You can open your Bible to the book of Ruth in the Old Testament.
The book of Ruth.
So we're preaching through the Gospel of John and also through the book of Ruth.
There are four little chapters in this, the most beautiful short story ever written.
I'm convinced of that, as some have said.
I hope you are as well.
Today, Lord willing, we'll finish chapter four.
So our reading for today will begin one verse earlier.
So we'll begin reading in Ruth chapter three, verse 18.
We'll read all the way to the end of Ruth chapter four, the end of the book.
As I read God's word, remember, this is God's very own word.
It is inspired, inerrant and infallible.
It is clear and it is sufficient for us as people.
So when I finish reading, I'll say this is the word of the Lord.
And you can respond by saying thanks be to God.
Hear the word of the Lord.
In Ruth chapter three, verse 18.
Naomi, the mother-in-law, said to Ruth, the young widow.
Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out.
For the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.
Chapter four, verse one.
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 sat and he turned and said, he turned aside and sat down.
And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, sit down here.
So they sat down.
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.
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 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.
Verse five, then Boaz said, the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also
acquire Ruth, the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the
dead in his inheritance.
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.
Verse seven.
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.
So when the redeemer said to Boaz, buy it for yourself, he drew off his sandal.
Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, you are my witnesses this day that I have bought
from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and that belonged to children.
And Malon also Ruth, the Moabite, the widow of Malon.
I have bought to be my wife to perpetuate the name of the dead and 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.
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.
And may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamez bore to Judah because of the offspring
of the Lord who will give you by this young woman.
Verse 13.
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife and he went into her and the Lord gave her conception
and she bore a son.
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.
He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher in your old age for your daughter-in-law
who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.
Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse.
And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name saying, a son has been born to Naomi.
They named him Obed.
He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Verse 18.
Now these are the generations of Perez.
Perez fathered Hezron.
Hezron fathered Ram.
Ram fathered Aminadab.
Aminadab fathered Nashon.
Nashon fathered Salmon.
Salmon fathered Boaz.
Boaz fathered Obed.
Obed fathered Jesse.
And Jesse fathered David.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Indeed, you may be seated.
Would you pray with me?
Amen.
Father, we confess that You are eternal, infinite, and unchangeable
in Your power and perfection, wisdom, glory, justice, and truth,
that nothing happens except through You and by Your will.
And we thank You, Lord, how in Your kindness, in Your fatherly patience, You've given us stories.
And through these stories, You reveal Your greatness to Your people.
Help us to see, Lord, with our eyes, to hear with our ears, and to behold You with our hearts,
the great God, the Lord of the covenant.
Amen.
And Lord, I pray that You will minister to each one by Your Holy Spirit, by Your power,
move among Your church, encourage, restore, nourish Your people once again, Lord,
for Your glory and for our good, we pray.
Amen.
Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
how do you wait upon the Lord?
The hardest thing about waiting is not having to do without for a little bit longer.
I think the hardest thing about waiting is that it's risky.
Kids, you know what this is like.
You wait all week for that one thing you get to choose to do on the weekend, on a Saturday maybe.
And then something happens.
Someone gets sick and we don't get to do it.
So that waiting would have been a lot better if it was guaranteed to happen on Saturday, right?
Isn't that so true for the biggest things in life as well?
Well, if I knew for sure this would be the outcome, the waiting wouldn't be so bad.
But that waiting, it's the anticipation, it's the risk that makes it almost unbearable.
Is the next job going to be any better?
Is that monitor in the hospital going to just turn into a steady beep?
There's no guarantee it's risky.
And the waiting is so heavy, isn't it?
Shakespeare said that expectation is the root of all heartache.
You have your hopes set on something, you're expecting it, and then heartache comes when it doesn't happen.
And then what do we all want to do?
I just don't want to get excited about anything again.
And truthfully, each one of you, even visiting a church plant, it's risky.
Disappointment is unmet expectation.
You don't have to live long under the sun to know that if I put my hope on anything earthly, I'm setting myself up for disappointment, aren't I?
I think what we see in this last chapter is that resolution, that ending and that follow-up that God in His goodness is so pleased to lavish on His people.
But they've been waiting.
They've been waiting.
What you're going to see is there's extreme risk involved for Naomi, for Ruth, and for Boaz.
This is a risky, high-tension passage.
I think their resolve is what the prophet Micah captures later.
Micah 7-7, he says,
I will look to the Lord.
I will wait for the God of my salvation.
My God will hear me.
The reason that's comforting is because that's the prayer of every Christian.
We will wait upon the Lord, the God of our salvation, trusting by faith that He will hear us.
However, it turns out, the promise that I want you to be encouraged by and remember is that God brings His people, all of His people, to bless His name as you wait for Him.
God brings His people to bless His name one way or the other as you wait for Him.
Look at verse 14.
This is the key verse, and we'll go through verse by verse, but I just want you to put your finger on verse 14.
See how all the people watching this story unfold, they sing like a great chorus, like we were just singing moments ago, filling the room.
Blessed be the Lord.
He's provided a Redeemer.
May His name be renowned.
He is the Restorer of life.
He is your Nourisher.
How do you wait upon the Lord?
The first observation I want to draw your attention to comes from the person who the book is named after, even though it could be called the book of Naomi.
But I want you to ponder Ruth here.
I believe in verses 3, 18, and even as we see her in the silence of the next 10 verses or so, what we see in the example of Ruth is that we are to stay eager to learn how God's providence will unfold.
So go back to chapter 3.
In verse 14, to give ourselves a little bit of context, Ruth lay at the feet of Boaz until morning.
What time in the morning?
Well, she arose before anyone could even recognize one another.
It's the crack of dawn.
And then skip down to verse 18.
Naomi told her, wait and see.
And in that phrase, wait and see, Naomi is telling Ruth, wait, be patient.
But wait so you will see.
Be eager.
So stay eager to learn how God's providence will unfold as you wait.
It's a patient anticipation.
Naomi was less patient earlier in the story.
It wasn't she.
She left Bethlehem, went to greener land in Moab, lost everything.
And now she's giving the best advice that she's had maybe in the whole book.
Wait and see the hand of God on your life.
But think from Ruth's perspective.
From Ruth's perspective, we're not going to see Ruth do anything or say anything for many more verses.
In verse 5, Boaz said to this other redeemer that's closer, you will also acquire Ruth.
And he says, I'll pass.
And then later on in verse 10, Boaz says, Ruth comes with this redemption.
I'll take her.
But Ruth herself is patient.
She's being considered by one man, taken by another.
She's waiting.
And it's going to be the Lord's hand that unfolds for her.
She's made her desire very clear to Boaz.
You, Boaz, you spread out your wings over me.
You redeem me.
Now look back at chapter 3, verse 12.
Here's the problem.
Boaz knows everyone in the town of Bethlehem.
They know each other by name.
They know all the family trees.
They're keeping track of the land.
And he says in verse 12,
It is true that I am a redeemer, he's telling Ruth,
yet there is a redeemer nearer than I.
What would Ruth be feeling as she heard him say that?
Her cheeks are blushing.
Spread your wings out, please.
I've been working from early morning to evening.
You become my redeemer.
And he says, yet there is one nearer than I.
I believe that what we see in Ruth
is God teaching her,
no matter how things turn out, Ruth,
my promise to care for you will be true.
It will be something you can trust.
They who wait upon the Lord, Ruth,
shall renew their strength.
We get this promise much later.
Isaiah 40, 31.
They who wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength.
Hasn't that been true for you so far, Ruth?
You've been running.
You've been getting up early,
working till late.
You've worked every day of the harvest.
You've been out there gleaning,
just picking up the scraps.
Haven't I been faithful to you so far?
You will run.
You will not grow weary, Ruth.
She had left everything behind in Moab.
Now she's waiting,
trusting that God will not disappoint her in the end.
God renews the strength of his people
as they wait for him.
How do you wait upon the Lord?
The next person I want to focus on is Boaz.
With Boaz, we see that you fear God
as you wait for him.
You fear God and keep his commandments.
See, Boaz, he could have very easily said,
well, no one seems very eager
to keep that year of Jubilee anyways.
In fact, there's no historical record
that the people of Israel ever kept the year of Jubilee.
He could be reading the times around him.
But yet, Boaz says,
there is, according to the law,
there is a man nearer than I.
Boaz is making it very clear right away.
Even though he's eager to take her as his bride,
we see that in this chapter.
He's making it clear that he's a man under God's law.
As much as he desires and loves Ruth,
he loves and fears God in a fatherly love first.
Look at verse 1.
Behold, the Redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken came by.
By using that language, behold,
he wants you to pause what you're doing.
Pay attention now.
Put yourself at the city gate.
See that man.
Now notice, it's just referred to as the man Boaz spoke of.
So we all know back from chapter 3, verse 12,
it's the closer Redeemer.
Remember, he came by.
It's as though the author is saying,
there goes God's providential activity again.
It just so happens.
Look, right there at the city gate,
he's coming by.
And Boaz said to this man,
now remember,
he knows this family tree.
He knows who this man is.
Turn aside, friend,
and sit down here.
Hebrew scholars will point out that that word friend,
do you see that word?
Verse 1.
That word friend,
it means so-and-so,
or fella,
or just some neutral, meaningless term.
Come on over here, man.
We don't even,
this man's name doesn't even make it into the pages of the Bible.
Now,
Boaz,
he looked to God's law
and waited for God's providence
as he was pursuing this,
and he was being constrained
out of a greater love for God
and for God's law.
So he's pursuing,
but he's doing it in a way
that is constrained.
He's letting God's law dictate
how this is going to go.
So,
let's look at verses 2 and 3.
And he took 10 men of the elders
of the city,
and he said,
sir,
and he said,
sit down here.
So they sat down.
Verse 3.
Then he said to the redeemer,
this Mr. So-and-so,
Naomi,
who has come back from the country of Moab,
is selling the parcel of land
that belonged to our relative Elimelech.
So I thought I would tell you of it.
Buy it in the presence of those sitting here.
In the presence of the elders of my people,
if you will redeem it,
redeem it.
You see the risk that Boaz is taking here?
He says,
I'm going to put myself according to God's law.
If you would like to redeem this land,
it's yours.
The risk for Boaz is huge.
He can't control this man's decisions.
He has to trust that God will use secondary causes
to bring about his will,
whatever it may be.
As much as he is eager to take Ruth as his wife.
He's a man under the law of God.
Where did Boaz learn this type of a fear of God?
Where could he have learned this?
This is not normal for any time.
I've used the word fear of God.
I want to give you what I think is an important definition.
Biblical fear of God is this.
According to Charles Bridges,
it's your affectionate reverence to God as his child.
It's his loving grace in you
that bends your will humbly
under the law of your father.
That's what we're talking about.
Where did Boaz learn that?
He's clearly a man.
He wants the elders to be witness.
He wants to follow the law of,
you know,
the first kinsman having the first opportunity.
And he has put it all on the table.
If you redeem it,
the land is yours.
We can't say for sure where Boaz learned this,
but really a few months ago,
I won't say names,
but someone was just reading through their Bible
and read Matthew 1, verse 5.
It's the genealogy of our Lord Jesus.
How Salmon, the father of Boaz,
we get one little detail.
Who was the mother of Boaz?
It was by Rahab.
Rahab, when the Bible talks about Rahab,
she's described as that prostitute
on the walls of Jericho.
Where did Boaz learn the fear of God?
This reverent fear is a God who has all power,
yet he is gracious and preserves.
The story of the faith has been passed on.
Can you imagine how Rahab would have loved
to tell her children and grandchildren
and everyone who would listen about
that magnificent day
when the walls tumbled down outward
from the city,
and yet there she stood with her home
and her family?
That's where you learn the fear of the Lord.
We don't know all the other details
of Boaz's biography and his family life.
We know that later in his years,
he was still unmarried.
We also know that Salmon was a prince in Judah.
And so Boaz grew up as the son of a prince.
That's how he has all the land
and he's so wealthy and he's very generous,
but he does it as one who is under the law of God,
that reverential fear for God
as a child of God,
who's experienced that loving grace
and gladly bends his own will
in conformity to the law of his father.
We saw in Ecclesiastes chapter 12 this Friday,
the end of all man's duty is what?
It's fear God and keep his commandments
because they who wait upon the Lord
will renew their strength.
And if Ruth was the one who ran without growing weary,
Boaz will see he is one who soars
as if on wings of eagles throughout this whole book.
So you saw the risk for Ruth.
You saw the risk for Boaz.
How do you wait upon the Lord?
Let's stick with Boaz.
You boldly walk in the way of the Lord.
You pursue the good desire he's given you.
Look at verses five through eight.
Boaz is going to walk out this desire of his
to marry Ruth,
but he's going to do it according to God's law.
So he's going to boldly pursue Ruth,
but he does it for God's purposes,
not his own.
Look at verse five.
He says,
it's to perpetuate the name of the dead.
This is something that's so lost to our culture
and our way of thinking, isn't it?
To perpetuate the name of Ruth's husband
who died earlier in life
and of Ruth's father-in-law who died
is to perpetuate their name in the land.
The biblical principle for us
is that this is a God-pleasing rule for life
that it's said really well in Proverbs 3.27,
do not withhold good from those to whom it is due
when it is in your power to do it.
That's the biblical principle.
Boaz, it's within your power to do something.
We can't say it's completely selfless
because he also gets Ruth as his wife,
but it's to perpetuate the name of the dead.
It's he's doing good for Naomi and for Ruth
according to God's law
because it's within his power to do it.
And that knowing the law of God
gives Boaz confidence
in how he has to walk this out
and how he has to pursue this desire.
So yes, he was constrained,
but I also want to emphasize
Boaz was not passive.
He was pursuing his desire
according to God's will.
One commentator helped me to see this contrast.
In chapter one, do you remember?
There were two women.
The two women who had a choice
as they talked to Ruth.
It was a costly decision of faith.
One turns back
and is heard of no more.
Look at verse six,
Ruth four chapters,
chapter four, verse six.
Mr. So-and-so,
the man Boaz simply calls friend.
He says,
I cannot redeem this land for myself
lest I impair my own inheritance.
He does not care about the name of the dead.
He's focused on his own inheritance.
We don't even get his name.
He's faced with a costly decision of faith.
And he vanishes from the pages of scripture.
Sinclair Ferguson pointed out,
this man will have no role
in advancing God's kingdom.
God calls his people
to align with his own will.
And it's those who are in alignment
with God's will
that God uses within his kingdom.
Deuteronomy 10, 18 says,
it's God who executes justice
for the fatherless and the widow
and loves the sojourner,
giving him food.
Ferguson's words again,
quote,
this man who refuses the terms
of God's covenant responsibility,
it's as if God's saying
he will have no further significance.
His name does not matter
in God's glorious purposes.
End of quote.
By contrast, though,
Boaz,
Boaz models for us
what Psalm 37, 3 through 5 says,
which is commit your way to the Lord.
Trust in him
and he will act.
Trust in the Lord
and do good.
Dwell in the land
and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself
in the Lord.
I think Boaz
has done this very well.
And he, the Lord,
will give you
the desires of your heart.
Now, what about the ceremony
where Boaz
takes off his sandal?
What about that?
Look at verse 7.
We read that it was their custom
for redeeming and exchanging
to confirm a transaction.
The one drew off his sandal
and gave it to the other.
You know,
when you go into a negotiation,
some of you have been
in different negotiations.
You don't,
you're not sure.
You know,
you go to the flea market
or something,
you want to try to play it cool
so you can get a better price.
I don't know.
We don't know.
Was Boaz going to play it cool now,
pretend like he wasn't too excited?
Or the minute the man said
in verse 6,
I cannot redeem it.
I can't do it.
I mean,
was Boaz's foot shaking like ready,
sliding that sandal
to the tip of his toes,
just ready to hand it over?
Or maybe he just said,
you know,
transactional.
But man,
look at this.
It sounds like the author
in verse 7,
he's having to reteach
an old custom.
So it sounds like
maybe this was Samuel
putting this together
for the people of God,
explaining how King David
came to be
and what was the line
of King David
through Rahab
and through Ruth
and how is David
now a legitimate king?
And so he's reteaching
his original audience.
But again,
this was a commentator's hint.
We don't know
anywhere else in scripture
of this custom,
but perhaps Joshua 1,
verse 3
is being pictured here
in this transaction,
which says this.
It's a promise
to the people of Israel,
every place
that the sole of your foot
will tread upon,
I have given to you.
And it's a reminder
that this land,
whoever has it right now
for these seven years,
this land is God's.
It belongs to God.
If you have possession,
your soul gets to touch it
and live on it
and dwell there.
It's because God
has given it.
So ultimately,
it's a sign of faith.
It's a sign that it is God
who gives everything.
Proverbs 15.25
really explains
and illustrates
the contrast
between Mr. So-and-so
and Boaz.
the Lord tears down
the house of the proud.
His name's forgotten
to history,
but God maintains
the widow's boundaries
and the name of,
even the dead of Ruth
and Naomi
will be preserved.
You see how Boaz
pursued his bride.
He desired her,
but he was pursuing her
in a way that was ordered
by the law of God.
And as much as Boaz
is a picture for us
or foreshadowing
of the coming work
of Christ,
what a glorious picture
how the Lord Jesus Christ
pursued his people,
his bride,
his church,
and he didn't deviate
from the law
to do that.
He put himself
under the law.
Jesus Christ
fulfilled the law
on behalf of his bride
to get her
as his own.
And now he calls
his church
to do the same,
to seek first
his kingdom
and his righteousness.
How do you wait
upon the Lord?
There's one other thing
Boaz does
I want to show you
in verses 9 through 11.
I think Boaz
involves
the whole faith community.
He involves
the whole faith community
as he waits
upon the Lord.
And he does this,
I think,
for two reasons,
as support
and also
as a witness.
And that's what
the faith community,
that's what the church
needs to be
for one another.
As we wait
upon the Lord,
we don't do it
in isolation,
we do it together.
We tell our prayer requests,
our burdens,
we share it
with one another.
And we help each other,
we carry one another's
burdens in that way
for support
and also
as a witness.
We are like
sheep among wolves
in this world,
aren't we?
Notice what Boaz
does in verse 9.
He said,
to the elders
and all the people,
anyone who's at
this public place,
the gate,
you are witnesses
this day.
It's as though Boaz
has said,
I desire to follow
God's law
and you're my witnesses
that I'm trying to do it
according to the law
of God.
In verse 10,
he says,
also Ruth,
the Moabite,
the widow of Malon,
I have bought
to be my wife
to perpetuate
the name of the dead
in his inheritance.
Faith community,
you are my witnesses.
It's as though Boaz
is saying in Deuteronomy
24, 17
is in the backdrop
that the people of God
shall not pervert
the justice due
to the sojourner
or to the fatherless
or regarding
the widow's possessions.
He's calling
the law of God
to mind
to the whole faith community.
Now look at verse 11
how they respond.
Then all the people
who were at the gate
and the elders said,
we are your witnesses.
And then they rise up
and they bless Boaz.
Echoing Scripture,
echoing Deuteronomy 14, 24,
the sojourner,
the fatherless
and the widow
who are within your towns
shall come
and eat
and be filled
that the Lord your God
may bless you
in all the work
of your hands
that you do.
It's the prayer
of the faith community.
That the kingdom of God
will be established
and restored
among all of them.
Not just for this couple
or their family
but in all of them
that God would be pleased.
Look at verse 11.
May the Lord
make the woman
who is coming
into your house
like Rachel and Leah
who together
built up Israel.
So all the people
of the town
and the elders,
they are bearing witness
that God is doing
something special
and that the kingdom
of God
is exhibited
through this family.
Just like it was
Rachel and Leah
who through their children
God gave this nation.
May God do the same
and bless this couple
and bless all
of their children.
I think it's even
more significant
that it's all the people
blessing and bearing witness
and supporting the couple
in this way
because the people
of this community,
the faith community
has been part of the story
all along.
Do you remember back
in chapter 1 verse 19
we read how the whole town
was stirred because of them
because of Naomi
coming back
looking so different
you know they didn't
even recognize her
and Ruth with her
from Moab
who is this?
They've been part of
this story all along.
They saw her being bankrupt
and homeless
and starving
and then in chapter 2
they said
behold Boaz
came from Bethlehem
and Boaz said
to his reapers
the Lord be with you
and the reapers
answered
the Lord bless you.
Now who were these reapers?
Chapter 2 verse 8
Boaz said to Ruth
keep close to my young women
reaping with you
as you glean
in my field.
These women
come to play
a very prominent role
here in chapter 4.
You'll notice
it's the women
who bless the couple
who sing this chorus
of blessing
in verse 14
and when they get
to name the child
of Ruth
and Boaz
together
who is it
that names the child?
It's the women
that are bearing witness
that are supporting them.
They've learned
in the fear of the Lord
is safety.
In the fear of the Lord
there is trust.
In the fear of the Lord
it's the job
of the whole community
to teach it
to one another.
How do you wait
upon the Lord?
I want to stick
with this faith community now.
I think this
community of faith
these people of the town
these women
they teach us
you wait upon the Lord
by looking
backward
at God's
providence.
Notice how they look back
in verse 12.
May your house
be like the house
and I'll just highlight
one name for now
like the house
of Perez.
This is an interesting
person to draw out
of the history
as they look back.
Who was Perez?
Well
in these southern
tribes of Judah
their story
is a twisted story
and they see here
here's a widow
from Moab
marrying an older man
Boaz.
It's a twisted story
but may the Lord
bless it
like Perez.
Perez
Perez was the son
of Tamar
with Judah
but the problem
is that Judah
was not Tamar's
husband.
Judah
was her father-in-law
and she tricked him
so it's a son
of scandal.
That's who Perez
is
but they see
God's faithful hand
in that twisted story.
Now notice
the symmetry
of this
glorious little book.
starting at verse 13
Boaz took Ruth
and she became
his wife
and he went
into her
and the Lord
gave her conception
and she
Ruth
bore a son
so we've seen
first Boaz
there
then Ruth
now verse 14
then the women
said to
Naomi
I'll pause
for a moment.
The order here
as they exit
the story
is Boaz
then Ruth
and last
Naomi
and it's
symmetrical
from how
the story
started
remember
it started
with Naomi
going to Moab
and losing
everything
and then in Moab
she meets
Ruth
and then coming
back into Bethlehem
Boaz enters
the story
now they exit
in that reverse
order
in which they
were introduced
the faith
community
sees
God's hand
on this
story
and blesses
them
here's our
great verse
look at verse 14
the faith
community
sings
like a choir
the women
to Naomi
blessed
be the Lord
who has not
left you
this day
without a
redeemer
and may his
name be
renowned
in Israel
verse 15
he shall be
to you
a restorer
of life
and a
nourisher
of your
old
age
Boaz
with this
twisted
story
God's
hand upon
him
and those
who came
before him
he will
be blessed
everything
that they
desire
and pray
for him
will come
true
and much
more than
anyone
in this
time
could have
understood
if you
look for
the name
Boaz
throughout
your
Bible
you're
not
going to
find
too many
other
references
to Boaz
except for
genealogies
with one
exception
and it's
1 Kings
chapter 7
verse 21
we read
we read how
the great
king
Solomon
set up
a pillar
in the
temple
of the
north
the temple
on the
north
and he
called
that
pillar
Boaz
well
Boaz
was Solomon's
great
grandpa
and then
throughout
the rest
of the
Bible
it's not
often
that a
person's
name
or a
person
is
associated
with
the
pillar
of the
temple
except
for
Peter
James
and John
closest
disciples
you know
they're
teaching
their
letters
that
would
be
the
foundation
and the
pillars
of the
church
and then
the
encouragement
for you
is
Revelation
312
which
says
and this
is the
words
of Christ
himself
it's
the
one
who
conquers
I
will
make
him
a
pillar
in
the
temple
of
my
God
and
that's
a
promise
from
Christ
to
his
church
look
to
Boaz
obey
my
law
in
the
land
put
yourself
under
my
commands
and
you
will
stand
as
a
pillar
in
my
kingdom
in
my
temple
where
the
holy
God
dwells
with
his
saved
sinners
for
Ruth
look
at
verse
15
the
honor
she
receives
from
the
community
she
came
as
an
immigrant
one
who
knew
nothing
of
their
customs
with
nothing
to
show
she
was
passed
over
by
mr.
so-and-so
verse
15
your
daughter-in-law
that's
Ruth
who
loves
you
who
is
more
to
you
than
seven
sons
has
given
birth
to a
Jewish
community
having
one
son
that
firstborn
son
who
get
all
the
inheritance
and
take
care
of
everyone
else
Ruth
right
here
your
daughter-in-law
from
Moab
she
is
worth
more
than
seven
sons
seven
is
the
number
of
fullness
and
perfection
and
completion
she
is
worth
more
than
seven
sons
proverbs
19
23
says
that
the
fear
of
the
Lord
leads
to
life
and
whoever
has
it
rests
satisfied
this
was the
blessing
that
Boaz
originally
gave
to
Ruth
is
now
being
fulfilled
he
had
said
the
Lord
bless
you
Ruth
the
God
under
whose
wings
you
have
come
to
take
refuge
and
now
Ruth
can
sing
like
we
did
earlier
today
praise
to
the
Lord
who
were
all
things
so
wondrously
reigneth
shelters
thee
under
his
wings
yea
so
gently
sustaineth
hast
thou
not
seen
how
thy
desires
e'er
have
been
granted
and
what
he
ordaineth
how
do
you
wait
upon
the
Lord
not
only
do
you
look
backwards
but
what
we
see
in
the
genealogy
as this
book
comes
to a
close
what
could
feel
anticlimactic
it's
really
looking
forward
to even
greater
fulfillment
we
see
with
Naomi
and
the
women
how
Naomi
took
the
child
and
laid
him
on
her
lap
in
verse
16
and
the
women
said
in
verse
17
a
son
has
been
born
to
Naomi
they
saw
Naomi
return
with
her
hands
empty
and
now
she
had
her
hands
full
with
this
little
baby
grandson
they
named
him
Obed
means
servant
of God
and worshiper
of God
from
Obed
the
line
is
drawn
to
the
great
king
David
his
grandfather
servant
of God
worshiper
of God
the harp
player
the
psalmist
look at
this line
I won't
go through
every name
but it's
so rich
and I
just want
to trace
out for
you
a few
highlights
here
in verse
18
the
generations
of
Perez
who as
I
mentioned
we have
Salmon
with
Rahab
so this
kingly
line
marries
Rahab
who was
that
saved
foreign
prostitute
of Jericho
and their
son is
Boaz
and if
we go
to Luke
chapter 3
verse 21
we read
how the
son
of that
scandalous
marriage
again
now
Mary
large
with child
only betrothed
to Joseph
and Joseph
is from
this
kingly
line
the
lines
of the
kings
you see
the picture
of the
gospel
foreshadowed
it's the
prince of
heaven
coming to
rescue
the bride
the church
shrouded
in scandal
and a
twisted story
of redemption
the nation
of Israel
had looked
for a
king
remember
this is in
the time
of the judges
where there
was no
king in
the land
everyone
did as
they
pleased
they
waited
to see
who would
it be
that God
would send
to save
them
and to
rule as
their
shepherd
king
those
within
Israel
who had
a faith
in God
who knew
his grace
his old
covenant
people
they looked
for the
great
shepherd
king
greater
than
David
even
and they
were waiting
for the
Messiah
the new
covenant
church
we still
look to
Christ
the seed
of Eve
the seed
of Tamar
the seed
of Rahab
the seed
of Ruth
and we
long for
the name
of Jesus
to be
renowned
not just
in Israel
but in
all the
land
that every
people
tribe
and tongue
will know
him and be
able to say
bless
the Lord
he is
faithful
and we
still live
as sojourners
in this land
we wait
for that day
when he
will return
and we
wait as
people
not attached
to the
earthly
things
we wait
as a
people
whose
souls
are
united
to him
spiritually
and everything
our souls
touch
the soles
of our feet
touches
it belongs
to him
and one
day he
will make
a new
heavens
and a
new
earth
and we
long
for that
day
and how
do we
wait
upon the
Lord
we wait
as ones
who fear
him
and who
know his
laws
for our
good
and for
his glory
and we
pursue
those desires
of our
heart
because
he's renewing
our desires
that we
will desire
his kingdom
more and
we pursue
them ruled
by his
law
my encouragement
to you is
beg the
Lord Jesus
Christ
the great
redeemer
beg him
to renew
you once
again today
as you
wait upon
the Lord
let's
pray
Lord
we confess
that often
we don't
know how
to walk
in this
world
we don't
know how
to walk
every day
in this
life
but we
hold on
to your
promise
that you
are a
faithful
and
unchanging
God
thank you
for what
you've
promised
in
Romans
8
4
that we
do not
walk
in this
world
according
to the
flesh
but we
do walk
according
to the
spirit
we thank
you Lord
that you
have fulfilled
all the
righteous
requirements
of the
law
so that
now
we stand
before you
as a
people
fully
redeemed
fully
yours
you have
bought
us
your
bride
and your
great name
is passed
on
through our
lives
may this
be so
more and
more
we pray
amen