WEBVTT

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 work our way through it

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 and draw conclusions

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 that your spirit would

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 be at work in our hearts

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 learning who you are

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 and worshipping you as a result.

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 I pray that you would bless our time together now

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 in your name. Amen.

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 Children, you are dismissed

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 to your class.

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 We are in the middle of a

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 short mini-series

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 on the book of Ruth

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 in three parts.

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 Last week we looked at

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 Ruth chapter 1.

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 This week we are looking at Ruth chapter 2.

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 And next week we will conclude

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 with a look at

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 Ruth 3 and 4 together.

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 Listen to the beginning

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 of this article from a

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 magazine called Psychology Today.

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 I ran across this a couple of years ago.

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 This is an article from Psychology Today.

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 It says this,

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 In 2007, a construction worker

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 named Wesley Autry

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 was standing on a subway platform

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 in New York

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 when a young man nearby

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 had an epileptic seizure

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 and rolled onto the track.

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 Hearing the approach of a train,

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 Wesley Autry

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 impulsively jumped down

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 to try to save the young man

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 only to realize

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 that the train

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 was approaching too fast.

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 Instead,

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 he jumped on top

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 of the young man's body

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 and pushed him down

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 into a drainage ditch

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 between the tracks.

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 The train operator saw them

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 but it was too late to stop.

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 Five cars of the train

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 passed over their bodies

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 but miraculously

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 both of them

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 were uninjured.

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 Asked later by the New York Times

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 why he had done it,

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 Autry said,

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 I just saw someone

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 who needed help.

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 I did what I felt was right.

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 So then the author

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 of this article

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 goes on

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 and says,

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 The question of why

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 human beings

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 are sometimes prepared

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 to risk their own lives

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 to save others

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 has puzzled philosophers

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 and scientists

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 for centuries.

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 From an evolutionary

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 point of view,

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 altruism doesn't seem

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 to make sense.

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 According to the modern

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 neo-Darwinian view,

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 human beings

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 are basically selfish.

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 After all,

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 we are only really carriers

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 of thousands of genes

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 whose only aim

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 is to survive

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 and replicate themselves.

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 We shouldn't be interested

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 in sacrificing ourselves

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 for others

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 or even in helping others

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 at all.

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 We all want there

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 to be good in the world.

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 We want other people

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 to be good

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 and we want to be good

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 and we want people

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 to treat each other well,

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 especially in the hard times

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 because sometimes

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 it's in the hard times

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 when our true character

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 really comes out.

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 But the author

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 of this article

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 asks a good question here.

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 Why should we be

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 any better than our genes?

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 Other than this,

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 basic instinct

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 and impulse

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 to get for ourselves

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 and to sort of shore up

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 our own lives

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 and our own circumstances,

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 why should we be

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 any better than that?

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 Why should we be

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 any better

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 than our own self-interest?

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 And that's really

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 the issue

00:03:07.180 --> 00:03:08.060
 in the book of Ruth.

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 That's the question

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 that we're looking

00:03:10.820 --> 00:03:11.660
 to the book of Ruth

00:03:11.660 --> 00:03:12.220
 to answer.

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 Today we're going to look

00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:14.200
 at Ruth chapter 2.

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 So I invite you

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 to turn there

00:03:15.900 --> 00:03:16.540
 in your Bibles

00:03:16.540 --> 00:03:17.820
 with me.

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 We're going to read it

00:03:18.659 --> 00:03:19.500
 and we're going to talk

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 about a couple

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 of key issues

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 and then we're going

00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:23.780
 to draw some conclusions

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 about the meaning

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 of the whole.

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 As we turn

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 to Ruth chapter 2,

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 let's review

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 where we are

00:03:29.620 --> 00:03:30.280
 in the story.

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 It's the period

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 of the book of Judges.

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 It's a very dark time

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 in Israel's history.

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 God's people

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 have forgotten

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 what God did

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 to redeem them

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 in the promised land

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 and what God had done

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 to redeem them

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 from slavery

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 to take them

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 into the promised land

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 and they are

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 worshipping other gods

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 and abusing

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 and mistreating

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 each other.

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 We have these little

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 vignettes through

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 the book of Judges.

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 These little stories

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 which sort of

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 encapsulate the period

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 which illustrate

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 what Israel was like

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 at that time.

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 We have a man

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 who kills his own daughter.

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 We have a wife

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 who is burned alive.

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 We have the leader

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 of Israel

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 who visits prostitutes

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 and engages

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 in all these petty

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 little squabbles

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 and fights

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 and kind of

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 dilly-dallies

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 with the enemy

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 instead of fighting them.

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 We have a man

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 who makes

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 homemade idols

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 in order to worship them

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 and he hires a Levite

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 to be his own

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 personal priest

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 but then another

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 tribe of Israel

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 steals the gods

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 and worships them

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 themselves.

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 We have a man

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 and a woman

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 who are traveling

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 through the southern

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 part of Israel

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 and it's time

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 to spend the night

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 but they don't want

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 to stay in

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 Canaanite territory

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 because maybe

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 that would be

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 too dangerous

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 so they decide

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 to go just a little

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 further to Israelite

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 territory

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 will it be safer

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 and during the night

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 men surround the house

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 and they try and drag

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 the man out

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 and rape him

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 and in order

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 to protect himself

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 he shoves his

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 concubine outside

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 where she is

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 ferociously raped

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 and killed

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 and as a result

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 the man cuts her

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 into 12 pieces

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 and starts a civil war.

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 I mean these are

00:05:05.260 --> 00:05:06.080
 the little vignettes

00:05:06.080 --> 00:05:07.160
 that describe Israel

00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:07.860
 at that time

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 in the book of Judges.

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 It is a very dark time

00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:13.120
 filled with faithlessness

00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:14.220
 and immorality

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 taking advantage

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 of anyone

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 who was vulnerable

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 or who could be exploited.

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 It was especially

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 a dangerous time

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 for women

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 and the book of Judges

00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:27.399
 says everyone did

00:05:27.399 --> 00:05:28.019
 what was right

00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:29.120
 in their own eyes.

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 They just do

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 whatever is best

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 for themselves.

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 It's survival

00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:34.060
 of the fittest.

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 In fact,

00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:37.740
 they're doing exactly

00:05:37.740 --> 00:05:38.500
 what the author

00:05:38.500 --> 00:05:39.459
 of that article

00:05:39.459 --> 00:05:40.600
 in Psychology Today

00:05:40.600 --> 00:05:41.720
 assumed they probably

00:05:41.720 --> 00:05:42.240
 should do.

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 whatever is best

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 for them

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 and it's just

00:05:46.840 --> 00:05:47.480
 a disaster.

00:05:49.280 --> 00:05:50.079
 And so during this time

00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:50.720
 there's a famine

00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:51.840
 and a woman named Naomi

00:05:51.840 --> 00:05:52.639
 and her husband

00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:53.579
 and her two sons

00:05:53.579 --> 00:05:54.620
 travel to Moab.

00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:57.000
 Moab is an enemy territory.

00:05:57.399 --> 00:05:58.840
 It's known for idolatry

00:05:58.840 --> 00:06:00.300
 and sexual immorality

00:06:00.300 --> 00:06:01.459
 and they have a history

00:06:01.459 --> 00:06:02.660
 of scandal with Israel

00:06:02.660 --> 00:06:03.620
 and so as a result

00:06:03.620 --> 00:06:04.560
 the book of Deuteronomy

00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:06.120
 says that no Moabite

00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:07.480
 will ever enter

00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:09.199
 the assembly of the Lord.

00:06:10.540 --> 00:06:11.819
 Naomi's husband dies.

00:06:11.819 --> 00:06:13.819
 The sons marry

00:06:13.819 --> 00:06:14.639
 Moabite women

00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:15.219
 even though

00:06:15.219 --> 00:06:16.480
 they probably shouldn't.

00:06:17.420 --> 00:06:18.079
 Neither couple

00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:18.980
 has any children

00:06:18.980 --> 00:06:20.019
 for ten years.

00:06:20.180 --> 00:06:21.339
 Then the sons die

00:06:21.339 --> 00:06:23.000
 and what all of that

00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:23.779
 means is that

00:06:23.779 --> 00:06:24.420
 we now have

00:06:24.420 --> 00:06:25.100
 not one

00:06:25.100 --> 00:06:25.939
 but three

00:06:25.939 --> 00:06:27.259
 desperate

00:06:27.259 --> 00:06:28.839
 poor widows

00:06:28.839 --> 00:06:30.180
 with no one

00:06:30.180 --> 00:06:31.019
 to take care of them.

00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:33.480
 Naomi decides

00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:34.279
 to go back to Israel

00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:35.519
 because there's food there.

00:06:36.420 --> 00:06:37.459
 But once they set off

00:06:37.459 --> 00:06:38.240
 and they're on the way

00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:39.500
 then she begins

00:06:39.500 --> 00:06:40.399
 to have second thoughts

00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:41.680
 and she realizes

00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:42.779
 that her daughters-in-law

00:06:42.779 --> 00:06:43.860
 won't have any hope

00:06:43.860 --> 00:06:44.319
 in Israel.

00:06:44.439 --> 00:06:45.500
 There's no hope

00:06:45.500 --> 00:06:46.060
 for them there.

00:06:46.139 --> 00:06:47.160
 There's only a life there

00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:48.560
 of hard poverty

00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:49.860
 and probably death.

00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:51.500
 And of course

00:06:51.500 --> 00:06:52.699
 the only way in that time

00:06:52.699 --> 00:06:53.379
 that a young widow

00:06:53.379 --> 00:06:54.480
 could possibly have

00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:55.379
 any kind of a future

00:06:55.379 --> 00:06:56.360
 is if she would remarry

00:06:56.360 --> 00:06:57.639
 but no one in Israel

00:06:57.639 --> 00:06:58.459
 is going to marry

00:06:58.459 --> 00:06:59.540
 these Moabite girls.

00:07:00.899 --> 00:07:02.980
 And so at her own expense

00:07:02.980 --> 00:07:04.100
 she urges them

00:07:04.100 --> 00:07:04.839
 to go back

00:07:04.839 --> 00:07:05.920
 to their other families

00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:06.579
 in Moab.

00:07:07.500 --> 00:07:08.439
 And Orpah sees

00:07:08.439 --> 00:07:09.180
 that her mother-in-law

00:07:09.180 --> 00:07:09.620
 is right

00:07:09.620 --> 00:07:10.779
 and so she does return

00:07:10.779 --> 00:07:11.759
 and Ruth knows

00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:13.199
 that Naomi's right as well.

00:07:13.800 --> 00:07:14.379
 Ruth knows

00:07:14.379 --> 00:07:15.579
 that there is no future

00:07:15.579 --> 00:07:16.379
 for her in Israel.

00:07:17.699 --> 00:07:19.919
 But she is sacrificing herself

00:07:19.919 --> 00:07:21.860
 and she follows Naomi back

00:07:21.860 --> 00:07:25.120
 and sacrifices her future for her.

00:07:25.219 --> 00:07:25.839
 And when they get back

00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:26.479
 to Bethlehem

00:07:26.479 --> 00:07:28.479
 Naomi is angry.

00:07:30.159 --> 00:07:31.579
 She blames God

00:07:31.579 --> 00:07:33.180
 for her struggles

00:07:33.180 --> 00:07:34.039
 and her situation

00:07:34.039 --> 00:07:35.360
 and she tells the women

00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:35.899
 of the town

00:07:35.899 --> 00:07:37.179
 don't call me pleasant.

00:07:37.599 --> 00:07:38.739
 I have a new name now.

00:07:39.379 --> 00:07:40.679
 My name is bitter.

00:07:40.919 --> 00:07:41.519
 Call me that.

00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:42.979
 For the Lord

00:07:42.979 --> 00:07:44.339
 has made me bitter.

00:07:45.919 --> 00:07:47.060
 That's what people say

00:07:47.060 --> 00:07:48.179
 when they don't have any hope.

00:07:49.699 --> 00:07:51.439
 And now our story continues

00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:52.419
 in Ruth chapter 2.

00:07:52.500 --> 00:07:53.399
 Let's read that together.

00:07:54.819 --> 00:07:56.279
 Now Naomi had a relative

00:07:56.279 --> 00:07:57.079
 of her husband's

00:07:57.079 --> 00:07:57.819
 a worthy man

00:07:57.819 --> 00:07:59.199
 of the clan of Elimelech.

00:07:59.639 --> 00:08:00.039
 Sorry.

00:08:00.279 --> 00:08:01.199
 Let's look at Ruth chapter

00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:02.919
 Oh that is Ruth chapter 2.

00:08:03.019 --> 00:08:03.199
 Sorry.

00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:04.920
 A worthy man

00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:06.259
 of the clan of Elimelech

00:08:06.259 --> 00:08:07.319
 whose name was Boaz.

00:08:07.479 --> 00:08:08.399
 And Ruth the Moabite

00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:09.139
 said to Naomi

00:08:09.139 --> 00:08:11.099
 Let me go to the field

00:08:11.099 --> 00:08:12.399
 and glean among the ears

00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:13.560
 of grain after him

00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:14.159
 in whose sight

00:08:14.159 --> 00:08:15.339
 I shall find favor.

00:08:15.599 --> 00:08:16.480
 And she said to her

00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:17.240
 Go my daughter.

00:08:17.980 --> 00:08:18.839
 So she set out

00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:19.779
 and went and gleaned

00:08:19.779 --> 00:08:20.219
 in the field

00:08:20.219 --> 00:08:21.039
 after the reapers

00:08:21.039 --> 00:08:22.240
 and she happened to come

00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:23.279
 to the part of the field

00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:24.379
 belonging to Boaz

00:08:24.379 --> 00:08:25.339
 who was of the clan

00:08:25.339 --> 00:08:26.120
 of Elimelech.

00:08:27.339 --> 00:08:28.419
 And behold Boaz

00:08:28.419 --> 00:08:29.419
 came from Bethlehem

00:08:29.419 --> 00:08:30.459
 and he said to the reapers

00:08:30.459 --> 00:08:31.739
 The Lord be with you.

00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:32.600
 And they answered

00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:33.659
 The Lord bless you.

00:08:34.579 --> 00:08:35.439
 Then Boaz said

00:08:35.439 --> 00:08:36.240
 to his young man

00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:36.899
 who was in charge

00:08:36.899 --> 00:08:37.399
 of the reapers

00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:38.439
 Whose young woman

00:08:38.439 --> 00:08:39.079
 is this?

00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:40.539
 And the servant

00:08:40.539 --> 00:08:41.259
 who was in charge

00:08:41.259 --> 00:08:41.720
 of the reapers

00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:42.120
 answered

00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:42.879
 She is the young

00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:43.659
 Moabite woman

00:08:43.659 --> 00:08:44.360
 who came back

00:08:44.360 --> 00:08:44.899
 with Naomi

00:08:44.899 --> 00:08:45.639
 from the country

00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:46.199
 of Moab.

00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:48.419
 She said

00:08:48.419 --> 00:08:49.439
 Please let me glean

00:08:49.439 --> 00:08:50.220
 and gather among

00:08:50.220 --> 00:08:50.740
 the sheaves

00:08:50.740 --> 00:08:51.439
 after the reapers.

00:08:51.559 --> 00:08:52.279
 So she came

00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:53.419
 and she has continued

00:08:53.419 --> 00:08:54.500
 from the early morning

00:08:54.500 --> 00:08:55.199
 until now

00:08:55.199 --> 00:08:56.519
 except for a short rest.

00:08:57.899 --> 00:08:59.240
 Then Boaz said to Ruth

00:08:59.240 --> 00:09:00.220
 Now listen my daughter

00:09:00.220 --> 00:09:01.180
 do not go to glean

00:09:01.180 --> 00:09:01.980
 in another field

00:09:01.980 --> 00:09:03.100
 or leave this one

00:09:03.100 --> 00:09:03.840
 but keep close

00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:04.720
 to my young women.

00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:06.379
 Let your eyes

00:09:06.379 --> 00:09:07.120
 be on the field

00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:07.980
 that they are reaping

00:09:07.980 --> 00:09:08.899
 and go after them.

00:09:08.980 --> 00:09:09.720
 Have I not charged

00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:10.399
 the young man

00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:11.320
 not to touch you?

00:09:12.539 --> 00:09:13.440
 And when you are thirsty

00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:14.299
 go to the vessels

00:09:14.299 --> 00:09:15.460
 and drink what the young man

00:09:15.460 --> 00:09:15.980
 have drawn.

00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:17.680
 Then she fell on her face

00:09:17.680 --> 00:09:18.779
 bowing to the ground

00:09:18.779 --> 00:09:19.500
 and said to him

00:09:19.500 --> 00:09:20.759
 Why have I found favor

00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:21.519
 in your eyes

00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:22.919
 that you should take notice

00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:23.259
 of me

00:09:23.259 --> 00:09:24.180
 since I am a foreigner?

00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:26.680
 But Boaz answered her

00:09:26.680 --> 00:09:27.759
 All that you have done

00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:28.600
 for your mother-in-law

00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:29.320
 since the death

00:09:29.320 --> 00:09:29.899
 of your husband

00:09:29.899 --> 00:09:31.279
 has been fully told to me

00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:32.680
 and how you left

00:09:32.680 --> 00:09:33.580
 your father and mother

00:09:33.580 --> 00:09:34.519
 and your native land

00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:35.580
 and came to a people

00:09:35.580 --> 00:09:36.879
 that you did not know before.

00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:38.500
 The Lord repay you

00:09:38.500 --> 00:09:39.360
 for what you have done

00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:40.740
 and a full reward

00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:41.399
 be given you

00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:41.980
 by the Lord

00:09:41.980 --> 00:09:42.759
 the God of Israel

00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:43.659
 under whose wings

00:09:43.659 --> 00:09:44.259
 you have come

00:09:44.259 --> 00:09:45.300
 to take refuge.

00:09:46.420 --> 00:09:47.120
 Then she said

00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:48.019
 I have found favor

00:09:48.019 --> 00:09:48.940
 in your eyes my Lord

00:09:48.940 --> 00:09:50.220
 for you have comforted me

00:09:50.220 --> 00:09:51.220
 and spoken kindly

00:09:51.220 --> 00:09:51.980
 to your servant

00:09:51.980 --> 00:09:53.160
 even though I am not

00:09:53.160 --> 00:09:54.120
 one of your servants.

00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:56.919
 And at mealtime

00:09:56.919 --> 00:09:57.779
 Boaz said to her

00:09:57.779 --> 00:09:58.240
 Come here

00:09:58.240 --> 00:09:59.240
 and eat some of the bread

00:09:59.240 --> 00:10:00.519
 and dip your morsel

00:10:00.519 --> 00:10:01.120
 in the wine

00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:02.120
 so she sat beside

00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:02.600
 the reapers

00:10:02.600 --> 00:10:03.600
 and he passed to her

00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:04.460
 roasted grain

00:10:04.460 --> 00:10:05.139
 and she ate

00:10:05.139 --> 00:10:06.220
 until she was satisfied

00:10:06.220 --> 00:10:07.580
 and she had some left over

00:10:07.580 --> 00:10:09.320
 and when she rose to glean

00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:10.139
 Boaz instructed

00:10:10.139 --> 00:10:11.159
 his young men saying

00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:11.779
 Let her glean

00:10:11.779 --> 00:10:12.820
 even among the sheaves

00:10:12.820 --> 00:10:13.960
 and do not reproach her

00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:15.659
 and also pull out some

00:10:15.659 --> 00:10:16.639
 from the bundles for her

00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:17.419
 and leave it for her

00:10:17.419 --> 00:10:17.820
 to glean

00:10:17.820 --> 00:10:18.879
 and do not rebuke her.

00:10:19.860 --> 00:10:20.639
 So she gleaned

00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:21.039
 in the field

00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:21.700
 until evening

00:10:21.700 --> 00:10:22.500
 then she beat out

00:10:22.500 --> 00:10:23.299
 what she had gleaned

00:10:23.299 --> 00:10:23.820
 and it was about

00:10:23.820 --> 00:10:24.840
 an ephah of barley

00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:25.820
 and she took it up

00:10:25.820 --> 00:10:26.860
 and went into the city.

00:10:27.399 --> 00:10:28.039
 Her mother-in-law

00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:29.639
 saw what she had gleaned

00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:30.580
 she also brought out

00:10:30.580 --> 00:10:31.080
 and gave her

00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:32.360
 what food she had left over

00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:33.399
 after being satisfied

00:10:33.399 --> 00:10:34.639
 and her mother-in-law

00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:35.220
 said to her

00:10:35.220 --> 00:10:36.200
 Where did you glean today

00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:37.179
 and where have you worked?

00:10:37.879 --> 00:10:38.840
 Blessed be the man

00:10:38.840 --> 00:10:39.879
 who took notice of you.

00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:41.820
 So she told her mother-in-law

00:10:41.820 --> 00:10:42.940
 with whom she had worked

00:10:42.940 --> 00:10:43.299
 and said

00:10:43.299 --> 00:10:44.279
 The man's name

00:10:44.279 --> 00:10:45.919
 with whom I work today

00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:47.919
 is Boaz.

00:10:49.059 --> 00:10:49.779
 And Naomi said

00:10:49.779 --> 00:10:50.440
 to her daughter-in-law

00:10:50.440 --> 00:10:51.500
 May he be blessed

00:10:51.500 --> 00:10:52.139
 by the Lord

00:10:52.139 --> 00:10:53.139
 whose kindness

00:10:53.139 --> 00:10:55.220
 has not forsaken

00:10:55.220 --> 00:10:56.360
 the living or the dead.

00:10:57.480 --> 00:10:58.580
 Naomi also said to her

00:10:58.580 --> 00:10:59.940
 The man is a close relative

00:10:59.940 --> 00:11:00.399
 of ours

00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:01.480
 one of our redeemers

00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:03.200
 and Ruth the Moabite

00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:03.500
 said

00:11:03.500 --> 00:11:03.940
 Besides

00:11:03.940 --> 00:11:04.940
 he said to me

00:11:04.940 --> 00:11:05.820
 you shall keep close

00:11:05.820 --> 00:11:06.779
 by my young men

00:11:06.779 --> 00:11:07.639
 until they have finished

00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:08.419
 all my harvest

00:11:08.419 --> 00:11:09.820
 and Naomi said to Ruth

00:11:09.820 --> 00:11:10.500
 her daughter-in-law

00:11:10.500 --> 00:11:11.620
 It is good my daughter

00:11:11.620 --> 00:11:12.279
 that you go out

00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:13.080
 with his young women

00:11:13.080 --> 00:11:14.740
 lest in another field

00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:15.480
 you be assaulted.

00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:17.480
 So she kept close

00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:18.100
 to the young women

00:11:18.100 --> 00:11:18.679
 of Boaz

00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:19.840
 gleaning until the end

00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:20.920
 of the barley and wheat harvest

00:11:20.920 --> 00:11:22.519
 and she lived

00:11:22.519 --> 00:11:23.560
 with her mother-in-law.

00:11:25.740 --> 00:11:27.080
 This is a great story

00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:28.820
 and it's also history

00:11:28.820 --> 00:11:30.019
 but it's more than history

00:11:30.019 --> 00:11:32.120
 it's theological history

00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:33.300
 it's written to tell us

00:11:33.300 --> 00:11:34.420
 something about God

00:11:34.420 --> 00:11:36.200
 and God's relationship

00:11:36.200 --> 00:11:36.960
 with his people.

00:11:37.820 --> 00:11:39.220
 It begins in verse 1

00:11:39.220 --> 00:11:39.920
 by saying that

00:11:39.920 --> 00:11:41.019
 Naomi had a relative

00:11:41.019 --> 00:11:42.120
 of her husband's

00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:42.899
 a worthy man

00:11:42.899 --> 00:11:44.200
 of the clan of Elimelech

00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:45.700
 whose name was Boaz.

00:11:45.700 --> 00:11:48.840
 He's a worthy man.

00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:50.520
 The NIV says

00:11:50.520 --> 00:11:51.180
 that he's a man

00:11:51.180 --> 00:11:51.900
 of standing.

00:11:52.280 --> 00:11:53.200
 The King James Version

00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:55.340
 says he's a mighty man

00:11:55.340 --> 00:11:56.060
 of wealth.

00:11:57.000 --> 00:11:57.900
 He's a relative

00:11:57.900 --> 00:11:58.780
 of Naomi.

00:12:01.259 --> 00:12:02.259
 And it's difficult

00:12:02.259 --> 00:12:02.860
 to know

00:12:02.860 --> 00:12:03.940
 which sense

00:12:03.940 --> 00:12:05.100
 the author means

00:12:05.100 --> 00:12:05.680
 by saying

00:12:05.680 --> 00:12:07.320
 that he's a worthy man.

00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:08.240
 Sometimes that word

00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:08.740
 is used

00:12:08.740 --> 00:12:10.040
 to refer to

00:12:10.040 --> 00:12:11.180
 men in battle

00:12:11.180 --> 00:12:13.100
 great military heroes.

00:12:13.340 --> 00:12:14.180
 Sometimes it's used

00:12:14.179 --> 00:12:14.839
 to refer to

00:12:14.839 --> 00:12:15.899
 physical wealth.

00:12:16.299 --> 00:12:17.159
 Sometimes it's used

00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:17.759
 to refer to

00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:18.939
 someone of great character.

00:12:20.339 --> 00:12:21.359
 I think we'll find out

00:12:21.359 --> 00:12:21.979
 a little later

00:12:21.979 --> 00:12:22.599
 which one

00:12:22.599 --> 00:12:23.359
 the author

00:12:23.359 --> 00:12:24.679
 primarily means here

00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:25.259
 when we get to

00:12:25.259 --> 00:12:25.899
 chapter 3.

00:12:26.079 --> 00:12:27.000
 But he's a man

00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:27.579
 of standing

00:12:27.579 --> 00:12:28.399
 in the community.

00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:29.859
 He has influence.

00:12:30.059 --> 00:12:31.120
 He's a man about town.

00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:32.659
 He's wealthy.

00:12:32.899 --> 00:12:33.739
 He has land

00:12:33.739 --> 00:12:34.519
 and many servants.

00:12:34.839 --> 00:12:35.359
 And we are going

00:12:35.359 --> 00:12:35.879
 to find out

00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:36.359
 very soon

00:12:36.359 --> 00:12:37.620
 that he is good.

00:12:39.339 --> 00:12:40.120
 What's interesting

00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:41.219
 is that in this verse

00:12:41.219 --> 00:12:41.759
 the narrator

00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:43.120
 is telling us

00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:44.379
 about Boaz.

00:12:44.659 --> 00:12:45.179
 Ruth doesn't

00:12:45.179 --> 00:12:45.799
 know about it.

00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:46.919
 This is a word

00:12:46.919 --> 00:12:47.580
 from the narrator

00:12:47.580 --> 00:12:48.600
 to us the reader.

00:12:50.580 --> 00:12:51.279
 Naomi apparently

00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:52.139
 hasn't told Ruth

00:12:52.139 --> 00:12:52.799
 about this.

00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:54.740
 But what this

00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:55.720
 allows us to do

00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:56.360
 as readers

00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:57.220
 is that as we

00:12:57.220 --> 00:12:58.120
 get into the story

00:12:58.120 --> 00:12:58.879
 we are able

00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:00.100
 to watch the events

00:13:00.100 --> 00:13:00.700
 unfold

00:13:00.700 --> 00:13:01.740
 and we get to see

00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:03.159
 Ruth's reaction

00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:05.620
 to discovering Boaz

00:13:05.620 --> 00:13:06.299
 and finding out

00:13:06.299 --> 00:13:06.899
 what he will do

00:13:06.899 --> 00:13:07.320
 for her.

00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:08.460
 Naomi and Ruth

00:13:08.460 --> 00:13:09.039
 need someone

00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:09.759
 to help them

00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:10.379
 and we are going

00:13:10.379 --> 00:13:10.820
 to watch

00:13:10.820 --> 00:13:11.600
 all of these

00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:12.620
 pieces fall

00:13:12.620 --> 00:13:13.340
 into place.

00:13:15.060 --> 00:13:16.040
 Ruth the Moabite

00:13:16.040 --> 00:13:17.060
 said to Naomi

00:13:17.060 --> 00:13:17.680
 in verse 2

00:13:17.680 --> 00:13:18.320
 let me go

00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:19.020
 to the field

00:13:19.020 --> 00:13:19.760
 and glean.

00:13:20.800 --> 00:13:21.620
 Now in the ancient world

00:13:21.620 --> 00:13:22.340
 there weren't any

00:13:22.340 --> 00:13:23.480
 government programs

00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:25.200
 like food stamps

00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:25.800
 or Medicaid

00:13:25.800 --> 00:13:28.060
 but one way

00:13:28.060 --> 00:13:28.580
 that God

00:13:28.580 --> 00:13:30.520
 provided for the poor

00:13:30.520 --> 00:13:31.220
 was through something

00:13:31.220 --> 00:13:32.100
 called gleaning.

00:13:33.420 --> 00:13:35.160
 It says in Leviticus 19

00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:36.899
 when you reap

00:13:36.899 --> 00:13:37.500
 the harvest

00:13:37.500 --> 00:13:38.240
 of your land

00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:38.839
 you shall not

00:13:38.839 --> 00:13:39.600
 reap your field

00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:41.219
 right up to its edge

00:13:41.219 --> 00:13:43.159
 neither shall you

00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:44.139
 gather the gleanings

00:13:44.139 --> 00:13:45.199
 after your harvest.

00:13:45.299 --> 00:13:45.639
 In other words

00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:46.139
 don't go back

00:13:46.139 --> 00:13:47.079
 through a second time

00:13:47.079 --> 00:13:48.659
 and do a better job.

00:13:50.059 --> 00:13:51.000
 You shall not

00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:51.860
 strip your vineyard

00:13:51.860 --> 00:13:52.199
 bare

00:13:52.199 --> 00:13:52.959
 neither shall you

00:13:52.959 --> 00:13:53.659
 gather the fallen

00:13:53.659 --> 00:13:54.740
 grapes of your vineyard

00:13:54.740 --> 00:13:55.799
 you shall leave them

00:13:55.799 --> 00:13:56.439
 for the poor

00:13:56.439 --> 00:13:57.600
 and for the sojourner

00:13:57.600 --> 00:13:58.699
 I am the Lord

00:13:58.699 --> 00:13:59.339
 your God.

00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:01.159
 So when farmers

00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:02.000
 would harvest

00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:02.539
 their field

00:14:02.539 --> 00:14:03.439
 they would intentionally

00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:05.200
 leave the edges there

00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:06.760
 so that when the poor

00:14:06.760 --> 00:14:07.420
 came through

00:14:07.420 --> 00:14:08.280
 looking for some

00:14:08.280 --> 00:14:08.980
 kind of food

00:14:08.980 --> 00:14:10.440
 they could find it.

00:14:11.420 --> 00:14:12.580
 Deuteronomy 24 19

00:14:12.580 --> 00:14:13.560
 says when you reap

00:14:13.560 --> 00:14:14.040
 your harvest

00:14:14.040 --> 00:14:14.800
 in your field

00:14:14.800 --> 00:14:16.040
 and forget a sheaf

00:14:16.040 --> 00:14:17.580
 don't go back

00:14:17.580 --> 00:14:18.200
 and get it.

00:14:19.280 --> 00:14:19.720
 It shall be

00:14:19.720 --> 00:14:20.700
 for the sojourner

00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:21.580
 the fatherless

00:14:21.580 --> 00:14:22.120
 and the widow

00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:22.860
 that the Lord

00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:23.280
 your God

00:14:23.280 --> 00:14:24.200
 may bless you

00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:25.160
 in all the work

00:14:25.160 --> 00:14:26.000
 of your hands.

00:14:27.400 --> 00:14:28.540
 It's a mentality.

00:14:29.340 --> 00:14:30.320
 It's a mentality

00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:31.260
 that the Mosaic Law

00:14:31.260 --> 00:14:31.720
 is teaching.

00:14:31.920 --> 00:14:32.420
 Don't be

00:14:32.419 --> 00:14:33.599
 so efficient

00:14:33.599 --> 00:14:35.399
 and so careful

00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:36.519
 that there is

00:14:36.519 --> 00:14:37.199
 nothing left

00:14:37.199 --> 00:14:38.019
 for the poor person

00:14:38.019 --> 00:14:38.579
 who wanders

00:14:38.579 --> 00:14:39.219
 through the field

00:14:39.219 --> 00:14:40.159
 looking for food.

00:14:40.259 --> 00:14:40.759
 Make sure that

00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:41.360
 there's something

00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:42.120
 that they have

00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:42.979
 to eat.

00:14:44.419 --> 00:14:45.299
 Now Ruth is hoping

00:14:45.299 --> 00:14:45.939
 that since it's

00:14:45.939 --> 00:14:46.779
 harvest time

00:14:46.779 --> 00:14:48.339
 she can go out

00:14:48.339 --> 00:14:48.819
 and glean.

00:14:48.979 --> 00:14:49.579
 She can go out

00:14:49.579 --> 00:14:50.219
 into the field

00:14:50.219 --> 00:14:51.019
 and find some

00:14:51.019 --> 00:14:51.899
 leftover grains

00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:52.639
 some scraps

00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:53.479
 maybe that people

00:14:53.479 --> 00:14:54.360
 have left behind.

00:14:55.319 --> 00:14:56.240
 Notice in verse 2

00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:56.899
 that the narrator

00:14:56.899 --> 00:14:57.579
 calls her

00:14:57.579 --> 00:14:58.519
 the Moabite.

00:14:58.799 --> 00:14:59.620
 We know this.

00:14:59.699 --> 00:15:00.759
 We've read chapter 1

00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:01.759
 but he keeps

00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:02.539
 bringing this up

00:15:02.539 --> 00:15:03.519
 because it's significant

00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:04.340
 that she's not

00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:05.080
 an Israelite

00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:06.559
 she's a Moabite

00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:09.019
 and all of the associations

00:15:09.019 --> 00:15:09.759
 that come along

00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:10.220
 with that.

00:15:12.259 --> 00:15:13.439
 This does not sound

00:15:13.439 --> 00:15:14.220
 like a good plan.

00:15:16.439 --> 00:15:16.960
 She,

00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:18.399
 a Moabite,

00:15:19.100 --> 00:15:20.059
 is going to go

00:15:20.059 --> 00:15:20.779
 to the field

00:15:20.779 --> 00:15:21.720
 where all the other

00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:22.919
 Israelite workers are.

00:15:23.439 --> 00:15:24.139
 She's alone

00:15:24.139 --> 00:15:24.919
 and she's going to

00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:26.200
 try and get free food

00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:26.700
 from them

00:15:26.700 --> 00:15:29.040
 in the time

00:15:29.040 --> 00:15:29.640
 of the judges.

00:15:31.460 --> 00:15:32.460
 Notice she says

00:15:32.460 --> 00:15:33.379
 in whose sight

00:15:33.379 --> 00:15:34.460
 I find favor.

00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:34.720
 See,

00:15:34.800 --> 00:15:35.580
 I think that she

00:15:35.580 --> 00:15:36.200
 suspects

00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:36.680
 that there could

00:15:36.680 --> 00:15:37.080
 be trouble.

00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:39.379
 So she's hoping

00:15:39.379 --> 00:15:40.160
 that she'll find

00:15:40.160 --> 00:15:40.820
 someone there

00:15:40.820 --> 00:15:41.540
 who will look

00:15:41.540 --> 00:15:42.640
 well on her,

00:15:42.759 --> 00:15:43.660
 who will give her

00:15:43.660 --> 00:15:44.560
 favor and not

00:15:44.560 --> 00:15:45.220
 mistreat her

00:15:45.220 --> 00:15:46.240
 because she recognizes

00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:46.960
 that she's in a

00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:47.340
 vulnerable

00:15:47.340 --> 00:15:48.920
 and risky situation

00:15:48.920 --> 00:15:49.220
 here.

00:15:50.580 --> 00:15:51.920
 So she set out

00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:53.080
 and went and gleaned

00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:53.660
 in the field

00:15:53.660 --> 00:15:55.200
 after the reapers.

00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:56.040
 Now when we think

00:15:56.040 --> 00:15:56.660
 of fields,

00:15:56.860 --> 00:15:57.900
 we think of Wisconsin

00:15:57.900 --> 00:15:58.560
 which have

00:15:58.560 --> 00:16:00.300
 these huge farms,

00:16:00.400 --> 00:16:01.860
 sometimes as large

00:16:01.860 --> 00:16:03.120
 as the eye can see.

00:16:04.060 --> 00:16:04.940
 In 2012,

00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:05.720
 the average

00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:06.620
 Wisconsin farm

00:16:06.620 --> 00:16:08.220
 was 195 acres.

00:16:09.379 --> 00:16:10.580
 But in ancient Israel,

00:16:10.700 --> 00:16:11.259
 the fields were

00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:12.100
 very small.

00:16:12.560 --> 00:16:13.820
 There was no fertilizer

00:16:13.820 --> 00:16:15.320
 or modern equipment.

00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:17.000
 The land did not

00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:17.820
 produce well.

00:16:18.060 --> 00:16:19.200
 The harvests

00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:19.740
 were small.

00:16:19.820 --> 00:16:20.180
 It was just

00:16:20.180 --> 00:16:21.180
 subsistence farming.

00:16:21.340 --> 00:16:22.020
 People were basically

00:16:22.020 --> 00:16:22.940
 trying to get enough

00:16:22.940 --> 00:16:24.759
 food to get by.

00:16:25.780 --> 00:16:26.520
 And often,

00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:27.220
 there was just

00:16:27.220 --> 00:16:28.300
 one big field

00:16:28.300 --> 00:16:29.240
 and then parts

00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:29.759
 of the field

00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:30.420
 were separated

00:16:30.420 --> 00:16:31.800
 by these boundary stones.

00:16:31.920 --> 00:16:33.020
 So kind of as you went

00:16:33.020 --> 00:16:34.200
 from one part

00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:34.580
 of the field

00:16:34.580 --> 00:16:35.100
 to the next,

00:16:35.160 --> 00:16:35.640
 you didn't really

00:16:35.640 --> 00:16:36.600
 have a clear sense

00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:37.900
 that you were moving

00:16:37.900 --> 00:16:40.180
 from one person's

00:16:40.180 --> 00:16:41.800
 property to another one.

00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:43.100
 And as she's working

00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:43.840
 through the field,

00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:45.320
 she's looking for leftovers

00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:46.259
 and she comes

00:16:46.259 --> 00:16:47.360
 to the part of the field

00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:48.520
 belonging to Boaz.

00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:49.440
 But she didn't just

00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:50.240
 come to that part.

00:16:50.300 --> 00:16:51.100
 It says in verse 3,

00:16:51.100 --> 00:16:52.000
 she happened

00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:53.019
 to come to the part

00:16:53.019 --> 00:16:53.519
 of the field

00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:55.460
 belonging to Boaz.

00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:58.060
 I think that's significant

00:16:58.060 --> 00:16:58.920
 that he says that.

00:16:59.580 --> 00:17:00.620
 It sounds like

00:17:00.620 --> 00:17:01.480
 it was a coincidence.

00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:03.980
 But then why say it?

00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:07.620
 In Proverbs 16.33,

00:17:07.819 --> 00:17:08.200
 it says,

00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:08.880
 the lot,

00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:09.180
 you know,

00:17:09.220 --> 00:17:09.779
 like dice,

00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:11.160
 the lot is cast

00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:11.960
 into the lap

00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:13.240
 but its every decision

00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:14.120
 is from the Lord.

00:17:14.860 --> 00:17:15.559
 In other words,

00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:17.240
 God directs things

00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:18.720
 that even those

00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:19.680
 that look like chance.

00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:23.120
 By saying that she

00:17:23.120 --> 00:17:24.720
 just so happened

00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:25.839
 to come to the part

00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:26.259
 of the field

00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:27.160
 belonging to Boaz,

00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:28.000
 I think the author

00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:29.220
 means exactly the opposite.

00:17:30.339 --> 00:17:30.960
 It's sort of

00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:31.759
 tongue-in-cheek.

00:17:32.339 --> 00:17:33.079
 It's a way of saying

00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:34.480
 it was not just chance,

00:17:34.579 --> 00:17:35.880
 that God is at work here

00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:37.380
 and he was directing Ruth

00:17:37.380 --> 00:17:38.660
 to just that part

00:17:38.660 --> 00:17:40.079
 of the field.

00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:42.519
 So Boaz comes from town

00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:43.240
 in verse 4

00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:44.620
 and he says to his workers,

00:17:45.059 --> 00:17:46.000
 the Lord be with you

00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:46.559
 and they answer,

00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:47.640
 the Lord bless you.

00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:48.300
 I mean,

00:17:48.340 --> 00:17:49.220
 look at his interaction

00:17:49.220 --> 00:17:49.600
 with them.

00:17:49.700 --> 00:17:50.440
 We haven't been told

00:17:50.440 --> 00:17:52.220
 anything about Boaz's character,

00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:54.040
 just the fact that he's rich

00:17:54.040 --> 00:17:54.720
 and that he's related

00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:55.259
 to Naomi.

00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:56.820
 But now by his actions,

00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:57.360
 we are getting

00:17:57.360 --> 00:17:58.380
 to know him here.

00:17:59.140 --> 00:18:00.140
 And we notice some things

00:18:00.140 --> 00:18:00.920
 right off the bat.

00:18:01.040 --> 00:18:02.920
 He has a good relationship

00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:03.720
 with his workers.

00:18:05.280 --> 00:18:06.400
 And he is a follower

00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:07.180
 of the Lord

00:18:07.180 --> 00:18:08.780
 and just look at how

00:18:08.780 --> 00:18:10.180
 he and his employees

00:18:10.180 --> 00:18:11.660
 are blessing each other,

00:18:11.800 --> 00:18:12.960
 talking about the Lord

00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:14.360
 as they meet each other

00:18:14.360 --> 00:18:15.520
 for the first time that day.

00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:18.839
 blessing is one of the themes

00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:19.579
 of this book.

00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:21.319
 It's this subtle reminder

00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:23.240
 that even as people

00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:24.920
 are kind to each other,

00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:25.740
 they are reflecting

00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:26.720
 God's kindness

00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:28.220
 and as they are blessing

00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:28.900
 each other,

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:30.539
 God is blessing them.

00:18:32.500 --> 00:18:33.900
 It's a small village

00:18:33.900 --> 00:18:35.160
 and everyone is out there

00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:36.539
 working at the harvest time

00:18:36.539 --> 00:18:37.619
 and Boaz looks out

00:18:37.619 --> 00:18:38.480
 and he sees this woman

00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:39.160
 he doesn't know.

00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:40.500
 It's a small town

00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:41.099
 of Bethlehem.

00:18:41.099 --> 00:18:42.919
 So he says to his foreman,

00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:45.019
 whose is that young woman?

00:18:45.980 --> 00:18:46.779
 He doesn't say,

00:18:47.019 --> 00:18:48.199
 who is that young woman?

00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:48.719
 He says,

00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:50.919
 whose is that young woman?

00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:51.500
 In other words,

00:18:51.639 --> 00:18:52.779
 what is her relationship

00:18:52.779 --> 00:18:53.519
 to someone else

00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:54.079
 that I know?

00:18:54.859 --> 00:18:55.959
 Who does she belong to?

00:18:57.879 --> 00:18:58.819
 Now one reason

00:18:58.819 --> 00:18:59.959
 he might be asking that

00:18:59.959 --> 00:19:01.500
 is because she's a foreigner,

00:19:01.679 --> 00:19:02.659
 but it's also maybe

00:19:02.659 --> 00:19:03.839
 because she's all alone

00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:04.240
 out there.

00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:05.059
 She's not working

00:19:05.059 --> 00:19:05.879
 with anybody else.

00:19:05.959 --> 00:19:06.639
 She doesn't apparently

00:19:06.639 --> 00:19:07.619
 belong to anyone.

00:19:08.980 --> 00:19:10.359
 But it also anticipates

00:19:10.359 --> 00:19:11.199
 that she does belong

00:19:11.199 --> 00:19:11.779
 to Naomi,

00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:13.399
 who is his relative.

00:19:15.419 --> 00:19:16.379
 Look what the servant

00:19:16.379 --> 00:19:17.359
 says in verse 6.

00:19:18.500 --> 00:19:18.819
 He says,

00:19:18.939 --> 00:19:20.479
 she is the young Moabite woman

00:19:20.479 --> 00:19:21.859
 who came back with Naomi

00:19:21.859 --> 00:19:23.259
 from the country of Moab.

00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:24.599
 See how he says that twice?

00:19:24.959 --> 00:19:25.399
 Moab?

00:19:26.479 --> 00:19:27.240
 It's like he's saying,

00:19:28.199 --> 00:19:29.419
 she's from Moab.

00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:32.879
 You can just imagine

00:19:32.879 --> 00:19:33.519
 the thoughts going

00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:34.079
 through his head.

00:19:34.159 --> 00:19:34.799
 Like, what is Boaz

00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:35.779
 going to say about this?

00:19:35.859 --> 00:19:35.979
 Right?

00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:37.299
 We've got this Moabite.

00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:38.519
 She's really sketchy.

00:19:40.359 --> 00:19:43.759
 She had asked for permission

00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:44.719
 to glean and worked

00:19:44.719 --> 00:19:45.299
 all morning.

00:19:46.579 --> 00:19:47.740
 And the end of verse 7

00:19:47.740 --> 00:19:48.519
 is a little bit difficult

00:19:48.519 --> 00:19:49.259
 to understand.

00:19:49.479 --> 00:19:50.579
 No one really knows

00:19:50.579 --> 00:19:51.139
 what it means,

00:19:51.259 --> 00:19:52.219
 but I think what it means

00:19:52.219 --> 00:19:52.959
 is that she had been

00:19:52.959 --> 00:19:54.000
 working hard in the field

00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:54.539
 all morning,

00:19:54.619 --> 00:19:55.299
 and just now,

00:19:55.439 --> 00:19:56.799
 just before Boaz arrived,

00:19:57.319 --> 00:19:58.659
 she had taken a brief rest.

00:19:59.899 --> 00:20:01.339
 Now look at how Boaz

00:20:01.339 --> 00:20:02.439
 responds to Ruth

00:20:02.439 --> 00:20:03.399
 once he realizes

00:20:03.399 --> 00:20:04.319
 that she's in need.

00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:06.359
 He does nine things

00:20:06.359 --> 00:20:06.719
 for her.

00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:09.200
 He doesn't toss her

00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:10.200
 a little bit of money

00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:11.100
 and send her on her way.

00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:13.259
 He does nine substantial things

00:20:13.259 --> 00:20:13.579
 for her,

00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:15.180
 each one kinder

00:20:15.180 --> 00:20:16.339
 than the one before.

00:20:16.740 --> 00:20:17.860
 First, in verse 8,

00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:18.640
 he calls her,

00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:19.480
 my daughter.

00:20:21.180 --> 00:20:22.140
 He's a rich,

00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:23.339
 Israelite man,

00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:24.140
 and she's a poor

00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:24.980
 Moabite woman,

00:20:25.120 --> 00:20:26.079
 but he makes her feel

00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:27.660
 comfortable and accepted.

00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:29.680
 He could say to her,

00:20:29.779 --> 00:20:30.720
 what are you doing here?

00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:32.100
 But he doesn't.

00:20:32.420 --> 00:20:33.120
 He calls her,

00:20:33.120 --> 00:20:34.180
 my daughter.

00:20:34.980 --> 00:20:35.700
 It's kind.

00:20:35.900 --> 00:20:36.980
 It's a family term.

00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:39.000
 It's a term of acceptance.

00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:40.259
 Second,

00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:41.340
 at the end of verse 8,

00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:42.180
 he asks her

00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:43.680
 to stay in his field.

00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:45.519
 It's not just

00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:45.940
 that he's going

00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:46.820
 to tolerate her.

00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:47.380
 It's not just

00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:47.799
 that he's going

00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:49.019
 to overlook her presence

00:20:49.019 --> 00:20:50.460
 even though he wishes

00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:51.279
 that she weren't there.

00:20:51.380 --> 00:20:52.500
 He wants her there.

00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.440
 He wants to make

00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:54.240
 her feel comfortable.

00:20:55.220 --> 00:20:55.880
 There may not be

00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:56.519
 that much food

00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:57.120
 to go around.

00:20:57.220 --> 00:20:57.840
 There may not be

00:20:57.840 --> 00:20:58.820
 that much grain

00:20:58.820 --> 00:21:00.100
 on the edges of the field

00:21:00.100 --> 00:21:01.140
 or that's left over

00:21:01.140 --> 00:21:01.720
 in the field.

00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:02.519
 What about all

00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:03.580
 the Israelite poor people?

00:21:04.460 --> 00:21:05.340
 Shouldn't the Israelites

00:21:05.340 --> 00:21:06.360
 have first dibs

00:21:06.360 --> 00:21:06.940
 on this food?

00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:08.160
 It's Israelite territory

00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:08.880
 after all.

00:21:09.880 --> 00:21:10.500
 Is it right

00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:11.140
 that some of it

00:21:11.140 --> 00:21:12.500
 would go to a Moabite girl?

00:21:13.600 --> 00:21:14.019
 Yes.

00:21:15.860 --> 00:21:16.980
 The third thing he does

00:21:16.980 --> 00:21:17.980
 is also in verse 8.

00:21:18.060 --> 00:21:18.600
 He tells her

00:21:18.600 --> 00:21:19.580
 to stay close

00:21:19.580 --> 00:21:20.680
 to his young women.

00:21:22.259 --> 00:21:23.240
 Not only will this

00:21:23.240 --> 00:21:24.259
 keep her safe,

00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:25.539
 but it also gives her

00:21:25.539 --> 00:21:26.759
 a sense of identity.

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:27.940
 Instead of working

00:21:27.940 --> 00:21:29.120
 in the field all alone,

00:21:29.259 --> 00:21:30.299
 she's with someone.

00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:31.940
 She's not a lonely

00:21:31.940 --> 00:21:32.759
 foreign girl

00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:34.200
 in a sea of strangers.

00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:36.279
 She belongs to that group

00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:37.600
 with those harvesters.

00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:39.880
 She's with Boaz's

00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:40.720
 female workers.

00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:42.759
 See, he's going

00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:44.000
 above and beyond here.

00:21:44.120 --> 00:21:45.360
 All he has to do

00:21:45.360 --> 00:21:46.960
 in order to obey

00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:48.000
 the Mosaic law

00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:49.620
 is just leave her alone.

00:21:49.980 --> 00:21:51.019
 That's all he has to do.

00:21:51.220 --> 00:21:51.840
 All he has to do

00:21:51.840 --> 00:21:52.860
 is allow her

00:21:52.860 --> 00:21:54.000
 to just stick

00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:54.580
 on the edges

00:21:54.580 --> 00:21:55.279
 of the field

00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:57.039
 and be one of those

00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:57.580
 poor people

00:21:57.580 --> 00:21:58.059
 that comes

00:21:58.059 --> 00:21:59.340
 to see what she can find.

00:21:59.339 --> 00:22:00.319
 But he is taking

00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:01.699
 a particular interest

00:22:01.699 --> 00:22:02.480
 in her welfare.

00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:04.519
 Fourth,

00:22:05.059 --> 00:22:05.759
 verse 9,

00:22:05.879 --> 00:22:06.699
 he specifically

00:22:06.699 --> 00:22:08.679
 instructs the young men

00:22:08.679 --> 00:22:09.740
 not to touch her.

00:22:11.139 --> 00:22:12.000
 You can imagine

00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.179
 in some work environments

00:22:13.179 --> 00:22:14.000
 what women

00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:15.480
 have to put up with

00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:17.240
 as far as men

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:18.079
 hassling them.

00:22:18.959 --> 00:22:20.000
 This word touch

00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:21.319
 in Hebrew

00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:22.899
 often has a sexual

00:22:22.899 --> 00:22:24.139
 connotation to it.

00:22:24.459 --> 00:22:25.399
 So we don't know here

00:22:25.399 --> 00:22:27.119
 if Boaz is concerned

00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:27.740
 about guys

00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:28.699
 pushing her around

00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:29.440
 or if he's

00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:30.779
 concerned about

00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:31.779
 something more serious

00:22:31.779 --> 00:22:32.299
 than that.

00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:32.640
 Remember,

00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:33.360
 we're in the time

00:22:33.360 --> 00:22:34.319
 of the judges here.

00:22:35.319 --> 00:22:36.259
 It's a particularly

00:22:36.259 --> 00:22:37.080
 dangerous time

00:22:37.080 --> 00:22:37.519
 for women.

00:22:37.779 --> 00:22:38.500
 The Levite

00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:39.680
 and his concubine

00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:42.799
 who were raped

00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:43.920
 and murdered,

00:22:45.080 --> 00:22:45.880
 that took place

00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:46.700
 seven miles

00:22:46.700 --> 00:22:47.500
 from this spot.

00:22:47.819 --> 00:22:48.480
 Seven miles.

00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:49.960
 And it was this town

00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:50.500
 that they were

00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:51.380
 leaving from

00:22:51.380 --> 00:22:51.860
 when they tried

00:22:51.860 --> 00:22:52.259
 to get back

00:22:52.259 --> 00:22:52.779
 to their home.

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.480
 Here is Ruth,

00:22:55.600 --> 00:22:56.740
 a foreign girl,

00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:57.240
 right,

00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:57.779
 with no one

00:22:57.779 --> 00:22:58.359
 to protect her.

00:22:58.420 --> 00:22:59.119
 She's a prime

00:22:59.119 --> 00:22:59.599
 target,

00:22:59.819 --> 00:23:00.680
 but Boaz

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:01.440
 explicitly

00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:02.339
 calls his guys

00:23:02.339 --> 00:23:03.000
 over and says,

00:23:03.160 --> 00:23:03.879
 you leave her

00:23:03.879 --> 00:23:04.460
 alone.

00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:06.859
 Fifth,

00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:08.519
 in verse 9,

00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:09.139
 he says that

00:23:09.139 --> 00:23:10.079
 if she's thirsty,

00:23:10.299 --> 00:23:11.279
 she can drink water

00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:12.220
 from what the male

00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:13.240
 servants have drawn.

00:23:13.339 --> 00:23:13.940
 That's a little bit

00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:14.779
 unusual because

00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:15.859
 in ancient Israel,

00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:17.740
 it was the foreigners

00:23:17.740 --> 00:23:18.519
 who were supposed

00:23:18.519 --> 00:23:19.619
 to do the manual labor

00:23:19.619 --> 00:23:20.420
 and draw water

00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:21.460
 for the Israelites.

00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:23.180
 Not only that,

00:23:23.259 --> 00:23:24.039
 but in that culture,

00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:25.139
 it was the women

00:23:25.139 --> 00:23:26.099
 who were supposed

00:23:26.099 --> 00:23:26.959
 to draw the water

00:23:26.959 --> 00:23:27.699
 for the men.

00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:31.059
 Now Boaz

00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:31.599
 is starting to get

00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:32.519
 a little carried away

00:23:32.519 --> 00:23:34.719
 because he's saying

00:23:34.719 --> 00:23:35.959
 that his men

00:23:35.959 --> 00:23:36.579
 are going to draw

00:23:36.579 --> 00:23:37.539
 water for her.

00:23:37.819 --> 00:23:39.339
 He has so far

00:23:39.339 --> 00:23:39.879
 just shown

00:23:39.879 --> 00:23:41.559
 basic human decency,

00:23:41.719 --> 00:23:42.279
 but now

00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:43.319
 he's giving her

00:23:43.319 --> 00:23:44.019
 his stuff.

00:23:46.299 --> 00:23:47.179
 And she can't

00:23:47.179 --> 00:23:48.079
 believe her ears.

00:23:49.139 --> 00:23:49.859
 It's shocking

00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:50.500
 generosity,

00:23:50.659 --> 00:23:51.139
 and she doesn't know

00:23:51.139 --> 00:23:51.779
 what to make of it.

00:23:51.819 --> 00:23:52.399
 And so she says

00:23:52.399 --> 00:23:53.000
 in verse 10,

00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:55.039
 I'm a foreigner.

00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:56.740
 Why are you

00:23:56.740 --> 00:23:57.740
 treating me like this?

00:23:57.799 --> 00:23:58.660
 She expected

00:23:58.660 --> 00:23:59.279
 to be treated

00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:00.319
 like an outsider.

00:24:01.660 --> 00:24:02.319
 Here's this

00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:03.900
 close-knit community

00:24:03.900 --> 00:24:05.200
 of Bethlehem.

00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:05.940
 This isn't the way

00:24:05.940 --> 00:24:07.220
 they treat Moabites

00:24:07.220 --> 00:24:07.940
 and outsiders.

00:24:09.700 --> 00:24:10.700
 And Boaz answers

00:24:10.700 --> 00:24:11.680
 that he has heard

00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:12.900
 how good she has been

00:24:12.900 --> 00:24:13.440
 to Naomi.

00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:15.240
 It's interesting.

00:24:15.380 --> 00:24:16.019
 Even though Naomi

00:24:16.019 --> 00:24:16.920
 was so bitter,

00:24:18.359 --> 00:24:19.099
 she evidently

00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:20.000
 had told people

00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:21.079
 how her daughter-in-law

00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:22.539
 had forsaken her life

00:24:22.539 --> 00:24:23.039
 in Moab

00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:23.659
 and come back

00:24:23.659 --> 00:24:24.099
 with her

00:24:24.099 --> 00:24:25.720
 to take care of her.

00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:28.839
 So in verse 12,

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:30.039
 Boaz blesses her

00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:30.519
 and he says

00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:31.319
 something very

00:24:31.319 --> 00:24:32.079
 significant.

00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:33.919
 He says,

00:24:34.059 --> 00:24:35.179
 May a full reward

00:24:35.179 --> 00:24:35.839
 be given you

00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:36.480
 by the Lord,

00:24:36.539 --> 00:24:37.220
 the God of Israel,

00:24:37.379 --> 00:24:38.500
 under whose wings

00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:39.279
 you have come

00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:40.460
 to take refuge.

00:24:42.059 --> 00:24:42.299
 See,

00:24:42.379 --> 00:24:43.139
 whatever Ruth

00:24:43.139 --> 00:24:44.099
 thought she would

00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:44.839
 find when she

00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:45.779
 came to Israel,

00:24:46.859 --> 00:24:47.639
 and we know

00:24:47.639 --> 00:24:48.259
 she thought

00:24:48.259 --> 00:24:48.939
 she was coming

00:24:48.939 --> 00:24:49.659
 to starvation

00:24:49.660 --> 00:24:50.240
 and death,

00:24:51.080 --> 00:24:52.140
 she has actually

00:24:52.140 --> 00:24:52.700
 come,

00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:53.620
 Boaz says,

00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:55.540
 to find refuge

00:24:55.540 --> 00:24:56.580
 under the wings

00:24:56.580 --> 00:24:57.259
 of God.

00:24:58.220 --> 00:24:59.320
 She has given up

00:24:59.320 --> 00:25:00.480
 the gods of Moab

00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:01.640
 and committed herself

00:25:01.640 --> 00:25:02.240
 to the Lord,

00:25:02.320 --> 00:25:03.060
 the God of Israel,

00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:04.080
 and whether she knew

00:25:04.080 --> 00:25:04.940
 it or not,

00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:06.420
 she was coming

00:25:06.420 --> 00:25:07.000
 to Israel

00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:08.200
 to find refuge

00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:09.340
 under the wings

00:25:09.340 --> 00:25:10.100
 of God.

00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:11.380
 And what do the wings

00:25:11.380 --> 00:25:12.779
 of God look like?

00:25:16.900 --> 00:25:18.300
 They look like Boaz.

00:25:19.660 --> 00:25:20.700
 Do you see the link?

00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:22.080
 This is Boaz

00:25:22.080 --> 00:25:22.820
 saying this.

00:25:23.840 --> 00:25:25.100
 He has just done

00:25:25.100 --> 00:25:26.400
 all of these things

00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:26.720
 for her,

00:25:26.779 --> 00:25:27.860
 and he's not done yet.

00:25:29.019 --> 00:25:29.779
 And he is saying,

00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:30.920
 when I do these

00:25:30.920 --> 00:25:31.660
 things for you,

00:25:31.720 --> 00:25:32.640
 when I show this

00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:33.580
 kindness for you,

00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:35.279
 when I welcome you

00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:36.240
 and protect you

00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:37.200
 and give you water

00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:38.080
 that my young men

00:25:38.080 --> 00:25:38.680
 have drawn,

00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:40.480
 this is the wings

00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:41.519
 of the Lord,

00:25:41.840 --> 00:25:42.820
 the God of Israel.

00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:44.920
 He says,

00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:45.940
 I am doing these

00:25:45.940 --> 00:25:47.240
 things on behalf

00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:47.700
 of God,

00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:48.140
 and when you

00:25:48.140 --> 00:25:48.600
 come under

00:25:48.600 --> 00:25:49.480
 my protection,

00:25:49.980 --> 00:25:50.700
 you come under

00:25:50.700 --> 00:25:51.940
 God's protection.

00:25:52.140 --> 00:25:53.559
 My goodness toward you

00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:55.180
 is done on behalf

00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:55.720
 of God.

00:25:55.799 --> 00:25:56.519
 That is incredibly

00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:57.160
 significant.

00:25:58.880 --> 00:26:00.039
 And she cannot believe

00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:01.259
 Boaz's kindness.

00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:01.980
 Look what she says

00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:02.740
 in verse 13.

00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:03.240
 She says,

00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:04.600
 you have comforted me

00:26:04.600 --> 00:26:06.460
 and you have spoken

00:26:06.460 --> 00:26:07.779
 kindly to your servant

00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:09.200
 even though I am not

00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:10.539
 one of your servants.

00:26:10.819 --> 00:26:11.500
 Now in Hebrew,

00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:12.259
 there are a number

00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:13.180
 of different words

00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:13.900
 for servant.

00:26:14.519 --> 00:26:15.000
 And the word

00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:15.940
 that she uses here

00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:16.519
 when she says,

00:26:16.620 --> 00:26:17.080
 I am not even

00:26:17.080 --> 00:26:18.539
 one of your servants

00:26:18.539 --> 00:26:19.680
 and you are being

00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:20.620
 so nice to me.

00:26:20.779 --> 00:26:21.820
 The word that she uses

00:26:21.820 --> 00:26:22.500
 for servant

00:26:22.500 --> 00:26:24.299
 is the lowest word.

00:26:24.420 --> 00:26:25.720
 It is the bottom rung.

00:26:26.539 --> 00:26:27.320
 It is the lowest

00:26:27.320 --> 00:26:28.440
 position of society.

00:26:28.820 --> 00:26:29.799
 This kind of servant

00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:31.220
 is so low

00:26:31.220 --> 00:26:32.299
 in social status

00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:33.100
 that they were not

00:26:33.100 --> 00:26:33.680
 even able

00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:34.680
 to become a wife.

00:26:35.120 --> 00:26:35.660
 They could be

00:26:35.660 --> 00:26:36.400
 a concubine

00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:37.400
 like a mistress.

00:26:39.440 --> 00:26:40.660
 They were the ones

00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:41.039
 who,

00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:41.779
 you know,

00:26:41.820 --> 00:26:42.500
 like with Abraham

00:26:42.500 --> 00:26:43.160
 and Hagar,

00:26:43.320 --> 00:26:43.860
 if your wife

00:26:43.860 --> 00:26:44.600
 couldn't conceive,

00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:45.279
 you could go

00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:47.139
 into your servant

00:26:47.139 --> 00:26:48.240
 and have a child

00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:48.859
 through her.

00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:50.879
 They were the ones

00:26:50.879 --> 00:26:52.159
 who did the manual labor

00:26:52.159 --> 00:26:53.399
 grinding grain

00:26:53.399 --> 00:26:54.879
 and washing people's feet,

00:26:54.959 --> 00:26:56.719
 all the dirty jobs

00:26:56.719 --> 00:26:57.819
 that nobody else wanted.

00:26:57.939 --> 00:26:58.299
 She says,

00:26:58.379 --> 00:26:58.500
 look,

00:26:58.639 --> 00:27:00.459
 I am not even there.

00:27:00.619 --> 00:27:01.359
 I am not even

00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:02.059
 like one of your

00:27:02.059 --> 00:27:03.279
 lowest servants.

00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:05.039
 And yet,

00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:05.519
 you are being

00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:06.699
 so good to me.

00:27:07.459 --> 00:27:08.099
 It's incredible

00:27:08.099 --> 00:27:09.359
 that Boaz

00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:09.839
 would treat her

00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:10.379
 this way.

00:27:10.899 --> 00:27:11.500
 But Boaz

00:27:11.500 --> 00:27:12.500
 is not done yet.

00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:14.359
 He's already done

00:27:14.359 --> 00:27:15.359
 five things for her.

00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:16.339
 Look at number six

00:27:16.339 --> 00:27:17.180
 in verse 14.

00:27:17.299 --> 00:27:17.960
 He invites her

00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:18.900
 to the noon meal.

00:27:20.099 --> 00:27:20.259
 Now,

00:27:20.299 --> 00:27:20.759
 the meal

00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:21.380
 wasn't just

00:27:21.380 --> 00:27:22.180
 a time to eat.

00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:22.880
 It communicated

00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:24.019
 something socially

00:27:24.019 --> 00:27:25.279
 about who belonged.

00:27:27.140 --> 00:27:27.619
 And Boaz

00:27:27.619 --> 00:27:27.980
 is there

00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:28.960
 eating with his workers

00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:29.799
 and he says to Ruth,

00:27:29.900 --> 00:27:30.500
 come over here.

00:27:30.700 --> 00:27:31.440
 She may have been

00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:32.319
 keeping her distance

00:27:32.319 --> 00:27:33.980
 because she didn't

00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:34.880
 really belong with them.

00:27:34.980 --> 00:27:35.359
 She's just,

00:27:35.460 --> 00:27:35.720
 you know,

00:27:35.779 --> 00:27:36.299
 she's just one

00:27:36.299 --> 00:27:37.140
 of the other poor people.

00:27:37.180 --> 00:27:37.519
 But he says,

00:27:37.579 --> 00:27:37.900
 come here,

00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:38.200
 come.

00:27:38.579 --> 00:27:39.859
 Come join our meal.

00:27:39.940 --> 00:27:41.180
 And he passes her food

00:27:41.180 --> 00:27:42.019
 and it says

00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:42.880
 that there's

00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:44.000
 a dipping sauce.

00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:45.180
 And that means

00:27:45.180 --> 00:27:45.840
 that he's not just

00:27:45.840 --> 00:27:46.400
 kind of giving her

00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.539
 the leftover scraps,

00:27:47.660 --> 00:27:48.600
 but she is fully

00:27:48.600 --> 00:27:50.039
 invited into this meal.

00:27:51.880 --> 00:27:52.799
 And that means

00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:53.259
 she probably

00:27:53.259 --> 00:27:54.440
 didn't have her own lunch.

00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:55.380
 What was she

00:27:55.380 --> 00:27:56.180
 going to eat that day?

00:27:58.279 --> 00:27:59.740
 But she not only

00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:00.820
 had plenty

00:28:00.820 --> 00:28:02.299
 to satisfy her,

00:28:02.360 --> 00:28:02.860
 but she had

00:28:02.860 --> 00:28:03.860
 some left over.

00:28:04.820 --> 00:28:05.180
 Seventh,

00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:06.180
 at the end

00:28:06.180 --> 00:28:06.940
 of verse 15,

00:28:07.060 --> 00:28:07.740
 he says that she

00:28:07.740 --> 00:28:08.360
 can glean

00:28:08.360 --> 00:28:09.440
 even among

00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:10.299
 the sheaves.

00:28:11.180 --> 00:28:11.580
 Now,

00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:11.960
 the way that

00:28:11.960 --> 00:28:12.660
 the gleaning

00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:13.500
 normally worked

00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:14.620
 is that the harvesters

00:28:14.620 --> 00:28:15.080
 would go through

00:28:15.080 --> 00:28:15.480
 the field

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:16.640
 and as they picked up,

00:28:16.900 --> 00:28:17.440
 they would cut

00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:17.960
 the grain,

00:28:18.299 --> 00:28:20.160
 the stalks of grain

00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:20.900
 and they would tie it

00:28:20.900 --> 00:28:21.440
 into bundles

00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:22.080
 and some of them

00:28:22.080 --> 00:28:22.740
 would accidentally

00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:23.299
 be dropped

00:28:23.299 --> 00:28:23.880
 and then you could

00:28:23.880 --> 00:28:24.620
 go through after

00:28:24.620 --> 00:28:26.220
 and you could see

00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:26.920
 what you could find.

00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:28.000
 But what they're doing

00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:28.400
 is,

00:28:29.660 --> 00:28:31.039
 Boaz is telling her

00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:31.940
 that she's allowed

00:28:31.940 --> 00:28:32.759
 to glean

00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:34.380
 even among the grain

00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:34.980
 that was already

00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:35.519
 harvested.

00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:38.440
 That's not gleaning.

00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:40.279
 He's saying,

00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:41.100
 don't make her

00:28:41.100 --> 00:28:41.799
 go through the field

00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:42.680
 looking for scraps.

00:28:42.940 --> 00:28:43.740
 Just let her go over

00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:44.440
 to the piles

00:28:44.440 --> 00:28:45.340
 that you've already cut

00:28:45.340 --> 00:28:45.860
 and she can just

00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:46.519
 kind of get the grain

00:28:46.519 --> 00:28:46.960
 from there.

00:28:49.420 --> 00:28:49.900
 Eighth,

00:28:50.960 --> 00:28:52.340
 he protects her dignity.

00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:53.180
 Look at the end

00:28:53.180 --> 00:28:53.940
 of verse 15,

00:28:54.080 --> 00:28:55.940
 and do not reproach her.

00:28:57.559 --> 00:28:59.039
 Not only were the young men

00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:00.440
 not allowed to forbid her

00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:01.160
 for doing this,

00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:02.320
 but they were not allowed

00:29:02.320 --> 00:29:04.160
 to humiliate or tease her.

00:29:04.160 --> 00:29:07.160
 No snide comments.

00:29:08.900 --> 00:29:10.640
 No remarks

00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:11.800
 about her ethnicity.

00:29:13.360 --> 00:29:13.880
 The workers

00:29:13.880 --> 00:29:14.560
 are supposed

00:29:14.560 --> 00:29:15.560
 to accept her

00:29:15.560 --> 00:29:16.320
 and treat her

00:29:16.320 --> 00:29:17.040
 with kindness.

00:29:17.560 --> 00:29:18.080
 And finally,

00:29:18.279 --> 00:29:18.620
 ninth,

00:29:18.700 --> 00:29:19.880
 here is where Boaz

00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:21.500
 just really goes overboard.

00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:23.660
 He tells his workers,

00:29:23.800 --> 00:29:24.220
 you know what,

00:29:24.540 --> 00:29:26.340
 just pull out the grain

00:29:26.340 --> 00:29:27.240
 and leave it lying

00:29:27.240 --> 00:29:27.680
 on the ground

00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:28.460
 for her to pick up.

00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:30.680
 I mean,

00:29:30.740 --> 00:29:31.900
 now they're purposefully

00:29:31.900 --> 00:29:32.700
 dropping bundles

00:29:32.700 --> 00:29:33.200
 on the ground

00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:33.600
 and saying,

00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:33.840
 you know,

00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:34.519
 over there.

00:29:36.919 --> 00:29:37.319
 So,

00:29:37.459 --> 00:29:38.199
 it's no surprise

00:29:38.199 --> 00:29:38.720
 that at the end

00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:39.299
 of the day,

00:29:40.179 --> 00:29:41.119
 when she beat out

00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:42.099
 what she had gleaned

00:29:42.099 --> 00:29:42.799
 in verse 17,

00:29:42.899 --> 00:29:43.319
 it was about

00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:44.519
 an ephah of barley.

00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:46.319
 Now,

00:29:46.379 --> 00:29:47.139
 an ephah is

00:29:47.139 --> 00:29:48.519
 one-tenth of a homer,

00:29:48.619 --> 00:29:49.240
 and a homer

00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:49.859
 is how much

00:29:49.859 --> 00:29:51.259
 a donkey can carry.

00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:52.779
 So,

00:29:52.899 --> 00:29:53.259
 scholars

00:29:53.259 --> 00:29:54.500
 guess

00:29:54.500 --> 00:29:55.279
 that an ephah

00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:55.819
 is something

00:29:55.819 --> 00:29:57.740
 about 30 to 50 pounds

00:29:57.740 --> 00:29:58.319
 of grain.

00:29:59.199 --> 00:29:59.399
 So,

00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:00.220
 she didn't go home

00:30:00.220 --> 00:30:00.599
 that night

00:30:00.599 --> 00:30:02.639
 with a little bag,

00:30:02.859 --> 00:30:03.119
 you know,

00:30:03.159 --> 00:30:03.319
 oh,

00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:03.500
 look,

00:30:03.559 --> 00:30:04.019
 I got enough

00:30:04.019 --> 00:30:04.480
 for a couple

00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:05.059
 of days.

00:30:05.379 --> 00:30:06.740
 She is hoisting

00:30:06.740 --> 00:30:08.220
 a massive bag

00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:08.740
 of grain

00:30:08.740 --> 00:30:09.759
 on her back

00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:11.179
 and going back

00:30:11.179 --> 00:30:11.899
 to Bethlehem

00:30:11.899 --> 00:30:12.960
 to her mother-in-law,

00:30:13.399 --> 00:30:14.079
 probably about

00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:15.139
 two weeks worth

00:30:15.139 --> 00:30:15.659
 of work.

00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:16.759
 It was so much

00:30:16.759 --> 00:30:17.619
 grain that she got.

00:30:19.619 --> 00:30:20.679
 When she gets home,

00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:21.619
 she does two things.

00:30:21.740 --> 00:30:22.079
 First,

00:30:22.939 --> 00:30:24.379
 she shows Naomi

00:30:24.379 --> 00:30:25.539
 what she had gleaned,

00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:27.180
 and,

00:30:27.180 --> 00:30:28.059
 it says at the end

00:30:28.059 --> 00:30:28.680
 of verse 18,

00:30:28.779 --> 00:30:29.319
 she gave her

00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:29.839
 what food

00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:30.839
 she had left over

00:30:30.839 --> 00:30:32.159
 after being satisfied.

00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:33.379
 This is the same wording

00:30:33.379 --> 00:30:34.480
 that we saw

00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:35.319
 at the lunch

00:30:35.319 --> 00:30:36.240
 in verse 14.

00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:38.079
 This isn't the grain

00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:38.740
 that she gleaned

00:30:38.740 --> 00:30:39.299
 in the field.

00:30:39.480 --> 00:30:40.839
 This is the lunch

00:30:40.839 --> 00:30:42.180
 that Boaz

00:30:42.180 --> 00:30:42.720
 had given her.

00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:43.319
 And I think

00:30:43.319 --> 00:30:43.980
 that means

00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:44.940
 that Naomi

00:30:44.940 --> 00:30:45.720
 had not eaten

00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:46.759
 anything all day.

00:30:48.019 --> 00:30:48.579
 But now,

00:30:48.659 --> 00:30:49.480
 Ruth is providing

00:30:49.480 --> 00:30:50.039
 for her

00:30:50.039 --> 00:30:50.680
 out of what

00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:51.180
 Boaz

00:30:51.180 --> 00:30:51.539
 had given

00:30:51.539 --> 00:30:52.119
 to her.

00:30:52.119 --> 00:30:54.259
 and Naomi

00:30:54.259 --> 00:30:54.779
 doesn't have

00:30:54.779 --> 00:30:55.379
 to be hungry.

00:30:56.519 --> 00:30:57.379
 Ruth comes home,

00:30:57.439 --> 00:30:58.099
 not just with

00:30:58.099 --> 00:30:59.559
 a gigantic bag

00:30:59.559 --> 00:31:00.199
 of groceries,

00:31:00.500 --> 00:31:01.139
 but with dinner.

00:31:03.619 --> 00:31:04.319
 And her mother-in-law

00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:04.879
 said to her,

00:31:05.179 --> 00:31:05.719
 where did you

00:31:05.719 --> 00:31:06.459
 glean today?

00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:09.179
 Blessed be the man

00:31:09.179 --> 00:31:09.919
 who took notice

00:31:09.919 --> 00:31:10.399
 of you.

00:31:10.579 --> 00:31:10.719
 See,

00:31:10.779 --> 00:31:11.239
 Naomi knows

00:31:11.239 --> 00:31:12.299
 something is up here.

00:31:12.379 --> 00:31:13.239
 You don't go to glean

00:31:13.239 --> 00:31:14.019
 and bring home

00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:15.119
 that much food.

00:31:15.659 --> 00:31:16.379
 And Ruth tells her

00:31:16.379 --> 00:31:17.519
 that it was Boaz

00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:18.199
 who had helped her

00:31:18.199 --> 00:31:19.099
 and in 2.20,

00:31:19.239 --> 00:31:20.219
 Naomi now says

00:31:20.219 --> 00:31:21.259
 something very

00:31:21.259 --> 00:31:22.099
 significant.

00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:23.919
 She says,

00:31:24.119 --> 00:31:25.059
 May he be blessed

00:31:25.059 --> 00:31:25.719
 by the Lord

00:31:25.719 --> 00:31:26.459
 whose kindness

00:31:26.459 --> 00:31:27.619
 has not forsaken

00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:28.039
 the living

00:31:28.039 --> 00:31:28.679
 or the dead.

00:31:29.659 --> 00:31:30.179
 Kindness.

00:31:32.639 --> 00:31:34.139
 May Boaz

00:31:34.139 --> 00:31:34.839
 be blessed

00:31:34.839 --> 00:31:35.479
 by the Lord

00:31:35.479 --> 00:31:36.239
 whose kindness

00:31:36.239 --> 00:31:37.159
 has not forsaken

00:31:37.159 --> 00:31:38.079
 us or our

00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:38.799
 dead husbands.

00:31:40.439 --> 00:31:41.619
 Naomi interprets

00:31:41.619 --> 00:31:42.879
 Boaz's kindness

00:31:42.879 --> 00:31:43.959
 to Ruth

00:31:43.959 --> 00:31:46.299
 as the way

00:31:46.299 --> 00:31:46.939
 that the Lord

00:31:46.939 --> 00:31:47.539
 has shown

00:31:47.539 --> 00:31:48.159
 his kindness.

00:31:49.099 --> 00:31:50.099
 When she hears

00:31:50.099 --> 00:31:50.799
 what Boaz

00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:51.639
 has done for Ruth,

00:31:51.640 --> 00:31:52.860
 she gives the credit

00:31:52.860 --> 00:31:53.880
 to the Lord.

00:31:55.880 --> 00:31:56.660
 Now there's

00:31:56.660 --> 00:31:57.720
 a little crack

00:31:57.720 --> 00:32:00.380
 in the hard shell

00:32:00.380 --> 00:32:01.440
 of Naomi's bitterness.

00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:04.360
 Maybe

00:32:04.360 --> 00:32:07.140
 the Lord

00:32:07.140 --> 00:32:07.860
 has not abandoned

00:32:07.860 --> 00:32:08.560
 them after all.

00:32:10.560 --> 00:32:11.440
 In verse 21,

00:32:11.580 --> 00:32:11.980
 Ruth says,

00:32:12.080 --> 00:32:12.160
 Well,

00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:12.740
 besides,

00:32:13.580 --> 00:32:14.259
 Boaz said to me,

00:32:14.320 --> 00:32:15.020
 You keep close

00:32:15.020 --> 00:32:16.040
 by my young men

00:32:16.040 --> 00:32:16.640
 until they have

00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:17.460
 finished all the harvest.

00:32:17.460 --> 00:32:17.579
 Boaz.

00:32:17.779 --> 00:32:18.519
 But that's not

00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:19.500
 what Boaz said

00:32:19.500 --> 00:32:21.840
 back in verse 8.

00:32:22.840 --> 00:32:23.720
 He had told her

00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:25.100
 to stay with the young women.

00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:25.559
 But see,

00:32:25.640 --> 00:32:26.460
 now Ruth says,

00:32:26.559 --> 00:32:26.720
 Well,

00:32:26.759 --> 00:32:27.380
 he told me to stay

00:32:27.380 --> 00:32:28.180
 with his young men.

00:32:29.860 --> 00:32:30.579
 I wonder.

00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:31.960
 Maybe she has

00:32:31.960 --> 00:32:32.579
 young men

00:32:32.579 --> 00:32:33.299
 on the mind.

00:32:35.059 --> 00:32:36.100
 Maybe she longs

00:32:36.100 --> 00:32:36.980
 for a young man

00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:39.000
 because she knows

00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:39.840
 that in the end

00:32:39.840 --> 00:32:40.980
 that's the only real hope

00:32:40.980 --> 00:32:41.960
 she has for a future.

00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:42.880
 But Naomi gently

00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:43.559
 corrects her

00:32:43.559 --> 00:32:44.319
 in verse 22

00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:44.960
 and says,

00:32:45.700 --> 00:32:45.819
 Yeah,

00:32:45.880 --> 00:32:46.400
 you stay with

00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:47.079
 his young women.

00:32:48.920 --> 00:32:50.039
 Then you'll be safe.

00:32:51.259 --> 00:32:51.819
 In other words,

00:32:51.960 --> 00:32:52.740
 I think she's saying,

00:32:52.819 --> 00:32:52.960
 Ruth,

00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:54.140
 don't get your hopes up.

00:32:55.340 --> 00:32:56.059
 You stay with

00:32:56.059 --> 00:32:56.720
 his young women.

00:32:57.880 --> 00:32:58.160
 So,

00:32:58.259 --> 00:32:58.819
 verse 23,

00:32:59.079 --> 00:32:59.819
 She kept close

00:32:59.819 --> 00:33:00.620
 to the young women

00:33:00.620 --> 00:33:01.779
 until the end

00:33:01.779 --> 00:33:02.220
 of the barley

00:33:02.220 --> 00:33:02.840
 and wheat harvest

00:33:02.840 --> 00:33:03.840
 and she lived

00:33:03.840 --> 00:33:05.420
 with her mother-in-law.

00:33:06.759 --> 00:33:07.140
 So,

00:33:07.220 --> 00:33:07.860
 let's make a few

00:33:07.860 --> 00:33:08.940
 overall observations

00:33:08.940 --> 00:33:09.600
 and we'll kind of

00:33:09.600 --> 00:33:10.220
 put this together

00:33:10.220 --> 00:33:10.759
 and talk about

00:33:10.759 --> 00:33:11.460
 the main point.

00:33:11.460 --> 00:33:12.440
 First of all,

00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:13.779
 the word kindness,

00:33:15.100 --> 00:33:16.620
 chesed in Hebrew,

00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:18.640
 is a very important word

00:33:18.640 --> 00:33:19.340
 in the Old Testament.

00:33:19.460 --> 00:33:19.860
 It's the word

00:33:19.860 --> 00:33:20.519
 that we talked about

00:33:20.519 --> 00:33:21.140
 last week.

00:33:22.340 --> 00:33:22.880
 It's sometimes

00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:24.140
 translated in our Bibles

00:33:24.140 --> 00:33:25.000
 as faithful

00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:25.980
 or loyal,

00:33:26.440 --> 00:33:26.920
 good,

00:33:27.539 --> 00:33:28.019
 merciful.

00:33:28.279 --> 00:33:28.799
 It describes

00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:29.720
 God's actions

00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:30.600
 toward his people

00:33:30.600 --> 00:33:31.920
 because he is connected

00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:33.519
 to them in relationship.

00:33:34.299 --> 00:33:35.000
 God acts

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:35.620
 for the benefit

00:33:35.620 --> 00:33:36.340
 of his people

00:33:36.340 --> 00:33:37.720
 not because they deserve it

00:33:37.720 --> 00:33:38.579
 and not because

00:33:38.579 --> 00:33:39.340
 it's going to benefit

00:33:39.340 --> 00:33:40.259
 him in any way

00:33:40.259 --> 00:33:41.599
 but because it is

00:33:41.599 --> 00:33:42.559
 in his nature

00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:43.440
 to do so.

00:33:44.220 --> 00:33:44.579
 And throughout

00:33:44.579 --> 00:33:45.379
 the Old Testament,

00:33:45.579 --> 00:33:46.779
 because God shows

00:33:46.779 --> 00:33:47.460
 his kindness

00:33:47.460 --> 00:33:48.379
 to his people,

00:33:48.819 --> 00:33:50.119
 he expects his people

00:33:50.119 --> 00:33:51.019
 to show the same

00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:52.180
 kindness toward each other.

00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:54.200
 In 2 Samuel 9,

00:33:54.319 --> 00:33:55.119
 David says,

00:33:55.119 --> 00:33:56.399
 is there not still

00:33:56.399 --> 00:33:57.519
 someone of the house

00:33:57.519 --> 00:33:58.000
 of Saul

00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.799
 that I may show

00:33:58.799 --> 00:33:59.779
 the kindness

00:33:59.779 --> 00:34:00.919
 of God to him?

00:34:02.259 --> 00:34:03.419
 In Micah 6, 8,

00:34:03.579 --> 00:34:04.679
 this is what the Lord

00:34:04.679 --> 00:34:05.639
 requires of you

00:34:05.639 --> 00:34:06.759
 to do justice

00:34:06.759 --> 00:34:08.739
 and to love kindness

00:34:08.739 --> 00:34:10.380
 and to walk humbly

00:34:10.380 --> 00:34:10.920
 with God.

00:34:11.639 --> 00:34:13.019
 In Hosea chapter 4,

00:34:13.159 --> 00:34:13.900
 God is angry

00:34:13.900 --> 00:34:14.480
 with Israel

00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:15.159
 because there is

00:34:15.159 --> 00:34:16.179
 no faithfulness

00:34:16.179 --> 00:34:17.539
 or kindness

00:34:17.539 --> 00:34:18.599
 or knowledge

00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:19.079
 of God

00:34:19.079 --> 00:34:19.759
 in the land.

00:34:20.759 --> 00:34:21.920
 This key word,

00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:22.659
 this key word

00:34:22.659 --> 00:34:23.779
 kindness occurs

00:34:23.779 --> 00:34:25.259
 exactly three times

00:34:25.259 --> 00:34:26.000
 in the book of Ruth.

00:34:26.079 --> 00:34:27.119
 We saw it last week

00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:27.980
 in chapter 1

00:34:27.980 --> 00:34:28.859
 and 1, 8,

00:34:29.899 --> 00:34:30.920
 when Naomi tells

00:34:30.920 --> 00:34:31.599
 her daughter-in-law,

00:34:31.759 --> 00:34:32.119
 may the Lord

00:34:32.119 --> 00:34:33.799
 deal kindly with you

00:34:33.799 --> 00:34:34.440
 as you have dealt

00:34:34.440 --> 00:34:34.980
 with the dead

00:34:34.980 --> 00:34:35.579
 and with me.

00:34:35.699 --> 00:34:36.679
 Naomi is linking

00:34:36.679 --> 00:34:38.599
 God's character

00:34:38.599 --> 00:34:40.099
 with good character.

00:34:41.379 --> 00:34:42.359
 Ruth has sacrificed

00:34:42.359 --> 00:34:43.759
 her future for Naomi.

00:34:43.899 --> 00:34:44.359
 That's something

00:34:44.359 --> 00:34:45.319
 that God would do

00:34:45.319 --> 00:34:47.039
 because God

00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:48.000
 is sacrificial

00:34:48.000 --> 00:34:49.179
 and kindness

00:34:49.179 --> 00:34:50.559
 comes from Ruth

00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:51.139
 ultimately

00:34:51.139 --> 00:34:52.000
 because God

00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:52.900
 is kind.

00:34:53.920 --> 00:34:54.739
 And the second time

00:34:54.739 --> 00:34:55.440
 we see this word

00:34:55.440 --> 00:34:55.840
 kindness

00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:57.300
 is here in this chapter

00:34:57.300 --> 00:34:58.159
 in 2.20

00:34:58.159 --> 00:34:59.579
 when Naomi says,

00:34:59.960 --> 00:35:00.659
 may Boaz

00:35:00.659 --> 00:35:01.340
 be blessed

00:35:01.340 --> 00:35:01.960
 by the Lord

00:35:01.960 --> 00:35:02.760
 whose kindness

00:35:02.760 --> 00:35:04.179
 has not forsaken

00:35:04.179 --> 00:35:04.599
 the living

00:35:04.599 --> 00:35:05.239
 or the dead.

00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:08.340
 What does Naomi mean

00:35:08.340 --> 00:35:09.579
 when she says

00:35:09.579 --> 00:35:10.320
 that God

00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:10.800
 has shown

00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:11.940
 his kindness

00:35:11.940 --> 00:35:12.480
 to them?

00:35:12.619 --> 00:35:12.780
 Well,

00:35:12.940 --> 00:35:13.480
 first of all,

00:35:13.539 --> 00:35:14.039
 one of the things

00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:14.780
 that's obviously

00:35:14.780 --> 00:35:15.820
 going in this story

00:35:15.820 --> 00:35:18.400
 is God's providence.

00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:22.120
 In 1.6,

00:35:22.240 --> 00:35:22.820
 Naomi hears

00:35:22.820 --> 00:35:23.460
 that God

00:35:23.460 --> 00:35:24.220
 has sent food

00:35:24.220 --> 00:35:25.059
 to his people.

00:35:25.240 --> 00:35:25.980
 In 1.22,

00:35:26.240 --> 00:35:27.059
 Naomi and Ruth

00:35:27.059 --> 00:35:28.559
 happen to arrive

00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:29.640
 just at the beginning

00:35:29.640 --> 00:35:30.740
 of the barley harvest.

00:35:30.900 --> 00:35:30.980
 Well,

00:35:31.000 --> 00:35:31.860
 that's very fortunate.

00:35:32.760 --> 00:35:33.820
 If they had arrived

00:35:33.820 --> 00:35:34.580
 any earlier,

00:35:34.700 --> 00:35:35.620
 they would have starved.

00:35:36.380 --> 00:35:37.200
 And if they had arrived

00:35:37.200 --> 00:35:37.840
 any later,

00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:38.740
 they would have missed

00:35:38.740 --> 00:35:39.800
 their chance to glean.

00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:42.860
 In 2.3,

00:35:42.860 --> 00:35:43.920
 Ruth just so

00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:44.660
 happened

00:35:44.659 --> 00:35:46.079
 to come to the part

00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:46.500
 of the field

00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:47.599
 belonging to Boaz.

00:35:48.420 --> 00:35:49.719
 She didn't even realize

00:35:49.719 --> 00:35:50.699
 that she was coming

00:35:50.699 --> 00:35:52.019
 to the one person

00:35:52.019 --> 00:35:52.679
 who would be willing

00:35:52.679 --> 00:35:53.199
 to help her.

00:35:53.279 --> 00:35:54.019
 She's gleaning

00:35:54.019 --> 00:35:55.139
 and kind of working

00:35:55.139 --> 00:35:55.699
 through the field

00:35:55.699 --> 00:35:56.299
 and all of a sudden

00:35:56.299 --> 00:35:57.219
 here's this guy

00:35:57.219 --> 00:35:58.219
 being nice to her.

00:35:59.359 --> 00:36:00.199
 And it isn't until

00:36:00.199 --> 00:36:01.000
 she gets home later

00:36:01.000 --> 00:36:01.519
 that evening

00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:02.480
 that she finds out

00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:03.440
 that he is

00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:05.000
 from her father-in-law's

00:36:05.000 --> 00:36:05.480
 family.

00:36:06.839 --> 00:36:07.859
 Boaz was just

00:36:07.859 --> 00:36:08.599
 the right man

00:36:08.599 --> 00:36:09.399
 for Ruth to meet.

00:36:09.480 --> 00:36:10.719
 If he had been kind

00:36:10.719 --> 00:36:12.799
 but not a kinsman,

00:36:12.799 --> 00:36:13.699
 he could not have

00:36:13.699 --> 00:36:14.819
 helped her long term

00:36:14.819 --> 00:36:15.619
 as we'll see.

00:36:16.739 --> 00:36:17.639
 But if he had been

00:36:17.639 --> 00:36:18.460
 a kinsman

00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:20.079
 but not kind,

00:36:20.919 --> 00:36:21.980
 then what good

00:36:21.980 --> 00:36:22.919
 would that have done?

00:36:24.919 --> 00:36:26.059
 The second way

00:36:26.059 --> 00:36:26.799
 that God has shown

00:36:26.799 --> 00:36:27.639
 his kindness

00:36:27.639 --> 00:36:28.079
 to Ruth

00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:28.659
 is not just

00:36:28.659 --> 00:36:29.259
 through his

00:36:29.259 --> 00:36:31.259
 prevailing providence

00:36:31.259 --> 00:36:32.639
 but through Boaz.

00:36:33.899 --> 00:36:34.739
 When Boaz

00:36:34.739 --> 00:36:35.919
 accepted Ruth

00:36:35.919 --> 00:36:37.719
 and protected her

00:36:37.719 --> 00:36:39.299
 and gave her food,

00:36:39.679 --> 00:36:41.039
 Naomi interprets

00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:42.119
 that as the kindness

00:36:42.119 --> 00:36:42.940
 of God.

00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:44.119
 And through Boaz,

00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:45.719
 God was kind

00:36:45.719 --> 00:36:46.320
 to Ruth

00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:47.559
 and kind to Naomi

00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:48.340
 and to their dead

00:36:48.340 --> 00:36:49.139
 husbands too.

00:36:49.559 --> 00:36:50.519
 God has not

00:36:50.519 --> 00:36:51.559
 forsaken them

00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:52.440
 after all.

00:36:54.840 --> 00:36:56.000
 The Lord has been

00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:57.340
 working behind the scenes

00:36:57.340 --> 00:36:58.279
 in his providence

00:36:58.279 --> 00:36:59.779
 in invisible ways

00:36:59.779 --> 00:37:01.440
 but he has been

00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:02.179
 also working

00:37:02.179 --> 00:37:03.119
 in very visible

00:37:03.119 --> 00:37:04.539
 and physical ways

00:37:04.539 --> 00:37:05.940
 through Boaz.

00:37:06.779 --> 00:37:07.420
 And Boaz

00:37:07.420 --> 00:37:08.420
 recognizes that

00:37:08.420 --> 00:37:08.860
 as well.

00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:10.320
 He does this

00:37:10.320 --> 00:37:11.079
 intentionally.

00:37:11.300 --> 00:37:12.320
 He takes it seriously

00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:13.420
 because in 2.12

00:37:13.420 --> 00:37:14.599
 he says to Ruth,

00:37:14.720 --> 00:37:15.880
 may you be rewarded

00:37:15.880 --> 00:37:16.599
 by God

00:37:16.599 --> 00:37:17.940
 under whose wings

00:37:17.940 --> 00:37:18.960
 you have come

00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:19.820
 to take refuge.

00:37:22.119 --> 00:37:23.500
 God does not

00:37:23.500 --> 00:37:25.599
 have physical wings

00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:26.380
 that Ruth

00:37:26.380 --> 00:37:26.860
 could come

00:37:26.860 --> 00:37:27.559
 to hide under.

00:37:29.400 --> 00:37:30.860
 But he has Boaz.

00:37:33.579 --> 00:37:34.099
 Those

00:37:34.099 --> 00:37:35.820
 are his boots

00:37:35.820 --> 00:37:36.480
 on the ground

00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:39.079
 to care for Ruth

00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:40.280
 on his behalf.

00:37:42.199 --> 00:37:43.139
 So here I think

00:37:43.139 --> 00:37:43.900
 is the main point

00:37:43.900 --> 00:37:44.460
 of Ruth 2.

00:37:44.579 --> 00:37:45.519
 And we're just

00:37:45.519 --> 00:37:46.820
 taking snippets

00:37:46.820 --> 00:37:47.300
 of the book

00:37:47.300 --> 00:37:48.300
 as we work

00:37:48.300 --> 00:37:49.119
 toward the conclusion

00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:50.219
 in chapter 3 and 4

00:37:50.219 --> 00:37:51.119
 but here I think

00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:51.740
 is the contribution

00:37:51.740 --> 00:37:52.760
 of this chapter.

00:37:53.240 --> 00:37:54.000
 God's people

00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:55.599
 provide for the needy

00:37:55.599 --> 00:37:56.760
 because God

00:37:56.760 --> 00:37:58.320
 cares for the needy.

00:37:59.099 --> 00:37:59.940
 His values

00:37:59.940 --> 00:38:01.059
 are reflected

00:38:01.059 --> 00:38:02.000
 in the actions

00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:02.679
 of Boaz

00:38:02.679 --> 00:38:04.460
 and like a mirror

00:38:04.460 --> 00:38:06.860
 Boaz's actions

00:38:06.860 --> 00:38:07.720
 tell us something

00:38:07.720 --> 00:38:08.420
 about God.

00:38:10.240 --> 00:38:11.820
 It's trickle down

00:38:11.820 --> 00:38:12.320
 kindness.

00:38:13.920 --> 00:38:14.659
 This isn't

00:38:14.659 --> 00:38:15.900
 survival of the fittest.

00:38:16.760 --> 00:38:18.039
 The only explanation

00:38:18.039 --> 00:38:18.920
 for Boaz

00:38:18.920 --> 00:38:20.000
 to act

00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:21.019
 against his own

00:38:21.019 --> 00:38:21.659
 self-interest

00:38:21.659 --> 00:38:22.740
 to care for someone

00:38:22.740 --> 00:38:23.699
 beside himself

00:38:23.699 --> 00:38:25.900
 to act this way

00:38:25.900 --> 00:38:26.480
 toward Ruth

00:38:26.480 --> 00:38:27.740
 is that his values

00:38:27.740 --> 00:38:28.480
 have been shaped

00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:29.360
 by God.

00:38:31.139 --> 00:38:32.280
 God cares

00:38:32.280 --> 00:38:33.440
 for the needy

00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:35.320
 and he wants us

00:38:35.320 --> 00:38:36.040
 to care for them

00:38:36.040 --> 00:38:36.560
 as well.

00:38:37.560 --> 00:38:38.340
 And we see this

00:38:38.340 --> 00:38:39.440
 throughout the Old Testament.

00:38:39.600 --> 00:38:40.260
 In the book of Exodus

00:38:40.260 --> 00:38:40.960
 it says

00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:42.200
 you shall not

00:38:42.200 --> 00:38:43.560
 pervert the justice

00:38:43.560 --> 00:38:44.540
 due the poor.

00:38:45.460 --> 00:38:46.720
 And it says

00:38:46.720 --> 00:38:48.080
 in the seventh day

00:38:48.080 --> 00:38:48.920
 leave your land

00:38:48.920 --> 00:38:49.519
 fallow

00:38:49.519 --> 00:38:50.280
 so that the poor

00:38:50.280 --> 00:38:51.220
 can eat from it.

00:38:52.640 --> 00:38:53.980
 In the book of Leviticus

00:38:53.980 --> 00:38:54.580
 it says

00:38:54.580 --> 00:38:55.440
 you should not

00:38:55.440 --> 00:38:56.060
 take advantage

00:38:56.060 --> 00:38:56.640
 of the poor

00:38:56.640 --> 00:38:57.280
 and turn them

00:38:57.280 --> 00:38:58.100
 into slaves.

00:38:59.420 --> 00:39:00.160
 In the book

00:39:00.160 --> 00:39:00.800
 of Deuteronomy

00:39:00.800 --> 00:39:01.160
 it says

00:39:01.160 --> 00:39:01.820
 if any of your

00:39:01.820 --> 00:39:02.940
 brothers become poor

00:39:02.940 --> 00:39:03.880
 you shall not

00:39:03.880 --> 00:39:04.820
 harden your heart

00:39:04.820 --> 00:39:05.700
 or shut your hand

00:39:05.700 --> 00:39:06.720
 against your poor brother.

00:39:07.059 --> 00:39:07.880
 And it says

00:39:07.880 --> 00:39:08.920
 you shall open

00:39:08.920 --> 00:39:09.760
 wide your hand

00:39:09.760 --> 00:39:10.360
 to your brother

00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:11.360
 to the needy

00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:12.140
 and to the poor

00:39:12.140 --> 00:39:13.100
 in your land.

00:39:14.140 --> 00:39:15.180
 And it says

00:39:15.180 --> 00:39:16.000
 you shall not

00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:17.360
 oppress a hired worker

00:39:17.360 --> 00:39:18.160
 who is poor

00:39:18.160 --> 00:39:18.900
 and needy.

00:39:19.440 --> 00:39:19.620
 Why?

00:39:21.680 --> 00:39:22.240
 Because

00:39:22.240 --> 00:39:23.800
 you shall remember

00:39:23.800 --> 00:39:25.059
 that you were a slave

00:39:25.059 --> 00:39:26.240
 in the land of Egypt

00:39:26.240 --> 00:39:26.740
 therefore

00:39:26.740 --> 00:39:28.140
 I command you

00:39:28.140 --> 00:39:28.880
 to do this.

00:39:30.080 --> 00:39:30.780
 What about

00:39:30.780 --> 00:39:31.500
 in the New Testament?

00:39:32.620 --> 00:39:33.240
 In James

00:39:33.240 --> 00:39:33.880
 chapter 1

00:39:33.880 --> 00:39:34.340
 27

00:39:34.340 --> 00:39:35.120
 it says

00:39:35.120 --> 00:39:36.059
 worship

00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.960
 that is pure

00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:37.900
 and undefiled

00:39:37.900 --> 00:39:38.660
 before God

00:39:38.660 --> 00:39:39.180
 the Father

00:39:39.180 --> 00:39:39.800
 is this

00:39:39.800 --> 00:39:40.900
 to visit orphans

00:39:40.900 --> 00:39:41.539
 and widows

00:39:41.539 --> 00:39:42.600
 in their affliction.

00:39:44.360 --> 00:39:45.320
 And in chapter 2

00:39:45.320 --> 00:39:45.920
 James says

00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:46.460
 if a brother

00:39:46.460 --> 00:39:47.019
 or sister

00:39:47.019 --> 00:39:48.400
 is poorly clothed

00:39:48.400 --> 00:39:49.059
 and lacking

00:39:49.059 --> 00:39:49.920
 in daily food

00:39:49.920 --> 00:39:50.539
 and one of you

00:39:50.539 --> 00:39:51.160
 says to them

00:39:51.160 --> 00:39:52.340
 go in peace

00:39:52.340 --> 00:39:53.059
 be warmed

00:39:53.059 --> 00:39:53.640
 and filled

00:39:53.640 --> 00:39:55.080
 without giving them

00:39:55.080 --> 00:39:55.720
 the things needed

00:39:55.720 --> 00:39:56.300
 for the body

00:39:56.300 --> 00:39:57.160
 what good is that?

00:39:57.159 --> 00:40:00.399
 God cares

00:40:00.399 --> 00:40:01.139
 for the vulnerable

00:40:01.139 --> 00:40:01.799
 he cares

00:40:01.799 --> 00:40:02.279
 for those

00:40:02.279 --> 00:40:02.699
 who have

00:40:02.699 --> 00:40:03.480
 no resources

00:40:03.480 --> 00:40:04.579
 without friends

00:40:04.579 --> 00:40:05.379
 without the ability

00:40:05.379 --> 00:40:06.440
 to fend for themselves

00:40:06.440 --> 00:40:07.339
 and because

00:40:07.339 --> 00:40:07.920
 Boaz

00:40:07.920 --> 00:40:09.480
 follows God

00:40:09.480 --> 00:40:10.619
 Boaz cares

00:40:10.619 --> 00:40:11.599
 about those things too.

00:40:11.599 --> 00:40:16.440
 we are faced

00:40:16.440 --> 00:40:17.279
 with a constant

00:40:17.279 --> 00:40:17.900
 temptation

00:40:17.900 --> 00:40:19.059
 to come up

00:40:19.059 --> 00:40:19.679
 with excuses

00:40:19.679 --> 00:40:20.380
 for ourselves

00:40:20.380 --> 00:40:20.920
 from caring

00:40:20.920 --> 00:40:21.380
 for those

00:40:21.380 --> 00:40:21.799
 in need.

00:40:23.400 --> 00:40:23.819
 I mean

00:40:23.819 --> 00:40:24.119
 you know

00:40:24.119 --> 00:40:24.900
 that's what the

00:40:24.900 --> 00:40:26.420
 that's what the

00:40:26.420 --> 00:40:27.179
 liberal mainline

00:40:27.179 --> 00:40:27.819
 church over there

00:40:27.819 --> 00:40:28.139
 does.

00:40:28.139 --> 00:40:29.940
 you know

00:40:29.940 --> 00:40:30.279
 they have the

00:40:30.279 --> 00:40:30.960
 wrong priorities

00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:31.400
 but we're

00:40:31.400 --> 00:40:32.119
 interested in

00:40:32.119 --> 00:40:32.579
 the gospel.

00:40:34.420 --> 00:40:35.099
 Or you know

00:40:35.099 --> 00:40:35.420
 what the

00:40:35.420 --> 00:40:36.379
 politicians are

00:40:36.379 --> 00:40:36.839
 there to take

00:40:36.839 --> 00:40:37.219
 care of that

00:40:37.219 --> 00:40:37.839
 kind of thing

00:40:37.839 --> 00:40:39.759
 or you know

00:40:39.759 --> 00:40:40.099
 what those

00:40:40.099 --> 00:40:40.480
 people

00:40:40.480 --> 00:40:41.440
 they would

00:40:41.440 --> 00:40:41.799
 make better

00:40:41.799 --> 00:40:42.440
 choices.

00:40:44.980 --> 00:40:45.500
 But you know

00:40:45.500 --> 00:40:46.039
 Boaz

00:40:46.039 --> 00:40:46.859
 he could have

00:40:46.859 --> 00:40:47.319
 done this

00:40:47.319 --> 00:40:48.219
 he had clear

00:40:48.219 --> 00:40:49.239
 biblical guidelines

00:40:49.239 --> 00:40:49.839
 on how he

00:40:49.839 --> 00:40:50.079
 should have

00:40:50.079 --> 00:40:50.559
 helped Ruth

00:40:50.559 --> 00:40:51.599
 he had clear

00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:52.539
 guidelines from

00:40:52.539 --> 00:40:52.859
 scripture

00:40:52.859 --> 00:40:54.659
 he should have

00:40:54.659 --> 00:40:55.420
 let her glean

00:40:55.420 --> 00:40:55.940
 at the edge

00:40:55.940 --> 00:40:56.559
 of the field

00:40:56.559 --> 00:40:58.119
 and if he

00:40:58.119 --> 00:40:58.900
 had done that

00:40:58.900 --> 00:40:59.900
 he could have

00:40:59.900 --> 00:41:00.380
 gone home

00:41:00.380 --> 00:41:00.799
 that night

00:41:00.799 --> 00:41:01.299
 with a clear

00:41:01.299 --> 00:41:01.799
 conscience.

00:41:02.880 --> 00:41:03.559
 He could have

00:41:03.559 --> 00:41:04.059
 said to his

00:41:04.059 --> 00:41:04.380
 friends

00:41:04.380 --> 00:41:04.779
 you know what

00:41:04.779 --> 00:41:05.179
 there was a

00:41:05.179 --> 00:41:05.599
 poor widow

00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:06.159
 there today

00:41:06.159 --> 00:41:06.739
 and I let

00:41:06.739 --> 00:41:07.079
 her glean

00:41:07.079 --> 00:41:07.639
 in my field

00:41:07.639 --> 00:41:07.900
 and they

00:41:07.900 --> 00:41:08.299
 said well

00:41:08.299 --> 00:41:09.079
 done Boaz

00:41:09.079 --> 00:41:09.559
 you did

00:41:09.559 --> 00:41:10.199
 exactly what

00:41:10.199 --> 00:41:10.500
 the Bible

00:41:10.500 --> 00:41:10.900
 said you

00:41:10.900 --> 00:41:11.320
 should do.

00:41:12.739 --> 00:41:13.139
 But he

00:41:13.139 --> 00:41:14.019
 went way

00:41:14.019 --> 00:41:14.679
 beyond that

00:41:14.679 --> 00:41:15.119
 he spoke

00:41:15.119 --> 00:41:16.159
 kindly to her

00:41:16.159 --> 00:41:16.699
 he gave her

00:41:16.699 --> 00:41:17.519
 food and water

00:41:17.519 --> 00:41:18.320
 he protected

00:41:18.320 --> 00:41:18.619
 her

00:41:18.619 --> 00:41:19.980
 he included

00:41:19.980 --> 00:41:20.299
 her

00:41:20.299 --> 00:41:21.119
 he accepted

00:41:21.119 --> 00:41:21.440
 her

00:41:21.440 --> 00:41:22.099
 and he made

00:41:22.099 --> 00:41:22.659
 her work

00:41:22.659 --> 00:41:23.179
 in the field

00:41:23.179 --> 00:41:23.880
 incredibly

00:41:23.880 --> 00:41:24.599
 successful.

00:41:24.599 --> 00:41:27.299
 we have

00:41:27.299 --> 00:41:27.839
 the opportunity

00:41:27.839 --> 00:41:28.440
 here

00:41:28.440 --> 00:41:29.920
 in this body

00:41:29.920 --> 00:41:30.360
 to be a

00:41:30.360 --> 00:41:31.039
 community of

00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:31.519
 kindness

00:41:31.519 --> 00:41:32.139
 toward each

00:41:32.139 --> 00:41:32.339
 other

00:41:32.339 --> 00:41:32.699
 where we

00:41:32.699 --> 00:41:33.339
 accept

00:41:33.339 --> 00:41:34.480
 and care

00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:34.980
 for each

00:41:34.980 --> 00:41:35.259
 other

00:41:35.259 --> 00:41:35.839
 especially

00:41:35.839 --> 00:41:36.219
 those

00:41:36.219 --> 00:41:36.839
 among us

00:41:36.839 --> 00:41:37.079
 who are

00:41:37.079 --> 00:41:37.500
 vulnerable

00:41:37.500 --> 00:41:40.360
 and then

00:41:40.360 --> 00:41:41.440
 that kindness

00:41:41.440 --> 00:41:42.019
 that we

00:41:42.019 --> 00:41:42.480
 show

00:41:42.480 --> 00:41:43.039
 just sort

00:41:43.039 --> 00:41:43.239
 of

00:41:43.239 --> 00:41:43.719
 it just

00:41:43.719 --> 00:41:44.039
 sort of

00:41:44.039 --> 00:41:44.619
 spills

00:41:44.619 --> 00:41:45.119
 out of

00:41:45.119 --> 00:41:45.360
 here

00:41:45.360 --> 00:41:46.900
 into the

00:41:46.900 --> 00:41:47.199
 community

00:41:47.199 --> 00:41:47.819
 around us

00:41:47.819 --> 00:41:48.119
 it just

00:41:48.119 --> 00:41:48.519
 can't help

00:41:48.519 --> 00:41:48.719
 it

00:41:48.719 --> 00:41:49.059
 there's

00:41:49.059 --> 00:41:49.519
 too much

00:41:49.519 --> 00:41:50.500
 it spills

00:41:50.500 --> 00:41:50.960
 out of our

00:41:50.960 --> 00:41:51.219
 church

00:41:51.219 --> 00:41:51.619
 into the

00:41:51.619 --> 00:41:51.900
 community

00:41:51.900 --> 00:41:52.319
 around

00:41:52.319 --> 00:41:52.739
 and we

00:41:52.739 --> 00:41:53.360
 act like

00:41:53.360 --> 00:41:54.000
 Boaz

00:41:54.000 --> 00:41:54.599
 and more

00:41:54.599 --> 00:41:55.000
 importantly

00:41:55.000 --> 00:41:55.420
 than that

00:41:55.420 --> 00:41:55.880
 we act

00:41:55.880 --> 00:41:56.500
 like God

00:41:56.500 --> 00:41:58.460
 we get

00:41:58.460 --> 00:41:58.900
 to know

00:41:58.900 --> 00:41:59.559
 each other

00:41:59.559 --> 00:41:59.960
 and our

00:41:59.960 --> 00:42:00.380
 neighbors

00:42:00.380 --> 00:42:01.480
 do you remember

00:42:01.480 --> 00:42:02.000
 when Boaz

00:42:02.000 --> 00:42:02.480
 looked around

00:42:02.480 --> 00:42:02.820
 the field

00:42:02.820 --> 00:42:03.219
 and he said

00:42:03.219 --> 00:42:03.940
 who's that

00:42:03.940 --> 00:42:05.820
 he didn't

00:42:05.820 --> 00:42:06.619
 recognize Ruth

00:42:06.619 --> 00:42:07.300
 so he asked

00:42:07.300 --> 00:42:07.820
 about her

00:42:07.820 --> 00:42:08.340
 this is an

00:42:08.340 --> 00:42:09.159
 example to us

00:42:09.159 --> 00:42:10.000
 to have

00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:10.880
 sensitive

00:42:10.880 --> 00:42:11.739
 antenna up

00:42:11.739 --> 00:42:12.340
 to look for

00:42:12.340 --> 00:42:12.880
 people who

00:42:12.880 --> 00:42:13.500
 are struggling

00:42:13.500 --> 00:42:13.920
 and might

00:42:13.920 --> 00:42:14.219
 need our

00:42:14.219 --> 00:42:14.500
 help

00:42:14.500 --> 00:42:15.300
 to figure

00:42:15.300 --> 00:42:15.679
 out what

00:42:15.679 --> 00:42:16.219
 they need

00:42:16.219 --> 00:42:16.719
 to treat

00:42:16.719 --> 00:42:17.079
 them with

00:42:17.079 --> 00:42:17.500
 dignity

00:42:17.500 --> 00:42:18.539
 to do

00:42:18.539 --> 00:42:18.860
 what we

00:42:18.860 --> 00:42:19.280
 can to

00:42:19.280 --> 00:42:19.639
 protect

00:42:19.639 --> 00:42:19.960
 them

00:42:19.960 --> 00:42:21.860
 to include

00:42:21.860 --> 00:42:22.400
 them in

00:42:22.400 --> 00:42:23.019
 our group

00:42:23.019 --> 00:42:24.380
 although that

00:42:24.380 --> 00:42:24.900
 may cost

00:42:24.900 --> 00:42:25.480
 us something

00:42:25.480 --> 00:42:27.000
 to give

00:42:27.000 --> 00:42:27.460
 them some

00:42:27.460 --> 00:42:27.940
 place to

00:42:27.940 --> 00:42:28.440
 belong

00:42:28.440 --> 00:42:28.780
 and to

00:42:28.780 --> 00:42:29.320
 share what

00:42:29.320 --> 00:42:29.880
 we have

00:42:29.880 --> 00:42:30.340
 with them

00:42:30.340 --> 00:42:31.300
 we don't

00:42:31.300 --> 00:42:31.719
 do these

00:42:31.719 --> 00:42:32.320
 things because

00:42:32.320 --> 00:42:33.099
 we feel

00:42:33.099 --> 00:42:33.639
 guilty

00:42:33.639 --> 00:42:34.340
 because of

00:42:34.340 --> 00:42:34.719
 some sort

00:42:34.719 --> 00:42:35.239
 of political

00:42:35.239 --> 00:42:35.800
 reason

00:42:35.800 --> 00:42:36.920
 we do

00:42:36.920 --> 00:42:37.400
 them because

00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:37.840
 we are the

00:42:37.840 --> 00:42:38.519
 people of

00:42:38.519 --> 00:42:39.079
 God

00:42:39.079 --> 00:42:39.519
 and we have

00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:39.940
 been shaped

00:42:39.940 --> 00:42:40.360
 by his

00:42:40.360 --> 00:42:40.860
 values

00:42:40.860 --> 00:42:42.599
 God's

00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:43.480
 people provide

00:42:43.480 --> 00:42:43.920
 for the

00:42:43.920 --> 00:42:44.440
 needy

00:42:44.440 --> 00:42:45.579
 because God

00:42:45.579 --> 00:42:46.300
 cares for

00:42:46.300 --> 00:42:46.900
 the needy

00:42:46.900 --> 00:42:48.219
 we are getting

00:42:48.219 --> 00:42:48.619
 to know

00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:49.360
 God in the

00:42:49.360 --> 00:42:49.659
 book of

00:42:49.659 --> 00:42:49.960
 Ruth

00:42:49.960 --> 00:42:52.119
 he shows

00:42:52.119 --> 00:42:52.880
 kindness to

00:42:52.880 --> 00:42:53.420
 his people

00:42:53.420 --> 00:42:54.119
 so his

00:42:54.119 --> 00:42:54.800
 people show

00:42:54.800 --> 00:42:55.679
 kindness to

00:42:55.679 --> 00:42:56.240
 each other

00:42:56.240 --> 00:42:58.199
 God cares

00:42:58.199 --> 00:42:58.539
 for the

00:42:58.539 --> 00:42:59.000
 needy and

00:42:59.000 --> 00:42:59.440
 the vulnerable

00:42:59.440 --> 00:43:00.019
 he cares

00:43:00.019 --> 00:43:00.780
 especially

00:43:00.780 --> 00:43:01.440
 for the

00:43:01.440 --> 00:43:01.940
 needy and

00:43:01.940 --> 00:43:02.440
 the vulnerable

00:43:02.440 --> 00:43:06.240
 if God

00:43:06.240 --> 00:43:06.780
 is caring

00:43:06.780 --> 00:43:07.240
 for Ruth

00:43:07.240 --> 00:43:07.659
 and Naomi

00:43:07.659 --> 00:43:08.179
 then maybe

00:43:08.179 --> 00:43:09.019
 things aren't

00:43:09.019 --> 00:43:09.559
 so bleak

00:43:09.559 --> 00:43:09.940
 for them

00:43:09.940 --> 00:43:10.599
 after all

00:43:10.599 --> 00:43:13.400
 but he's

00:43:13.400 --> 00:43:13.880
 not done

00:43:13.880 --> 00:43:14.240
 yet

00:43:14.240 --> 00:43:15.800
 and next

00:43:15.800 --> 00:43:16.199
 week when we

00:43:16.199 --> 00:43:16.679
 look at chapter

00:43:16.679 --> 00:43:17.099
 three and

00:43:17.099 --> 00:43:17.679
 four that we'll

00:43:17.679 --> 00:43:18.220
 see that he

00:43:18.220 --> 00:43:19.000
 is also a

00:43:19.000 --> 00:43:19.860
 redeeming God

00:43:19.860 --> 00:43:21.700
 does it matter

00:43:21.700 --> 00:43:22.240
 in chapter

00:43:22.240 --> 00:43:23.200
 one if God

00:43:23.200 --> 00:43:24.099
 is sacrificial

00:43:24.099 --> 00:43:25.340
 that he

00:43:25.340 --> 00:43:26.059
 sacrifices

00:43:26.059 --> 00:43:26.940
 himself

00:43:26.940 --> 00:43:28.420
 to take care

00:43:28.420 --> 00:43:28.680
 of other

00:43:28.680 --> 00:43:29.039
 people

00:43:29.039 --> 00:43:31.019
 does it matter

00:43:31.019 --> 00:43:31.500
 in chapter

00:43:31.500 --> 00:43:32.460
 two if God

00:43:32.460 --> 00:43:33.000
 looks and

00:43:33.000 --> 00:43:33.820
 finds needy

00:43:33.820 --> 00:43:34.380
 people who

00:43:34.380 --> 00:43:34.900
 have no

00:43:34.900 --> 00:43:35.720
 other recourse

00:43:35.720 --> 00:43:36.260
 and no way

00:43:36.260 --> 00:43:36.660
 to provide

00:43:36.660 --> 00:43:37.160
 for themselves

00:43:37.160 --> 00:43:37.720
 and he says

00:43:37.720 --> 00:43:38.440
 I will provide

00:43:38.440 --> 00:43:38.900
 for you

00:43:38.900 --> 00:43:39.680
 it does

00:43:39.680 --> 00:43:40.059
 matter

00:43:40.059 --> 00:43:40.760
 it does

00:43:40.760 --> 00:43:41.019
 matter

00:43:41.019 --> 00:43:41.480
 if God

00:43:41.480 --> 00:43:41.860
 is that

00:43:41.860 --> 00:43:42.120
 way

00:43:42.120 --> 00:43:43.900
 that's

00:43:43.900 --> 00:43:44.260
 the kind

00:43:44.260 --> 00:43:44.559
 of God

00:43:44.559 --> 00:43:45.039
 we serve

00:43:45.039 --> 00:43:45.579
 so as we

00:43:45.579 --> 00:43:45.940
 look at

00:43:45.940 --> 00:43:46.180
 Ruth

00:43:46.180 --> 00:43:46.579
 three and

00:43:46.579 --> 00:43:47.019
 four next

00:43:47.019 --> 00:43:47.320
 week

00:43:47.320 --> 00:43:48.500
 we'll

00:43:48.500 --> 00:43:48.980
 conclude

00:43:48.980 --> 00:43:50.500
 with God

00:43:50.500 --> 00:43:50.820
 as a

00:43:50.820 --> 00:43:51.280
 redeeming

00:43:51.280 --> 00:43:51.579
 God

00:43:51.579 --> 00:43:52.699
 let's

00:43:52.699 --> 00:43:52.940
 pray

00:43:52.940 --> 00:43:59.840
 father

00:43:59.840 --> 00:44:00.159
 we're

00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:00.659
 grateful

00:44:00.659 --> 00:44:01.280
 that you

00:44:01.280 --> 00:44:01.539
 have

00:44:01.539 --> 00:44:02.240
 revealed

00:44:02.240 --> 00:44:02.579
 yourself

00:44:02.579 --> 00:44:03.159
 to us

00:44:03.159 --> 00:44:04.179
 we could

00:44:04.179 --> 00:44:04.400
 have

00:44:04.400 --> 00:44:06.039
 been

00:44:06.039 --> 00:44:06.420
 left

00:44:06.420 --> 00:44:07.019
 to look

00:44:07.019 --> 00:44:07.679
 at the

00:44:07.679 --> 00:44:08.860
 natural

00:44:08.860 --> 00:44:09.199
 world

00:44:09.199 --> 00:44:09.559
 around

00:44:09.559 --> 00:44:09.940
 us

00:44:09.940 --> 00:44:10.599
 and guess

00:44:10.599 --> 00:44:10.980
 what you

00:44:10.980 --> 00:44:11.099
 were

00:44:11.099 --> 00:44:11.440
 like

00:44:11.440 --> 00:44:14.460
 we

00:44:14.460 --> 00:44:14.800
 thank you

00:44:14.800 --> 00:44:15.059
 that you

00:44:15.059 --> 00:44:15.400
 revealed

00:44:15.400 --> 00:44:15.780
 yourself

00:44:15.780 --> 00:44:16.300
 to us

00:44:16.300 --> 00:44:16.659
 as a

00:44:16.659 --> 00:44:17.179
 good

00:44:17.179 --> 00:44:18.420
 kind

00:44:18.420 --> 00:44:18.880
 God

00:44:18.880 --> 00:44:19.480
 who

00:44:19.480 --> 00:44:19.760
 loves

00:44:19.760 --> 00:44:20.119
 us

00:44:20.119 --> 00:44:24.159
 we

00:44:24.159 --> 00:44:24.599
 pray for

00:44:24.599 --> 00:44:25.059
 the needy

00:44:25.059 --> 00:44:25.280
 and the

00:44:25.280 --> 00:44:25.659
 vulnerable

00:44:25.659 --> 00:44:26.059
 in our

00:44:26.059 --> 00:44:26.340
 church

00:44:26.340 --> 00:44:26.679
 today

00:44:26.679 --> 00:44:27.159
 who you

00:44:27.159 --> 00:44:27.460
 love

00:44:27.460 --> 00:44:27.860
 and care

00:44:27.860 --> 00:44:28.179
 for

00:44:28.179 --> 00:44:31.179
 we pray

00:44:31.179 --> 00:44:31.480
 that you

00:44:31.480 --> 00:44:31.760
 would give

00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:32.360
 them hope

00:44:32.360 --> 00:44:34.019
 we pray

00:44:34.019 --> 00:44:34.340
 that you

00:44:34.340 --> 00:44:34.760
 would provide

00:44:34.760 --> 00:44:35.119
 for their

00:44:35.119 --> 00:44:35.619
 needs

00:44:35.619 --> 00:44:36.139
 we pray

00:44:36.139 --> 00:44:36.619
 that you

00:44:36.619 --> 00:44:36.960
 would

00:44:36.960 --> 00:44:38.579
 comfort

00:44:38.579 --> 00:44:39.079
 them

00:44:39.079 --> 00:44:39.460
 in their

00:44:39.460 --> 00:44:40.000
 affliction

00:44:40.000 --> 00:44:42.199
 we pray

00:44:42.199 --> 00:44:42.500
 that you

00:44:42.500 --> 00:44:42.760
 would give

00:44:42.760 --> 00:44:42.900
 them

00:44:42.900 --> 00:44:43.079
 their

00:44:43.079 --> 00:44:43.320
 daily

00:44:43.320 --> 00:44:43.699
 bread

00:44:43.699 --> 00:44:46.780
 and we

00:44:46.780 --> 00:44:47.179
 pray that

00:44:47.179 --> 00:44:47.440
 you would

00:44:47.440 --> 00:44:47.760
 do that

00:44:47.760 --> 00:44:48.340
 through us

00:44:48.340 --> 00:44:52.039
 it is

00:44:52.039 --> 00:44:52.400
 not

00:44:52.400 --> 00:44:53.219
 easy

00:44:53.219 --> 00:44:53.940
 for us

00:44:53.940 --> 00:44:54.239
 to act

00:44:54.239 --> 00:44:54.460
 like

00:44:54.460 --> 00:44:54.900
 Boaz

00:44:54.900 --> 00:44:58.159
 what is

00:44:58.159 --> 00:44:58.440
 easy

00:44:58.440 --> 00:44:58.699
 Lord

00:44:58.699 --> 00:44:59.059
 is for

00:44:59.059 --> 00:44:59.179
 us

00:44:59.179 --> 00:44:59.400
 to do

00:44:59.400 --> 00:44:59.519
 the

00:44:59.519 --> 00:44:59.679
 bare

00:44:59.679 --> 00:45:00.000
 minimum

00:45:00.000 --> 00:45:01.579
 and to

00:45:01.579 --> 00:45:01.760
 make

00:45:01.760 --> 00:45:02.260
 excuses

00:45:02.260 --> 00:45:02.679
 and so

00:45:02.679 --> 00:45:03.340
 we pray

00:45:03.340 --> 00:45:03.980
 that by

00:45:03.980 --> 00:45:04.400
 the power

00:45:04.400 --> 00:45:04.679
 of your

00:45:04.679 --> 00:45:05.139
 spirit

00:45:05.139 --> 00:45:05.920
 we would

00:45:05.920 --> 00:45:06.860
 be more

00:45:06.860 --> 00:45:08.320
 than our

00:45:08.320 --> 00:45:08.920
 basest

00:45:08.920 --> 00:45:09.500
 instincts

00:45:09.500 --> 00:45:11.579
 that we

00:45:11.579 --> 00:45:11.900
 would be

00:45:11.900 --> 00:45:12.400
 shaped as

00:45:12.400 --> 00:45:12.559
 your

00:45:12.559 --> 00:45:12.980
 people

00:45:12.980 --> 00:45:16.000
 that we

00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:16.260
 would be

00:45:16.260 --> 00:45:17.099
 so informed

00:45:17.099 --> 00:45:17.519
 by your

00:45:17.519 --> 00:45:18.019
 values

00:45:18.019 --> 00:45:18.360
 and what

00:45:18.360 --> 00:45:18.760
 you care

00:45:18.760 --> 00:45:19.099
 about

00:45:19.099 --> 00:45:19.500
 that we

00:45:19.500 --> 00:45:20.039
 act in

00:45:20.039 --> 00:45:20.480
 radically

00:45:20.480 --> 00:45:20.880
 different

00:45:20.880 --> 00:45:21.219
 ways

00:45:21.219 --> 00:45:21.500
 than the

00:45:21.500 --> 00:45:21.800
 people

00:45:21.800 --> 00:45:22.500
 around us

00:45:22.500 --> 00:45:22.780
 in this

00:45:22.780 --> 00:45:23.039
 world

00:45:23.039 --> 00:45:24.920
 we want

00:45:24.920 --> 00:45:25.179
 to be

00:45:25.179 --> 00:45:25.659
 like you

00:45:25.659 --> 00:45:27.860
 and we

00:45:27.860 --> 00:45:28.260
 want to

00:45:28.260 --> 00:45:28.719
 love what

00:45:28.719 --> 00:45:29.280
 you love

00:45:29.280 --> 00:45:29.739
 and hate

00:45:29.739 --> 00:45:30.159
 what you

00:45:30.159 --> 00:45:30.539
 hate

00:45:30.539 --> 00:45:33.300
 and we

00:45:33.300 --> 00:45:33.860
 pray that

00:45:33.860 --> 00:45:34.159
 you would

00:45:34.159 --> 00:45:34.659
 give us

00:45:34.659 --> 00:45:35.300
 the strength

00:45:35.300 --> 00:45:35.780
 to act

00:45:35.780 --> 00:45:36.340
 beyond our

00:45:36.340 --> 00:45:37.099
 own selfish

00:45:37.099 --> 00:45:37.880
 impulses

00:45:37.880 --> 00:45:39.200
 and to

00:45:39.200 --> 00:45:39.480
 be a

00:45:39.480 --> 00:45:39.760
 people

00:45:39.760 --> 00:45:39.940
 who

00:45:39.940 --> 00:45:40.340
 reflect

00:45:40.340 --> 00:45:40.519
 your

00:45:40.519 --> 00:45:40.740
 good

00:45:40.740 --> 00:45:40.900
 and

00:45:40.900 --> 00:45:41.160
 gracious

00:45:41.160 --> 00:45:41.660
 character

00:45:41.660 --> 00:45:43.340
 we

00:45:43.340 --> 00:45:43.680
 worship

00:45:43.680 --> 00:45:43.880
 you

00:45:43.880 --> 00:45:44.099
 this

00:45:44.099 --> 00:45:44.380
 morning

00:45:44.380 --> 00:45:46.200
 and we

00:45:46.200 --> 00:45:46.619
 pray for

00:45:46.619 --> 00:45:47.059
 your help

00:45:47.059 --> 00:45:48.119
 in Jesus

00:45:48.119 --> 00:45:48.519
 name

00:45:48.519 --> 00:45:49.619
 amen