"Wisdom and Righteousness under the Providence of God" (Ruth 4:1-12)

"Wisdom and Righteousness under the Providence of God" (Ruth 4:1-12)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Wednesday PM, July 8, 2020

Ruth chapter 1

• (Home to Moab and back again)
• Loss
• Loneliness
• Love and Loyalty

Ruth chapter 2

• (Home to the harvest field and back again)
• Providence
• Provision

Ruth chapter 3

• (Home to the threshing floor and back again)
• Righteous Plans
• Righteous Actions
• Righteous Character

Ruth chapter 4

• (Home to the town gates and back again)

1. The path that God has planned for our good is not always a smooth, straight path.

Ruth 3:12–13 NIV

¹²Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. ¹³Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”

Ruth 4:1 NIV

¹Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

Ruth 4:4 NIV

⁴I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said.

1. The path that God has planned for our good is not always a smooth, straight path.

2. But, we have a responsibility to face life’s challenges with wisdom and righteousness.

Preparation

Ruth 4:1–2 NIV

¹Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. ²Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.

Negotiation

Ruth 4:3–6 NIV

³Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. ⁴I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said. ⁵Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” ⁶At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

Transaction

Ruth 4:7–10 NIV

⁷(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.) ⁸So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal. ⁹Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. ¹⁰I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”

Declaration

Ruth 4:11–12 NIV

¹¹Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. ¹²Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”

Consummation

Ruth 4:13 NIV

¹³So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.

Main Idea: The path that God has planned for our good is not always a smooth, straight path. But, we have a responsibility to face life’s challenges with wisdom and righteousness.