WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.120 To be here, I'm looking forward to it. 00:00:03.640 --> 00:00:07.419 I feel a little bit under pressure that it's some people's first time, you know, 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:14.019 and I feel under pressure that, you know, that after today you want to come back to church 00:00:14.019 --> 00:00:17.500 and hear the sermon and you're not longing to get back to Sunday school. 00:00:20.400 --> 00:00:24.879 I was down in Middleton Baptist on the 11th of August 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:28.280 and my two children were invited to come with us 00:00:28.280 --> 00:00:29.640 and they opted to stay with Granny. 00:00:29.780 --> 00:00:33.280 They said, I'm not going to travel all of the way just to listen to you speak. 00:00:34.760 --> 00:00:39.799 We can hear you speak, you know, every day, you know, preaching at us over the dinner table. 00:00:39.799 --> 00:00:41.400 So they declined. 00:00:42.179 --> 00:00:51.760 So hopefully I don't disappoint those who are joining us for the first time from Sunday school. 00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:55.420 But if you'd like to turn in your Bible to the book of Ruth, 00:00:55.420 --> 00:01:01.380 So that will go Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:05.620 and then you should find Judges, then Ruth. 00:01:10.980 --> 00:01:15.960 And so hopefully on the other page or just before in my Bible, 00:01:16.219 --> 00:01:19.939 you should see Judges chapter 21 and verse 25. 00:01:20.579 --> 00:01:23.000 And that's where we're going to begin our reading. 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:34.019 In those days Israel had no king and everyone did as they saw fit. 00:01:36.359 --> 00:01:40.400 And in those days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. 00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:45.460 And so a man from Bethlehem and Judea, together with his wife and two sons, 00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:48.780 went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 00:01:48.780 --> 00:01:50.820 The man's name was Elimelech. 00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:52.960 His wife's name was Naomi. 00:01:53.540 --> 00:01:56.739 And the names of his two sons were Malon and Kilion. 00:01:57.500 --> 00:02:01.060 And they were Epaphrites from Bethlehem, Judah. 00:02:01.980 --> 00:02:05.000 And they went to Moab and they lived there. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.039 Now Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died. 00:02:09.699 --> 00:02:11.759 And she was left with her two sons. 00:02:11.860 --> 00:02:15.379 And they married Moabite women, one named Orpha and the other Ruth. 00:02:15.379 --> 00:02:20.719 And after they had lived there about ten years, both Malon and Kilion also died. 00:02:21.159 --> 00:02:24.939 And Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband. 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:32.759 But when Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, 00:02:33.240 --> 00:02:36.740 she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:37.879 Amen. 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:43.259 So Ruth is a strange little book. 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:45.879 It's a story of romance. 00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:48.259 It's a story of loss. 00:02:48.519 --> 00:02:50.280 It's a story of redemption. 00:02:50.579 --> 00:02:54.979 And it's also the story of the birth of a king or eventually. 00:02:55.879 --> 00:03:02.300 It's a book that sort of ties together the book of Judges and the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. 00:03:02.300 --> 00:03:07.100 Well, the kids in Sunday school, they were learning about the succession of kings. 00:03:07.200 --> 00:03:08.860 But how did we get to kings? 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:11.520 Well, Ruth helps sort of fill in the narrative. 00:03:11.780 --> 00:03:17.500 It also provides us a little bit of a window of what it was like to live during the time, 00:03:17.620 --> 00:03:18.820 during the period of the judges. 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:23.140 When you read the judges, you're reading about, I suppose, the judges themselves, 00:03:23.300 --> 00:03:25.040 the conquests, the sins of Israel. 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:31.699 But here is a little, you could say, period drama, right in the middle of all of that. 00:03:32.979 --> 00:03:36.060 And we even have our own Mr. Darcy. 00:03:36.459 --> 00:03:41.399 We have a character called Boaz, who we'll read about later in the coming weeks. 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:43.759 He's not here yet, but he's coming. 00:03:46.579 --> 00:03:50.739 But here we have the title this morning of Running on Empty. 00:03:50.739 --> 00:03:54.879 We need to know about a God of grace. 00:03:55.780 --> 00:03:59.019 But first of all, we need to think about the background to the book of Judges. 00:03:59.159 --> 00:04:01.900 So we're going to do a little bit of thinking about that. 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:04.039 I don't know, you don't need to put up your hand, 00:04:04.120 --> 00:04:09.859 but I'm sure there are some country and western musical fans about here, I'm sure. 00:04:10.840 --> 00:04:15.739 Well, a modern sort of, I don't know if people like Katie Musgraves or not, 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:18.060 but she is quite popular, I think. 00:04:18.779 --> 00:04:21.579 But she had this hit song, and it goes like this. 00:04:21.579 --> 00:04:24.659 If you save yourself for marriage, you're a bore. 00:04:24.759 --> 00:04:27.919 And if you don't save yourself for marriage, you're a horrible person. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:31.259 If you won't have a drink, then you're a prude. 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:35.360 But they'll call you drunk as soon as you down the first one. 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:39.180 And if you can't lose weight, then you're just fat. 00:04:39.300 --> 00:04:41.580 But if you lose too much, you're on crack. 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:44.080 You're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't. 00:04:44.139 --> 00:04:46.520 So you might as well just do whatever it is you want. 00:04:47.500 --> 00:04:51.240 So make lots of noise and kiss lots of boys or kiss lots of girls, 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:53.340 if that's something you're into. 00:04:53.339 --> 00:04:56.639 When the straight and narrow gets a little too straight, 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:58.599 roll up the joint or don't. 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:00.679 And here's the kicker. 00:05:01.060 --> 00:05:03.859 Just follow your arrow wherever it points. 00:05:04.419 --> 00:05:06.979 Yes, follow your arrow wherever it points. 00:05:07.060 --> 00:05:10.279 And that's basically today's culture, 00:05:10.419 --> 00:05:13.419 the overriding arch of what our young people 00:05:13.419 --> 00:05:15.120 or what our middle-aged people 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:16.919 or what our old people should do with their lives. 00:05:16.979 --> 00:05:18.919 They should just follow their own arrow. 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:21.079 Just do as they see fit. 00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:26.719 And so we are no different than the people in the book of Ruth. 00:05:26.779 --> 00:05:30.800 We are no different from the people in the book of Judges. 00:05:31.259 --> 00:05:33.699 We are following our own arrow. 00:05:49.479 --> 00:05:50.680 And so we're the same. 00:05:50.680 --> 00:05:51.900 We do as we please. 00:05:53.720 --> 00:05:55.800 We live like there is no God. 00:05:55.980 --> 00:05:58.160 You know, when we sin, we almost become, 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:01.280 you know, for that moment, a momentary atheist. 00:06:02.100 --> 00:06:04.879 We think that we're, you know, God can't see us. 00:06:08.280 --> 00:06:09.860 If you're not a Christian here this morning, 00:06:09.939 --> 00:06:12.740 I'm quite sure that you live 00:06:12.740 --> 00:06:16.019 and you do as you see fit. 00:06:16.019 --> 00:06:19.639 I thought I was going to lose my sermon, you know, 00:06:19.639 --> 00:06:22.359 as we began to share in the worship. 00:06:23.159 --> 00:06:23.839 It's true. 00:06:24.180 --> 00:06:25.399 Ireland has no king. 00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:27.240 That's not a political statement. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:29.079 It's a fact. 00:06:31.240 --> 00:06:33.039 Great Britain has no king. 00:06:33.799 --> 00:06:35.699 The USA has no king. 00:06:35.699 --> 00:06:39.939 And by that I mean that no one who can stand up and say, 00:06:40.420 --> 00:06:42.120 I am the authority. 00:06:42.259 --> 00:06:44.420 I am the person that you must obey, 00:06:44.500 --> 00:06:45.599 that you must listen to. 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:49.759 With our idea of democracy and politics 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:52.039 and our ideas of freedom of speech, 00:06:52.099 --> 00:06:53.500 which are all great. 00:06:53.500 --> 00:06:57.000 But they also have bred in a sense of rebellion 00:06:57.000 --> 00:07:01.040 and a sense of we can do what we want to do 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:02.120 just because we can. 00:07:02.420 --> 00:07:03.959 A society of rights. 00:07:04.040 --> 00:07:04.920 I get to choose. 00:07:05.139 --> 00:07:07.100 I get to choose who I am. 00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:08.420 I get to choose what I do. 00:07:08.519 --> 00:07:09.980 I get to choose how I do it. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:11.579 And there's nothing that you can do 00:07:11.579 --> 00:07:14.160 that can dissuade me from that. 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:16.120 And so that's the world we live in 00:07:16.120 --> 00:07:17.639 and that is the world, really, 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:20.720 that we look into in the book of Ruth. 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:25.120 What we really need is a psalm too. 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:26.260 We need the Lord's anointed. 00:07:26.420 --> 00:07:28.080 We actually need a true king. 00:07:28.220 --> 00:07:29.860 Someone who is the king of kings 00:07:29.860 --> 00:07:30.980 and the Lord of lords. 00:07:31.100 --> 00:07:34.220 We need to bow to the lordship of Christ. 00:07:34.340 --> 00:07:37.140 That's the only solution to our situation. 00:07:38.660 --> 00:07:41.520 So the drive to change laws and promote lifestyles 00:07:41.520 --> 00:07:44.640 is basically a world ignoring God 00:07:44.640 --> 00:07:46.060 in large or small ways 00:07:46.060 --> 00:07:49.480 and people doing what is right in their own eyes. 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:50.280 And in the book of Ruth, 00:07:50.400 --> 00:07:51.920 there's nothing different here. 00:07:53.460 --> 00:07:55.259 Elimelech was not different. 00:07:55.379 --> 00:07:56.540 He was the head of the family 00:07:56.540 --> 00:07:58.360 and he takes his family 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:00.379 from the land that God had promised 00:08:00.379 --> 00:08:01.780 and he takes them to Moab. 00:08:02.939 --> 00:08:04.939 And he left Bethlehem. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:07.259 We all know that story from Bethlehem 00:08:07.259 --> 00:08:11.860 from the narrative of the birth of Christ. 00:08:11.960 --> 00:08:13.040 It's where Christ was born. 00:08:13.180 --> 00:08:14.480 It's the city of David. 00:08:14.600 --> 00:08:16.439 It's where King David was born. 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:19.199 And so it means house of bread. 00:08:19.300 --> 00:08:21.139 So they literally left the house of food 00:08:21.139 --> 00:08:24.060 and they went in search of greener grass. 00:08:25.420 --> 00:08:25.939 And you might say, 00:08:26.019 --> 00:08:27.740 well, what's wrong with that? 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:29.439 Why is that significant? 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:33.399 What's wrong with them leaving one place 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:34.200 and going to another? 00:08:34.200 --> 00:08:37.920 People do it all the time. 00:08:39.740 --> 00:08:41.560 But what's interesting about the place 00:08:41.560 --> 00:08:42.280 that they went to, 00:08:42.379 --> 00:08:43.020 first of all, 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:44.440 it's a place that God said, 00:08:44.680 --> 00:08:46.200 these are your enemies. 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:47.780 These are the enemies of Israel. 00:08:47.980 --> 00:08:49.240 Have nothing to do with them. 00:08:49.740 --> 00:08:51.120 They had a history with Israel 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:52.840 which meant that God wasn't pleased 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:54.060 with the Moabites. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:57.220 And so going to Moab was a bad idea. 00:08:57.800 --> 00:08:59.060 Not only was that, 00:08:59.120 --> 00:08:59.980 they were also told 00:08:59.980 --> 00:09:03.200 to not intermarry with Moabites. 00:09:04.580 --> 00:09:07.080 So it wasn't like just going off 00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:07.779 and moving house. 00:09:07.899 --> 00:09:09.460 It was like going off and moving house 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:10.519 and going to, 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:11.659 I suppose, 00:09:12.259 --> 00:09:14.139 live in Syria. 00:09:15.639 --> 00:09:16.820 Going to somewhere where 00:09:16.820 --> 00:09:18.600 you're not really liked, 00:09:18.659 --> 00:09:19.960 you shouldn't really like them, 00:09:20.100 --> 00:09:21.100 and living there. 00:09:21.960 --> 00:09:23.879 And everybody else going, 00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:25.539 what are you doing that for? 00:09:25.539 --> 00:09:29.120 So they went and they were living 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:31.399 in a place that wasn't good for them, 00:09:32.779 --> 00:09:33.639 biblically speaking. 00:09:37.199 --> 00:09:38.000 Elimelech's name, 00:09:38.699 --> 00:09:39.120 ironically, 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:40.500 means that God is king. 00:09:42.939 --> 00:09:43.399 Yet, 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:47.019 he doesn't acknowledge God as his king 00:09:47.019 --> 00:09:48.959 and he decides that he's going to up sticks 00:09:48.959 --> 00:09:50.159 and go to Moab. 00:09:53.179 --> 00:09:55.399 And the other context we need to think about 00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:56.659 as we look through the book of Judges 00:09:56.659 --> 00:09:58.000 is how the book of Judges, 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:02.299 how women are characterized 00:10:02.299 --> 00:10:04.000 during this period of the Judges 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:06.340 according to the book of Judges. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:07.360 And then we have Ruth, 00:10:07.860 --> 00:10:09.240 which is very, very different. 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:13.059 I don't know what it's like to be a woman 00:10:13.059 --> 00:10:16.019 and I never will know 00:10:16.019 --> 00:10:17.120 what it's like to be a woman. 00:10:17.779 --> 00:10:18.980 But I certainly don't know 00:10:18.980 --> 00:10:20.679 what it was like to be a woman living 00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:22.879 in the period of the Judges. 00:10:23.620 --> 00:10:24.559 I don't know what it's like 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:25.739 to be a woman today, 00:10:26.019 --> 00:10:26.239 but 00:10:26.239 --> 00:10:29.959 let's have a look at a few things 00:10:29.959 --> 00:10:31.099 of how women were portrayed 00:10:31.099 --> 00:10:32.639 during the Judges. 00:10:33.739 --> 00:10:35.639 They were people of violence. 00:10:35.819 --> 00:10:37.479 They were both victims and perpetrators. 00:10:38.899 --> 00:10:39.819 We have Jael, 00:10:40.019 --> 00:10:41.319 who takes a tent peg 00:10:41.319 --> 00:10:43.459 and she sort of, 00:10:43.599 --> 00:10:44.279 quite graphically, 00:10:44.379 --> 00:10:46.459 puts it through King Scissor's head. 00:10:46.460 --> 00:10:48.139 And Deborah, 00:10:48.139 --> 00:10:51.580 she's delighted in this killing 00:10:51.580 --> 00:10:53.320 of this evil king. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:56.639 And Abimelech, 00:10:56.740 --> 00:10:58.080 who is the would-be king, 00:10:58.580 --> 00:10:59.519 he gets crushed 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:01.360 by a woman using a millstone. 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:05.320 It's quite a graphic idea 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:06.860 how women are being portrayed. 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:09.259 We have the story of Samson and Delilah, 00:11:09.400 --> 00:11:10.040 the seductress, 00:11:10.039 --> 00:11:12.480 who takes Samson 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:13.799 and breaks him 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:17.019 until they get the secret from him 00:11:17.019 --> 00:11:18.980 so that Samson can be captured 00:11:18.980 --> 00:11:19.899 by the Philistines. 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:22.879 And then we have this horrible story 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:23.839 of a concubine 00:11:23.839 --> 00:11:26.719 who has been brutalized 00:11:26.719 --> 00:11:29.799 by the people of Israel. 00:11:30.059 --> 00:11:33.219 And so the priest then takes her 00:11:33.219 --> 00:11:34.360 and cuts her up 00:11:34.360 --> 00:11:35.399 and takes her about 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:36.679 and scatters her body parts 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:38.799 to express the horror 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:39.819 of what was being done 00:11:39.819 --> 00:11:41.019 in the land of Israel. 00:11:43.379 --> 00:11:44.259 And then we have 00:11:44.259 --> 00:11:45.120 the forced marriages 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:47.179 from the young virgins. 00:11:48.659 --> 00:11:49.819 It paints a picture 00:11:49.819 --> 00:11:51.519 of brutality, 00:11:51.879 --> 00:11:52.519 of horror, 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:54.879 and also of the lack of, 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:55.819 you could say, 00:11:55.899 --> 00:11:57.219 protection that women had 00:11:57.219 --> 00:11:58.019 during that period. 00:11:58.099 --> 00:11:59.539 And we see that marked 00:11:59.539 --> 00:12:01.019 in the Book of Ruth. 00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:03.759 And so that's the context 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:04.500 that we have. 00:12:04.500 --> 00:12:06.779 We have no king. 00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:08.500 Everybody's doing 00:12:08.500 --> 00:12:09.340 as they see fit. 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:10.519 And we have 00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:12.200 this very unstable, 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:13.399 unsafe place 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:14.600 for women. 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:19.519 But we start off 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:20.240 in the Book of Ruth 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:20.539 with, 00:12:20.980 --> 00:12:21.340 if you like, 00:12:21.379 --> 00:12:22.059 our first point. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:22.740 We start off 00:12:22.740 --> 00:12:23.460 with a family 00:12:23.460 --> 00:12:24.440 that's full. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:25.360 It's a happy home. 00:12:27.059 --> 00:12:27.759 It says, 00:12:27.860 --> 00:12:28.379 in the days 00:12:28.379 --> 00:12:29.399 when the judges ruled, 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:30.379 there was a famine 00:12:30.379 --> 00:12:30.899 in the land. 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:31.460 So we know 00:12:31.460 --> 00:12:32.440 that times are tough. 00:12:32.440 --> 00:12:34.900 There was an economic crisis. 00:12:35.340 --> 00:12:36.320 There weren't the jobs 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:37.420 for everybody 00:12:37.420 --> 00:12:39.180 to avail of. 00:12:39.620 --> 00:12:40.480 Things were tough. 00:12:42.500 --> 00:12:43.100 And so a man 00:12:43.100 --> 00:12:43.920 from Bethlehem, 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:44.760 the house of bread 00:12:44.760 --> 00:12:45.440 in Judah, 00:12:46.540 --> 00:12:47.500 together with his wife 00:12:47.500 --> 00:12:48.160 and two sons, 00:12:48.260 --> 00:12:48.940 they went to live 00:12:48.940 --> 00:12:49.780 for a while 00:12:49.780 --> 00:12:51.220 in the country 00:12:51.220 --> 00:12:52.320 of Moab. 00:12:53.900 --> 00:12:54.420 And so there's 00:12:54.420 --> 00:12:55.000 a few things 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:56.280 we can have here. 00:12:56.380 --> 00:12:56.880 We have 00:12:56.880 --> 00:12:57.920 Emelech. 00:12:58.900 --> 00:12:59.760 He's the man. 00:12:59.820 --> 00:13:00.660 He's not named yet. 00:13:00.659 --> 00:13:02.120 But he takes his wife 00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:02.759 and his two sons. 00:13:02.959 --> 00:13:04.719 He's a nuclear family. 00:13:04.980 --> 00:13:05.819 He has his, 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:07.620 all of his ducks 00:13:07.620 --> 00:13:08.039 in a row. 00:13:08.199 --> 00:13:08.779 We're not really 00:13:08.779 --> 00:13:09.360 quite sure 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:10.039 why he left. 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:12.000 The early rabbinic 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:12.719 sources say 00:13:12.719 --> 00:13:13.919 that Emelech left 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:14.659 basically because 00:13:14.659 --> 00:13:15.339 he was selfish. 00:13:16.179 --> 00:13:16.620 They said 00:13:16.620 --> 00:13:17.240 that he didn't want 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:18.100 to share with people 00:13:18.100 --> 00:13:18.799 during the famine, 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:19.919 so he took everything 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:20.519 that he had 00:13:20.519 --> 00:13:21.459 and he legged it 00:13:21.459 --> 00:13:21.980 to Moab, 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:23.240 selfishly, 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:24.459 because he could. 00:13:26.079 --> 00:13:27.279 The text is silent 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:28.079 on why he left, 00:13:28.179 --> 00:13:28.559 but we know 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:29.379 that he did leave. 00:13:29.379 --> 00:13:30.799 And in leaving, 00:13:31.340 --> 00:13:32.399 there is a sense 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:33.419 of disobedience. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:34.480 He's going to the enemies 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:35.039 of God, 00:13:35.340 --> 00:13:36.039 leaving the people 00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:36.559 of God, 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:38.759 and he's going. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:40.919 It's not clear 00:13:40.919 --> 00:13:42.019 if Naomi was on board 00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:42.559 with the plan, 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:43.240 whether she wanted 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:44.039 to stay or not, 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:45.019 but she doesn't get 00:13:45.019 --> 00:13:45.779 a say in the matter. 00:13:48.500 --> 00:13:50.039 Emelech leaves 00:13:50.039 --> 00:13:51.000 and he takes Naomi 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:51.519 with her 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:52.539 and the two sons 00:13:52.539 --> 00:13:53.059 and they have 00:13:53.059 --> 00:13:54.139 a full family 00:13:54.139 --> 00:13:54.659 and they go 00:13:54.659 --> 00:13:55.580 and they spend 00:13:55.580 --> 00:13:57.500 a period of time there. 00:13:57.500 --> 00:13:59.240 And we're not sure 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:00.720 when it happens, 00:14:01.059 --> 00:14:02.240 but it does happen 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:04.860 that Emelech dies. 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:09.059 But if we just 00:14:09.059 --> 00:14:09.720 want to back up 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:10.679 and we have a look, 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:11.360 they went to live 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:11.960 for a while. 00:14:13.139 --> 00:14:14.100 Now the commentators 00:14:14.100 --> 00:14:14.580 and everybody 00:14:14.580 --> 00:14:15.399 want to sort of 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:16.179 highlight this, 00:14:16.419 --> 00:14:17.259 is that it wasn't 00:14:17.259 --> 00:14:20.080 a permanent thought. 00:14:20.179 --> 00:14:20.620 They weren't going 00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:21.799 to live there forever. 00:14:21.940 --> 00:14:22.440 They were only going 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:23.080 to go and stay 00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:23.759 for a wee while. 00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:25.419 They were only going 00:14:25.419 --> 00:14:25.899 to go and stay 00:14:25.899 --> 00:14:26.599 a short time. 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:27.379 Maybe they wanted 00:14:27.379 --> 00:14:28.500 to see out the famine. 00:14:29.819 --> 00:14:30.740 But that's not 00:14:30.740 --> 00:14:31.219 what happens. 00:14:31.319 --> 00:14:31.639 We think, 00:14:31.719 --> 00:14:32.459 look in verse 2 00:14:32.459 --> 00:14:33.059 and it says, 00:14:33.199 --> 00:14:34.379 and they went to Moab 00:14:34.379 --> 00:14:35.240 and they lived there. 00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:36.399 It became more 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:38.199 of a permanent fixture 00:14:38.199 --> 00:14:39.099 than maybe 00:14:39.099 --> 00:14:41.120 they had once thought. 00:14:43.779 --> 00:14:44.500 So we have 00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:45.199 a full family. 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:46.679 We're not sure 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:47.979 why there was a famine, 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:48.679 but we read 00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:49.939 in Deuteronomy 28, 00:14:50.139 --> 00:14:51.899 3, verse 24, 00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:54.059 that if the people 00:14:54.059 --> 00:14:55.419 of Israel didn't 00:14:55.419 --> 00:14:56.319 follow after God, 00:14:56.359 --> 00:14:57.019 that God would send 00:14:57.019 --> 00:14:57.939 judgments on the land 00:14:57.939 --> 00:14:58.479 and one of those 00:14:58.479 --> 00:14:58.979 was a famine. 00:14:59.899 --> 00:15:01.079 So the text doesn't say 00:15:01.079 --> 00:15:01.799 this is a famine 00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:02.500 that's been sent 00:15:02.500 --> 00:15:03.039 as judgment, 00:15:03.419 --> 00:15:06.219 but we can safely assume 00:15:06.219 --> 00:15:09.279 that it has that potential 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:09.859 behind it. 00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:11.279 He gathers up his family 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:13.739 and he goes to the 00:15:13.739 --> 00:15:14.779 descendants of Moab 00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:16.919 who are Lot's descendants. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:18.119 So if you remember 00:15:18.119 --> 00:15:18.919 in Genesis, 00:15:19.819 --> 00:15:20.779 you had Abraham 00:15:20.779 --> 00:15:21.419 and Lot. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:25.240 Lot was Abraham's nephew 00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:27.000 and his daughters 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:27.539 had children 00:15:27.539 --> 00:15:28.379 and they became 00:15:28.379 --> 00:15:29.679 the Moabites. 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:34.339 And so we have 00:15:34.339 --> 00:15:35.159 the two sons. 00:15:36.179 --> 00:15:36.860 So in verse 2, 00:15:36.939 --> 00:15:37.919 it says the man's name 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:38.500 is Imelech, 00:15:38.699 --> 00:15:40.100 meaning that God is king 00:15:40.100 --> 00:15:41.379 and his wife's name 00:15:41.379 --> 00:15:41.919 was Naomi, 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:42.579 which meant 00:15:42.579 --> 00:15:43.279 was sweet. 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:44.459 So there we have 00:15:44.459 --> 00:15:45.860 Imelech 00:15:45.860 --> 00:15:46.919 and his sweet Naomi. 00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:49.220 And then we have 00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:50.360 Malon and Kilion. 00:15:50.779 --> 00:15:53.539 And these two names 00:15:53.539 --> 00:15:54.159 are sort of 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:55.240 in the text, 00:15:55.339 --> 00:15:56.139 they kind of mean 00:15:56.139 --> 00:15:57.480 weakling 00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:58.659 or sickly. 00:15:58.860 --> 00:15:59.679 So Malon 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.419 has the idea 00:16:00.419 --> 00:16:01.100 of being weak 00:16:01.100 --> 00:16:02.959 and Silon sickly. 00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:04.559 So maybe 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:05.459 he wasn't being 00:16:05.459 --> 00:16:06.299 selfish at all. 00:16:06.419 --> 00:16:07.480 Maybe Imelech 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:08.240 was really thinking, 00:16:08.339 --> 00:16:08.500 you know, 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:09.199 mighty sons, 00:16:09.419 --> 00:16:09.759 they're not going 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:10.679 to survive the famine. 00:16:11.299 --> 00:16:12.319 So maybe it was just 00:16:12.319 --> 00:16:13.639 a, you know, 00:16:14.019 --> 00:16:14.919 let's do the logic. 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:16.159 Let's go somewhere 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:16.860 where there's food. 00:16:16.980 --> 00:16:17.559 Let's go and 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:18.659 help our children. 00:16:18.659 --> 00:16:19.299 Maybe it was 00:16:19.299 --> 00:16:21.240 motivated 00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:23.079 by his own care 00:16:23.079 --> 00:16:23.519 and his love 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:24.519 to see his two boys 00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:25.539 grow up 00:16:25.539 --> 00:16:26.659 and have lives. 00:16:27.959 --> 00:16:28.839 We're not sure, 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:29.159 but 00:16:29.159 --> 00:16:31.100 true to their names, 00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:32.860 we find out 00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:33.480 that the family 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:34.459 has a setback. 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:37.959 And we have 00:16:37.959 --> 00:16:38.600 the setback 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:39.579 one in verse three. 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:41.519 Now, 00:16:41.839 --> 00:16:42.360 Elimelech, 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:43.259 Naomi's husband, 00:16:43.699 --> 00:16:43.879 well, 00:16:43.899 --> 00:16:44.339 he died 00:16:44.340 --> 00:16:46.399 and she was 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:46.920 left with her 00:16:46.920 --> 00:16:47.379 two sons, 00:16:47.480 --> 00:16:48.139 so all is not 00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:48.500 lost. 00:16:51.139 --> 00:16:52.080 Like every good 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:52.399 drama, 00:16:52.899 --> 00:16:53.820 we start off 00:16:53.820 --> 00:16:54.720 with tragedy. 00:16:56.139 --> 00:16:56.840 And then this one 00:16:56.840 --> 00:16:58.240 is no different. 00:16:58.980 --> 00:16:59.660 We have tragedy. 00:17:00.700 --> 00:17:01.840 They go to Moab 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:03.259 and then 00:17:03.259 --> 00:17:04.299 the husbands 00:17:04.299 --> 00:17:04.700 died. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:06.160 Now, 00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:06.559 that may 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:08.640 not necessarily 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:09.620 be that significant 00:17:09.620 --> 00:17:10.140 to us. 00:17:10.860 --> 00:17:11.360 It's also, 00:17:11.600 --> 00:17:11.840 you know, 00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:12.759 someone's husband's 00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:13.000 died, 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:13.839 it's terrible 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:14.640 and now 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:15.759 you grieve 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:16.200 the loss 00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:16.680 of someone. 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:18.140 But 00:17:18.140 --> 00:17:19.259 in the ancient 00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:19.680 world, 00:17:19.879 --> 00:17:20.440 when you lost 00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:20.879 your husband, 00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:21.379 you lost 00:17:21.379 --> 00:17:21.960 your livelihood, 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:22.539 you lost 00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:23.099 your income, 00:17:23.259 --> 00:17:23.579 you lost 00:17:23.579 --> 00:17:24.319 your means 00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:24.859 of protection, 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:25.339 you lost 00:17:25.339 --> 00:17:25.920 your support. 00:17:28.900 --> 00:17:29.279 And so 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:29.720 the family 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:31.279 has a setback. 00:17:35.019 --> 00:17:35.599 You see, 00:17:35.700 --> 00:17:36.460 they had planned 00:17:36.460 --> 00:17:36.980 to escape 00:17:36.980 --> 00:17:38.440 the famine 00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:38.879 by going 00:17:38.879 --> 00:17:39.480 to Moab. 00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:41.940 But actually, 00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:42.340 by going 00:17:42.340 --> 00:17:42.940 to Moab, 00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:43.940 you can't 00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:44.660 really escape 00:17:44.660 --> 00:17:45.259 life and 00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:45.680 circumstance. 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:47.539 There's a 00:17:47.539 --> 00:17:48.100 lesson there. 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:50.259 Running 00:17:50.259 --> 00:17:50.980 to Moab 00:17:50.980 --> 00:17:52.200 is never 00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:53.340 a good idea. 00:17:54.100 --> 00:17:54.440 Doing 00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:54.960 things in 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:55.820 our own 00:17:55.820 --> 00:17:56.140 way 00:17:56.140 --> 00:17:57.200 is never 00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:58.259 a good 00:17:58.259 --> 00:17:59.120 idea. 00:18:01.180 --> 00:18:01.920 They should 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:02.440 have stayed 00:18:02.440 --> 00:18:02.740 in the 00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:03.500 promised land. 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:04.500 It's the land 00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:04.960 that God 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:05.519 had said 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:05.860 that he would 00:18:05.860 --> 00:18:06.400 bless his 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:06.700 people. 00:18:07.779 --> 00:18:08.140 And if 00:18:08.140 --> 00:18:09.000 God was 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:09.519 judging them 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:10.100 for the famine, 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:10.320 well, 00:18:10.380 --> 00:18:10.960 surely the right 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:11.360 thing would 00:18:11.360 --> 00:18:11.640 have been 00:18:11.640 --> 00:18:11.940 to be 00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:13.160 there to 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:14.140 promote 00:18:14.140 --> 00:18:14.840 godliness 00:18:14.840 --> 00:18:15.700 and for 00:18:15.700 --> 00:18:16.059 them to 00:18:16.059 --> 00:18:16.440 repent. 00:18:19.380 --> 00:18:19.960 But no, 00:18:20.039 --> 00:18:20.539 they decided 00:18:20.539 --> 00:18:20.860 not. 00:18:21.180 --> 00:18:21.420 But in 00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:21.860 verse 4, 00:18:21.940 --> 00:18:22.420 we find out 00:18:22.420 --> 00:18:22.680 that it's 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:23.220 not complete 00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:23.700 disaster. 00:18:23.860 --> 00:18:24.079 So the 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:24.480 children, 00:18:25.059 --> 00:18:25.819 by this 00:18:25.819 --> 00:18:26.100 time, 00:18:26.180 --> 00:18:26.519 we assume 00:18:26.519 --> 00:18:26.779 that they 00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:27.240 have grown 00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:27.840 up to 00:18:27.840 --> 00:18:29.019 be of 00:18:29.019 --> 00:18:29.480 age so 00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:29.740 that they 00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:30.160 can marry 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:31.000 and work. 00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:31.740 So they're 00:18:31.740 --> 00:18:32.759 not children 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:33.660 anymore. 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:35.559 And it 00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:35.880 says in 00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:36.400 verse 4 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:36.820 that they 00:18:36.820 --> 00:18:37.180 married 00:18:37.180 --> 00:18:37.660 Moabite 00:18:37.660 --> 00:18:37.960 women, 00:18:38.320 --> 00:18:38.660 which they 00:18:38.660 --> 00:18:39.720 were forbidden 00:18:39.720 --> 00:18:41.740 under the 00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:42.620 law not to 00:18:42.620 --> 00:18:42.840 do. 00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:43.780 One named 00:18:43.780 --> 00:18:44.620 Orpha and 00:18:44.620 --> 00:18:44.940 the other 00:18:44.940 --> 00:18:45.340 was named 00:18:45.340 --> 00:18:45.620 Ruth. 00:18:46.700 --> 00:18:47.000 So they 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:49.840 had lots 00:18:49.840 --> 00:18:50.220 of things 00:18:50.220 --> 00:18:50.700 going on 00:18:50.700 --> 00:18:50.940 here. 00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:52.140 After they 00:18:52.140 --> 00:18:52.519 had lived 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:52.960 there about 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:53.680 10 years, 00:18:55.980 --> 00:18:56.420 disaster 00:18:56.420 --> 00:18:57.220 strikes again. 00:18:58.360 --> 00:18:58.620 So they 00:18:58.620 --> 00:18:59.220 go from 00:18:59.220 --> 00:19:01.460 the general 00:19:01.460 --> 00:19:02.180 scheme of 00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:02.700 things in all 00:19:02.700 --> 00:19:03.060 families. 00:19:03.059 --> 00:19:03.480 they went 00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:04.359 from crisis 00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:06.679 to some 00:19:06.679 --> 00:19:07.259 restoration 00:19:07.259 --> 00:19:08.000 to crisis. 00:19:08.179 --> 00:19:08.480 Isn't that 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:09.019 how we all 00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:10.099 live sometimes? 00:19:10.460 --> 00:19:10.980 We're just 00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:11.519 waiting for 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:11.980 the next 00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:13.279 wrong thing 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:13.740 to happen. 00:19:15.139 --> 00:19:16.279 And then 00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:16.819 there's good 00:19:16.819 --> 00:19:17.179 things. 00:19:17.659 --> 00:19:18.139 Life is 00:19:18.139 --> 00:19:18.500 full of 00:19:18.500 --> 00:19:18.960 struggles. 00:19:20.740 --> 00:19:21.259 And so 00:19:21.259 --> 00:19:23.179 Elmac's 00:19:23.179 --> 00:19:24.399 family is 00:19:24.399 --> 00:19:24.919 no different. 00:19:27.099 --> 00:19:27.599 The sons 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:28.079 have married 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:29.359 but there's 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:30.279 no children. 00:19:33.059 --> 00:19:38.359 It's 00:19:38.359 --> 00:19:38.799 interesting. 00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:39.799 The names 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:41.819 in the 00:19:41.819 --> 00:19:42.559 book of 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:43.179 Ruth are 00:19:43.179 --> 00:19:43.879 I think 00:19:43.879 --> 00:19:44.099 quite 00:19:44.099 --> 00:19:44.599 significant. 00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:45.119 And Ruth, 00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:46.440 this lady 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:46.899 Ruth who 00:19:46.899 --> 00:19:47.139 we're going 00:19:47.139 --> 00:19:47.419 to learn 00:19:47.419 --> 00:19:47.720 an awful 00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:48.240 lot about, 00:19:48.619 --> 00:19:49.059 her name 00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:49.839 means friend, 00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:50.980 companion. 00:19:52.639 --> 00:19:52.940 And we're 00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:53.139 going to 00:19:53.139 --> 00:19:54.740 learn throughout 00:19:54.740 --> 00:19:55.740 the coming 00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:56.519 weeks how 00:19:56.519 --> 00:19:57.240 true that 00:19:57.240 --> 00:19:57.659 she lived 00:19:57.659 --> 00:19:58.059 up to her 00:19:58.059 --> 00:19:58.240 name, 00:19:58.359 --> 00:19:59.220 how much 00:19:59.220 --> 00:19:59.519 of a 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:00.419 friend and 00:20:00.419 --> 00:20:01.019 a companion 00:20:01.019 --> 00:20:02.139 that she 00:20:02.139 --> 00:20:02.619 becomes 00:20:02.619 --> 00:20:03.219 to Naomi. 00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:05.859 And so 00:20:05.859 --> 00:20:06.519 she's gone 00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:07.279 in the 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:07.859 space of 00:20:07.859 --> 00:20:08.559 four verses 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:10.719 from a 00:20:10.719 --> 00:20:11.319 full life 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:12.479 to one 00:20:12.479 --> 00:20:12.759 that is 00:20:12.759 --> 00:20:13.479 completely 00:20:13.479 --> 00:20:14.659 empty. 00:20:16.239 --> 00:20:16.759 That's 00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:17.099 harsh. 00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:18.439 And what's 00:20:18.439 --> 00:20:18.899 really good 00:20:18.899 --> 00:20:19.319 is that we 00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:20.659 don't really 00:20:20.659 --> 00:20:21.159 come out of 00:20:21.159 --> 00:20:21.500 that this 00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:21.739 morning. 00:20:22.699 --> 00:20:22.979 That's 00:20:22.979 --> 00:20:23.239 where we 00:20:23.239 --> 00:20:23.739 leave Ruth 00:20:23.739 --> 00:20:24.259 this morning 00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:25.899 and Naomi 00:20:25.899 --> 00:20:27.119 and Orpha. 00:20:27.219 --> 00:20:27.659 We leave 00:20:27.659 --> 00:20:29.159 them in 00:20:29.159 --> 00:20:29.299 their 00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:29.619 emptiness. 00:20:29.619 --> 00:20:29.819 happiness. 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:31.939 It's a 00:20:31.939 --> 00:20:32.659 total loss. 00:20:33.819 --> 00:20:34.259 It's 00:20:34.259 --> 00:20:35.179 disaster. 00:20:35.479 --> 00:20:36.019 It is 00:20:36.019 --> 00:20:36.479 not a 00:20:36.479 --> 00:20:36.979 good picture. 00:20:37.899 --> 00:20:38.259 The three 00:20:38.259 --> 00:20:38.819 ladies have 00:20:38.819 --> 00:20:39.279 been left. 00:20:39.379 --> 00:20:39.699 They went 00:20:39.699 --> 00:20:40.639 from a 00:20:40.639 --> 00:20:41.219 family that 00:20:41.219 --> 00:20:41.859 was full 00:20:41.859 --> 00:20:42.639 and where 00:20:42.639 --> 00:20:43.179 they had, 00:20:43.639 --> 00:20:43.959 you know, 00:20:44.879 --> 00:20:45.379 it was a, 00:20:45.379 --> 00:20:46.039 if you like, 00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:46.859 a male-led 00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:47.439 family and 00:20:47.439 --> 00:20:48.079 now they're 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:48.739 destitute. 00:20:48.740 --> 00:20:52.859 so in 00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:53.299 the space 00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:54.599 of ten 00:20:54.599 --> 00:20:55.059 years, 00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:56.720 because we're 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:57.059 not quite 00:20:57.059 --> 00:20:58.000 sure in 00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:58.339 the text, 00:20:58.400 --> 00:20:58.720 it doesn't 00:20:58.720 --> 00:20:59.339 say that 00:20:59.339 --> 00:21:00.380 Emelech 00:21:00.380 --> 00:21:01.339 died and 00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:01.620 they got 00:21:01.620 --> 00:21:01.880 married. 00:21:01.940 --> 00:21:02.140 We're not 00:21:02.140 --> 00:21:02.359 sure if 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:02.680 that all 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:03.059 happened 00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:03.940 around the 00:21:03.940 --> 00:21:04.480 same time 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:04.779 or whether 00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:05.099 there was 00:21:05.099 --> 00:21:05.720 a space 00:21:05.720 --> 00:21:06.440 between it 00:21:06.440 --> 00:21:06.740 and it's 00:21:06.740 --> 00:21:07.240 ten years 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:07.720 later that 00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:08.120 the sons 00:21:08.120 --> 00:21:08.460 die. 00:21:09.660 --> 00:21:10.220 But there's 00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:10.680 no heirs, 00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:11.079 there's no 00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:11.420 children, 00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:11.980 there's no 00:21:11.980 --> 00:21:12.319 sons, 00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:12.880 there's no 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:13.200 daughters. 00:21:14.460 --> 00:21:14.839 The men 00:21:14.839 --> 00:21:15.240 have gone. 00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:16.099 And so the 00:21:16.099 --> 00:21:16.859 significance of 00:21:16.859 --> 00:21:17.720 this is 00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:19.839 that food 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:20.460 is now 00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:21.100 their secondary 00:21:21.100 --> 00:21:21.860 concern. 00:21:22.519 --> 00:21:23.100 They are, 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:23.940 if you like, 00:21:24.019 --> 00:21:24.839 all lost at 00:21:24.839 --> 00:21:26.339 sea with 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:27.000 no direction, 00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:27.880 no seal, 00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:29.039 no rudder, 00:21:29.900 --> 00:21:30.960 because now 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:31.740 they have no 00:21:31.740 --> 00:21:32.920 providers for 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:33.220 food. 00:21:36.539 --> 00:21:36.860 And on 00:21:36.860 --> 00:21:37.180 top of 00:21:37.180 --> 00:21:37.500 that, 00:21:38.380 --> 00:21:38.900 poor Naomi 00:21:38.900 --> 00:21:39.640 is in a 00:21:39.640 --> 00:21:40.240 foreign country. 00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:42.620 And if 00:21:42.620 --> 00:21:43.140 you're feeling 00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:43.740 sorry for 00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:44.039 Naomi, 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:44.660 I hope that 00:21:44.660 --> 00:21:45.019 you are. 00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:45.700 That's the 00:21:45.700 --> 00:21:46.339 kind of picture 00:21:46.339 --> 00:21:46.680 that the 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:47.019 Bible is 00:21:47.019 --> 00:21:47.259 painting. 00:21:47.259 --> 00:21:47.680 This is 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:48.440 devastation. 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:49.400 I know you 00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:49.779 were wanting 00:21:49.779 --> 00:21:50.339 to come and 00:21:50.339 --> 00:21:50.799 hear a nice 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:51.339 encouragement 00:21:51.339 --> 00:21:52.000 sermon this 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:52.279 morning, 00:21:52.700 --> 00:21:54.099 and not a 00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:54.720 story about 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.319 how bad 00:21:55.319 --> 00:21:56.259 life was in 00:21:56.259 --> 00:21:56.859 the period of 00:21:56.859 --> 00:21:57.240 the judges, 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:58.339 but for 00:21:58.339 --> 00:21:58.960 Naomi and 00:21:58.960 --> 00:21:59.420 her family, 00:21:59.539 --> 00:21:59.960 that is the 00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:00.559 reality of 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:00.960 the book of 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:01.119 Ruth. 00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:01.940 She is 00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:03.200 destitute. 00:22:08.099 --> 00:22:08.720 But isn't 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:09.680 that like all 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:10.140 of us? 00:22:10.900 --> 00:22:11.220 Without 00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:11.700 Christ, 00:22:11.819 --> 00:22:12.480 without God, 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:13.140 no matter how 00:22:13.140 --> 00:22:13.900 much we have 00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:14.400 or how little 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:15.019 we have or 00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:15.700 where we live, 00:22:15.700 --> 00:22:17.180 really what we 00:22:17.180 --> 00:22:17.759 have isn't 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:18.240 really worth 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:18.819 very much. 00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:21.519 Nine Inch 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:21.799 Nails, 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:22.799 I'm sure you're 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:23.279 all quite 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:23.940 familiar with 00:22:23.940 --> 00:22:24.440 that band. 00:22:25.460 --> 00:22:25.900 You might be 00:22:25.900 --> 00:22:26.420 more familiar 00:22:26.420 --> 00:22:27.319 with Johnny Cash. 00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:28.279 He took one 00:22:28.279 --> 00:22:28.880 of their songs 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:29.539 and sort of 00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:30.940 made it more 00:22:30.940 --> 00:22:31.720 popular to 00:22:31.720 --> 00:22:32.840 people that 00:22:32.840 --> 00:22:33.600 didn't like 00:22:33.600 --> 00:22:34.279 Nine Inch 00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:34.539 Nails. 00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:36.759 And this is how 00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:37.080 it goes. 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:37.480 It says, 00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:38.319 I hurt myself 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:39.620 today to 00:22:39.620 --> 00:22:40.220 see if I 00:22:40.220 --> 00:22:40.880 still feel. 00:22:41.400 --> 00:22:42.200 I focus on 00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:42.680 the pain, 00:22:43.160 --> 00:22:43.519 the only 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:44.500 thing that's 00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:44.819 real. 00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:45.700 The needle 00:22:45.700 --> 00:22:46.200 tears a 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:46.480 hole, 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:47.220 the old 00:22:47.220 --> 00:22:47.599 familiar 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:48.099 sting. 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:49.299 Try to 00:22:49.299 --> 00:22:49.660 kill it 00:22:49.660 --> 00:22:50.140 all away, 00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:50.539 but I 00:22:50.539 --> 00:22:51.019 remember 00:22:51.019 --> 00:22:52.019 everything. 00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:53.539 What have 00:22:53.539 --> 00:22:54.200 I become? 00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:55.319 My 00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:55.759 sweetest 00:22:55.759 --> 00:22:56.059 friend, 00:22:56.140 --> 00:22:56.680 everyone I 00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:56.920 know, 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:57.620 goes away 00:22:57.620 --> 00:22:58.400 in the 00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:58.759 end. 00:22:59.460 --> 00:22:59.819 And you 00:22:59.819 --> 00:23:00.319 can have 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:00.660 it all, 00:23:00.759 --> 00:23:01.440 my empire 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:01.980 of dirt. 00:23:02.740 --> 00:23:03.140 I will 00:23:03.140 --> 00:23:03.480 let you 00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:03.839 down, 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:05.120 because I 00:23:05.120 --> 00:23:06.200 will make 00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:06.660 you hurt. 00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:07.680 I wear 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:08.160 this crown 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:08.620 of thorns 00:23:08.620 --> 00:23:09.319 upon my 00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:09.819 liar's 00:23:09.819 --> 00:23:10.140 chair, 00:23:10.279 --> 00:23:10.600 full of 00:23:10.600 --> 00:23:10.840 broken 00:23:10.840 --> 00:23:11.380 thoughts 00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:12.259 that I 00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:12.539 cannot 00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:13.039 repair. 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:13.840 Beneath 00:23:13.840 --> 00:23:14.460 the stains 00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:15.140 of time, 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:15.980 the feelings 00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:17.360 of despair, 00:23:18.600 --> 00:23:19.000 you are 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:19.920 someone else. 00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:20.799 I am 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:21.620 still right 00:23:21.620 --> 00:23:21.940 there. 00:23:23.019 --> 00:23:23.440 What have 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:24.000 I become, 00:23:24.100 --> 00:23:24.660 my sweetest 00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:25.080 friend? 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:26.480 Everyone I 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:26.700 know, 00:23:26.819 --> 00:23:27.400 goes away 00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:27.779 in the 00:23:27.779 --> 00:23:28.160 end. 00:23:28.920 --> 00:23:29.279 And you 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:29.680 can have 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:29.960 it all, 00:23:30.019 --> 00:23:30.600 my empire 00:23:30.600 --> 00:23:31.059 of dirt. 00:23:31.819 --> 00:23:32.220 I will 00:23:32.220 --> 00:23:32.559 let you 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:32.920 down. 00:23:33.640 --> 00:23:34.019 I will 00:23:34.019 --> 00:23:34.880 make you 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:35.240 hurt. 00:23:36.200 --> 00:23:36.920 If I 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:37.420 could start 00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:37.900 again a 00:23:37.900 --> 00:23:38.539 million miles 00:23:38.539 --> 00:23:38.900 away, 00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:39.940 I will 00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:40.680 keep myself, 00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:41.080 I would 00:23:41.080 --> 00:23:41.539 find, 00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:42.380 away. 00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:44.740 I think 00:23:44.740 --> 00:23:45.559 that Naomi 00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:46.080 might be 00:23:46.080 --> 00:23:46.700 feeling just 00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:47.000 a little 00:23:47.000 --> 00:23:47.519 like that. 00:23:47.740 --> 00:23:48.080 She might 00:23:48.080 --> 00:23:48.620 be feeling 00:23:48.620 --> 00:23:48.960 that, 00:23:50.039 --> 00:23:52.460 what have 00:23:52.460 --> 00:23:52.960 I become? 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:54.000 What about 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:54.519 my hopes? 00:23:54.700 --> 00:23:55.039 What about 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:55.640 my dreams? 00:23:56.299 --> 00:23:56.920 What about 00:23:56.920 --> 00:23:58.740 the expectations? 00:23:58.940 --> 00:23:59.460 I'm here, 00:23:59.860 --> 00:24:00.480 I'm alone. 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:01.200 Even the 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:01.660 people that 00:24:01.660 --> 00:24:02.140 I'm with 00:24:02.140 --> 00:24:02.920 don't need 00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:03.400 to be with 00:24:03.400 --> 00:24:03.620 me. 00:24:04.059 --> 00:24:04.559 I'm left 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:04.920 with my 00:24:04.920 --> 00:24:05.580 daughters-in-law. 00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:12.200 And so 00:24:12.200 --> 00:24:12.460 where do 00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:12.799 we go? 00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:16.799 And we 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:17.160 look at 00:24:17.160 --> 00:24:17.480 verse 00:24:17.480 --> 00:24:18.240 six. 00:24:23.180 --> 00:24:23.680 When 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:24.039 Naomi 00:24:24.039 --> 00:24:24.920 heard in 00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:25.380 Moab, 00:24:26.059 --> 00:24:27.059 good news 00:24:27.059 --> 00:24:28.100 travels 00:24:28.100 --> 00:24:29.900 all the 00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:30.259 way to 00:24:30.259 --> 00:24:30.700 Moab, 00:24:30.700 --> 00:24:33.319 that the 00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:33.740 Lord had 00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:34.120 come to 00:24:34.120 --> 00:24:34.460 the aid 00:24:34.460 --> 00:24:34.680 of his 00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:35.000 people 00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:35.940 by 00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:36.420 providing 00:24:36.420 --> 00:24:36.900 food for 00:24:36.900 --> 00:24:37.120 them. 00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.600 So she 00:24:39.600 --> 00:24:40.100 and her 00:24:40.100 --> 00:24:40.799 daughters-in-law 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:41.559 prepared to 00:24:41.559 --> 00:24:42.100 return home 00:24:42.100 --> 00:24:42.580 from there. 00:24:44.360 --> 00:24:45.100 Good news 00:24:45.100 --> 00:24:45.860 reached Naomi. 00:24:47.500 --> 00:24:48.200 It wasn't 00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:48.620 completely 00:24:48.620 --> 00:24:49.279 good news. 00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:52.759 Nobody 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:53.340 likes to 00:24:53.340 --> 00:24:53.799 go back 00:24:53.799 --> 00:24:54.620 to where 00:24:54.620 --> 00:24:55.200 they left 00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:56.220 in failure. 00:24:57.819 --> 00:24:58.039 And so 00:24:58.039 --> 00:24:58.420 that's where 00:24:58.420 --> 00:24:58.680 we're going 00:24:58.680 --> 00:24:59.019 to leave 00:24:59.019 --> 00:24:59.259 Naomi. 00:24:59.400 --> 00:24:59.640 She's going 00:24:59.640 --> 00:25:00.559 to go on 00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:01.019 that journey. 00:25:01.100 --> 00:25:01.360 We're going 00:25:01.360 --> 00:25:01.700 to go on 00:25:01.700 --> 00:25:02.100 that journey 00:25:02.100 --> 00:25:02.559 with her. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:04.759 But we're 00:25:04.759 --> 00:25:04.980 going to 00:25:04.980 --> 00:25:05.380 stop and 00:25:05.380 --> 00:25:05.600 we're going 00:25:05.600 --> 00:25:05.940 to think 00:25:05.940 --> 00:25:06.400 about that 00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:06.900 the Lord 00:25:06.900 --> 00:25:07.600 had come. 00:25:09.080 --> 00:25:09.580 When I 00:25:09.580 --> 00:25:10.279 was a 00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:10.840 young boy 00:25:10.840 --> 00:25:11.160 of, 00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:12.140 I think I 00:25:12.140 --> 00:25:12.440 was about 00:25:12.440 --> 00:25:13.100 12 years 00:25:13.100 --> 00:25:13.400 old, 00:25:13.700 --> 00:25:13.980 and I 00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:14.259 went to 00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:14.640 a camp 00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:15.180 and someone 00:25:15.180 --> 00:25:16.039 actually told 00:25:16.039 --> 00:25:16.840 me the 00:25:16.840 --> 00:25:17.120 word of 00:25:17.120 --> 00:25:17.519 the Lord. 00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:18.119 I was a 00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:18.420 rascal. 00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:19.980 I, 00:25:20.180 --> 00:25:21.579 yeah, 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:22.799 I was that 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:23.059 kid, 00:25:23.299 --> 00:25:23.559 you know, 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:24.619 the one 00:25:24.619 --> 00:25:24.900 that, 00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:26.200 yes, 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:27.980 their parents 00:25:27.980 --> 00:25:29.019 pulled their 00:25:29.019 --> 00:25:29.400 hair out 00:25:29.400 --> 00:25:29.579 over, 00:25:29.740 --> 00:25:29.960 you know. 00:25:31.139 --> 00:25:31.639 But I 00:25:31.639 --> 00:25:32.059 went away 00:25:32.059 --> 00:25:32.379 to a 00:25:32.379 --> 00:25:33.379 camp and 00:25:33.379 --> 00:25:34.099 someone told 00:25:34.099 --> 00:25:34.579 me about 00:25:34.579 --> 00:25:35.000 Christ. 00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:36.319 Someone said 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:36.859 that you can 00:25:36.859 --> 00:25:37.279 live a 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:37.900 different life. 00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:38.799 Someone said 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:39.259 to me that 00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:39.579 you can 00:25:39.579 --> 00:25:40.099 change, 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:41.799 and the 00:25:41.799 --> 00:25:42.119 way to 00:25:42.119 --> 00:25:43.839 change is 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:44.059 that you 00:25:44.059 --> 00:25:44.599 believe the 00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:44.920 gospel, 00:25:46.099 --> 00:25:46.579 and that you 00:25:46.579 --> 00:25:47.160 repent of 00:25:47.160 --> 00:25:47.600 your sin, 00:25:48.340 --> 00:25:48.820 and that you 00:25:48.820 --> 00:25:49.519 follow after 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:50.120 Christ all 00:25:50.120 --> 00:25:50.340 of your 00:25:50.340 --> 00:25:50.720 days. 00:25:53.620 --> 00:25:54.040 And the 00:25:54.040 --> 00:25:54.360 reason that 00:25:54.360 --> 00:25:54.740 you can do 00:25:54.740 --> 00:25:54.980 this is 00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:55.540 because Christ 00:25:55.540 --> 00:25:55.960 died for 00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:56.360 your sins, 00:25:56.440 --> 00:25:56.600 and he 00:25:56.600 --> 00:25:58.120 died to 00:25:58.120 --> 00:25:58.759 make you 00:25:58.759 --> 00:25:59.920 a different 00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:00.320 person. 00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:01.660 He died 00:26:01.660 --> 00:26:03.279 to make 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:04.300 you from 00:26:04.300 --> 00:26:04.840 a rascal 00:26:04.840 --> 00:26:06.980 into a 00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:07.400 child of 00:26:07.400 --> 00:26:07.680 God. 00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:08.259 And I 00:26:08.259 --> 00:26:08.500 thought, 00:26:08.580 --> 00:26:08.880 that's 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:09.420 awesome. 00:26:11.460 --> 00:26:12.080 And so I 00:26:12.080 --> 00:26:12.560 believed in 00:26:12.560 --> 00:26:12.860 Christ, 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:13.200 and I 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:13.800 followed him 00:26:13.800 --> 00:26:15.220 ever since, 00:26:15.320 --> 00:26:15.600 and it's 00:26:15.600 --> 00:26:15.880 been 00:26:15.880 --> 00:26:18.760 an interesting 00:26:18.760 --> 00:26:19.980 journey as I 00:26:19.980 --> 00:26:20.440 have walked 00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:20.920 with God, 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:21.400 but I've 00:26:21.400 --> 00:26:22.540 never once 00:26:22.540 --> 00:26:23.580 thought that 00:26:23.580 --> 00:26:23.980 was a bad 00:26:23.980 --> 00:26:24.320 idea. 00:26:24.760 --> 00:26:25.480 I heard the 00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:25.840 word of the 00:26:25.840 --> 00:26:26.020 Lord, 00:26:26.060 --> 00:26:26.500 and I heard 00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:26.760 that there 00:26:26.760 --> 00:26:27.220 was food, 00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:28.120 and I 00:26:28.120 --> 00:26:28.440 came, 00:26:29.060 --> 00:26:29.380 and I 00:26:29.380 --> 00:26:30.240 found bread. 00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:31.500 And so I 00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:32.020 would encourage 00:26:32.020 --> 00:26:32.380 you this 00:26:32.380 --> 00:26:32.900 morning that 00:26:32.900 --> 00:26:33.620 if you don't 00:26:33.620 --> 00:26:34.120 know Christ, 00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:34.500 and this is 00:26:34.500 --> 00:26:35.580 the first time 00:26:35.580 --> 00:26:35.880 that you've 00:26:35.880 --> 00:26:36.180 been in 00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:36.500 church, 00:26:37.940 --> 00:26:40.080 Christ is 00:26:40.080 --> 00:26:40.480 there for 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:40.720 you, 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:42.120 just like 00:26:42.120 --> 00:26:43.120 God was 00:26:43.120 --> 00:26:44.059 there for 00:26:44.059 --> 00:26:44.420 Naomi. 00:26:45.620 --> 00:26:45.940 You see, 00:26:46.019 --> 00:26:46.640 we leave this 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:47.100 morning with 00:26:47.100 --> 00:26:47.940 a word of 00:26:47.940 --> 00:26:48.380 grace. 00:26:50.200 --> 00:26:50.900 Yahweh had 00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:51.960 provided food. 00:26:52.259 --> 00:26:52.700 The news 00:26:52.700 --> 00:26:53.579 prompts Naomi 00:26:53.579 --> 00:26:54.279 to say, 00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:58.380 I know what 00:26:58.380 --> 00:26:59.539 rascals they 00:26:59.539 --> 00:27:00.720 were back 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:00.980 home. 00:27:01.700 --> 00:27:02.160 Maybe, 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:03.620 maybe if I 00:27:03.620 --> 00:27:03.940 go home, 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:04.460 at least I 00:27:04.460 --> 00:27:05.240 can find 00:27:05.240 --> 00:27:06.400 bread. 00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:08.799 And then, 00:27:09.019 --> 00:27:09.640 whose idea 00:27:09.640 --> 00:27:10.300 was it anyway 00:27:10.300 --> 00:27:10.660 to come 00:27:10.660 --> 00:27:10.940 here? 00:27:12.620 --> 00:27:13.560 My husband, 00:27:13.900 --> 00:27:14.360 Emilech, 00:27:14.700 --> 00:27:15.360 he brought 00:27:15.360 --> 00:27:15.800 me here. 00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:17.020 I didn't 00:27:17.020 --> 00:27:17.360 really want 00:27:17.360 --> 00:27:17.700 to come. 00:27:19.140 --> 00:27:19.880 My husband's 00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:20.080 dead. 00:27:20.180 --> 00:27:20.580 My children 00:27:20.580 --> 00:27:21.060 are dead. 00:27:23.300 --> 00:27:24.000 I have 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:24.759 some friends 00:27:24.759 --> 00:27:25.960 back in 00:27:25.960 --> 00:27:26.259 Israel. 00:27:26.680 --> 00:27:27.140 I have 00:27:27.140 --> 00:27:27.660 some friends 00:27:27.660 --> 00:27:28.340 in Bethlehem. 00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:28.820 I have 00:27:28.820 --> 00:27:29.680 some family 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:29.980 there. 00:27:30.860 --> 00:27:31.140 Maybe 00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:31.940 they'll take 00:27:31.940 --> 00:27:32.360 me back. 00:27:32.560 --> 00:27:32.759 Maybe 00:27:32.759 --> 00:27:33.340 they'll accept 00:27:33.340 --> 00:27:33.780 me back 00:27:33.780 --> 00:27:34.259 into their 00:27:34.259 --> 00:27:34.680 community. 00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:35.740 Maybe. 00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:39.200 But as 00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:39.540 Naomi 00:27:39.539 --> 00:27:40.220 would discover 00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:40.759 God has 00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:41.460 better plans 00:27:41.460 --> 00:27:41.899 than just 00:27:41.899 --> 00:27:42.180 maybe. 00:27:42.779 --> 00:27:43.319 God has 00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:44.039 better plans 00:27:44.039 --> 00:27:44.440 for you. 00:27:44.579 --> 00:27:44.859 God has 00:27:44.859 --> 00:27:45.440 better plans 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:45.920 for me 00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:46.819 than just 00:27:46.819 --> 00:27:47.500 maybe. 00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:51.200 See, 00:27:51.259 --> 00:27:51.639 it reminds 00:27:51.639 --> 00:27:52.159 me a little 00:27:52.159 --> 00:27:54.119 of the 00:27:54.119 --> 00:27:54.659 story Jesus 00:27:54.659 --> 00:27:55.259 told about 00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:55.759 the prodigal 00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:56.019 son. 00:27:57.139 --> 00:27:57.799 It's in 00:27:57.799 --> 00:27:58.839 Luke chapter 00:27:58.839 --> 00:27:59.500 15, 00:27:59.619 --> 00:28:00.220 verses 11 00:28:00.220 --> 00:28:00.720 to 32. 00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:01.079 We won't 00:28:01.079 --> 00:28:01.460 go there, 00:28:01.539 --> 00:28:02.460 but we have 00:28:02.460 --> 00:28:03.059 a story of 00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:03.680 a son who 00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:04.299 says, 00:28:04.579 --> 00:28:04.819 do you know 00:28:04.819 --> 00:28:05.059 what, 00:28:05.299 --> 00:28:05.519 Father, 00:28:05.619 --> 00:28:06.119 I wish you 00:28:06.119 --> 00:28:06.480 were dead. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:06.920 I want to 00:28:06.920 --> 00:28:07.440 go and live 00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:08.259 life on my 00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:08.659 terms, 00:28:08.660 --> 00:28:09.180 and I 00:28:09.180 --> 00:28:09.400 want to 00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:09.640 go and 00:28:09.640 --> 00:28:10.080 live life 00:28:10.080 --> 00:28:10.600 my way. 00:28:11.380 --> 00:28:11.880 In fact, 00:28:12.080 --> 00:28:12.920 I wish you 00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:13.300 were dead, 00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:14.080 so let's 00:28:14.080 --> 00:28:14.620 imagine that 00:28:14.620 --> 00:28:14.940 you are 00:28:14.940 --> 00:28:15.660 dead and 00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:16.100 give me 00:28:16.100 --> 00:28:16.740 all of the 00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:17.080 money that 00:28:17.080 --> 00:28:17.340 you would 00:28:17.340 --> 00:28:17.660 have given 00:28:17.660 --> 00:28:18.080 to me 00:28:18.080 --> 00:28:19.360 if you 00:28:19.360 --> 00:28:19.720 had died. 00:28:19.820 --> 00:28:20.080 I want 00:28:20.080 --> 00:28:20.259 my 00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:20.640 inheritance 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:20.960 now. 00:28:21.060 --> 00:28:21.259 And he 00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:22.060 goes to 00:28:22.060 --> 00:28:22.460 the far 00:28:22.460 --> 00:28:22.940 off land, 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.279 he goes 00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:23.840 to Moab, 00:28:24.120 --> 00:28:24.400 you could 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:24.660 say, 00:28:24.940 --> 00:28:25.360 and he 00:28:25.360 --> 00:28:25.860 squanders 00:28:25.860 --> 00:28:26.420 his life. 00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:30.840 And he 00:28:30.840 --> 00:28:31.340 loses all 00:28:31.340 --> 00:28:31.560 of his 00:28:31.560 --> 00:28:31.820 money, 00:28:32.040 --> 00:28:32.360 he loses 00:28:32.360 --> 00:28:32.840 all of his 00:28:32.840 --> 00:28:33.220 family's 00:28:33.220 --> 00:28:33.580 inheritance, 00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:34.360 and he 00:28:34.360 --> 00:28:35.000 ends up 00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:36.880 feeding 00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:37.400 pigs, 00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:38.740 and having 00:28:38.740 --> 00:28:39.099 nothing. 00:28:39.259 --> 00:28:39.900 He is 00:28:39.900 --> 00:28:41.559 gone as 00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:41.920 low as 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:42.200 he can 00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:42.440 go. 00:28:43.059 --> 00:28:43.480 But in 00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:43.859 the midst 00:28:43.859 --> 00:28:44.319 of that, 00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:45.599 he remembers. 00:28:46.019 --> 00:28:46.740 He remembers 00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:48.180 that in his 00:28:48.180 --> 00:28:48.880 father's house, 00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:49.799 even the 00:28:49.799 --> 00:28:51.160 servants have 00:28:51.160 --> 00:28:51.539 enough to 00:28:51.539 --> 00:28:51.720 eat. 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:52.740 And he 00:28:52.740 --> 00:28:53.160 says to 00:28:53.160 --> 00:28:53.599 himself, 00:28:53.980 --> 00:28:55.220 what am I 00:28:55.220 --> 00:28:55.839 doing here? 00:28:56.220 --> 00:28:56.900 My father 00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:57.859 loves me. 00:28:57.960 --> 00:28:58.559 Maybe he'll 00:28:58.559 --> 00:28:59.119 accept me 00:28:59.119 --> 00:28:59.380 back, 00:28:59.420 --> 00:28:59.900 even just 00:28:59.900 --> 00:29:00.259 as a 00:29:00.259 --> 00:29:00.599 servant. 00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:02.819 And at 00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:03.179 least I'll 00:29:03.179 --> 00:29:03.759 have food, 00:29:04.019 --> 00:29:04.500 because here 00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:04.939 I have 00:29:04.939 --> 00:29:05.439 nothing and 00:29:05.439 --> 00:29:05.919 I'm starving. 00:29:06.039 --> 00:29:06.240 And he 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:06.859 returns to 00:29:06.859 --> 00:29:07.339 his father. 00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:09.919 But when 00:29:09.919 --> 00:29:10.399 he returns 00:29:10.399 --> 00:29:10.759 to his 00:29:10.759 --> 00:29:11.019 father, 00:29:11.099 --> 00:29:11.519 he finds 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:11.899 out that 00:29:11.899 --> 00:29:12.339 his father 00:29:12.339 --> 00:29:12.919 has better 00:29:12.919 --> 00:29:14.119 plans than 00:29:14.119 --> 00:29:15.639 just food 00:29:15.639 --> 00:29:16.639 and service. 00:29:17.299 --> 00:29:17.819 He finds 00:29:17.819 --> 00:29:18.139 that his 00:29:18.139 --> 00:29:19.399 father embraces 00:29:19.399 --> 00:29:20.679 him back 00:29:20.679 --> 00:29:22.919 into his 00:29:22.919 --> 00:29:23.459 own heart. 00:29:28.199 --> 00:29:29.000 And like 00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:29.639 the prodigal, 00:29:29.640 --> 00:29:30.860 and like 00:29:30.860 --> 00:29:31.140 Naomi, 00:29:31.259 --> 00:29:31.540 we need 00:29:31.540 --> 00:29:31.780 to hear 00:29:31.780 --> 00:29:32.060 the word 00:29:32.060 --> 00:29:32.300 of the 00:29:32.300 --> 00:29:32.500 Lord. 00:29:32.600 --> 00:29:32.860 We need 00:29:32.860 --> 00:29:33.200 to know 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:33.480 that 00:29:33.480 --> 00:29:34.960 Father God 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.340 is waiting 00:29:35.340 --> 00:29:35.880 for us. 00:29:36.540 --> 00:29:37.020 He's there. 00:29:37.120 --> 00:29:37.460 He's wanting 00:29:37.460 --> 00:29:38.060 to welcome 00:29:38.060 --> 00:29:38.600 us back, 00:29:38.680 --> 00:29:39.140 just like 00:29:39.140 --> 00:29:39.720 the prodigal. 00:29:43.020 --> 00:29:43.540 And he 00:29:43.540 --> 00:29:44.060 proved it, 00:29:44.140 --> 00:29:44.460 in that he 00:29:44.460 --> 00:29:44.860 sent his 00:29:44.860 --> 00:29:45.020 son, 00:29:45.100 --> 00:29:45.340 the Lord 00:29:45.340 --> 00:29:45.960 Jesus Christ, 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:46.320 to die 00:29:46.320 --> 00:29:46.920 for us. 00:29:47.300 --> 00:29:47.660 God so 00:29:47.660 --> 00:29:48.020 loved the 00:29:48.020 --> 00:29:48.360 world that 00:29:48.360 --> 00:29:48.840 he sent 00:29:48.840 --> 00:29:49.400 his one 00:29:49.400 --> 00:29:49.940 and only 00:29:49.940 --> 00:29:50.259 son. 00:29:51.420 --> 00:29:51.820 And that's 00:29:51.820 --> 00:29:52.100 the good 00:29:52.100 --> 00:29:52.360 news. 00:29:52.420 --> 00:29:52.680 That's why 00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:53.040 we're all 00:29:53.040 --> 00:29:53.440 here this 00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:53.720 morning. 00:29:53.820 --> 00:29:54.040 If you 00:29:54.040 --> 00:29:54.420 know and 00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:54.740 love the 00:29:54.740 --> 00:29:55.120 Lord Jesus 00:29:55.120 --> 00:29:55.480 Christ, 00:29:55.540 --> 00:29:55.800 we're going 00:29:55.800 --> 00:29:56.400 to celebrate 00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:57.680 his sacrifice 00:29:57.680 --> 00:29:58.780 through the 00:29:58.779 --> 00:29:59.240 breaking of 00:29:59.240 --> 00:29:59.559 bread. 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:01.240 We heard 00:30:01.240 --> 00:30:02.180 the good 00:30:02.180 --> 00:30:02.519 report, 00:30:02.639 --> 00:30:02.940 the good 00:30:02.940 --> 00:30:03.339 news, 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:04.819 and we 00:30:04.819 --> 00:30:05.519 returned home. 00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:06.299 And so I 00:30:06.299 --> 00:30:06.779 would encourage 00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.240 you to 00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:08.779 return home 00:30:08.779 --> 00:30:09.960 this morning. 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:14.180 Sometimes it 00:30:14.180 --> 00:30:14.940 takes extreme 00:30:14.940 --> 00:30:15.619 circumstances. 00:30:15.799 --> 00:30:16.660 Sometimes it's 00:30:16.660 --> 00:30:17.440 at our point 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:17.779 of need. 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:18.279 It's like the 00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:18.940 prodigal son. 00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:19.899 It's when we're 00:30:19.899 --> 00:30:20.500 at our lowest. 00:30:20.680 --> 00:30:21.160 It's when we're 00:30:21.160 --> 00:30:21.839 feeding pigs 00:30:21.839 --> 00:30:22.299 and the pigs 00:30:22.299 --> 00:30:22.599 die. 00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:24.680 Maybe it's 00:30:24.680 --> 00:30:25.519 like Naomi. 00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:26.779 It's loss. 00:30:26.899 --> 00:30:27.480 It's famine. 00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:28.480 It's 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:29.079 bereavement. 00:30:29.880 --> 00:30:30.059 And it 00:30:30.059 --> 00:30:30.620 brings us to 00:30:30.620 --> 00:30:31.000 the point 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:31.259 that we 00:30:31.259 --> 00:30:31.700 realize, 00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:32.059 you know 00:30:32.059 --> 00:30:32.339 what? 00:30:33.019 --> 00:30:33.579 Life's not 00:30:33.579 --> 00:30:34.099 too good 00:30:34.099 --> 00:30:34.740 living it 00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:35.200 my way. 00:30:36.339 --> 00:30:36.940 Doing what's 00:30:36.940 --> 00:30:37.440 right in our 00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:38.079 own eyes is 00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:38.860 not really 00:30:38.860 --> 00:30:39.599 where it's 00:30:39.599 --> 00:30:39.779 at. 00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:42.140 I need 00:30:42.140 --> 00:30:42.480 something 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:42.900 else. 00:30:45.900 --> 00:30:46.519 Let us 00:30:46.519 --> 00:30:46.839 pray. 00:30:46.839 --> 00:30:56.779 O Lord, 00:30:56.859 --> 00:30:57.359 whose power 00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:57.899 is infinite 00:30:57.899 --> 00:30:59.299 and wisdom 00:30:59.299 --> 00:31:00.159 infallible, 00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:02.939 order things 00:31:02.939 --> 00:31:05.059 that they 00:31:05.059 --> 00:31:05.559 may neither 00:31:05.559 --> 00:31:06.319 hinder nor 00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:06.859 discourage 00:31:06.859 --> 00:31:08.480 me, nor 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:09.379 prove obstacles 00:31:09.379 --> 00:31:09.839 to the 00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:10.980 progress of 00:31:10.980 --> 00:31:11.699 thy cause. 00:31:12.699 --> 00:31:13.119 Stand 00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:13.859 between me 00:31:13.859 --> 00:31:14.679 and all 00:31:14.679 --> 00:31:15.179 strife, 00:31:15.180 --> 00:31:15.960 that no 00:31:15.960 --> 00:31:16.820 evil befall 00:31:16.820 --> 00:31:17.640 and no 00:31:17.640 --> 00:31:18.660 sin corrupts 00:31:18.660 --> 00:31:20.980 my gifts, 00:31:21.380 --> 00:31:22.000 zeal, or 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:22.640 attainments. 00:31:23.279 --> 00:31:23.740 May I 00:31:23.740 --> 00:31:24.460 follow duty 00:31:24.460 --> 00:31:25.660 and not 00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:26.299 any foolish 00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:26.960 device of 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:27.440 my own. 00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:29.400 Permit me 00:31:29.400 --> 00:31:29.860 not to 00:31:29.860 --> 00:31:30.320 labor at 00:31:30.320 --> 00:31:31.240 work, which 00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:31.980 thou wilt not 00:31:31.980 --> 00:31:33.440 bless, that 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:34.140 I may serve 00:31:34.140 --> 00:31:35.440 thee without 00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:37.039 disgrace or 00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:37.380 debt. 00:31:38.519 --> 00:31:39.580 Father God, 00:31:40.180 --> 00:31:41.660 would you 00:31:41.660 --> 00:31:42.299 help us 00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:43.519 realize 00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:46.940 that you 00:31:46.940 --> 00:31:47.659 being king 00:31:47.659 --> 00:31:48.240 is the 00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:48.940 most important 00:31:48.940 --> 00:31:49.460 thing that 00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:49.919 we can ever 00:31:49.919 --> 00:31:50.220 know. 00:31:50.839 --> 00:31:51.460 Lord, that 00:31:51.460 --> 00:31:51.740 we would 00:31:51.740 --> 00:31:52.359 not want to 00:31:52.359 --> 00:31:53.059 live lives 00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:54.119 as we see 00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:54.419 fit. 00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:54.819 Lord, that 00:31:54.819 --> 00:31:55.119 we would 00:31:55.119 --> 00:31:55.619 seek to 00:31:55.619 --> 00:31:56.339 desire to 00:31:56.339 --> 00:31:56.919 know you, 00:31:57.460 --> 00:31:57.839 to know 00:31:57.839 --> 00:31:58.299 your will, 00:31:58.419 --> 00:31:58.680 to know 00:31:58.680 --> 00:31:59.319 your ways. 00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:00.659 And Lord, to 00:32:00.659 --> 00:32:01.379 follow you in 00:32:01.379 --> 00:32:02.000 love and to 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:02.579 share that 00:32:02.579 --> 00:32:03.419 love and 00:32:03.419 --> 00:32:03.940 that knowledge 00:32:03.940 --> 00:32:04.460 of you with 00:32:04.460 --> 00:32:04.879 everyone. 00:32:06.759 --> 00:32:07.200 Because 00:32:07.200 --> 00:32:07.859 knowing that 00:32:07.859 --> 00:32:08.240 there is 00:32:08.240 --> 00:32:08.919 bread in the 00:32:08.919 --> 00:32:09.339 house of 00:32:09.339 --> 00:32:09.700 bread, 00:32:10.359 --> 00:32:11.039 knowing that 00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:12.079 you are the 00:32:12.079 --> 00:32:12.460 bread of 00:32:12.460 --> 00:32:12.819 life. 00:32:15.740 --> 00:32:16.460 Knowing that 00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:16.799 is the 00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:17.680 greatest treasure 00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:19.480 for anyone. 00:32:19.619 --> 00:32:19.899 And Lord, 00:32:19.960 --> 00:32:20.299 would you 00:32:20.299 --> 00:32:22.480 impact us 00:32:22.480 --> 00:32:23.599 again just 00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:24.039 with the 00:32:24.039 --> 00:32:24.639 glory of 00:32:24.639 --> 00:32:25.200 Christ and 00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:25.539 what you 00:32:25.539 --> 00:32:26.180 have provided 00:32:26.180 --> 00:32:27.920 for us in 00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:28.819 your sacrifice. 00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:30.159 In Jesus' 00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:30.559 name, 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:31.779 Amen. 00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:43.920 Amen. 00:32:43.920 --> 00:32:46.779 Amen. 00:32:46.839 --> 00:32:52.839 Amen. 00:32:53.299 --> 00:32:55.440 Amen. 00:32:55.659 --> 00:32:55.759 Anne. 00:32:55.859 --> 00:32:56.180 Amen. 00:32:56.180 --> 00:32:56.339 Amen. 00:32:56.339 --> 00:32:56.559 Amen. 00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:56.619 Amen. 00:32:56.839 --> 00:32:56.920 Amen. 00:32:57.200 --> 00:32:57.259 Amen. 00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:57.599 Amen. 00:32:57.599 --> 00:32:58.180 Amen. 00:32:58.259 --> 00:32:58.299 Amen. 00:32:58.299 --> 00:32:58.740 Amen. 00:32:58.759 --> 00:32:59.180 Amen. 00:32:59.180 --> 00:32:59.359 Amen. 00:32:59.399 --> 00:32:59.799 Amen. 00:32:59.899 --> 00:33:09.220 Amen. 00:33:09.299 --> 00:33:10.139 Maim. 00:33:10.139 --> 00:33:10.680 Amen. 00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:10.779 Amen.