Ruth 4: 1-22

Recurrent Thought

There is always an extended picture about our lives, which we don’t see. Our lives have capacity to impact heaven, earth and below the earth.

Our lives, ordinary as they are, impact families, nations, and the kingdom of God in ways we may not fathom. Ordinary lives when lived righteously tend to have extraordinary results. Boaz and Ruth who both were faithful, righteous and hardworking might not have recognized what was about to happen in their lives.  The reality is that we don’t know the extended and bigger picture that is being drawn by God; we also don’t know in totality the impact of our lives. Boaz and Ruth did not know the impact of the legacy their family would cast; but by hindsight we can now tell its greatness. 

Background

The City Gate Phenomenon: the Place of Influence 

1. Boaz promised Ruth that he would do something (3:13). Naomi was sure that Boaz would not rest until he did something;
2. So he brought the discussion at the city gate. The gates of ancient cities played many parts: they were guard-houses; they were market places, they were courts of justice; they were places for public deliberation and audience.
3. The nearest Kinsman Redeemer is given a chance to redeem the land once possessed by Elimelech and he agrees but he is told he also must marry Ruth. He refused claiming it will spoil his estate and ruin his name (Deut. 25; Lev. 25)
4. Providentially, Boaz is the next in line and decides to Redeem the Estate and includes the marrying of Ruth. 

The Ceremony of the Shoe: The Symbol of Power 

1. They Perform the Ceremony of the Shoe. In Deut. 25 the Widow gets the Sandal from the Man who refuses and spits in his face and Curses him. But in Ruth it is the Man who refuses to be a kinsman redeemer gets the shoe and gives it to one who wants to buy it. Here it is a bit casual 
2. The Foot shows power, mighty, dominancy and Conquest: Foot on top of Enemy. Satan is crushed by the Heel of the Son (Gen. 3: 15) . Psalm 110: Footstool showing the place of victory. When the Foot touches the Land it demonstrates ownership of the Land (Deut. 11). 
3. Therefore the Shoe represents the same power and authority. The Lord says” Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph (Psalm 60:8; 108)  He is showing power over the land. 
4. When Moses removes the shoes he is submitting to a higher authority. 

The Blessings Bestowed on Ruth: is the Definition of Grace (Ch. 4: 10-11)

1. Ruth 4: 13 The Peak of the Story is that Boaz and Ruth have a son. Naomi rejoices, the story has changed and she is the nurse of the Baby. They name him Obed.
2. When Blessing her they said she should be like Rachel and Leah the Mothers of Israel, and she was. They also She should be Famous, and she became so, the Grandmother of David and of Jesus (4:11).
3. Then they said she should be blessed Like Tamar (4:12) . How and why? Awkward Blessing.
4. Who is Tamar? She was married to the son of Judah but through a Levirate marriage like this one, a second husband died. Judah refused to give any more son. To correct this, Tamar dresses like a prostitute and Judah sleeps with her. She later has twins (Gen. 38).
5. The story is similar of Tamar is similar to that of Ruth,  a woman who is rejected, but through the Grace of God, she is accepted and grafted into the promised line 
6. You can see clearly stated how Tamar is connected to the Promised line. Perez is the first son of the twins, through which the linage of Jesus passes, the great grandfather of Jesus 
7. Ruth reveals the redemption of God in History: Whoever is rejected is the target of the grace of God. Ruth is the picture of Gods Redemption of God.

Three Lessons 

1. Whenever it is in your power to do Good, do it (Ch. 4:6)

   • The first Kinsman Redeemer said Redeeming Ruth would ruin and spoil his estate. 
   • But because he wanted to keep his, he is not known by name at all
   • Our history are better connected to what God’s story when we connect to what pleases God. Taking care the underprivileged is God’s Will and it pleases.
   • Whenever, we fail to do the good, we actually become smaller in influence.
   • Whoever desires to save his life loses it. This man has no impact in history. 
   • When you want to establish yourselves without God, you will lose it. 
   • There is an irony in living for Christ. It is in losing that we win and winning we lose.
   • Read the “If You want” Parodox that shows the Irony found in the Gospel.
2. God Loves to work in Situations of Powerlessness (Ch. 4:12)
   • Naomi seems to be so focused with the Zero Reality she had come to experience
   • The Challenge is that sometimes we fall in hard places and because we do not know how to get out, we start glorifying it.
   • Don’t elevate Poverty for there is no virtue or holiness in it. Hopelessness makes us to lift our eyes to the Lord
   • God perfects Grace and Faith in our difficulty realities. God loves to work with our poverty and lack, for therein Faith is perfected. Lack causes us to lift our eyes to Jesus the redeemer. The whole are self-centered and do not need a healer
   • We see better the Grace the God when we are powerless
   • The Bible in 2 Co_12:10  “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 
   • Therefore, we must be deliberate to take a place of humility in God’s and people’s eyes. With this we give God room to bless us
3. Our Lives Cast Shadows
   1. Boaz is the perfect picture of Jesus. A mighty man who comes to redeem his bride. Boaz who  comes to redeem rejected Ruth
   2. Jesus is the mighty man who came to redeem human beings from the works and clutches of Sin
   3. Our lives impact the future of the communities including the Kingdom of God.
   4. The Grace of God produces impact from our lives more than our efforts deserves
   5. The Lineage of Jesus is immediately shown in the Genealogy presented (4:18)
   6. Mathew 1: 3-7 Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba are four Women with questionable lifestyles and backgrounds, but God redeems them.
   7. It is the picture of Jesus redeeming the rejected Bride. A church is a bunch of people with questionable stories. That is what God is doing throughout history 
   8. What we do, is part of the grand eternal picture God is painting 

Herein is the truth of what we have become

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellences of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9  )

Conclusion 

Despite Who I am the Grace of God multiplies the positive impact of my life.

THE “IF YOU WANT” PARADOX

If you want to be great you have to think about humbling yourself first. For the proud get humbled and the humble receive honor.

If you want to reap, sowing would have to be done first, For harvest exists not without seeds in the ground.

If you want to be a leader you have to be a servant of all, For leadership is exerted from the position of weakness.

If you want to be first, go be the last, With that comes the miracle of waiting on God.

If you want to go up, the only way is to go down first and If you want to increase you decrease, I do not understand God’s sense in this.

If you want to be great in God’s kingdom you have to learn to be the servant of all, because in there, only servant leading is accepted.

If you want to gain, you have to do only one thing, lose what you have. Then experience the joy of having none, protecting and defending nothing.

If you want to receive the best, you have to give your very best, first. For you would not want to receive the least, others deserve the best too.

If you want to enjoy relating with others, you have to sacrifice yourself. For in losing control of your self you will find joy of community.

If you want life, think of death first; it gives resurrection a possibility.

Having nothing, losing everything, weak and vulnerable, yet depending on God’s goodness, always. From this position, we do not seek to impress others, or lord over those we lead. For we come to know that we are living, working and leading among equals. 

What a privilege to be a servant!

© Copyright 2008
Enson M. Lwesya