Ruth 1- God at work in our despair

Amen.

Well, Ruth is probably one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible. I think. How many might many might characterize it that way and just had to grab my water bottle there.

And it's one of its, one of the most beautiful stories in the Scripture it involves. I think, of these things, you can think of it as if it were a movie. You know. It's got all of the dramatic elements. It has no family and has lost. It has grief, it has survival, it has devotion, it has New Hope. And one challenge when you have looking at an Old Testament story, which contained a lot of dialogue, 55 out of the 85 versus our dialogue in the Book of Ruth, 55 out of 85, versus one challenge that you have is our tendency is to see people's virtues and their flaws and to view the story only as a moral lesson, are you find the sum of X and children's lessons where the lesson might be? Ruth is virtuous and devoted be like Ruth, Boaz was a virtuous man, who redeemed Ruth and provided for Naomi be like Boaz. those are good lessons and there's an element of those, but an Old Testament story is not just A story with examples of lessons that will see lessons that we can learn from Naomi. But what is most important about this story is not what it teaches us about one exemplary family. It's what it teaches us about God's Providence, and God's grace. And what is most important is, how he is working in all of the circumstances surrounding Ruth and Naomi thought that you can remember for the next. Next four weeks as we go through these chapters 1, 2 3 and 4. The Redemption of Naomi's family, the bringing back of Naomi's, family to Bethlehem and God's provision that points us to the greater story of redemption throughout the entire Bible. You could summarize the story of the scriptures and they're not just stories, they're real things, that happened. True accounts that you can summarize the the theme of the scriptures as creation, Mankind falling into sin, Redemption through Christ, and then consummation of God's Kingdom at the very end of all of the Bible story, fits into those four four categories of the flow of Salvation history. And so, what it, what we need to remember is that the story of Ruth and Naomi is not only a story about God, providing for one family and the virtues that Ruth had in the end. The happiness that a bit Naomi ends up with it points us to Christ. It points us to the Redeemer Jesus. One helpful illustration that I heard about how to view the Old Testament. As it relates to the New Testament is a scholar BB Warfield, who I think was at Princeton seminary many years ago, he said this, he said the Old Testament is like, a dimly lit room with all sorts of fancy furniture and, and furnishings and different things in it. But it only becomes clear to our eyes to see how beautiful it is when the person and work of Jesus Christ, Shines on that room with that furniture. Do you have that picture in your mind that the Old Testament is like a like a beautiful room full of full of Fine Furniture, but it's dimly-lit until until we see the person and work of Jesus and his light shining on the Old Testament, then we understand what God has done and what God is doing in history. That is God is calling people out of sin and into a relationship with himself through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, I'm the only way to the father. God has made a Covenant of Grace and promise. Amen. God has made a Covenant of Grace and promise through Abraham and he says all the nations will be blessed through you. And despite our sin and Rebellion, he works in us and he works through Us in all of life's circumstances to draw us to Christ. That's a challenging

Truth, isn't it? That God is working in all of our circumstances, not only to bring us to Christ but to mature us in Christ as we go throughout our lives. I mean, they owe me with somebody who would have thought. Oh Lord, one more thing, one more problem. One more issue that I have to deal with.

And it teaches us the Book of Ruth teaches us. Its placement after the Book of Judges. We'll talk a minute about the setting is that God has not forgotten his people then or now, Even though things are dire. Or worse than dire for in Naomi's case. God has not forgotten his people. Amen. Then or now, even though things are dire, One of the challenging things as I was looking at this. Was the question. Do I worship the true and living God? Or do I worship the god of my circumstances? Do I worship the true and living God or the god of my shifting emotions? Do I worship the true and living God, or the god of people's reactions to me or how people, how how I interact with others? On what basis do I say it's been a good day or a bad day. I think we need a little bit broader brought a broader spectrum of of categories than a good day or a bad day. If God is, Sovereign, everyday is a day that is from his hand? Amen. I mean, we sang it in that song, I Will Follow. Even if I lose my life, I will follow.

And that's the kind of commitment that God wants from us and that's also the kind of commitment that God strengthens in us as we trust him as we trust him. That you know, sometimes I think I don't have the strength through this Lord. And and then I realize though, that's exactly what you want me to pray, Lord. I need your strength. so the setting the Book of Judges well in the days of the judges, you know, as we might say Once Upon a Time And the days of the judges, okay? The days of the judges, the Book of Judges was a downward spiral. And so we have the setting verses 1 through 6, the pattern in the Book of Judges was that God's people would repeal, they would suffer the consequences of what God had warned them about. Then they would cry out to God. Then he would send a judge to deliver them. They would be delivered. They would have a temporary period of rest, and then they would repeal again So if if you had a picture of the Book of Judges, it's a downward spiral you know how if your emptying a sink or a drain you know the water doesn't seem to be going very fast at first if the sink is full and then as it gets closer to being empty, the water just Vortex there and spirals down will The Book of Judges was a downward spiral? And so you have Samson is of one example of the rebellion of God's people. He takes a Nazarite vow, he breaks that vow, he touches unclean carcasses, he gets drunk with the Philistines marries a Philistine woman, and God uses him to judge Israel's enemies. But the people have no rest or peace,

Buy Judges chapter 17 through 21. The Israelites have become just as evil as the Pagan Nations around them. There's idol worship. There is civil war between the tribes of Israel. There is uncontrolled sin and violence and the end of Judges chapter 21. Here's the summary. You just have to read the last verse of the Book of Judges in those days. There was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

In those days, there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

So that's a summary of how bad things had become.

Now, you have the famine in Bethlehem and elimelech choice. It's interesting that elimelech his name means my God is King.

And yet, the last verse of Judges says, there was no king in Israel. And elimelech is named. My God is King, God is to be their King. And so the implication here is that the famine is God's judgement against the people sin, just as he had stipulated in the Mosaic Covenant. If you read through Deuteronomy, there's a series of blessings and curses blessings and consequences that God puts forth. And so here and Deuteronomy 28, it says this. But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, your God or be careful to do, all his Commandments and his statutes that I command you today. Then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you curse, it shall you be in the city person? Shall you be in the field? And so they were suffering the consequences of God's discipline God's judgment on their sin. Through this famine until elimelech had a difficult Choice, he could stay in Bethlehem where his family had a plot of land and they can stay there and trust God to provide even though there was a famine Or he could live as a foreigner as a Sojourner. In the land of Moab. Now. What is the land of Moab a place that God wanted his people to go? No, Moab was the land further south and further east on the other side of the Dead Sea, the moabites and the ammonites were descendants of the incestuous relationship between lot and his two daughters. So this was not a place that God wanted his people to go. It was outside of the Promised Land. And even though his name means, my God is King, his choice was one of pragmatism. Instead of fully trusting God, he was supposed to honor God and get his sons, then married moabite women. Something that was also against God's will. and so, when faced with a difficult decision in our lives, Do we choose to honor God or do we choose pragmatism? Do we choose to honor God or what will get results? I mean, why for a young person? Why is it if you are a Christian? Why is marrying, someone? Who is a Christian so important Because God tells us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers and and marriage is the closest human relationship that that we can have.

So when we Fete, when we are faced with a difficult decision, that requires Faith, do we choose to honor God or do we dishonor him so eat. Elimelech was was wrong and taking his family to Moab, but in one sense, he was doing what was practical

Now, Naomi's, dilemma. What was Naomi's? Dilemma. Will she had heard after her husband dies and her two sons died. And she's left with her two. Daughters-in-law she had heard in the fields that the Lord had visited his people. There's the hope she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people. So she decides to go back towards Bethlehem. Now again we talked last week, he'll widows in the ancient world where vulnerable she had no husband. She had no Sons. She had two daughters-in-law that were the moabites foreigners and she was a foreigner in the land of Moab. So she had no means of support and at an older age, she could not expect to marry again. I find 11 vs 11 through through 13, ironically humorous, but Naomi said, turn back my daughter's. Why we will go with me. Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husband's again? They were married to Ruth Norful were married to Naomi sons and and those Sons, both died, turn back my daughter's, go your way for. I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope. Even if I should have a husband. This night in her sons would you, therefore, wait, until they were grown. Even if I got married and had another son, would you wait twenty years to bury him fifteen years of Miriam?

Would you therefore refrain from marrying know my daughter's for it is exceedingly better for your sake. That the hand of the Lord is against me

Naomi had that feeling that God was against her and it wasn't wasn't necessarily wrong to interpret her circumstances that way. God was judging his people for the sins of the people in Bethlehem. That was why there was a famine, but she was wrong in concluding that God was personally against her But the logical thing for Ruth and orpah was to go back to your people, go back to your mother's house, go back to your family. In Moab, I will return to Bethlehem and so what's her anguish. What's our anguish? Emptiness and loneliness. That's her anguish that's real, isn't it? Isn't that real in our lives?

You with me?

All of us at various times will experience losses or simply blessings from God. That are with us for a time and then they're taken away. And the closer we are to people that we love the harder, it is to lose them. I'll be real with you about my own life. I'm having a hard time adjusting to my kids being off at college.

Not talking to them during the week, not seeing them. When I come home in the evening, that's a big change and of course, you try to text them or call them or whatever and they've got their own schedules, which is a good thing. But I'm having a hard time with that. It's a, it's a loss. It's a feeling of emptiness that something that was there is not there anymore. Something that was a a constant routine in my life is not there. And so, the hard question is, what gives me worth in value when you experience those times of emptiness or loss? Is my value because I have two children.

Remember the movie Jerry Maguire or at least the title, the title of the movie, Jerry Maguire goes back a few years is it is it Tom Cruise, right? And Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger. He plays a sport agent and there's this memorable scene in the movie, This romance between between his character and Renee Zellweger's character. And he, he he realizes he's wrong, he comes as far as I remember, he comes back to his girlfriend and there's this scene, where there's this dramatic dialogue and he sense. You complete me. And of course, they embrace, you know, and then it's and it's the romance goes on and all that. Are our needs meant to be fulfilled, all to all of our needs. Meant to be fulfilled by another person.

That the potent, the modern and postmodern view of marriage is I'm marrying. This person in order that they would meet my needs.

That's, that's a typical modern view of marriage.

But our meeting isn't in how people meet our needs or our meeting isn't in the relationships that we have our meeting and identity comes from God. It's what some of us and I realized my own life. Someone sometimes we try to get our needs met by other people in the wrong ways and sinful ways. And showing those times in our lives, when we face painful times, we learn to depend on Christ alone because God is the one who saw Burnley brings people into our lives and takes people out of our Lives. That's hard to learn, but, but there is hope that if you have experienced loss and God will bring other people into your life to walk alongside you. Once Colorado about Naomi's experience, he said she was a Stranger in a Strange Land, an aging single woman of no significance in a family-oriented culture with no one to care for or about Sono Naomi face another. Defining moment of her life. She faced a defining moment.

And it's hard. It was hard for her because those circumstances she didn't choose those circumstances. May God brought the famine. Elimelech, the husband decided, okay, we're taking the family, South to Moab. It was his decision to have the sons Mary mobike women.

It's a Naomi part of her. Anguish also is not only the emptiness and the loneliness but also hopelessness and bitterness, she's clearly not happy about returning to Bethlehem or at least isn't positive about it. He will have to depend on others for support. She can't imagine her situation improving, even if she and Ruth survive the journey back to Bethlehem. And she saw herself probably as useless. That's one of the lies that Satan puts in our lives. To try to convince us that were useless. That would that, would that work? We don't, we're not producing anything and so therefore there's no need of us.

Is our usefulness or identity, and what we do for God? Our sense of usefulness can be an idol. I think.

Or identity is as children of God. Children of God depended upon his hand dependent upon his grave dependent upon his love. And so, when we drift into hopelessness, we are unable to see God present for vision and unable to see by faith God's future provision. Yeah, well I hope this person says all things things aren't going to change is never going to get any better.

In the midst of pain, we can become self-absorbed because it's our pain. It's our, it's our problem. And and sometimes that problem, then becomes our own identity.

And so we cry out to God. And Ruth makes this incredible expression of devotion and notice how Naomi reacts to it. Verse 18, M. When they only saw that she was Ruth was determined to go with her. She said no more.

She was resigned, you would think Naomi would be excited that roof makes this. This declaration of faith and devotion, not only to Naomi, but to Naomi's, God to Yahweh to the god of the Bible saying, your people will be my people, your God will be my God and she takes an oath upon herself. She says, if anything may the Lord do so to me and more also, if anything but death Parts me from you,

Ruth clung to her. At the same word that's used in Genesis 22 describe a clinging to one another in marriage. it's a roof is expressing this, this great devotion, not only to Naomi but to to God, And they say if we made it to Bethlehem and the Temptation for us, I think is in our bitterness and our hopelessness and in our loneliness is to misinterpret. The negativity of our circumstances as Gods ill, intentions towards us, As God's malevolence towards us. Where does the word bitter come from? Where Naomi says, says I'm bitter. The Lord has brought me back bitter. Naomi. By the way, the name Naomi means Pleasant. And so it's a complete opposite here that Naomi is saying, don't call me Naomi, call me bitter, call me Mara. For the almighty has, dealt very bitterly with me.

That comes from Exodus chapter 15 after the people of Israel set out from the Red Sea. And they went into the Wilderness of sure, they went three days in the wilderness and found no water when they came to marah. They could not drink the water tomorrow because it was bitter. Therefore, it was named tomorrow and the people grumbled against Moses saying, what shall we drink?

So, the name Mora means bitter. Israel had just come out of Egypt. They had just witnessed God's miraculous power, he had saved and delivered them and then three days later. They're grumbling about Bitter Water, three days.

God had just done the miraculous destroyed. Pharaoh's Army bought his people through the Red Sea

And they were complaining, they were grumbling.

Bitterness blinds us to the glimpse glimpses of hope that God provides. Bitterness blind us to the glimpses of hope that God provides that is where bitterness becomes the sin of unbelief. The book of Hebrews warns us against bitterness. Don't let any Bitter Root sprang up. Among you that you may be, that you may be deceived. Bison. Bitterness can turn into unbelief.

Now, what's the Foyle to Naomi? It's Ruth. Her Devotion to look at verses 16 and 17, I'll just read them. I'm not sure if you have them on the screen. There we do. But Ruth said, do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you, from, where you go, I will go and where you Lodge. I will Lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God, my God. Where you die? I will die in there. I will be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also, if anything, but death Parts me from you, Ruth tells Naomi that she now belongs to her family and her God. And so this is an example of God, extending his salvation to different nations from the Israelites, to different nations. At some point in in the past, she had become a worshipper of Yahweh she swears on her life. And so the way that Ruth expresses her Devotion to Naomi is an expression of the loving-kindness of the loyal Covenant. Love of God, the Hesed is the Hebrew word that were tested which has so many levels of meeting. It's that word for Covenant faithful loyal. Love a lot of the translations translate that word loving kindness or steadfast love. That God has for his people. That's what it. That's what is pointing to, amen. in the midst of no, hope in the midst of no prospects in the midst of no resources, no material resources. God is showing his grace to Naomi. Naomi did not expect or really want Ruth to accompany her. And yet Ruth is loyal to her for the Long Haul, that's Grace, isn't it? It points towards God's grace to us. That that we we are sinners in need of Grace and that we didn't want God. We didn't expect God to we we were we thought we were presumptuous sinners in need of Salvation. The Bible says, we were dead in our trespasses and sins. How dead? Well dead is dead. We were dead in our trespasses and sins. We were by Nature children of Wrath, we were alienated from God without hope and without God in the world and God saved us. Amen. God, save the save his people. That is Grace. And so we see God's Auburn timing that they returned at the time, here's the movie picture panning away, you know. So you can see sunlight coming up, the music starts to swell, you know, positive music at the time of The Barley Harvest.

Because that means that God is going to provide food for them. At the time of The Barley Harvest, we see God's Auburn timing. And so, what is the point? The point is that God is gracious and is still at work in the midst of tragic circumstances.

And it doesn't and you might look at the store. You might say well well that doesn't apply to me because I haven't lost a husband or lost two sons-in-law. The scripture is always relevant to our situation. Because this is telling us that God has not forgotten about his people. Amen. God is telling us through these hands, Naomi has a hard time seeing it and end and you know, she'd developed a bitterness but but it's understandable.

But Ruth believed. And so, do we believe?

There's a gracious hint here that God is going to provide. What does the name Bethlehem mean beit-lechem House of Bread? Oreck store House of Bread. The Lord had visited his people and giving them food. God is gracious and still at work, in the midst of tragic circumstances, God works through or emptiness in order that we can buy by faith in Christ before. Luke chapter 10 close with this verse, Luke chapter 1.

He has filled the Hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his Mercy, as he spoke to our fathers to Abraham, and his offspring forever. He has visited his people, he has helped his servant Israel.

God works through our emptiness in order that we by faith can be full in Christ.

Luke chapter 1.

Is Mary's Prayer. Verse 53. He has filled the Hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty. Do you hunger? For God now. Place your faith in him. Continue to trust him because he is at work. And even the most tragic circumstances, because it all points to Jesus, he is the one who fills us, he is the one who provides for us, he is the one who heals us, he is the one who sustains us. And so let's remember that, God is always at work and he gives us, he offers us his son and asks us to trust him. Let's pray.