Redeeming Love
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Amidst the backdrop of civil war, oppression, injustice, and famine sits this little love story between a foreigner in Ruth the Moabitess, and Boaz, an Israelite from the tribe of Judah. Two nation with hostility toward each other yet brought together by God’s compassionate care in the midst of tragedy and loss. Compared to the book of Judges the story of Ruth seems so out of place. It stars two people strong in character and integrity in a culture of moral relativism and apostacy. Even its setting, the city of Bethlehem, was involved in some of the most tragic events of the book of Judges and yet here it is the home to a story of redemptive love. Last week Lance preached on Ruth’s loyal love to Naomi in the face of great loss. A famine had forced Naomi out of Israel and disease and the death of her husband and sons brought her back again. Today I want to look at the role Boaz plays in the story and the truths we can glean from his example of sacrificial redemptive love as well as Ruth’s example of faithfulness in a time of grief and uncertainty.
Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
Ruth and Naomi were in many ways helpless. Their only chance was for Ruth to glean from the fields, a task which would be hard work and could put her life at risk. Ruth was willing to do what she must for the sake of Naomi. Ruth has been brought out of the throes of paganism in Moab and, being compelled by the love she has for Naomi, has been brought to the edges of a field owned by Boaz, a man who is kinsman to Naomi’s husband Elimelech. It is not sheer luck or coincidence that has brought Ruth to this man’s field. It is instead the providential work of the Lord who is bringing these things about. The season of harvest is a very fitting season for this story to take place. Just as God had brought Israel out of a time of famine and brought them into a time of harvest, God was bringing Ruth and Naomi out of a season of loss and into a season of blessing.
Ruth walks along the road until she comes across some workers who are hard at work reaping in the fields. She was there to work and had spent her whole morning working hard gleaning in the field. Her story was already known around the town, but Boaz had yet to meet her. She didn’t go to that field to meet a man, but Boaz quickly took notice of Ruth. And after asking his servant who she was Boaz was impressed by her loyalty and was determined to care for her.
Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids. “Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw.” Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” Boaz replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. “May the Lord reward your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.” Then she said, “I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.” At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here, that you may eat of the bread and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers; and he served her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied and had some left. When she rose to glean, Boaz commanded his servants, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her. “Also you shall purposely pull out for her some grain from the bundles and leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.” So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.
The care Boaz extends to Ruth does not come out of a place of immorality but is in response to Ruth’s genuine care and love towards her mother-in-law.
What can we learn from Boaz’ example of kindness?
Boaz protected Ruth
He gave her a place to glean amongst his servants. Gleaning by yourself could be a dangerous thing especially during the times of the Judges, but Boaz went out of his way to ensure her safety.
Boaz provided for Ruth
Boaz freely gave her the water she needed and the food she needed and even gave her a free lunch. Coming out of a time of famine i’m sure people were hesitant to offer their food to strangers but Boaz gave anyway.
Boaz welcomed Ruth
She was a foreigner with no claim to the promises of God, yet Boaz invited her in as an Israelite because she sought refuge in God.
Boaz gave without expecting in return
Boaz knew that Ruth and Naomi could never repay what he was giving to them, yet he gave freely and often.
Boaz gave generously
He didn’t just give her scraps but even provided some of the good stuff for her to take by telling his servants to pull some of the grain from the bundles and leave it behind for her to take.
What can we learn from Ruth’s example of faithfulness?
Ruth came to work
She didn’t understand what God was doing but that didn’t stop her from serving and caring for Naomi
Ruth was held in high esteem
There is something to be said about your character when everyone in town is impressed with your selflessness. Especially in a time of loss and grieving. The fact that this young woman chose to stay the course with Naomi was admirable. Naomi had no sons left to give, no hope safety or a family, yet Ruth stayed and people took notice.
She served despite her pain
Ruth didn’t do what was right expecting a reward. She was motivated by love to do what was right even though it was costly
She took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also took it out and gave Naomi what she had left after she was satisfied. Her mother-in-law then said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who took notice of you be blessed.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed of the Lord who has not withdrawn his kindness to the living and to the dead.” Again Naomi said to her, “The man is our relative, he is one of our closest relatives.” Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “Furthermore, he said to me, ‘You should stay close to my servants until they have finished all my harvest.’ ” Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maids, so that others do not fall upon you in another field.” So she stayed close by the maids of Boaz in order to glean until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Things were looking up for Naomi and for Ruth. God was providing. The hand of God that Naomi so confidently said was against her in chapter one is now providing for her in chapter two. I think in times of suffering it can be difficult to trust God or understand why your circumstances are so difficult. But in this story of redemptive love we are seeing how God cares for His people in even the smallest details. Understanding God’s sovereign care in our life inspires us to serve no matter what. It strengthens our faith in times of uncertainty. God is sovereignly working even in our circumstance for His glory and for our good. There is a purpose in our pain. C.S. Lewis once said, ““We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Our pain has a way of bringing us closer to God if we will allow it.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
The reason we can trust God in our sufferings is because He understands them completely. He has suffered and been tempted like us in every way and yet remained sinless. He is a great physician, a wonderful counselor, a friend. There is never a circumstance we go through in life that we go through alone. Our sovereign king, with all authority in heaven and on earth, promises to be with us always. In every situation God is with us, He is working it for good, and He is calling us to be servants wherever life takes us.
Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
Jesus looked out and saw broken and hurting people who had no hope because they were sheep without a shepherd. We will experience suffering, pain, and loss but we have a shepherd leading us and protecting us along the way. The world experiences the same grief but does it without hope. What hope is there without Christ? The world has so many broken and distorted ideas about identity, peace, and comfort. Those are things only our good shepherd can provide. We too were a people without a shepherd, but somewhere along the way somebody told us about Jesus. In a world that does what is right in its own eyes we are desperate for more Ruth’s and Boaz’ who give generously, love sacrificially, and are faithful to serve even when it is difficult.
This weekend as a part of our mission trip with the students we looked at the story of Esther, another amazing woman from the Bible. She was a woman who was taken from her home and forced to parade herself as an object of sexual gratification before a violent and wicked king. She was queen for seven years before Haman made his decree to kill the Hebrews living in the empire. For seven years her and Mordecai would question God asking “why is this happening? Why are we in this situation” and it isn’t until Haman issues the decree that Mordecai puts two and two together and realizes that is was “maybe for such a time as this”. We don’t know why our circumstances have us where they are. We don’t always understand why bad things happen or why it feels like we can never catch a break. But if we are so focussed on our discomfort we will never see the harvest before us. If we are so focussed on doing whatever it takes to get away from this situation and be away from those people we may never realize that God has brought us into this valley of shadows so that we might shine a light in the darkness.
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I love this passage. It is something that I come back to often. When the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. I think in an American context the idea of contentment seems so foreign. We have so many things to consume. So many things to buy so many shows to watch. It can be overwhelming. But we read that first couple lines and it brings us comfort. The lord is my shepherd I shall not want because He takes me to comfortable places. What do I have to want God gives me things I like? I get green pastures and quiet waters. But unfortunately for my comfort loving heart David continues. My shepherd not only takes me to comfortable places but uncomfortable ones too. Valleys of shadow of death and tables set in the presense of my enemies. These are places that I go out of my way to avoid. These are places of discomfort. Places where broken people are. Places where I might actually need to depend on God rather than being a self sufficient sheep. These are places I might have to grow and learn and be refined. No I want comfortable places where I don’t have to want because I have all I need. But could it be that I have all I need even in those uncomfortable places? Could it be that my shepherd still protects and comforts and provides in those detestable circumstances. Is it not there all the more that we should live out our faith?
A prayer that I have begun to pray in my life is that I would not waste a suffering. Let evil come, but don’t let me waste it on self pity and grumbling. My prayer is that I would follow my shepherd wherever He leads and in every situation I would be without want, because He is my shepherd.
When our focus is taken off of ourselves and our situation we begin to look to Jesus. Wallowing turns to worship. And as I look to my Shepherd I see in my periphery all the people desperate for His love and forgiveness. People broken in sin desperate for the grace of God in their life.
My prayer is that I would not only have the eyes of God to see the harvest but the courage to be obedient in the labor. Even if it may cost me my life. Let me be faithful in the labor God has called me to.
In 1 Corinthians Paul demonstrates an amazing attitude for us to adopt in our own lives. Throughout the chapter Paul talks about laying down his rights. He is entitled to act certain ways but he refuses to do so in order that he might reach some for the Gospel. He talks about earning a living so that he might present the Gospel free of charge to the churches he is planting and ministering to. He talks about becoming all things to all people. He has come to a point in his life where he says, “woe to me if I do not preach the gospel”.
This man has been shipwrecked, beaten, stoned, imprissoned, he’s been hungry, thirsty, yet the focus of his life is the proclamation of the Gospel. For as long as we live here on this earth, let the mission of our lives be to labor in the harvest. Wherever that may take us. Whether a field in Clovis or a field in the nations, let us take up the Gospel with courage and get to work.
In chapter 3 we get to see another example of Ruth and Boaz’ noble character. Naomi has a plan. Ruth is to go to Boaz while he is at the threshing floor, wait until he is asleep, and lay down by his feet. Because Boaz is so closely related he is considered a kinsman redeemer. Ruth being the obedient daughter-in-law she is complies with Naomi’s plan.
What is a kinsman redeemer?
“As the name implies, a kinsman is a family relation, usually the next of kin if there is no brother or another male in the immediate family. And according to the dictionary, a redeemer is someone who buys, buys back, recovers, pays off, or exchanges something for goods.
Putting it all together, a kinsman-redeemer is someone, usually the nearest relative, who is charged with the duty of restoring or recovering the rights of another and avenging any wrongs in exchange for something.
By law, the kinsman-redeemer had two main responsibilities: (1) to redeem family property that had changed ownership, and (2) to marry a childless widow and raise children in her dead husband’s name.”
“When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. “It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall assume the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. “But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ “Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. And if he persists and says, ‘I do not desire to take her,’ then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the sight of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face; and she shall declare, ‘Thus it is done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ “In Israel his name shall be called, ‘The house of him whose sandal is removed.’
There are two stories that stick out to me in regards to the idea of a kinsman redeemer but neither are quite as wholesome as Ruth and Boaz. The first is that of Lot and his daughters and the second is that of Judah and Tamar. Both existed before the law but in both instances you have someone who is trying to carry on their family name. After escaping Sodom and Gomorrah Lot’s daughters decide to get him drunk and sleep with him to carry on their family line. With one daughter Lot has Ammon who becomes the father of the Ammonites and the other daughter has Moab who becomes the father of the Moabites of whom Ruth descended. On the other hand you have Judah who refused to give his son to his widowed daughter-in-law and fulfill the custom of the Kinsman Redeemer. Tamar covered her face making Judah think she was a prostitute. As a result she had twins Perez and Zerah of whom Boaz descended. Both stories see a genealogy continue but both stories achieve that end immorally. Yet God worked event trough the sins of Lot’s family and the sins of Judah’s family to restore what was broken through Ruth and Boaz. It is a bringing together of the genealogy of Abraham and Lot and in a foreshadow of the Gospel we see the house of Israel being joined together with the nations into one house.
So Ruth goes to the threshing floor.
A threshing floor is a smooth, flat surface that was used in the process of harvesting grain. Before there was machinery, farmers used a threshing floor to separate the grain from the chaff. The harvested produce would be spread over the threshing floor and then animals (cattle or oxen) would be led over it, to crush and break the sheaves apart with their hooves. At times, people used sticks to beat the sheaves apart (Ruth 2:17; Isaiah 28:27). The grain would be separated from the husks, or chaff (Deuteronomy 25:4; Isaiah 28:28) and then tossed into the air so that the wind could blow the chaff away, leaving only the good, edible grain. This was called "winnowing."
Symbolic of the separation of evil from good. The good is what is left over.
The threshing floor is symbolic of judgment in the Bible. Old Testament prophet Hosea prophesied that Israel would be "like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a window" (Hosea 13:3). Of the nations who will come against God during the end times, the prophet Micah says "they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor." The idea is that Israel will demolish their enemies like oxen trampling grain on the threshing floor" (Micah 4:11-13). Chaff is referred to in the Psalms as a symbol of the destruction of the wicked (Psalm 1:4). Also, John the Baptist referred to Jesus as the one who would separate the good grain from the chaff with a winnowing fork, gathering the grain into his barn and burning the chaff with "unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12). This is a symbol of heaven and hell.
Ruth a foreigner to the family of God makes her way to the threshing floor. In many ways this is where Ruth proves her character and loyalty to Naomi. Does she go to the threshing floor under the veil of a prostitute? Does she trick Boaz into sleeping with her? Does she get him drunk and sleep with him? No. In a place symbolic for the separation of good and evil Ruth proves herself to be set apart from the short comings of her ancestors. She doesn’t go there in promiscuity to sway Boaz instead she lays herself at the mercy of Boaz and pleads for the redemption of her family. Ruth is shown to be righteous before the eyes of God. Not because of her works or genealogy but because of her faith in God.
So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her. When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down. It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative.” Then he said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. “Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence.
Boaz was awakened in the middle of the night to someone lying down at his feet. I think that if I were Boaz that would be the scariest way possible to wake up from a nap. I don’t imagine there was anything romantic or flattering about the way he asked “who are you?” But Ruth pleads for her family and explains what brought her to lay at his feet that night. There is something about a desperate need for redemption that informs Ruth’s posture. It is a similar desperation that brings us to throw ourselves at the foot of our King. A desire for redemption. To be bought back and restored. To be stripped of our grief and isolation and to find a home with our Bridegroom. Boaz is honored by her character. In everything she has done, Ruth has acted in integrity and Boaz’ desire is to do whatever he can to fulfill Ruth’s request. Seeing Boaz’ love for Ruth and his care for her is a beautiful thing. The way she loved and the way she lived made her worthy of Boaz’ response, but the beautiful thing about our love story is that Jesus did not wait for us to show integrity before redeeming us. It was even while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us. Our love story is a lot less like Ruth and Boaz and a lot more like Hosea and Gomer. The unfaithful bride who would rather be with anyone other than her husband. The prostitute who at every turn wandered from her husbands arm. And when her wandering left her naked and destitute their it was that Hosea stepped in and bought back his bride. Our story is not one of noble character and integrity. Ruth’s redemption was made necessary by unforeseen circumstance while ours was made necessary by blatant choice and disobedience. Yet our story is the same. A groom who will do whatever it takes to redeem His bride. A groom who acts with urgency and compassion.
Boaz promises to redeem Ruth, but he warns her. There is someone closer in line who has the right to redeem Ruth. Either way Ruth goes home confident that she will be redeemed.
Boaz doesn’t rest, he goes as soon as he can and waits at the gate until he has assembled all of the elders in the town. You can kind of imagine it in your head. This small little town of Bethlehem smallest in all of Judah. A quiet place full of farmers and shepherds. Boaz is frantically gathering all of the elders before the sun can even rise. One by one he makes them sit down in a circle on the floor like their about to play the oldest game of duck duck goose.
Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Turn aside, friend, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. Then he said to the closest relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. “So I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.’ ” And he said, “I will redeem it.” Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” The closest relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it.” Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel. So the closest relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” And he removed his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. “Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. “Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the Lord will give you by this young woman.”
The man closer to redeem Ruth took off his sandal as a symbol that he was choosing not to redeem Ruth. There was no drawn out discussion regarding this situation. It went as fast as one of our business meetings here at the church. As the man took of his shoe I imagine the biggest smile spread across Boaz’ face. He would redeem Ruth.
So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. “May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”
The grief and bitterness that marked Naomi made way for joy. She not only gained a son in Boaz but she had a grandson too.
Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now these are the generations of Perez: to Perez was born Hezron, and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.
We know that through David would come another king. One who would redeem all people. This story is a piece of God’s overall redemptive story. Of how God works through the lives of mankind to bring about the ultimate gift of grace in Jesus Christ. Son of God and Son of man through the line of David. We celebrate this story because it reminds us of our story. We celebrate because God did not take off His sandal. Instead He took off glory and was born in the form of man, and He lived the life of integrity and noble character we were unwilling to live. He was sinless, yet He died a sinners death on the cross paying the penalty of that sin. And on the third day He rose again demonstrating His power over death.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
“Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me. “I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” Shout for joy, O heavens, for the Lord has done it! Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it; For the Lord has redeemed Jacob And in Israel He shows forth His glory.
Wherever you are this morning the call for all of us remains the same. Return to God for He has redeemed you.
