Wedding Message Ideas from the Book of Ruth

The Book of Ruth, though brief, offers several themes suitable for a wedding message, focusing on loyalty, provision, and the establishment of a family line that ultimately leads to Christ ^{[7, 10]}. The narrative begins with Naomi, a widow who has lost her husband Elimelech and two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, in Moab ^[7]. Her daughter-in-law, Ruth, demonstrates remarkable loyalty by choosing to return to Bethlehem with Naomi, despite Naomi's urging for her to remain in Moab and seek a new husband there ^{[2, 6]}. This commitment, expressed in Ruth 1:16, is often cited as an example of steadfast devotion ^[8].

The story highlights the theme of provision through Boaz, a kinsman of Elimelech. Ruth, as a poor widow, gleans in Boaz's fields, where he shows her favor and ensures her well-being ^{[1, 16]}. This act of kindness and protection foreshadows his later role as her redeemer. The concept of redemption is central to the book, as Boaz, acting as a kinsman-redeemer, takes on the responsibility to marry Ruth and perpetuate the name of her deceased husband, Mahlon, and secure Elimelech's inheritance ^{[3, 14]}. This legal and social custom is detailed in Ruth 4, where Boaz publicly declares his intention to marry Ruth and raise up the name of the dead ^[3]. The elders and people at the city gate witness this transaction, praying for Ruth to be fruitful and for their house to be like that of Perez, an ancestor of Judah ^{[5, 12, 13]}.

The marriage of Boaz and Ruth is not merely a personal union but a significant event in salvation history. Their union results in the birth of Obed, who becomes the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David ^[4]. This lineage is crucial as it establishes the ancestry of Jesus Christ, making Ruth one of four women mentioned in Matthew's genealogy of Christ ^{[7, 15]}. The Puritan commentator Matthew Henry notes that this marriage typifies Christ's espousals to the Gentile church ^[10]. The narrative also subtly emphasizes the importance of preparation and trust. Naomi advises Ruth to wash, anoint herself, and put on her best clothes before approaching Boaz, suggesting a readiness for a new beginning ^[9]. Ruth's patient waiting for Boaz to resolve the matter of redemption also illustrates trust in divine providence and human integrity ^[11].

Sources

Ruth “Also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and don’t rebuke her.” -- Ruth 2:16”
Ruth “Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons; -- Ruth 1:12”
Ruth “Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses this day.” -- Ruth 4:10”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ruth The Book of — Was originally a part of the Book of Judges, but it now forms one of the twenty-four separate books of the Hebrew Bible. The history it contains refers to a period perhaps about one hundred and twenty-six years before the birth of David. It gives (1) an account of Naomi's going to Moab with her husband, Elimelech, and of her subsequent return to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law; (2) the marriage of Boaz and Ruth; and (3) the birth of Obed, of whom David sprang. The author of this book was probably Samuel, according to Jewish tradition. "Brief as ”
Ruth “Let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Yahweh shall give you of this young woman.” -- Ruth 4:12”
Ruth “would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me.” -- Ruth 1:13”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ruth — (a female friend) a Moabitish woman, the wife, first of Mahlon, second of Boaz, the ancestress of David and Christ, and one of the four women who are named by St. Matthew in the genealogy of Christ. A severe famine in the land of Judah induced Elimelech, a native of Bethlehem--ephratah, to emigrate into the land of Moab, with his wife Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. This was probably about the time of Gideon, B.C. 1250. At the end of ten years Naomi now left a widow and childless, having heard that there was plenty again in Judah, resolved to retur”
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Ruth 1:16 cross-references: Joshua 24:18, Ruth 2:6, Ruth 2:11, Ruth 2:12, 2 Samuel 15:21, 2 Kings 2:2, 2 Kings 2:4, 2 Kings 2:6, Psalms 45:10, Isaiah 14:1, Daniel 2:47, Daniel 3:29, Daniel 4:37, Hosea 13:4, Zechariah 8:23, Matthew 8:19, Luke 24:28, John 13:37, Acts 21:13, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 1 Thessalonians 1:9, Revelation 14:4”
Ruth (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ruth 3:3: Wash thyself, therefore,.... Thy flesh, as Ben Melech, that she might appear clean and neat, and free from all spots, and every thing that might occasion a disagreeable aspect, or an ill scent, and so be acceptable to the man proposed: and anoint thee; not with aromatic ointments, as great personages, both men and women, used as Aben Ezra notes, but with common oil, Ruth being a poor widow that she might look sleek and smooth: and put thy raiment upon thee; that is, her best raiment; for it cannot be supposed that she was now without clothes; or else her ornaments as”
Ruth (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ruth 4 (introduction): In this chapter we have the wedding between Boaz and Ruth, in the circumstances of which there was something uncommon, which is kept upon record for the illustration, not only of the law concerning the marrying of a brother's widow (Deu 25:5, etc.), for cases help to expound laws, but of the gospel too, for from this marriage descended David, and the Son of David, whose espousals to the Gentile church were hereby typified. We are here told, I. How Boaz got clear of his rival, and fairly shook him off (Rut 4:1-8). II. How his marriage with Ruth was public”
Ruth (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ruth 3:18: Then, said she, sit still, my daughter,.... Keep at home, say nothing of this affair to any person, be easy about it, take no other steps in it, wait the issue of it: until thou know how the matter will fall; not that she thought it was a chance matter, a fortuitous and contingent event with respect to God; for all decrees come from heaven, as Aben Ezra on the text says, and particularly marriages are decreed in heaven, and come about according to such decrees; so the Targum,"sit, my daughter, with me, in the house, until the time thou shall know how it is decreed fro”
Ruth (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ruth 4:11: And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, we are witnesses,.... Both of the purchase of the estate by Boaz being legally made, and of the marriage of Ruth to him, the condition of the bargain: the Lord make the woman that is come into thine house; not into his house, strictly and literally taken, the place of his habitation; for both he and she were now at the gate of the city, and as yet she was not introduced into his house; but by his marriage of her she was brought into his family, and was become a principal part of it, being his wife. This i”
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Ruth Rabbah 7:8: “He took ten men of the elders of the city, and said: Sit here, and they sat” (Ruth 4:2). “He took ten men of the elders of the city.” Rabbi Alexandri said: From here [it may be derived] that lesser people are not permitted to sit unless the greater person grants him permission. Rabbi Pinḥas said: From here [it may be derived] that the court appoints elders to [attend] their wedding feasts. 234 The court appoints elders to attend wedding feasts so that the celebration will remain appropriate. Boaz invited the elders to sit because he intended to marry Ruth at t”
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Ruth Rabbah 7:9: “He said to the redeemer: The parcel of land that was our brother Elimelekh’s, Naomi, who returned from the field of Moav, is selling. I said to disclose it to you, saying: Purchase it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if he will not redeem it, tell me, and I will know, as there is no one to redeem it beside you, and I am after you. He said: I will redeem it” (Ruth 4:3–4). “He said to the redeemer: The parcel of land that was our brother Elimelekh’s…I said to disclose it to you, saying…i”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — THE GOOD OF WIDOWHOOD (part 9): by fruitfulness of married womb, but by chastity 445 of widowed conduct. But if Ruth also was aware that by her flesh was propagated a seed, whereof Christ should hereafter have flesh, and by marrying set forth her ministering to this knowledge, I dare not any longer say that the widowhood of Anna was more blessed than her fruitfulness. 11. But thou who both hast sons, and livest in that end of the world, wherein now is the time not of casting stones, but of gathering; not of embracing, but of abstaining from embrac”
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Ruth Rabbah 5:11: “Ruth the Moavite said: He even said to me: Cleave to my young men until all my harvest is finished” (Ruth 2:21). “Ruth the Moavite said: He even said to me: Cleave to my young men…” Rabbi Ḥanin bar Levi said: Clearly she is a Moavite, as he said: “But cleave to my young women” (Ruth 2:8), and she said: “Cleave to my young men.” “She cleaved to Boaz’s young women.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: From the beginning of the barley harvest until the end of the wheat harvest is three months. “She lived with her mother-in-law” – Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her:”

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