Man, the title of my sermon tonight is Jesus in the Book of Ruth, Jesus in the Book of
Ruth.
And I'm going to focus in on chapter 4 of the Book of Ruth and show you the picture
of Jesus there in chapter 4.
But first we're going to start on chapter 1 just so that we can understand the context
of the book and the story and what's going on here.
So in Ruth chapter 1 verse 1 the Bible reads, Now it came to pass in the days when the judges
ruled that there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem Judah went
to sojourn in the country of Moab.
He and his wife and his two sons, and the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name
of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Malon and Caelion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem
Judah.
And they came into the country of Moab and continued there.
And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died and she was left and her two sons.
And they took them wives of the women of Moab.
The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth.
And they dwelled there about ten years, and Malon and Caelion died also both of them,
and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
So we see in this passage here that these people fall on hard times because there is
a famine in the land, so they think that the answer is to leave God's people, to leave
the nation that God has founded in Israel, and to go dwell in this heathen land of Moab
because they feel like they're going to have a better financial opportunity over there.
And notice it says that they went to sojourn in the country of Moab in verse number one.
Now a sojourn is not a permanent location.
When you sojourn somewhere, it means that you're just there temporarily, you might be
passing through or just doing a short stint there.
And we see here that this turns into ten years.
So the plan is, hey look, the economy's bad, we're just going to go over there for a little
while and we're just going to make some money, and it's just temporary, it's just a sojourn,
but then a little sojourn turns into ten years.
And notice how God does not bless this, things go badly.
Her husband dies, her son dies, her other son dies, and she comes back empty, she comes
back bitter, saying hey don't even call me by my name Naomi, call me Mara, which means
bitter, the Lord has dealt very bitterly with me.
And this goes to show you that when we don't seek first the kingdom of God, God is not
going to bless us.
We should never let money make our decisions of where we're going to live and what we're
going to do with our life, and we shouldn't go to seek greener pastures in a wicked place
like Moab.
Now to put this into 2019, we should not move somewhere for a job opportunity unless we
know if there's a good church there.
The church should be the first thing on our mind if we're thinking about where we're going
to move or if we're thinking about taking a job opportunity in a distant city.
The first question should be, alright, what kind of churches are there, what are the options
for a church in that location?
Instead of saying, you know, what's the cost of living like, what are the housing prices?
I mean the first thought should be, what's the church?
Why?
Because we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things
will be added unto us, and all these things are food and clothing and the things that
our Heavenly Father knows that we need.
All throughout the Bible, people were sustained through famines in the promised land, but
here we see an example of leaving the promised land, dwelling among the heathen, losing everything,
not being blessed by God, coming back bitter.
So we need to make sure that money is not our leader, that God leads us and that we
focus on the things of God first and foremost and not follow the almighty dollar.
We should follow the Lord.
So we see here that that's what happened with this family, it's just a sad story and how,
you know, sin takes you further than you want to go also and it keeps you longer than you
want to stay because they end up staying for ten years.
Well, at the end of this, here she is, she's left with these two daughters-in-law, she
doesn't have anything, and she's coming back and both of her daughters-in-law are following
her back.
But she turns to them and says, look, why are you following me?
I have nothing to offer you, I have nothing to give you, I don't have any sons for you
to marry, I don't have any opportunities for you, just go back to Moab, go back to your
stupid false god and, you know, just go live there.
And she basically tells them that and one of them takes her up on it and walks away,
Orpah.
But Ruth stays, look what it says in verse 15.
Naomi said, behold thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people and unto her gods.
You know, you can tell the disdain there of, you know, going back to worshiping false gods.
Return thou after thy sister-in-law.
And Ruth said, and treat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee, for
whither thou goest, I will go.
And where thou lodgest, I will lodge.
Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried.
The Lord do so to me and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.
When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto
her.
Now one thing that we can pick up from this part of the story is that even when we're
outside of the will of God, we can still win someone to Christ.
Even when people do make mistakes and do wrong things, go somewhere that they shouldn't
go or just get backslidden, you know what, you can still win someone to Christ because
God is always willing to use us.
Now he's going to use us more if we stay in the will of God and do the right things, but
even a backslidden Christian can still open their mouth and give someone the gospel because
at least Naomi was able to have one convert in 10 years of, you know, being backslidden.
She at least was able to reach Ruth.
So that's good news right there.
So she comes back with Ruth.
A lot of people are happy to see her, but she's a little bit sad because she's coming
back poor.
She doesn't have anything.
She doesn't have a man to take care of her, et cetera.
So let's jump into chapter two.
That's chapter one.
Chapter two verse one, and this is all introduction to get us into chapter four, which is what
we want to talk about.
Chapter two verse one, and Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth of
the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.
Now a kinsman is simply a relative.
You've heard the term next of kin, and that just means your closest relative.
So a kinsman is just someone that you are related to.
It's related to our word cousin, but it's really just any relative that is somehow related
to you in any way, shape, or form.
So this is a mighty man of wealth.
This is a great relative to have.
It says in verse two, and Ruth the Moabite is said unto Naomi, let me now go to the field
and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace.
And she said unto her, go my daughter.
And she went and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and her hap, meaning that
it was just a chance thing that happened.
When it says her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was
of the kindred of Elimelech, meaning that she didn't plan it, but obviously God had
planned this.
God in his providence had allowed this to happen.
But from her perspective, it was just where she happened to go, right?
And it says her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was
of the kindred of Elimelech.
And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the reapers, the Lord be with you.
And they answered, the Lord bless thee.
So he shows up, and this is a godly man.
He blesses the people in the name of the Lord.
He's a mighty man.
He's a wealthy man.
And he has a field.
She's out gleaning.
This was God's program in the Old Testament to take care of the poor so that they did
not starve.
In those days, the law said, and the biblical law said, that if you go into someone else's
field, a field that doesn't belong to you, you were allowed to glean there, okay?
So after they were done reaping the crops, they were not supposed to go over it a second
time.
They would just go over it one time, and whatever they spilled, whatever they dropped, whatever
they missed, you were allowed to go and glean those things.
So it was a way for poor people who didn't own a field, didn't have anything, they could
go and just pick up the refuse, pick up the scraps from the harvest, and they could get
food and bring it home.
So that's what she's showing up to do.
She's telling her mother-in-law Naomi, look, I want to be productive.
I want to get out there and do something.
I want to contribute.
It's just the two of us ladies, and so I'm going to go out and do some gleaning.
So after the reapers go through, she follows the reapers, picking up everything that they
miss and everything that they leave behind.
So it says in verse number 8, then said Boaz unto Ruth, hearest thou not my daughter?
Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maiden.
So he is taking knowledge of her.
He knows who she is.
He understands the sad story about what happened to her husband and her father-in-law.
So he's being nice to her.
He wants her to keep gleaning in his field.
He's showing mercy to her.
Look at verse number 12.
The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under
whose wings thou art come to trust.
So Boaz respects the fact that she chose the Lord.
She could have gone back to Moab, married some young dude, and lived her life, but it
was important to her to worship the Lord.
And she said, Naomi, your God is going to be my God.
Your people are going to be my people.
Don't tell me to leave.
I'm coming with you.
I'm going wherever you go.
She follows her back.
And Boaz liked that.
He respected that.
And so he tells her, you know, God is going to bless you because you're trusting in him.
You've come to trust under the Lord's wings.
Look at verse 13.
Then she said, let me find favor in thy sight, my Lord, for thou has comforted me, and for
that thou has spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
She's saying, look, I don't even consider myself worthy to be one of your servants,
but here you are speaking kindly and respectfully to me.
So she's thankful for that.
Look at verse 14.
And Boaz said unto her, at mealtime, come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip
thy morsel in the vinegar.
And she sat beside the reapers, and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was
sufficed, and left, meaning that she ate, she got full, and she even left something
on her plate because he was just hitting her with so much food she couldn't even finish it.
Look at verse 19.
When she comes home and talks to her mother-in-law, and her mother-in-law said unto her, where
is thou gleaned today, and where wrought is thou?
Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee.
And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said, the man's name
with whom I wrought today is Boaz.
And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his
kindness to the living and to the dead.
And Ruth is thinking, you know, what's the punchline here?
And she says, Naomi said unto her, the man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.
Because remember, she just happened to go there.
She wasn't trying to go to Boaz's field.
So she finds out this guy is a relative.
Now, he's not a blood relative of Naomi.
He's not a blood relative of Ruth, obviously, because Ruth is a Moabitess.
But he's a blood relative of Elimelech.
So it's basically her dead husband's relative and her dead father-in-law's relative.
So he is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.
So Ruth continues to reap in his field.
He's treating her well.
He respects her.
He likes her.
He's friendly to her.
Her mother-in-law's happy about it, and so forth.
Look at chapter 3.
Chapter 3, verse 1, then Naomi, her mother-in-law, said unto her, my daughter, shall I not seek
rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast?
Behold, he winneth barley tonight in the threshing floor.
Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down
to the floor.
But make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
And it shall be when he lieth down, thou shalt mark the place where he shall lay.
And he lieth down, thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in
and uncover his feet, and lay thee down, and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
And she said unto her, all that thou sayest unto me, I will do.
So in chapter 1, we have the setup of the story.
And then in chapter 2, she's reaping in the field of Boaz, and things are going great.
And he's even telling his reapers, hey, spill a little extra on the ground so that she can
really reap a lot.
So then she's bringing home Bo Koo unto her mother-in-law, and her mother-in-law is really
happy about that.
Well, then in chapter 3, the mother-in-law says, look, let's get some rest for you.
Why don't you approach Boaz and tell him that he's your near kinsman?
And basically, she's going to him and asking him to marry her, basically, okay?
It's a little bit, it's like a Sadie Hawkins thing going on.
But anyway, so she goes down there, it says in verse 8, and it came to pass at midnight
that the man was afraid and turned himself, and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
And he said, who art thou?
I mean, you know, you're laying in bed, you're asleep, you wake up, and there's just a woman
laying at your feet, right?
So this is a little bit alarming.
And he said, who art thou?
And she answered, I'm Ruth, thine handmaid, spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid,
for thou art a near kinsman.
So this is where she tells him what's on her heart privately that basically she wants him
to marry her.
What does that mean?
That's kind of a strange expression, is it?
Spread thy skirt over thine handmaid.
Well, what does the word skirt mean in the Bible?
The word skirt is that part of the garment that hangs down below the waist, okay?
So this isn't like a skirt, like a woman wears a skirt or something like that, okay?
But you can see why a skirt is called a skirt because it all hangs down below the waist,
right?
It starts at the waist and goes down from there.
So that's why that garment in 2019 is referred to as a skirt.
But even a coat can have a skirt, meaning the portion that hangs down below the waist.
Like the oil ran down Aaron's beard and went down to the skirts of his garments, okay?
So basically that which hangs down is the skirt.
So this is just a phrase of spread thy skirt over me.
It basically is saying, you know, I want to be under your canopy, okay?
Basically I want to be under your leadership.
I want you to be my husband.
I want you to be over me and basically take me under your wing type of thing.
It's just a strange expression that was obviously in use back then, something that we don't
say today.
But that's basically what she's getting at.
She wants him to marry her and that's what that basically means.
Some foolish preachers have said, oh, you know, he's wearing a skirt and, you know,
he wants her to put that skirt on top of her, okay?
This is the overly literal type of reading where people think that, you know, there are
actual windows in heaven, like open the window, okay?
And things like that.
So we don't want to get into that kind of foolish interpretation.
So it says in verse 13, you know, he basically responds to her very positively.
He's really positive about this.
He thinks it's great.
You know, he likes her.
He wants to marry her.
But he says in verse 13, tarry this night and it shall be in the morning that if he
will not perform, or I'm sorry, I skipped a little bit.
Let me back up.
Let me turn onto the right page in my Bible here.
In chapter 3, verse number 10, the Bible reads, and he said, blessed be thou of the Lord,
my daughter, for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, and
as much as thou followest not young men, whether poor or rich.
So he thinks this is pretty cool because he, you know, he's a little bit older and he's
like, wow, you know, I didn't even think you'd be interested in a guy my age, basically.
So he's kind of surprised by this.
So it says in verse 11, and now, my daughter, fear not.
I will do to thee all that thou requirest.
For all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
He's saying, look, I know you're a virtuous woman.
I would love to marry you.
And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman, howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
Terry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part
of a kinsman, well, let him do the kinsman's part.
But if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman
to thee as the Lord liveth.
Lie down until the morning.
Now what is this referring to?
What does this mean?
The part of a kinsman.
Do the part of a kinsman.
Here's what this means.
If a man and a woman would get married, okay, and the man dies without having any children,
then the woman, the widow, would marry a relative, she would marry either his brother or some
other person of that family, some other kinsman, that would basically raise up seed unto his
brother.
What does that mean?
Well, it means that basically if they die and they have no kids, we don't want that
to be the end of that guy's family line.
You know, he got married, he didn't produce any children, we don't want his family line
to end, so his brother or some other kinsman would take his wife, marry her, have children
with her, and the first son would carry on the name of the dead brother, okay.
So basically this would be a way to have a son and it would carry on the heritage of
the guy who died, okay.
So that's what he's talking about and he tells her, you know, I would love to marry you but
there's another guy who's a closer relative so he has to be given the opportunity first
and if he passes it up, then I'll be glad to take it as the Lord liveth, okay.
So hopefully that makes sense to you.
Jump down to Chapter 4, okay, and this is the main chapter we want to get into.
Verse 1, then went Boaz up to the gate and sat him down there and behold the kinsman
of whom Boaz spake came by.
So this unnamed kinsman, this is the guy that's a little bit closer of a relative to Elimelech,
so he has more of a right or a duty, however you want to look at it, to raise up seed unto
Elimelech's house and to marry Ruth the Moabitess.
So he sees the kinsman go by unto whom he said, ho, such a one, turn aside, sit down
here and he turned aside and sat down and he took 10 men of the elders of the city,
verse 2, and said, sit ye down here and they sat down.
And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that has come again out of the country of Moab,
sell the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's.
And I thought to advertise thee, saying, buy it before the inhabitants and before the elders
of my people, if thou wilt redeem it, redeem it, but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell
me that I may know, for there is none to redeem it beside thee, and I am after thee.
And he said, I will redeem it.
So he starts out by talking about it as if it's not about Ruth, it's just about this
piece of land.
He starts out by saying, hey, there's this piece of property and it used to belong to
Elimelech's family and, you know, we want to bring it back into the family.
You're the closest relative.
So if you want to redeem this piece of land, then go ahead and redeem it, otherwise I'll
redeem it.
Okay.
Now, right away this sounds good to this guy, like, oh, great, you know, score, I can pick
up some primo land here.
You know, I'd love to redeem that piece of property.
But look what it says next, and I'll explain why he did it that way in a moment.
But it says in verse 5, then said Boaz, what day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi,
thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabites, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name
of the dead upon his inheritance.
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar my known inheritance.
Redeem now my right to thyself, for I cannot redeem it.
Now what's he doing here?
He's really giving this guy every possible chance to redeem it.
So first he's showing the guy right away, look, here's this property, would you like
to redeem that?
And then the guy, of course, wants to jump on that idea of picking up some wealth, picking
up some property.
But then he turns around and says, well, you know what, if you're this kinsman, if you're
the redeemer, if you're the one that should be redeeming it, well then, I mean, I'm sure
you're also going to do your kinsman duty with Ruth over here.
And he's like, oh, well, wait a minute.
Because he's basically trying to show him, look, you're the guy, you're the kinsman.
And if he would have just come right at him with, hey, do you want to marry Ruth the Moabitess?
He's thinking, no, I don't want to marry a Moabitess.
I don't want to marry this foreign woman.
I'm not interested in that.
But first he's trying to show the guy, look, this is your duty.
When there was something in it for him that he liked, he's ready to step up to the plate.
But then when it's Ruth the Moabitess, he doesn't want to do that task.
He doesn't want to do that job, right, of raising up seed to his brother.
And some people didn't want to do this.
Remember the story of Ur and Onan?
Okay, that's a famous story in Genesis 38.
So basically it says in verse 7, now this was the manner and former time in Israel concerning
redeeming and concerning changing for to confirm all things, a man plucked off his shoe and
gave it to his neighbor.
And this was a testimony in Israel.
Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, buy it for thee.
So he drew off his shoe.
And Boaz said unto the elders and unto all the people, ye are witnesses this day that
I have bought all that was Elimelech's and all that was Kylian's and Malon's of the hand
of Naomi.
Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Malon, have I purchased to be my wife to raise
up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from
among his brethren and from the gate of his place, ye are witnesses this day.
And all the people that were in the gate and the elders said were witnesses and they're
excited, they're rejoicing, Boaz and Ruth get married, they have a baby, everybody's
excited and of course King David is descended from this line and so ultimately Jesus Christ
is descended from Boaz and Ruth, et cetera.
But what I want to talk about tonight is Jesus in the book of Ruth.
What I want to show is how this book, and especially chapter four here, is pointing
us to the Lord Jesus Christ and teaching us some valuable lessons about the Gospel.
Now in this story, of course Boaz represents Jesus Christ and of course Ruth represents
us, okay?
And we can see how that works.
Now let's go through this story and I'm going to identify some of the characters here.
The Bible talks about this kinsman who is nearer than Boaz.
Who is that?
If Boaz represents Jesus, who is this other kinsman?
Well the unnamed kinsman in the story is the law, the Old Testament law of Moses, okay?
Because the law cannot redeem us, okay?
Now what does it mean to be redeemed?
Well if someone is enslaved, if someone is in bondage or in servitude and somebody pays
to get them out of that, basically pays their masters so that they can be set free, that's
called redemption, right?
It's taking something and freeing it from bondage, okay?
Now if you would, flip over to Leviticus chapter number 25.
Leviticus chapter 25.
Leviticus chapter number 25 and look at verse 23.
The Bible says, the land shall not be sold forever for the land is mine for years strangers
and sojourners with me and in all the land of your possession you shall grant a redemption
for the land.
If thy brother be waxen poor and hath sold away some of his possession and if any of
his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.
Jump down to verse 47.
And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee and thy brother that dwelleth by him
wax poor and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee or to the stock of the
stranger's family, after that he is sold, he may be redeemed again.
So this is a person who is sold, a person who is a servant or a slave or in bondage.
It says that he may redeem him, verse 49, it says either his uncle or his uncle's son
may redeem him or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him or if
he be able, he may redeem himself.
Now what we need to understand is that in the New Testament, redemption is a concept
that is used for salvation, us being saved, us having our sins forgiven and being allowed
into heaven.
Okay, go if you would to Ephesians chapter one, Ephesians chapter number one, Ephesians
chapter number one.
So redemption has to do with the fact that we are in the bondage of corruption, we're
in the bondage of sin, we're a slave to sin, we're doomed, we are in need of redemption,
right?
We're saved, we need to be salvaged, right?
Another term that we would use in 2019 for redemption is salvage, okay?
And even bottles that you recycle, they have a redemption value, California, Michigan,
Hawaii, five cents, 10 cents if you return the bottle, right?
It's taking something that is trash and basically redeeming it, right?
Turning it in for something of value and it goes to be used.
And so redemption is used in the New Testament to refer to salvation.
Look at Ephesians 1 12, that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted
in Christ in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation in whom also after that ye believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit
of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession
unto the praise of his glory.
So we in the New Testament are described as being redeemed, okay?
And the Bible talks about how in the future is going to come the redemption of our body.
Right now our soul and spirit are redeemed.
At the second coming of Christ, our bodies will be redeemed at the first resurrection.
And so the redemption of the purchased possession has to do with the fact that we, the Bible
says, are bought with a price.
What?
Be ye not that you're bought with a price?
He says you're not your own glorified God in your body and in your spirit which are
God.
So because God has redeemed us, we belong to him now and this has to do with salvation.
Back up in chapter number 1 to where it says in verse number 7, in whom we have redemption
through his blood and what is that redemption?
It is the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.
So redemption equals forgiveness of sins.
Redemption equals being washed in the blood.
Redemption is through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If we trust in him, the Bible said in Ephesians 1-12.
If we believe in him, in verse 13, then in verse 14, hey, we are his purchased possession.
We've got that earnest of the spirit and we are saved and we are going to be fully redeemed.
So we can see how Ruth and the redemption of the land and the redemption of the person
Ruth is a picture of being saved.
Boaz represents the Lord Jesus Christ.
He has everything to offer.
He's this mighty, wealthy man.
He has all the power that he needs and what does Ruth have to offer?
She really doesn't have much to offer.
She is the one who is waxing poor.
The Bible talks about that brother that is waxing poor and they need redemption.
They need someone else to step in.
They need a relative to step in and pay off their debt.
They need a relative to pay off their mortgage.
They need a relative to step in and even buy them personally out of bondage.
So that's the position that Ruth is in where she's so poor, she's just gleaning.
It's a hand-to-mouth existence.
She's not having any rest and Boaz brings redemption to Ruth.
So that's what we see in Ruth chapter 4.
Now the other kinsman, if you would flip over to Romans chapter number 8, but there was
that other nearer kinsman, the kinsman who was even closer.
The kinsman that basically was given the first shot at redeeming Ruth.
He was given the first chance.
He was given every chance to redeem Ruth.
Now isn't that the same as with the law and Jesus Christ?
Because the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
So the law comes along and the law is given the opportunity to redeem mankind.
Was the law able to redeem mankind?
No.
Why?
Because man is a sinner.
Man can't keep the law and therefore he cannot be saved.
He cannot redeem himself and he cannot be redeemed by the law.
Listen to what the Bible says.
You turn to Romans 8, but in Acts 13 it says,
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you
the forgiveness of sins.
And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which you could not be
justified by the law of Moses.
So if you believe, you're justified.
You're saved.
You have forgiveness of sins.
All that believe, the Bible says, and he'll save you from those things that Moses can't
save you from.
The law of Moses can't save you.
The law of Moses can't redeem you.
Look at Romans chapter 8 verse 3.
For what the law could not do, and that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his
own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.
So what the law could not do, Jesus did.
The law can't redeem you, Jesus can.
The Bible says, by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.
And what is the law?
What's an example of the law?
The Ten Commandments.
Now obviously there's more to the law than just the Ten Commandments.
But the Ten Commandments are representative of the law.
They're a picture of the whole law.
And they were engraven in stone tables, and they are representative of the old covenant.
That's why they were put inside a box called the Ark of the Covenant.
And so that old covenant, which can be summed up in two laws, love God and love your neighbor,
or it could be summed up in Ten Commandments, or it could be broken down into all of the
various commandments, depending on how specific you want to get, the old covenant can't save
you.
What does that mean?
That means that you abstaining from stealing, that can't save you.
The fact that you do no murder, that can't save you.
You not covening, that can't save you.
You not having any other gods before him, or not making any graven image, or not taking
the Lord's Day in vain, or keeping the Sabbath, or honoring your father and mother, or you're
not going to bear false witness, and you say, oh, I've kept the Ten Commandments my whole
life.
That can't redeem you.
He won't save you.
The law cannot save you.
Moses can't save you.
Only Jesus can save you.
Why?
You're going to fail at that.
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
If whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he's guilty of all.
You know what?
The law doesn't accept you as you are.
The law doesn't look at a Moabitess and say, sure, yeah, I'll marry you.
The law doesn't look at a poor Moabitess woman and just accept her for who she is and take
her in.
He says, nah, you're not perfect.
Whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he's guilty of all.
No one can measure up to the law's standards.
Ruth, was she a good person?
Yeah, everybody knew she was a virtuous woman, right?
Was she a virtuous woman?
Was she a good person?
Did people in the town like her?
Yeah, it wasn't just Boaz who liked her.
People liked her.
But did she measure up to the law's standard?
No.
Was she perfect?
So did she measure up to the standard of that other kinsman, the nearer kinsman?
No.
That's a picture of the fact that the law will not justify us.
You know, the law will not find us to be perfect.
We're all sinners.
There's none righteous, no, not one.
So that's where that kinsman that's next up comes in and redeems us, Boaz, or we know
as the Lord Jesus Christ.
Look what the Bible says in Romans 8-3 there.
For what the law could not do, and that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his
own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.
Now, there's a lot of truth packed into that verse, so let's try to unpack that.
But basically, what we see first of all is that God sent his own son in the likeness
of sinful flesh to redeem us.
Why is that?
Because the redeemer needed to be near of kin unto us, right?
Because remember in Ruth, it's the kinsman that's going to be the redeemer, right?
So Jesus, in order to redeem us, he couldn't be a stranger or a foreigner unto us.
He can't just redeem us from up in heaven, right, in the form of God.
No.
He had to come down to this earth and make himself in the likeness of men and take upon
him the form of a servant.
And so he had to come, the Bible says in Romans 8-3, in the likeness of sinful flesh.
So he had to be born amongst us.
Basically, he had to become a human being in order to save us, in order to be near of
kin unto us so that he could die for us, so that he could redeem us.
He had to be born as a human being.
Now, what about the latter part of the verse where it says that God sending his own son
in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, or because of sin, condemned sin in the flesh.
Go to John 5, and I'll explain the last part of that verse there.
He condemned sin in the flesh.
Look at John 5, and we see that because Jesus Christ came in the flesh, it actually gives
him the right to condemn sin in the flesh.
It actually gives him the position of being the judge of the quick and the dead.
Look what the Bible says in John 5, verse 22, For the Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgment unto the Son, that all men should honor the Son, even as they
honor the Father.
He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Jump down to verse 26, For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son
to have life in himself, and hath given him authority to execute judgment also.
Why has Jesus been given the authority to execute judgment?
Why is that?
Because he is the Son of Man.
So we see that in chapter 5, verse 22, it said, For the Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgment unto the Son.
So why did God the Father delegate or commit all of the judgment unto the Son?
And why is it that he gave the authority to the Son to do the judging?
The Bible says because he's the Son of Man.
Now what does it mean to be the Son of Man?
It simply means to be a human being.
This is like where Ezekiel six times is referred to as Son of Man.
The Bible talks about the sons of men.
Sons of men are human beings, right?
Because everything brings forth after its own kind.
So the Son of Man is a term meaning that he is human, that he is man.
And so because of the fact that Jesus Christ is man, because he is the Son of Man, God
the Father is not the Son of Man, Jesus is the Son of Man, that's why Jesus is the one
who is specially qualified to be the judge of man because he is the Son of Man.
And so not only does he have now the authority to judge man, but he also has the ability
to redeem man by being the near kinsman, by being a human being, by being in the likeness
of sinful flesh, even though he is without sin.
So go back to Ruth chapter four.
Go back to Ruth chapter number four and while you're turning there I'll read for you a powerful
scripture that you're familiar with in Romans three twenty-three, for all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God.
We all know that verse.
But the next verse is equally powerful and it's tied to verse twenty-three.
It says for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely
by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Okay, so there are basically two guys who can redeem us, right?
There's the law and then there's grace, right?
There's the law and then there's Jesus.
But here's the problem.
The law can't redeem us because he's going to turn us down.
Oh please, law, redeem me.
No thanks.
Why?
Because you're sinful.
Because your righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
Oh please, ten commandments, save me.
Please law, save me.
Oh look at all these works I'm doing.
He says nope, not interested.
You know what?
You better turn to the one that can save you, which is Jesus.
That's the only redeemer you've got.
That other guy, he's maybe closer relative.
He's a little bit closer to you.
But guess what?
He's not going to do anything for you.
You're wasting your time groveling at his feet, begging for him to save you.
What if Ruth would have just said, no I don't need Boaz.
I think I can convince this guy.
I think I can work with this guy.
She would have wasted her time, right?
He's not interested.
He's not going to do it.
He said I can't do it.
I cannot do it.
The law can't do it, only Jesus can.
So that's what we see in the story of Ruth chapter number four.
So let's go back to the story with that in mind.
Ruth chapter number four verse one, then went Boaz up to the gate and sat him down there
and behold, the kinsmen of whom Boaz spake came by unto whom he said, oh such a one,
turn aside.
Sit down here.
And he turned aside and sat down.
And he took 10 men of the elders of the city and said, sit you down here.
And they sat down.
And he said unto the kinsmen, Naomi, that has come again out of the country of Moab
saw the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's.
And I thought to advertise these saying, buy it before the inhabitants and before the
elders of my people.
If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it.
But if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me.
Now, you could say that Elimelech represents Adam.
You know, this is the guy who died and caused his descendants to need redemption, right?
Because he died and he lost the property.
He forfeited the property.
That's why any redemption is needed in the first place, right?
Because of Elimelech dying.
Wherefore is by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed
upon all men for that all have sinned.
And of course, look what he says in verse four there, for there is none to redeem it
beside thee and I'm after thee.
And he said, I'll redeem it.
So I mean, look, there's only two choices, folks, either law or grace, right?
These are your two ways to heaven, but guess what?
We'll never make it in on the law because every single person is a sinner and you cannot
be saved by doing works.
Verse five, then said Boaz, what day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi?
Thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabites, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name
of the dead upon his inheritance.
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance.
Redeem thou my right to thyself, for I cannot redeem it.
So he's saying, look, I cannot do it.
So Ruth chapter four, verse number seven, the Bible reads, now this was the manner and
former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing for to confirm all
things, a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor and this was a testimony
in Israel.
Now, isn't this kind of a goofy thing?
Isn't it kind of weird, folks, just to be like, no, I'm not going to be able to redeem
this.
He basically is plucking off his shoe and saying, look, I can't do it, buddy.
I can't do it, right?
So now basically that is a sign that says I can't do it.
Now that might seem kind of weird, right?
What's the point of that?
Now, do you think anything in the Bible is incidental, coincidental, or accidental?
I think everything in the Bible has significance.
It means something.
And especially when things are really strange, that probably means there's a reason behind
it.
That's a little too random.
Okay.
Well, stop and think about this.
What do the shoes represent in the Bible?
What does the New Testament teach us about shoes?
He talks about having your feet shod, which is an old way of saying shoed, right?
Shoes on them.
Have your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, right?
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel and bring glad tidings of good
things.
You know what the law is basically saying?
Hey, it's not my job.
I'm not the one who brings the gospel.
I'm not the savior.
I'm not the sole winner.
You're the sole winner, Jesus, right?
He's basically giving the shoe to Boaz, showing that Boaz is the one that basically is the
gospel.
It's not, hey, good news.
Meet the Ten Commandments and you'll be saved.
Good news.
Follow the Mosaic law and you'll be saved.
No, the good news is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
So the shoe comes off of the law and it's given to Jesus and say, hey, this is for you,
buddy.
Okay.
So then it goes from being just a random ridiculous gesture to actually meaning something significant,
showing that it's Jesus Christ who is the savior and the custodian of the gospel.
The law does not have custody of the gospel.
Jesus does.
Grace does.
So he hands the shoe over to him and it says in verse 8, therefore the kinsman said unto
Boaz, buy it for thee.
So he drew off his shoe and Boaz said unto the elders and unto all the people, ye are
witnesses this day that I've bought all that was a limilex and all that was kylions and
malons of the hand of Naomi.
Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Malon, have I purchased to be my wife to raise
up the name of the dead upon his inheritance that the name of the dead be not cut off from
among his brethren and from the gate of his place, ye are witnesses this day.
Keep your finger there.
Go to Romans seven.
I'm almost done.
Go to Romans chapter number seven.
See, the Bible uses marriage as a picture of our salvation and Romans seven is one of
those places.
It says in verse one, while you're turning there, I'll start reading.
Know ye not, brethren?
For I speak to them that know the law, how that the law hath dominion over a man as long
as he liveth.
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth.
But if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
So then if while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called
an adulteress.
But if her husband be dead, she is free from that law so that she is no adulteress, though
she be married to another man.
Therefore my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that
ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should
bring forth fruit unto God.
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins which were by the law did work in
our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should
serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
And so what's he saying there?
He's saying, look, we are married unto Christ.
We're not married to the law, we're married unto Christ.
The law is dead unto us, that's why we can be married unto Christ.
So this is a perfect picture, Ruth the widow marrying Boaz, we're like a spiritual widow,
the law is dead unto us, we're married unto Jesus Christ.
That's what we see in Romans, chapter number 7.
So in chapter 4, it talks about how in verse number 11, and all the people that were in
the gate and the elders said, we are witnesses.
The Lord make the woman that has come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which
too did build the house of Israel, and do thou worthily in Ephrata, and be famous in
Bethlehem.
And let thy house be like the house of Phares, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which
the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.
So we see here that there's excitement, there's rejoicing, and there's a lot of talk about
bringing forth fruit, and being like Rachel and Leah, who built the house of Israel.
Why?
Because in the New Testament, we as Christians, we as saved believers in Jesus Christ, we
are the new Israel, we're like a spiritual Israel, and we're to bring forth fruit unto
God.
The Bible says we're married to another in Romans 7, 4, that we might bring forth fruit
unto God.
And so of course they bear fruit, they have a child.
And the Bible says in verse 13, so Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife, and when he went
in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.
And the women said unto Naomi, blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day
without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
Now isn't this interesting?
Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name
may be famous in Israel.
So what's the end result of this union between Ruth and Boaz, and the fruit that is produced?
The end result is that Boaz gets the glory, that he might be famous, that his name may
be famous in Israel.
And this pictures the fact that in regard to salvation, Jesus gets all the glory.
His name is famous.
We preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ the Lord.
And so that's what we see there, his name is famous.
Verse 15, and he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, isn't that what Jesus is unto
us?
A nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee
than seven sons, hath borne him.
And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi, and
they called his name Obed.
He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Now these are the generations of Pherez, this is their ancestor Pherez, son of Judah.
Pherez begat Ezron, and Ezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, and Amminadab begat
Niacin, and Niacin begat Salmon, and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, and Obed
begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
So Boaz is a picture of Jesus Christ, he's from Bethlehem, he's in the lineage of Christ,
he's the son of Judah, he's the progenitor of King David, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
and he is that great kinsman redeemer, who redeemed the poor and distraught Ruth, and
he gave her rest.
And you know what the Bible calls being saved?
Rest.
We're entered into his rest.
The Bible says, he also that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own
works, as God did from his.
Okay, so you know what rest is?
The opposite of work.
And what is it that Naomi said unto Ruth in chapter 3 verse 1 of the book of Ruth, if
you're still there, what did she say to Ruth?
She said, when this plan was first hatched, shall I not seek rest for thee?
How is she going to seek rest for thee?
By basically telling her, hey, you need to call upon Boaz.
Now you say, well, what's the deal with this kind of Sadie Hawkins style thing where she's
asking him?
You know what?
That's how you have to be saved.
You have to call upon him.
How do you get saved?
You call upon the name of the Lord.
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Now look, of course, he was friendly to her.
He was kind to her.
He blessed her.
He invited her.
He gave her food.
He did all these things for her, but at the end of the day, she had to ask for that gift.
She had to say, spread thy skirt upon me.
She had to call upon him, and that picture's calling upon the name of the Lord.
That's how you find rest for your soul, by calling upon the name of the Lord.
Now what in the world does that have to do with the garbage that a lot of people teach
that says, oh, well, you have to do works to be saved?
You know, you have to live a good life and keep the commandments, repent of all your
sins, do good deeds, get baptized, join the church, endure unto the end.
Is that what the Bible teaches?
Look, the Bible's teaching, look, you call upon him.
He gives you rest.
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
He that has entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works as God did from
his.
Okay?
So you have to cease from your own works and fully trust what Christ has already done.
That's salvation, trusting his death, burial, and resurrection.
Because remember, according to Ephesians 1, verses 11 through 13, how do we get redemption?
Well, first, we have to trust in Christ, then we receive the redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins.
We have to trust Christ.
We have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have to put our faith in Christ.
That's what saves us.
That's what gives us rest.
And Ruth is a beautiful picture of that.
That's what the book of Ruth's all about, but it's not just a fun little story.
There are other things we can learn from it about, you know, seeking first the kingdom
of God.
We can take other applications, but the big thing that God's illustrating for us in the
book of Ruth is about Jesus.
The whole Old Testament's about Jesus.
And so we see that the picture that's being shown is how the law can't save us, but Jesus
can.
Grace can.
And we can only be saved by grace.
We need that kinsman, Redeemer, the son of man.
He's the one who can redeem us because he's the son of man.
And you know what?
If you don't take him up on that, if you don't receive Christ as savior, he has been delegated
the authority to judge you and condemn you and send you into hell, okay?
And he will be the one who says to me, I never knew you, depart from me, okay?
That judgment has been committed, delegated, the authority has been given to the son.
Why?
Because he's the son of man.
He is human.
He is the son of man.
Yes, he's the son of God, but he's also the son of man.
And so he has the power to save you, or he has the power to reject you.
But here's the good news.
Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.
That's the good news, right?
To him that has sought thee, thou never said snow.
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
Hey, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Amen?
Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.
Dear Lord, thank you so much for the book of Ruth and the beautiful picture of the Lord
Jesus Christ as our kinsman redeemer, the one who is near of kin unto us because he
is the son of man that saved us.
And Lord God, I just pray that if there's anyone who's under the sound of my voice who
is trusting in their own works or they think somehow keeping the law and doing good things
or not sinning and not stealing and not committing adultery, they think that the law, the Ten
Commandments can save them, Lord.
I pray that they would trust you as their savior before it's eternally too late.
I pray that they would put their trust in the blood of Jesus Christ before it's too
late.
And it's in his name we pray, amen.