A Happy Ending Series

A Happy Ending

Ruth 4

Today we are going to finish our look at the book of Ruth. This short book is an amazing love story, and one that tells the gospel message of redemption that is found in Christ Jesus.

In these four short chapters we have followed Naomi as she and her family left Bethlehem because of a famine in search of food. They traveled to the land of Moab. There her husband Elimelech died. Her two sons married Moabitie women Ruth and Orpah. Her two sons died, Orpah turned and went back to her family.

Ruth and Naomi were left alone. They traveled back to Bethlehem. God sent a harvest. Naomi grew bitter and insisted that her name be changed to “Mara” meaning bitter. Ruth stayed committed to Naomi and to God. Ruth gleaned in the fields happened to stumble upon the field of Boaz, Happned to catch Boaz's eye, and Boaz just happened to be a close relative that made him their kinsmen redeemer. The only one that could bring them hope a chance for a better life.

Last week we saw that Ruth asked Boaz to marry her and then there was a snag because he reminded her that there was a closer relative that had the first say in redeemer her.

Today I want to talk to you about a happy ending. We all like a good ending, and a happy ending makes for a good ending. We read books to get to the ending, we watch movies to see how it ends. I can endure a slow start or even a bad start to a movie or book if it picks up and has a good ending. We can't even begin to count how many children's books end with the line “and they lived happily ever after.” It's just something in our nature that wants to see things work in a good way for good people.

The Bible is full of good, happy endings.

In the book of Job were are told about a a great man of God who lost everything he had

The book of Job began by telling us that he was a good man

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

Then he lost everything he had

but in the end

Job 42:10 And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

We are also familiar with the happy ending of Joseph. Joseph's brothers hated him sold him into slavery but in the end they were reconciled and the Joseph was able to take care of his family

When I think of happy endings the widow woman comes to mind who was about to starve to death until the prophet Elijah came and stayed in her house and God kept supplying the need.

There is also Daniel who was tossed into the Lions den and God sent his angels and shut the Lions mouth

Most importantly there is the account of Jesus who was crucified for our sins and it appeared to the disciples and his followers that all hope was lost until the first day of the week when the women found the tomb empty and the angel appeared to them giving instruction to go into the city and tell the disciples that he has risen.

Then this morning we have the record of the life of Naomi and Ruth a book that ends with a happy ending.

There is a reason that God has filled the Bible with the record of peoples lives and situations that turned around for good. It is because for those of us who are saved the last chapter of our life book will be a happy ending. In the end we win. We win over our enemies, we end over injustice, we end over sickness and even death. The last words in our life book read “and he or she lived happily ever after.”

Before we get into the application of the message today lets look at what takes place in this passage

Ruth had asked Boaz to marry her now in chapter four he calls a town meeting with the elders. Town business was always conducted at the city gate.

There was a piece of property that Naomi owned it had probably been mortgaged so it needed to be redeemed, so Boaz gives this other close relative the opportunity to redeem it

Rth 4:4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, 'Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.' If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you." And he said, "I will redeem it."