RUTH 4v1-12

The Wedding (Part Four) 

(Click here to listen to the fifth Ruth teaching)

Verse of the Week

“…COME AND YOU WILL SEE…” John 1v39 NASB

More Words from the Father

Revelations 3v20

Song of Songs 1v1-4

Song of Songs 2v3-14

Matthew 11v28-30

John 1v1-18

From my Heart

…He Commands the Morning Job 38v12

The dark hour before dawn wrapped its silence around me as I burrowed deeper beneath the comforter. Ahh…that luscious sense of waking early, only to realize I can luxuriate in a couple more hours of sleep…ahh…sleep.

Then a whisper echoing over the silence,

“Come.”

Blinking open my sleep encrusted eyes, I peek out of my warm nest into the darkness.

“Come!”

This time I raise my head. Did someone call my name? Who could be up? My husband’s steady snoring assured me it wasn’t him. My imagination, of course, a dream perhaps. Back to sleep.

“Come!”

This time I’m startled awake. What? Who?

“Come, my beloved. Come meet with Me.”

Could I be hearing right? Could this inexplicable voice be my Lord’s? Was He calling me to come to Him?

As I lay there wondering, I heard it one more time.

“Come.”

Reluctance fled and with it all sense of sleepiness. Throwing back the covers, I padded downstairs with my heart pounding in anticipation. What did He want? Why would He wake me? Was this real or was I going crazy?

Within moments I had my answers.

God wanted me. He wanted me to be with Him. And what’s more, He wanted to be with me. Just be. Not to read my Bible, not to pray, not to do anything at all.

Just be.

Curled up in the corner of the sofa, my Bible open on my lap, a steaming mug of tea in hand, He spoke to my heart. Words of wisdom, words of delight poured over my heart that morning. I felt lavished in His love. Surrounded. He simply wanted me.

And He still does.

From my heart,

Diane

Come

Come with me

my friend

and be.

Be with me

a while.

Just be.

Your senses-

Do you hear?

Do you see?

Tell me.

Tell me of your wanderings.

Be with me

a while.

Just be.

-Rebekah Fechter

ETC

The City Gate

Boaz hurried away from his clandestine meeting with Ruth driven with determination. This was not the time to dream about the future, for he faced a formidable mandate. He had to establish himself at the city gate in order to negotiate a complex contract to obtain what he wanted - Ruth.

Every city or town of decent size in Israel was surrounded by a thick fortress-like wall for protection. These walls were constructed of stones or brick, with fortified towers placed at intervals in order to survey the surrounding area. Oftentimes, houses were incorporated into the wall, with the entrance facing into the town. The gate through these walls leading into the city became a place of political importance. Legal proceedings were often conducted there, sometimes out in the open air for all to observe and, on other occasions, in deep niches within the walls themselves. This is where Boaz rushed to in those early morning hours after his proposal from Ruth.

Several instances in the Bible illustrate the importance of these places of power in Old Testament culture. Rebekah is given a blessing by her family when she left them to marry Isaac, which includes the hope that her children would “possess the gate” of their enemies.  Job looks back longingly on the days before his afflictions, when he sat in his seat at the city gate to be revered by young men and honored by the aged. He made a difference there, where he “investigated the case I did not know” and “chose a way for them and sat as chief.”  And we all know about the woman described in Proverbs 31, whose “husband is known in the gates” and whose life of service caused her husband and children to “praise her in the gates.”

Boaz called a meeting at the city gate in order to declare his honorable intention to marry Ruth and to redeem the land for Naomi. He wanted the proceedings to be witnessed by the entire town and endorsed by the ruling men in clear legal terms. In this action, Boaz brings his bride-to-be into a place of legal, moral, and social safety.

Can you see the implications? There are parallels between Jesus, our Redeemer, and Boaz, Ruth’s redeemer. The two collide in this moment to create a magnificent picture of His bringing us legally and morally into a safe place. Before the entire world, He declares us worthy to be His bride. Like Boaz, Jesus rushes to our defense, making our right standing before God His primary concern.

Ruth 4v1-12

The Wedding (Part Three)

(Click here to listen to the fifth Ruth teaching)

Verse of the Week

“AND THOUGH YOU HAVE NOT SEEN HIM, YOU LOVE HIM, AND THOUGH YOU DO NOT SEE HIM NOW, BUT BELIEVE IN HIM, YOU GREATLY REJOICE WITH JOY INEXPRESSIBLE AND FULL OF GLORY.” 1 Peter 1v8 NASB

More Words from the Father

Proverbs 3

Revelations 2v1-5

From my Heart

Falling in Love

I’m falling in love with Boaz.

From the first time I heard his voice resounding off the written page, the man caught my attention. He sounds big, strong, and safe. He sounds warm, ready to break out in unbidden laughter with the least provocation. I can just hear his great chuckle of pure joy as he gathers his dusty workers ‘round his table for lunch.

Boaz invites. He invites his people to a meal. He invites his foreman to an opinion. He invites a stranger into his inner circle.

And Boaz welcomes.

He welcomes gleaners to his fields. He welcomes two hungry women to leftovers. He welcomes his workers into relationship.

Boaz is a leader.

He leads his work crew to give honor to God out loud. He leads his close relative to an opportunity to help someone in need. He leads ten men to step up to the plate and get involved.

Boaz is successful. 

He is a hands-on kind of boss. He is a man whose wealth comes as a result of pouring himself into his career with passion and resolve, a man who loves what he does.

Boaz is bold.

He spots Ruth and right away lets everyone know how much he admires her. When confronted with a problem, he faces it. He’s not afraid to get right in the middle of a mess and fix it.

Boaz is fun.

The moment he rides into the story, people begin to gather for celebration. Lunch in the middle of a workday becomes a picnic. The backbreaking job at the threshing floor becomes a party. His wedding involves the whole town.

Boaz protects.

He protects Ruth from abuse. He protects the young guys who might instinctively gravitate towards this young Moabitess, warning them to leave her alone before they mess up! Then He protects Ruth’s reputation in the middle of the night by urging discretion.

The guy is amazing! Captivating. Strong. Compelling. He is godly and playful, considerate and kind. The man is driven with purpose to excel, but also to do right by people in the process. Somehow he balances relationships with responsibility in perfect harmony so that everyone seems to genuinely want to be on his team. They like him.

Do you see why I am falling head over heels in love? What woman wouldn’t?

This man, my dear friend, is the One you’ve been waiting for your entire life. He is Jesus, the lover of your soul, the only One who will never leave you nor forsake you. Not that guy who misused you or the boyfriend who dumped you. You had the wrong one all along.

Boaz is the One you were longing for.

All the others are cheap substitutes.

Imitations.

Illusions.

Boaz is the real deal.

Are you with me? Do you see what I see? Is your heart aware of what’s going on here? Is the hope you thought you’d lost awakening yet? Are you falling in love?

I hope so, I really do.

From my heart,

Diane

ETC

The Matriarchs

“…May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel…” Ruth 4v11

What was it about Rachel and Leah? To have Boaz’s friends offer such a prayer - such a desire for his new marriage? After all, the story of these two women dated back 600 years before Ruth was born! The answer lies in the stark reality of childbearing - nothing short of a small feat before the breakthroughs in safe medical practices we enjoy today.

About the time that Boaz and Ruth were starting a family, the infant mortality rate stood at 35%. That meant that if Ruth were able to conceive and carry her pregnancy to completion, her baby had less than a three in ten chance of surviving until the age of five. The overwhelming odds against a child growing to adulthood and even old age were staggering. Rachel and Leah bore and raised 12 sons to adulthood - an obvious percentage breaker in those times.

Thus, the blessing their friends wished on Boaz and Ruth came from hearts that understood the tragedy of the death of a child in a way we can barely grasp. They wanted Boaz and Ruth to grow old together, surrounded by children and grandchildren to validate their lives.

And who wouldn’t want that for these two beautiful people?

How to Pray for our Friends

The Tripartite Blessing

“God bless you.” It’s a phrase we often toss out with meaningless ease. What we really mean is that we hope everything in their life follows a safe, predictable, hunky-dory path. But the friends and family who surrounded Boaz and Ruth at their wedding ceremony sang a chorus of blessing on the couple that went much deeper. The ink was barely dry on the wedding certificate when this community of friends issued their three-fold blessing. Called a tripartite blessing by theologians, their spiritual wish list reached far beyond our light benevolence.

First, the blessing involved their family heritage. The ancient understanding of family is all but lost in our culture. The Israelites put enormous emphasis on evangelizing and training their children to walk in the ways of the Lord. Their communities joined them in adding their social pressures to assure that very few children drifted from the path their parents had paved for them.

Second, the blessing focused on recognition and respect in the community. Since Boaz was already considered a man of strength and influence, this was given in the hope that he would continue to grow in wisdom and stature and financial wealth.

Third, the blessing looks to genealogy. Echoing the second blessing, this last aspect of the tripartite blessing is on Boaz’s recognition and respect throughout history. They could have had no idea how prophetic this statement would turn out to be! Boaz became the great-grandfather of Israel’s most beloved king. His name is listed not only on David’s family tree, but also on Jesus’ genealogy. Boaz and Ruth both went down in history with their compelling love story preserved right in the middle of God’s ageless Scriptures.

The Gleaning

Ruth 2:1-23 (Part One)

(click here to listen to the third teaching in the Ruth study.)

Now we get to the good part. We’re agonizing with Naomi, fearful for Ruth, frustrated with the so-called friends who leave them tired and hungry at their doorstep.

And…in walks Boaz. Of course he was tall, dark, and handsome (actually the text leaves this bit of Hollywood drama out), just the man to come to their rescue. He’s John Wayne and Billy Graham all wrapped into one.

As Ruth resorts to the backbreaking labor of gleaning for leftover grain, she “haps” on the field of the one man who is both willing and able to rescue her from a life of destitution.

This scene is full of spiritual innuendo. Boaz, representing our own Redeemer, Jesus, is a man full of grace and good will. He cares about Ruth. He asks questions, shows concern, and offers hope. Then he lavishes grace upon her, immediately elevating her from starvation to salvation, all without asking anything in return.

This unexpected twist in our story leaves us longing for more. Somewhere deep inside every woman lies this yearning to be loved and protected. Now the story takes on even deeper implications as we begin to see the way our Savior rescues us right when we need Him the most.

Come with me as we follow the story of Ruth, gleaning our own treasures of wisdom and understanding sprinkled throughout the Scriptures. And keep an eye on Boaz, for I have a feeling you’re going to be falling head over heels in love with him before the story ends.

Verse of the Week:

“… be still” Psalm 46:10 NIV

More Words from the Father:

Matthew 28:1-10

Luke 12:32

Psalm 4:4

Psalm 46:10

Isaiah 61:1-11

Isaiah 43:1-3

1 Peter 1:6-9,

13; 2:18-25; 4:19

From my Heart:

An Impossible Obstacle

“And the angel of the Lord…came…and sat upon the stone.” (Matthew 28:2)

The stone stood as a silent sentinel, blocking the entrance to the cave. On the other side, or so she thought, lay Jesus, her Lord. And wrapped up with Him lay all her shattered hopes and dreams. Dead.

She’d come to say good-bye - farewell to faith.

She’d come to grieve - to let go of the hope that had held her in such wild expectation every time He talked.

It was over now. Best to be done with it and cope with reality…

deal with drudgery…

face her future…

But that stone blocked her way.

Falling to the ground in a heap of defeated despair, pulling her knees tight against her chest, she rocked back and forth, back and forth, as her sobs filled the early morning air.

Why…

was…

life…

so…

hard…?

Waves of grief shook her. Years of hurt overwhelmed her reason, spilling out upon the unyielding realities of that stone. There was nothing to do but die.

Somewhere in the periphery of her mind she sensed movement, but her sorrow was too great to stop and listen. But there.

A sound...A scrape.

Was that a cough?

Her sobs slowed, again a noise.

Fear froze her. Oh no, what now?

Slowly, hesitantly, as if she could wait away the next disaster, she looked up.

An angel sitting on the stone,

that gargantuan…

immovable…

uncontrollable mountain of impossibilities…

And the stone was moved…just like that.

Is a stone blocking your way to life? To peace? To joy? Have you worn yourself out trying to push it away? Have you exhausted your soul trying everything to change your circumstances? Are you sweaty and angry and defeated and discouraged? Have you lost hope?

Sit still awhile. Sit at the tomb of your tomorrows and let yourself grieve what might have been…should have been. Cry it all out.

And when you’re done,

listen…

shhh…

quiet…

be still…

In the ashes of your grief, in the failure of your fantasies of how life ought to be, sits Jesus. In dazzling white He sits atop that stone…

immune to impossibilities…

with a different idea of the ideal.

And while you’re there, let Him fill you with His hope and His dreams. Let Him store those tears away, pack up your past, relinquish your regrets, and give you a new start, a new life … a renewed hope.

After all, He rolled away that stone.

From my heart,

Diane

ETC.

Boaz

How do I begin to introduce you to Boaz? Here is the man every woman dreams of: a hero, a warrior, a friend. He is successful, driven, relational, kind, and appealing. He is godly, he takes initiative, he notices things, he listens, he leads. People like him, his reputation is irrefutable, his integrity undeniable. This is a man that a woman can trust implicitly.

The rest of this story is so real, so raw. Naomi with her bitterness. Orpah who walks away. Ruth with a reputation to overcome. From whence came this perfect man? How does he fit in this story of grief, of heartache, of broken people? What was the author thinking?

God wrote this book. Oh, He used the pen of a person, for sure. But He is the author. He created the characters, narrated the plot, came up with the protagonist and the antagonist, the beginning, the climax, and the sweet ending. So what’s He up to with Boaz?

The term that theologians use is “typology.” Boaz is a type of Christ. In other words, Boaz is a picture - painted with words and images, impressions, and dialogue - of Jesus, or at least of some aspects of Jesus. Other types of Christ include Joseph, David, Adam, and Melchizedek. Each tells a story of something God wants us to discover about His son. And while theologians emphasize the Kinsman- Redeemer aspect of Boaz, I think there is much more here to draw us into a love relationship with Jesus.

Look at the way he blesses his workers (Ruth 2:4). See how he shows interest in someone in dire straits (2:5), how he protects (2:9), and serves, even though he is clearly the boss (2:14). Hear his gracious speech (2:11) and his blessing directed at Ruth (2:12). Notice how Boaz takes care of Ruth’s needs, leaving her satisfied and overflowing (2:14). Look at his mercy in giving her far more than she deserved (2:16). This guy is amazing!

But there’s more. Boaz’s name means “strength.” He is extremely wealthy, a landowner, and a local leader of significant influence. He respects the Mosaic Law and knows its intricacies well enough to untangle what could have become a mess for Naomi (4:1-10).

Boaz’s reputation continued long after his death. Look at his influence on his son and grandsons: Obed, Jesse, David, Solomon. King Solomon was Boaz’s great, great grandson. In an obvious reference to the honor he felt towards his heritage, he named one of the foundational pillars in Solomon’s Temple after this man (1 Kings 7:21).

Take some time to ruminate on the qualities of Boaz painted so painstakingly in the story of Ruth. Observe, notice, list, circle, and underline. He is no braggart who trumpets his goodness, so you’ll have to dig a little. Read between the lines. Warm up to him and watch how everyone else in the story does as well.

As you discover the beautiful characteristics of Boaz, let these truths fill you with the beauty of Jesus. Feast on the richness of Jesus, the man. Relish the pursuit of Jesus, the lover. And by all means, worship Jesus, our Redeemer.