THE GRACE OF GOD
RUTH 4:14-22

        I.      Intro: The story of Ruth begins with tragedy, sorrow and disappointment.  Famine reigned in Bethlehem and the experience of the family of Ruth who had fled to the land of Moab was that of death and burial.

a.       The book of Ruth ends with wedding bells and the birth of a precious baby son

1.       Though the word love does not appear in the book of Ruth we have a display of what love truly consists of

b.      As we close our study of Ruth keep these three things in mind

1.       Only the Book of Ruth reveals Christ in His role as Kinsman Redeemer.

a)       He must be a near kinsman and this reveals why Christ was born into the human family (Isa. 9:6, Heb. 2:14-16, Gal. 4:4-5)

b)      He must be willing to redeem as Boaz loved Ruth so Christ loved us (John 3:16, Heb. 12:1-2, Rom. 5:8)

c)       He must be able to redeem

1)       As Boaz was a mighty man of wealth and could pay the price, so Christ paid the price of our redemption

2)       The blood of Christ was the price (Heb.9:12, Heb. 9:22, Heb. 10:10, Eph 1:7)

2.       The book of Ruth is the outline of the relationship of Christ, Israel and the Church

a)       Replacement theology has totally missed the true message of the Book of Ruth

b)      Naomi does not surrender her position to Ruth

1)       Boaz restores to Naomi her land and inheritance (Rom. 11:24-26)

c)       Ruth does not replace Naomi for Ruth becomes the Bride of Boaz

1)       The Church is the Bride of Christ (Eph 5:31,32, Rev. 19)

3.       The book of Ruth is the only Book that connects the family of David with the tribe of Judah

a)       Without this genealogy there would be no proof that David and the Lord Jesus were connected to the kingly line of Judah

b)      Remember Christ came to be Prophet, Priest and King

1)       Christ has yet to be King but He will be. (Zech 14:4-9)

      II.      Naomi the “pleasant one” (Vs. 14-16)

a.       God remembered Naomi (Vs. 14)

1.       When Naomi returned from Moab where she had lost her husband and two sons she desired to be called Marah or “bitter”

2.       Back in Bethlehem in the place of blessing God remembered Naomi

a)       Naomi does not stop them from calling her by her former name

b)      In God’s place the blessing of God had remolded Naomi into a pleasent person

3.       With the birth of this son the name of Naomi’s dead sons would live on.

b.      The worth of Naomi’s daughter-in-law (Vs.15)

1.       All recognized Ruth’s love for Naomi

a)       By her action and conduct Ruth had proven and displayed her love (James 2:17)

2.       The 7 sons remind us that seven is the number of perfection and completion in God’s Word

c.                Naomi becomes the child’s nurse (Vs. 16)

1.       The Berkley version reads, “Naomi took the baby, laid it in her lap and took care of it”

a)       No doubt this child had a grandmother much like Timothy had in Lois in II Tim. 1:5

b)      Godly grandmothers who help to care for and instruct in the paths of righteousness

    III.      A strange ending to a love letter (Vs. 17-22)

a.       As an anti-climax to the love story of Ruth and Boaz there is given a 10 generation genealogy

1.       One might consider a message on genealogies as very dry and unimportant

2.       We have a look at this single branch from a family tree

b.      The exactness of God

1.       Pharez was the illegitimate son of Judah

a)       Judah had three sons and the oldest was married to Tamar number 26

b)      This oldest son died before any children were born

c)       The second son according to law took Tamar to wife, but he died before any children

d)      Judah’s youngest son refused to take Tamar to be his wife and thus she was left a childless widow

2.       Tamar disguised herself as a harlot and enticed Judah and he became the father of her child, Pharez

a)       In Duet. 23:2 it is very clear that an illegitimate child could not enter into the congregation of the Lord until the 10th generation

1)       This did not mean they were social outcast, but Jewish Rabbi’s interpreted this to mean they could not sit on the royal throne and reign as King

3.       In considering this genealogy it is clear that David is the 10th and first eligible King of Israel

a)       There was nothing wrong in I Sam. 8 for the Jews wanting a King to rule over them

b)      But when in I Sam. 8:19 the people demanded a King before God’s time they displeased God

1)       Saul was chosen from the tribe of Benjamin and the story of his sad reign and life are seen in his death by suicide

c)       Now David the first eligible person from the Kingly line of Judah now becomes King and brings with him the golden years of Israel

1)       How easy it is to run ahead of God and demand our way before God’s time

2)       God’s will is not just a tag on to our prayers, but should be a sincere desire from our hearts

c.       This genealogy then was divinely inspired to prove the legal genealogy of God’s King to Israel, David

1.       Ruth was David’s Great-grandmother and one of 5 women mentioned in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ the Royal son of David as recorded in Matthew

Conclusion

         I.      Ruth had a humble beginning but her testimony lives on as part of Holy Scripture

a.       Her secret is found in Ruth 2:12 as she had come to trust under the wings of the God of Israel

b.      I trust that Ruth has pointed you to Christ, of whom Boaz is a type