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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
I wonder how well you know your family history and how far back in generations you can tell the story of your family? How did your grandparents meet? What were the ‘defining moments’ which your ancestors would say have shaped your family to be who they are?
We’re walking through the story of Naomi & Ruth in the Old Testament of the Bible found in the book called Ruth. We’ve arrived in chapter 4. Widows Naomi and Ruth are waiting! For what you might ask?
Chapter three, which we looked at yesterday, was the remarkable story of Moabite widow Ruth approaching Hebrew Boaz, one of Naomi’s “kinsman-redeemer”, and offering herself to him. He has responded with respect and in good faith, primarily because Ruth has developed such an honorable reputation during the weeks she and Naomi have been back from Moab to Bethlehem.
Chapter 4 opens with Boaz making good on his promise to resolve the question of “kinsman-redeemer” for Naomi & Ruth. As was the custom, Boaz went to the town gate for it was there the leaders of the city would sit watching the coming & goings of people, and transacting the business of the city. They would also keep an eye on the traffic, especially watchful of anyone seeking to come into their town who did not live there.
You’ll see Boaz gathered several of the town leaders and the person who was actually a closer relative of Naomi’s, and presented him with the opportunity and responsibility he had to take financial responsibility for her. In her case it would require paying off any debt owed on the land of her family, and assuming financial care of Naomi until her death. But since Ruth, Naomi’s daughter-in-law had come back to Bethlehem to care for Naomi, it would also require assuming responsibility for Ruth. This was no small decision.
You’ll see in verse 5 Boaz reminds the other man of God’s guidelines for widow and family line care, which were unique to the Hebrew people: “On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth, the Moabitess, you aquire the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” (Ruth 4:5)
You’ll recall I showed you that back in Deuteronomy 25:5-10 that Moses instructed the people, that if a married man dies without a son, his brother should marry his widow and have at least one son by her, and that son would carry the family name of the dead man, so as to continue his line in the family of the Hebrews.
As you see in this case the man with whom Boaz was ‘negotiating’ felt it was too big of a responsibility, and so he passed his ‘kinsman-redeemer’ right of first opportunity to Boaz. I like the way Boaz made a very clear announcement to the Bethlehem leaders, would you consider these are the roots of our modern day wedding ceremony with Vows and Rings and Wedding License with Witness signatures, and a room full of friends and family all bearing witness to the very serious vow to marriage ’till death do us part’?
Listen to Boaz: “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech (her deceased husband), Kilion and Mahlon (her deceased sons). I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!” (Ruth 4:9,10)
My friends, do you notice the glaring absence of an important word we almost always hear in wedding ceremonies? The word is LOVE! Boaz did not use that word. Can you see why?
This was not about love. This was about honor and compassion for two widows, and obedience to God’s guidelines for His people! Do you see that? Boaz married Ruth not out of love but out of compassion and obedience to God! That really strikes my heart. Do you know why?
Listen to the excuses, the reasons given for marriage separation or divorce which are too often spoken in our day. Here are some I’ve heard. . .
* “She doesn’t make me happy any more. I just don’t love her anymore.”
* “He travels too much with his job, he’s never home. When he is home, he doesn’t pay enough attention to me.”
* “She’s let herself go, she’s not the beautiful woman I married.”
* “He never compliments me, never says anything to his friends complimentary about me.”
* “He’s not providing for me the way I expected. We don’t drive the car I thought we would, or live in the kind of house I expected, or take the vacations I expected. I don’t want to live linked to this loser. I deserve better.”
and on, and on, and on.
Would you agree my friends that marriage is the second most important decision a person will ever make? Second only to their decision about Jesus Christ, which will determine their eternal destiny!
Do you also agree that marriage is first a commitment to God, then a commitment to the person you believe God has brought into your life and asked you to marry?
Do you understand marriage is for a lifetime, till death separates us, no exceptions? Do we understand God said “I hate divorce” (Malachi 2:16)?
Naomi and Ruth understood Boaz was being obedient to Almighty God, as He took responsibility for Naomi & Ruth. He was extending to these two widows, the love of God. It was a remarkably loving and God honoring thing to do, and he did it in full view of the town.
For the rest of his life Boaz would be living out, every day, the fulfillment of his vow made this day! Everyone would be watching, and as he lived honorably with these women, people would give honor and glory to God and be amazed as God’s kindness and love for Naomi & Ruth. Watch that my friends.
As you and I ‘walk with Jesus’ each day, everything about our lives, our speech, our integrity should draw people to God and help them stand in awe of HIM! That is the ultimate purpose of our lives, our marriages, our families… to draw a watching world to Jesus!!!
Notice please how the people of Bethlehem responded beginning in verse 11! At a wedding reception we often hear people pouring out wonderful words of blessing and giving gifts to the bride & groom. Here, the words that are said have great significance in the Hebrew heritage: “May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem…”
Every Jew knew the story of Jacob & Rachel & Leah, and their two servant girls and the 12 sons and daughter who came from them and became the ancestral tribal heads of the people of Israel. You’ll find their remarkable story in Genesis 29&30!! Both Rachel & Leah were found to be barren, but then God opened their wombs miraculously!
Rachel’s bore to Jacob, Joseph and Benjamin. Leah bore to Jacob, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun! The people of Bethlehem were saying they hoped God would honor Naomi & Ruth’s integrity and humility, and bless this marriage of Ruth and Boaz with a son to carry on their name, and a son who would be blessed of God.
I think let’s stop right here and just ponder the wonder of what was happening here with Boaz, Naomi & Ruth, and the people of Bethlehem. And let’s reflect on our marriages, the marriages in our family heritage. How does your family ancestry respect and honor the holy tradition of marriage? What are we teaching our kids and grandkids about God’s expectations and the very high standards that HE has for holy matrimony?
Do we all understand God’s expectation is that we honor our marriage vows till death, realizing our first vow was to God, and our second vow was to our spouse? Do we take seriously the privilege of living marriage each day as WORSHIP of Holy God in whose name you vowed yourself in marriage? Oh my friends, may we show to the world, the wonder of God honoring marriages!!
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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