Ruth 4, Did You Get What You Want?, Dr. John B. Carpenter

Ruth chapter 4 be reading the entire chapter here the word of the Lord and Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there and behold the

Redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken came by so Boaz said Turn aside friend sit down here and he turned aside and sat down and he took ten men of the elders of the city and said

Sit down here. So they sat down then he said to the Redeemer Naomi who has come back from the country of Moab is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative

Elimelech so I thought I would tell you of it and say Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people if you will redeem it

Redeem it if but if you will not tell me That I may know for there is no one besides you to redeem it and I come after you and he said

I will redeem It then Boaz said the day that you buy the field from the hand of Naomi you also acquire

Ruth the Moabite the widow of the dead in Order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance

Then the Redeemer said I cannot redeem it for myself lest I impair my own inheritance

Take my right of redemption yourself for I cannot redeem it Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging to confirm a transaction

The one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other and this was the manner of attesting in Israel So when the

Redeemer said to Boaz buy it for yourself He drew off his sandal then Boaz said to the elders and all the people you are witnesses this day

That I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Killian and Malon Also Ruth the

Moabite the widow of Malon I have bought to be my wife to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance

That the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place

You are witnesses this day Then all the people who were in the gate and the elders said we are witnesses

May the Lord make the woman who was coming into your house like Rachel and Leah who together build up the house of Israel May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem and may your house be like the house of Perez whom

Tamar Bored of Judah because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman So Boaz took

Ruth and she became his wife and he went into her and the Lord gave her conception and she bore a son

Then the women said to Naomi Blessed be the Lord who has not left you this day without a

Redeemer and may his name be renowned in Israel He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age

For your daughter -in -law who loves you who is more to you than seven sons has given birth to him

Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse and the women of the neighborhood gave him a name saying a

Son has been born to Naomi They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse the father of David Now these are the generations of Perez Perez fathered

Hezron has run father Ram Ram father I mean a dab. I mean a tab father nation nation fathered

Salman Salman father Boaz Boaz fathered Obed Obed father Jesse and Jesse fathered

David made the Lord at his blessings to the reading of his Holy Word Well, have you gotten your shopping done?

You have what you need for Christmas for many people this time of year is a struggle to Ascertain what they should get for those they buy gifts for you ask yourself.

What do they need? What do they want? They want an eye Something a game system if they're a child they want a toy that they've seen others playing with and want one of their own

Do you get them what they want? Or do you get them what they need? Well, are you struggling with what to give for Christmas if so?

Wanting to be a full -service church giving you everything that you need. Let me give you good housekeeping

Recommendations for some of the best Christmas gifts this year got it You may need to write this down first a lululemon everywhere a belt bag

Which is a belt with a bag kind of not just attached to it but in the middle of it it is meant to be worn strap kind of diagonally across the

Chest and it's for quote that sibling who could never find their phone keys or wallet

It's $38 from lululemon or only $23 at Walmart. You can get a custom neon sign

With someone's name on it, you know They said they could put it in their window tell everyone something so lives here only $27 at Amazon or there's a or a stone

Rechargeable hand warmers for that quote loved one whose hands are always cold in the winter It's $24 from Amazon's a little more at Walmart Of course

If you're older and you probably don't want any of that and even if you did want it you'd go out and buy it for yourself Already why you would wait till this

Christmas comes along to get it if you really need it I don't know why you would do that But some people do maybe you would like like you see in some commercials a new car

With a huge red ribbon on top you ever got one of those. I don't think anyone's ever gotten.

That's this commercial thing I've never seen anyone in real life get a car for Christmas, but I bet with some commercials, you know selling us on the idea

I bet you there are a few people that are they're trying that Of course the things that you really want are not what can be bought in packaged and given for Christmas We say it's so difficult to get him or her a gift

Because as people mature they realize that there's a difference between what they want and what they need and more and more if they are mature what they want what they need and Usually not much else

Well here in Ruth we've seen what Naomi really wants and needs She had to go off to neighboring country of Moab with her husband

Ellie Millick to avoid a famine in Israel She needed to eat so she had to go there in chapter 1 and there in Moab Ellie Millick dies

And then her two sons die leaving her alone with two daughters -in -law Naomi tells him to go back home to their parents and from there seek rest.

That's what she says They need the security of a new family now one agrees But the other

Ruth famously says no and professes where you go. I will go where you lodge.

I will lodge Your people shall be my people Your God my God that is

Steadfast love, but Naomi can't see it yet And so she cries to the ladies of Bethlehem when she gets back that the

Lord has brought her back empty it just happens to be at the beginning of barley harvest and Ruth goes out to glean the scraps and Just happens to find the field of Boaz who just so happens

To be a Redeemer that is he could keep the family name Going Naomi and Ruth realized this and so Ruth asked him to do that very thing with her

She didn't have to just like she didn't have to stay loyal to Naomi, but she did she asked

Boaz spread your wings Over your servant. So Boaz remarks at this last act of steadfast love

Seeking the redemption of the family the future of Naomi and of the name of Ellie Malick this last

Steadfast love is even greater Than the first the famous declaration of steadfast love in Moab.

So Boaz a lover of love agrees. I Will do for you all that you ask

Talk about getting what you want, but there's a problem There's a Redeemer nearer than I Though I says that means that there was another relative who was more closely related to the deceased

Ellie Malick And so he was first in line to quote redeem Naomi and Ruth and their land so he gets the first shot if he wants it now, we're wondering whether Boaz Will get what he wants

Will you get what you want or need for Christmas You probably don't really need every

Everywhere belt bag or a custom neon sign or an I whatever or a new car with a huge red ribbon on top.

I Don't need that. I might want it though But I don't mean it the original Christmas was not about giving cute accessories or gadgets or luxuries

We want but don't need it was all about what we need Most and the book of Ruth ends not just with happy ending of our favorite characters getting what they want

It ends with them getting what they need and What we need

We see that here in three parts. Oh Come all you faithful second what child was this and finally joy to the world

But first, oh come all you faithful Joyful and triumphant. Oh, come ye to Bethlehem and witness

Boaz Seeking to be a Redeemer Boaz goes to the gate of Bethlehem. He says down It's like a crossroads the gate where everyone comes in and out like a town square

You can meet anyone you want if you wait long enough coming and going he's looking for one particular man a

Relative of his who is more closely related to the depart le billet than he is and in verse 1 look there is

The first Redeemer so Boaz calls out him. Oh Come all you faithful turn aside friend sit down here and Boaz gathers 10 leading men of the city

You know come ye come ye and ask them to sit as witnesses. And so with the scene set he makes his proposal first Redeemer number one

Naomi has returned from Moab and is selling her husband's alimony land Remember Israel was given the land by the

Lord It was portioned out to the tribes and then the families of Israel and was supposed to stay in those families.

So Instead of being able to put it on the open market put it for sale to anyone who wants to buy it

They were supposed to first let their relatives have the first shot at buying the land. That's what

Boaz is doing here Do you mr. Redeemer number one? want to buy element lakes field if you do

Well, then do it. If not, I get the second shot Boaz is saying in verse 4

Redeemer number one says I will redeem it. Why not? Sounds good more land

Then Boaz says like a TV ad, you know, but wait, there's more Buy it now and you get

Ruth the Moabite You know operators are standing by It's a package deal you buy one you get the other

That may not sound so bad, especially if you've seen her all washed and perfumed with her cloak on but notice in verse 5

Redeemer number one gets her for a specific purpose. She's the widow of the dead

She's the one you have to redeem by marrying her so you can produce Another son to carry on the name of Elimelech not your name mind you

Elimelech That was the purpose of the institution keep the name of the dead man alive so that his family will continue

It's not for you to get whatever you want a hot new wife but for the family

Including the the dead family members to get what they need Perpetuation the family to live on This is a demonstration of what the whole book of Ruth is about What Ruth has brilliantly shown twice pledging herself to Naomi where you die,

I will die and there I will be buried That's steadfast love. It's I'm gonna be with I'm gonna keep you alive

I'm gonna perpetuate the name of your family Elimelech and and yourself Then she did it again in seeking

Boaz Even when they were younger and richer men around precisely because he was a

Redeemer That's why he went out. She went after him Ruth expresses steadfast love now.

It's the turn of the Redeemer Boaz to do it. So Boaz is explaining here.

You have to marry her to keep the family of the dead alive hence show steadfast love

That's the challenge To this unnamed Redeemer number one. So that's the deal.

Mr Redeemer number one and that last part of the bargain for him that changes everything, you know First he was like, you know, that's good.

But then wait wait other woman First when it was just about getting another field that sounded it sounded great

So I farmers weren't right you get more land more land means more crops, which means more harvest which means more money

Now sure, he has to pay Naomi for it But since he's she's too old to have any of children

She won't be having any other heirs To whom he'd have to give the land back to when they grow up.

Remember the land stays in the family But Ruth is another thing altogether if she has a son

The son gets the land when he grows up. And so mr. Redeemer number one. He's probably a good businessman. It's thinking wait

I'm being asked to pay for land that I may only get to Only temporarily use

Until maybe a child grows up and then it goes to him and he's not even considered taking like my my family might dissent

That's bad deal. I don't like this deal. So Redeemer number one concludes in verse 6 I cannot redeem it for myself lest they impair my own inheritance.

In other words, this man had some property Some wealth some capital there would be risk if he married

Ruth he might lose it He don't want to lose it. His love of money was more than his Steadfast love for his family.

This is probably why we aren't told his name But he could have saved he could be the one who saved the name of Elimelech if he had steadfast love

But since he loved his property more His name is lost

Because he wouldn't perpetuate the name of his relative his name Won't be perpetuated

And notice particularly why he won't redeem he tells us himself his own words he had possessions

I Have a property melon. I'll lose my inheritance He cared more for the things he had than he did for Steadfast love he sounds like another man in the

Bible whose name we also we don't know the rich young ruler He seemed like a sincere right religious and moral man

Came to Jesus Seriously asking, you know, what what must I do to enter the kingdom of God?

Jesus said well, you need to sell all that you have give to the poor and come and follow me But he wouldn't do that And it says he wouldn't do it because he loved his possessions he loved his

I Something's his game systems his brand -new cars with huge red ribbons on top his name and neon lights

Maybe his fine suits his house his big bank account. He loved all that So he slinked away unredeemed

Here the unnamed man loved Whatever it was he had his inheritance

He loved it so much That he was not willing to become a redeemer. He's an unredeemer too bad for him

But it works out best for everyone else doesn't it Especially us and so the man who had intentionally passed on the his right of redemption.

He takes off his shoe Seems like an odd custom his sandal and gives it to Boaz. But whatever it is.

That's simply that's not the kind of thing you do Casually or accidentally like you might shake someone's hand

This is out of instinct that you wouldn't give take off your shoe and give it to someone just for no reason So it's a sign to signal to all the witnesses that he is attesting that he has given up his redemption rights that he really has made this decision and that makes sort of it would serve to us like a

Signature on a contract something like that and that makes Boaz next in line and Boaz has no such qualms Boaz has property too and he could reason

I suppose like the first guy That he doesn't want to impair his inheritance as he put it but Boaz has what

Ruth has Steadfast love faithfulness. He loves redemption More than riches and so he's willing to redeem no matter the expense no matter the potential loss he's joyful and Triumphant so Boaz declares to the witnesses starting in verse 9 in Bethlehem.

Oh, come all you faithful Witnesses you are witnesses this day They have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Eli Malek and all the belong to kill you in a

Mala and also Ruth the Moabite the widow of Mala and I have bought to be my wife Why?

What why did he do this What did he want What did he need?

It wasn't just romance. I'm business story. So was a great love story. Well, I mean in a way it is

But it wasn't just romance that he wanted or needed something higher something greater It's steadfast love in verse 10

He tells us why to perpetuate the name of the dead into inheritance That the name of the dead may not be cut off from his brothers and from the gate of his native place

Notice nothing there about him but cuz I really like her she's cute nothing like that to To perpetuate the name of the dead but the dead are no longer around they don't care but he cares

He has steadfast love. He did it for the same reason Ruth made her pledge to Naomi back in Moab he came to Bethlehem and Bargained to be the

Redeemer Because he's faithful He declared again. You are witnesses this day and the elders of the people respond we are witnesses and Then the witnesses say kind of as a chorus

Right a lot of churches have Christmas cantatas. There's a there's a chorus Speaking up in verse 11.

May the Lord make this woman who was coming in your house Like Rachel and Leah who together built up the house of Israel saying to sock in unison

They probably only meant that may she be fertile like them between the two of them including their maids They produced twelve sons and at least one daughter and from them came the twelve tribes and the whole nation of Israel But their words were inspired and they they meant

More than they knew or at least the one who inspired them meant more than they knew May Ruth the

Moabite the foreigner The one from the world not from Israel literally become a mother to the true

Israel the people of God from her make God's people come so she did a woman from the nations from the world

Gave us a Redeemer a king Who would save people? From the world

The world they're not finished the witnesses chorus continues in verse 11.

May you Boaz? Act worthily in Ephrathah here. They're challenging him

We froth does that's the region they live in kind like a county or state and be renowned in Bethlehem Boaz has been so far a worthy man.

So they're challenging him continue being worthy act worthily continually We have our eye on you

Boaz. You're saying we're witnesses That you were worthy and you continue that way that you be a faithful Redeemer that you don't abuse

Ruth And this is why we do weddings in public that you will keep these vows that you will not just have romantic love

But steadfast love that you'll be faithful. You'll be worthy if you do Boaz You will be renowned

Boy that turned out true, didn't it? We have our eye on you They're saying this chorus of the elders the witnesses of Bethlehem the fateful

But we're for you We're watching you but we're for you. We're not suspicious, but we're for you

We want your house your family to be blessed That's that's why we go to it's when we go to weddings for not just to look at the dresses and the ceremony

But to say we're for you May you be blessed We're challenging them act worthily

Keep your vows love steadfast love the universe 11 May your house be like the house the witnesses the chorus challenging him again may earn at this time blessing them

I should say blessing him. May your house your family be like the house of Perez whom tame our board of Judah We want your house to be like Perez's family

Remember that story maybe vaguely from Genesis Paris was the child of A redeemed woman to there are actually good blessings that make children come from this redeemed woman

Ruth Paris was the child the son of a redeemed woman Woman like Ruth the woman was

Tamar now Tamar was inadvertently Redeemed the nicest way

I could put it in the sordid story in Genesis chapter 38. I remember Tamar She was widowed like Naomi and Ruth here and she took action like Naomi and Ruth do

To get a redeemer now her actions were immoral But when the patriarch Judah wanted to punish her for her immorality, she revealed that he was the one she was immoral with And so she wasn't punished

Ruth and Naomi's ploy was just improper You know the laying down in his feet and the and the floor whatever that's kind of improper

But so we can excuse we can excuse that though Further Boaz understood the threat of family extinction they weighed on Naomi and Ruth and He loved the steadfast love that Ruth had that caused her to act

It caused her to follow Naomi and to seek now him and so he loved that Boaz loved that He respected that and so he took responsibility as the

Redeemer so that element X family would not be blotted out Additionally both Tamar and Ruth were not

Israelites they were non Israelites they became integrated into Israel again part of Israel eventually

But through marriage it became one of the people of God now for Tamar the Canaanite She cares more for carrying on the family of Judah Then does

Judah the man the result is the son Perez and from them came almost to the descendants of Of Judah most of these people here in Bethlehem and through that comes the promise

That God will multiply the descendants of Abraham That is at least partially fulfilled

Through Tamar of all things. Well for Ruth your people will be my people her commitment that leads her to Bethlehem Which leads her to Boaz which keeps the family going and what will come from that family?

The witnesses say may you Boaz and Ruth build up the people of God through the offspring that you have just like Tamar did may you build up the people of God made is the true

Israel come from you may the Lord give you offspring they say who will give the world the king of the kingdom of God they unknowingly say

The result second and verses 13 to 17 What child is this?

Though as it Ruth were married as I said last week the Bible is frank and open about sex We see that verse 13 So there's no reason to try to read between the lines and think it's trying to be coy and hiding it from us

What is unusual here was I'm sure it's different but it's It's boldly put here is the statement of where the child came from the

Lord Gave her Ruth conception It's not an accident of biology

It's not the world of nature acting on its own. It's kind of out of control now the Lord is in charge of this as he was with everything he was in charge of the famine and when

They could have food again. He's in charge of this conception as he is with every conception every birth every child

Ruth gives birth to a son and to that Comes another chorus

This time a chorus of the ladies of Bethlehem. Remember the ladies of Bethlehem The same ladies in chapter 1 that Naomi told that the

Lord had the Lord is probably back empty She told those ladies of Bethlehem and there are they we they don't say anything.

They're silent They've been keeping their silence until now now they speak up starting in verse 14

Blessed be the Lord. Oh You said he was against you. You said he brought you back empty

Naomi. No Bless the Lord say good things about him Since he gave us what we really wanted and needed a child.

The Lord has not left you Naomi this day the birthday of a new son without a

Redeemer the Lord did it Not Naomi's crazy plan of lying down and Boaz his feet.

I'm sure the plan worked But it was the Lord's doing Just because you strategize and you work at something and you boldly risk everything and it pays off That doesn't mean that It's not totally in the hands of the sovereign

God El Shaddai Naomi had cried that she was empty.

But now the Bethlehem ladies chorus responds now is their time to talk back to her

That the Lord has not left you without a Redeemer Naomi. You're not empty anymore. Are you? Who is the

Redeemer? Well Boaz was the Redeemer But the child changes everything notice verse 14

Naomi the Lord has given you a Redeemer. We assume that is Boaz.

They're talking about Boaz Because he was the Redeemer pay attention Now the

Redeemer is the one who gives the family new life who inherits the property who perpetuates the name who keeps hope alive

May his as yet unannounced name be renowned in Israel.

It sounds familiar, doesn't it? Boaz was to be renowned Now may the Redeemer's name be renowned like the first witnesses chorus said verse 11 now

This new Redeemer be renowned But the Redeemer here starting verse 14 notice carefully who he is

The ladies chorus tells us at the end of verse 15 for your daughter -in -law has given birth to him the

Redeemer What child is this? Well, the Bethlehem ladies chorus tells us

He's the Redeemer In verse 15 he the baby boy shall be to you Naomi of a store of life and a nourisher of your old age

He's what you want and what you need Naomi and he is that because your daughter -in -law who loves you.

She's proven that not just words not my cards By her actions the same one who set beside you when you cried how empty you were

Remember, she probably gave Naomi a tissue the beginning of barley harvest She's more to you than seven sons, that's lofty praise in that culture more to you than a perfect number of sons

But after all she Ruth has given birth to him Who is now the

Redeemer so now the office or the title of Redeemer has been passed down from Boaz To the baby and it will continue being passed down until it reaches the one who redeemed all of God's people all of God's family

What child is this? Well, he's the Redeemer and he redeems the family

Naomi's family Alex line and the name will not disappear because of this child name. He takes the child

Lays him in her lap Serves as his nurse So proud of him was she the ladies of Bethlehem So happy for her gave the boy his name

Obed meaning servant a humble name But right for a boy who served to redeem his family and carry on a family that would serve the world

What child is this? Laid to rest on Naomi's lap is sleeping

Whom ladies greet with anthem sweet while Boaz watch is keeping

What child is this? The token of a happy ending for a sweet domestic romantic story all that sure

But much much more the child had looked up and saw grandma

Naomi Would one day look down? And see grandson David and through all this through a woman from the nations from the world

God brought his King that King by the way would later write in Psalm 36 ascribed to David the servant of the

Lord How precious is your steadfast love? Oh God the children of mankind

Take refuge in the shadow of your wings Where do you think

David got those themes from? What child is this? Well, he's the grandfather of the

King Remember that Alameddic and Naomi lived during the time of the judges when there was no King in Israel When God was supposed to be their

King Alameddic name means my God is King This child sleeping on Naomi's lap would be the grandfather of the

King who had God would promise would have a son Who would never cease to rule the birth of that King comes through this line this family from Ruth the foreigner the woman of the nations from the world outside of Israel and Boaz the fateful

Redeemer third the birth of that King from the world for the world would give

Joy to the world That's what that last genealogy shows in verses 18 to 22 you be these genealogies eyes glaze over a list of names

What this is about? Why should I care? It shows us That he comes from one son born through redemption

Perez Saving his family through another Obed to Jesse to David the king beyond to the son of David Jesus Christ You might think well, okay.

What does this have to do with me? Nice? Nice story and all sweet. Sure, but I I don't really care

It's an old family. It's nothing to do with my life But many people in many cultures have understood that keeping the family no name going is not just what they want

It's what they need Christian missionaries found at Chinese ancestors of iteration hard to break through because Chinese ancestors of iteration was so tied in to perpetuating the family name keeping the family going

Something so they naturally thought the two went together now Some Chinese people would accuse Christianity being what they called ancestor denying religion

You're not supposed to worship the ancestors Christians would say but you mean we're supposed to let our family die off That's the way they would think keeping the family going is so important in traditional

Chinese culture. It literally made a religion out of it Filial piety much more the real religion of China than Buddhism or Taoism the urge to keep one's lineage alive

Carry on the family name can lead to ancestor of iteration

Honoring ancestors the rituals like offering food and burning incense with jaw sticks maintaining ancestral tablets or graves it can

Doesn't have to More practically here like a Ruth family members should have children

The assumption is who passed down the family name for future generations That is the need many people all around the world feel so Chinese culture in particular is

Geared to getting people to fulfill that need and the Israelites were the same

They had they felt the same need Just without the ancestors of iteration So you don't need ancestor iteration

If you have a Redeemer What child is this he's the one who will redeem the family from oblivion

Okay, okay So Boaz and Ruth are good examples of keeping Naomi's family alive.

I've got it But still why do I care? Is it just a good example that I should follow?

No, they're not Just a good example filial piety It's traditional

Chinese and others should love it's much more than that. It's more than that because it's not just This is not just any family

This is the family the one Ruth and Boaz redeems by giving us

Obed This is the family who gives us the Redeemer who creates the family of God Why should you care

This isn't just a good moral lesson on steadfast love or filial piety It's the story of where the king and the

Redeemer and where the family of God comes from is the back story to Christmas It's not just an old story of how

God else should I save the family? it's about how he saved you family tree seems like a

Boring way to end a lovely sweet domestic love story. It's the list of names But so much more than that It's about getting what we need the

King The one who creates a new family the family of God from whom every family on earth is named

It's about how my God is King Elimelech after he died Brings the

King God anointed to fulfill his promises Redeeming not only that family, but all of God's family this is the story of how

God brought his King and our Redeemer and that's

What we needed above all else Not only David but the son of David The one whose genealogy includes all these names here

Ruth and Boaz and David the one who comes from a mother from the world to give a

Redeemer for the world to redeem the people of God out of the world, so Joy to the world the