Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Introduction
Throughout there have been many much anticipated weddings:
Diana and Prince Charles
Prince William and Kate Middleton
Kermit the frog and Miss Piggy
Weddings signify the coming together of two people to enter into a lifelong commitment.
Weddings are a serious affair.
Weddings represent the forming of a new family.
Weddings represent two people coming together to support each other in better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death.
We are in the last chapter of the Old Testament book of Ruth.
We have finally come to the highlight chapter - Ruth and Boaz will finally be married.
Ruth and Boaz will finally form a family.
…this is the moment where the princess and her prince live happily ever after - but there is one problem - Boaz is not the only guardian redeemer that can marry Ruth.
There is another guardian redeemer that has precedence over Boaz - it is very possible that the princess will not marry her prince after all.
Today we will consider:
Boaz at the gate of the city
Boaz as the groom
Mrs. Boaz
I. Boaz at the gate of the city
I. Booz a la puerta de la ciudad
Ruth and Boaz cannot live happily ever after until the matter of the other close relative is settled.
Boaz, being a pious and godly man, has told Ruth that there is someone else that has the right to marry Ruth before he can.
He will do things the right way.
He fears God and this is a testimony to that fact.
Many people say they fear God but their actions contradict their profession.
Boaz goes to the gate of the city with the goal of settling the matter.
Ruth 4
Old Testament cities did not have a town or city square.
Therefore, it was very common to conduct official business at the entrance gate to the city.
In God’s providence, the other relative passes by - and Boaz calls him over.
Notice how we are not given his name.
Boaz has called ten of the city elders to witness his dealings with the other relative.
Boaz will explain to the other relative what is at stake - Elimelek’s land.
Boaz has given this very careful thought.
He is not careless in how he approaches this matter.
His carefulness/thoughtfulness demonstrates his determination to marry Ruth.
Ruth 4:
Boaz gives him a clear chronology of events.
Naomi has returned from Moab and has had to sell the land that belonged to her husband.
Naomi would have had to sell the land out of her desperate need since she had no income.
The opportunity to redeem the land would have meant a significant increase to this relative’s own wealth.
Boaz is very transparent in his dealings and lets him know that both he and Boaz may redeem the land.
The relative seizes upon the opportunity and does not think twice - “I will redeem it!”
Boaz also explains that the wife of the deceased is also at stake.
Ruth 4:
The close relative will not only acquire the land but will also acquire the deceased’s widow.
Boaz wants to make it clear that the intent of this transaction is not simply to acquire the land but to provide for the deceased’s widow.
He truly understand God’s intent for the law of levirate marriage - the purpose was to ensure the welfare of the widows in Israel.
The law only required that the guardian redeemer purchase the land.
So, the deal is very simply.
The close relative will have to acquire the land and also take Ruth as his wife.
What will he decide?
The law of Moses does not indicate that the redeemer had to also marry the decea
The close relative gives up his right.
Ruth 4:
The words that he expresses are intended to shock us.
All that the close relative can think of is his own well-being.
He can only think of himself.
He does not care for Elimelek’s name to be preserved in Israel.
He does not care that the land belong within Elimelek’s family.
He clearly does not care what happens to Ruth or Naomi - he could care less.
All he can think of is how he will endanger his own estate/wealth.
He knew that once he and Ruth had a child - this child would inherit Elimelek’s land and a portion of the land that he owned.
In other words, part of his land would be passed on to Elimelek’s descendants.
He also knew that he would have to invest in the land all the while knowing that in the end its profits would be for Ruth and her child.
He also knew that during all this time he would have to ensure Ruth and Naomi’s physical welfare.
He gives up his rights through a symbolic action which included the removal of his shoe.
II.
Boaz as the groom
II.
Booz el novio
The obstacle has now been removed - the path is free for Boaz and Ruth to marry each other!
Ruth 4:9
Boaz goes into a speech expressing his commitment to:
Buy all of the property that belonged to Elimelek, Kilion, and Mahlon.
Acquire Ruth to be his wife.
Maintain the memory of the dead.
This is not a simple undertaking.
We do not know much about the other relative who has given up his rights.
We do not know whether he was well off/wealthy.
However, we certainly know that Boaz was a respectable and wealthy man in Bethlehem.
He owned land.
He had a thriving business - and yet he is not concerned with his great wealth or how this transaction could ruin his economic prospects.
What a contrast between Boaz and the other relative.
Boaz is not concerned with wealth or fortune - he is concerned with two things:
That God’s law of levirate marriage would be honored.
That Ruth and Naomi would have a secure future.
Boaz is truly a member of the people of God.
The other close relative could have been of Israelite blood and yet he acted as if he did not know the law of God.
III.
Mrs. Boaz
III.
La Señora de Booz
The marriage occurs somewhere between verses 10 and 11.
Ruth and Boaz are finally husband and wife.
The witnesses of this beautiful marriage express their well wishes upon the newly married couple.
The first of these well wishes are that Ruth would be like Rachel and Leah - the mothers of the 12 tribes of Israel who practically built up their people.
They pray that Ruth would have many children and that would build of the people of God.
This is further expanded upon in verse 12 where they pray that she would be given many offspring as Tamar, one of the wives of Judah.
They also wish that Boaz would be upstanding amongst their people.
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