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The marriage… (3 things)
- 1st – Who can redeem…vs. 1-8 Read: Ruth 4:1-8
- 1st – Dealing with the problem… vs. 1-2
- Boaz went down to the town gate and took a seat…
- The gate of the city was the meeting place for the elders / leaders of the city…
- Boaz went to other believers to find a resolution to his problem…
- Too often today when we have problems – rather than dealing with them…
- We go to the secular courts – the barangay hall – to those who do not know Jesus…
- If a Christian ‘brother’ was hired to work on our house – did not do a good job…
- If we bought a property – and found out there were problem with the title…
- If you had a disagreement over a property lines – and so on…
- We might be encouraged to go and ‘pick a fight’ / take them to the Barangay hall…
- Sue the pants off of them – they deserve it – they asked for it…
- But we should be taking the problem before the leaders of the church…
- I Corinthians 6:1 – “When you have something against another Christian, why do you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter, instead of taking it to other Christians to decide who is right…”
- Find someone who is full of Godly wisdom to settle the matter – James 3:13-18
- God has given us the wisdom/ability to be able to judge right from wrong…
- We are more than qualified to address any problem that might arise in the church!
- Then rather than airing the problems of people in the church with the unsaved…
- We can focus on telling those who do not know Jesus about salvation!
- The ‘closer relative’ happened to pass by…
- Boaz called out to him – hey there ‘so in so’ – no name or title is given to him…
- Boaz asked him to sit down – he had something to discuss with him…
- He called over ten leaders from the town to be a witness to their conversations…
- It is a wise thing to have others bear witness if there is a dispute…
- Proverbs 11:14 – “With many counselors, there is safety.”
- Boaz went down to the town gate and took a seat…
- 2nd – The problem – Naomi sold her land when she went to Moab… vs. 3-8
- Boaz wanted to redeem the land – Leviticus 25 – since he was a close relative…
- But the ‘unnamed’ man was a closer relative and had first right to redeem…
- The man quickly agreed – ‘I will redeem it!’ – but there was a problem…
- If the ‘closer relative’ wanted to redeem it – he would also have to marry Ruth…
- Boaz takes special note to point out that she is from Moab – not a Jew…
- He would redeem her so she could have children considered the sons of Mahlon…
- That way the Land will remain in the family of Elimelech…
- The close relative replied – ‘then I cannot redeem it’…
- Notice it does not say he WOULD NOT – but they he COULD NOT redeem Ruth…
- According to Deuteronomy 23:3-6 – a Jew could not marry a Moabite…
- Up to the 10th generation they were not allowed into the presence of the Lord…
- The Law was very clear – it forbade you from marrying anyone from Moab…
- So the close relative took of his shoe and handed it to Boaz…
- As was the command in the Law of Moses – Deuteronomy 25:5-6…
- The closer relative / unnamed man is a picture of the Law of God…
- Following a lot of rules cannot save us from our sins – redeem us…
- Rules can only point out to us all our failures – showed us all our flaws…
- The problem is rules does nothing / can do nothing – to help us change…
- There is only the ability to show us what we do is wrong – not to make it right…
- I could tell you all day long to read your Bible – go to church – be ‘good’…
- You might even ascent that what I am saying is true – they ‘Laws’ were good…
- But no matter how many ‘laws’ I gave – I could not make you follow them…
- Jesus did what the Law could never do…
- Jesus desired to redeem us from our sin – to pay the price and take us as His own…
- But there was a closer relative – one who had the right to try and redeem us first…
- It was the Law of God – but the Law COULD NOT – redeem us…
- Romans 8:3 – “For what the law could not do… God did by sending His own Son!”
- So in essence the Law gave its shoe to Jesus – so He could complete the work…
- So we could become the bride of Jesus Christ – Revelation 22:17
- Boaz wanted to redeem the land – Leviticus 25 – since he was a close relative…
- 1st – Dealing with the problem… vs. 1-2
- 2nd – The marriage of Boaz and Ruth…vs. 9-13 Read: Ruth 4:9-13
- 1st – Boaz announced to all the leaders – I am redeeming the property… vs. 9
- Like Elimelech – we lost our inheritance when we walked away from God…
- God created the world – gave the ‘Deed’ to Adam & Eve – Genesis 1:28-30…
- When Adam and Eve choose to sin in the garden – rebel against God – Genesis 3…
- They sold the ‘Title Deed’ of the world to satan – he had the rights to this world…
- II Corinthians 4:4 / John 14:30 – satan is called the god of this world…
- Jesus came to redeem the ‘Title Deed’ that had been lost…
- The price Jesus had to pay to redeem the world – was the cross!
- Revelation 5:2-5 – we are told the no one could open the scroll – ‘Title Deed’…
- John wept – no one was able to ‘redeem’ the world that had been lost to satan…
- But the Angel said do not weep – behold the ‘Lion of the Tribe of Judah’ – Jesus!
- Jesus did redeem the world – He purchased back the ‘land’ that had been lost!
- Like Elimelech – we lost our inheritance when we walked away from God…
- 2nd – Boaz also would redeem Ruth… vs. 10
- The leaders replied – ‘we are witnesses’…
- Boaz had fulfilled the four requirements of the ‘Goel’ – the kinsmen redeemer…
- 1st – He must be a close relative – Leviticus 25:48 / Ruth 3:12–13
- 2nd – He must be able to redeem (able to pay the price) – Ruth 4:4–6
- 3rd – He must be willing to redeem – Ruth 4:6
- 4th – Redemption was completed when the price paid – Leviticus 25:27
- Jesus is our Goel – He is our redeemer…
- 1st – Jesus became a man (relative) so that he could redeem us – Matthew 1:3
- 2nd – Jesus lived a sinless life – so he had the power to redeems us – Romans 8:3
- 3rd – Jesus was willing to pay the price – the cross – Luke 22:42
- 4th – Our redemption was completed at the cross – John 19:30
- We all were in bondage to sin – we had sold ourselves as slaves to his world…
- We could not set ourselves free from bondage – we could not pay our price…
- So Jesus came to be our ‘Goel’ our redeemer – he came to purchase us back!
- I Peter 1:18-19 – “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you… the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”
- The leaders replied – ‘we are witnesses’…
- 3rd – The leaders gave a blessing to Boaz… vs. 11-12
- May your house be like Rachel and Leah – a good blessing…
- They were the wives of Jacob / Israel – from whom the 12 tribes originated…
- The idea is that the marriage of Ruth and Boaz would be a blessing to Israel…
- And indeed it was – the great-grandson of Ruth and Boaz was King David!
- They also gave the ‘blessing’ may your house be like Tamar and Judah…
- This seems more like a curse more than a blessing – it is a scandalous story…
- Tamar was the wife of the oldest son of Judah ‘Er’ – but he died – Genesis 38…
- So Tamar married Judah’s 2nd son ‘Onan’ – but he died – still with no children…
- Judah’s 3rd son was too young to be married – and he was afraid he might die too…
- When Tamar realized – she dressed up as a prostitute and seduced Judah…
- The result was she became pregnant with twins – one of them was Perez…
- May your house be like Rachel and Leah – a good blessing…
- 1st – Boaz announced to all the leaders – I am redeeming the property… vs. 9
The only way to get to heaven – is to be redeemed by Jesus Christ!
Tamar was not a Jew – she was a gentile that married into God’s people…
The idea being their marriage – in spite of the fact Ruth was not a Jew…
Would still be a blessing – in fact it would not just bless the Jews – but the world!
The marriage of Ruth and Boaz looks forward to the birth of the church…
Leviticus 23 – the feast of Shavuot – 50 days after Passover…
Festival of thanksgiving celebrating the completion of the wheat harvest…
Traditionally the Book of Ruth is read – the story of Boaz marrying Ruth…
The reason for Ruth being read – the story takes place during the harvest…
More importantly it was the story of a Jew (Boaz) redeeming a Gentile (Ruth)!
50 days after first fruits / after the resurrection – 10 days after the ascension…
Shavuot was Fulfilled in the birth of the Church – Acts 2 – Pentecost!
The feast included two loaves of bread – representing Jews and Gentiles…
Because when Jesus redeemed the church – He blessed both!
Ephesians 2:14 – “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation…”
The true harvest had begun – the work of reaching the word with the Gospel…
Time to go and tell the world Jesus has paid the price – we are redeemed!
3rd – The birth of Obed…vs. 14-22 Read: Ruth 4:14-22
1st – Boaz married Ruth – and she gave birth to a son – Obed (Serving)… vs. 14
The women of the town told Naomi – ‘praise the Lord who has redeemed your family!’
Because Ruth loved Naomi – she had been better to her than 7 sons…
And Ruth gave to Naomi what she wanted most – a son to inherit the Land…
And Naomi took the baby and cared for him as if he were her own!
Naomi represents the nation of Israel…
Just as God used Ruth to bless Naomi – give her an inheritance…
God used the church to draw Israel back to Him – bring salvation to the Jews!
The Jews rejected and crucified Jesus – so the Gospel went out into the world…
But God still has a plan for Israel – He is not finished with them by any means…
One day all of Israel will be saved – Romans 11:26!
God saved us (gentiles) to provoke the Jews to jealousy – so they’d want Jesus too!
When God takes care of all our needs – as He promises to do…
When we have peace in the midst of turmoil – confidence in difficulties…
The Lord will pour out His blessings on His kids – because He loves us…
But also to provoke those around us to jealousy – so they might accept Jesus too…
2nd – The genealogy of the book of Ruth…
Perez was the son of Tamar who played the prostitute with Judah – their descendant…
Salmon married Rahab – the harlot from the city of Jericho – Matthew 1:5
Their son was Boaz – meaning Boaz’ mother and wife were both gentiles!
Boaz married Ruth (from Moab) who became the great grandmother of King David!
King David is in the direct line of Jesus Christ – the savior of the world!
Jesus was a Jew – but there is just his ‘family tree’ is full of gentiles as well…
Because Jew or gentile – it makes no difference – salvation is for available to anyone…
It does not matter who you are – what your background is – anyone can be saved…
You can be rich or poor / from any nation / have lots of sin or think you’re ‘good’…
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