The Book of Ruth is probably the most wonderful love story ever written.
Illus: Benjamin Franklin—as you know, he was one of the fathers of our great nation. He 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 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…”
Everybody loves a love story.
Illus: Some girls who attended a 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.”
In this beautiful love story it is devoted primarily to a woman whose name was Ruth.
WHO WAS RUTH?
• Ruth was a pagan. She was from the land of the Moabites.
• Spiritually, she was from the wrong side of the tracks.
• She comes to Israel, to Bethlehem, and she meets Boaz.
WHO WAS BOAZ?
• A very kind man,
• A very good man,
• He was a bachelor,
• He was a very rich man,
Illus: A young lady who was looking for a man to marry was asked what kind of a man she was looking for in marriage. She said, “I would like to find and old rich man that coughs a lot.”
We are not sure if Boaz was old and we are not sure he coughed a lot but he was a rich man.
This is a love story of a very poor woman meeting a rich man.
WHEN DID THIS LOVE STORY TAKE PLACE?
It was written in the time of the Judges. And as you read during this time the Bible describes it in Judges 21:25. “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes”.
It was during a time of:
• Anarchy
• Apostasy
• Sin was rampant
And, right in the midst of that dark times God gives us this wonderful LOVE STORY OF BOAZ AND RUTH.
Also, the book of Ruth talks about Elimelech’s family that lived in Bethlehem that needs to be mention.
Without this family this love story would not have taken place.
The reason we need to talk about this family is because they made a BAD DECISION.
When?
There was a famine in Bethlehem and they heard the conditions were better in Moab and they made a bad decision to move to that God forsaken place call Moab.
Even though this was a BAD DECISION God can take a bad situation and turn it into a good situation.
• This is like those who do furniture restoration. They can take a piece of old furniture that looks like it is headed for the dumpster and restore it to look like a new piece of furniture.
• This is like those who restore old cars that look like it is headed for the junk yard and restore it to look like it just came out of a car showcase window.
Elimelech made a bad costly decision, but God stepped in and made something good out of it as we will see in this sermon.
I can think of four Bible characters where a bad situation occurred interred their life and God used if for good. Such as:
1) Life of Joseph
2) Life of Job
3) Life of Moses
4) Life of Gideon
WHO IS ELIMELECH?
Elimelech is the husband of Naomi. They have two sons (And the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion). They lived in Bethlehem during this famine.
Look at Ruth 1:1, “Now it came to pass in those days when judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land…”
• Now, this is very interesting, because the name Bethlehem means “house of bread.” You remember, it’s where Jesus was born.
• The name Elimelech literally means, “My God is king.”
• The name of his wife was Naomi,”—which means “Sweet, pleasantness”.
Rather than trusting God during this famine, and doing what God would have him do, here’s a man who moved his family into this ungodly place call Moab.
WHO WAS THE MOABITES?
• The Moabites had been enemies of Israel; they had invaded the land and kept the Israelites under subjection for 18 years.
• They were pagan, barbarous, and a cruel nation.
• They were born out of an incestuous relationship of Lot with his daughter. It was a ungodly place and a terrible place to live.
And, here is a man of God who made a BAD DECISION WHEN HE DECIDED TO MOVE HIS FAMILY THERE.
Let’s look how costly this BAD DECISION cost this family.
Let’s look at…
I. THE BAD DECISION
He was leaving the Promised Land that God had given him, and the Moabites did not worship the Lord.
• It is always a bad decision when we choose to hang out with ungodly people.
• You cannot hang out with ungodly without some of that ungodliness rubbing off on you.
• You cannot read bad novels without some of that ungodliness rubbing off on you.
• You cannot watch bad things on your television or computer without that ungodliness rubbing off on you.
2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Illus: A coal mine had a tour taking people into the coal mines. One lady showed up with a white dress to enter this coal mine. The tour guide told her I can assure that beautiful white dress that you are wearing will not be a beautiful white dress when you come out of this coal mine.
Due to the famine Elimelech chose to take his family into this ungodly place call Moab.
The danger was that Israelites living among other nations might begin to assimilate into the foreign culture and imitate its religious practices, thus breaking the Law of God while in Moab, I want you to notice with me, this morning. God give us all the ability to make DECISIONS.
Does it make a difference where we live?
It makes a big difference. We all become like those we associate with.
Illus: For example, America is the land of MATERIALISM.
HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED OUR SOCIETY?
The god of materialism has rubbed off on God’s people. We do not need half of the things that we think we need.
Illus: Dr. Odell and his wife were in Lowe’s one day and of course the merchandise was stacked to the ceiling and his wife said, “Look at all the things we do not need!”
Now for all those who have allowed the god of materialism rubbed off them would say, like Noah “I want two of each.”
Because we live in such a place our homes are filled with all kinds of things that we do not need.
Many work for and slave for the GOD OF MATERIALISM. They just cannot get enough of MATERIAL THINGS.
THEY LOVE THE GOD OF MATERIALISM!!!
Let me illustrate…
Illus: A man bought a brand new Porsche. He drove to his office and wanted to park it in front of the office to show it off to his colleagues.
As he's getting out of the car, a speeding car came along too close to the curb and takes off the door of his new Porsche before zooming off.
More than a little distraught he grabs his mobile and calls the police. Five minutes later, the police arrive.
Before the policeman has a chance to ask any questions, the man starts screaming hysterically: "My Porsche, my beautiful silver Porsche is ruined.”
After the man finally finishes his rant, the policeman shakes his head in disgust "I can't believe how materialistic you are he says. “You are so focused on your possessions that you don't notice anything else in your life."
"How can you say such a thing at a time like this?" sobs the Porsche owner.
The policeman replies, "Didn't you realize that your right arm was torn off when the speeding car hit you?"
The Porsche looks down in horror he screams...
"Where's my Rolex?"
It is wonderful to have MATERIAL THINGS but it becomes sinful when MATERIAL THINGS HAVE US.
We live in a world of materialism and many cannot get enough of material things.
Yes it makes a difference where we live, if we aren’t careful we become like the society in which we live.
We have to be careful who we associate with because if we aren’t the gods they serve we will soon start to serve.
Elimelech made the BAD DECISION to move his family to this this ungodly place call Moab.
God did not create us as robots. God made us moral creatures; and, God made us as moral creatures who are capable of making bad or good decisions.
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).
We are free moral agents that can make decisions.
Life is filled with decisions, some of these are BIG DECISIONS and some of them are SMALL DECISIONS.
For example,
• 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, and medium. We American like choices.
• If you want to get a new automobile, I am told 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 choices. We are told 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 doesn’t really make all that much difference.
• Earrings that you ladies wearing doesn’t really make all that much difference.
But, some choices are life-changing.
And, here is a man named Elimelech who made a BAD DECISIONS.
You are free to choose. Do you understand that?
WHY DID GOD CREATE US LIKE THIS?
(1) God created us like this so that we can have AWARDS when we get to heaven. Every day we make DECISIONS and we make good and bad decision and when we get to heaven He is going to award us accordingly.
(2) God created us so that we can make DECISIONS so that we can choose to love Him and follow Him.
But did you know in making decisions…You are Not Free Not to Choose
While you are free to choose, you’re not free not to choose.
For example at the close of this sermon, I will give an invitation to those if you are not child of God I will give every lost person an opportunity to accept Christ or not to accept Christ.
I will ask you, very frankly, to make 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.
• 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 Matthew 12:30, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathered not with me scattereth abroad”.
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.
What I’m trying to say is this: You’re free to choose, but you’re not free not to choose.
We have looked at our DECISIONS but not let us look at the…
II. CONSEQUENECES
In the DECISIONS we make you are Not Free to Choose the Consequences of Your Choice
Illus: Now, you climb up a 10-story building, open the window, and step out—you’re free to do that; but then, after that, your choice chooses for you.
You’re not free to choose the consequences.
Illus: 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 decisions, and you cannot choose the consequences.
Elimelech was a man who made a very unwise CHOICE, IT was literally, a wicked decision. He got out of the will of God.
When the famine came instead of trusting God, he went over into the land of Moab. He stayed there for 10 years.
And, he met tragedy after tragedy there, in Moab, because he did not trust the Lord. He made a wicked choice.
What was the cause of his DECISION?
1. The Wrong Motive
His motive was physical…
• He went there for bread
• Rather than spiritual.
Matthew 6:33 his motive was BACKWARD. God’s word tells us, SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED TO US.
What motivated his life was not God but what buttered his bread.
Now, a lot of people are just like that. They are motivated primarily by the material and the physical, rather than the spiritual.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT?
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.
He says “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Matthew 16:33)
But, here was a man seeking things and bread first
Illus: Some businessmen, when it comes to business decisions, they have one bottom line; and, it’s not necessarily the things of God.
Let me illustrate…
Illus: 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.”
You would say, “That man is a materialist,” and you’d be right.
I wouldn’t have any respect for him, and neither would you.
We cannot make our decisions on something that is motivated by material things.
And, here was a man that had the wrong motive.
But he not only had THE WRONG MOTIVE, he also had…
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.”
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.
He had…
• WRONG MOTIVE
• WRONG METHOD
but he also had…
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.
Illus: He was saying in his decision, “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.
The consequences were devastating. When he got over there.
Look at verse 3: “And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.”
But the price of this bad decision has not been fully paid yet.
They had two sons and look at Look at Ruth 1:3-5 “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”.
Naomi, whose name means “pleasantness,” but her life is not pleasant now.
Naomi was not in the place of blessing.
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.
• If you want God to bless your family make it a place where God can bless!!!
• If you want God to bless your business make it a place where God can bless!!!
There are many people saying, “Well, if there’s a God, why are all these things happening to me.”
Many time it is the result of a choice that you’ve made.
I’ve talked to you about the problems of a wicked decision. But, I want to talk to you about a wise choice.
Naomi heard that things had gotten better in Bethlehem and decided to leave this ungodly place Moab and go back to Bethlehem.
All she had now was two daughter-in-laws.
What is going to happen to them?
Ruth 1:6-16 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return 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. 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? 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. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. 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. And Ruth said, Entreat 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.”
Notice, one of the daughter-in-law “Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her”.
I titled this sermon THE KISSER AND THE CLEAVER.
Orpah kissed Naomi good bye and continued to live in the sinful land of Moab but Ruth CLEAVE TO HER MOTHER IN LAW AND WENT WITH HER TO THE LAND OF BETHLEHEM.
Ruth told Naomi and Ruth said, Entreat 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.
DID YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO RUTH?
Ruth became an ancestress of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the flesh. And, King David was one of her descendants.
We often hear people bragging about their ancestors!!!
Illus: The Smiths were proud of their family tradition. Their ancestors had come to America on the Mayflower and their descendants included senators and Wall Street wizards. They decided to compile a family history, a legacy for their children and grandchildren.They hired a fine author.Only one problem arose, how to handle great-uncle George, the criminal, who was executed in the electric chair.
The author said he could handle the story tactfully.
The book appeared. It said, “Great-uncle George occupied a chair of applied electronics at an important government institution, was attached to his position by the strongest of ties, and his death came as a great shock.”
But thank how much Ruth became an ancestress of the Lord Jesus Christ
What a wonderful blessing… I mean, she is a Moabite.
She later married Boaz.
When Naomi told her daughter in laws she was moving back to Bethlehem she made the DECISION SHE DID NOT WANT TO REMAIN IN THIS GOD FORSAKEN LAND OF MOAB.
Now, I’ve been pastoring long enough to know that, in a service like this, you have the kissers and the cleavers.
Naomi said in to her in verse 15—“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).
Orpah turned and went back. And, friend, that’s the last we’ve heard of her. But Ruth made a decision, a wonderful decision, and I want you to see that 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.
Conclusion:
Now it DECISION time…the most important part of this service.
This is why we ask people to be very quiet and prayerful because people are making eternal decisions.
I want every lost person to imagine with me:
• On my right side you cannot see Him but we have the Lord Jesus stand with open arms to reach out to you.
• On my left side you cannot see him but we have the devil standing with open arms to reach out to you.
Lost person WHICH ONE WILL YOU REACH OUT TO. You are making a decision JUST LIKE RUTH AND Orpah made!!!
But remember you cannot be neutral, you are making a decision.
But also remember you have a CHOICE but also remember you do not have a CHOICE in the consequences.
You are choosing where you are going to spend eternity in HEAVEN OR HELL!!
You are going to make the wisest decision you have ever made or you are going to make the worst decision you have ever mad
• Are you a KISSER like Orpah who decided to remain in sinful Moab.
• Are you a CLEAVER LIKE Ruth who chose TO CLEAVE TO NAOMI and to walk away from the wicked land of Moab.
It is DECISION TIME!!!
We have looked at:
I.OUR DECISIONS
II.OUR CONSEQUENCES
