Ruth's Redemption

ETS: Ruth seeks redemption from Boaz.

ESS: We seek redemption from Christ.

OSS: I want TWC to find their redemption from Jesus.

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Introduction

Let’s open our Bibles to Ruth Chapter Tthree.

When you read Ruth, and particuarlly in chapter three, you will begin to see a painting coming to life. One that illustrates that every book in the Bible, every inspired Word, is christocenter. Its Christ-centered.

In ancient and midevil centures, astrologers and the common concensus in academia and science, including Aristotle, was that the Earth was the center of our solar system. And that the sun, the planets, all revolved around the Earth. This was known as geocentrism.

However, in 1543, a mathematician named Nicolas Copernicus proposed a theory in opposition to Aristotle and the belief over the past centuries, intead of geocentrism, he proposed the idea of heliocentrism. That the Earth is not the center of our solar system, and the Sun revoles around it. But instead, the Sun is the center of the solar system…and the Earth revolves around the Sun.

See when we read the Bible, there are primarily two ways to read it. We can place us in the center of the Word, a man-centered view of the BIble, where you and I are at the center of the scriptures and the Bible points and revolves around us. Where we take our meaning, our ideas, and apply them to the Bible, known as Eisgesis. But God in his providence has shown us that this book is not man-ocentric…but its christocentric. Its Christ-centered. With Christ in the center and everything pointing, revolving around him. From Gensis to Revelation, the whole Bible is all about Jesus. And when we read his word, we take it for what he says it is, and apply to us.

Jesus after his resurrection on the Road to Emmaus with the two disciples points it out.“He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 24:25–27)

See, in chapter three, the love of God is illuminated in the pursuit of Boaz to Ruth. And in turn this illuminates the love of Jesus towards sinners. And we must read not figuring it not as our problem is we are without a spouse, God has a boaz, now pray in faith to receive him or her. We read it christ-centered. That we are in need of a savior, God sent a savior, his name is Jesus. And he is the friend to sinners.

Exposition…let’s look at three observations from this passage.

I - A Desire for Redemption (Verses 1-5) - Ruth needed rest. // We need redemption.

In the opening verses, Naomi points out to to Ruth, “Should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well for you?” The word for rest, in Hebrew, Manoh, does not mean a nap. Where you go take your hour lunch break, eat it as quick asyou can and fall asleep in your car of parking lot of your job.

No, it means a resting place. A long-term place. Not a quick cat nap in the car, but a lifetime in a warm home.

Illustration: Ruth was in need of a whole new life.

Time-off from work and school can be a blessing. It is designed so that you can rest. However, the way you choose to rest is eye-opening. A friend ours had a week off, and we asked them what they did with their week and they said, “I binge-watched netflix all week!” We proceeded to ask them, well, how do you feel brother? His response, “I feel TERRIBLE.”

See, rest does not come from time-off and time on Netflix. You cannot find it in those things. Those are cat-naps. Rest & Redemption comes from Jesus.

Application: See Ruth’s need for rest, is an image of our need for redemption. You do not need to go read a self-help book that gives you a 10 tips on how to fix you brokedness in 24 hours... you need a new whole new life. One that is redeemed by Jesus. So often we try to find rest for our souls by trying to quick fixes, quick improvements, quick naps to get us by, when in actuality we need to be born again, as Jesus says to Nicodemus in John 3.

So you need to recognize in this moment, you and I are indeed needy. Because, we are broken & dead in sin without Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1) And we need a redeemer.

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So Naomi tells Ruth to go to the threshing floor. The threshing floor is the area of the field where they would loosen the grain and the separate the wheat from the chaff. And Naomi proposes a plan to Ruth to make her desire for redemption to be made known to Boaz.

She says you are to wash and prepare yourself, then go to the threshing floor, after Boaz has eaten and drank, where his heart his merry and he is asleep at the threshing floor. And you will go and lie at his feet, uncover his feet, and you will wait.

Now, I’m not a love doctor, and I try my best to defer to the Lord’s providence when folks begin to date. But this is a strange strategy. Yet, whether this is a cultural norm, or just a wild idea from Naomi, this is what she chooses to do in order to make herself maritally avaiable to Boaz.

(When I was riding in a vehicle with Lexi years ago, and I asked her how her relationship with so-and-so was going, and she let me know, well actually I am single now. And the lightbulb illuminated in my head, the race is on.” Boaz is going to have a similar moment here, haha.

So she goes and we see what happens in the second section with our second observation.

In verses 1-5 we we saw a desire for redemption, but in verses six - fifthteen we will see a...

II - A Deliverer of Redemption (Verses 6-15) - Boaz can provide redemption. // Jesus can provide redemption.

Let’s read them.

So Ruth heeds Naomi’s guidance and goes to the threshing floor after Boaz has worked, eaten, drank, and now he lies asleep. She uncovers his feet (some believe the intent of this was the chill of the night to hit his feet and wake him up), and at midnight he is awakened.

He does not recognize who it is at first and Ruth presents herself to Boaz. And she asks him to spread his wings over her, for he is a redeemer (Ruth 3:9). So we briefly talked about this for a moment last week, but let us go deeper.

Because Ruth and Naomi are Widows, they are navigating increasingly difficult times. And because of the nature of their situation, they coudl be forced to sell their land, their possessions, because they can no longer afford or tend to them. And in the law according to Leviticus, instead of them selling the land, possession, and being widows, a kinsman, a brother was to go and marry the widow, and begin a new family to care for them. Now, Naomi’s husband appears to not have brothers who are eligible for this, but a relative. Which is Boaz.

The word here for Redeemer, is go-el. And the responsibility of the go-el, was to buy back something as if it was your own. Boaz was the go-el, the redeemer, for Ruth.

Illustration: Hosea redeeming his wife. In Hosea, the Lord gives a unique call to Hosea. He says in the ESV to go and take a wife from whoredom. And he does, has children together. All of this, with a woman named Gomer. And when you get to chpater three of Hosea, you see that God calls him to go again, to Gomer, who has engaged in adultery and is loved by other men. So you have a wife, who has gone wayward in sexual sin, and you would consider the options. Should they remain together? Should they depart? What does Hosea do? He goes, and redeems her. He purhcases her for fiffteen shekels of silver and a homer and barley. And brings back the woman, who was already his wife. Because he loves her.

Application: Jesus Christ is our go-el, our redeemer. He bought us back as his own, and he bought us with his own life. In death, he died for sins. In his resurrection, he conquered, death, hell, and the grave. And by faith in him, you are saved.

So she presents herself, which is her calling out for marriage and redemption in the moment, and he mentions that he will indeed redeem her. However, apparently there is one that is closer than him in the family line that can redeem her. So he assures he that if she doesn’t get redeemed by this man, he will indeed marry her.

So she lies down, and waits till morning.

So we have seen a desire for redemption, a deliverer of redemption, and finally we will see a declaration of redemption.

Let’s read the final few verses here.

Read Verses 16-18

III - A Declaration of Redemption (Verses 16-18) - Boaz would not rest until Ruth had hers. // Christ’s declaration over us is that we are redeemed and it can today.

Illustration: Lexi not resting on a job until she gets it finished.

Application: Christ is the assurance of our redemption. He has declared it. It will be done in this world, and eternally in the life to come.

Conclusion

See, folks you have to see the big picture. Jesus Christ is the greater Boaz. He sees your need for redemption. He sent his son as a redeemer. And he has declared that it will be done.

Ephesians 1 says that “ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us”.

The blood of Jesus, the greater of go-el, has brought you back to the Father.