Receiving Redemption

Ruth 4, “Receiving Redemption”
———————

Introduction:
When we last left our heroes, they were bristling with the anticipation of redemption. At Naomi’s instructions (good little matchmaker she was!), Ruth went to Boaz by night while he was threshing his harvested wheat, she laid down at his feet, & basically proposed marriage by asking Boaz to spread his wings (or skirt) over her. Boaz was happy to do it & blessed Ruth for her kindness (hesed) that was displayed towards him (and by extension, Naomi & even God!)… There was only one hitch: Boaz wasn’t the nearest of kin to be the kinsman-redeemer! There was another man, and legally he had to be offered the opportunity for redemption 1st. Yet even with that tension, Boaz assured Ruth that the matter would be taken care of that very day & he sends her off with abundant blessing.

So now what? Now the act of redemption has to actually take place. Keep in mind that this day (specifically this event) is THE event that the entire book has been leading up to. In Ch 1, Naomi & Ruth found themselves in need of redemption: they were left in a Gentile land mourning their dead husbands, and upon coming back to Israel they were facing death & starvation. In Ch 2, they started having hope in redemption as they were introduced to Boaz, who showered them with favor & instructed Ruth to come only to his field for gleaning. Naomi instantly recognized who Boaz was as family & they begin to hope. In Ch 3, they acted on that hope, and waited for their redemption as they brought their request to Boaz. Now in Ch 4 the time has come to receive that redemption. At this point, the only question is: will the redeemer be Boaz – the one whom they trusted? Or will it be someone else?

Ruth 4 (NKJV)
1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, “Come aside, friend, sit down here.” So he came aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.

A. The basic significance of the gate is that this is where business was done. It was a place where witnesses could easily gather, and that’s exactly what they did when transactions or contracts needed to be made. They didn’t exactly have town hall where public records could be xeroxed & accessed – this was their version.

B. Who met there? The “close relative” Boaz has mentioned earlier. Ruth had apparently gotten back to Naomi without being seen & Boaz was able to arrange a public meeting with him. Interestingly enough, the Hebrew labels him as the “goel” – the redeemer…or at least, this is who it was supposed to be. Legally, this was his 1st right, and so he bore the title of “kinsman-redeemer” (even though he never redeemed anything).

C. Boaz’s name for him is interesting. “Friend” = Hb “peloni almoni” – a phrase used to refer to any generic person. (Clarke) “Hark ye, Mr. Such-a-one of such-a-place!” … Did Boaz know his name? Of course – they were close relatives living in the same small town of Bethlehem. But in the inspiration of Scripture regarding a story where every person’s name is significant, this other relative remains anonymous. He’s not worthy of being named. Keep in mind that one of the primary purposes of levirate marriage was to carry on the name of the person who died. This 1st relative is going to try to protect his inheritance by not taking the redemption; yet his own name is blotted out for all history.
.

3 Then he said to the close relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 And I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’ ” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

A. Boaz offers the right (and responsibility) of the kinsman-redeemer to this other relative… [BIBLE – Lev 25:23-28] Two things about the law:
__a. The land ultimately belongs to God (Lev 25:23). Thus their responsibility to redeem it isn’t solely for family honor & inheritance; it’s a command from their King to distribute the land as He sees fit.
__b. No matter what happens regarding relatives, the land was automatically to be restored to the man (or his surviving children). Why? Because the land belongs to the LORD. (Re-emphasized for a reason! This was God’s perpetual provision for His people.)
__c. Basically what we see is not some casual real-estate deal. This is a Royal Divine Command in order to preserve His people…Boaz treats it with the utmost respect.

B. Note: Boaz definitely does want to redeem Ruth, but he’s being completely honest & up front here. Some think Boaz is being shrewd by not mentioning Ruth upfront, but that seems to be an inference from the text. By all appearances he’s legitimately offering the redemption up to the other relative. Why? It’s the right thing to do according to the law, and Boaz does things by the Book.
__a. Keep our typology in mind. Boaz adhered to the letter and the spirit of the law. So does Jesus regarding our own salvation & redemption… Matthew 5:17-18 (17) “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (18) For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. [] And that’s exactly what He did! Jesus was born of a woman, born under the law (Gal 4:4) – He was tempted in all ways we were, yet without sin (Heb 5:15) – Jesus was in every respect well-pleasing to the Father (Luke 3:22). Jesus completely honored the law in our salvation. He didn’t go find a loophole to deny the law (because the law is good! He wrote it!), but instead perfectly fulfilled the requirements of the law – even the parts that required death due to sin.

C. Mr. So-and-so actually agrees to redeem the land! Is this a good thing? Yes & no. Yes, in that it honored God by the letter of the law – this was his moral & spiritual duty & he was supposed to redeem the land. No, in that (as we’ll see in the next verses) he certainly wasn’t honoring the spirit of the law. He had a very selfish motive (to maintain & increase his own inheritance & lands) & he seemingly was only obeying the law in order to gratify his flesh.
__a. God cares about our motivations! He wants us to do the right thing, but (as we saw in Ch 3) He wants us to do it the right way as well. Both the end AND the means give glory to God; we want to glorify Him in every aspect.
.

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.” 6 And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

A. Boaz fills in the rest of the picture regarding Ruth. This redemption didn’t simply involve the legal aspect of the land, but also the levirate marriage responsibilities of the kinsman-redeemer. [BIBLE – Deut 25:5-10] Why this law? Because culturally, women had very little means of providing for themselves – and there was the matter of the inheritance to pass along. Thus God provided for both the widow & His covenant through the law of the levirate marriage. Those who denied their responsibility were to be shamed as a result.
__a. To modern ears, this may sound pretty weird – and even taboo. But we need to keep the culture in mind & not judge them from a 21st century mindset. There were very few (if any) jobs available for women – rarely did they own land to grow crops – and without a son to help support them, they had little hope.

B. At this point, the man refuses to redeem, and his motives become crystal clear – he’s only concerned about himself & the inheritance he’d pass on to his own children. Some scholars refrain from attributing too much motive to the 1st relative, thinking perhaps he was simply too poor to purchase the property & care for the Naomi & Ruth (and any offspring). That seems pretty unlikely (to me) in that he was perfectly willing to purchase the land (and presumably redeem Naomi); his answer only changes when Ruth gets introduced to the mix & it becomes evident that any offspring between them would receive an inheritance of the redeemed land. IOW, he had the money to purchase it; but he didn’t have the money to purchase it & then give it away to another child upon his death. It definitely illustrates that his original desire to purchase the land was for selfish gain – not for anything dealing with Naomi’s benefit or honoring God.

C. Some see a parallel between the unnamed man & the OT law. People try to use the law to redeem themselves, but they can’t. It’s simply not something the Law is capable of doing. The law makes nothing perfect (Heb 7:19) & no one is justified by the law (Gal 3:11). To be redeemed, we must go to the One who has the power to redeem: Jesus Christ!
.

7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel. 8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal.

A. Also part of the law (Deut 25:9). [Cultural aspect of feet…considered dirty] This was more than the “closing of the deal”; it was also an admission of disgrace… If so, why didn’t Boaz (or the elders) spit into the face of Mr. So-and-so? Hard to say – possibly because the honor of the one needing redemption was still upheld; it was simply upheld by the 2nd in line & not the 1st. Some scholars also speculate a different reason for the sandal: that by taking off his sandal, the relative was symbolically giving up his right to walk on the land of redemption…

B. Whatever the case, the deal was confirmed. Mr. So-and-so forever relinquished his right to the land (and the women) & Boaz forever redeemed them to himself. The other relative no longer had any say or sway in the matter or their lives…
__a. Again, to use the comparison of the law, this is what happens with Jesus. We are redeemed by Him, and the Law has no more hold on us. We have become dead to the law through the body of Christ (Rom 7:4). In Christ, we are free to serve God in newness of life!
.

9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.”

A. Boaz redeemed it all! Elimelech – Chilion – Mahlon – Naomi – Ruth – the land & any inheritances lost through sin & death, Boaz redeemed it all…

B. Jesus redeems it all! There is nothing left lost or undone when He redeems someone. It is absolutely complete. There’s no sin you committed that hasn’t been paid for; there’s no sin you will commit that hasn’t been paid for. There’s no wrath of God that’s “left over” for you to experience later; Jesus paid it ALL!
__a. What has He redeemed us with? Nothing less than His very own blood. Boaz paid a price (some unknown amount of money); Jesus paid so much more than money! 1 Peter 1:17-19 (17) And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; (18) knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, (19) but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. [] There is no more precious price!
__b. What has He redeemed us from? Death… What has He redeemed us for? Life! Specifically, life with Himself…we’re His bride. He purchased us as His own special possession – He’s purifying us to Himself – He’s cleansed us from sin & made us into new creations & His body. Why? So we can glorify Him forever as the Bridegroom as we spend eternity in His presence.

C. BTW – notice the order. Boaz redeemed Ruth, but to do so, he had to redeem the land. Did Boaz need the land? No – of course not. Outside of the law requiring that he purchase the land, he had no need of it. He had plenty (as demonstrated by the gleaning). He bought the land to get the bride. (Smith) “In that he becomes a very beautiful picture of Jesus Christ, who bought the world in order that He might purchase His bride, the church, out of the world.” Matthew 13:44-46 (44) “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (45) “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, (46) who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. []
__a. We’re the treasure to Jesus! He gave all He had – He left His glory in eternity with the Father to humble Himself as a man in the flesh…He was humiliated & rejected by those He came to save…He died the death of a curse (the cross). He gave everything in order that the price might be paid for us.
__b. ‘Wait a second…I’m not worth anything. I’m certainly no treasure!’ Outside of Christ, you’re absolutely right. But in Jesus, you’re washed, clean, and precious to Him. As Peter writes, we’re a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people” (1 Pet 2:9). That’s not because of who WE are; it’s everything because of who HE is. Jesus called us apart & made us His saints. THAT is definitely a treasure!
.

11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the LORD will give you from this young woman.”

A. The elders & people confirm the redemption transaction & the wedding – and in fact, the wedding is the major focus. This is one more indication that the 1st relative missed the whole point. He was looking to increase his land without personal cost & Boaz saw the land as just the means to share his love with his bride.

B. They give a blessing. And what a blessing it is! That God would make:
__a. Ruth “like Rachel & Leah”: to go from widowhood & childlessness to life & motherhood. That she would bear many children to the glory of God…
__b. Boaz “prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem”: 2 names for the same city/region. God certainly answered that! Boaz has been famous for thousands of years & far beyond Bethlehem. 
__c. Boaz’s house “like the house of Perez”: This is particularly interesting, considering the circumstances of Perez’s birth… [Judah & Tamar – Gen 38] Yet even after that infamous beginning, Perez was still considered blessed. He was originally the 2nd child, but came out with the birthright – Genesis 38:27-29 (27) Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. (28) And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” (29) Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” Therefore his name was called Perez. [] Consider the parallel here for the blessing…the 1st redeemer withdrew his hand & the 2nd redeemer received the blessing & honor. Perez was considered to be the father of those in Bethlehem, so it naturally fit.
.

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.

A. Redemption was consummated. (Obviously NOT at the gate! )
B. Somewhat off-topic, but we see something pretty interesting here: “the LORD gave her conception.” We know the physical mechanics of conception, but from where does the conception of life actually begin? The LORD! … … And if the Lord brings forth life at the moment of conception, that speaks volumes about our so-called “right to abortion.” It’s not OUR right. Outside of providing the environment, WE didn’t do anything to create life. Conception is from the Lord & that life is HIS.
.

14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! 15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.”

A. Naomi also received a blessing…but 1st they praised the Lord. Every good & perfect gift is from above (Jas 1:17), and that especially applies to children!

B. They also prayed for Naomi’s “close relative”/redeemer. Note here, it’s not a reference to Boaz, but to Boaz’s son Obed – “has borne him”. Him = “a close relative.” How is baby Obed a redeemer? They prayed he would be:
__a. “a restorer of life”: Naomi’s husband & 2 sons were all dead & gone. She had come back to Bethlehem, not as “Pleasant” (Naomi), but “Bitter” (Mara). But out of the depths of her mourning, there is new life in the form of her grandson & heir. Truly he restored life to her.
__b. “a nourisher of your old age”: Just as Boaz as a redeemer helped to feed & care for Ruth & Naomi during the gleaning, Obed would have the responsibility of caring for his grandmother in her old age when she could no longer provide for herself.
__c. Is this a prayer for Obed? Sure – but it seems likely it’s not just a prayer for Obed, but prophetically for the One who would come from Obed’s line: Jesus. Jesus IS a restorer of life… Jesus IS our nourisher…

C. Ruth is praised as well! She was “better…than seven sons.” High praise! Ruth cleaved to Naomi through the worst of times & because of her faithfulness, she was the vessel God used to provide for Naomi’s inheritance & old age.
.

16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. 17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

A. Naomi was the child’s nurse/primary caretaker. Common practice for the time – but considering Obed was legally the heir of Elimelech, he was also considered Naomi’s son, so this is quite appropriate on several levels.

B. Translation “Obed” = servant (or worshipper…short for “Obadiah” – servant of God) – wonderful name for the boy who was brought about through this redemption! It’s a recognition that through their redemption, they are servants of the Most High God & worshippers of Him. And this servant ultimately leads to the “Suffering Servant,” the Son of David, Jesus Christ.
.

18 Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; 19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; 20 Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; 21 Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; 22 Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

A. Ending genealogy. Potentially some generations are skipped (not unusual), but here we see 10 generations leading from Perez to David…which of course makes this a wonderful bridge to 1-2 Samuel where we see the rise of the Davidic Kingdom. Interesting people here:
__a. Perez – who was born out of wedlock from Tamar’s relationship with her father-in-law Judah.
__b. Salmon – who married Rahab the harlot (Josh 2) & begot Boaz.
__c. Boaz – who married the Moabitess Ruth.

B. So what? So this isn’t just David’s genealogy; it’s Jesus’. And Jesus had Gentiles, prostitutes, and near-incestuous relationships in His family tree. … … Talk about the grace of God!

Conclusion:
Talk about your happy endings! Naomi is redeemed & has an heir for her late husband. Ruth is redeemed & brought into covenant relationship with the people of God. Boaz gains a wife & family. The Messianic line continues several more generations until God brings Jesus forth in the fullness of time. Keep in mind, it didn’t start out looking like it was going to be this way. If the historical record had stopped at Ch 1 – we would have mourned with those who mourned. But God wasn’t done with them yet. God wasn’t done until they were redeemed!

So what do we do now, once we’re redeemed? One thing’s for sure: we don’t go back to gleaning! [Ray Stedman – no “second book of Ruth”] We have been freed from the law of sin & death – we have been bought with a price & made the bride of Christ. We need never doubt His word, nor try our feeble attempts to please Him through the law. Instead we rejoice as His chosen & purchased possession – we worship Him in spirit & truth – and we live for His glory every day!

Waiting for Redemption

Ruth 3, “Waiting for Redemption”
—————–

Introduction:
Have you ever watched a movie series? Or followed a serial western? It seemed that every episode answered some question, but also set us up for the next episode to follow. “Next time, join the Lone Ranger as he says….” In some ways, that can be our experience when teaching through narrative books of the Bible – especially Ruth. Each chapter sets up tension & solves problems, all the while looking forward to what lies ahead. Ch 3 is no different.

Remember our context: a man of Bethlehem Judah took his wife & two sons out of Israel during a famine (demonstrating a fundamental lack of trust in God – despite his name, “My God is King”), and takes them to pagan Moab to try to eek out a living. His two sons get married to Moabite women (Gentiles), and the sons & father promptly die in Moab. His wife (Naomi) heads back to Judah, with one of the son’s widows (Ruth) committing herself to Naomi & Naomi’s God – no matter what. They get back in the middle of harvest time, but they are impoverished & Ruth sets off to glean in the fields just to try to find food for survival. Ruth providentially comes to the field of a kinsman of theirs (Boaz), who showers Ruth with kindness & offers her a bountiful provision. Ch 1 ended with despair, Ch 2 ended with hope – and that brings us to Ch 3.

In our 4 episode series of “Ruth”, we have 4 scenes in Act 3: (1) Naomi’s instructions, (2) Ruth’s request, (3) Boaz’s response, (4) Boaz’s provisions. There’s drama as Ruth lays everything on the line & there’s sweet resolution in Boaz’s answering in righteousness. One would almost think that the Author knows exactly how to tell a story. Keep in mind, this isn’t fiction. It’s a wonderful love story that outlines the process of redemption, but this is absolutely true. God is simply a Master storyteller & teacher.

Ruth 3 (NKJV)
- Naomi’s instructions…
1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.” 5 And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.”

A. What’s our timeline at this point? It’s hard to pinpoint it exactly – but Naomi & Ruth had arrived in Bethlehem sometime at the beginning of the barley harvest & now they are close to the end of the harvest, when the field owner would start to thresh/winnow the barley harvest. Obviously several weeks had passed by this point. Keep in mind that Boaz’s field was the 1st field Ruth went to, and she had stayed in his field the entire time. They would have had the opportunity to get to know each other fairly well by this point – they certainly weren’t strangers any longer.
__a. Winnowing barley was the process of separating the grain from the chaff. The grain would be tread out (varieties of ways – mills, oxen, etc), the whole mess was gathered together & thrown up in the air, where the wind (often the night sea breeze) would blow out the chaff, leaving the heavier grain to fall to the ground. Boaz was either doing this at night for the better wind, or staying in the threshing house till the job was completed in order to protect the harvest from thieves.

B. Naomi sought to provide for her daughter-in-law… Marriages were arranged by the parents, so Naomi filled this role for Ruth. Practice was done via the law of kinsman-redeemer (more details in Deut 25 – we’ll see it played out in Ch 4). Naomi knew that Boaz was the “goel” – and she instructed Ruth on the customs surrounding invoking it.
__a. Keep in mind Ruth was still a fairly new convert to Judaism; she needed someone to instruct her on the customs & practices. Not unlike modern-day discipleship – new Christians need mature believers around them to help them understand what this walk with Christ is all about.

C. Uncovering his feet? Hold that in mind for later…

D. Ruth was willing to do it. To point it out is to state the obvious, but it’s an important step. If Ruth hadn’t been willing (due to the age gap between her & Boaz, or whatever), she surely would have still had the invitation to glean the fields (with the abundant blessing Boaz had already given her), but she wouldn’t have been redeemed. I.e., she would have gotten by on the bare minimum, but wouldn’t experience all that God desired her to have. [] Make no mistake, God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Eze 33:11), He’s not willing that any should perish (2 Pet 3:9), & He commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). Yet obviously, not everyone is saved – many do perish & will suffer eternally in Hell outside of the presence of God. Does it have to be that way? Jesus has already made provision for their redemption at the cross & resurrection. Yet some are just not willing to be saved.
__a. It’s interesting how many people throughout the gospels simply aren’t willing to be saved. “Eternal life & salvation? Sure! Giving up my prestige & selfish desires? Ehh…I dunno.” The rich young ruler left Jesus in sorrow because he couldn’t give up his idol of money (Mark 10:22). Luke shows 3 in a row – [BIBLE: Luke 9:57-62] All had valid reasons from a cultural perspective to say “No” or “Wait” – but Jesus cuts to the heart of the problem: they simply weren’t willing to immediately surrender their lives to God as Lord & King…which meant they didn’t acknowledge God as Lord & King.
__b. Is it our will or is it God’s will? Anytime the idea of a “will” is brought up regarding salvation, people start sharpening their swords for a passionate debate on the subject. I’d suggest that to do so is to miss the forest for the trees. We know that no one comes to Jesus unless the Father draws them (John 6:44) & that the Holy Spirit is the One who convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). But we also know very plainly that the Bible repeatedly calls people to respond – and thus it follows we have to be willing to do so. … Let’s be content to leave the mystery at that – and continue to give the call for people to respond to the glorious gospel message.
.

- Ruth’s request…
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. 7 And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 And he said, “Who are you?” So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.”

A. Ruth followed through on everything Naomi had instructed her regarding Boaz. Boaz would have known Ruth well, but understandably couldn’t recognize her in the dark (and his sleepiness – not to mention what he drank that night!).

B. What was she doing? Requesting redemption – this is exactly what she’s referring to when she said, “Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.” Not only does she acknowledge him as her redeemer (goel) – she specifically asks for him to take action, using his own words on the issue. Ruth 2:12 The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” [] Before, Boaz had blessed her & prayed that God would provide her with the protection she needed as an honorable widow; here, Ruth’s basically saying, “You’re the answer God provided.”

C. Ruth’s asking for redemption goes hand-in-hand with her willingness to be redeemed. After all, her willingness wouldn’t amount to a hill of beans if she didn’t somehow act on it. We do the same thing with Jesus! The difference is of course Jesus has already made the provision for our redemption & invited us to receive of it. But we MUST ask/respond to that offer… The crowd at Pentecost asked what to do to be saved (Acts 2:37) – the Ethiopian eunuch asked to respond through baptism (Acts 8:36) – the Philippian jailer asked what to do to be saved (Acts 16:30). Whatever our particular circumstances, when we come in contact with Jesus Christ through the gospel, we MUST respond somehow. The Pharisees saw the miracles & heard the teaching, but many died in their sins – because they didn’t respond. They may have wanted to be saved, but they didn’t receive the salvation Jesus offered them.
__a. God answers those who respond to the gospel in faith!

D. Some have suggested that by “uncovering the feet of Boaz,” Ruth was making an improper sexual advance. There’s absolutely zero evidence for that. (1) Just from the description in the book, there’s no hint of anything but innocence & wholesomeness in what she did. (2) Culturally, laying at a person’s feet was an indication of submission. Servants slept at the feet of their masters (note Ruth’s own identification as a “maidservant”). She was simply showing that she had submitted herself completely to Boaz & placed her life in his hands.
.

- Boaz’s response…
10 Then he said, “Blessed are you of the LORD, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman. 12 Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. 13 Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the LORD lives! Lie down until morning.”

A. Wonderful response from Boaz! He gives her a blessing – a commendation – and a promise.
__a. The blessing: At 1st glance, this almost seems out-of-place. After all, this was a widowed Gentile woman in a Jewish culture who gleaned fields for a living. Not exactly the 1st candidate for “Lifestyles of the rich & famous”! How exactly was she blessed of the Lord? Ruth was blessed of the Lord because she was putting her trust into the word of the Lord. Naomi had obviously taught her about the law of the kinsman-redeemer & now Ruth was in the process of applying it. Other than simply trusting the promises of God in His word, she had no reason to believe that Boaz would do anything for her regarding redemption. Her claim was based upon the word of God. And in God’s word & promises, she was blessed.
__b. The commendation: In Ch 2, Ruth’s upright character showed through in how she was known to provide for her widowed mother-in-law. In Ch 3, Ruth’s character shows in how she sought God’s will (through the law of the kinsman-redeemer) in proposing marriage to Boaz, rather than seeking out a more fleeting love from younger men her own age. Boaz seemed to think that Ruth could have her pick of any of the young men in town; but instead she seeks the kinsman-redeemer for her late-husband’s family. Obviously Ruth wasn’t only looking out for herself, but also her mother-in-law…and that kind of selfless love was to be commended.
__c. The promise: This was what Ruth was waiting for – Boaz promised to fulfill the duty of the kinsman-redeemer. The one hitch was that there was another relative that was closer in line for the duty – and the offer needed to go to him 1st. Note Boaz wants to do the right thing the right way… Everyone does in this chapter.
____i. Naomi sought the best for Ruth
____ii. Naomi knew how Ruth was to ask
____iii. Ruth asked the right person (instead of the youth)
____iv. Ruth asked in the right way
____v. Boaz responded with compassion
____vi. Boaz responded in righteousness. (Following the law with the closer relative)
____vii. These are all things that glorify God…

B. Do the right thing! What catches us on this point is usually one of two things:
__a. We don’t want to do the right thing. If we’re being honest with ourselves, many times we don’t do what’s right simply because we don’t want to. Our flesh gets in the way of thing. Turning the other cheek is hard – keeping no record of wrongs gets in the way of our grudges – submitting to one another in the fear of God simply doesn’t appeal. Or maybe it’s something more specific: we just want the temporary pleasures of sins & think we can deal with the consequences later. Whatever the case, when we don’t want to do the right thing, the problem is our flesh. And the solution is the same that it’s always been: kill it off. Romans 6:11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. [] Deny yourself, pick up your cross & follow Christ in the power of the Spirit…
__b. We don’t know the right thing to do. Sometimes we’re not quite sure what God would have us do in a particular situation, so we just sit on our hands and do nothing. All-in-all, this isn’t too much better than the issue of our flesh, because whatever the case, the right thing still isn’t done. The good news here is three-fold:
____i. God has given us all the instruction we need. It’s in the Bible. It’s enough to give us doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness – giving us everything we need to make us complete in Christ (2 Tim 3:16-17).
____ii. God has given us all the confidence we need. It’s in Christ Jesus. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13). Where we feel we lack, we rely on our Savior. Even where we feel we are strong, we STILL rely on our Savior!
____iii. God has given us all the power we need to do it. It’s the Spirit. You say, “But it’s impossible for me to love someone else as Christ loved me,” & the Bible says, “You’re right! But what is impossible for man is possible with God” & we have the promise from Jesus of being endued with power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us & fills us (Acts 1:8; Eph 5:18).

C. Do it in the right way! There are a lot of good things worth doing. But if they are worth doing, it’s worth doing them in the right way. A poor motive or an “ends-justify-the-means” method can taint the whole thing… Proverbs 28:6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich. [] We ought to seek to honor God in the process as much as the end result.
__a. Does this mean God can’t use our mistakes to glorify Himself? Of course He can. He can work good out of all things (Rom 8:28)… When the gospel was preached out of selfish motive, Paul still rejoiced (Phil 1:18)… And if (when) we mess up & do things the wrong way, we always have an open door for repentance & forgiveness (1 John 1:9)… But God is certainly glorified when we do it the right way the 1st time!
.

- Boaz’s provisions…
14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, “Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Also he said, “Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city.

A. Boaz protected Ruth’s character & reputation. By keeping his servants quiet, he did two things: (1) It kept news of the arranged redemption from going to the other relative before Boaz could tell him. The other relative deserved to hear it from Boaz himself; not through the grapevine. (2) It also deprived gossips of any ammunition about impropriety during the night.
__i. Why was this necessary? After all, Boaz & Ruth had acted completely honorable with one another. Answer: they may have been honorable, but not everyone is. Gossips spread rumors 1st and ask questions later. (And it’s something Christians have zero reason to participate in!)

B. Boaz provided for the widows…in abundance! By some estimates, this may have been around 60 pounds. Whatever the amount of an “ephah,” Boaz basically gave Ruth as much as she could possibly carry. Obviously, he’s sending enough food home for Ruth & Naomi to last weeks – even through it wasn’t going to be necessary due to his diligence to fulfill the redeemer vow. Why’d he do it? Because it was just the right thing to do.
__i. Just as in Ch 2, this is a practical demonstration of Boaz’s love for Ruth. He’s protecting her & providing for her…nourishing & cherishing her, just as Christ does the Church (Eph 5:29)

C. Note what Ruth is doing here: resting till morning. Seems insignificant until we remember who she’s resting beside – her redeemer. (Unger) “…Rest is only found at the feet of the Redeemer.”
__i. As a born-again believer, you have been redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ – One far more influential and powerful than Boaz. Are you resting at His feet? [Martha & Mary] Choose what’s best – worship God; sit at the feet of Christ!
.

16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “Is that you, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 And she said, “These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, ‘Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ” 18 Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.”

A. As at the end of Ch 2, Naomi sees the writing on the wall & rejoices! Why? Naomi knows Boaz’s character. He’s a man of his word & He’s going to see things through. … Wonderful thing to be known for! Let your yes be yes & no be no – and do what you say you’re going to do…

B. Keep in mind our type here. Just as Boaz was trusted to keep his word, so we can trust our Redeemer to keep His word…. Jesus is faithful to His promises! He has promised to redeem us & save us – and He has! How do we know?
__a. Jesus made provision for our redemption from eternity past: He was slain before the foundation of the world…
__b. Jesus made provision for our redemption at the Cross: what was already accomplished spiritually was provided physically in 33AD (+/-) when Jesus became the sin sacrifice for mankind, and shed His blood for us.
__c. Jesus gives assurance of His redemption through the resurrection: The Resurrection is our ultimate proof that the wages of sin have been paid! Now death has no more sting & no more victory.
__d. Jesus gives us a guarantee of our redemption through the Holy Spirit: He is the seal of our salvation – our guarantee & down-payment on eternal life.
__e. Jesus continues to promise our redemption in that one day He’ll come back for His church & receive us to Himself, that where He is, we may be also. Every single promise Christ has given, He’s been faithful to fulfill – there is no one more faithful & trustworthy than our God! We can be confident in our hope & promise of redemption, because it’s based upon none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God!

Conclusion:
In a sense, “Act 3” (Ch 3) can seem somewhat an awkward place to leave off with…the entire chapter is a setup to get us ready for Ch 4. After all, Naomi & Ruth leave their fate in the hand of Boaz, who wants to help but has to get some legal matters solved 1st…the tension isn’t exactly all resolved yet. But God isn’t just interested in the end result in our lives; He’s deeply involved in the process as well. For Ruth & Boaz, God was to be honored in the details as they went about doing the right things in the right way. It’s no different for us; God is glorified in the details of our lives as well.

Think of it this way: if God was solely interested in the end result, then the immediate consequence of anyone being born-again would be for them to die & go be with Jesus. After all, at that point, our sins are already justified – we’ve been declared righteous in the sight of God – we’ve been spiritually set apart as holy in His eyes – we’ve been given the seal of the Holy Spirit. Why not just have us drop dead & go see Jesus? It’d save us the trouble of further sin along the way…

Ultimately, this is a question only God can answer, but the Scripture does give us at least one huge reason: through Christ, God has made us new creations, but He wants to transform our hearts as well (Rom 12:2). We’ve got a new nature, but we’re also slowly being conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29). Our character needs work, and God is willing to do the work that it takes to make us into the men & women He wants us to be. And for the vast majority of us, that process takes time.

For all of us, it’s important to do things the right way – including Boaz, who honored God in the process of redemption; not just the result. For the greater-than-Boaz, it’s even more important! Jesus did not skirt “the rules” when He came incarnate to rescue & redeem His creation. Jesus didn’t look for loopholes to see how He could outsmart the Law of God…after all as God, He created the Law of God! Instead, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law in our redemption. Not a single requirement was left undone. He did all that His Father called Him to do & was able to proclaim with confidence from the cross that “It is finished!” He did the most righteous thing imaginable in the most righteous way possible…all to the glory of God.

For Ruth & Naomi – at the end of the night, they only had one thing to do: wait upon their redeemer. Their lives rested in his hand, guided by the hand of God – and likewise for us. Our only hope rests in our Redeemer, so we wait upon Him. We wait upon Him in worship, prayer, and the Scriptures – we wait upon His faithful promises – and we wait upon His glorious coming. Jesus is definitely worthy of our waiting.

Hope of Redemption

Ruth 2, “Hope of Redemption”
——————

Introduction:
“It’s always darkest before the dawn.” It’s somewhat of a trite cliché, but sometimes it can be true. It certainly proved to be true with Naomi & Ruth! Naomi had left Bethlehem with a husband & two sons; she came back a widow with no children, only accompanied by the widow of one of her sons. From Ruth’s standpoint, not only is she a widow at a young age, but she’s now in a strange land among people she doesn’t know. Together, they’re facing a life of hardship & likely starvation.

Things had indeed been bad – so much so that Naomi had become embittered against the Lord & even changed her name to “Mara.” But just because Naomi was bitter towards God doesn’t mean that God was bitter towards Naomi. God had a plan of provision for Naomi & Ruth, and in Ch 2, the idea of redemption becomes a possibility. What seemed utterly impossible before is now possible through the hand & work of God. Trusting in the Lord’s promises always brings hope – which is exactly what Naomi & Ruth learn in Ch 2.

Ruth 2 (NKJV)
1 There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz.

A. Chapter 1 ended off with Naomi claiming she had come back empty. In a sense, that was true, but she wasn’t completely without family in Judah…she had at least two relatives, including Boaz. Later, we’ll learn he’s a “close” relative; this is crucial to Naomi’s & Ruth’s fate…

B. Translation “Boaz” = “in whom there is strength.” Keep in mind where we came from. My-God-is-King (Elimilech) & Pleasantness (Naomi) decided to leave the land where people actually worshipped God & took their sons Sick & Weakness (Mahlon & Chilion) to Moab where they got married and died. Beaten down physically, spiritually, and emotionally, Naomi comes back Bitter (Mara) with only one person at her side: Friendship (Ruth). Poor & destitute, one might think God had allowed them to perish, except for the fact that He now brings in the one in-whom-there-is-strength.
__a. Sound familiar? It should – most of us can relate! We turned away from the righteous God to willingly engage in sin & rebellion against Him & many of us found ourselves in a place where we were beaten down & bitter. But what did God do? He loved us even when we were sinners (Rom 5:8) & turned us to the Ultimate One in Whom there is Strength: our strong Savior & Redeemer, Jesus Christ!
__b. Throughout the book, Boaz is going to be a type of Jesus. Like a lot of typology, it’s not necessarily perfect, but he presents a beautiful picture for what Christ does for us in our helplessness.

C. How wealthy was he? Wealthy enough not to worry about the amount of food he was leaving behind for Ruth… Hebrew leaves open the possibility that he was a mighty man of valor – perhaps a warrior retired in his older years & with plenty of land for farming. I.e., this is a man of good character & standing in the community.
.

2 So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

A. What’s “gleaning”? Biblical basis found in Lev 19 (among other places) – Leviticus 19:9-10 (9) ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. (10) And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God. [] Basically, this was the Hebrew version of welfare, with 2 main exceptions to today: (1) It was managed by the individual people & not the government, (2) the poor were expected to go gather the food themselves.
__a. NT affirms the same principle. The church was expected to help those who needed help, but at the same time Paul wrote, “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” (1 Thess 3:10) God expects us to be productive…

B. The fact that Ruth was willing to go glean in the fields demonstrates a lot about her character. (1) She was a new convert to the Hebrew faith, but already she had learned about gleaning in the law. (2) She may have been poor, but she was willing to do what it took to survive. (3) She understood that her mother-in-law wasn’t able to go, so she was going to provide for her as well. Ruth may have been in a place where she needed a lot of help, but she was seeking to honor God in everything she did!
.

3 Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The LORD be with you!” And they answered him, “The LORD bless you!” 5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.”

A. So Ruth goes to Boaz’s field, asked permission to glean there & worked hard all day. Boaz comes along & asks about her & his servants fill him in on the details. “She rested a little in the house” doesn’t mean that she went into Boaz’s house uninvited for some lemonade; rather it’s a reference to a shelter in the field that Ruth could rest in some shade.

B. Note a bit of irony here: the writer tells us Ruth just “happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz.” As if anything here is left up to chance! Now, was Ruth aware of whose field she was in? Probably not. But God surely was. Through His providence, He took her to Boaz’s field. All Ruth was looking for was a meal for the night; God had something much grander in store for her.
__a. The providence of God is a wonderful thing! Can we systematize it? No. Can we completely analyze every detail for how the providence of God works? No…God is infinitely complex. Yet we can be assured that God is absolutely sovereign! Ruth was not there by chance that day; God had arranged a divine appointment for her to be in Boaz’s field when Boaz just ‘happened’ to stop by. Boaz: the exact person necessary for Ruth & Naomi to be redeemed. If one thing could be guaranteed from this book, it’s that Ruth was not at all dependent on ‘luck’ to be there that day; she was dependent upon Almighty God.
__b. So are we! Everything we have in life & come across in life is what God allows to come to pass. Every good & perfect gift is from above (Jas 1:17) – the steps of a man are ordered by the Lord (Ps 37:23) – God causes all things to work for good for those who love Him & are the called (Rom 8:28). Whatever we come across in life (whether it causes us to jump for joy, or crumble to our knees in prayer), we can (and ought to) ask, “How can I glorify God in this situation?” Whatever the immediate causes, God allowed it to be there, so we know God can be glorified somehow.

C. Question: had Ruth told the reapers any of her background? Not likely. But Bethlehem was a small city, and news would have likely carried fast. In any case, the compassion & love Ruth showed towards Naomi was evident. People took notice of it, even if Ruth wasn’t trying to show it off…
__a. What are our neighbors noticing about us? We’re witnesses…
.

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.”

A. Magnificent promises & response from Boaz! He immediately takes compassion on her & invites her to keep gleaning on his land.
__a. Promises provision: By gleaning in Boaz’s field & his field only, Boaz is telling Ruth that there will be more than enough food provided for her & Naomi. There wouldn’t ever be a need for Ruth to go off & look in another field. In addition, he was providing water & rest for her while she was there.
__b. Promises protection: Keep in mind, this was the time of the judges – which wasn’t exactly known for good-behavior! Boaz commanded the young men under his authority not to touch Ruth, so she would be free to glean as much as possible without interference.
__c. In the process, he’s already demonstrating love for her in that he’s protecting her & providing for her. That’s what love does: it nourishes & cherishes…

B. Again, we see more typology with Jesus. This is what He does for His church: He nourishes & cherishes it as His own body. Ephesians 5:29-30 (29) For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. (30) For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. [] We are the body & bride of Christ & He cares for our every spiritual need!
__a. Jesus promises provision for us: Every debt we incurred because of sin (an infinite amount!) is completely provided for in Christ. He is our all-sufficient sin offering & the blood He shed at Calvary was enough to pay for your sins (and mine & everyone else’s) one time, for all time. Today, He sits at the right-hand of God the Father because there’s no more price to be paid! (Heb 9-10) In addition to forgiveness from the wrath of God, Jesus provides new life for us – He provides the seal of the Holy Spirit – He provides a new identity for us – He provides the promise of inheritance with Him, and more!
__b. Jesus promises protection for us: He protects us from the past in that our sins are forgiven. He protects us in the future through the promise of eternal life. Death has no more sting because the Resurrection of Jesus ensures that death only serves as the cause for us to see Jesus face-to-face. He even protects us here in the present in that we now have the power to resist the devil & temptation. As born-again believers, we are under the protection of our All-powerful Lord & King!
.

10 So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. 12 The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

A. Ruth’s response is interesting by today’s standard. Many of us might have just said “thank you” & been on our way, but she responds in complete humility & gratefulness. What makes the difference? She understands the grace that is being shown to her. (1) She is a foreigner in the land & was less likely to receive any favor at all from anyone. (2) What Boaz is doing for her is well up & beyond what the minimum of the law required.
__a. Fast forward to today. Many Christians give God a brief amount of “thanks” for their eternal life & go on their way… It’s likely those who do so don’t really understand the grace that has been shown them. Just like Ruth, we are foreigners to God’s promises – we are outside His covenant…and even worse, we are His enemies in our sin! But not only does God show us His grace in Jesus Christ, He gives us far more than we could ever imagine (as we just saw)… Our response to God ought to be the same as Ruth’s to Boaz: utter humility & thankfulness to our Lord, God, King, and Abba Father!

B. Boaz passed on what he had heard about Ruth. He understood what Ruth gave up at home in order to provide for Naomi. … He blesses her, not only that God would ‘cover her expenses’ (so to speak), but bless her abundantly beyond what she would have had in Moab. She gave of herself to her mother-in-law & Boaz prays that God would do the same for her. That God would give to her in “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over,” (Luke 6:38). (And God does! Just as He does for us in our salvation – we truly have an abundant life in Christ!)

C. When Ruth committed herself to Naomi, she wasn’t putting her trust in what the people of Israel might provide for her under the law (Israel wasn’t steadfastly following the law during the time of the judges, anyway)… Ultimately, she was entrusting herself to the Lord God – “under whose wings you have come for refuge.” (Like a mother hen…) Boaz understood that God was using him to help provide for Ruth & Naomi (though he may not have yet understood how much).
.

13 Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.” 14 Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back.

A. Again, Ruth responds in humility…

B. Boaz not only allows her to glean, to drink the water, and to have protection – but he even invites her in for lunch. He gave her a helping big enough for her & for her to take leftovers back home to Naomi…
.

15 And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

A. Even more grace shown from Boaz. He allows her to glean even beyond the corners of the field (which was the minimum of the law) & instructs his servant to “accidentally” drop whole stalks of grain on the ground so she can come by behind them & glean what they left behind.

B. How much this is like God! He gives us so much in abundance…much of what we probably never realize. We’ve received of His fullness; grace upon grace (John 1:16)
.

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.

A. Ruth was looking for food for a day. She came back with enough for a week. Some estimate this was even equal to up to a half-month’s wage. And Boaz said she could do that every single day! This truly was grace being showered down upon her.
.

18 Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So she brought out and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.”

A. The amount of food doesn’t escape Naomi. Even before she knows whose field it was Ruth worked in, she’s blessing the owner of the field.
.

20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.”

A. Huge difference in Naomi’s attitude towards the Lord from the end of Ch 1! There, she was depressed & blaming all her problems on the Lord. Here, she understands God’s provision & basically giving Him praise. Is Naomi right to do so in Ch 2? Of course…but she ought to also have given God praise in Ch 1 in the middle of her adversity as well. [Job’s loss] Job 2:9-10 (9) Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (10) But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. [] The NT affirms the same thing. Paul tells us whether we abase or abound, we are to be content in the Lord because we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13). James tells us to count it all joy when we fall into trial, because God is working on us in those times (Jas 1:2-3). We’re to trust God in ALL our circumstances (good AND bad), knowing that God is in control & He’s going to glorify Himself through it.
__a. Question: why is it so important to give God praise in both good times and bad? Why not just give God the praise in the good times & leave the bad times alone? Because God is still God even in the bad times. Because even when things seem as if they’re spiraling out of control, God is still on His throne & giving Him praise acknowledges that fact. Not that God needs to be reminded; but WE do.

B. What’s one thing that makes the difference for Naomi? She understands that the Lord is faithful to His covenant. “kindness” = Hb “chesed” – speaks of His loyal, covenantal love towards His people. She & Ruth both had sought the Lord’s wings for refuge (vs. 12), and God was faithful to provide.

C. From our perspective, it may be rather difficult to see what’s so important about Boaz. Not for Naomi. She understands two things about Boaz:
__a. He is a “relation” of theirs. This isn’t a reference so much as to him being some sort of distant kin (like 4th cousin twice removed…), but that he was close enough in relation to be qualified for the levrite marriage. Thus the “dead” (her husband & sons) have a possibility of their names being carried on through the lineage of Boaz. Although Naomi came back from Moab empty, there’s now a possibility of restoration.
__b. He’s a “close relative” – literally speaking, he’s a “redeemer.” Hebrew word is more often translated “redeemer” in OT (and used often of God in that context!), which meant that not only was saving the family line a possibility, but redeeming the family land was as well. We’re not told much about the family land in the Book of Ruth – but this is the primary reason behind the kinsman-redeemer in the Law (Lev 25:25). Ultimately, what is being redeemed here isn’t land, but people. (Just as with Jesus, WE are the purchased possession He has redeemed – Eph 1:14).
.

21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also said to me, ‘You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’ ” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not meet you in any other field.” 23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.

A. End of Act 2: Naomi confirms what Boaz had said to Ruth – that she should glean in his field only. They have solid provision throughout the time of the harvest & things are looking up…

Conclusion:
So much hope here at the end of Ch 2! What looked so terrible in Ch 1 now has a solid ray of light shining here. Once they were looking at starvation & death; now they have a possibility of redemption & long abundant life.

If that’s not an easy transition to the gospel, I’m not sure what is. This is OUR story. WE were looking at death, destruction, and an eternity of suffering for our sins. We were outside of the favor of God & actively working against Him. But God drew us to Himself & through some method shared His gospel with us. We heard of the promises of forgiveness & eternal life, repented & trusted Jesus as our Savior & King. The result? We were redeemed! We were washed, justified, and sanctified in the sight of God! We were sealed with the Holy Spirit & given the promise of power for living in the rest of our days! This is a message of hope! We’ve been given the promise of redemption & the hope of eternal life.

Question: what made the difference for Ruth & Naomi? What took Naomi from despair at the end of Ch 1 to hope at the end of Ch 2? An encounter with Boaz. Ruth had met her kinsman-redeemer & that changed everything. I suggest that hasn’t changed a lick in the thousands of years since this was 1st written down. Everything changes after we meet our Redeemer. Abram was a pagan moon-worshipper…until he met Jesus. Moses was a murderer on the run & shepherd in training…until he met Jesus. Peter was a nervous fisherman…until he met Jesus. Paul was a murderous Pharisee…until he met Jesus. I don’t know what you were, but I know what I was…and then I met Jesus.

If you’re sitting here tonight & haven’t yet turned from your sins & surrendered your life to Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died for your sins & rose from the grave – you need to. Don’t let tonight pass you by…

But what if you’re a Christian who’s simply struggling? You’re saved, but you still feel as if you’re in the depths of despair at the end of Ch 1 & you haven’t experienced that kind of hope in the end of Ch 2 for a while? The solution for you is no different. Go spend time at the feet of your Redeemer. Remember what He’s saved you from – how He protects you & provides for you. Spend some time considering what you were from an eternal standpoint & then what you now are because of Jesus’ work on the cross. And then give Him the worship He deserves simply because He is God. Even if you have zero other reason, every born-again Christian has reason to hope because we’ve been saved according to the gospel of hope through Jesus Christ who is the hope of glory.

Needing Redemption

Ruth 1, “Needing Redemption”
—————-

Introduction:
Welcome to Ruth! After the tough, sordid history of Israel during the time of the Judges, the book of Ruth is a welcome change. But at 1st glance it doesn’t start that way. Ruth is the story of one family’s descent into tragedy, and when things look their worst, they begin to hope in God & see His providential provision in every area of their lives.

The overall theme is Ruth is one of redemption; more specifically – a redeemer. There is much theology behind redemption (as we’ve seen in Hebrews), but we’ve got a problem if we let that theology stop at our heads & don’t let it become more than Bible trivia. Our redemption was bought by a very Personal Redeemer: Jesus Christ… In the Book of Ruth, that’s exactly what we see: people in need of redemption, but not just some truths…they need a person. They need a redeemer to bring them from the brink of death to abundant life.

Ruth 1 (NKJV)
1 Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

A. Provides the overall context. We don’t know exactly when Ruth was written (or whom it was written by), but we do know when the history took place: “in the days when the judges ruled…” It seems that the author is looking back in time somewhat at those days (implying that at least some generations have passed & it’s at least being written during the kingdom years; if not the exile)…but the placement of the book in the canon fits well where it is. We just got done reading about the “days of the judges,” and they weren’t exactly good times… …

B. How bad was this particular time? “There was a famine in the land.” … We can probably assume this was during one of the times of national apostasy when the Lord allowed Israel to experience the consequences of walking away from Him; otherwise they would have experienced blessing…

C. What was this man’s response to the discipline of God? To walk even further away from Him. He left Judah “to dwell in the country of Moab.” Not that he went there to go buy food & return; he left the inheritance God had given him & his family & abandoned his people to dwell among the pagans… It probably seemed practical (or even logical) at the time to do this; a great man-made solution to this problem outside of his control. Right? Wrong. 1st of all, this was a problem likely caused by carnal methods to begin with (thus the discipline of the Lord). 2nd, this was only a carnal solution to the carnal problem. What Elimelech should have done was repent & seek the Lord! Instead, like the judges ruling the land, he does “what is right in his own eyes” and walks even further away from God.
__a. How do we respond to the lean times with God? The three main characters in this chapter respond decidedly different from one another. But beyond the theoretical, this is something we need to be prepared for, because there WILL be times that we have our faith tested. Are we prepared to say “God is good all & time…” & mean it? May God give us grace for those times, if you haven’t experienced it already.

D. Note the city: Bethlehem. Obviously this story provides some key background to the genealogy of David & ultimately the Son of David: Jesus Christ… In fact, that would seem to be the primary point. Two women (a Hebrew & a Gentile) who were destitute & without hope needed a redeemer & God provided one. Likewise, two people who are otherwise without hope (Jews & Gentiles) need a Redeemer & God provides One: Jesus Christ.
.

2 The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion— Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there.

A. Many of the names are going to be pretty significant in this book…we’ll be taking the time to look at their translations…
__a. Elimelech: My God is King. Rather ironic. This man actually left his King (God was the King of Israel), not trusting in His provision to go live elsewhere. Elimelech certainly didn’t act as if God was King. (Our actions often reflect what we believe – people can see if Jesus is really our Lord by what we do far better than what we say.)
__b. Naomi: Pleasantness or Delight. As long as she experiences the blessing of the Lord, she wants to be known as Pleasantness. When the lean times come, she’ll change her name to reflect her attitude & emotions.
__c. Mahlon: Sick. Chilion: Pining or Weakness. Both names are fitting!

B. Who were they? “Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah.” Family name (their clan). Otherwise, it looks like your typical American nuclear family: husband, wife, 2.5 children & a dog. There’s nothing overly significant about them…there’s not any indication of nobility among them or any mighty warriors. They’re just normal people. Tells us 2 things:
__a. Bad things happen to normal people. Sometimes we fall into this trap of thinking, “I don’t know why things are so tough for me! I work, pay my taxes, go to church, and I’m kind to children and small animals. I didn’t think bad things were supposed to happen to good people!” Technically speaking, you’re not a good person outside of the goodness given you by Jesus Christ… But that aside, bad things still happen to normal people. The only difference between most suburban homes & people living under a bride is a couple of really bad months. … Look at Job! Here was a guy who had it all: riches, family, favor in the sight of God – and he lost everything in less than a day! Job’s response? Job 1:20-22 (20) Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. (21) And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” (22) In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. []
__b. God often has incredible plans for people who are otherwise obscure. From this ordinary family (who, by all circumstances should have died out), came the royal line of Israel & the Messiah & Savior of all the world. Those are some pretty big plans! That’s not to say that our children are necessarily destined for the Supreme Court, or that every evangelist is going to the next Billy Graham… But we may never realize what God has in store for “ordinary” families. Missionaries you support might win whole villages for Christ. People you pray for may experience the healing you interceded for. Whatever it may be, when we seek for God’s will to be done & for Him to be glorified, we can be assured that He’ll do it!

C. Where did they choose to dwell? “Moab” – this was definitely the wrong direction! [MAP] They left Bethlehem (“House of Bread”) during a famine to find food in a country that was born out of sin & opposition to God (Lot & daughters). In essence, they were leaving the Land of Promise to backtrack over Joshua’s provision into a land completely outside of the Lord.
.

3 Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4 Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. 5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.

A. Talk about your hard times! Put yourself in Naomi’s sandals for a minute. Not only did you pick up your children & move far away from all the friends & family you’ve ever known – not only are you living among people who are strangers to your God – but your husband dies leaving you widowed, which is bad enough in itself, but it also precludes you from any remarriage due to the fact you’re surrounded by pagans & far from home. At that point, your only hope for physical & financial support is in your adult children – and then not just one, but BOTH of them die in this strange land. Now you have not only your grief, but the responsibility of caring for their widows with absolutely no chance of being able to provide for them. At this point, Naomi was facing abject poverty and starvation…

B. Who were the daughters-in-law? Orpah (not Oprah ), meaning “the neck” or “the gazelle.” Ruth, meaning “friendship”. Scripture doesn’t give us any background on either one. Ruth definitely lives out her name, as we’ll see through her loving friendship with Naomi.
.

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people by giving them bread. 7 Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

A. Returning to Judah… The “House of Bread” had been given bread again & so Naomi decided to go back. Could say she ‘repented’ in that she had a change of direction. Her heart & mind is still going to take some time.

B. It seems that the daughters carried on with her for quite some time… However, Naomi has good reason to send them back; not for her sake, but for theirs. They would have greater family ties in Moab & more opportunity to remarry & bear children.
.

8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.

A. Naomi gives them her blessing to leave & remarry… Obviously they were pretty close – leaving each other is a painful thought.

B. Beyond giving them her own blessing, she blesses them in the name of the Lord (even though Orpah will return to idolatry). Specifically, she says “The LORD deal kindly with you…” The Hebrew there is significant in that she’s blessing them (1) in the name of the One True God… and (2) she’s asking for His loyal covenantal love (‘chesed’) to be shown unto them. Basically, her prayer is that God would treat these two pagan women as His own children.
__a. Any equivalent to this today? Sure: intercession! When we pray for a loved one’s salvation, this is basically the same request Naomi had…that God would show mercy upon someone who doesn’t deserve His mercy & draw them to Himself for salvation & adoption into His family.
__b. Who are you interceding for?
.

10 And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons, 13 would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me!”

A. Naomi’s argument against the daughters-in-law carrying on with her: she doesn’t have any more sons to give them. It may sound a bit strange for us, but this was the custom of the day… If a man left a widow, his brother was supposed to marry her & raise up children in his brother’s name. Deuteronomy 25:5-6 (5) “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. (6) And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. [] (We’re actually going to see this whole section in the law play out at the end of Ruth…)
__a. This is what the Sadducees were trying to trip Jesus up with… (Matt 22:23-33) How sad is it when people who supposedly worship God try to use the loving provisions of God to stumble someone else? … That’s exactly what happens with legalism!

B. Naomi’s whole point is that although she would encourage any of her other sons to take on these daughters-in-law, she has none to give. And if she ever did bear another son, the age difference would be insurmountable.

C. One big problem here (that we’ll see repeated later) is that Naomi blames God for this. “…The hand of the LORD has gone out against me!” The good part here is that she still wants to go back to Judah & that she understands the Lord is sovereign over all. The bad part is that it seems her whole view of God is wrapped up in her circumstances. When things are good, the Lord is personally blessing her; when things are bad, the Lord’s hand is personally against her. There is an element of truth in this in that God certainly allowed her to go through these things. But God is most definitely not to blame for her tough times & tragedies!
__a. The fact is: we live in a fallen world. We live in a world where people die, creation groans, earthquakes happen, cancer happens, all sorts of disease take place. And all of it has the same source: when Adam & Eve ate of the tree in the Garden of Eden & the resulting curse. The good news is that in Jesus, all of this is reversed! Rev 21-22 paint a wonderful picture of a restored creation – life as it was originally meant to be. Death is removed & life remains in Christ Jesus… Our problem is often we are looking for that restoration here on earth, when the Bible tells us expressly that we’re not going to get it. This place is going to be burnt up & done away with (2 Pet 3:10). For now, we’re to persevere in Christ Jesus! He gives us strength to walk with Him in times of abundance & hunger (Phil 4:12-13), and will continue to do so till we see Him face-to-face in glory!
.

14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

A. Orpah left; that’s the last we see of her.

B. Ruth’s reasons for staying with Naomi are some of the most beautiful statements of love & commitment in the Bible! See vs 15-17…
.

15 And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”

A. Ruth commits to Naomi’s presence, “wherever you go, I will go”: Whether in life or in death, Ruth declares that she will be with Naomi, no matter what. Moving is not easy for us today; it wasn’t any easier for the ancients. It meant giving up any claim to land or any familiarity with the place she once called “home.”

B. Ruth commits to Naomi’s people: The closest equivalent for us would be to change our citizenship to another country. This is a big commitment for Ruth; she’s closing the door to going back to Moab & her own personal family.

C. (Most importantly) Ruth commits to Naomi’s God. Unlike Orpah who returned to her pagan idolatry in Moah, Ruth is so committed to her love for Naomi that she even converts to a worshipper of the One True God. Note she doesn’t only refer to God as “God,” but by His covenant name “LORD”…that’s a profession of faith for her.

D. More than just a commitment to her beloved mother-in-law, Ruth provides a great example of what it means to follow the Lord. What does it mean to pick up our cross & follow Christ?
__a. It means that we’re dead to our old life, just as Ruth left Moab behind. We reckon ourselves dead to sin & alive in Christ (Rom 6:11).
__b. It means Jesus is more valuable to us than any old friend, ties, & even family members. (Matt 10:37)
__c. It means that our entire life stops being about us & starts being about Jesus & His glory…we follow Him simply because He is our Lord! Matthew 16:24-25 (24) Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (25) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. []
.

18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her. 19 Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

A. Naomi’s bitterness against the Lord is in full swing here. “Mara” = “bitterness.” She renounced her name of the past (“My delight/pleasantness”) & took a name that reflected her outlook upon the Lord & what she thought He had done to her.

B. To be honest, Naomi has every reason to be hurt & sad & grieving. Scripture would not deny her any of those emotions – and neither should the church with those among us who are grieving for various reasons. We’re to rejoice with those who rejoice & weep with those who weep (Rom 12:15). But how ought Naomi have responded with God? By standing on faith! She understood mentally that God is still the Almighty One Who is sovereign over all things. But instead of looking for God’s sovereign provision during her tragedies & trust in His mercies & grace, she chooses to blame God & accuse Him of directly afflicting her.
__a. Contrary to what many people believe, God is not up in heaven with a giant magnifying glass shining down on us (the ants)! He does not sit around dreaming up ways to make our lives miserable. 1st of all, that’s an incredibly egotistical self-centered thought… 2nd, it denies God’s basic nature: He loves us! He cares for us! He has thoughts of peace toward His people (Jer 29:11), He desires for us to experience abundant spiritual life in Christ Jesus (John 10:10).
__b. This is where faith comes in. Other than Job, it’s tough to think of someone in the Bible who was in worse straights than Naomi was at this point. But even in her circumstances, it’s vitally important to walk by faith. We know that God is good, so we trust Him in His goodness. We know that God is faithful, so we trust Him for His promises. We know that Jesus will never leave us, so we trust Him for His presence. Instead of getting bitter, Naomi ought to have continued to trust in the God, who she claimed to trust in.
.

22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

A. Now we have a Moabitess (a Gentile!) living in poverty with her depressed & impoverished mother-in-law in Bethlehem in Judah. Sets up the scene for Ch 2 & the next person we meet…

B. Looking back well over 2000 years later, it’s easy for us to say, “Cheer up! Things aren’t so bad. God has arranged things ‘just-so’ in order to give birth to David & ultimately to give birth to Jesus!” But we need to remember that to Naomi & Ruth at the time, they didn’t have a clue as to what God had in store. All they knew is that they loved each other & wanted to care for one another…they didn’t have a plan of how it was going to work out.
__a. This is exactly where faith comes in. When we face this kind of point in our lives, we could easily consume ourselves with anxiousness and worry, wondering what WE were going to do to survive. But although we always need to be diligent to do what God has in front of us, WE ultimately don’t provide for ourselves; that comes from the Lord. (Consider the lilies… Do not worry about what you’ll eat or wear – Matt 6:31-33) Philippians 4:6-7 (6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. []
__b. God is obviously going to provide for them (which is evident from the text: Naomi left during a famine, but returned during a harvest). But He’s using this trial in their life to provide for so much more than just them; but to provide a Savior for the entire world…

Conclusion:
So how do we face trials in our life? We get three possible examples in Ruth 1:
A. Elimelech: instead of seeking the Lord, he sought a carnal solution. Ultimately, he ended up with more problems than what he started with.
B. Naomi: she got bitter & blamed God. She knew God, but her heart didn’t match her head. She’ll learn what it means to walk in faith.
C. Ruth: She did what was right. She committed to continue to walk in love towards those around her & she committed herself to trust the Lord God. She left her old life to fully walk with the Lord…no turning back.

No one pretends that any of this is easy… It’s definitely not. To face trials and hardships with utter faith goes against every natural bone in our body! But we need to remember two things:
(1) We died to that carnal natural stuff; we’re new creations in Christ!
(2) God is sovereign & in control! He is good all the time – and when we come across things in our lives & walk with Him that we don’t understand, we fall back on the things that we DO understand about God. We understand that God is righteous – holy – sovereign – loving – compassionate – our Savior, and much more.

These people were in need of redemption, and although much has to play out before they’ll see it, God will indeed provide it. WE were in need of redemption – even before we knew it. … But God provided it through Jesus Christ. Praise be to God for His sovereign provision!