1. Benjamin Franklin and the book of Ruth
Benjamin Franklin had an appreciation for the Bible as he, along with T. Jefferson and J. Adams designed the first US Seal for congress with the Red Sea episode depicted. When he was the newly formed US government's representative to France he indulged in a group of literary intellectuals. This group held no respect for the Bible and they would consistently make fun of it. One day, Ben decided to read a book from the Bible but he changed the name of God and other names in the book to disguise it. After the reading of this short story to this group of literary scholars they sat shocked that they were unaware of such an interesting, well written, classic piece of literature. They asked Ben of his source for this story and Ben was pleased to say, "It comes from the book you so despise, the Bible." The story Ben had read was the book of Ruth.
2. Ruth is a story of Romance; Acceptance; Providence set during the period of the Judges
3. Ruth 1.1-5
a. Moab -- an enemy nation to Israel; cursed for the way they treated Israel in the wilderness
1) Balak hiring Balaam to curse the Hebrews and then tempting them with immorality;
2) Caused the long term exclusion of Moabites from the assembly of God's people to the tenth generation (Deuteronomy 23.36)
b. Bethlehem -- House of Bread -- Naomi and family moved away because of famine -- no bread in the house of bread; years later, we come full circle and Yeshua (Jesus) is born as the "Bread of Life" at the House of Bread (Bethlehem) -- descended from Ruth -- a convert to Judaism
I. A Spiritual Conversion -- Ruth the Moabite becomes an Israelite
I've read that Michelangelo, the great sculptor and painter, was pushing a heavy rock up a small incline to his studio so that he could do some sculpting. A neighbor watched him for over an hour as he worked to get this rock in place. Finally he asked, "Michelangelo, why do you labor so hard over that ugly, heavy piece of rock?" Michelangelo said, "Because there is an angel inside that wants to come out."
A. Harvest time of grains -- Barley (1.22) and Wheat (2.23)
B. With Symbolic Applications
1. Passover (Barley) -- First Fruits (wave offering on first day of week: Leviticus 23.9-11)
a. Application to Yeshua as First Fruits -- 1 Corinthians 15.17-23
17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
b. Application to Yeshua's First Fruits -- Matthew 27.45-54
2. Pentecost (Wheat)
a. Wave Offering of two leavened loaves of bread -- Leviticus 23.17 and 20
17 You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as first fruits to the LORD.
20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits as a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.
b. Jews made acceptable to God by Yeshua (Jesus) -- Acts 2
c. Included Gentiles made acceptable by Yeshua (Jesus) -- Acts 10; 15 etc.
Even from the beginning of Abraham's story and the promise God gave him, God's chosen people were to be a light to the nations. Throughout scripture, God-fearing people everywhere were drawn to Israel's faith. There were Egyptians who left with Israel in the Exodus, a harlot of Jericho who joined God's people in the conquest of Canaan, Gentiles who served God during the ministries of Elijah and Elisha, a queen who came to Jerusalem to marvel at Solomon's wisdom and wealth, Assyrians who repented at Jonah's preaching, and Romans who aligned themselves with Jewish synagogues. God has always been relentless about drawing the world to himself.
a. Harvest of Davidic line -- Ruth and Boaz -- Obed -- Jesse -- David (4.13ff)
b. Ancestor to Yeshua (Jesus) -- Matthew 1
c. Note: Ruth was from a cursed nation and Rahab was from a cursed town -- both in the lineage of Yeshua (Jesus)
d. Harvest of Torah to Israel (Sinai, approximately 50 days after Pesach)
II. A Substantial Compassion
An ingenious teenager, tired of reading bedtime stories to his little sister, decided to record several of her favorite stories on tape. He told her, "Now you can hear your stories anytime you want. Isn't that great?" She looked at the machine for a moment and then replied, "No. It hasn't got a lap." The truth is, we all need a lap. We all need the closeness of a tender loving relationship. We all need to know we are loved, accepted and forgiven
A. General compassion for the poor -- Leviticus 19.9-10; 23.22
22 "And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very border, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God."
1. Barley Harvest near Pesach
2. Wheat Harvest at Shavuot
3. No shame for the poor or the traveler
B. Specifics: Naomi's and Ruth's Participation with the Aid of Boaz
8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my maidens. 9 Let your eyes be upon the field which they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to molest you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn."10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?"11 But Boaz answered her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 The LORD recompense you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!"13 Then she said, "You are most gracious to me, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not one of your maidservants." 2.11-13
When Boaz tells his workers to let Ruth glean in the sheaves and to purposefully leave grain fall for her, she receives a far greater amount of food than she would be able to glean by her own effort alone without shaming her. See Ruth 2:15-16
C. Kinsman Redeemer --
1. Levirate Marriage from Deuteronomy 25:5-10 (brother of a deceased man is obliged to marry his brother's widow, and the widow is obliged to marry her deceased husband's brother.) Here the next of kin must be employed
2. Cost of redemption -- Boaz personal wealth
3. Application to Yeshua (Jesus) -- he is the redeemer/husband of the church life
III. A Significant Commitment
A. In her conversion, Ruth makes a significant commitment
1. To Naomi
2. To Israel
3. To God
B. Based on the Influence of Naomi -- three attempts to send her back but she persevered and was accepted.
But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Ruth 1.16
When Wycliffe translator Doug Meland and his wife moved into a village of Brazil's Fulnio Indians, he was referred to simply as "the white man." The term was by no means complimentary, since other white men had exploited them, burned their homes, and robbed them of their lands.
But after the Melands learned the Fulnio language and began to help the people with medicine and in other ways, they began calling Doug "the respectable white man."
When the Melands began adapting the customs of the people, the Fulnio gave them greater acceptance and spoke of Doug as "the white Indian."
Then one day, as Doug was washing the dirty, blood caked foot of an injured Fulnio boy, he overheard a bystander say to another: "Whoever heard of a white man washing an Indian's foot before? Certainly this man is from God!" From that day on, whenever Doug would go into an Indian home, it would be announced "Here comes the man God sent us." --James C. Hefley
1. The Story of Ruth and Boaz reminds us of the great wedding ceremony in the book of Revelation when Yeshua (Jesus) comes for his bride out of compassion and love -- even though converts have been steeped in idolatry
2. It is a story of one who had faith enough in the God of Israel to leave everything behind to follow him (a female Abraham??)
3. It is a reminder that ALL people can be acceptable to God through faith in our "kinsman redeemer," Yeshua (Jesus) who paid the ultimate price for us
4. The story reminds us of the providence of God in working all of this out for our blessings
