Introduction
Would you find the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament? And, you’ll find it right after the Book of Judges—Judges. And, we’re going to be studying, now, the Book of Ruth for the next four Sundays. The Book of Ruth is a wonderful book. It is a love story, but it is a true love story. It is not a romance novel; it is true.
And, we all love love. We all love love stories. I heard of some girls who were in the college dorm at the Christian college, and they were praying in their dorm. And, they were praying, “Lord, give us pure hearts. Lord, give us clean hearts. Lord, give us sweethearts.” And, all the girls said, “Ah-men.”
We love a love story. And, this is a love story, but it is a unique story—the Book of Ruth. It’s one of two books of the Bible that bear the names of women: the Book of Ruth and the Book of Esther. But, this book is unique because it is devoted primarily to a woman whose name was Ruth. As we’re going to see, Ruth is a picture—in the Old Testament—of the Church. And, she marries a man named Boaz, who was a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, our kinsman Redeemer. Now, we won’t get to that this morning, but it’s there; and, it’s some of the most beautiful teaching in the Bible about the redemption we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But, you’re going to love the story of Ruth. And, there is so much to learn about this story, because, you see, Ruth was a pagan. She was from Moab; spiritually, she was from the wrong side of the tracks. And, she comes to Israel, to Bethlehem, and she meets Boaz—very rich, very strong, very kind, very good. And, Boaz, as we’re going to see, was a bachelor; and so, it’s a Cinderella story. The maid from Moab meets the bachelor from Bethlehem, and they get married. It’s a love story, a wonderful story, an intriguing story, with plots and subplots.
Benjamin Franklin—as you know, one of the fathers of our country—was also the ambassador to France. And, when in France, he was a member of a literary society, and they were giving different readings and so forth. Ben Franklin, without letting this agnostic literary society know where he had gotten it, shared with them the love story of Ruth. They were astounded. They said to him, “Dr. Franklin, that is beyond a doubt the most beautiful romance—love story—we’ve ever heard. Would you give us leave, please, that we might have it published and give it broad distribution?” He said, “It is already published, and it already has broad distribution. It is found in the Bible, that book that you profess to despise”—this wonderful story of Ruth that is found here, in the Bible.
Now, the Book of Ruth was written in dark days. It was written, as we’re going to see, in a time of the judges. And, you know that it follows the Book of Judges. And, the last chapter in that Book of Judges—the last verse—says, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Therefore, it was a day of anarchy. It was a day of apostasy. It was a day of apathy. It was a day when sin was rampant. And, it was a dark, dark day. And, right in the midst of that dark, dark day, God gives us this wonderful four-chapter Book of Ruth, which reminds us that God is still alive; He is still on the throne.
I believe we’re living in a dark day, but I refuse to despair, as long as there’s a God in the Glory. And, books like the Book of Ruth tell us that, no matter how dark the day, there is always the star of hope in that dark sky. And, God is the One who pulls back the curtains of night, and pins those curtains with the star of hope, and opens the gates of our lives, and floods it with His life and His glory. And, if you are discouraged today, let me tell you there is hope for you. And, if you will do what Ruth did and yield your heart to the Lord, He will make your life a love story. And, you can be part of a dramatic and wonderful love story, just like Ruth’s life was a part of a dramatic and wonderful love story.
Now, this is bright hope—bright hope for dark days. And, in chapter 1, we’re going to be talking about the choices that people make, because you’re going to see that a man named Elimelech made a bad choice. And then, you’re going to see the choice that Ruth made, which was a wonderful choice. And, our house, very frankly—our lives—are the sum total of our choices. And so, we’re going to think under this heading, “It Is Decision That Determines Destiny.” That’s our title this morning: “It Is Decision That Determines Destiny.” We’re going to learn some things about decision making today— the importance of decisions—because we make decisions every day, whether we like it or not. Or, whether we agree or not, you will be making some decisions.
Now, look, if you will, in chapter 1 and verse 1: “Now it came to pass in those days when judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem…”—now, this is very interesting, because the name Bethlehem means “house of bread.” You remember, it’s where Jesus, the Bread of Life, was born—“And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech…”—and, that name Elimelech literally means, “my God is king.” And so, here is a man who evidently had a godly heritage. He lived in the little town of Bethlehem; he had so much going for him— “And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi,”—which means “sweet, pleasantness”—”and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there” (Ruth 1:1–2).
Now, what had happened, very quickly, is this: There is a famine in the house of bread. And, rather than trusting God, and doing what God would have him do, here’s a man who goes into a pagan country. The Moabites had been enemies of Israel; they had invaded the land and kept the Israelites under subjection for some 18 years. They were pagan, barbarous, cruel. They were born out of an incestuous relationship of Lot with his daughter. It was a terrible place. And, here is a man of God who makes a choice, and he goes over there.
I. The Principle of Willing Choice
There are three things about choices—three things about choices—that I want you to notice with me, this morning. And, the very first of these three things is the principle of willing choice—the principle of willing choice. God gives us a will, and with that will we make choices. We’re not automatons; we’re not machines. We’re not forced. God made us moral creatures; and, when God made us moral creatures, God gave us a choice.
A. We are Free to Choose
Now, you are free to choose. God says, in the Book of Deuteronomy, “I have set before you this day life and death, blessing and cursing…choose life, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). God says, “It’s here. You can go to the right. You can go to the left. You can receive Me, or you can reject Me. You can honor Me, or you can despise Me. You can accept Me or reject Me. It’s there.” And, God has given every mother’s child in this building today a choice. There’s the principle of choice.
And, we like choice. Did you know that, if you want to get a soft drink, you can get Pepsi; you can get Coke; you can get 7-Up; you can get something else? You can get caffeine-free or with caffeine. You can get sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened. You can get small, large, medium. We just like choices. If you want to get a new automobile, they have, now, 752 different models that you can choose from. And then, out of those different models, you can get different colors and different accessories. Americans like choice. There is a store in New York City that has 2,500 different kinds of light bulbs. Now, a lot of these choices are inconsequential. The necktie that you chose this morning—it doesn’t really make all that much difference. Earrings that you’re wearing, dear lady—doesn’t really make all that much difference. But, some choices are very, very important. But, some choices are very, very important. And, some choices are life-changing. And, here is a man named Elimelech who makes a choice. So, we’re talking, now, about the principle of willing choice. You are free to choose. Do you understand that?
B. You are Not Free Not to Choose
But now, listen to me very carefully. While you are free to choose, you’re not free not to choose. You’re not free not to choose. At the close of this message, as I did earlier today, I will give an invitation to say an everlasting yes to Jesus Christ and ask you to choose Christ as your personal Savior. I will ask you, very frankly, to make a choice and a decision; and, at the close of this service you will make a decision. If you’re not a Christian, you will make a decision. You say, “No, I won’t.” Oh yes, you will. You say, “I beg to differ. I will not.” Oh yes, you will. If you don’t decide for Christ, you will decide against Christ. But, you will decide. There’s no way that you can be neutral. Jesus Christ said, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad” (Matthew 12:30). You will choose Him or refuse Him, but your refusal to choose Him is a choice. There is no way that you can be neutral. There is no way that you can say, “I will not choose. I choose not to choose,” because, when you chose not to choose, you just chose. And, it’s a choice. It’s so simple: that we’re free to choose, but we’re not free not to choose.
I was in Pensacola, Florida, one time, walking down the streets, and there were two young ladies there. And, I just stopped and engaged them in conversation—never seen them before, and haven’t seen them since. And, I began to witness to them and tell them about the Lord Jesus Christ. And, as I finished my witness, I asked one of the young ladies, “Would you like to pray and ask Christ Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior?” She said, “I would.” And, we prayed, and she, very sweetly and wonderfully, prayed, and asked Christ to come into her heart. And then, I asked the other young lady—I said, “Would you like to pray and ask Christ?” She said, “Well, I’m not… I’m not ready.” I said, “Well, let me explain it again,” and I explained salvation. I thought maybe she didn’t understand, because she obviously seemed under conviction. Then, I asked her again. I said, “Would you like to pray and receive Christ?” She said, “No sir, I’m not ready to do that.” I said, “Well, young lady, don’t you realize that if you do not say yes to Christ, you’re saying no to Christ, that you’re rejecting Him, that you are saying, ‘I don’t want You, Lord Jesus?’” “Oh,” she said, “I would never say that.” But, I said, that’s what you are saying. And, I gave her Matthew 12, verse 30. Jesus said, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad” (Matthew 12:30). And, I talked to her about that, and I said, “Now, don’t reject the Lord Jesus Christ. I’ve explained how to be saved. Why don’t you pray?” She said, “I just can’t do that.” I said, “Would you reject Him?” She said, “Oh no, no, no, no. I’m not rejecting Him; I’m just not ready to receive Him.”
I said, “Okay.” I said, “I’ve got to go.” I felt like I didn’t want to push it anymore. I said to her, “Well, I’ve got to go. Would you shake hands with me?” “Oh,” she said, “yes.” I said, “Fine. If you’ll take Christ and Heaven, take my right hand. If you take Satan and Hell, take my left hand.” She said, “What?” I said, “You said you would shake. Now,” I said, “if you’ll take Christ and Heaven, take my right hand. If you’ll take the devil and Hell, take my left hand.” She put her hands behind her and said, “I’m not going to take either one.” But, I said, “Young lady, you are. When you say no to Jesus, you say yes to Satan. There’s no way that you can be neutral.” What I’m trying to say is this: You’re free to choose, but you’re not free not to choose.
C. You are Not Free to Choose the Consequences of Your Choice
Now, listen very carefully. And, you are not free to choose the consequences of your choice. You’re free to choose. You’re not free not to choose. You’re not free to choose the consequences of your choice.
Now, you climb up a 10-storey building, open the window, and step out—you’re free to do that; but then, after that, your choice chooses for you. You see what I mean? You’re not free to choose the consequences. You’re going to go down. You’re not going to break the law of gravity; you’re going to demonstrate it, because your choice then begins to choose for you. And, you’re not free to choose the consequences of your choice.
We have a lot of people, today, talking about free love. They say, “I’m free to do whatever I want to do.” But, you’re not free to choose the consequences: the sexually transmitted disease, that broken life, that affront to Almighty God, that little precious baby that might be conceived, perhaps put to death—those are the consequences. You’re not free to choose those consequences. Those come. You may make the free choice, but the consequences that follow are still there. You’re not free to choose the consequences of your choice. Sometimes, people conceive. They say, “We’ve decided not to have this baby.” Wrong. The only choice now is whether you’re going to have a live baby or a dead baby. You’re going to have a baby. You see, you’re not free to choose the consequences of your choice. People don’t understand that there are consequences that come with these things, and you cannot choose the consequences.
D. One Big Choice Takes Care of a Lot of Little Choices
Now, let me say this about a choice, also: One big choice takes care of a lot of little choices.
Have you ever decided to go out to dinner with your wife, and you get in the car, and you haven’t decided where you’re going to go? “Where do you want to go? What do you want—Chinese, Mexican?” You drive the car all over, all around like this, everywhere you’re going, turn in this corner, that corner. You both are talking. “Well, let’s don’t go…” and so forth. And, you just—every corner—you don’t know which way you’re going to turn. You have to decide whether you’re going to turn right, left, or go straight. But, if you’ve already decided where you’re going to go, you don’t have to make a decision at every corner, do you? Because, the big decision—well, that’s not really a big decision, as the big decisions of life go—but one decision there takes care of a lot of other decisions.
I travel; I go to hotel rooms. You know, there are dirty movies in hotels. I don’t have to decide whether I’m going to watch them. I’ve already decided. I’ve already decided that I’m going to give my life to Jesus. I’m going to honor Him. I’m not going to set some wicked, dirty, filthy thing in front of my mind. I’ve just simply made a decision. So, each night that I’m there, I don’t have to keep making little decisions: “Should I, or should I not?”
You see, you’re free to choose. You’re not free not to choose. You’re not free to choose the consequences of your choice. And, a few big decisions take care of a lot of little decisions. Here was a man, Elimelech, who said, “My God is king,” but he made a very ungodly choice; and, he choose to do something he ought not to have chosen to do. Now, we’re talking here about the principle of choice—the principle of a willing choice.
II. The Problem of a Wicked Choice
Now, let me talk to you about the problem of a wicked choice. The principle of a willing choice; the problem of a wicked choice. Here was a man who made a very unwise— literally, a wicked—choice. He got out of the will of God. He went over into the land of Moab; and there, he meant to sojourn there. He stayed there for 10 years. He just thought he was going to take a little side trip into Moab; but he went into Moab, and Moab got him. And, he met tragedy there, in Moab, because he did not trust the Lord. He made a wicked choice.
A. The Cause of a Bad Choice
Now, what was the reason for that choice? What was the cause of his choice?
1. The Wrong Motive
May I submit to you that, first of all, he had the wrong motive in his choice. Do you know what his motive was? It was physical—he went there for bread—rather than spiritual. He’s not seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. There was a famine in the land of Israel; and therefore, he hightailed it over to Moab to get some food, to get some bread. What motivated his life was what buttered his bread.
Now, a lot of people are just like that. You make your decision. You may call yourself a child of God, but you are motivated primarily by the material and the physical, rather than the spiritual. You say, “What’s wrong with that?” Well, there is much wrong with that. The Bible says, in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 33: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
Now, many of us seek things first and try to tack God on. We worship things and use God, when we’re to worship God and use things. We wonder why it doesn’t work for us.
Well, I’ll tell you something about God: God never has—and God never will—work in second place. He’s not going to be some moonlighting God, part-time God, with a duplex for a throne. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Matthew 16:33). But, here was a man seeking things and bread first.
Some of you are businessmen, but when it comes to business decisions, you just have one bottom line; and, it’s not necessarily the things of God. What would you think if a pastor, who was serving happily and fruitfully in a church, received a call from another church and went to another church because they offered him a bigger salary? What would you think of a pastor like that? You say, “Well, good riddance, if that’s the way he is, if that’s what motivates him, if he would go from Point A to Point B simply because somebody said, ‘I’m going to give you some more money, if you will come.’” You would say, “That man is a materialist,” and you’d be right. I wouldn’t have any respect for him, and neither should you. Let me ask you another question: What would you think of a businessman who leaves one city and goes to another city, simply for money? “Oh,” you say, “that’s different.” Why? Why? It takes just as much of the blood of Jesus to save that businessman as it does that pastor. Listen. We’re all children of God. We cannot make our decisions on something that is motivated by money. And, here was a man that had the wrong motive.
2. The Wrong Method
And, not only did he have the wrong motive; he had the wrong method. He is operating by sight and not by faith. That’s the wrong method. How easy it is to walk by sight! We want to see it—something we can understand. And, we just simply say, “Well, you know, a man’s got to live.” No, he’s got to die; and, after he dies, he’s got to face God. We don’t necessarily have to live. And, things may not look like they’re going to work out for us. Do you know what faith is? Faith is believing God in spite of appearances and obeying God in spite of consequences. That’s faith. Not operating by sight, but by faith. He had the wrong motive. He had the wrong method.
3. The Wrong Master
And, he ended up serving the wrong master. He got over into Moab. He left the covenant blessings of Israel, and got over there with the ungodly pagans, and found himself in the devil’s camp. He became a dirty double-crosser of the God of Israel. And, that’s what we do, sometimes, when we make the wrong decisions. We disgrace and dishonor our God, and say, “God, I cannot trust You. I’m going over to the enemy camp. I am going over to the other side.” That’s what he did.
B. The Consequences of a Bad Choice
The consequences were devastating.
1. Death
When he got over there, we found out that he died over there. Can you imagine—a man of God dying in Moab? And, his sons took wives of the Moabites; and then, those sons died. Look, if you will, in verse 3: “And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.” Now, there she is in a pagan land—a widow, with two boys. “And they two took them wives of the women of Moab;”—that was contrary to the Word of God—“the name of one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelt there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband” (Ruth 1:3–5).
There is a woman there, Naomi, whose name means “pleasantness,” but her life is not pleasant now. There she is in a pagan land; she is a widow. She’s got two daughter¬in-laws who are widows. And, her husband—Naomi’s husband—Elimelech, is dead, and her two sons are dead. And, there she is with her daughter-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah. You see, the reason that Elimelech left Bethlehem was for a livelihood, and what he found was a grave.
2. Deprivation
Now, we need to understand this: that you cannot—you cannot—run from God. Don’t you think that, if you get somewhere else, you’re going to somehow get out of the will of God and get into the place of blessing. So many of the times, we’re praying, “God bless us. God bless us. God bless me. God bless me. God bless me.” Well, I want to ask you a question: Are you in the place of blessing? Ruth was not in the place of blessing. Orpah was not in the place of blessing. Naomi was not in the place of blessing. They were over there, in the pagan land; and, there’s no blessing there, away from God. Hey, folks, if you want God to bless you, find a place of blessing where God can bless you. Get back where you need to be, so God can bless you. Here, they’re going for life, and they find death.
There’s an old fable about a rich merchant of Baghdad who had a servant who came to them. The servant was ashen face and trembling—frightened and trembling. And, the servant said to his master, “Master, give me one of your best horses. I must flee Baghdad.” And, the master said to his servant, “Why do you need to go from Baghdad?” He said, “Well, master,” he said, “today, in the marketplace,” he said, “a sinister figure jostled me in the marketplace. And, when I turned to look in his face, it was Death. I was looking into the face of Death. I must flee for my life.” And, the rich merchant of Baghdad gave to his servant one of his finest horses. He said, “Flee? Where are you going?” He said, “I’m going to Samarra,” and the servant left. Later on, the rich merchant thought he would go down to the marketplace and see, according to the fable, what was there. And, he saw this hooded figure, this boney figure, who is Death. And,
he pulled Death around, and looked in Death’s face, and said to Death, “Death, did you frighten my servant? Why did you jostle my servant? Why did you alarm my servant?” Death said, “I didn’t mean to frighten him. I didn’t mean to alarm him. He surprised me. I didn’t expect to see him here. I have an appointment with him tonight in Samarra.”
3. Disappointment
You can’t run away. Here was a man running from death, and he ran to death and found his grave right there, in the land of Moab, rather than staying where God had put him and where God had planted him. He couldn’t trust God. And, he found death, and he found disappointment. And, his wife, Naomi, now changes her name from Naomi to Mara, which means “bitterness.” And, she blames her bitterness on God. There are many people saying, “Well, if there’s a God, why are all these things happening to me?” Part of them may just be simply the result of a choice that you’ve made.
III. The Power of a Wise Choice
Now, what I’ve talked about is this: the principle of a willing choice. I’ve talked to you about the problems of a wicked choice. But, I’m just moving toward the third thing and the most important thing, and that is the power of a wise choice. Ruth, in this book, makes a choice. She chooses for God. And, she makes a very wonderful choice that not only transformed her life and changed her life, but, in a very real sense, has touched your life and my life, because we’re going to see—not only does she become a beautiful picture of redemption and salvation, as we’re going to see later on, when we get into the other parts of this book, but she, Ruth, became an ancestress of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the flesh. And, King David was one of her descendants. What a wonderful… I mean, she is a Moabite.
A. What Ruth Had Against Her
Now you think you have it bad? You think that things are going bad for you? You think there’s no hope for you? I want you to think about Ruth for a little bit. I want you to understand the condition of Ruth’s life.
1. A Cursed Life
First of all, she had a cursed life. She was under a curse. The Bible says that “a Moabite should not enter the camp of Israel, the covenant of Israel, even up to the tenth generation,” because there was a curse upon Moab (Deuteronomy 23:3). And, folks, there’s a curse upon us. The Bible speaks of us, in Ephesians 2, as “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel” (Ephesians 2:12). We have a curse upon us, and the Bible says, “Cursed is every man that abideth not in all things of the law to do them” (Galatians 3:10). And, the law said to Ruth, “Stay out.” But, we’re going to see that grace said, “Come on in.”
2. A Crushed Life
She was a young woman; her husband died. She watered that grave with her tears. She’s there, in the land of death, and dirt, and degradation. She just had a crushed life. She knew sorrow. Do you know sorrow? Do you have a broken heart? Well, the Book of Ruth is for you. You can become part of a love story.
3. A Condemned Life
Not only was she cursed and crushed; she was condemned. I mean, she was condemned to death. She had no way. A condemned life—because her husband, who was to be her provider and her protector, was dead. There was no social security. There was no way for widows to be taken care of, apart from the goodness of God. And, just as her husband died, and her hopes died when her husband died, we, through the death of Adam, are condemned. By one man’s disobedience, many are made sinners. There’s such a parallel there between Ruth. But, against this dark background there is a diamond of God’s grace, as we’re going to see next time that we come together. But, don’t say there’s no hope for you. Don’t say, “It’s too late for me,” or, “too dark for me,” or, “too difficult for me,” or whatever—“too degrading for me.” God will make a way for you—the same God that made a way for Ruth, because, against all of that, Ruth made a decision.
4. A New Life
And, she, you know, her life then became a new life—a new life. Do you know what the Lord Jesus says? The Lord Jesus says, “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5)—all things new. Do you know what the Apostle Paul said? The Apostle Paul said, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
B. The Seven Elements of the Wise Decision
I want you to see seven new things that happened to Ruth, right here. Let’s begin reading now, in verse 7: “Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was,”— that is, Naomi—“and her two daughters in law…”—that would be Ruth and Orpah— “…and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.” Now, Naomi has heard that there is bread in Bethlehem, and she is going home. She is going back to the place of blessing. “And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each of each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.” They said, “No, Naomi, we’re going to go with you. But now, notice what she said, and this is sad. Verse 11: “And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; would ye tarry for them till they were grown?”—that is, “You can’t have any more sons from my womb. Even if I could have children, they would just be babies. You couldn’t wait for them. Verse 13—“would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me” (Ruth 1:7–13).
And, like many backsliders, she’s blaming God for it. Now, notice verse 14: “And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.” Now, I’ve been pastoring long enough to know that, in a service like this, you have the kissers and the cleavers. You have those who get emotionally moved but never go through with a decision for the Lord Jesus. And then, you have those who get hold of God and will not let go. Now, there’s a difference here between Ruth and Orpah that is a line of demarcation that goes for all eternity. But now, listen to what Naomi said in verse 15—and that’s the reason why I said it’s so sad: “And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law” (Ruth 1:14–15).
Can you imagine this? Naomi is so backslidden that she would tell her two daughter¬in-laws to “go back to your people, back to your land, and back to your pagan gods.” What a disgrace! And, Orpah turned and went back. And, friend, that’s the last we’ve heard of her. But, resolute Ruth makes a decision, a wonderful decision, and I want you to see that decision, right now. And, we’re going to look at that decision, because that is what I am talking about: a wise decision. And, it was a decision for Almighty God, and what a wonderful decision it was! And, remember we said that, when you come to God, He makes all things new.
1. A New Determination
Notice what Ruth had—look in verse 16. She had a new determination. She says, “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee” (Ruth 1:16). Now, what she’s saying is this: “Naomi, where you go I will go. It is a decision. Don’t tell me not to follow you.” I wonder, would you make a new determination today? I mean, would you say, with every inch, every ounce, every nerve, and fiber, and sinew, “I am going with You?”
2. A New Direction
She has, in verse 16, a new determination, and that new determination leads to a new direction. Look again, in verse 16: For whither thou goest, I will go” (Ruth 1:16). Do you know what a Christian is? He is a follower of Jesus. “Wherever He leads, I will follow”—have you said that to the Lord Jesus Christ? A new direction. You see, when Jesus calls disciples, He says what? “Come and follow Me.”
3. A New Dependence
And then, there was a new dependence. In verse 16, she says, “Where thou lodgest, I will lodge” (Ruth 1:16). That is, “I am coming into your household. I’m coming under your shelter. I am coming for your provision. I am coming to live with you. I’m coming, Naomi, to look to you for my provision. Where you lodge, that’s where I’m going to lodge.” Have you ever said that to Jesus?
4. A New Desire
A new determination: “Intreat me not to leave thee.” A new direction: “Wherever you go, I’m going.” A new dependence: wherever you lodge, I will lodge.” And, a new desire: “Thy people shall be my people” (Ruth 1:16). “I want to be with your people. I don’t want to be with the pagans. I don’t want to be the heathen. I don’t want to be in this land of death, and degradation, and debauchery, and defilement, and idol worship. I want to be with the people of God.”
One of the marks that we’ve been saved: We want to be with God’s people. I can’t understand why a man says he loves the Lord Jesus and doesn’t love the people of God. The Bible says that we are not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25). When a man gets saved, he desires the fellowship of the people of God.
5. A New Devotion
And, there’s a new devotion. She says, in verse 16—Ruth says: “And thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16)—“I’m turning from my idols.” You cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). And, friend, you’ve go to let go of this world and give your heart to Jesus Christ. She knew that she had to follow the God of Israel.
6. A New Dedication
There is a new devotion and a new dedication. She says, in verse 17: “Where you die, I will die” (Ruth 1:17). Now, what does that mean? She said, “Look, Naomi. I am going with you all the way. I’m not going to get there, and, if things get bad over here in Bethlehem, I’m not going to turn around and go back to Moab. This is a lifetime commitment; and, where you die, I will die.”
7. A New Destiny
And then, she says, “There’s a new destiny. Where you’re buried, there, I’m going to be buried. I mean, I’m with you” (Ruth 1:17). You see, even death—even death—will not separate us. Isn’t that what Paul says in Romans 8? That “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39)? And, this is one of the sweetest declarations of faith in all of the Bible: “‘Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.’ And, where you die, I’ll die; and where you’re buried, I’ll be buried” (Ruth 1:16–17). She made a decision. It was her decision to make. Elimelech made a decision—a bad one. Ruth, out of a dark background, made a wonderful decision, and it counts for all eternity.
Conclusion
There were some people who came to our house when I was a teenage boy and invited our folks to a revival meeting. I was out there with my dad cleaning the front yard. I saw my dad go over and speak to those people and nod his head. And so, my dad said, “We’re going to church tonight.” We were not a church-going family. We went to church in Northwood Baptist Church there, and I was sitting about 12 rows back. My dad was sitting right next to the aisle, and I’m sitting next to him. And, the preacher was preaching; and then, he gave an invitation for people to come forward and give their hearts to Jesus Christ. My dad stepped out. I was amazed. I didn’t even think he was listening. My dad went out. It was like a dagger of conviction in my own heart. I knew I needed to be saved. I knew I needed God. I didn’t know anything about sexual immorality or dope, and I thank God I never have and never will, by God’s grace. I knew what it was to tell a lie and get in strife, fights; and, I knew what it was to skip school, and be disrespectful to my parents, and cheat, and all those things that boys ought not to do…take God’s name in vain. I knew I needed to be saved.
And, I went down there. I got up and followed my dad down the aisle. They said, “We’re glad Adrian has come,” and I’m sure they were, because I terrorized that neighborhood. They’re glad Adrian has come. And, they sat me down there and dealt with me; and, there, on that front row, I gave all I knew of me to all I knew of Jesus. I’ve learned a whole lot about both since then. I’ve done far more repenting after I got saved than I ever did when I got saved, because I’ve learned more and more about me. But, I gave all I knew of me to all I knew of Jesus and made a decision there, as a teenage boy.
Many, many years passed since that time, and I went back to that church, and I found a custodian. The church had passed on to other hands, and that little auditorium where I had gone forward was no longer an auditorium. They had changed it into a little dining hall. But, I said, “Can I be alone here?” And, they let me be alone, and I went to the front, and found, as best I could, where that pew would have been at that time, and got on my knees, and thanked God that, by His grace, I was able to say to the Lord— not in these words, but I meant it: “Entreat me not to leave Thee, nor to return from following after Thee, for where You go, Lord, that’s where I want to go. And, where You live, Lord, that’s where I want to live. And, Lord, Your God will be my God; your people my people.” And, as a result of that decision, I am standing here today—because of that.
It is decision that determines destiny. You are free to choose. You are not free not to choose. You’re not free to choose the consequences of your choice. And, when you make a big choice, you make a lot of other choices right along with it.
Let’s bow our heads in prayer.
