Ruth 4.13-22

INTRODUCTION

SLIDE 1 Throughout the Bible God is presented as our Shepherd, and not just that, but as our Good Shepherd. The idea of a shepherd is foreign to us today since we don’t have sheep or know much about them. However, to the people of the Bible – both Old and New Testaments – it would have been a vivid picture. They were very familiar with sheep and shepherds even if they were not shepherds themselves. So they would have appreciated this picture of God.

Because of their forty years of wandering in the desert before they entered the Promised Land, the Israelites often thought of themselves as wilderness or desert people. Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, and even King David lived and worked in the desert for periods of time. In fact, the ancestors of the Hebrew people lived in much the same way as the semi-nomadic Bedouin people live today. They lived in tents, raised sheep and goats, and moved from place to place in order to find food and water for their flocks. Long after the Hebrews had settled in the more hospitable land of Canaan, their wilderness experience continued to shape their identity. Thus the wilderness played a significant role in shaping biblical history and the images and metaphors that God used to describe himself and his relationship with his people.

So David wrote of God as his Shepherd:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

Today, shepherds who are leading a flock of sheep are children thirteen years of age or younger. Their father – the chief shepherd – keeps watch from a nearby hill while he handles other responsibilities of wilderness living. In a similar sense, Jesus – whom the Bible calls our “Chief Shepherd” – guides and watches over the “undershepherds” – those who are leaders among his people.

The sheep listen to the shepherd’s voice but will run away from a stranger’s voice. The sheep follow where their shepherd leads. In a similar way, Jesus – our Good Shepherd – goes in front of us and asks us to follow him, just as he asked the disciples to follow him.

SLIDE 2 In the Negev, where the Israelites wandered those forty years, the grass isn’t very tall, so a shepherd can’t take his sheep to green pastures of knee-high grass where they can feast for weeks. Rather, the shepherds usually only finds enough pasture to satisfy the flock’s need for food today. Although the grass may not be abundant, the sheep don’t have to worry about what they will eat later because their shepherd always guides them to new grass when they need it. Likewise, we don’t have to worry about what will happen later today, tomorrow, or next week. God wants us to trust him to provide what we need now and to meet our needs later. We won’t necessarily be led to the green pastures we will need tomorrow until tomorrow comes.

SLIDE 3 Also found in the wilderness, are wadis or dry river beds. However, that dry riverbed can suddenly turn into a torrent of rushing water when fed by distant mountain rains. SLIDE 4 So when David talks about how God led him to quiet waters, he wasn’t talking about one of these temporary rushing streams that could easily drown helpless sheep. Sometimes we look to satisfy our needs and desires in potentially dangerous ways. People will turn away from the voice of the Good Shepherd and enter the “wadis” in order to find water only to be swept away. They seek to find their own water instead of the good, safe, quiet water that Jesus offers.

SLIDE 6 Trees and shrubs in the Negev usually remain small. However, along the wadis where the trees get some occasional rain water, the trees will grow a larger. Even though the streams are rarely visible, there is sufficient water for the trees to grow. SLIDE 7 Likewise, when we become rooted in God‘s streams of living water, our lives will show evidence of the nourishment we receive from him and people will recognize who we are.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we are his sheep. Like shepherds of Israel’s wilderness that lead, protected, and nourished their flocks, Jesus will lead us to green pastures and provide us with what we need for today. He will walk before us, inviting us to follow him. He will lead us to quiet water – places of safety – where we can be refreshed.

Sometimes life is difficult. Perhaps we’d compare it to the vast wilderness areas of the Negev. Our lives seem to be parched, confusing, or even dangerous. But God is our good Shepherd even in the wilderness. In fact, as we learn to trust him and faithfully follow him through the wilderness, the roots of our faith will grow stronger.

SERMON

SLIDE 1 I wonder if Naomi ever thought of God as her Good Shepherd. I wonder if after her husband died she ever felt like she was in a dry and lifeless wilderness. We know that she was certainly mad at God and referred to the bitterness he had given her. But even when she didn’t feel God’s presence, we know that God was always with her.

Perhaps you remember the movie “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” It’s about a confirmed bachelor who attends these five events where he meets he eventual wife. The book of Ruth starts with three funerals and ends with a wedding. The first chapter is filled with tears of sorrow, but the books ends with tears of joy. As the psalmist wrote: SLIDE 2

Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5b)

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, chapter 1 focuses on Naomi and Ruth. In chapters 2 and 3 the focus is on Ruth and Boaz. Then, in chapter 4 the focus is on Boaz, Ruth, and their baby.

SLIDE 3 Turn with me to the fourth chapter of Ruth. When we left off in the story two weeks ago we saw that Boaz was willing to become the guardian-redeemer for Ruth. The guardian-redeemer was the way God had established for young widows without family and children to be taken care of. The widow would marry a brother or the next closest relative of her deceased husband. The children she bore would inherit the land of her first husband and thus be able to help provide for her. We wonder why God did it in this way, but what we need to know is that there was no other nation or culture with laws to take care of the poor, orphans, and widows. Only God’s law did that. In his infinite wisdom this was the way God set it up.

Boaz said that he was willing to become the guardian-redeemer for Ruth. That meant buying the land that had belonged to Elimelek even though it would never really be his. It also meant marrying Ruth in order to raise children for her late husband Mahlon. He was willing to do these things however, he wasn’t the closest relative. That meant that before he could step in as guardian-redeemer the closer relative would have to decline. And that’s what happened in the first part of chapter 4.

For a few hours it looked like perhaps Boaz wouldn’t be able to marry Ruth. When that closer relative heard about the land of Elimelek being sold he wanted to buy it, but then when he heard it also meant marrying Ruth he turned it down. The closer relative was willing to take possession of the land, but he was not willing to take responsibility for Ruth. So if buying the land also meant marrying Ruth he would pass. The problem is he was probably already married and had children. Marrying Ruth would have messed up the inheritance he had for his children. Since there was no law forcing him to buy the land and marry Ruth he opted to pass on the responsibility to Boaz.

This is all important because through this process Boaz becomes a picture of Jesus who redeemed us from our sins. Jesus was willing to pay the price. He was willing to make the sacrifice necessary for our redemption.

Immediately after Boaz makes it known that he was willing to do this the people begin to praise him and speak blessings on him.

11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.” (Ruth 4:11-12)

The blessing was that they would have lots of children and that the name of Boaz would be honored and respected among the people. And God answered those prayers of blessing. We know that his named was honored because we are still speaking positively about him four thousand years later. How many people do we know by name four thousand years after they lived? But we know his.

We don’t know how many children they had, but they had at least one son.

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. (Ruth 4:13)

The reason Naomi told Ruth and Orpah to stay in Moab is because they wouldn’t be able to find husbands in Israel. Ruth did. God not only gave her a husband but a child as well. While we not told about any other children, this one is mentioned because of the role he will later play and we’ll see that role in just a few verses.

14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” (Ruth 4:14-15)

We have yet another prayer. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, there are many prayers, but all of the prayers are for someone else. Naomi’s neighbors come to see and bless this grandson. They first give praise to God. They understood very well how God had worked to provide this child. He was a blessing from God. Then they bless the baby – may he become famous throughout Israel.

The book of Ruth is often called a love story, but the only time the word “love” is used in found in verse 15 when the women talk about Ruth’s love for Naomi. They recognized the sacrifices Ruth had made for her mother-in-law. It’s interesting how they compared her love to that of seven sons – the number of perfection.

16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 This, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, 19 Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, 20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 21 Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, 22 Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David. (Ruth 4:16-21)

Naomi left Bethlehem full, returned empty, and God had filled her again. We now see the importance of this story. Boaz and Ruth became the great-grandparents of King David.

The point I’ve tried to make each week as we’ve looked at this story is the presence of God even when he couldn’t be seen. Think about how easy it would have been for this story to have not taken place.

If Elemelek and Naomi had stayed in Bethlehem instead of traveling to Moab

If Ruth had had return to her parents as Naomi had encouraged her to do

If Ruth had gone to work in a field other than one belonging to Boaz

If Boaz had not been willing to become the guardian-redeemer

There were so many things that could have sidetracked the story, but God kept it moving along. Because of this Naomi was provided for, Ruth was provided for, David was eventually born, and later on through this same family line Jesus was born. God is indeed a Good Shepherd that leads and provides for his people.

David Reynolds tells the story of a major event in his life when he was sixteen and Romans 8:28 became his favorite verse. His preacher had given him a book and inscribed that verse on the presentation page. What led to that special gift was a tragic event in February of 1965.

Two of David’s closest friends had felt God’s call to become preachers. While David felt that same calling he had resisted it. David says the last thing he wanted to do was preach. As a result he had battled with God for more than two years. He had made the decision in the eighth grade to be a music teacher, but three months later he felt the Holy Spirit began to reveal he had other plans for David. Instead of listening to God, David says he continued to plead and argue like Moses at the burning bush:

O Lord, please send someone else to do it. (Exodus 4:13)

He continued to do this even though he knew in his heart that he would never have peace with God until he had fully surrendered to God’s plan for his life.

That spring semester David and his friends were their high school’s upcoming production of South Pacific. As a part of their training they visited a play another school was putting on less than nine miles. As they reached the outskirts of town the driver of the car approaching them lost control, skidded into their lane, and hit them head-on. Seat belts were not standard equipment in 1965. David was seated behind his friend Alan, the driver. Alan’s girl friend and mother were in the front seat with him. Alan’s mother never regained consciousness. Had Alan’s Mom not been with them, David says he would have been sitting up front as well. Alan’s mother, a dedicated Christian and long time Sunday School teacher, was ready to meet Jesus. Because of his wrestling with God for more than two years over a call to preach, David’s isn’t sure that he was.

Sitting in the back seat, David grabbed the front seat to brace myself for the impact severely breaking his wrist and nose. At that moment David says he cried out, “Lord, if you will only get me out of this mess, I’ll do what you want me to do.”

It was under these circumstances that his preacher called to David’s attention Romans 8:28. David sees in that event God using it to bring David to his senses and to the ministry. It’s not that God caused that event or any other bad thing to happen in our lives, but that God is always able to use even tragic events to bring about something good. Not everything that happens to us as Christians is good, but God has an uncanny way of taking those bad situations, hardships, heartaches, hurts, illnesses, sorrows, disappointments, and pain and turning them into something good for his glory and our growth in Christian maturity.

That’s certainly true of Joseph. Joseph was seventeen when his brothers sold him into slavery. He was taken to Egypt where he ended up in the house of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. God blessed Joseph and everything he did prospered. Recognizing that, Potiphar put Joseph in charge of more and more. That continued until Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph of trying to made advances on her. Then he was thrown in prison. His life went from difficult to worse. After being in prison a few years he interpreted the dreams of two men who had served Pharaoh – a cup bearer and a baker. When the dreams came true Joseph asked the cup bearer to remember him and mention him, but the cup bearer forgot. That is until Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret. Joseph was brought to him and with God’s help Joseph interpreted the dream. Joseph was then elevated to second in command. It is then that we see the heart of Joseph. SLIDE 4

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:19-21)

God is always able to bring good results out of bad situations. Not all of life’s stories have this kind of happy ending, but this little book reminds us that, for Christians, God still writes the last chapter. Therefore, we don't have to be afraid of the future. As Paul wrote to the Romans: SLIDE 5

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

The old gospel hymn God Has Not Promised by Annie Johnson Flint sums up this idea.

God has not promised skies always blue,

Flower strewn pathways all our lives through;

God has not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God has not promised we shall not know

Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;

He has not told us we shall not bear

Many a burden, many a care.

God has not promised smooth roads and wide,

Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;

Never a mountain rocky and steep,

Never a river turbid and deep.

But God has promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

Elimelek and Naomi could never have imagined all that God would through them that day they left home and set our for Moab. All they knew was there wasn’t enough food and their two sons were going hungry. How could they have know that in less than ten years Elimelek and his two sons would be dead leaving Naomi and widow with tow grieving daughters-in-law. But God was with her and blessed her with Ruth. When they returned to Bethlehem God blessed them again and led them to the fields of Boaz. God blessed them again and gave Ruth favor with Boaz. God blessed them again and Boaz became their guardian-redeemer. God blessed them yet again with a son.

We never know the difficulties we might face or how God might use them. But we can be certain that God is loves, that he is with us, and that God is always able to bring good results out of bad situations.

Series: Ruth

Title: God’s Plan All Along

Scripture: Ruth 4:13-22

Date: September 12, 2018

Location: WSCC

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