Title: “A Shot Gun Wedding with Roses”
Introduction: You are probably wondering how in the world I ever came up with such a title? My wife, Judy, is from Alabama. Do they really marry cousins in Alabama? Well, in this text you have a cousin marrying another cousin. Boaz in under the gun to do so!
Here is my simple message to an amazing story that illustrates the truth of why a lost sinner should say “yes” to God’s marriage proposal. In this story you will find that are three reasons for a person to say “yes” to Jesus!
I know that most messages preached on this text, picture Boaz as Christ, the Kinsmen redeemer. And that would be the correct interpretation of this passage. But I want to turn the passage around a bit and show you another picture. Have you ever thought of Ruth as being a picture of Christ in her desire of marriage? In this message, I want you to think of Boaz as the sinner in need of salvation. Why should a person say “yes” to the marriage proposal of Christ?
1. It is the Law of Life.
Notice what the law taught regarding the role of the kinsmen redeemer:
(Deu 25:7) And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.
(25:8) Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;
(25:9) Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.
(25:10) And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
Boaz was a kinsman to Ruth. In the text of Ruth chapter three, Ruth is calling upon Boaz to fulfill his obligation to her according to the Law.
A lost sinner needs to confess with his mouth the Lordship of Christ, because the Law of God has commanded him to do so!
If a man refused to take on the marriage of a widowed kinsman, note what was to done to the man. After a shoe would be removed, bespeaking of the holiness of God, the disobedient kinsman was to be spit in the face!
The law of God will not treat those who refuse to come to Christ kindly. The law of God will condemn those who refuse to come to Christ to an eternal hell.
2. It will complete your Life.
Envision Boaz sleeping on his bed of barley. The timing of this chapter is at the end of the barley harvest. That barley represented to Boaz the entirety of his wealth. This picture reminds me of the verse of scripture:
(Mat 16:26 KJV) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Boaz was a man who seemed to have everything, but, in truth, he must have had a big hole in his heart. He did not have a wife to share his life with.
When Ruth came in and laid her head down across his legs, for the first time in his life, Boaz must have said to himself, “This completes my life!” He bade her to remain at his feet until daybreak. How joyous he must have been.
When a person says “yes” to Christ, his life becomes complete! Life takes on fullness and abundance.
3. It will extend your Life.
According to every commentary that I have read, it is believed that Boaz was up in years. Life was quickly passing him by. He said to Ruth, (Ruth 3:10) ….Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
Could it be that Boaz had thought that this beautiful young woman would not want to be married to him because of his older years? How delighted he must have been to know that Ruth had chosen him to be husband!
God the Father wants a lost sinner to not only come to Christ because of the law, and because Christ will complete their life, but there should be one final reason, “Because you love him!”
Boaz would not let the next day’s sun go down. He would take off his shoe. He would fulfill the role of the kinsmen redeemer. He would marry Ruth.
Conclusion:
Before this days sun goes down, let me compel you to choose Christ. Accept the wedding invitation of the Son!
