The Biggest Story Curriculum
The Girl Who Wouldn't Go Away
BEFORE THE LESSON
Read Ruth 1-4.
Pray for God’s help. Ask for the Spirit’s help in understanding the passage and for the Lord to open the children’s eyes to see who he is, what he has done, and how they should respond to him.
Study the lesson plan below. Use these sections as suggestions. Think of ways to teach it in your own voice.
Pray for God’s help. Ask for the Spirit’s help in understanding the passage and for the Lord to open the children’s eyes to see who he is, what he has done, and how they should respond to him.
Study the lesson plan below. Use these sections as suggestions. Think of ways to teach it in your own voice.
The Big Picture
Help children see how this story connects with the other lessons. Build anticipation by introducing the setting and the significance of what is about to happen in this week’s story. {5 minutes}
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Remember that refrain from the book of Judges? It was repeated four times! In those evil days, bad things happened. Bad things like a famine. Bad things like an Israelite family leaving the promised land for a foreign country. Bad things like a husband and two children dying. Things were so bad that one woman even changed her name to Bitter. But God is working even in the bitter times. God used Bitter’s family to bring his blessing to a foreign woman—kind of like how he brought a blessing to Rahab, the Canaanite woman who protected the Israelite spies. And this was exactly like how he’d promised Abraham that he was going to bless all the peo ple of the earth through him. Want to hear the story of Bitter and the foreign woman? Let’s have a listen.
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Remember that refrain from the book of Judges? It was repeated four times! In those evil days, bad things happened. Bad things like a famine. Bad things like an Israelite family leaving the promised land for a foreign country. Bad things like a husband and two children dying. Things were so bad that one woman even changed her name to Bitter. But God is working even in the bitter times. God used Bitter’s family to bring his blessing to a foreign woman—kind of like how he brought a blessing to Rahab, the Canaanite woman who protected the Israelite spies. And this was exactly like how he’d promised Abraham that he was going to bless all the peo ple of the earth through him. Want to hear the story of Bitter and the foreign woman? Let’s have a listen.
Teach The Story
Video: The Girl Who Wouldn't Go Away: The Story of Ruth (Ruth 1-4)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE9bxlOw6gg
Things were very dark for Israel. It was the dark days of the judges, and there was a terrible famine in Israel. No rain! No food! So Elimelech, and his wife Naomi and their two sons, left Bethlehem and settled in Moab outside the promised land. Their two sons married Moabites, women outside God’s family. It usually wasn’t a good thing to marry a Moabite (see Num. 25:1–2; Deut. 23:3–4). But that’s what these boys did. It was the time of the judges, after all. The wives were named Orpah and Ruth. But not long after they married, something terrible happened. All the men died. Naomi’s husband, Orpah’s husband, and Ruth’s husband. How sad. Shortly after, Naomi heard there was food again in Israel, so she told Orpah and Ruth that she was returning to Bethlehem. Orpah stayed in Moab; but Ruth clung to Naomi and said, “Where you go I will go” and “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). When they arrived in Bethlehem, Naomi’s friends said, “Is this Naomi?” They couldn’t believe she was back! But she said, “Don’t call me Naomi [which means “pleasant”], but Mara [which means “bitter”], for the Lord has brought disaster upon me” (see vv. 20–21). Naomi’s life was bitter, but God had a plan to turn it into something sweet. God’s plan involved a generous Israelite named Boaz. Boaz had a field where Ruth went daily to gather barley to eat. Boaz heard good things about Ruth— how she cared for Naomi and vowed to follow the Lord. One day he said to Ruth: “The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (2:12). And God did reward her in a surprising way. One night, Ruth came to Boaz, laid at his feet, and said to him, “Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer” (3:9). It was Ruth’s way of saying that she wanted to marry him, her way of saying to Boaz, “You can be the answer to your own prayers.” Boaz was happy to be such a blessing. He bought her family’s land and made her his wife. He redeemed her! God rewarded Ruth by giving her kind Boaz as a husband. God also gave them a son. As Naomi cradled her grandson, the women said to once-bitter Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer” (4:14). God had brought foreign Ruth into his family through faith. God had turned Naomi’s bitterness into sweetness. And that was just the tip of the iceberg! Even in the dark time of the judges, God was using these people of faith to bring about an even bigger blessing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE9bxlOw6gg
Things were very dark for Israel. It was the dark days of the judges, and there was a terrible famine in Israel. No rain! No food! So Elimelech, and his wife Naomi and their two sons, left Bethlehem and settled in Moab outside the promised land. Their two sons married Moabites, women outside God’s family. It usually wasn’t a good thing to marry a Moabite (see Num. 25:1–2; Deut. 23:3–4). But that’s what these boys did. It was the time of the judges, after all. The wives were named Orpah and Ruth. But not long after they married, something terrible happened. All the men died. Naomi’s husband, Orpah’s husband, and Ruth’s husband. How sad. Shortly after, Naomi heard there was food again in Israel, so she told Orpah and Ruth that she was returning to Bethlehem. Orpah stayed in Moab; but Ruth clung to Naomi and said, “Where you go I will go” and “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). When they arrived in Bethlehem, Naomi’s friends said, “Is this Naomi?” They couldn’t believe she was back! But she said, “Don’t call me Naomi [which means “pleasant”], but Mara [which means “bitter”], for the Lord has brought disaster upon me” (see vv. 20–21). Naomi’s life was bitter, but God had a plan to turn it into something sweet. God’s plan involved a generous Israelite named Boaz. Boaz had a field where Ruth went daily to gather barley to eat. Boaz heard good things about Ruth— how she cared for Naomi and vowed to follow the Lord. One day he said to Ruth: “The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (2:12). And God did reward her in a surprising way. One night, Ruth came to Boaz, laid at his feet, and said to him, “Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer” (3:9). It was Ruth’s way of saying that she wanted to marry him, her way of saying to Boaz, “You can be the answer to your own prayers.” Boaz was happy to be such a blessing. He bought her family’s land and made her his wife. He redeemed her! God rewarded Ruth by giving her kind Boaz as a husband. God also gave them a son. As Naomi cradled her grandson, the women said to once-bitter Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer” (4:14). God had brought foreign Ruth into his family through faith. God had turned Naomi’s bitterness into sweetness. And that was just the tip of the iceberg! Even in the dark time of the judges, God was using these people of faith to bring about an even bigger blessing.
Gospel Connection
Show how the story points to Jesus and his rescue mission as the Snake Crusher. {5 minutes}
Do you want to know something cool? Boaz’s mother was Rahab. The same Ra hab that was saved from the walls of Jericho and brought into God’s family. So when Ruth married Boaz, she and her mother-in-law Rahab were both women who had once been outside God’s family. And both women had been brought into God’s family because they had put their trust in him. They must have loved to share their stories with each other! And now Ruth and Boaz’s son would lead to the greatest blessing of all—Jesus. Their son’s name was Obed. Obed had a son (Jesse) who had a son (David). Do you know who David was? He was the king Israel was waiting for—a king after God’s own heart. Not the perfect king. Only Jesus is the perfect King. But a king that helped God’s people do what is right in God’s eyes. And from King David comes King Jesus, our Redeemer! The one who saves us from our sins and brings us new life. The Gospel of Matthew starts with a list of names, Jesus’s family tree. And do you know whose names are on that list? Rahab and Ruth! God’s plans are so much better than we can ever imagine.
Do you want to know something cool? Boaz’s mother was Rahab. The same Ra hab that was saved from the walls of Jericho and brought into God’s family. So when Ruth married Boaz, she and her mother-in-law Rahab were both women who had once been outside God’s family. And both women had been brought into God’s family because they had put their trust in him. They must have loved to share their stories with each other! And now Ruth and Boaz’s son would lead to the greatest blessing of all—Jesus. Their son’s name was Obed. Obed had a son (Jesse) who had a son (David). Do you know who David was? He was the king Israel was waiting for—a king after God’s own heart. Not the perfect king. Only Jesus is the perfect King. But a king that helped God’s people do what is right in God’s eyes. And from King David comes King Jesus, our Redeemer! The one who saves us from our sins and brings us new life. The Gospel of Matthew starts with a list of names, Jesus’s family tree. And do you know whose names are on that list? Rahab and Ruth! God’s plans are so much better than we can ever imagine.
Discuss The Story
1. Question: What promise did God make to Abraham about all the nations of the world? Who are the people in this story who were not originally part of God’s family? Why did God welcome them into his family?
Takeaway: God welcomes people from all the nations to be part of his people.
2. Question: How do we know Ruth made the Lord her God? In what ways should we be like Ruth?
Takeaway: Like Ruth, we should make the Lord our God.
3. Question: How did Naomi feel when she first returned to Bethlehem? Why? How did Naomi feel by the end of the story? Why? What do we learn about God from her story?
Takeaway: We should trust God’s plan for our lives even when things are hard.
4. Question: How did Boaz redeem, or save, Ruth and Naomi from their bitter life? How is Jesus a better redeemer?
Takeaway: King Jesus is a redeemer better than Boaz.
Takeaway: God welcomes people from all the nations to be part of his people.
2. Question: How do we know Ruth made the Lord her God? In what ways should we be like Ruth?
Takeaway: Like Ruth, we should make the Lord our God.
3. Question: How did Naomi feel when she first returned to Bethlehem? Why? How did Naomi feel by the end of the story? Why? What do we learn about God from her story?
Takeaway: We should trust God’s plan for our lives even when things are hard.
4. Question: How did Boaz redeem, or save, Ruth and Naomi from their bitter life? How is Jesus a better redeemer?
Takeaway: King Jesus is a redeemer better than Boaz.
Activity Or Craft
Option 1 (Activity):
"Share The Food Relay Race"
Supply List: bag or basket with food (apples, bread, carrots, bagels, etc.), plates
Before Class: Gather supplies (one food item per child). Place a bag of food on a table on one side of the room. Place plates on the other side of the table and number them (one per team).
Divide children into teams with a maximum of six children on each team, and give each team a number to match the plate. Have them stand on the opposite side of the room as the bag of food. When you call “Go!” the first person on each team should hop on one foot to the table, choose a food item from the bag/basket, then hop a little further to set that item on her plate. Then she runs back to the starting line and tags the next person to hop to the table, choose another piece of food, hop it to the plate, and run back to the starting line. The winning team successfully places six pieces of food on their plate and returns to the starting line first. Remind children that Boaz shared food with Ruth.
Option 2 (Activity):
"Find Your People"
Supply List: colored buttons/chips (two matching colors for each child), paper bag
Before Class: Gather supplies. Hide half of the buttons or colored chips around the class room (one from each match). Place the other matching buttons/chips in a paper bag.
Have children reach in a bag and choose a button/chip without looking. Call out “Find Your People,” and each child should search the room for a button/ chip matching his or her color. Upon finding it, he or she calls out “My people are your people” and sit down to wait until the rest find their match. The game ends when everyone has found their people.
Option 1 (Craft):
"God Spreads His Wings"
Supply List: copy paper, red construction paper (one per child), white paper plates (one per child), scissors, staplers, crayons, glue sticks
Before Class: Gather supplies. Print “God spreads his wings over his children” on copy pa per (one per child). Cut the messages out so they will fit on the hearts. Make a sample craft.
Give each child a paper plate, scissors, red construction paper, the message, and a glue stick. Place crayons and a stapler at each table. Have children fold the red paper in half to trace half a wide heart. Have them cut out a heart and glue the message in the center. Have them cut the white plate in half, then staple each half to the side of the heart to form wings (may require assistance). With extra time they can decorate the craft using crayons.
"Share The Food Relay Race"
Supply List: bag or basket with food (apples, bread, carrots, bagels, etc.), plates
Before Class: Gather supplies (one food item per child). Place a bag of food on a table on one side of the room. Place plates on the other side of the table and number them (one per team).
Divide children into teams with a maximum of six children on each team, and give each team a number to match the plate. Have them stand on the opposite side of the room as the bag of food. When you call “Go!” the first person on each team should hop on one foot to the table, choose a food item from the bag/basket, then hop a little further to set that item on her plate. Then she runs back to the starting line and tags the next person to hop to the table, choose another piece of food, hop it to the plate, and run back to the starting line. The winning team successfully places six pieces of food on their plate and returns to the starting line first. Remind children that Boaz shared food with Ruth.
Option 2 (Activity):
"Find Your People"
Supply List: colored buttons/chips (two matching colors for each child), paper bag
Before Class: Gather supplies. Hide half of the buttons or colored chips around the class room (one from each match). Place the other matching buttons/chips in a paper bag.
Have children reach in a bag and choose a button/chip without looking. Call out “Find Your People,” and each child should search the room for a button/ chip matching his or her color. Upon finding it, he or she calls out “My people are your people” and sit down to wait until the rest find their match. The game ends when everyone has found their people.
Option 1 (Craft):
"God Spreads His Wings"
Supply List: copy paper, red construction paper (one per child), white paper plates (one per child), scissors, staplers, crayons, glue sticks
Before Class: Gather supplies. Print “God spreads his wings over his children” on copy pa per (one per child). Cut the messages out so they will fit on the hearts. Make a sample craft.
Give each child a paper plate, scissors, red construction paper, the message, and a glue stick. Place crayons and a stapler at each table. Have children fold the red paper in half to trace half a wide heart. Have them cut out a heart and glue the message in the center. Have them cut the white plate in half, then staple each half to the side of the heart to form wings (may require assistance). With extra time they can decorate the craft using crayons.
Contact Hannah Kitchens at hannah@gatherwithus.church for more information.