Our background photo for today features a lovely pink gate. However, if you look closely, you might notice that the photo seems slightly off-tilt. Things don’t seem to be quite level. This is because the road in front of this particular gate is on a very steep downhill slope!
And so we introduce the book of Ruth. When we first meet Ruth, we discover that her life is one of sorrow and loss … her life is a steep downhill slope! Ruth’s husband has died, leaving her as a young grieving widow. Furthermore, Ruth’s husband’s father has died, leaving her mother-in-law a grieving widow as well. Adding even more sorrow, Ruth’s husband’s brother has died, leaving her sister-in law as a young grieving widow.
A steep downhill slope! Tragedy upon tragedy upon tragedy.
It is interesting to note that the events which occur in the book of Ruth are taking place during the same time as the events in the book of Judges. It is also interesting to note that the very disobedience of the people of Israel (described in the book of Judges) is what precipitates the story of Ruth.
An Israelite family (Elimelech & Naomi) disobeyed God by abandoning their portion of the promised land to move to the neighboring pagan land of Moab. They further disobeyed God by allowing their two sons to marry pagan wives from Moab.
Disobedience results in consequences! Tragedy followed tragedy.
And so we meet Ruth … a pagan, Moabite widow … married into a disobedient Israelite family.
God is a God of grace!
God is a God of mercy!
Even in the worst disobedience … even in the worst of mistakes … God offers a second chance. God offers His love.
In Ruth 1:16, Ruth chooses to turn wholeheartedly to serve the one and only God of Israel! To this end, Ruth leaves her land and her people of Moab, and travels with her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi, back to the land of Israel.
However, due to Elimelech & Naomi’s disobedience, the family’s portion of the promised land has been forfeited.
But God is a God of second chances!
As the events in the book of Ruth unfold, Naomi and Ruth follow wholeheartedly after God! Obedience results in blessings! God blesses Naomi and Ruth by providing a field for Ruth to glean in, in order to gather food to eat. God blesses Naomi and Ruth by providing favor in the eyes of the field-owner. God blesses by providing consistent work for Ruth throughout harvest season. God blesses by providing protection for Ruth as she labors alongside the field-hands.
God blesses by revealing to Naomi and Ruth that the field-owner (Boaz) “just so happens” to be a close relative … one who might be able to redeem/“buy back” the family’s land which Elimelech & Naomi had forfeited.
God blesses as Boaz, the close relative, does indeed redeem/“buy back” the family’s land by marrying Ruth.
The book of Ruth is a beautiful love story!
The book of Ruth is a story of Hope!
The book of Ruth is a story of Redemption!
The book of Ruth is a story of Second Chances!
Just as Boaz was a “Kinsman Redeemer” (close relative, willing to redeem) for Naomi and Ruth … so also Jesus Christ is our Kinsman Redeemer.
All of humanity has disobeyed God. Disobedience results in consequences! Yet, if we turn to God in repentance, God offers us a second chance. Jesus Christ paid the price to buy us back out of the mess of sin and disobedience.
Jesus Christ offers us hope and a new life!
Jesus Christ is our Kinsman Redeemer!
