12h26 ruth3-4_my__ppt97_2003

Embracing ResponsibilitiesEmbracing Responsibilities

Lesson Passages:Lesson Passages:

Ruth 3: 10-13a; Ruth 4: 1-4a, 9-10,13,17Ruth 3: 10-13a; Ruth 4: 1-4a, 9-10,13,17

Background:Background:

Ruth 3 – 4 (end)Ruth 3 – 4 (end)

• I. The Moabite Sojourn (chapter 1)• II. Ruth’s Encounter with Boaz (chapter 2)• III. Ruth’s Proposal to Boaz (chapter 3)• IV. Ruth’s Marriage to Boaz (4:1–17)

The book of Ruth was written down and preserved, mainly:

1. To show that King David’s ancestry was noble spiritually – even though ‘stained’ by ‘inferior’ human ancestry (his Great Grandmother Ruth was Moabite).

2. To show that, even in a time of great corruption (Judges), God’s remnant (living for Him) ‘rules’ by His grace, while He prepares to spread His Kingdom through them

Outline & purposes of the Book of Ruth (Nelson’s Old Testament Survey)

Ruth 1: 1 IN THE days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem of Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, his wife, and his two sons.

•Famine – one of God’s promised judgments for Israel’s disobedience

•Elimelech should not have settled in Moab. (Deut. 23:3–6 says Moabites were not allowed in God’s congregation, to the 10th gen.). He could have settled with Jewish brothers east of the Jordan.

•More judgment: Deaths & barrenness occurred: neither Mahlon [invalid] nor Chilion [pining] fathered children.

•Naomi, bankrupt, sold her dead husband’s property to survive

•Only a wealthy relative could get it back, thru a Kinsman-Redeeming marriage to re-purchase ‘lost’ property and have children (posterity)

•Ruth, working & hoping for a husband, “by chance” came to the fields of Boaz, a prominent citizen who, when he saw her, inquired of her background (Ruth 2:3–7). Impressed with her care for Naomi, he urged Ruth to remain on his property & showed special favor (2:8-16.

•Naomi hoped Ruth could marry somehow, and for a Redemption (a.k.a. ‘Levirate’) marriage to supply all needs of her and Ruth.

Review of Ruth 1-2

10 And he said, “Blessed be you of the Lord, my daughter. For you have made this last loving-kindness greater than the former, for you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do for you all you require, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of strength (worth, bravery, capability). 12 It is true that I am your near kinsman; however, there is a kinsman nearer than I. 13 Stay tonight, and in the morning if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, good; let him do it. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for you, then, as the Lord lives, I will do the part of a kinsman for you…”

●3:1-9 Ruth obeyed Naomi’s plan: asked Boaz for Redeeming-marriage

•Boaz, perhaps surprised, accepted her (/ their) proposalHow were his attitudes & actions respectable (loving truth & honor)?What were special character qualities of Ruth did he praise?

Their relationship (chapters 1 & 2) grew – gentle, humble, respectful, valuing, serving, helping -- the progression of God-blessed, promised, planned Love (James 1:17, 2 Tim. 3:3)

Miraculously, this crafted by God would solve great /many problems!

Accepting Responsibility (Ruth 3:10 - 13a)

1 Then Boaz went up to the city’s gate and sat down there, and behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken came by. He said to him, “Ho! Turn aside and sit down here.” So he turned aside and sat down. 2 And Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” And they sat down. 3 And he said to the kinsman, “Naomi, who has returned from the country of Moab, has sold the parcel of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 And I thought to let you hear of it, saying, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then say so, that I may know; for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I am [next of kin] after you.”

•This passage shows how business was transacted in those days…

•What are issues Boaz might have? How did love (concern++) drive him to act in faith? “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 Jn. 5:8 Is God “trying” to work out a Love Story in your life (and family’s), with your cooperation? This is “working out your salvation”.

:13 Did Micah want to do God’s will, or to ‘improve’ his own life?What idols do we encounter, and how do they ‘work’ to deceive us? Is God pleased by our actions (even those that seem ‘good’), if they’re not His will (Desires)? How do His desires differ from man’s? A priest (Levite) with no relationship with God is dangerous. Why?Do ‘Churchians’ ever “pay” ministers for “spiritual insurance”?Can ministers (or we) trade off God’s callings for life- or job-stability?

Acting with Integrity (Ruth 4: 1 - 4a)

•12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world.

Do you have “Work Out” plans with God as your Trainer? (Philippians 2:12–15) (HCSB)

9 And Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s from the hand of Naomi. 10 Also Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife to restore the name of the dead to his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his birthplace. You are witnesses this day.” … 13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord caused her to conceive, and she bore a son … 17 And her neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

•God’s Ways are mysterious, full of grace (Love)…

Ruth didn’t know that her embracing Naomi and especially GOD, making this personal / sacrificial, would lead to Jesus’ birth!

•Obed means “One who serves”. Jesus said “I am among you as one who serves”, and ‘the greatest among you will be as one serving you’

•By God’s plans, Ruth’s lineage of serving continued for eternity!

Embrace a Secure Future (Ruth 4: 9-10,13,17)

Ruth’s family tree

The choices we make – when prompted by God’s Spirit – lead to His plans for good, beyond our wildest dreams!

•20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— 21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

Beyond our Wildest Dreams:God’s GREAT Future Plans for us (Eph. 3:20-21)

• Israel had/has chosen other than God for their ‘security’ in judgment

• They now suffer judgment, are bitter, perplexed, seek Redemption

• Naomi was content to let her daughter in law Orpah return to her people & false gods

• BUT Ruth bonded in love to her mother-in-law, embracing the true God – This, even though Ruth was a foreigner!

• The Redemption-marriage produced a son, David’s ancestor, who Naomi nursed and loved with great joy.

• Boaz is the offspring of Rahab (see Matthew 1:5)

• 4:12 The house of Perez, birthed incestuously by Tamar (mom) and her father-in-law (Juday) = the most notorious incident of seeking to keep descendancy (see in Genesis 38). Tamar acted the role of a prostitute to keep descendants, since she had been wickedly denied such by Judah’s sons (who God slayed). This 'foreshadows' the New Testament gentile nature of outcry to God (which He hears) for spiritual ‘survival’ in the sense of inheriting the kingdom of God.

• There is and will be great love, joy and unity from God, for the people He is preserving!

Foreshadows of Christ -- THE Kinsman-Redeemer of Israel

(Backups)

9 And Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s from the hand of Naomi. 10 Also Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife to restore the name of the dead to his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his birthplace. You are witnesses this day. … 13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord caused her to conceive, and she bore a son …. 17 And her neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

God’s Ways are mysterious, full of grace & Love: Little did Ruth know that her deciding to embrace Naomi’s God personally and sacrificially would lead, many years later, to Jesus’ birth! The choices we make when prompted by God’s spirit lead to His plans for good, beyond our wildest dreams.

Obed means in Hebrew, “One who serves”. Jesus said “I am among you as one who serves”, and that “the greatest among you will be as one serving you.”

Ruth left a lineage of serving that carried on. Really she was inducted into God’s plan of giving grace to others, through Christ. All women desire to have children and make a home, a great subjected form of service. The greatest purpose in this is, as Paul stated to Timothy in 1Tim.2:12-15, where Paul forbade women to teach over men, from the order of creation AND because Eve sinned first, yet: 15 Nevertheless [the sentence put upon women…] will be saved [eternally] if they continue in faith and love and holiness with self-control, [saved indeed] through the Childbearing or by the birth of the divine Child.

We don’t realize how awful (bad) sin was, nor how great is God’s saving Grace! One Day we will appreciate this when we see Jesus as He is, in heaven – our great Home!

Embracing a Secure Future (Ruth 4: 9-10,13,17)

Boaz was God-oriented (:3-4).

Generous

Protective

Spiritually discerning of Ruth’s character

Blessed her

Ruth was open to God’s will

One can leave the possibility open of marriage, without coercing

Respect begets respect: valuing others – the foundation of Love

Ruth & Boaz’s relationship was godly, respectful, leaving room for God’s grace and providence

Ref. to Perez (Ruth 4:12)

The same Perez as Tamar's son in Gen. 38.  There is symbolism, a ‘sign’ / foreshadowing, about Israel and Christianity, in that story. The "breaking forth" (Perez) one of twins in the womb, the one who ended up considered firstborn, was Perez. This also resembles Jacob & Esau. NIBC has excellently: "One more woman had an experience strikingly similar to Ruth’s: That woman was Rahab, the mother of Boaz (Matt. 1:5). Like Ruth, Rahab was a Gentile woman. Yet God extended His loyal love to Rahab because of her faith in Him and included her in the messianic line.“

Respectful faith, expressed in loving service, is rewarded by everlasting inheritance & blessing.

•Matthew 1:5–6 (AMP) •5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 Jesse the father of King David, King David the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah,

Ref. to Perez (Ruth 4:12)