A key word in the Book of Ruth is "favor" - the Old Testament word for "grace" As we read, we recognize that Boaz is a shadow of Christ in this story. The "favor" that Boaz shows to Ruth reveals the "grace" Christ shows to those who come to Him asking to be redeemed. How? Boaz took Ruth under his care and protection, providing for her hunger. Boaz was qualified to redeem, willing to redeem and did all that was legally necessary to redeem by paying the price of redemption.
If you have any doubt that every single one of us can be redeemed by Christ, read Ephesians 2:11-22. You will understand what our lives are like outside of Christ and what it means to be united to Him.
Boaz 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!" (Ruth 2:12) Jesus said, "Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or fathers or mothers or children or lands for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19:29). In Ruth we see that she left her family/people of Moab to take hold of the promises and people of God; she was rewarded with acceptance (no longer "a foreigner") and provision in the people of God (His promise of inheritance) and EVEN became a part of the lineage of Christ (see Matthew 1, specifically verse 5).
Remember when Naomi told her friends to stop calling her Naomi (pleasant) and to call her Mara (bitterness)? As the story nears the end (Ruth 4:15) her friends tell her that having Ruth as a daughter-in-law was better than having "seven sons." "Seven" is the number of perfection so this was another way of saying "having the perfect family." Naomi had no idea (especially when she was in her "bitter stage") that the Lord had great plans for her and in order to fulfill His plans first she had to empty herself of her plans. His plans were far better than any she could have conjured up for herself. Through her family - not only would come the great King David - but also the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Greater Kinsman-Redeemer - the One who offers redemption to ALL the families on the earth.
I pray that you, too, will take hold of this hope!
So now, let's go back to the beginning - God's promise was to Abraham - that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. This story in the Book of Ruth demonstrates that those who are not descendants of Abraham by birth could get in on the promised blessings of God by faith in Yahweh. It also taught, in shadow form, about the redemption that would be accomplished by a greater redeemer than Boaz . . . One who would be worthy and willing to redeem. THANK YOU JESUS!