Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Open your Bibles to Ruth Chapter 2, Ruth Chapter 2

Last time we ended with the reality that Naomi had experienced bitterness.Naomi said, don’t call me Naomi, her names means pleasant, call me Mara.

Call me bitterness.

Deep real loss and pain, and although we saw that God was justly punishing those the took lightly His provision and His commandments, that judgments left Naomi and Ruth without sons and husbands.

Elimelech, Mahlon and Chilion are men that leaned to their own understanding.

They exemplify the Zeitgeist, the spirit of the age, everyone doing what is right in their own eyes.

Elimelech, instead of trusting God when famine came and clinging to the inheritance God provided, took his family to the people that God said not to go.

Mahlon and Chilion are married to the women God said not to marry.

However, what Elimelech, Mahlon and Chilion intended for evil, God intended for good.

In his decree He glorifies himself by rescuing Ruth, sending Naomi to get Ruth and bring her back.

He show his work in Ruth when she said, my God will be your God and My people your People.

She knew that meant she probably would live an an outcast.

But the righteous character of Naomi and the work of regeneration that God did in Ruth’s heart meant that she counted the cost, and being a part of God’s people and being near Naomi was worth it.

Think about that, Jesus said, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

(Jn 13:35, ESV) This is an extraordinary love Ruth displays.

This expedition cost Naomi a lot.

But Naomi displays her righteousness, she does not get angry with God.

She does not say God has no right to cause her bitterness.

Like Job, Naomi bares the trials and does not sin in blaming God, or accusing God of wrong.

Chapter 1 ends with the statement, “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.”

(Ruth 1:22, ESV)

What perfect timing God has, the barley harvest is when Ruth could glean food and when the character of Ruth was to show.

Lets Pray

Chapter two opens with a very different man.

Though of the same clan this man is worthy.

A title not given to Elimelech.

Lets look at verse 1-7 of chapter two.

A Worthy Man and Woman

worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz

“Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.”

There were all sorts of ways Ruth a beautiful young woman could have made a living.

But she chose the one God provided in his Law.

“9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest.

10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard.

You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.” (Le 19:9–10, ESV)

“she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz”

We are to understand from this that she didn’t go out with the intention getting Boaz’ attention.

She happened on the field God made it happen.

“The Lord be with you!”

And they answered, “The Lord bless you.”

I love the character of Boaz here.

“she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.”

Do you think it was an accident that Ruth was at that field, or that Boaz happened to be coming from Bethlehem at that very hour.

Its most likely that Boaz was speaking to Naomi right before coming out to the fields as we will see int he next section.

Take a look at verses 8-16

Concern for the foreigner

In verse 8 and 9, Boaz exemplifies the the Spirit of when commended in Leviticus 19.

“Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”

Ruth’s surprise says a lot.

“All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me.”

Its reasonable to assume Naomi told him and that he was coming to the field today after meeting with her.

“12 The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”

This blessing from Boaz and his concern for her safety is genuine and not motivated by thought of gain, the word of God does not introduce someone as worthy lightly.

Naomi is certainly blessed by Boaz’ actions.

Look at verses 17-23.

He is a Redeemer

“it was about an ephah of barley”

We are told the amount because it is a lot and it more evidence of Ruth’s work ethic.

According to the table of TABLE OF Weights and Measures in the Reformation study Bible, this is about 22 Liters or about 6 gallons.

Imagine like a 5 gallon bucket overflowing with barely.

We are going to end to day talking about the idea of a redeemer.

but before that notice, what Naomi said in verse 22, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.”

How this speaks to the

“The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.”

“5“If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger.

Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.

7 And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ 9 then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face.

And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’

(Dt 25:5–10, ESV)

The bigger context, this is God working out as Peter said in Acts 2, the coming of Christ, definite and by his foreknowledge.

None of the event here are acidents

Though they have their own beauty in and of themselves.

There greater purpose is to show us God’s decree and the linage of Christ through David.

Benediction

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

(Nu 6:24–26, ESV)

Those for Whom Christ died say, Amen