Ruth 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.
14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Throughout our study of the book of Ruth, we have noted different characteristics of an honourable person. We have been seeing that both Boaz and Ruth were honourable people, according to God’s standard.
This week the U.S. Senate has begun hearings with regard to examining Mr. Trump’s nominees for key government positions for his term of office. Those hearings began with the Secretary of Defence position. The man that is nominated for that position is divorced twice and married for the third time. He credits his third wife for pointing him to Jesus Christ and he claims to be a born again Christian. According to his record, while he was married to his second wife and during her pregnancy with his child, he was having an affair with wife number three. After he married wife number three he had a “fling” with another woman. His brand of “Christianity” is certainly not found in the Bible. We might compare him to the failures of king David and there are likely people who would look at the failures of king David and use them as a license for their sins today.
God has never accepted divorce and remarriage. He has never accepted multiple marriages. Jesus shut down the deceptive ways of the Pharisees when they tempted Him in Matthew 19. He did not entertain the “sufferings” of Moses as acceptable. He took them back to Genesis 2. That is God’s standard. Genesis chapters 1-11 give us many foundational teachings of God. They also show us how man broke those teachings. The rest of the Scriptures continue to show us God’s righteous standard and how man has sought to corrupt that righteous standard.
The man that is seeking the approval to be the new Secretary of Defence for the U.S. is certainly not an honourable man. It is not surprising that the president elect would choose such a man because he too is divorced twice and married for the third time. He too has been immoral with other women. That standard is a prime example of what is wrong with the U.S. government and why that country is falling apart. Canada is not any better. When leaders do not walk in the fear of the Lord, you cannot expect those under them to hold godly standards.
King David paid dearly for his sins. He was forgiven, but there were consequences for his sins. The nation of Israel was hurt by his infidelity. His son, Solomon, broke the record for number of wives and concubines. Israel was broken apart by God after his death. They never regained that place of prominence they once had; a place they did not earn, but it was given to them by God. Israel today is still struggling to find peace. They have more trouble ahead of them due to their sin. It is sad to see the hard-heartedness that keeps them and many Gentiles from seeking God’s forgiveness.
Most professing Christians do not hold to godly standards. God’s Word has not changed. It never will change. Man can corrupt God’s Word in his heart and mind. He can teach that corrupt form of God’s Word, but He cannot change God’s Word. God promised to preserve His Word from this generation and for ever and He is still doing that.
I have been listening to some messages on the importance of the King James Version and how the perversions are preparing the world for the acceptance of the antichrist. During his brief rule, there will be a one world religion. Muslims, J.W’s, Mormons, Mennonites, liberal Baptists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Charismatics, and a host of others will embrace that man and his religion. If you look at the perversions, they all agree that salvation is by works. They all reject the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you use the perversions, go to Daniel 3:25 and read it. The King James says:
Daniel 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
The perversions say: ‘like a son of the gods’ or something to that effect. They also reject the truth in I John 5:7 and other places. The Muslims do not deny the fact that there was an historical figure known as Jesus. They deny He is the second person of the godhead. They believe Allah is the true God and they believe that Mohammed was greater than Jesus. They can accept a “bible” that rejects the deity of Jesus. They refuse to accept a Bible that teaches that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
As we continue our study, we see that Boaz took Ruth and she was his wife. They did not run off and find a judge to pronounce them man and wife. They did not just move in together. They got married. We are not told of the ceremony involved, but there was some type of event that took place that was acceptable to God.
In today’s world, most people have accepted the lie that they need to get permission from the government to marry. They get a marriage license from the state. The state does not know what a marriage is. Two men can get a license from the state to get “married”. Two women can do the same. People can get multiple marriage licenses from the state.
A godly marriage does not need to be elaborate nor expensive. A godly marriage requires a man and a woman who love the Lord and love each other. They demonstrate their love for God by seeking out a true, local church that will conduct a godly marriage. They demonstrate their love for one another by keeping themselves pure for that date. They testify to their guests that they love the Lord and each other.
Our text tells us that they consummated their marriage and the LORD gave Ruth conception and she bare a son. God approved of this wedding. Now, there are many ungodly weddings where they have children soon after marriage as well. There are many couples that do not get married and they also have children. God does not restrict women from conceiving just because they are not saved or married. There are also consequences to immorality. They affect the couple now and into eternity. God is willing to forgive the repentant sinner. The repentant sinner does not desire to continue on in sin. He wants to be forgiven and set on the right path.
Boaz and Ruth chose to believe in the true God and they followed through with obeying the true God.
In verse 14 the women of Bethlehem could truly rejoice with Naomi and this event. They would truthfully praise the LORD for this gift of a son. They acknowledged that the LORD had not left Naomi without a kinsman, and they knew his name would be famous in Israel. Naomi never expected this. Boaz and Ruth never expected this. However, God chose them to be in the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ in His incarnation. His name is the name above all names.
In verse 15 these women stated that this kinsman would be a restorer of life to Naomi. She came back to Bethlehem a defeated and dejected woman. She wanted to be called Mara, meaning bitter. She was a bitter woman. She was quite hopeless. It was good that she chose to move back to Bethlehem. She chose to obey God in this. Ruth, the Moabitess took a different approach to that of her mother in law. She chose to trust the LORD for her future. She was not bitter. She went out and did what she could, all the while trusting the LORD to direct her. She accepted the counsel of Boaz and she stayed close to his maidens and gleaned in his fields.
God can work with a willing vessel. Ruth had a massive impact on the women of Bethlehem in her time. Many studies have been done on this book through the centuries. It is important to be an honourable woman.
The women noted that Ruth had been better for Naomi than seven sons. Ruth loved her mother in law. She honoured her mother in law. She kept herself pure for the man that God would provide for her. Her first husband had died. She was content to remain a widow if that was what God had for her. She was also content to marry again if God would lead in that. She did not interfere in God’s plan. The women could see that Ruth was an unusual woman. She had the character of an honourable woman.
In verse 16 God gave Naomi the privilege of taking that child and becoming the nurse unto it. She obviously would have changed her attitude toward the LORD by this time.
In verse 17 we see that the women closest to Naomi named this son. They named him Obed, which means “servant”. He was the father of Jesse who was the father of David and that lineage would eventually lead to the Lord Jesus Christ.
God provided a son to carry on the name of Mahlon. More importantly, God provided a son here that would continue His promise of the Kinsman Redeemer for all mankind. Naomi lost hope with the loss of her husband and sons. She stated that she left Bethlehem full and came back empty. However, that emptiness was being changed when Boaz came into the picture. However, that emptiness was removed from her when Ruth had her son. Naomi received hope through that child. As we noted that child would continue to lead to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the hope of not just one woman or to one city. He is the hope of humanity.
Most of humanity does not realize this, but there is no hope for man outside of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. He gives true hope because He shed His blood for us and provided the only means for man to be forgiven and saved.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
There is no other hope for man. Many are searching for hope. They are grasping at straws. Many parents have their hope in their children. Then one of their children gets sick and dies and they are heart broken. It is sad to lose a child, for sure. However, that child should never be the ultimate hope of any parent. Parents need their hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Children need to be taught the importance of placing their hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Without that there is no real and lasting hope. We all face death. Those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ have passed from death unto life. They have been granted eternal life because of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the hope of man.
Pastor Bartel
