The Redeemer's Line: From Ruth to Christ

Good morning, everyone. It's a pleasure to be here. I love Sunday mornings when it rains because, I don't know, I just like going to church when it rains, and there's nothing really else to do but to get together and sharpen one another.

It's going to be more story form this morning. I'm going to read through the book of Ruth, so if you would turn in your Bibles to Ruth, chapter 1, just to give you a little backdrop to where Ruth comes in. It's during the time of Judges, after Joshua leading Israel into the Promised Land with great devotion to God and tremendous victories and display of God's power.

For example, the Jericho, where the people marched around the walls of this great city for seven days, blew their trumpets, and the walls fell in, and they took the entire city. And it's before the time of Kings, and the eventual divided kingdom where Israel turns away from God, and God gives them over to their enemies and into captivity.

I'm going to read Judges 6 through 10. It says, "And then Joshua had dismissed the people; each man went to his inheritance to take possession of his land. So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who saw every great deed the Lord did for Israel. Now Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at 110 years old, and they buried him within the borders of his inheritance at Timnath, Harazon, Mount Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gosh. And when all this generation were laid with their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work He had done for Israel."

So Israel served the Lord as long as Joshua and the elders who served with him were alive. But when this generation died, they forgot the Lord, and this led to their decline and rebellion. It was during this time that we find the story of Ruth. The book of Ruth was probably named for this tremendous woman of faith and character.

But the book does have a strong supporting cast, Naomi and Boaz. And we're going to read the book of Ruth today, then focus on each of these tremendous heroes of faith. So Ruth 1, I'm not going to read the entire book, but I'm going to read chapter 1 and the end of chapter 2.

In the days of Judges, there was a famine in the land, and a man went from Bethlehem of Judah to Sojourn in the country of Moab, and his wife and his sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Malan and Chilian, Ephraimites from Bethlehem of Judah. And they went out, and they went to the country of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab, and the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about 10 years.

Then Malan and Chilian also died. So the women survived, so the woman survived her two sons and her husband. Then she arose with her two daughters-in-law and returned from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord was watching over His people by giving them bread.

Therefore, she and her two daughters-in-law left the place where she was and returned to the land of Judah. And Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, "Go, return each to her mother's house. May the Lord have mercy on you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest each in the house of her husband." Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.

And they said to her, "We will return with you to your people." But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters. Why do you desire to go with me? Are there still sons in my womb that they may be your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, for I am too old to have a husband. For I say, if I married and should bear a son, would you wait for them till they were grown?

Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out from within me." Then they lifted up their voices again and wept. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and returned to her people.

But Ruth followed her. And Naomi said to Ruth, "Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods. Return after your sister-in-law." But Ruth said, "Do not ask me to leave you or turn back from following you. For wherever you go, I will go.

And wherever you lodge, I will lodge, and your people shall be my people and your God my God. And wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord cause this to happen to me, and more also, if anything, but death part you and me." When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she ended her conversation with her.

Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And the whole city shouted because of them and said, "Is this Naomi?" But she said to them, "Do not call me Naomi. Call me bitter. For the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home empty.

Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has humbled me and the Almighty has afflicted me?" So Naomi returned, and Ruth, the Moabite woman, returned with her daughter-in-law who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

Then I'm going to jump to the end of chapter 2, so it'd be verse 15 of chapter 2. "And she, Ruth, rose up to glean, and Boaz commanded his young men, saying, 'Let her glean even among the sheaves and do not bring shame upon her. When you carry sheaves, carry them for her also. And when you throw them on the piles, throw them for her also. And let her gather from what was piled up. Do not rebuke her.'

So she gleaned in the field until evening and beat with a rod what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So Ruth brought forth and gave to her what she had kept back. After she had been satisfied, and her mother-in-law said to her, 'Where have you gleaned today, and where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.'

So Ruth told her mother-in-law where she had worked and said, 'The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.' Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, 'Blessed is he of the Lord who has not forsaken his kindness to the living and the dead.'

And Naomi said to her, 'This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.' Ruth said to her mother-in-law, 'He also said to me, 'Stay near to my young men until they finish all my reaping.' And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, 'It is good, my daughter, that you go out with the young women, and thus people will not meet you in another field.' So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz to glean until the end of barley and wheat harvest, and she dwelt with her mother-in-law."

So wow, there's a lot in here. So I'm going to quick summarize the story just a little bit to keep on track. So there's a famine in Judah. Naomi's husband, Elimelech, leaves Bethlehem in Judah, taking his wife Naomi and his two sons, Malan and Chilian, to Moab, a land of foreigners east of Judah.

In Moab, Elimelech dies. Then both sons marry Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. Then Naomi's two sons die. Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, are now widows and destitute, going hungry in Moab. After 10 years of tragedy in Moab, Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem as she hears the God is providing food for His people there.

Naomi's two daughters-in-law escort Naomi back most of the way to Bethlehem. She thanks them and tells them to return to their gods and families in Moab. The daughters-in-law of Naomi clearly are very close, and Naomi, so they want to go with her to Judah. Naomi says, "No way that she is too old to have more children who could be their husbands." And even if she could, they would not want to wait for a newborn to grow up to marry. So she tells them to return to their family.

Tearful parting, Orpah kisses her mother-in-law goodbye and goes back to Moab. Ruth, however, says, "I'm going with you." And then there's the famous quote from Ruth. She says, "Do not ask me to leave you or turn back from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God, and wherever you die, I will die. And there I will be buried. May the Lord cause this to happen to me, and more also, if anything, but death parts you and me." Then Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, and she ended her conversation with her.

So Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem, which seems to cause a bit of a stir. Naomi has been gone for 10 years and now a widow, and she's bringing back a Moabite daughter-in-law.

But Naomi is honest about her situation. Her husband, Elimelech, and both sons have died. No one is to care for her, to provide for her. Her entire retirement plan is gone. She is financially destitute. Her family line is over. No children. Owns nothing, and it appears she's hungry.

Been away for 10 years. Things are bad, and the future is bleak.

Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem, and the whole city shouted because of them and said, "Is this Naomi?" which means my joy, my bliss, or pleasantness of Jehovah. But she says to them, "Do not call me Naomi. Call me bitter, for the Almighty has dwelt bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has humbled me and the Almighty has afflicted me?"

So Naomi had a pleasant life, a husband and two sons. Now it is bleak. She is afflicted, humbled, and the Almighty has dealt bitterly with her. Naomi does not sugarcoat her situation. She calls it for what it is. Yet Naomi has great faith and trust in God.

Naomi heard the Lord was providing for her, providing for His people, so she knew it was time to return. She put her hope in God, the same God that had allowed the death of her husband and two sons.

Then she arose with her two daughters-in-law and returned from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord was watching over His people by giving them bread. Therefore, she and her two daughters-in-law left the place where she was and returned to the land of Judah.

Her response to her daughters-in-law, who say they want to stay with her, is incredible. She says, "No, my daughters, for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out from within me."

Where is her self-pity? Why didn't she say, "Come on, girls, that's a great idea. You should come with me and provide for me." No, instead she tells her beloved daughters-in-law the only earthly blessing she has left and the ones who could provide and care for her to go home and find comfort in their own families and find new husbands.

Naomi's heart is for her daughters-in-law's future and provision, their best interest, not her own. This is incredibly selfless.

Naomi places her trust in God who has afflicted her. Naomi responds when Ruth returns from Boaz's field with food and grain. She hears how Boaz, a close relative to her deceased husband, has committed to protecting Ruth.

And here's her response. "Blessed is he of the Lord who has not forsaken his kindness to the living and the dead."

Naomi blesses Boaz, recognizing the Lord has not forgotten her and Ruth, the living, nor her deceased husband, the dead, as Boaz has offered to provide for her and Ruth. Naomi's faithfulness is rewarded. God has been faithful and blesses Naomi with Ruth and food to eat.

Naomi could have become bitter towards God, but she does not. In her desperation, in desperation, it appears Elimelech turned to Moab, away from God's people to a foreign land. Yet in her desperation, Naomi turns to God and returns to God's people in Judah. Remarkable and wonderful example for us to trust God in extremely challenging situations.

I'm going to read the end of chapter 3 and the end of chapter 4. I'm going to start in verse 6, chapter 3, verse 6. "So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all her mother-in-law instructed her, and Boaz ate, and his heart was cheerful. He went out to lie down in the end of the heap of grain, and she came softly and uncovered his feet. Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled and disturbed, for there was a woman lying at his feet. And he said, 'Who are you?'

So she answered, 'I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.' Then Boaz said, 'Blessed are you of the Lord God, daughter, for you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether rich or poor. And now, daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all you request, for the whole tribe of my people knows that you are a virtuous woman.

Now it is true, I am a close relative. However, there is a relative closer than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning, if he performs the duty of a kinsman for you, we will let him do it. But if he does not wish to perform the duty for you, then as the Lord lives, I will perform the duty for you. Lie down until morning." So she lay at his feet until morning, and she rose before anyone could recognize another. Then Boaz said, "Do not let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor." And he said to her, "Bring the apron that is around you." And as she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley and laid it on her.

Then she went into the city. So when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "Is this you, my daughter?" Then Ruth told her all the man had done for her. And she said, "He gave me these six ephahs of barley, for he said to me, 'Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.'" Then she said, "Sit still, daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out, for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter today."

I'm going to read the end of chapter 4 and jump in at verse 13. "So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And when he went into her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.

Then the women said to Naomi, 'Blessed be the Lord who has not suffered a redeemer to fail you this day, even to make your name famous in Israel. And he will be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law loves you, who is better to you than seven sons has borne him.' Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom and became a nurse for him. And the neighbors themselves gave him a name, saying, 'A son is born to Naomi.' And they called his name Obed.

This is the father of Jesse, the father of David." Now this is the genealogy of Perez. Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Aminadab, and Aminadab begot Nashan, and Nashan begot Salmon, and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed.

Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

So Naomi realizes there is more to be done. So she tells Ruth to wash herself, put on her best clothes, and go in secret and lie down at Boaz's feet, and tells Ruth, "He will tell you what to do."

And Ruth does exactly what Naomi tells her. Boaz has a nice meal. His heart becomes cheerful. He makes his bed in the heap of grain, waking up in the middle of the night startled and disturbed, for there was a woman lying at his feet. And he asked, "Who are you?" And this is Ruth's answer, "Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative."

So she essentially asks him to marry her. And Boaz recognizes Ruth's character. She has provided for her mother-in-law. She has not chased the younger men, whether rich or poor. She has not offered herself to him, and she has now offered herself to him, an older man, so that he might rescue her and her mother-in-law from poverty, be brought into his family, and continue the family line of Elimelech.

And despite his joy, Boaz realizes there's a problem. There is a closer relative than he who stands in the line before him to marry, Ruth. Boaz will give this relative the opportunity. If he does not take it, Boaz will marry Ruth.

Boaz sends Ruth home with lots of grain to Naomi, apparently a sign that he will not rest until he settles the matter.

So Boaz calls the elders as witnesses and tracks down the first line, redeemer, who is quite pleased about the opportunity to redeem Elimelech's land. However, once he hears he gets a Moabite woman with the land, he rejects the opportunity, takes his sandal off and seals the deal, gives Boaz the right to redeem the land and marry Ruth.

Boaz is also a great boss. When he comes into the field, he says to his workers, "The Lord be with you." Their response, "The Lord bless you." Boaz was a blessing to his workers. They wanted to bless him back. Wonderful example for us as employees or serving clients, as well as supervising others at work.

He also has purity and personal righteousness. This young woman shows up at the foot of his bed at night, clean, anointed with oil in her best clothes, and no one is aware. And there's a great power imbalance. Yet Boaz treats her with complete purity as a daughter.

Boaz does not take shortcuts. There is a proper process to redeeming, and you must go through it. Boaz indicates clearly that he is ready to take Ruth as his wife, but he realizes he may not get what he wants. There is another closer relative that has the right to marry Ruth. So there's two things going on here.

Boaz, the redeemer, in Deuteronomy 7:6-10 says, "For you are a holy people. The Lord, your God, the Lord, your God chose you to be a people for himself, special above all nations of the earth. The Lord did not prefer nor choose you because you were more in numbers than all the nations. For you are the least of all nations.

But because the Lord loves you and because he will keep the oath he swore to your fathers, the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the land of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Therefore, know the Lord, your God. This God is a faithful God who keeps his covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commandments.

And he repays those who hate him to their face to destroy them."

So Boaz understands the heart of God. God redeemed his people from slavery, from the power of Pharaoh. God loves those who love him and keep his commandments. It has been fully reported to me all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. And now you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth and have come to the people whom you did not know yesterday or the day before. May the Lord repay your work, and may a full reward be given to you by the Lord, God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.

Boaz saw that Ruth left her home, her family, to care for Naomi and ultimately to seek refuge under the wings of the Lord. Boaz became those wings of protection. He had to step in to rescue Naomi and Ruth, and in a way, the deceased Elimelech.

Boaz understood and had the heart of God. So where did Boaz get this great character? Let's read Matthew 1:1-6.

And this is more genealogy, so I'm going to try my best at these names. So here we go. The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begot Isaac. Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar.

Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Aminadab, and Aminadab begot Nashan, and Nashan begot Salmon, and Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab. Boaz begot Obed by Ruth. Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. So Rahab is Boaz's mother.

Rahab had been a prostitute in Jericho, the one who hid the spies. Rahab feared the Lord, feared the God of Israel, more than fearing men and risking her life for God's people. She saw God's great hand and power to destroy the city, as well as his mercy to save her and her family.

This is the same Rahab held up as an example of faith for Christians in Hebrews 11.

Imagine being raised by Rahab. The story is around that dinner table. The fear of the Lord of Israel produces integrity. God saved Rahab, a former prostitute. Do you think Boaz had a problem taking a Moabite foreigner as a wife? No way.

God desires to save his people no matter their background, even his enemies, if they humble themselves and turn to him.

So in conclusion, in this little community in Bethlehem, God brought together the son of a former prostitute and two poor widows, one who was a Moabite foreigner, to produce the marriage of Boaz and Ruth. These two would produce a son named Obed, whose grandson would be King David, from whose line Jesus, the Son of God, would descend.

This all happened during a time when much of Israel was turning away from God. But these three and their community were a bright light. At the end of the story, the women bless Naomi when her son Obed is born. Blessed be the Lord who has not suffered a redeemer, Obed, to fail you this day, even to make your name famous in Israel. And he will be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher in your old age.

For your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him. May what be said of Obed be said of us, that as men we can be a restorer of life and a nourisher of our parents in their old age. As daughters-in-law, that we are a blessing.

That we are better than seven sons. May we be inspired by the faith, character, and love of Naomi. Sorry.

Naomi, Boaz, and Ruth. Through their line would come the restorer and nourisher of life, the great redeemer Jesus. May we too follow God with such faithfulness, also make ourselves useful for his purposes.