Ruth

[0:00] Let us turn to the book of Ruth, the third chapter and the first verse.

[0:13] The first verse in the third chapter of the book of Ruth. Then Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

[0:31] Then Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

[0:43] Now particularly those words, Shall I not seek rest for thee? You know there are many people who say that we should not spiritualize the events and happenings of the Old Testament.

[1:05] But let me just mention these points. Let us remember by whom these words come down to us.

[1:20] Holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit of God. Therefore these words should not be dismissed or taken lightly, but carefully and reverently, because every word of God is pure.

[1:51] Now if every word of God is pure, there is nothing hidden, there is nothing covered up, there is no guile, there is no deceit in it.

[2:03] And therefore we should take notice. For God has said, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

[2:19] Now let us also consider this, the effect of the office of the Holy Spirit. In the first few verses of Genesis we read that the effect of the Holy Spirit as it moved upon the waters was to bring light where there was darkness, to bring the whole of creation out of a void, and to bring order where there was confusion.

[3:00] And if we come more immediately to the New Testament, at the beginning of the New Testament we read of a people that walk in darkness, and it is said that they have seen a great light.

[3:19] And we read in the word, that Mary was told, that the Holy Ghost shall overshadow thee, and that holy thing that shall be born of thee, is that true light that cometh into the world.

[3:41] Now dear friend, consider this, without the office of the Holy Spirit we should have no Bible. and think what darkness would rest upon your soul and my soul, but for these words that are written here.

[4:02] there could be no hope without that knowledge revealed, of God's love, his covenant promises, of the way of salvation, of the efficacy of Christ's precious blood.

[4:20] So these words, and these things that are written, don't let us dismiss them, but rather, seek that the Lord made graciously open up unto us, his own will in them, that we might be encouraged, and that we might be enabled to walk rightly in his sight.

[4:58] for I believe that in the whole of this book, there are many, many lessons for us to learn. And not the least of them is the attitude and the manner of Naomi concerning Ruth, her daughter-in-law.

[5:24] In those things that we read of the dealings between these two dear women, surely one thing that comes out most clearly is the tender love that Naomi had for her daughter-in-law.

[5:52] Now I trust that you will receive this in love. Are the mothers in Israel among you chiefly and primarily concerned that the young, their daughters-in-law, their children, their husbands, their dear ones, whatever relationship they may be, are they concerned only that it might be well with them?

[6:38] Do you know that responsibility? Some people will say, well surely that's the portion of the Lord's ministering servants to be concerned for the souls of those to whom they minister.

[6:54] Yes, it certainly is. And if the Lord's servants come rightly before the people, they come not seeking what is yours, that is, what is yours materially, either in that which satisfies the mind or the heart, they come for you and they come because of you.

[7:22] And so, the relationship in all spheres of the church is most personal, most tender, most gentle.

[7:40] And I trust that you find that there is that concern, true, sincere, deep concern, one for the other among you, as there was between Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth.

[8:03] Now, you all know the circumstances which caused Naomi to say these words unto Ruth, shall I not seek rest for thee.

[8:17] You know that Naomi had left Bethlehem, the house of bread, because there was a famine. It seems strange, doesn't it, that there should be a famine in the house of bread?

[8:37] That's what the word of God tells us and we had to prove it. now there are those that say that Naomi was permitted to go with her husband and her son.

[8:56] And there are those that say that she should have stayed. But dear friend, I don't think that point has anything to do with us at all.

[9:10] Because when we read the genealogy of those before the Lord Jesus Christ, Boaz and his son are in that genealogy and therefore it is evident that the Lord purposed that Ruth should come out of Moab and it is sufficient that his eternal, unchanging purposes are seen and known and believed.

[9:49] but the word tells us that Elimelech intended only to sojourn. Apparently he didn't intend to settle.

[10:05] But you know there are times when we get comfortable, we get satisfied and we soon settled down and we know that the Lord visited them and great sorrow came to that family for Elimelech died and the two lads so that Naomi was left with her daughter's in-law.

[10:43] And you know that the word tells us she was concerned for them and this is what she said, he grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

[11:06] And you know that she says in another place the Lord hath testified against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me.

[11:19] Now Alper returned to her own people but Ruth was drawn and you know there's no question that she must have wondered when Naomi spoke those things and when no doubt she discussed with her her feelings her longing to return because she says in the word the Lord hath testified against me.

[11:55] don't you think if she was enabled to say that unto the girls that she must have gone before the Lord and pleaded with him acknowledged all her way and her case the rightness of what he had done.

[12:20] she'd been before him as a sinner. Now remember Ruth would know nothing of a God to whom one could go and talk a God that would hear a God that would forgive for the gods of her own culture were not such gods.

[12:48] And so Ruth came with Naomi to Bethlehem and you know that as soon as they came to Bethlehem she went to glean in the field.

[13:07] Now she had been taught by Naomi of the law whereby it was commanded that the corners of the field be left and the poor the widow the needy could go there and glean.

[13:27] Now the gleaners were only tolerated for the most part they had no status no standing and there were even those who neglected to obey the commandment of the Lord but not so with Boaz not so in that field where Ruth went to glean.

[13:55] Not only did she glean but she received abundantly far beyond her expectations so that though she had gone expecting to experience and know for herself the wisdom of the provision of the God of Israel for his people we've read together how greatly how much above all her expectation was given unto her you know there's one thing that stands out most plainly in all this record when Ruth went into the field to glean to glean is to go and pick up grain by grain those that have fallen to the ground it's hard work it's painstaking work but she didn't begin and leave it alone she continued

[15:12] I wonder how many of us are as diligent in the field of the word as Ruth was in that field the field of Boaz and you know Ruth wasn't the only one to prove that handfuls of purpose were dropped for her haven't you found it sir hasn't the Lord provided over and above all your expectations in his word but is it true that we glean to the end of harvest or do we begin go so far take the hands full of purpose glean among the sheaves even and then grow careless because we've got enough or we think we have and you know

[16:19] Ruth was favoured in as much as Boaz called her to his table and he handed her parched corn I wonder if we can look back and remember those times when the Lord called us to sit with him and we can say of those times and I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste well you know when Ruth had tasted the parched corn when she was sufficed she got up and she began to glean again now it's evident also that Naomi had instructed Ruth in the law concerning the redeeming of land and the redeeming of the widow the childless widow in Israel for the

[17:26] Lord had commanded that if a man was so impoverished that he had to sell his land that there was given a right to redeem to his brother to his uncle or to certain specified kinsmen because the purpose of God was that that land that he had given unto each tribe should be kept and maintained in its entirety that it should not pass into another tribe that it should not go into the hand of the stranger for the Lord said the land is mine now also if a man died without issue then it was the law and the responsibility of the next kinsman so to take his wife and to raise up issue to his name that the name should not die out in

[18:28] Israel now when Naomi instructed Ruth it wasn't for food now that she went out to labor this was the law and by her action she invoked the law Naomi told her when he lieth down thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie and thou shalt go in and uncover his feet and lay thee down and he will tell thee what thou shalt do now by those actions she invoked the law of God and you know that when Boaz realized that she lay at his feet he asked her name she told him and then she put in her plea that he might spread his skirt over her and he gave her a gracious promise all that thou requirest

[19:42] I will do unto thee now consider it here was Ruth a stranger to the covenants of promise by nature by birth by culture an alien from the common wealth of Israel people and she had come drawn by those things that she had heard and she had learned the things concerning the children of Israel and the promises that God had given unto them their wisdom the blessings of them and now she had come to Boaz himself the next kinsman and he had given her a promise so instead of being a

[20:55] Gentile an alien a stranger one that was poor one that nominally would have been tolerated only she was brought into that place where he had undertaken to fulfill God's law in respect of her that is to take her unto himself now this was the rest that Naomi sought for her that she should have a secure place that she should have a husband and that she should be loved now we know as we read through the things that followed that she did indeed enjoy that rest and as I thought about these things how noticeable it is that every blessing that came unto

[22:10] Ruth came by reason of the faithfulness the wealth and the love of Boaz now if you turn to Matthew's gospel chapter 11 you'll find these words are written there come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest now Naomi instructed Ruth in all the things that pertain unto God's law and that girl was enabled to say all that thou sayest unto me I will do now dear friend if you and I have a right concern for the souls of those with whom we have to do we shall only but we shall always point them to the word of

[23:22] God to the truth as we have enjoyed it and known it to the blessings that are couched beneath the words that we have handled and tasted ourselves and we shall encourage at all times a seeking of those for whom we have a concern to draw near unto the Lord Jesus Christ now dear friend how shall we be enabled to do that well if we love him we shan't be able to restrain ourselves and concerning his beauty his glory his grace his mercy and his love I wonder if we do meditate enough upon the greatness of that invitation that he speaks unto his children come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest consider the greatness of it the greatness of him that speaks the word this is him of whom it is written his name shall be called wonderful this is him of whom it is written

[25:04] Abraham rejoice to see my day and he was not the only one was he when we read the prophets you'll find there those references concerning him wherein Isaiah Job the psalmist all of them rejoice to see his day because of his faithfulness because of his mercy because of his love he is the book of revelation it says concerning him he is the faithful and true witness now dear friend if you and I are drawn because of our need to look unto the Lord Jesus

[26:05] Christ surely we shall need to be assured of this that he is faithful and true you see if there were any doubt or any question how can we go but all the things that are written concerning him all the things that are revealed of him show unto us his faithfulness his love and the truth of all things that he spoke and that he did now you know Ruth would not have enjoyed those blessings that she did as she went to prove the provision of God in his law for Israel except that Boaz was faithful and attended to all the commandments of the

[27:07] Lord now what is it that is written concerning the Lord Jesus Christ he himself has said I delight to do thy will O God and the word says and he fulfilled all righteousness that's the foundation of your blessing and mine that he was faithful in all things the word tells us that Moses was faithful as a servant but all the greatness of this invitation that Christ gives is in this he was faithful as a son now you know when these things are spoken and the

[28:07] Holy Spirit makes our hearts tender when the Lord says come unto me surely must say this to you that he's approachable because if he's faithful if he's true he can't deceive he can't cover up there can be no hidden motive there can be no weakness when he says come unto me he tells you that he is approachable that you may come now our poverty is in this that because of sin because of God's wrath against sin his offended majesty says draw not nigh unto me but he has revealed his milder face in the

[29:12] Lord Jesus Christ and he has revealed that milder face and made it known unto sinners that he is merciful and gracious now when the Lord Jesus speaks come unto me it is that we can look for and expect to find mercy for in as much as he has come into the earth he has declared plainly God is ready to forgive dear friend do you and I believe that God is ready to forgive well when Christ says come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest what hinders you if you truly believe and you see the

[30:20] Lord has given a most gracious promise concerning them that do sincerely and truly believe to him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne even as I have overcome and am set down in my father's throne and who is he that overcometh but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of God now I'm sure that throughout the years in the Sabbath school and in the services of the Lord's house on the Lord's day and in the week there is a making known to you of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ well there was a willingness in Ruth to do all that Naomi showed unto her now we pray that that willingness might be granted unto you for the

[31:25] Lord has said they shall be willing in the day of my power but let me say this in closing he must be born again may he have his blessing amen Lord pardon all that has been amiss go with us as we separate one from the other and may thy grace and the father's love the communion and fellowship of the holy spirit be with us each one and remain with us now and evermore amen