WEBVTT 00:00:00.380 --> 00:00:07.520 Judges, but it's written during the time of Kings, and it's important for us to remember, because what it helps us do when 00:00:07.520 --> 00:00:15.560 we look at the overall theme of Ruth, it allows us to draw conclusions as to why this book exists in the Bible, and 00:00:15.560 --> 00:00:18.920 because it follows after or during the time of the judges. 00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:20.260 But it's written during the Kings. 00:00:20.360 --> 00:00:24.920 It's wedged perfectly in your Bible between judges and Samuel. 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:26.030 When the story of the kings begins. 00:00:27.300 --> 00:00:31.090 If you picked up a bulletin today, I know we're you may not be able to make all this writing out. 00:00:31.640 --> 00:00:32.509 I wrote it for ants. 00:00:34.120 --> 00:00:41.160 So if you picked up a bulletin this morning, inside of it is a is a timeline of the Old Testament, and it will help you gather a better 00:00:41.160 --> 00:00:46.460 understanding of where each book is taking place as it's written in the Bible. 00:00:46.940 --> 00:00:49.720 And so I kind of cut off the left hand side there to make it a little bit bigger. 00:00:50.120 --> 00:00:57.120 All you're missing on the left is the book of Genesis and the Book of Job, but the right includes everything that the Old Testament has 00:00:57.120 --> 00:01:00.780 to cover in the future that we've covered some of it, but not all of it. 00:01:01.300 --> 00:01:06.620 And it's written in a, in a, in a time or a way that color coordinates the books of the Bible. 00:01:06.660 --> 00:01:13.720 So if you're looking at this graph, the first line there of color, which is blue green, and then I don't know 00:01:13.720 --> 00:01:14.900 what that is, gray at the top. 00:01:16.180 --> 00:01:18.120 those three colors represent books of the Bible. 00:01:18.180 --> 00:01:22.530 So the blue or the first 17 books of your Bible, it's the history books. 00:01:23.340 --> 00:01:27.100 And so if you first five books are really called the Pentateuch, but it includes history. 00:01:27.100 --> 00:01:29.880 The first 17 books of your Bible are the historical books. 00:01:30.020 --> 00:01:37.040 And so if you look at that, you'll kind of see there are some books written during the same time period Exodus, Leviticus, numbers, Deuteronomy, kind of covering the same 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:41.720 area of time, Joshua by itself and judges and Ruth covering the period of judges. 00:01:42.100 --> 00:01:47.320 And then you get to the kings first, second Samuel, first, second Kings covers this large span. 00:01:48.080 --> 00:01:53.060 And then if you're if you're like me, like the cheat, sometimes you can just go to Chronicles and it covers two books, cover four books. 00:01:53.060 --> 00:01:53.200 Right. 00:01:53.560 --> 00:02:00.820 And so you can see that and then Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther, to conclude on the very bottom, it gives you a sort of a timeline of how history 00:02:00.820 --> 00:02:07.510 breaks down Moses coming into the land of Egypt, which we've seen together, King David, which we talked about last week. 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:15.560 And then and then it goes into the Kingdom of Israel, when Israel walks into the land of Canaan and they establish themselves through Moses, then Joshua, the 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:21.600 Bible tells us they go through a couple hundred years under the period of judges, and then they bring a king to power to rule over them. 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:28.100 Saul becomes the first king, then Samuel, or excuse me, Saul, then David, and then finally Solomon. 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:33.700 After Solomon, the nation of Israel just splits the divides. 00:02:33.780 --> 00:02:34.910 There's a civil war that takes place. 00:02:35.040 --> 00:02:41.400 They divide into between King Rehoboam and Judah and Jeroboam in the north, and the northern tribes of Israel. 00:02:41.660 --> 00:02:44.980 And for the rest of Israel's history, they're divided after three kings. 00:02:46.020 --> 00:02:49.880 And so you see on that timeline, there's Israel divides and the northern Kingdom. 00:02:49.880 --> 00:02:54.820 They never had a godly king that ruled over them, starting, starting with Jeroboam. 00:02:56.280 --> 00:02:59.300 And they went and ended up going into captivity in 722. 00:03:00.320 --> 00:03:03.820 And the Lord took them into captivity out of disobedience and not following after him. 00:03:03.900 --> 00:03:07.500 Conquered by the Assyrians, which is a was a horrific group of people to be conquered by. 00:03:08.480 --> 00:03:10.680 And then the southern tribe had some godly kings. 00:03:11.260 --> 00:03:14.000 And so God prolonged their stay in the nation of Israel. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:15.880 And so they started to be conquered. 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:20.120 Around 606 to about 586, there was a few deportations of the southern tribe. 00:03:21.040 --> 00:03:25.500 If you read in your Bible this time period of history, it's going to often refer to once. 00:03:25.760 --> 00:03:32.980 Once the nation of Israel splits, it'll continue to refer to the northern tribes as Israel, ten tribes with the north, and 00:03:32.980 --> 00:03:35.420 then it will often refer to as the southern tribes as Judah. 00:03:36.200 --> 00:03:43.200 Sometimes they'll use the name Ephraim for the northern tribes, because it was the largest tribes out of the ten, and it used the name Judah for the southern tribes because 00:03:43.200 --> 00:03:50.520 it was the largest of the of the two tribes that went with the southern portion of Israel, Israel goes into captivity, and then in 00:03:50.520 --> 00:03:51.740 the end they end up coming back. 00:03:52.060 --> 00:03:54.040 And Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther talk about that. 00:03:54.160 --> 00:03:56.900 The northern tribe never comes back, but the southern tribe does. 00:03:58.220 --> 00:04:01.240 Just above that you have the outline of the poetic books. 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:03.070 You have five poetic books in your Bible. 00:04:03.160 --> 00:04:04.560 I think you can only see four on the graph. 00:04:04.820 --> 00:04:06.360 Their jobs cut out. 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:13.070 Job was written during Genesis, but you have Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, all written by Solomon. 00:04:13.720 --> 00:04:21.040 And then you've got the Book of Psalms, which was primarily written by David, but spans a history from the time of Moses all 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:23.170 the way to Israel's return from captivity. 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:26.890 It's Israel's hymn book, the songs that they would sing before the Lord. 00:04:27.900 --> 00:04:35.340 And you'll notice at the at the top, the portion that really is written for the ants is the prophetic 00:04:35.340 --> 00:04:35.520 books. 00:04:36.620 --> 00:04:38.560 You have 17 of those that conclude your Old Testament. 00:04:39.880 --> 00:04:43.320 They have five what we call five major prophets and then 12 minor prophets. 00:04:43.940 --> 00:04:47.660 And when we say major and minor, all we're saying is one books longer and the other ones are shorter. 00:04:48.740 --> 00:04:55.520 And so these guys, you'll notice when they start prophesying for the nation of Israel, it comes after the nation of Israel's dividing. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:59.320 It's God's way of warning the nation of Israel as. 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:04.140 What's in store for them if they continue with the attitude in which they're carrying to God? 00:05:04.640 --> 00:05:07.720 And I believe it's the book of Ruth that's written during that time period. 00:05:09.180 --> 00:05:16.620 As Israel Divides, Ruth is written about the period of the judges in order to encourage Israel to seek after 00:05:16.620 --> 00:05:17.460 the Lord. 00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:20.480 And we'll get to the specifics on why in just a few moments. 00:05:21.440 --> 00:05:29.380 But the interesting thing about the book of Ruth is that this book starts in the most ironic of ways it 00:05:29.380 --> 00:05:31.180 if I were to describe it. 00:05:31.180 --> 00:05:35.540 It's like it's like rain on a wedding day, a free ride when you've already paid 10,000 spoons. 00:05:35.820 --> 00:05:37.240 All you need is a knife, right? 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:45.000 It's just ironic the way that God starts this book of Ruth, because your expectation is when God leads a people to 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:52.500 a particular place for a particular reason to accomplish his will in this world, that the people of God, and having this direct 00:05:52.500 --> 00:05:55.620 command of God's will for their lives might listen. 00:05:57.460 --> 00:06:04.480 But the case that you find as you begin the book of Ruth is that the people of God, failed to listen. 00:06:05.420 --> 00:06:07.500 And instead pursued their own desires. 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:15.480 In fact, the Book of Judges, the theme of the Book of Judges is that everyone did what was right in their own eyes. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:17.860 Meaning we know God's God. 00:06:17.880 --> 00:06:22.500 But today I'm making myself God, and I would declare to God what is right and what is wrong, and I'm going to live that way. 00:06:24.420 --> 00:06:31.820 And Ruth writes with this backdrop of understanding of what takes place in the nation of Israel, and they do so with such irony, expecting 00:06:31.860 --> 00:06:33.980 the people of God to follow after God. 00:06:33.980 --> 00:06:36.580 And yet they choose contrary to that. 00:06:36.900 --> 00:06:43.040 And if I were to give just the understanding of how we get this, the first five verses explain explains this to us. 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:50.520 And I'll I'll elaborate beyond that, because when you begin to read it, at first you don't quite always catch it, but it says this now, it came about in the days when 00:06:50.520 --> 00:06:57.640 the judges governed that there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land 00:06:57.640 --> 00:07:00.180 of Moab with his wife and his two sons. 00:07:01.100 --> 00:07:08.320 The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and 00:07:08.540 --> 00:07:11.340 Chilion Ephrathites of Bethlehem and Judah. 00:07:12.300 --> 00:07:14.240 Now they entered the land of Moab, and remained there. 00:07:15.260 --> 00:07:19.680 Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 00:07:20.500 --> 00:07:22.400 They took for themselves Moabite women as wives. 00:07:22.860 --> 00:07:27.960 The name of the one was Aupa, and the name of the other Ruth, and they lived there about ten years. 00:07:28.920 --> 00:07:36.340 Then both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her 00:07:36.340 --> 00:07:36.990 husband. 00:07:38.860 --> 00:07:42.620 The irony of the book of Ruth isn't necessarily that people left the land. 00:07:43.280 --> 00:07:47.160 That doesn't necessitate that we're being disobedient by moving, right? 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:51.660 I mean, God calls us to particular places to do his will in this world. 00:07:51.660 --> 00:07:53.120 That's what a missionary does. 00:07:53.620 --> 00:07:58.460 They think about the way that God views this world and where God's heart is centered for this world. 00:07:58.460 --> 00:08:01.210 And they go to places that their hearts are drawn to proclaim the name of Christ. 00:08:02.580 --> 00:08:09.840 But when it comes to the name of the person alimalek within this story, I would say that Alimalek based on these first five verses, is walking 00:08:09.840 --> 00:08:12.640 in direct disobedience of God. 00:08:12.980 --> 00:08:13.540 Why would I say that? 00:08:15.180 --> 00:08:18.940 What's because God has just called the nation of Israel to the land of Israel. 00:08:20.220 --> 00:08:27.340 God has just said, I will set you apart in this land for my name, and through you all nations will be blessed. 00:08:28.860 --> 00:08:35.900 And the story then quickly begins in the time of judges, when Israel finally gets to that land, as soon as they're there, where God has commanded them 00:08:35.900 --> 00:08:38.360 to go, Alimalek gets up and he leaves. 00:08:41.020 --> 00:08:45.960 So the identity of the irony that's expressed in Ruth is found within these names. 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:48.830 I've underlined them just to point them out to you. 00:08:49.570 --> 00:08:51.900 Elimelech is called to this place for God. 00:08:51.980 --> 00:08:54.880 His name literally means God is King. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:57.280 Naomi. 00:08:57.280 --> 00:08:59.120 Her name means sweetheart. 00:09:00.280 --> 00:09:07.320 And so what it's saying to us is that God has called these people, and Elimelech is claiming that God is his king, 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:09.120 but he's living contrary to that. 00:09:10.180 --> 00:09:16.480 And his wife, who was intended to be sweet before the Lord, now walks in disobedience with him, because she she's moving as well. 00:09:18.160 --> 00:09:21.860 And the Bible tells us that's the reason that they're moving from this land is because of famine. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:28.240 See, God gave the nation of Israel a promise that as you follow me, I will bless you. 00:09:28.260 --> 00:09:35.320 He was establishing a theocracy, a kingdom within a people, to identify for these people 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:37.640 and for all nations, where the Messiah would come. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:47.540 And Israel walked in disobedience and rather than blessing, contrary to that, they find 00:09:47.540 --> 00:09:48.190 cursing. 00:09:50.740 --> 00:09:50.960 Interesting. 00:09:50.980 --> 00:09:57.080 When you look at the names of the places they identify for you, they're pointing out something directly to us as people. 00:09:58.020 --> 00:10:00.740 Ephrathites literally means fruitfulness. 00:10:00.940 --> 00:10:04.760 And Bethlehem means house of bread and Judah means celebration. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:13.780 So this guy claiming that God is his king with his sweet heart, is moving from the house 00:10:13.780 --> 00:10:18.220 of bread, full of celebration and fruitfulness to the land of Moab. 00:10:20.560 --> 00:10:21.680 If you read about Moab. 00:10:23.160 --> 00:10:30.100 Bible tells us this place was established through an incestuous relationship, through lot and his daughter. 00:10:31.500 --> 00:10:33.280 This was not a place of high honor. 00:10:34.880 --> 00:10:41.880 When you read the Book of Amos, it even talks about Amos refers to God's judgment that is to come on the land of Moab. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:51.620 And so, Elimelech, within this passage, knowing that God has called them to a particular place, determines within himself that 00:10:51.620 --> 00:10:58.700 he would leave this place of a land of blessing, a land of fruitfulness, a place of celebration, 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:01.960 a house of bread, and gather in Moab. 00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:06.000 A place that is destitute from the Lord. 00:11:08.280 --> 00:11:15.300 And the interesting thing about Moab, when you study it as far as geographically where it's placed, Moab lies just 50 00:11:15.300 --> 00:11:17.560 miles east of Jerusalem. 00:11:18.880 --> 00:11:25.960 And so when you read the story and you see that the famine is taking place, you recognize with just within 50 miles of travel, 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:27.730 the famine has ceased. 00:11:28.740 --> 00:11:35.820 Saying this famine that is caused is localized to the nation of Israel for a particular reason, and that is because they are walking 00:11:35.820 --> 00:11:39.740 in disobedience with God. 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:41.840 We tell us this morning. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:48.940 Maybe the indication for the beginning of this book is to say this When God leads you in your life to a particular 00:11:48.940 --> 00:11:56.240 place for a specific reason, God's desire for you is to be an example for those people in 00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:56.780 the name of the Lord. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:02.620 Elimelech if he lived according to the way that his name describes. 00:12:04.340 --> 00:12:11.400 Rather than run away from the place that God has called him because it was hard, he would stay within that place to proclaim the name of 00:12:11.400 --> 00:12:19.200 the Lord, that the people of God may change in this land of Judah, of celebration in the house of bread, that is Bethlehem 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:24.060 would one would again be restored to the place that God desires for it to be? 00:12:25.760 --> 00:12:27.140 When it comes to us as people. 00:12:27.680 --> 00:12:34.740 When God calls us to a particular place and representing his name, his desire is that we influence the people and the culture 00:12:34.740 --> 00:12:35.600 for his glory. 00:12:37.460 --> 00:12:43.360 I've heard it said that there are three ways that we can respond to culture within our world. 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:46.620 The first is this that you reject it. 00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:50.240 The second is that we embrace it. 00:12:51.680 --> 00:12:54.040 Or the third is that we redeem it. 00:12:55.500 --> 00:12:58.680 We reject it, we embrace it or we redeem it. 00:13:00.220 --> 00:13:07.460 And the thought to the response of culture is this if you reject culture and in some ways can be healthy, but if ultimately 00:13:07.460 --> 00:13:14.520 you reject culture, you run the risk of isolating the very glory of God that God desires for 00:13:14.520 --> 00:13:15.330 you to proclaim. 00:13:15.540 --> 00:13:19.620 And legalism becomes an area of your life that you would tend to draw to. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:28.640 If you embrace a culture beyond what God has called you to do, then you run the 00:13:28.640 --> 00:13:35.990 risk of liberalism, becoming more concerned with the way culture views you than than the way that God views you living in the culture. 00:13:38.280 --> 00:13:39.460 But to redeem the culture. 00:13:42.220 --> 00:13:45.200 No matter where we are, there is always a culture to work with. 00:13:47.460 --> 00:13:53.760 God's desire is that we understand the culture to point that culture to Christ. 00:13:54.920 --> 00:13:56.540 To not hide from it. 00:13:57.560 --> 00:13:58.360 To not become it. 00:13:59.960 --> 00:14:01.950 But to live for it in honor of Jesus. 00:14:04.420 --> 00:14:11.860 I've often heard it said and shared with a group on Wednesday night that the church is often referred to as the Coward's 00:14:11.860 --> 00:14:12.100 Castle. 00:14:14.500 --> 00:14:20.040 Meaning we come on Sunday and we have this pep rally of Jesus isms with each other. 00:14:20.060 --> 00:14:26.250 And then we leave on Monday, and we can't wait to get back to the castle to hide ourselves in the fortress. 00:14:28.580 --> 00:14:30.180 But what God's called us to do. 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:32.400 As to be true in our culture. 00:14:34.900 --> 00:14:40.480 And you thought of two verses in the Bible that we constantly walk in tension with as we go in this world. 00:14:40.660 --> 00:14:47.880 Jude three says this I felt the necessity to write to you, appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which 00:14:47.900 --> 00:14:50.240 was once for all, handed down to the saints. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:53.740 I was thinking about social groups this week. 00:14:54.140 --> 00:14:56.400 If you ever study our history in America, you'll. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:03.480 You'll know that I think it was like out of 100 universities that began within our culture, or out of the 103 universities that started 00:15:03.980 --> 00:15:10.120 in America when America was founded, 100 of those started for the purpose of training pastors to proclaim Christ. 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:12.120 They were Bible colleges. 00:15:13.800 --> 00:15:20.920 If you were to go to those universities today, they're secular colleges now, meaning this the moment 00:15:20.920 --> 00:15:27.500 the Word of God is proclaimed in the world, the tendency of people at that point is to begin to dilute the message. 00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:30.600 In Jude three. 00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:38.000 What it's saying, according to Jude, is that we earnestly contend to understand that the culture will constantly fight against 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:41.980 the message of Christ and try to dilute the beauty of who Jesus is. 00:15:44.220 --> 00:15:46.020 Contend for the faith. 00:15:47.400 --> 00:15:48.600 We don't necessarily reject it. 00:15:49.660 --> 00:15:50.960 We don't necessarily embrace it. 00:15:52.560 --> 00:15:54.300 But we ask the question, how do we redeem it? 00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:57.080 I love how Ephesians four says that. 00:15:57.220 --> 00:15:59.260 It says, speak the truth in love. 00:16:00.920 --> 00:16:01.900 I mean, the truth is important. 00:16:03.560 --> 00:16:04.950 But let the truth be what's offensive. 00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:08.020 Not us. 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:09.820 Contend for the faith. 00:16:10.920 --> 00:16:18.000 Paul said it this way in Corinthians nine to the weak I became weak, that I might win, the weak I have become all things to all men, so that I might by all means save 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:18.100 some. 00:16:18.580 --> 00:16:23.860 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. 00:16:25.220 --> 00:16:32.460 Meaning Paul in this passage sees the need of going into the culture rather than hiding from it and proclaiming 00:16:32.460 --> 00:16:36.580 who Christ is and why Christ matters to those people. 00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:39.450 Become all things to all people. 00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:42.900 How do we redeem it? 00:16:43.900 --> 00:16:49.940 Now, I would say within our lives, we constantly live within the tension of trying to figure that out if we want to follow after the Lord. 00:16:50.880 --> 00:16:54.220 If you study the New Testament, there are people groups who responded differently. 00:16:55.280 --> 00:16:56.780 You study the Pharisees. 00:16:56.780 --> 00:17:03.100 They lived their life legalistically meaning rather than rather than figure out how to reach the culture, they rejected it. 00:17:04.099 --> 00:17:07.280 Or you study the Sadducees and they were considered the liberal group. 00:17:07.280 --> 00:17:10.740 And rather than reject the culture, they embraced it into the liberal form. 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:12.619 But then there were the disciples. 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:16.050 Who went into it like Paul. 00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:20.250 And sort with a heart of what God sought for the people there. 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:25.599 Proclaiming his name for God's glory. 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:31.460 I would say for us there are ways to do this that is wise and ways to do this. 00:17:31.460 --> 00:17:32.090 That is unwise. 00:17:33.760 --> 00:17:35.230 And we always wrestle with that tension. 00:17:36.340 --> 00:17:38.460 Where some people might feel comfortable in helping a culture redeem. 00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:41.660 Other people might feel uncomfortable, right? 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:46.600 This is kind of weird, but when I grew up in church, it was just an illustration for you. 00:17:47.120 --> 00:17:47.840 I grew up in church. 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:50.620 I had to wear suits all the time. 00:17:51.620 --> 00:17:54.380 As a matter of fact, when I went to Bible college, I made me wear a suit everywhere I went, right? 00:17:54.900 --> 00:17:56.840 I got to college, I had a rebellion in my heart. 00:17:56.840 --> 00:17:58.180 So I got to college and I bought a suit. 00:17:58.780 --> 00:18:00.000 And I never untied the tire. 00:18:00.020 --> 00:18:00.780 Took that suit off. 00:18:00.840 --> 00:18:02.960 I wear I wore that same suit for four years. 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:03.040 This. 00:18:03.160 --> 00:18:04.000 It smells horribly. 00:18:04.460 --> 00:18:05.460 It's still in my closet today. 00:18:06.840 --> 00:18:10.140 And this is this is going to sound weird maybe to some of you, but do you know the. 00:18:10.500 --> 00:18:16.120 The first time I ever preached in jeans in church was here? 00:18:16.620 --> 00:18:19.020 And do you know one of the struggles that I had when I did that? 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:22.400 I felt like it was sinful. 00:18:24.020 --> 00:18:25.380 Because I was raised a particular way. 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:34.560 But to follow after that progression of my thought, what in my head, what I thought is, I want to represent Jesus on 00:18:34.560 --> 00:18:35.800 Monday the way that I do on Sunday. 00:18:37.140 --> 00:18:39.120 And so why don't I wear on Sunday what I wear on Monday? 00:18:40.260 --> 00:18:42.940 Why don't I just like the way I want to represent Jesus every day? 00:18:44.320 --> 00:18:50.320 For some people, that still makes them uncomfortable, and for others they're thinking, dude, that is not even an issue for me, right? 00:18:51.780 --> 00:18:52.560 But there's the tension. 00:18:54.140 --> 00:18:55.020 How do you redeem the culture? 00:18:56.440 --> 00:19:01.420 Yeah, I would say on the extreme end, I think it's a stupid idea to go into a strip club to reach people for Jesus, right? 00:19:01.900 --> 00:19:07.520 I mean, if you want to reach someone that seems a little in a difficult scenario, try, like a satanic church or something, okay? 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:14.720 But, on the other end of that, we say to our church family, everyone's not comfortable with how they do holidays. 00:19:14.800 --> 00:19:17.230 Some people refuse to do holidays because it makes you uncomfortable. 00:19:17.660 --> 00:19:21.060 But one of the things we say to people is that God does call us to redeem culture. 00:19:22.320 --> 00:19:27.310 And so you can you can think whatever you want about Christmas or the name of Easter instead of Resurrection Sunday. 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:32.780 But on those two holidays, for whatever reason, people become more spiritually aware of the things that are happening in their lives. 00:19:34.020 --> 00:19:36.120 What a great opportunity to point culture to Jesus. 00:19:37.660 --> 00:19:39.240 Or if we went just way liberal. 00:19:39.600 --> 00:19:41.800 And I said, Halloween, right? 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:44.140 And we say, that's the devil's day. 00:19:44.820 --> 00:19:49.300 I would say it was created in a very demonic way. 00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:51.700 But to think about it differently. 00:19:52.980 --> 00:19:59.210 That is the only time of year where more than likely your neighbors coming to your door. 00:20:00.980 --> 00:20:01.920 That's an opportunity. 00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:05.060 What do you do with that? 00:20:06.520 --> 00:20:07.180 I think there's tension. 00:20:09.160 --> 00:20:12.140 But I think God's desire is that we walk in purity of heart towards the moment. 00:20:13.840 --> 00:20:17.260 We earnestly contend for the faith and representing what Jesus is about. 00:20:18.320 --> 00:20:22.560 And we're in the culture, but not of the culture, hoping to redeem the culture for God's glory. 00:20:24.500 --> 00:20:25.780 If I looked at the life of Elimelech. 00:20:27.040 --> 00:20:28.170 And that's what I would say is the solution. 00:20:30.320 --> 00:20:34.620 Elimelech, you're running away from the very problem that God has called you to represent him in. 00:20:36.020 --> 00:20:43.280 Rather than going to Moab for your answers, you understand that Jesus has called you to this place to represent his name. 00:20:44.860 --> 00:20:46.120 Here's the way to do it. 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:48.720 Don't reject what's happening there. 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:51.600 And don't embrace it because you know it's contrary to God. 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:56.680 But contend for the faith and redeem it by representing Jesus in your culture. 00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:01.420 God has called you to a place to represent his name. 00:21:02.860 --> 00:21:04.910 And what you find in the life of Elimelech. 00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:12.800 Because of this passage of scripture, Elimelech goes into the land of Moab, where God's will isn't for his life, and Elimelech loses 00:21:12.800 --> 00:21:19.160 his life, saying to us, the grass isn't greener if God isn't directing. 00:21:21.700 --> 00:21:26.260 Where God's will is the safest place for you to be in your life. 00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:33.900 And where God guides, God provides. 00:21:34.280 --> 00:21:34.940 In our lives. 00:21:35.100 --> 00:21:37.940 I think we consider opportunities of moving like Elimelech. 00:21:40.280 --> 00:21:42.000 I mean, really, he's thinking about monetary purposes. 00:21:43.960 --> 00:21:50.370 We move for personal gain and many times weigh the monetary or physical gain. 00:21:50.520 --> 00:21:55.340 But we're not thinking about the spiritual impact that change would bring to our world. 00:21:57.140 --> 00:22:03.900 Meaning when you move, you've got to consider the influences that you're surrounding you and your family around. 00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:08.980 And that's what makes God's community of believers so important. 00:22:11.100 --> 00:22:18.260 You think about your children that you're bringing up in these environments, and you look at this passage and you could say, based on this story, that what 00:22:18.260 --> 00:22:23.280 God would desire is for the children of Israel to marry the children of Israel, not someone of a of a pagan background. 00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:31.020 When you move the consideration of the people that you put your children in front of are the people your kids will marry. 00:22:32.420 --> 00:22:38.780 And the people you surround yourself with are the people that will influence you positively or negatively for the Lord. 00:22:41.260 --> 00:22:43.180 Way the decision of change. 00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:45.000 It's more than just monetary gain. 00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:48.920 Finding the story of Ruth. 00:22:49.220 --> 00:22:49.480 That. 00:22:50.580 --> 00:22:51.700 Her family dies. 00:22:53.360 --> 00:22:53.790 Her two sons. 00:22:54.420 --> 00:23:00.920 This is interesting that their names mean disease, Milan and destruction. 00:23:00.940 --> 00:23:01.360 Kilian. 00:23:02.080 --> 00:23:09.180 If you're ever going to move apart from God's will, what I would say is you're opening the door of possibility for 00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:10.780 destruction in your life. 00:23:11.120 --> 00:23:15.040 If two kids named that ever want to go with you, don't take them right? 00:23:15.040 --> 00:23:16.420 Leave them at home. 00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:19.400 It should have been warning to her or Naomi. 00:23:19.820 --> 00:23:20.420 We're taking. 00:23:20.440 --> 00:23:20.540 Who? 00:23:20.700 --> 00:23:20.860 No. 00:23:20.920 --> 00:23:22.090 Leave who you got right. 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:31.800 But the indication of the stories that's setting a basis of showing us what type of life they're opening themselves up to 00:23:31.800 --> 00:23:34.620 by walking contrary to God's will for their lives. 00:23:37.580 --> 00:23:38.940 And this is the good news for us. 00:23:40.220 --> 00:23:43.480 That when our choices are contrary to God. 00:23:44.020 --> 00:23:45.400 God never gives up on you. 00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:51.180 In verse six of the story of Ruth. 00:23:51.540 --> 00:23:53.960 Ruth finally at that moment begins to recognize God. 00:23:56.260 --> 00:23:58.000 Or excuse me, Naomi, it says. 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:02.420 Then she arose with her daughters in law that she might return from the land of Moab. 00:24:03.760 --> 00:24:09.640 For she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had visited his people in giving them food. 00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:18.440 So she's departed from the place where she was and her two daughters in law with her, and they went on the way to return to 00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:19.900 the land of Judah. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:26.380 The story of Naomi works like this the moment that Naomi recognizes God in her life. 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:30.630 That God begins to supply the needs of her life. 00:24:32.620 --> 00:24:33.680 Naomi remembers the Lord. 00:24:35.600 --> 00:24:42.660 And I'm not going to make light of Naomi's situation, because what's just happened to her was devastating 00:24:42.660 --> 00:24:43.440 for her life. 00:24:45.060 --> 00:24:49.470 But finally, in the moment of that devastation, she began to recognize her need for the Lord. 00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:58.400 Naomi describes herself in verse 19, if you just skip a little bit ahead in the passage of Scripture, it says this they both went out until 00:24:58.400 --> 00:25:00.820 they came to Bethlehem, and when they had come to Bethlehem. 00:25:01.120 --> 00:25:05.480 Talking about Naomi and Ruth together, all the city was stirred because of them. 00:25:05.860 --> 00:25:07.470 And the women said, is this Naomi? 00:25:08.360 --> 00:25:10.220 And she said to them, do not call me Naomi. 00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:12.100 Call me Mara, which means bitter. 00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:15.320 For the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 00:25:15.360 --> 00:25:18.540 I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. 00:25:20.020 --> 00:25:22.100 And I would contend a little bit with Naomi on this. 00:25:22.260 --> 00:25:27.500 I would say, straying from the Lord is what brought you to a place of emptiness. 00:25:27.940 --> 00:25:32.660 God told you as a nation that if you follow him, he will bless you when you leave him. 00:25:32.660 --> 00:25:38.960 There is cursing, but the Lord certainly permitted whatever happened to Naomi to happen to Naomi. 00:25:39.100 --> 00:25:40.720 But this is the thing that I enjoy about her. 00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:43.600 She understands the Lord and apart. 00:25:44.060 --> 00:25:49.300 Apart from walking with God, life got messy, but she's still willing to come to the Lord and she's watching God supply. 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:53.630 But the best part of this passage is that she's just honest about it. 00:25:54.640 --> 00:26:01.780 I think sometimes in our life, when we get to a place that's difficult for us, we or we experience something that's hard, we have 00:26:01.780 --> 00:26:05.850 a tendency to complain to everyone else but not bring it to the Lord. 00:26:06.820 --> 00:26:12.120 And Naomi in this passage of Scripture is recognizing God's hands in these moments. 00:26:12.800 --> 00:26:18.220 You read the Book of Psalms, which we talked briefly about last week, and you see David's heart. 00:26:18.620 --> 00:26:25.200 David was very honest and real about the pain that he experienced, but not just to people, but he always brought it before the Lord. 00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:30.580 Because nobody wants us to walk a life in bitterness. 00:26:30.760 --> 00:26:33.860 I don't think God calls us to walk a life in bitterness. 00:26:34.060 --> 00:26:36.100 His spirit is intended to bring us joy. 00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:43.360 But there are times in our lives when things seem difficult, and the solution that Naomi finds in this moment 00:26:43.360 --> 00:26:50.420 is just to be honest and turn it back over to the Lord and just say, God, I know that you've called me to this, but right now it's hard, and I just want to give you 00:26:50.680 --> 00:26:55.100 my heart in the moment of this difficulty, because I don't completely understand what you're doing. 00:26:56.980 --> 00:26:58.540 All I know is I'm bitter right now. 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:07.260 You'll see within this passage at the moment that Naomi starts to turn her life back to the Lord, the Lord comes to her, the Lord begins to provide 00:27:07.260 --> 00:27:10.680 for her, and her life begins to grow back in God. 00:27:10.780 --> 00:27:14.100 In her life continues to be blessed because of what God has done. 00:27:16.020 --> 00:27:19.880 But Naomi, in recognizing God's hand, is just honest about it. 00:27:21.580 --> 00:27:27.620 And I would say to us, as we desire to walk after the Lord, we all have a tendency or appeared in life where we'll go through this. 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:37.100 You look at the life of Naomi, but then the Bible goes on and describes not only Naomi has a story to relate to this, but also the two 00:27:37.500 --> 00:27:38.820 daughter in laws of Naomi. 00:27:38.820 --> 00:27:38.920 It says. 00:27:39.120 --> 00:27:46.120 But Naomi said to the ladies after the death of her husband and son returned, my daughters, why should you go with me talking about 00:27:46.280 --> 00:27:46.960 back to Jerusalem? 00:27:47.560 --> 00:27:50.960 Have I yet sons in my womb that they may be your husbands? 00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:55.000 Return my daughters go, for I am too old to have a husband. 00:27:55.540 --> 00:28:02.360 If I said I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight, and also bear sons, would you therefore wait until they were grown? 00:28:02.420 --> 00:28:04.080 Would you therefore refrain from marrying? 00:28:04.520 --> 00:28:07.520 No, my daughters, for it is harder for me than for you. 00:28:07.820 --> 00:28:09.900 For the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me. 00:28:10.260 --> 00:28:12.830 And they lifted up their voices, and wept again. 00:28:13.540 --> 00:28:15.200 And Orpah kissed her mother in law. 00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:17.690 But Ruth clung to her. 00:28:18.820 --> 00:28:24.180 The story then breaks down for us, two individuals, and their reaction to God in the same passage of Scripture. 00:28:24.840 --> 00:28:31.860 This is a useless fact for you to know, but I found out in reading this that apparently Oprah's name used to be Oprah, and she couldn't pronounce 00:28:31.860 --> 00:28:33.420 it as a kid, so she changed it to Oprah. 00:28:34.040 --> 00:28:35.380 All right, so I don't know what to do with that. 00:28:35.700 --> 00:28:36.400 It's the lady's book. 00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:37.760 Oprah seems important to say. 00:28:37.800 --> 00:28:38.420 I don't, I don't know. 00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:38.800 There you go. 00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:40.060 Useless information. 00:28:41.020 --> 00:28:47.160 But when you study, when you study this passage and you look up these names, Orpah means stiff necked. 00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:56.730 And it's as if the scriptures are saying this to us, that when we go to a culture and we finally represent God, 00:28:56.820 --> 00:29:03.960 as Naomi is now doing in this passage of Scripture, that we're going to find a couple of different responses based on our faithfulness to God. 00:29:05.540 --> 00:29:11.020 One is, some people might listen to what you have to say, but their hearts aren't going to incline to go and they'll be stiff necked. 00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:13.020 They may still care about you. 00:29:13.020 --> 00:29:18.140 They may even give you a nice kiss when they're departing, but they're not going to walk in agreement with you. 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:20.260 That's okay. 00:29:20.420 --> 00:29:22.320 What God's called you to is to stand for him. 00:29:24.180 --> 00:29:25.540 And the other response is this. 00:29:25.740 --> 00:29:30.660 And sometimes when we stand for the Lord, there is one that God draws out. 00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:34.760 In fact, the name of Ruth means friend. 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:43.420 And when Naomi begins to recognize God within the Scripture and she shares her desire to go back to her land and be with God's people 00:29:43.420 --> 00:29:47.920 and follow after the Lord, the Bible tells us that Ruth will not let her go. 00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:51.140 Ruth becomes her friend. 00:29:52.820 --> 00:30:00.220 And the irony of the story continues that in the land of judges, where God has called his people, they deny 00:30:00.220 --> 00:30:03.520 his name and find cursing rather than blessing. 00:30:03.520 --> 00:30:10.540 But in the land of Moab, where they walked contrary to God, a lady sees her need for the Lord in her 00:30:10.540 --> 00:30:16.140 life, and she turns to him, and as a friend embraces and will not let go. 00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:22.250 If Alimalek even began to carry the heart of Ruth. 00:30:23.540 --> 00:30:24.860 How blessed would the people be? 00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:34.300 And then it tells us in this passage of Scripture, which I would say the pinnacle verse of what the book of Ruth is about, it tells us why 00:30:34.300 --> 00:30:38.020 her attitude just brings such blessing in the life of her. 00:30:38.060 --> 00:30:38.610 Naomi, it says. 00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:44.460 Then she said, behold, your sister in law has gone back to her people, and her gods return after your sister in law. 00:30:45.080 --> 00:30:49.360 But Ruth said, do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you. 00:30:50.220 --> 00:30:55.450 For where you go I will go and where you lodge, I will lodge. 00:30:55.780 --> 00:31:02.800 Your people shall be my people and your God, my God, where you die, I will die, and there I will be 00:31:02.800 --> 00:31:03.220 buried. 00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:09.360 Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you from me. 00:31:11.560 --> 00:31:18.640 And so Ruth says in this passage, I just want you to understand how deep my commitment is to follow after this God 00:31:18.640 --> 00:31:20.650 who is calling to this land. 00:31:22.540 --> 00:31:29.600 It's with this desire upon her heart that God works in the life of Ruth to 00:31:29.600 --> 00:31:30.200 redeem the culture. 00:31:32.440 --> 00:31:35.620 God, I want to see change in this land. 00:31:35.900 --> 00:31:43.200 And so the expression of us in this passage has got, wherever you go, I'm going, and God, wherever you guide, 00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:44.540 I will follow your lead. 00:31:44.580 --> 00:31:46.260 God, wherever you lodge. 00:31:46.260 --> 00:31:48.810 That is the place I want to be. 00:31:50.520 --> 00:31:55.260 And a moabite finds the grace of God. 00:31:55.480 --> 00:32:02.660 I would say that at the end of this, Ruth is just committing her life to the extent that she can even 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:07.940 offer it to follow after Naomi and love, and after the God that Naomi loves. 00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:16.640 You think what Ruth is signing up for in these moments, you consider within the culture of this time, that the 00:32:16.680 --> 00:32:20.220 way that women are viewed as very lowly in Ruth is a woman. 00:32:21.560 --> 00:32:23.230 Not only is she a woman, but she's a widow. 00:32:24.080 --> 00:32:26.460 Not only is she widowed, but she's poor. 00:32:27.640 --> 00:32:30.920 Not, not not only is she poor, but she is a moabite. 00:32:32.040 --> 00:32:39.280 The people of Israel had a tendency to treat other people outside of their own people in such a negative way that other people wouldn't 00:32:39.280 --> 00:32:40.000 want to be around them. 00:32:41.620 --> 00:32:48.620 But being a woman and being poor and being a widow and being a moabite didn't stop Ruth 00:32:48.620 --> 00:32:49.860 from going and listen to this. 00:32:50.280 --> 00:32:54.480 Ruth was even willing to do this with a bitter old lady. 00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:57.620 The only person she knows. 00:32:57.620 --> 00:32:59.340 How would you like that for a traveling companion? 00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:02.340 I'm going to send you across the world to people that are going to reject you. 00:33:02.340 --> 00:33:02.900 I'm going to give you a friend. 00:33:03.280 --> 00:33:03.800 And you know what? 00:33:04.280 --> 00:33:05.620 She is a bitter old lady. 00:33:07.600 --> 00:33:10.480 You know, I might just hang in Moab for a while. 00:33:12.140 --> 00:33:16.620 But Ruth is saying this, that what I understand what God is calling you to do. 00:33:17.020 --> 00:33:21.260 I just want to be present, to experience the Lord. 00:33:22.540 --> 00:33:23.470 I love what God does. 00:33:25.800 --> 00:33:28.300 He introduced in chapter two to a guy. 00:33:29.920 --> 00:33:30.880 Turns out to be a romance story. 00:33:31.360 --> 00:33:31.880 Go figure. 00:33:31.880 --> 00:33:32.020 Right. 00:33:34.060 --> 00:33:35.060 It tells us in verse one. 00:33:35.180 --> 00:33:36.760 Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband. 00:33:38.140 --> 00:33:45.400 A man of great wealth of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz, and Ruth the Moabite said 00:33:45.400 --> 00:33:51.870 to Naomi, please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after won, and whose sight I may find favor. 00:33:52.140 --> 00:33:53.230 I'll stop right there and explain this. 00:33:53.940 --> 00:33:57.320 In the land of Israel they had a law that the people couldn't harvest. 00:33:57.460 --> 00:34:01.760 The people that owned land and crops couldn't harvest the edge of their land. 00:34:02.180 --> 00:34:09.239 They were to leave the edge of their land barren, so that people of low income could go into the land and work for their food and gather food to 00:34:09.239 --> 00:34:09.760 feed their families. 00:34:10.100 --> 00:34:11.179 And that's what's happening here. 00:34:11.820 --> 00:34:13.300 And she said to her, go, my daughter. 00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:16.320 So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. 00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:21.190 And she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 00:34:21.940 --> 00:34:26.380 Now, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, May the Lord be with you. 00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:28.400 And they said to him, May the Lord bless you. 00:34:28.719 --> 00:34:30.820 Boaz is on the last verse. 00:34:30.920 --> 00:34:38.020 You see a godly individual concerned with the people there that are coming to his land to glean from it, who need to supply for their lives. 00:34:38.300 --> 00:34:40.340 And he walks past them and says, God bless you. 00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:42.440 May the Lord bless you. 00:34:43.780 --> 00:34:48.780 What's taking place within this section of Scripture that's setting up this thought within the Bible? 00:34:48.780 --> 00:34:50.630 It's a term that's called kinsman redeemer. 00:34:52.860 --> 00:34:58.320 Meaning when a when a male figure would die of a particular household within the nation of Israel. 00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:06.540 Sometimes that land would be bought off, or to be sold to supply for the family, and a 00:35:06.600 --> 00:35:08.800 kinsman of that family could then step in. 00:35:09.060 --> 00:35:15.090 Once that land was bought, he could go to the individual that bought the land and say, hey, we want to keep this land within the name of the family. 00:35:15.300 --> 00:35:20.840 And so I want to, I want to buy it to supply for this family that whose husband had just passed. 00:35:21.300 --> 00:35:22.860 And the law went even further than that. 00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:26.900 It said that the closest kinsman had the first opportunity to buy the land. 00:35:26.980 --> 00:35:30.440 But not only did he have to buy the land, he also had to marry the widow. 00:35:32.080 --> 00:35:39.160 And so in these moments, it's setting up for us the idea of Boaz meeting Ruth and what it's going to ultimately lead to is that 00:35:39.160 --> 00:35:42.200 Boaz would be the kinsman redeemer of Ruth. 00:35:42.460 --> 00:35:47.120 He would go to the land that Naomi had lost from the death of her husband. 00:35:47.580 --> 00:35:54.320 And by law, this gentleman who owned it had to sell it to Boaz so he could redeem the family and marry Ruth. 00:35:56.200 --> 00:35:59.740 Boaz sets up this picture that images Jesus. 00:36:02.360 --> 00:36:09.560 Ruth and Naomi living in a land contrary to God, turned to the Lord, come back to the land of Israel, and 00:36:09.560 --> 00:36:15.760 they are redeemed in following after God there is a kinsman redeemer. 00:36:17.240 --> 00:36:21.320 The name Boaz means a pillar in front of the temple. 00:36:22.820 --> 00:36:29.960 It's as if to say that now that Naomi and Ruth are turning to the Lord, God is using Boaz as a redeemer to 00:36:29.960 --> 00:36:33.920 usher them into the temple before the presence of God. 00:36:35.340 --> 00:36:38.380 He becomes their kinsman Redeemer. 00:36:40.280 --> 00:36:41.880 So why this book? 00:36:43.700 --> 00:36:50.960 Why during the time of Kings, are they going all the way back to the period of judges a few hundred years, 00:36:51.200 --> 00:36:55.580 just to write a story about this lady who lost her family? 00:36:55.780 --> 00:36:56.440 Why do that? 00:36:58.930 --> 00:37:00.420 One, I would say this. 00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:04.860 Each one of us can connect to a character within the story in some way. 00:37:06.820 --> 00:37:09.430 Each one of us relates to an individual that's spoken of. 00:37:11.460 --> 00:37:16.120 Elimelech is someone who's fooled themselves into thinking God's their king when he's not. 00:37:18.120 --> 00:37:22.860 There's a saying that says in Christianity we have knowledge beyond our obedience. 00:37:23.340 --> 00:37:25.750 Meaning we learn a lot about the Bible, but we don't practice it. 00:37:26.920 --> 00:37:27.680 I would say that's alimalek. 00:37:29.180 --> 00:37:31.960 He's all about reading God's Word but not applying God's Word. 00:37:32.640 --> 00:37:35.350 He's all about saying he loves God but not showing it in his life. 00:37:36.900 --> 00:37:38.040 Or what about Naomi? 00:37:39.420 --> 00:37:40.510 Life's a struggle. 00:37:41.960 --> 00:37:46.440 And it's a reminder of the nation of Israel in the midst of your struggle, if you just turn back to him. 00:37:47.800 --> 00:37:49.690 He supplies needs. 00:37:50.320 --> 00:37:51.560 He meets you where you're at. 00:37:52.720 --> 00:37:55.110 If you just expose your heart before the Lord. 00:37:56.220 --> 00:37:56.700 What is he? 00:37:56.840 --> 00:37:57.550 What's he going to do? 00:37:57.640 --> 00:37:57.680 Or. 00:37:57.780 --> 00:38:01.040 Or maybe we're like Oprah or Oprah or whatever you want to say. 00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:01.940 Where? 00:38:01.940 --> 00:38:05.690 Where we see the things about God, but we're just too stiff necked in ourselves to turn it around. 00:38:07.520 --> 00:38:08.090 Or what about Ruth? 00:38:09.580 --> 00:38:12.280 You're a friend of God. 00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:17.120 Or Boaz, who sees the need of meeting people where they are and just ushering before the presence of the Lord. 00:38:18.580 --> 00:38:19.970 All of us can relate to this story. 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:22.200 Yeah. 00:38:22.220 --> 00:38:29.580 I think more importantly, as we see people that we can relate to, it's I think it's important in the character understanding that all of us found a place to tie ourselves into this story and 00:38:29.720 --> 00:38:30.220 relate to it. 00:38:30.380 --> 00:38:35.120 And if we're honest, we probably, at some portion of our life can relate to every character in this story. 00:38:37.080 --> 00:38:40.520 But I think the bigger picture of what Ruth is painting through her story. 00:38:41.820 --> 00:38:43.820 That's what God's desire is for the nation of Israel. 00:38:46.240 --> 00:38:51.540 The nation of Israel in these moments, have gotten to a place within their existence where they are divided. 00:38:53.780 --> 00:38:56.620 They've become the tribes of the North and the tribes of the South. 00:38:56.780 --> 00:39:00.940 When God has called them to be one people in unity for him, living for his glory. 00:39:02.580 --> 00:39:05.060 And she's going all the way back to the time of the judges. 00:39:05.260 --> 00:39:10.390 And she's just saying, guys, do you do you remember why God even put us in this land? 00:39:12.320 --> 00:39:19.800 I mean, we all get to that place in our walks with God where we just need to take a step back because we've made big issues out a little issues, 00:39:19.860 --> 00:39:24.300 and we forgot the primary purpose that God even led us to a particular place to begin with. 00:39:24.620 --> 00:39:29.760 And that's for his glory being seen in our culture for his name's sake. 00:39:30.640 --> 00:39:32.770 That's what's important. 00:39:33.820 --> 00:39:39.020 It's not the color of the drapes or whatever color we paint the outside of the church. 00:39:39.280 --> 00:39:42.450 In the future, if we even do anything to the ugly outside. 00:39:43.060 --> 00:39:43.600 It's not about that. 00:39:44.800 --> 00:39:47.880 We'll make those issues, but it's not about that. 00:39:49.960 --> 00:39:51.200 We exist for one reason. 00:39:53.300 --> 00:39:57.450 And Ruth in this story is looking over the nation of Israel, and she sang to the people. 00:39:57.500 --> 00:40:01.370 Do you just remember what God has called us to? 00:40:02.640 --> 00:40:10.340 Do you remember that when God has called us, he's promised us that the Messiah would come through David, and it's our job 00:40:10.340 --> 00:40:17.540 to represent that in the culture, not not hide from it and be legalistic, not not embrace it and become 00:40:17.540 --> 00:40:20.000 liberal, but just to redeem it in Christ. 00:40:22.260 --> 00:40:23.310 And so he says in chapter four. 00:40:23.460 --> 00:40:30.580 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife, and he went into her, and the Lord enabled her to conceive, 00:40:30.580 --> 00:40:32.540 and she gave birth to a son. 00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:39.940 Then the woman said to Naomi, blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in 00:40:39.940 --> 00:40:40.540 Israel. 00:40:41.040 --> 00:40:48.200 May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of you in old age, for your daughter in law who loves you 00:40:48.200 --> 00:40:51.700 and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him. 00:40:52.460 --> 00:40:59.520 And listening to Solomon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed and Obed was born 00:40:59.520 --> 00:41:03.190 Jesse, and to Jesse was born David. 00:41:05.520 --> 00:41:09.660 Ruth is writing this book, I would say even primarily to the northern tribes of Israel. 00:41:11.100 --> 00:41:16.380 Because once the nation of Israel split into, they never followed a king of the line of David. 00:41:17.980 --> 00:41:20.520 And David was the place through which the Messiah would come. 00:41:22.280 --> 00:41:29.500 And she's writing this story in a roundabout way, to the nation of Israel and saying, do you remember what gave us our identity? 00:41:30.660 --> 00:41:33.120 Do you remember what we're about? 00:41:33.200 --> 00:41:36.140 Do you remember where the Messiah is coming? 00:41:36.160 --> 00:41:43.180 It's through the line of David, as if she is now representing God to this world and saying, just come back to 00:41:43.180 --> 00:41:48.030 him and understand what he's called you to do in this world. 00:41:48.700 --> 00:41:49.880 This book. 00:41:51.320 --> 00:41:58.280 Points us to being a representative to a broken world, to just remind them of the name of Jesus. 00:42:00.080 --> 00:42:03.940 For you to look at important verses of the Old Testament. 00:42:04.080 --> 00:42:08.640 The promises that this book is living on comes in Genesis 12. 00:42:08.660 --> 00:42:15.960 We've looked at this together when Abraham, the very first Jew, was given the promise from God as building 00:42:15.960 --> 00:42:20.310 a nation that says, and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great. 00:42:20.720 --> 00:42:21.830 And so you shall be a blessing. 00:42:22.080 --> 00:42:25.780 And I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. 00:42:25.780 --> 00:42:28.730 And in you all families of the earth will be blessed. 00:42:29.960 --> 00:42:35.480 And Ruth is writing this book and she's saying, listen guys, through us all nations will be blessed. 00:42:35.900 --> 00:42:37.680 We aren't even getting the story right. 00:42:38.240 --> 00:42:44.320 But this girl from Moab saw the importance of God and come to our nation. 00:42:44.620 --> 00:42:47.840 How shameful is it for us that we can't even get it right? 00:42:47.880 --> 00:42:49.850 But someone from the outside can. 00:42:52.040 --> 00:42:53.210 From the land of Moab. 00:42:55.820 --> 00:42:56.300 Through us. 00:42:57.440 --> 00:42:58.800 All nations will be blessed. 00:43:00.060 --> 00:43:04.260 And second, Samuel and seven calling David and promising about his throne. 00:43:04.540 --> 00:43:11.920 It says, your house, David, and your kingdom shall be endure before me forever, and your throne shall be established 00:43:11.920 --> 00:43:12.520 forever. 00:43:14.400 --> 00:43:19.480 Meaning when the Messiah came, the nation of Israel was looking for the Messiah to establish his kingdom. 00:43:21.540 --> 00:43:22.500 I would say he has. 00:43:23.960 --> 00:43:24.600 But not completely. 00:43:26.260 --> 00:43:27.240 We looked at this at Christmas. 00:43:28.800 --> 00:43:29.650 I promised the Old Testament. 00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:33.100 Isaiah nine for a child would be born to us talking about Jesus. 00:43:33.720 --> 00:43:37.010 A son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders. 00:43:37.300 --> 00:43:44.570 And he, his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. 00:43:46.360 --> 00:43:50.870 Ruth has taken the identity of the nation, saying, guys, this is what Christ has called us to. 00:43:51.980 --> 00:43:59.100 The Messiah is coming through the line of David, and we're so divided right now that we can't even see the beauty of what 00:43:59.240 --> 00:44:00.140 God is doing. 00:44:01.900 --> 00:44:08.940 Can I can I tell you this morning that the pointing of what Ruth is saying is that in the unity of the church, as it unites on 00:44:08.940 --> 00:44:16.000 the very purpose for which God establishes us, is a powerful force for him that represents him not only to a culture, 00:44:16.180 --> 00:44:17.340 but to all nations. 00:44:21.240 --> 00:44:22.010 And for us this morning. 00:44:24.120 --> 00:44:31.200 It's a reminder to keep what's important as important before God, to put on the front of our mind 00:44:31.200 --> 00:44:34.320 the cause of Christ and the hope that comes through him. 00:44:36.260 --> 00:44:43.320 So God has called us to so much more than a petty misunderstanding of seeking physical gain as we go throughout this world, 00:44:43.320 --> 00:44:54.520 but to represent him and to think about his glory wherever he may call us, to proclaim his name. 00:44:54.520 --> 00:44:54.520 To us. 00:44:54.520 --> 00:44:54.520 I would say this morning. 00:44:54.520 --> 00:44:57.620 The morning of Ruth goes like this stop calling God your King when he isn't. 00:44:58.680 --> 00:45:00.620 And allow him in so that he may direct you. 00:45:00.640 --> 00:45:06.620 Alimalek stop fighting against God's will and open up your brokenness to the Lord. 00:45:07.100 --> 00:45:09.780 Naomi, stop being stiff neck. 00:45:09.780 --> 00:45:10.140 Orpah. 00:45:10.440 --> 00:45:12.160 The Lord has so much for you. 00:45:12.160 --> 00:45:14.830 If you would just lay down your life and love for him. 00:45:15.720 --> 00:45:21.900 When you travel away from God, you open the door for disease and destruction apart from him. 00:45:24.340 --> 00:45:26.120 But come to the house of bread. 00:45:27.340 --> 00:45:30.220 Be called the Friend of God as Ruth. 00:45:31.200 --> 00:45:38.270 Celebrate his presence and usher people in before his presence, as Boaz has done. 00:45:39.400 --> 00:45:40.120 You know the beauty of Ruth. 00:45:42.080 --> 00:45:44.840 Is that Ruth is writing about the promise of a messiah who would come. 00:45:46.380 --> 00:45:51.760 The astounding part for us this morning is that we get to look back at this book and say, he already has. 00:45:54.020 --> 00:45:59.680 What Ruth predicted hundreds of years before Jesus has come true in Jesus. 00:46:01.360 --> 00:46:05.420 And Ruth knew it was happening and pointing everyone to him. 00:46:05.760 --> 00:46:12.780 How more important it is for us after this book has been proclaimed hundreds of years later to say, hey, Jesus has come 00:46:12.780 --> 00:46:20.380 to set you free and his house is a place of celebration, and before him is a as a place of feasting that Jesus 00:46:20.380 --> 00:46:24.530 will provide if you just come to him. 00:46:26.160 --> 00:46:26.500 How do we do that? 00:46:27.700 --> 00:46:28.630 With this attitude. 00:46:30.300 --> 00:46:37.340 Wherever God leads you in this world, whether it's out of Moab to a particular place to represent him, or you're already living in the place that God has called you to 00:46:37.360 --> 00:46:38.140 represent him. 00:46:38.400 --> 00:46:42.820 The attitude of Ruth is the way that we see God work when we do it together. 00:46:42.940 --> 00:46:47.140 And it's saying this For God, wherever you go, I will go. 00:46:47.560 --> 00:46:50.940 And wherever you lodge, I will lodge God. 00:46:50.940 --> 00:46:55.560 Your people shall be my people, and God you are my God. 00:46:58.980 --> 00:47:00.320 Whatever extent God calls you. 00:47:02.400 --> 00:47:05.020 God doesn't ask you to flee from culture. 00:47:06.680 --> 00:47:07.820 God doesn't ask you. 00:47:09.240 --> 00:47:09.820 To embrace it. 00:47:11.340 --> 00:47:13.100 But rather God's calling all of us to redeem it. 00:47:14.940 --> 00:47:21.980 If our desire is to see his name proclaimed throughout our valley comes on the people of God, resting in this verse and trusting 00:47:21.980 --> 00:47:22.720 in him.