Bloor Lansdowne Christian Fellowship – BLCF Church Message for Sunday:
‘The Divine Inheritance Wrought by Humble Faith and Obedience’
©February 12, 2017 by Steve Mickelson
BLCF: bulletin-February-12-2017
Announcements and Call to Worship; Prayer
Opening Hymn #410: O What a Wonderful, Wonderful Day; Choruses
Prayer and Tithing Hymn #572: Praise God from Whom All Blessings
Responsive Reading #667 (Humility and Exaltation – Philippians 2 and Matthew 23)
Let us pray…
Welcome to BLCF’s Praise and Worship Service, where the lesson today, entitled: ‘The Divine Inheritance Wrought by Humble Faith and Obedience’, we will look at the account of Ruth, a woman of compassion, obedience, and faith in the face of a series of tragic events in her personal life not unlike those experienced by Job.
To understand the scale of the tragedies that Ruth experienced, let us begin by reading the first of today’s Scripture passages, found in Ruth 1:1-17 (ESV):
Naomi Widowed
1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. 3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, 5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi
6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”
We have in Ruth 1, the sad and tragic account of an Ephrathite man, named Elimelech, who fled famine in his home Bethlehem in Judea, bringing his wife, Naomi, and sons, Mahlon and Chilion, into the country of Moab.
Here we have an account of a Middle Eastern family who becomes refugees, as they are forced by a famine to flee their homeland, taking refuge in a land called Moab.
The family’s troubles continue as Elimelech dies. We are not sure of how long the family had lived in Moab, before Elimelech’s death.
Naomi’s two sons marry Moabite wives; Malon weds Orpah, and Chilon weds Ruth. However, within 10 years, both of Naomi’s sons have also died.
Naomi finds herself in the unenviable circumstance of being widowed and childless in a foreign land.
Saddened by her loss, Naomi releases her two daughters-in-law from any obligation, and speaks the following (Ruth 1:8-14):
“Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
The two daughters-in-law are free to leave Naomi, but Ruth refuses to go, even after Naomi says (Ruth 1:15-17):
“See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”
Obviously, Ruth’s reply is a testament to her faith conversion to the same God that Naomi worships. Though Ruth no is longer obligated to care for Naomi under the law, she has assumed a moral obligation to Naomi and a makes a covenant of faith to God.
Upon returning to Judea, the lot of Naomi and Ruth is only marginally better, as Ruth is forced to gather the stubble gleamed from the fields belonging to Boaz, a relative of Naomi, in order to feed her mother-in-law and herself.
But the loyalty and faith of Ruth impress Boaz, so much so, that Boaz seeks not only to purchase the land left by Naomi’s dead son but to marry Ruth, in order to restore and perpetuate the bloodline of Elimelech, Ruth 4:1-17 (ESV):
Boaz Redeems Ruth
4 Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 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[a]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.” 5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth[b] the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”
7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. 8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” 11 Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, 12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”
Ruth and Boaz Marry
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed who will be the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Footnotes: a. Ruth 4:4 Hebrew he b. Ruth 4:5 Masoretic Text you also buy it from Ruth
Boaz becomes a kinsman-redeemer to both Naomi and Ruth. But what is meant by this term? For an answer, let us check with gotquestions.org:
Question: “What is a kinsman-redeemer?”
Answer: The kinsman-redeemer is a male relative who, according to various laws of the Pentateuch, had the privilege or responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need. The Hebrew term (go el) for kinsman-redeemer designates one who delivers or rescues (Genesis 48:16; Exodus 6:6) or redeems property or person (Leviticus 27:9–25, 25:47–55). The kinsman who redeems or vindicates a relative is illustrated most clearly in the book of Ruth, where the kinsman-redeemer is Boaz.
The story of Ruth and Boaz begins when Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, return to Bethlehem from Moab where they had been living. Naomi’s husband and both sons, one the husband of Ruth, had died, leaving the women penniless and without a male protector. Upon arriving in Bethlehem, Naomi sends Ruth to glean in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Naomi to whom they, through a series of divinely appointed circumstances, appeal as their go el. Boaz acquiesces, willingly takes Ruth as his wife, and together they bear a son named Obed who became the grandfather of David, the forefather of Jesus.
Yahweh is Israel’s Redeemer, the one who promises to defend and vindicate them. He is both Father and Deliverer (Exodus 20:2). There are numerous Old Testament appeals to God as rescuer of the weak and needy (Psalm 82:4; Daniel 6:27; Jeremiah 20:13) and preserver of the sheep of Israel (Ezekiel 34:10–12, 22).
In the New Testament, Christ is often regarded as an example of a kinsman-redeemer because, as our brother (Hebrews 2:11), He also redeems us because of our great need.
https://www.gotquestions.org/kinsman-redeemer.html
It could be argued that Ruth, a Moabite woman, married Chilion, a member of God’s Chosen People or the people of Israel, and under the law having lost her husband, her father, and her birthright, under the law. And while she no longer had a legal obligation to continue to care for Naomi, her compassion and faith led her to work as a humble scavenger in the fields to provide for Naomi.
Ruth’s faith in God contributed to her faith decision, which greatly impressed Boaz, that he chose to marry Ruth and become her kinsman-redeemer by marrying her. The son of Ruth and Boaz becomes the heir to Elimelech’s estate as his birthright and Naomi has her lineage restored.
Perhaps the most important lesson from Ruth is the reward for her faith and loyalty; as she is rewarded with the blessing of a son named Obed, who will grow up to become the father of Jesse and grandfather of David, and from whose lineage is born our Lord, Jesus. By the way, the Biblical the meaning of the name Obed is servant or workman.
In the same manner, Jesus has decided to become our kinsmen-redeemer from the judgment of sin and by accepting our Lord’s gift, we are joined together as brothers and sisters in Christ, Hebrews 2:11 (ESV):
11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have are one. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.
Let us pray…
Closing Hymn # 484: It Only Takes a Spark
Benediction – Ephesians 1:3-4 (Spiritual Blessings in Christ):
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
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