Женитбата

Рут 4

Ruth and Boaz get married

Today we are in the last chapter of the Book of Ruth.

To give you some context, you should know that Ruth is a young widow. Her husband died and she is now caring for her mother-in-law (свекърва)

She has been through horrible tragedies, but now has met a man named Boaz.

Last week I left you all in suspense (ви оставих в напрежение), because we didn’t know what will happen between Boaz and Ruth.

Boaz and Ruth were going to get married, BUT… but there was another one of Ruth’s relatives who had the right, in the first place, to marry her.

So last week we were left in suspense (в напрежение). Will Boaz and Ruth marry or will Ruth marry another man?

Those of you who watch Turkish serials know this plot.

We also talked last week about how many people consider the OT laws a list of things you can’t do…AND…if you do them God will punish you.

Actually, many of the OT laws were actually written to protect those who are vulnerable (уязвими) or in an unequal situation (неравностойно положение)

Personally, I wish we had more laws like this in Bulgaria.

In those days there were no social programs, no pensions, no insurance, etc.

If a woman became a widow, it was expected that her children would care for her.

So, what happens in Ruth’s case when she has no children? She is very vulnerable.

There is a high risk she will die of hunger or have to become a prostitute or a slave in order to survive.

That’s why in the Bible there is a law in the OT to protect a woman who is widowed without children.

BUT… I have to tell you that you may not like this as an option.

Deuteronomy 25. The law requires that the husband’s brother (девер), or the closest relative, marry the widow, SO THAT you will be cared for.

I know… I know… the idea of marrying your husband’s brother (девер) is not your idea of the best option, but in those days, it was a way of protecting a woman who has no way of supporting herself.

Boaz is Ruth’s relative AND has the right to marry her (and he wants to marry her), but there is another person who is a closer relative than him.

So, Boaz goes to talk with this other relative with the hope that he can marry Ruth.

So, Boaz goes to this other relative, and this is their conversation:

[SLIDE 2] “И Вооз каза: В деня, когато купиш нивата от Ноемин, трябва да я купиш и от моавката Рут, жена на починалия, за да възстановиш името му над наследството му. Тогава сродникът каза: Не мога да изпълня длъжността на сродник, да не би да навредя на собственото си наследство; ти приеми върху себе си моето право да откупя, защото не мога да откупя нивата.” Рут 4:5-6

The law says this man should marry Ruth, but because of money, he refuses.

So… that allows Ruth and Boaz to marry.

Let’s look at verses 9-10.

[SLIDE 3] “Тогава Вооз каза на старейшините и на целия народ: Днес сте свидетели, че купувам от Ноемин всичко, което беше на Елимелех, и всичко, което беше на Хелеон и Маалон. А също и моавката Рут, жената на Маалон, получих за жена, за да възстановя името на починалия над наследството му, за да не се изличи името на починалия изсред братята му и в града, в който е живял. Вие сте свидетели днес.” Рут 4:9-10

So, Ruth and Boaz get married and they live happily ever after (живеят щастливо завинаги).

The story of Ruth that begins with tragedy ends in joy.

It’s just like one of those American films. Amen!

Blessings are not accidents

BE CAREFUL! Be careful.

If you look at the Book of Ruth like you would some American film where there are some problems but then everyone is happy in the end, you will miss (пропуснете) the whole point of the book.

This book is not like those American films.

Yes, in the end God was able to redeem the tragedies in Ruth’s life and she is blessed, BUT… BUT… she was not blessed by accident (случайно).

She was blessed because Ruth and Boaz took righteous decisions (правилни решения).

Let me give you a few examples:

[SLIDE 4] (1) Boaz knew and followed the Word of God. (Вооз познаваше и следваше Божието Слово.)

We talked last time about the OT law where poor people were allowed to follow after the harvesters (жътварите) and collect the leftover grain so that they could have something to eat.

This was a law in the Torah to help the poor. Everyone was supposed to allow this, but, in reality, many wealthy landowners didn’t allow it.

They didn’t allow the poor people in their fields.

Just like today… in those days, wealthy people didn’t always follow the law.

But how did Boaz and Ruth first meet? When she was working in his field.

If he had not followed God’s law, Boaz and Ruth may have never met.

By regularly following the Law of God, Boaz was blessed.

[SLIDE 4] (2) Ruth is faithful to her mother-in-law Naomi. (Рут е вярна на свекърва си Наоми.)

The same is true for Ruth.

Ruth followed the Ten Commandments. You know the 5th commandment?

“Почитай баща си и майка си” Изход 20:12

Ruth shows incredible honor for her mother-in-law, and because of her actions she is blessed.

Because she was faithful to the Word of God and took care of her mother-in-law, she met Boaz and had a second chance in life.

[SLIDE 4] (3) Boaz is willing to sacrifice for Ruth. (Вооз е готов да се жертва за Рут)

The other relative of Ruth refused to follow the law and didn’t want to marry Ruth.

But Boaz was willing to marry her and follow God’s law.

He risked his own financial position by marrying Ruth, but he showed he was a man of God by not putting finances before relationships.

That is why, by being faithful to God’s Law, Boaz and Ruth were blessed.

Many things could have happened to ruin this story. If Ruth or Boaz would have acted egotistically or refused to listen to the Law of God, this whole story would have been just an awful tragedy.

Instead of it being like an American film where everyone lives happily ever after, it would have been like a Bulgarian film where every suffers and then they die without hope.

But this is a story of hope. There are blessings for Ruth and Boaz in this story.

But these blessings are a reality because Ruth and Boaz were faithful to the Word of God.

God’s blessings on our life are not an accident

God’s blessings on our life are not an accident. They are a direct result of our willingness to be faithful to God in difficult times.

In Matthew 5 Jesus gives a famous sermon. The Sermon on the Mount. And He says:

[SLIDE 5] “Блажени бедните по дух, защото е тяхно небесното царство. Блажени скърбящите, защото те ще се утешат. Блажени кротките, защото те ще наследят земята. Блажени, които гладуват и жадуват за правдата, защото те ще се наситят.” Матей 5:3-6

I hotly encourage you to read all of Matthew chapter 5.

What does it mean for us to be “blessed?”

Some people look at this and think money or fame. If you hear a preacher tell you Jesus is talking here about money or fame… turn of the channel. That person is trying to deceive you.

Being blessed means that we experience the full impact of God’s presence in our lives here and for all eternity. (Да бъдем благословени означава, че изпитваме пълното въздействие на Божието присъствие в живота ни тук и за цялата вечност.)

Think about this with me for a second. Are you with me?

Those of you who have children or grandchildren… What do you want from them?

Is the thing you want most from them money?

Do you want the most for them to have a big house or new car?

Is that what you really want MOST from them?

OR… is what you really want the most is to just sit down together, put your arm around each other, maybe talk, maybe not, but just to enjoy each other’s company.

Is that not better than anything else?

When you have your little baby or grandbaby, and you just cuddle with them…

This is what it means for us to be blessed.

To be in the presence of our Father who loves us and gave up His life for us.

These blessings are not accidents. They are a result of us deciding to do what it right according to the Word of God.

So, what do we do if we want to be blessed like Ruth and Boaz?

Are you living a righteous life?

Maybe you say, “I don’t know.” That’s an honest answer.

First, take some time to learn what advice God is giving us.

We can’t do what is right IF we don’t know what God wants of us… so we need to learn.

How many of you, when you first started reading the Bible, felt like it was difficult? There were a lot of things that you didn’t understand?

Of course. We cannot learn about God locked alone in some room.

We learn about God as we talk with each other and see the reality of God’s word in our daily life.

(1) So, if you want to be blessed, the fact that you came here to church is a good first step. The church is a place where we can practice (упражняваме) how to live out (изживяваме) what God has written in His Word.

You can learn what God wants by coming to church.

(2) Also, we need to read and study the Bible.

That is why we have an online Bible study on Tuesdays where we talk about what it is like to live as a Christian.

This Tuesday is Ali, but next Tuesday we will have another online study.

You can come home, put on your tracksuit, grab a piece of pizza, and learn about God at home.

Being blessed is not an accident. We need to know what we should be doing from the Word of God and put it into practice.

The story of Ruth begins with an awful tragedy but ends with blessings.

Listen to me carefully… I don’t know all of the tragedy and suffering you have in your life.

Some of us have difficulties that everyone sees and others of us have hidden struggles (скрити борби), but I know that all of us here have difficult times in life.

Let me remind you of one thing… Your story is not finished yet. Did you hear me? Your story is not finished (завършена) yet.

Maybe you are at the first chapter of Ruth. You are at this moment in a storm of suffering, and you are just trying to survive.

Some of you may be in the second chapter. Life is just hard. It is a struggle from day to day.

Others of you are in Ruth chapter 3. There is some hope, some light at the end of the tunnel. But there are still a lot of scary decisions you have to make before you get out of the tunnel.

Remember… your story is not finished yet. There is still time for God’s blessings in your life.

Can I share with you a wonderful verse I read regularly to remind myself that God’s blessings are never late? Isaiah 61. It is a part of the OT where Isaiah talks about Jesus Christ 700 years before Jesus comes to this world. Look at what he says about Jesus…

[SLIDE 6] “Духът на Господа Йехова е на мене; защото Господ ме е помазал да благовествам на кротките, пратил ме е да превържа съкрушените сърца, да проглася освобождение на пленниците и отваряне затвора на вързаните; да проглася годината на благоволението Господне и деня на отплатата от нашия Бог; да утеша всички наскърбени; да наредя за наскърбените в Сион, да им дам венец вместо пепел, миро на радост вместо плач, облекло на хваление вместо унил дух; за да се наричат дървета на правда, насадени от Господа, за да се прослави Той.” Исая 61:1-3

I love that last verse, “да им дам венец вместо пепел, миро на радост вместо плач, облекло на хваление вместо унил дух”

Maybe everything around you at the moment is “пепел, плач и депресия.”

Remember, your story is not finished (завършена) yet.

Jesus wants to give you a trade. He wants to give you a crown instead of ashes, joy instead of sorry and praise instead of depression.

He is holding out His hand to you. Take His hand. Learn what it means to walk with your Creator.

Start reading and discussion the Bible with other people here.

Like the story of Ruth and Boaz… God can turn your suffering into blessings. Amen!