The Truth About Ruth - Part 4 The Future Of Your Destiny Series

Ruth Chapter 4

The girl gets the boy and everything else! She’s all that!

There is always a bright future in the destiny of those who are humbly submissive and obedient.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Isaiah 1:18-20 KJV

Ruth’s resolve and commitment restored to Naomi what Elimelech’s selfishness and disobedience has lost!

Ruth’s actions was as if she had cast a living stone into the pool of life creating historical ripples that kept spreading out in circles of ever increasing magnitude, to roll over us in waves of blessing through the advent of the Messiah!

Elimelech went out in disobedience albeit he would not have seen it that way. He obviously made a personal decision without the sanction of Yahweh. His disobedience was thought in Jewish tradition to be due to an unwillingness to open his supplies to his neighbors who would in a famine most certainly come to him for some relief.

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Proverbs 11:24 KJV

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Proverbs 11:25 KJV

He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. Proverbs 11:26 KJV

Ruth came in obedience and submission to Yahweh, in her love and compassion for her mother-in-law. She may not have had much materially but she abounded in the spirit and it showed!

Elimelech placed his own comfort first. Ruth placed her own comfort last.

Elimelech made a decision based on his own future. Ruth made a decision based on Naomi’s future and Yahweh!

Elimelech moved selfishly to ease and comfort. Ruth moved selflessly towards anticipated hardship, rejection and loneliness.

Elimelech made backward steps downwards! Ruth made forward steps never looking back!

Elimelech left his people for a heathen culture and lost! Ruth left her people for Yahweh and gained.

Elimelech’s move resulted in his curse and Naomi’s loss. Ruth’s move resulted in her blessing and Naomi’s gain

Elemelech lost everything including his life. Ruth gained everything including life in the Messsiah!

Luke 9:23-26 KJV And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

An Inconvenient Truth

Boaz wanted the girl and he wanted her badly but in the right way! He would only do that which was honorable to Ruth, and his ethics demanded that the nearer kinsman be notified. Boaz was willing to sacrifice his inheritance for the love of Ruth!

The kinsman is willing to do his part when it involves only the acquisition of the land, but he draws back from marrying the Moabitess woman for fear of marring his inheritance.

Boaz however, sees the real worth of Ruth and makes the move towards redemption. Boaz, knowing his kinsman well, played him publicly into rejecting the right to inheritance! Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. Ruth 4:5-6 KJV

From the kinsman's response we see that Ruth was an unwanted woman. Many would just want to use or abuse her but would never excuse her!

By his refusal to marry Ruth and become the kinsman redeemer this kinsman forever missed out on the glorious future. We do not even know his name and he is simply referred to as Ploni Almoni (peloniy almoniy) or as we say today John Doe!

Many times in our own prejudices we allow our religious, cultural and personal bias to become a barrier between us and the promises, blessings and glory of the Almighty!