31 You are witnesses today.” 4:11 All the people who were at the gate and the elders replied, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel! May 32 you prosper 33 in Ephrathah and become famous 34 in Bethlehem. 35 4:12 May your family 36 become like the family of Perez 37 – whom Tamar bore to Judah – through the descendants 38 the Lord gives you by this young woman.”
A Grandson is Born to Naomi 4:13 So Boaz married Ruth and had sexual relations with her. 39 The Lord enabled her to conceive 40 and she gave birth to a son. 4:14 The village women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be praised because he has not left you without a guardian 41 today! May he 42 become famous in Israel! 43 4:15 He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old, 44 for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She 45 is better to you than seven sons!”
God cares for needy people like Naomi and Ruth; he is their ally in this chaotic world. He richly rewards people like Ruth and Boaz who demonstrate sacrificial love and in so doing become his instruments in helping the needy. God’s rewards for those who sacrificially love others sometimes exceed their wildest imagination and transcend their lifetime.
This also shows how awesome GOD is to answer prayer. They prayed that she would have a child and to prosper and to become famous in Bethlehem. Boaz’s line did become like the line of Perez, and both Boaz and Obed became famous. God’s blessing upon Ruth and Boaz extended beyond their lifetime and immediate family, for their great descendant, David, became the greatest of Israel’s kings, and his descendant in turn, Jesus the Messiah, became greater still. I think this also shows that God answers prayers in HIS time according to HIS will. Yes they had their child, but it wasn't until later that they truly became famous in Bethlehem thru the birth of Christ.
Pastor Chris's motto of "doing the next right thing" rings loud again. Boaz did the next right thing. What he also did was NOT to start counting the cost to be obedient. That was what the kinsman-redeemer did. He was ready to help Naomi/Ruth, but when he started to count the cost of obedience...he backed off.
I want to be like Boaz. The cost of being obedient to God should not come into play when we make our decisions in life. Obedience to God must become the 'natural' thing to do. In other words....it is DOING THE NEXT RIGHT THING!
Verse 5, “Then Boaz said, ‘On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you acquire the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.’”
I love this comment from Boaz. He knows what he wants – to marry Ruth. He knows that he needs to get the person who has right of first refusal (if you will) to sign off on it. He also knows that he needs the elders of the town to be on board with all of this. Boaz obviously does his homework and he knows the law. He does everything right. He sets himself up for success. He doesn’t take the easy way out and say that if it is God’s will then it will happen. He puts himself into a situation that he knows that will work.
What a great learning for all of us. How often do I want something to happen and even know that it is God’s will but I am unwilling to do the hard work to make it a reality? Boaz was a man of noble character who wanted to marry a woman of noble character. He did what was right and legal, but he had to do the hard work to bring it to reality. I must be willing to do the same as I discern from God what the next right thing for me to do is.
Charter Oak Church is a family of Jesus followers who want to reach out to those who are searching and equip believers to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.
31 You are witnesses today.” 4:11 All the people who were at the gate and the elders replied, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel! May 32 you prosper 33 in Ephrathah and become famous 34 in Bethlehem. 35 4:12 May your family 36 become like the family of Perez 37 – whom Tamar bore to Judah – through the descendants 38 the Lord gives you by this young woman.”
ReplyDeleteA Grandson is Born to Naomi
4:13 So Boaz married Ruth and had sexual relations with her. 39 The Lord enabled her to conceive 40 and she gave birth to a son. 4:14 The village women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be praised because he has not left you without a guardian 41 today! May he 42 become famous in Israel! 43 4:15 He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old, 44 for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She 45 is better to you than seven sons!”
God cares for needy people like Naomi and Ruth; he is their ally in this chaotic world. He richly rewards people like Ruth and Boaz who demonstrate sacrificial love and in so doing become his instruments in helping the needy. God’s rewards for those who sacrificially love others sometimes exceed their wildest imagination and transcend their lifetime.
This also shows how awesome GOD is to answer prayer. They prayed that she would have a child and to prosper and to become famous in Bethlehem. Boaz’s line did become like the line of Perez, and both Boaz and Obed became famous. God’s blessing upon Ruth and Boaz extended beyond their lifetime and immediate family, for their great descendant, David, became the greatest of Israel’s kings, and his descendant in turn, Jesus the Messiah, became greater still. I think this also shows that God answers prayers in HIS time according to HIS will. Yes they had their child, but it wasn't until later that they truly became famous in Bethlehem thru the birth of Christ.
Pastor Chris's motto of "doing the next right thing" rings loud again. Boaz did the next right thing. What he also did was NOT to start counting the cost to be obedient. That was what the kinsman-redeemer did. He was ready to help Naomi/Ruth, but when he started to count the cost of obedience...he backed off.
ReplyDeleteI want to be like Boaz. The cost of being obedient to God should not come into play when we make our decisions in life. Obedience to God must become the 'natural' thing to do. In other words....it is DOING THE NEXT RIGHT THING!
Verse 5, “Then Boaz said, ‘On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you acquire the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.’”
ReplyDeleteI love this comment from Boaz. He knows what he wants – to marry Ruth. He knows that he needs to get the person who has right of first refusal (if you will) to sign off on it. He also knows that he needs the elders of the town to be on board with all of this. Boaz obviously does his homework and he knows the law. He does everything right. He sets himself up for success. He doesn’t take the easy way out and say that if it is God’s will then it will happen. He puts himself into a situation that he knows that will work.
What a great learning for all of us. How often do I want something to happen and even know that it is God’s will but I am unwilling to do the hard work to make it a reality? Boaz was a man of noble character who wanted to marry a woman of noble character. He did what was right and legal, but he had to do the hard work to bring it to reality. I must be willing to do the same as I discern from God what the next right thing for me to do is.