our obedience, His Kingdom would be established wherever we are: in our homes, our workplaces, and in every relationship of our lives.
May your life be one that builds God’s Kingdom and reflects His reign in this world. Let us pray.
 
[Prayer]
Gracious and Almighty God, we thank You for speaking to us today through the story of Ruth and Boaz.
Thank You for reminding us that true blessing comes when we live under Your reign—when we acknowledge You as our King and walk in obedience to Your Word.
Lord, forgive us for the times we have lived according to our own desires and wisdom, rather than seeking Your will. Forgive us for neglecting Your Word and for failing to make it the foundation of our lives.
Today, we lay down our crowns before You and confess that You alone are our King. Teach us, O Lord, to hunger for Your Word each day— to meditate on it, to live by it, and to let it shape our thoughts, our choices, and our relationships. May we, like Boaz, live with integrity, compassion, and faithfulness, reflecting Your justice and mercy in all we do.
Reign over every part of our lives, Lord—our hearts, our homes, our work, and our future. Establish Your Kingdom in us and through us, so that wherever we go, Your light and Your righteousness may be seen.
We give You all glory, honor, and praise.
We pray this in the name of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
 
[Reflection Questions]
1. Through the Book of Ruth, what have you discovered about how the people of God are called to live? How does Boaz’s story shape your understanding of what it means to live as a citizen of God’s Kingdom? How will you apply it in your life?
 
2. When you look at your life, do you see yourself living more like the people in Judges who did what was right in their own eyes, or like Boaz who lived in obedience to God’s Word? What specific areas reveal this most clearly?
 
3. What practical habits can help you live under God’s kingship more fully this week?