Book of Ruth - Shavuot!

Call to worship (voice recorder)

This morning’s service will take a slightly different format

SONG: Great is they faithfulness 4min

Ruth 1-4 15min

Notices 3min

SONG: The king of love my shepherd is 4min

YPF

Prayer 6min

Lord, you are worthy of all praise and thanks!

As we bring our thoughts, needs, wants and desires to God, let us be still so we can hear his answers.

Oh Lord you are our refuge and our protector. Thank you that you are always with us even when we forget you; remind us of your word and your past deeds that we can know and trust you to lead us

Lord, you know how we and the world are struggling with COVID-19, coronavirus. Please grant political leaders strength and knowledge as they deal with the pandemic; grant the scientists knowledge, front line workers safety and health providers courage and wisdom. We ask for inspiration for those planning the future and for us wisdom in our lives.

For those of our fellowship we pray for strength, healing, comfort, peace and joy especially for those whom we mention to you in the silence of our hearts...

Lord, we bring our own personal requests to you knowing that you are already dealing with these issues. You know what Is in our hearts; thank you for new opportunities to serve you. As we think of our personal circumstances, we ask for a greater relationship with you, protection for ourselves and our loved ones and for you to show us how we can witness for you each day.

Let us still ourselves in our Father’s presence and bring to him the things which lay heavy on our hearts. Heavenly Father, we thank you that we are not on our own, trying to work things out.  Help us to listen to your promises, to let you remove troubles from our hearts and may we always remember your constant presence with us.

Sermon

Today in the Jewish calendar is Shavuot. It is one of three festivals that the Jews are commanded to keep. It is also known as the Feast of Weeks or, as we would call it, Pentecost. It is on a set date in their calendar year, the 6th of Sivan.

It is a mystery to me why we do not keep Passover, Easter and Pentecost according to the Jewish Calendar since it was at Passover that Jesus was crucified as our Passover and it was at this Festival we are looking at today was the first Pentecost. Tradition has taken a different route in Christendom I suppose to try and get away from its Jewish roots which is sad, and I think, wrong. Next week is Pentecost in our own calendar and God willing, we will look at that.

The Orthodox Jews celebrate this day by reading a number of poems and reading the whole of the Book of Ruth. Why would they read the Book of Ruth? Well, the Feast of Weeks is a celebration of the barley harvest and as we read through this book it was indeed the time of harvest and Ruth and her Mother-in-law, Naomi, benefited from collecting in Boaz’s field.

This book was probably written in King David’s time for we find out at the end of the book she was in the direct lineage of King David, being his great grandmother, and we see this lineage copied by Gospel of Matthew and we find out that she is also in the lineage of Jesus. So, this is a story to take notice of.

I am going to just the one sermon on this book but it covers a lot of grand themes. It is the story of leaving, of failure, of dying, of returning and of redemption, of hope. I think in some ways it is reminiscent of the Parable of the Prodigal Son but the failure in this story cost lives. Sometimes the consequences of sin for some are unalterable. And yet for others new opportunities arise.

In Ruth 1 we find that Elimelech leaves Israel with his family, his wife and two sons to go and live in Moab because of severe famine. He was an economic migrant. No one can blame him for doing this although Moab is a sworn enemy of Israel and Israel against Moab. And, maybe, for that reason, things did not turn out so good for him or his sons. Both his sons married Moabite women which was against the Jewish law. This is because Moab had enticed Israel to sin with their women and their gods when they came out of Egypt - one of their gods is Chemosh and part of their worship was child sacrifice - it never ends well for such nations - mind you we sacrifice children here on the altar of convenience through abortion - are we any better than Moab. None of this should be a surprise for the very nation of Moab existed as a result of incest: Lot’s oldest daughter slept with her Dad, we are told in Genesis 19, after getting him drunk after escaping the judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Moab, her son, was the result. Eventually, a man named Sargon destroyed the Moabites about 300 years after King David.

Now Elimelech and both his sons die in a foreign land. We are told in the book of Judges that everyone did what was right in their own eyes. And such was this. Now, from this sad story we have three widows. They were in desperate straits. They had lost everything where the man is the bread-winner. And news reaches them in this strange land that God has visited His people. Is Naomi no longer part of His people? Wait a moment! In a moment of clarity which for the next two chapters seems to be absent from her, she realises that she could go back just like the hungry prodigal son and again partake of the abundance at home, her true home. And we are told in verse 6 that she started the journey back with her two daughter-in-laws.

It is interesting that these two women were still with Naomi. Something must have made them stay. Was it her faith in the One True God, the God of Israel? Or was it her character. One of the women was convinced to turn back to her own family but Ruth, Ruth stayed loyal and nothing her convince her otherwise and it was because of this that Naomi’s emptiness would be made full again. “My God will be your God, your people my people.” This was a Moabite, who contrary to the law, overcame the law, by disavowing herself of her own people and gods. Ruth had the one thing that pleases God, faith. She had more faith than Naomi.

On entering Bethlehem she confessed her sin. She left. Yes, her husband took her but it was she who left. The Lord has dealt with me. Just like the prodigal. And the memories were bitter. She came back empty, she said. Though this is not strictly true. How interesting depression is. Things seem darker than they really are. She did have her inheritance, a piece of land, but best of all she had Ruth who was completely loyal to her. Whilst they did go away and lost three men and appeared to come back empty, she did come back. We can never be so far away from God that there is no return. And not only that in verse 21 she says God brought her back. Isn’t this the story of the bible? Salvation, leaving and returning. And that is going to be the story of this book, that God is at work, Sovereign as He is in working His purposes out even when we do not notice and certainly have no hand in it.

In chapter 2 Ruth decides she needs to do something. And Naomi is in no state of mind to say how dangerous it is for her. She is passive as Ruth goes out the door to do some gleaning. She was hoping, perhaps, to catch the eye of some of the men and find favour. She was more likely as a foreigner to be abused. But here is God’s sovereignty again. In verse 3 she happened to come to the field belonging to Boaz. Was this just good luck? Of course not! It was the hand of God. Oh how I love this story just because of this fact. God is at work. Perhaps we will mistake the fact that seeing that Ruth was getting on with things that God acted but it is not dependent upon our works. Remember Naomi is passive in this story. Ruth acted. And later on we find they just have to wait. God is at work, we just have to see it.

Boaz appears to be loved and respected by his workers from the way they respond to him. An honourable man. Funny that he turned up just as Ruth happened to do so. And of all the workers there who does he happen to notice? None other than Ruth. And if Boaz is honourable so is Ruth for Ruth sought permission before gleaning and worked hard all day. So, Boaz speaks with her in such a favourable way that Ruth is shocked be the favour, comfort and kindness given to a poor foreigner.

And Boaz is sufficiently concerned for her to warn her not to go to any other field and in warning his own men not to touch her, and even ensures that she has extra to collect by telling the men to deliberately pull up barley for her to collect. Wow! And this reveals not only Boaz’s generosity but also that Bethlehem was not safe even among his own men. It would seem these men, though, would not cross Boaz. Boaz is enthralled with Ruth because of her kindness to Naomi and she is shown kindness in return. Kindness is like that - kindness, which is a little noticed fruit of the Spirit, kindness responds in kind. How a little kindness goes a long way. It diffuses tensions and arguments. Kindness is a fruit we should look at and practice.

Ruth returns to Naomi and now it was her turn to be shocked at the amount she brought back. She immediately recognised that this could not be done by gleaning no matter how hard you work. Who showed you this kindness? And when she finds out she sees God’s kindness for Boaz was not only a relative but a redeemer. And Naomi recognises that God’s kindness was being shown to her. She is now awake. Now she is aware. Now her depression is lifting. Now hope is being born. Hallelujah!

Now Naomi, in chapter 3, has been galvanised. She is now actively seeking rest for Ruth. This whole chapter is about rest. And although Naomi can see God’s hand in this she does not sit back and accept whatever will be will be. No. God’s kindness spurs us on. Trusting God does not mean sitting back on our laurels instead it gives confidence to get on. What we find is that Ruth is now advised as to what to do. Go at night, uncover his feet, do what he tells you to do. And Ruth does exactly that and Boaz comes to in the middle of the night and finds a woman there.

Ruth 3:9 ESV

9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

What interesting words for Boaz had said to her that God’s wings would cover her in the previous chapter. Immediately Boaz knows what is expected of him.

There are no wife or children spoken of. Boaz was a man of means but he had got to that age in life when he did not expect to get married. Maybe he had longed for such as he grew up, then his twenties came and went, then his thirties. We are not told how old he is but he considers himself to be old in comparison with the other men. We don’t know why life throws curve balls at us. Life is like that. I was 29 when I married and I had, to be honest, given up on the idea of marriage. But just as easily life can change beyond recognition. Circumstances outside of our control for better or for worse. And in a matter of days life was about to be turned upside down forever.

Ruth had not gone after the younger men and this had a powerful impression on Boaz. I am sure his desire to know her more had also kindled in his heart. But now there was more at stake but there is a complication. Boaz is one of the redeemers but there is someone else who comes first. But a promise is made which both Ruth and Boaz are hoping is the outcome in verse 13: As the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Yes! And Boaz will not rest until this is all sorted. And in the meantime she was sent home full of barley. The promise was also to her mother-in-law - the woman who returned empty will now be filled because of the faithfulness of Ruth and now Boaz.

Now, we have mentioned redeemers throughout but what is a redeemer, what is their purpose? Well, we are told in Leviticus 25 and elsewhere that a relative has the responsibility of rescuing them from poverty if they have to sell land in order to live or if they have to go into slavery. Indeed, a rich relative was expected to redeem the land and any of their relatives who have been sold as slaves. Then, if a man dies leaving a widow without children their nearest male relative was to step in and marry her so that they could inherit their father’s property.

Naomi was going to sell the land that had belonged to her husband in order to survive, and, of course, Ruth was widowed and without children. They needed a redeemer.

This is how we come to chapter 4. And we are introduced to the town or city gate which is where all the issues of the day as well as business was done. Normally there are elders who are there to advise or witness the transactions and solve problems.

And Boaz arranges for a meeting and it just so happens that the close relative, a potential redeemer, turns up. Behold, it says. And so, Boaz speaks in front of him and the elders:

Ruth 4:3–4 ESV

3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

OK - business is done but there is something else and Boaz knows that this cannot be avoided for he knows that his chance of love depends on what happens next:

Ruth 4:5 ESV

5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.”

And this is where the original transaction falls apart for the nearer redeemer is practical and realises that this was not the deal he was hoping for. There is no money in this in the long run, in fact, it may cost more than he pays. He cannot accept. Yes! Boaz thinks! Interestingly, the Scriptures curse those who do not redeem and, in fact, it would seem to be for he is not named and did not come into the lineage of David or Jesus. Boaz, though, is motivated not by greed but love. An honourable man. He redeems the land and Ruth. A grand love story if ever there was one. And one of the best for God’s hand was so clearly in it.

Now Ruth has a baby, Naomi a grandson. They have become blessed. And what say the people of Bethlehem: A son has been born to Naomi. Not to Ruth but Naomi. And the Bethlehemites name him Obed who was the grandfather of King David.

We were poor, wretched, in need of help for we were sold in the slave-market of sin. We needed a redeemer too. And one came from the line of Naomi and Ruth, through Obed, through David, through Jesus

1 Peter 1:18–19 ESV

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

The best love story ever told.

Song: There is a redeemer

Benediction

Heb. 13:20-21 - Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Bibliography

MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2014). John MacArthur Sermon Archive. Panorama City, CA: Grace to You.

Webb, B. G. (2015). Judges and Ruth: God in Chaos. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.