Tuesday, November 9, 2010
God Is At Work - The Story of Ruth Part IV - The Providence of God, Part 10 of 23
TEXT: "Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the family guardian he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, 'Come over here, my friend, and sit down.' So he went over and sat down. Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, 'Sit here,' and they did so. Then he said to the family guardian, 'Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.' 'I will redeem it,' he said. Then Boaz said, 'On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man's widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.' At this, the family guardian said, 'Then I cannot redeem it because it might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it'" (Ruth 4:1-6).
IDEA: God's loyal love (hesed) goes beyond what makes sense.
PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that logic and love don't always work together.
What is a "foil" in literature? How is a foil used?
The priest and the Levite act as foils for the Samaritan in Jesus' parable.
Lot acts as a foil for Abraham.
I. In the story of Ruth, two people are introduced to act as foils to show us God's love in action in people.
Orpah is a foil to show us the magnanimity of Ruth's decision to stay with Naomi. Listen to the account in Ruth 1:1-18.
Does the text demonize Orpah as an evil person? How would you describe her decision to go back to Moab?
How does Orpah act as a foil for Ruth's decision to stay with Naomi?
Mr. "What's his name" acts as a foil for Boaz buying the land and taking Ruth to be his wife, Ruth 4:1-6 (above).
He has to consider the odds in the transaction Boaz puts before him.
He would like to buy the land from Naomi. He might have to support her for a while, but she probably won't live very long and then the land will be his, free and clear.
Then Boaz adds Ruth to the pot, and she changes the odds of the gamble. On the one hand, Ruth is barren and has been for years. The odds favor her not having a baby. In that case, if the kinsman marries her and she remains childless, he will have to support her as a wife, but after her death, the land will be his free and clear. He will have enriched his estate.
But, on the other hand, if Ruth conceives and has a boy, then Mr. "What's his name" loses the land to that boy when the boy grows up. He doesn't know what God might be up to and he doesn't want to take that risk. That "risk" makes him turn down Boaz's proposal.
He is not painted as evil. He makes a prudent decision. Any business person can appreciate his decision and see it as shrewd.
It is not hesed. It's all for him, but not for Naomi and Ruth. He is willing to buy Naomi's field because he is benefited, but he is not willing to risk anything financially to save the name of Elimelech or to protect two defenseless widows.
The kinsman acts as a foil to show the enormity of the sacrifice Boaz is willing to make for Naomi and Ruth.
II. This is what the Bible means by "hesed."
It is love that doesn't first ask, "What's in it for me?" but rather, "What can I do to benefit others?" It is the love that characterizes God and should therefore characterized God's people.
