Ruth - God is Always Working - Even in the Darkest of Times

Intro to Series:

Good morning Gracepointe.

Just recently, we read through the tumultuous story of Israel in the book of Judges which left many of us wondering whether if there was any hope at all for people to come to their senses. It's a tough cycle of sin and judgment.

But then, we turn to the book of Ruth, and it's like a breath of fresh air. This book reminds us that it's not all bad news. It tells a wonderful story of God, with no fan fare, quietly working behind the scenes in the life of a Moabite woman. And surprise...Her family tree includes the great King David and, most importantly, the King of Kings Himself. It reveals much in the way God can use all things to bring about redemption.

A story that whether in times of darkness, the seemingly random coincidences, or the strange decisions we encounter, we can witness God's guiding hand as we obediently follow His leading. In the story of Ruth, we find redemption through obedient faith and divine provision, reminding us that God is always at work in our lives.

Intro to Today

Before we get to the text, I want to frame this up a little different by looking at some art. You may be surprised to know this but not all art translates. What do I mean by that? Well, I love the creativity I employ in music and writing but the art form of drawing is one that is very lost on me. I am the guy in games where I have to draw and others guess…I draw the picture and everyone is just quiet. Because no one can understand or begin to comprehend what it is I am even trying to communicate with my drawing. Some of you feel the same way about my preaching…thats ok!

This week I was starting to think about art. The fact that drawing tools are meaningless to me but in the hands of a skilled person, they can create masterpieces. I did a little research and found a guy, Jason Mercier who uses unconventional products to create art.

Here is a portrait of a young woman. (Women in Green).

As you look close, you can see that everything is made up of junk. items that people throw out or give to thrift stores. Things that people think are trash, not useful, Jason Mercier takes and makes art.

He takes it one more level of specific by doing “celebrity junk drawer” art. Here is the good bad and ugly himself…Clint Eastwood.

Many of the items found in this picture are actually thrown away by Clint Eastwood. Things he no longer wants or tosses in a drawer just like you and I do. They are junk. In the hands of a skilled artist, they can be used to create something amazing.

Now think of this spiritually. If you had a portrait up there, what junk would make up your picture? What situations, what things you have thrown out....what things you have desperately tried to forget, what grief would be used to make up your likeness? What is God, as the artist, using to shape you more and more into the image He longs you to be?

Big IDEA

As we look at the 1st Chapter of Ruth, we see that God is always working.....even in the things we would run from, cry over, and toss to the side. In all things, even the difficult things, God is working to make something better for His glory and our good.

I. The Setting and Background: Debates on Authorship and Timeline (Ruth 1:1-5)

AUTHORSHIP and TIME OF WRITING

I agree wholeheartedly with Pastor Paul as he has said often that we need to be good tourists as we read the bible. That is, we should know context. What is the setting, what is the background? Who wrote it and who was it written to?

With Ruth, Right off the bat, we have a debate! Yay, just like Big Questions! Traditionally, the view is that it was authored by Samuel during King David's reign, emphasizing Ruth's role in David's lineage.

However others hold a view that it takes place during the time of the Judges, marked by moral and spiritual decline in Israel. That it was composed during or after the Babylonian exile to encourage and inspire the people, highlighting the inclusivity of God's plan. Commentary after commentary remarked that it was, and I quote, hard to pin down the author and timestamp of the book of Ruth using all of our available tools.

My take is that the encouragement we find outlined in the characters, their story, and the events of the time speaks to people in dire times so I am inclined to think it was written during or after exile. But again, hard to pin down. What we can cling to is that this small 4 chapter book contains an immense amount of encouragement. In its use of literature, we see characters in Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz who are living out obedience, faith, and hope in the midst of despair. Their actions point to the very principles that you and I are to cling to.

The setting of a family and famine and loss- (Ruthv1-5)

Let’s jump right in! The story begins in Ruth 1:1-3 in the little town of Bethlehem, yes that little town of bethlehem.... but there’s a famine.  People are hungry and when they get hungry, they soon do whatever it takes to get fed. Our story starts right out with a man from Bethlehem Eleemelek along with his wife Naomi and their two sons, leaving their homeland due to the famine, and fleeing to the country of Moab.

Elimelech (Uhleemuhlek) means My God is King. But often we don’t live out the definitions God has given us. Instead, the man whose name points to the kingship and provision of Yawheh instead puts faith, hope in However, the actions of the man and his family says otherwise.

Many times in the bible, a consistent response to famine for the Israelites is repentance as we see in Deut 28 and Amos 4:6 as well as 1st kings 18:2. Deut 8:3 puts it perfectly how God can use a famine as God’s people experienced in the exodus account.

Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV

3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Whether this famine was intended to bring repentance or not, what we do know is that Elimelech and his family go to moab. This Israelite family opts instead to live in a country of disdain. Pagan. Elimelech's decision to leave Bethlehem for Moab was not just a physical move; it was a departure from his people and his faith in God

After living in Moab for some amount of time, Elimelek dies, leaving Naomi and her two sons.

So famine has hit the land, they feel forced to Moab. Now Elimelek is gone. In many ways, this should remind you of Job. Famine, hardship, immense amounts of grief. And it keeps coming.

The sons marry Moabite women, as it says in verse 4.

Moab and Israel have some history. In Numbers we see that the Israelites are cursed by a prophet working for the King of Moab. In chapter 25, we see that Israel’s men begin indulging in sexual immorality and sacrificing to their god, actually bowing. Then a plague hit the camp, killing 24,000! Some pretty nasty history. Moab is not looked on with favor.

These two sons marry two Moabite women, one named Orpah and Ruth. The names seem to be used intentionally....Orpah means to turn ones head away and Ruth means friend.

in verse 5, After 10 years, both of Naomi’s sons Mahlon and Kilion die. No children from the marriages. No lineage to carry on the family name.

What is left to do? Well a word comes that the Lord has come to the aid of his people by providing food for the....so Naomi and her two widowed daughters in law prepared to return to her homeland, Bethlehem.

I think it is good to, as good tourists in this story…as fellow humans, to sink into the grief that is evident here.

Ruth 1:4–6 NIV

4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband. 6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.

Ruth 1:7–9 NIV

7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah. 8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud

II. The Trials of Naomi (Ruth 1:6-13) A. The loss of her husband and sons within a foreign land. B. Naomi's bitterness and grief, understandable given the immense hardships she faced. C. Her decision to return to Bethlehem was not just a geographical journey but also a return to her faith and people.

III. The Faith of Ruth (Ruth 1:14-18) A. Ruth's devotion to Naomi. B. Her willingness to embrace a new faith. C. The powerful declaration: "Your God will be my God."

IV. The Redeeming Work of God (Ruth 1:19-22) A. Naomi's return to Bethlehem. B. The town's reaction to her. C. The beginning of God's work in the lives of Naomi and Ruth.

V. God's Providence at Work A. God's timing is perfect. B. Lessons for us in times of difficulty.

Recognizing God's hand in our circumstances.The power of faith and commitment.The importance of community and support.Trusting in God's ultimate plan.

VI. Application to Our Lives A. The reassurance that God is always working. B. Encouragement to trust in His providence, even in adversity. C. The call to be instruments of God's providence in the lives of others.

Conclusion: As we conclude, we've explored the inspiring journey of Ruth, a poignant reminder that God is always working. Whether in darkness, coincidences, or strange decisions, His guiding hand is ever-present when we obediently follow His leading. In Ruth's story, we find redemption through obedient faith and divine purpose, showcasing the truth that God is always at work in our lives.

May this message serve as a reminder that, no matter what you're going through, God is with you, and His providence is at work. Keep your faith, trust in His plan, and continue to walk in His ways. In Jesus' name, amen.

Resources:

https://cepreaching.org/commentary/2021-10-25/ruth-11-18-3/

Pallete

he book of Ruth tells the story of the family of an Israelite woman named Naomi. Ruth is Naomi’s daughter-in-law. The story highlights the Israelite custom of a kinsman redeemer. During Old Testament times, when a husband died, leaving a family and property behind, his closest male relative was to redeem that family by marrying his widow and protecting the family and property. The book of Ruth tells the story of Boaz, an Israelite, a kinsman redeemer. God works through the lives of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz in order to advance His plan to redeem humanity. Remember, God promised that He would bless all the nations through Abraham’s descendents. The gospel of Matthew lists Boaz as 10 generations removed from Abraham. He and Ruth are the great-grandparents of King David. Ultimately, Jesus will come from the family line of David. Whereas Boaz is the redeemer of Naomi’s family, Jesus is the redeemer of all humanity, paying the price to free us from slavery to sin. From the darkness of the JUDGES era comes an important step in advancing the light of God’s saving work.