Ruth 4:13-22

            Notice some very interesting differences between our culture and the culture in the days of the judges.

1.   Ruth proposed to Boaz by using the Law of Kinsman Redeemer!

2.   The marriage was agreed to in the gates of the city only men present and the bride wasn't even there to have any say about who she would marry!

3.   When Ruth had the child, the credit was given to Naomi!  The neighbor women seemed to act like Ruth had nothing at all to do with the birth of the child!

4.   The neighbors named the child without even consulting Naomi or Ruth or Boaz!

5.   There are different customs in different countries.  This doesn't mean their customs are right or wrong.  It simply means they are different from ours.  Every place has different customs, and it is our responsibility to yield ourselves to those customs and obey them as long as they don't hinder our service to God.

I.    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.

A.  Ruth and Boaz are at rest. (1:9).

1.   Note the two phrases: Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife.

a.   Boaz not only took Ruth because he purchased her, along with Naomi, and the possession of Elimelech.

b.   Boaz took Naomi, but he didn't take her to wife.

c.   Boaz would take care of Naomi as long as she lived.

2.   The only reason Boaz, the kinsman redeemer, was able to take Ruth as a wife was because of Naomi.

B.   Matt. 19:29 - If we forsake the things of this life, God will give us an hundred fold increase in this life, and in the life to come He will give us eternal life.

C.   The LORD gave conception.

1.   Ps. 127:3 - Children are a heritage of the Lord.

2.   Ps. 113:9 - The Lord will make the barren to enjoy children.

3.   Is. 54:1 - The barren shall have more children than the married.

D.  It's possible for conception to take place and God not be in it.

1.   There are women who conceive "out of wedlock".  God certainly isn't "in this action".

2.   There are those married couples who have children, and God is not in their marriage, or in their having children.

3.   This does not mean that God cannot use them, or their children in a positive way, for He can use anything or anybody either for the good or the bad.

II.   Verse 14, 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.

A.  Women - Godly neighbors (note their prayer).

B.   It appears Naomi received more blessings than Ruth.

1.   Naomi, not Ruth, was blessed with a kinsman.

a.   Ruth had left her kinsmen to follow God.

b.   This can't be changed.

c.   Ruth couldn't go back to them.

d.   They need to come to the place Ruth is.

e.   Example: Brother Hillie being rejected by his Catholic family when he was saved.

2.   Ruth's family in Moab.

a.   Probably living "normally".

b.   Probably feeling sorry for Ruth.

c.   But Ruth is enjoying the blessings of the Lord.

3.   This is the way people of the world feel about Christians.  They feel sorry for them because God's people are not "enjoying" the things they are.

C.   The Lord's name is the name that will be famous, not the people involved because:

1.   Elimelech - He left Israel in a time of trouble.

2.   His sons - Because they married out of the revealed will of the Lord.

3.   Naomi - Because she was helpless to change the situation.

4.   Ruth - was also unable, without Naomi's advice, to do anything.  (She was a daughter in law, not the daughter.)

5.   Boaz - didn't cause the situation, God did.  He didn't do anything about Ruth until prompted by her.

D.  This is how blessings in the church works.  It is not:

1.   Just through the pastor.  He can't do anything without the Lord.

2.   Just through the people.  They shouldn't look to the pastor to produce the results instead of looking to the Lord.

3.   Just through the fellowship of pastor and people.  If there is no fellowship with the Lord, all is vain.

4.   All of the above people are helpless to bring on the blessings of the Lord.  Only the LORD can bless us.  May we look to HIM for blessings.

III. Verse 15, And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and 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.

A.  A restorer of life.

1.   Literally because the name of Elimelech will continue.

2.   Spiritually because the genealogy of Christ will continue.

B.   Nourisher of thine old age.  Obed was a nourisher to the life of Naomi just like younger Christians can be a nourisher to the lives of older Christians.

1.   Older church members are to teach the younger church members.

a.   Both must be willing to do their part.

b.   There must be an active involvement on the part of the young people. 

c.   III John 4 - "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

d.   There is no greater joy for the older Christian than to know that after they are dead and gone, the younger people will continue spreading the truth.

2.   Keep the older doctrines and use new methods of presenting these truths.

a.   This will involve no compromise of the truth.

b.   We should use all available means to reveal the truth.

c.   Some new methods would involve:

1.   Radio.

2.   T. V.

3.   Printed page.

3.   Without this a church will slowly die.

a.   They'll be living in the past with no thought as to the future development of the church.

b.   Their religion will become old fashioned because there is no application of that religion to the everyday lives of the church members.

4.   This must be done without compromising the truth and doing things according to the desires of the world (or according to the desires of the worldly church members).

C.   Daughter in law - Just because Ruth now has a husband, she hasn't forgotten Naomi.

1.   This shows us that after we leave our father and mother and cleave to our spouse, we shouldn't forget our parents.

2.   Gen. 2:24 - God commanded Adam and Eve (and all of us) to leave our father and mother and cleave to our wife (or husband).

3.   Eph. 6:2 - Children are to honor their father and mother, that we may live long on the earth.  This responsibility doesn't end when we are married.

D.  Better to thee than seven sons.

1.   I Sam. 1:8 - Elkanah said to Hannah that he was better to her than 10 sons.

2.   This is an expression of speech that explains the true devotion of Ruth to Naomi.

3.   The devotion was public, not private.

Verse 16, And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

A.  Naomi lays the child in her bosom.

1.   This is a symbol of her protecting the child.

2.   Luke 16:23 - Lazarus placed in the bosom of Abraham.

B.   Naomi becomes the nurse of the child.

1.   Naomi doesn't spoil this gift from God.

2.   But she teaches Obed the spiritual principles of God's Word.

3.   She reinforces the teaching laid down by Ruth and Boaz.

Verse 17, And the women her neighbours 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.

A.  The neighbor women, not the parents, named the child.

1.   Luke 1:59 - The neighbors wanted to name Elizabeth's baby "Zacharius", after his father.

2.   It was only by the intervention of God that the child's name was John.

3.   It was a common thing in those days for the neighbors to name the child.

4.   Without the parents approval, the neighbors could not name the child.

B.   The baby was named Obed, which means "a servant".

1.   Many children in the Bible are named (1) according to events surrounding their birth, (2) or prayers for that persons life.

a.   Gen. 4:25 - Eve named her third child Seth, which means "compensation", for she received another child after the death of Abel.

b.   Gen. 5:29 - Noah, which means "rest", gives us comfort from the work and toil of our hands.  Ceasing from our own works, Heb. 3:10.

c.   Gen. 30:8 - Rachel named Naphtali, which means "wrestlings", for she said, "I have wrestled with my sister and prevailed."

d.   Gen. 41:51 - Joseph named Manasseh, which means "causing forgetfulness", for "God has made me forget all my toil."

e.   Ex. 2:10 - Moses name means "drawer out", because "I drew him out of the water."

f.    I Sam. 4:21 - The child was named Ichabod, meaning "where is the honor?, or inglorious", because the "glory is departed from Israel".

g.   I Chron. 4:9 - The child was named Jabez, meaning "sorrowful", because his mother said, "I have bare him with sorrow."

h.   I Chron. 22:9 - Solomon, meaning"peace", because Israel shall be at peace in his days.

i.    Hosea 1:4 - Jezreel, meaning "God sows", for God will avenge the house of Jehu.

j.    Luke 1:60 - John, because God said his name shall be John.

k.   Luke 2:21 - Jesus, meaning "Saviour", was named by the angel before His conception in Mary's womb.

2.   The naming of Obed shows a real understanding of John 13:1-17, the lesson of humility Jesus taught by washing the disciples feet.  Especially verse 3 where Jesus knew that all things was in His hands, and that He came from God and went to God.

a.   If we are to be a real leader, we must first learn to be a servant.

b.   No man can be a real pastor until he has first learned to follow his pastor.

c.   No person can be a really helpful church member, until they have learned to follow their pastor.

d.   This way, there won't be competition in the church.

e.   If the pastor is wrong, you will be able to help him see the error without any hard feelings.

C.   Why did they say the child was born to Naomi?

1.   Because of the law of the Kinsman Redeemer.

2.   These people could look past the physical things to see the spiritual significance.

D.  The spiritual significance of the law of the Kinsman Redeemer.

1.   The Lord Jesus Christ is our everlasting redeemer.

2.   He, like Boaz, looked with compassion on fallen mankind.

3.   At great expense to Himself, He purchased our salvation, thus procuring ourselves to Him.

4.   We, like Naomi and Ruth, were not in a position to help ourselves.  This is the doctrine of Total Depravity.

5.   Christ espouses us to Himself, II Cor. 11:2, when we were foreigners and strangers.  Boaz arranges to marry Ruth when she is a foreigner and a stranger.

6.   One day Christ will marry His bride, just as Boaz married Ruth.

7.   Phil. 2:9-11 - Because of these great sacrifices by Christ, He will receive great and eternal exaltation by His Father and all the creatures in all of His creation.

VI. Verses 18-22, Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

The genealogy of David.

A.  there is no information on some of the people in this genealogy.  Therefore, we will be unable to discuss all of the people.

B.   Pharez (which means a breaking forth or a breach) is the eldest son of Tamar by Judah.

1.   Gen. 38:27-30 - Pharez and Zarah were the sons of Tamar and Judah.  They had an infamous beginning, but their ending is one of honor and glory.

a.   It is by the grace of God that the midwife tied the scarlet thread on the hand of Zarah.

b.   There was almost a mix up of the generations here, but God kept it straight.

c.   Pharez was not the first born, but he was the one God used.

2.   Nehemiah 11:4-6 - Nehemiah records the descendants of Pharez as being "valiant men".

3.   Nehemiah 11:24 - Nehemiah also records the descendants of Zarah as being helpful to the king in all matters concerning the people.

4.   This ought to be an encouragement to those of "lesser" birth.  Anybody can be great as far as God is concerned.

C.   Hezron.

1.   Numbers 26:21 - Hezron is the head of a family in Judah.

2.   Joshua 15:25 - He built the city of Hazor.

D.  Ram - There is no mention of him in scripture, except in Job 32:2 where it describes Elihu as the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram.  I do not believe the Ram of Job is the same Ram which is a descendent of Judah.

E.   Amminadab.  Ex. 6:23 - Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, sister to Naashon.

F.   Nahshon (English spelling of the Hebrew, the English spelling of the Greek is Naasson - Matt. 1:4.)

1.   Numbers 1:7 - He is chosen as the head (prince) of the house of his fathers.

2.   Numbers 2:3 - He is the captain of the children of Judah.  The tribe of Judah faces east.

3.   Numbers 7:12-17 - The tribe of Judah (Nahshon) is the first to give offerings after Moses set up the tabernacle.

4.   Numbers 10:14 - When Israel traveled, the tribe of Judah is the first to go forward.  Therefore Nahshon was the first to travel.  This is a picture of Christ.  He goes first, and all God's people follow Him.

5.   I Chron. 2:10 - He is considered as a prince of the children of Judah.

G.   Salmon.

1.   Matt. 1:5 - Salmon begets Boaz of Rachab (Rahab the Harlot).

a.   Salmon married Rahab, who had been a harlot, because he saw that she believed God and had faith in His promises.

b.   He saw in her a nobler person, full of faith in God.

c.   He saw that she had to leave her home in Jericho, bringing with her all of her family that would come.

d.   He saw what she was, but he also saw what she had become, a faithful follower of God.

2.   I believe this is one reason Boaz was able to accept Ruth so readily.

a.   Boaz was simply following his fathers example of looking past the outward acts to the inward reality.

b.   Boaz sees the faith of his dad and mom and readily accepts the converted Moabitess woman, Ruth.

c.   It is clear why children turn out the way they do - they will live out in their life, the real faith of their parents.

3.   We can see from this that this is a spiritual family.

H.  Boaz.

1.   He is rich, but riches haven't gone to his head.

2.   He has been taught what real values are.

3.   He will, in this book, forfeit his own inheritance for the inheritance of Elimelech.

4.   He choses the spiritual over the material.

5.   But he doesn't lose the material.  We won't either.

K.  David is, of course, the forerunner of Christ.

1.   He is a man after God's own heart.

2.   The genealogy leads from David to Christ, where it ends.