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Ruth chapter 4, I'll just start 
reading in verse 1. Now Boaz went up to the gate 
and sat down there. And behold, the close relative 
of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, come aside, 
friend. Sit down here. So he came aside 
and sat down. And he took 10 men of the elders 
of the city and said, sit down here. So they sat down. Then 
he said to the close relative, Naomi, who has come back from 
the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged 
to our brother Elimelech. And I thought to inform you saying, 
buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders 
of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem 
it. But if you will not redeem it, then tell me that I may know 
For there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after 
you. And he said, I will redeem it. 
Then Boaz said, on the day you buy the field from the hand of 
Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife 
of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his 
inheritance. And the close relative said, 
I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption 
for yourself, for I cannot redeem it. Now, this was the custom 
in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging to confirm 
anything. One man took off his sandal and 
gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel. 
Therefore, the close relative said to Boaz, buy it for yourself. So he took off his sandal, and 
Boaz said to the elders and all the people, you are witnesses 
this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's and all 
that was Kilian's and Melon's from the hand of Naomi. Moreover, 
Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Malon, I have acquired as 
my wife to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, 
that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among the 
brethren and from among his position at the gate. You are witnesses 
this day. And all the people who were at 
the gate and the elders said, we are witnesses. The Lord make 
the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the 
two who built the house of Israel. And may you prosper in Ephrathah 
and be famous in Bethlehem. May your house be like the house 
of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah because of the offspring 
which the Lord will give you from this young woman. So Boaz 
took Ruth, and she became his wife. And when he went into her, 
the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the 
women said to Naomi, blessed be the Lord who has not left 
you this day without a close relative, and may his name be 
famous in Israel. And may he be to you a restorer 
of life and a nourisher of your old age. For your daughter-in-law, 
who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has born 
him. Then Naomi took the child and 
laid him on her bosom and became a nurse to him. Also the neighbor 
women gave him 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. Now this is the genealogy of 
Perez. Perez begot Hezron. Hezron begot 
Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab. Amminadab begot Nashon, and Nashon 
begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot 
Obed. Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot 
David. Amen. So as we have seen after 
the movement back to Judah by Naomi and Ruth, Ruth took the 
initiative to go glean in a field. And as chapter 2, verse 3 says, 
she happened to come to the field owned by Boaz. Now, we know that 
was just a way to alert us concerning God's sovereignty in his providence. And so Ruth comes, labors in 
the field. Boaz has already heard about 
her. He initiates conversation with her. He does then. provide 
for her safety and wants her to continue to glean in his particular 
fields. He affords her protection and 
all sorts of good things. When she returns home to Naomi, 
Naomi understands that he is a close relative. And then Naomi 
says, it's good that we have this short-term prosperity in 
terms of food or barley. but go to the man and present 
yourself to him and see what he will do." So certainly Ruth 
does that in Chapter 3. As a result, she then asks Boaz 
to provide marriage or to provide comfort and stability to her 
via marriage. Chapter 3 specifically she says, 
that she wanted him to cover her with his wing, or take your 
maidservant under your wing, which is an idiom or euphemism 
for marriage. And so Boaz is certainly favorable 
to this particular ordeal, but realizes that there is a relative 
that is closer He has the rights of redemption before Boaz does. And so chapter 3 ends with Boaz 
concluding that he's going to go and try to make this thing 
right. And so that's what we have in 
chapter 4. Three things that we ought to observe. First, the 
resolution at the city gate. Basically, we have a legal proceeding 
in verses 1 to 12. Secondly, the marriage of Boaz 
and Ruth in verses 13 to 17. And then finally, the chapter 
ends on that high note, the genealogy of David. Perhaps that is the 
central or most important reason for the book in the canon, to 
show us that during this period of the judges, even though there 
were dark times, there were nevertheless lights. There were Naomi. and 
Ruth and Boaz, certain godly people that evidence this sort 
of covenant love and kindness that was stipulated for Israel. But as well, in the midst of 
all this, God provides for Israel a Redeemer, specifically the 
Lord Jesus Christ, as we learn when we compare chapter 1 of 
Matthew's Gospel to this, but at the time David was the hero. David was the Savior that was 
going to be raised up in Israel to be a godly king. So let's 
look at the resolution at the city gate. It breaks down into 
about four sections. First, the preparation for the 
case. the preparation for the case. 
Boaz wants to do everything on the up and up. Boaz doesn't want 
to go against the law of God, he doesn't want to violate other 
people's rights, and so he does things very legitimately. It 
says in verse 1, Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, 
and behold the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken, came 
by. So we've got the two parties 
involved in this particular transaction. This is the one that Boaz referred 
to already in chapter 3 at verse 13, verse 12 rather. He says, now it is true that 
I am a close relative. However, there is a relative 
closer than I. Again, we see God's providence. 
Boaz goes to the city gate to find this particular fellow, 
and this particular fellow comes walking by. Was that lucky or 
was it haphazard? No, the Lord God is in every 
detail along the way bringing together Boaz and Ruth, not first 
and foremost so that we'll be blown away by a romantic love 
story in Old Covenant Israel, but first and foremost so that 
we'll see God's hand at work in executing this plan to bring 
about David and ultimately to bring about Jesus from the line 
of David. So he meets with this particular 
man. He bids him come aside, friend, sit down here. So he 
came aside and sat down. And then they took 10 men elders 
in the city. Again, this would be necessary 
because this was a legal transaction. This was official. This wasn't 
some rinky-dink sort of thing. This was actual legal procedure. And so the official witnesses 
are the participants in this procedure as specified by the 
law. Verse 2, they took 10 men of 
the elders of the city and sat down. said sit down here, so 
they sat down. And then he presents the facts 
concerning the case in verses 3 to 8, the situation concerning 
Naomi. And there's a bit of difficulty 
here in verse 3. Then he said to the close relative, 
Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the 
piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. Now, 
probably widows did not have the right to do that. You could 
not get rid of land that belonged to a certain family. The verb 
is sold, but the verb can also have the idea of handing something 
down or handing something along. Probably the arrangement that 
Naomi was orchestrating was not an all-out sale to get rid of 
the piece of land, but rather to confer it upon another so 
that they could use that property and make money. And that's what's 
going on with Boaz and with this other nearer relative. You see, 
that Naomi is going to enter into this transaction means that 
the close relative has the right to take the land for that particular 
purpose. And so it's a contest, not a 
contest, but it is a dispute or a situation involving this 
one close relative. He's not even named in the narrative. 
and then Boaz. So it's probably not an all-out 
sale, but rather it is, and I learned a new word today, usufruct. Has anybody ever heard the word 
usufruct? Have you heard that word? The 
word means the right to use and enjoy the profits and advantages 
of something belonging to another as long as the property is not 
damaged or altered in any way. So again, it's probably not an 
all-out sale. I don't think that the widow 
in Israel had the right to do that. In fact, if you look at 
Numbers 27, when a man died in the line of inheritance in terms 
of the family, the widow isn't even mentioned there. So it's 
a very tenuous position to be a widow in Israel in the Old 
Covenant. And so we see that what Boaz 
ultimately wants to do in terms of marrying Ruth dramatically 
benefits Naomi as well. So it's probably not a complete 
sale of the property, but rather Naomi's authorizing the court 
to give it to one of these Goels or to give it to one of these 
kinsmen redeemers so that they can, in turn, use it to make 
money. It would still stay in that particular 
family. It wouldn't completely transfer 
into another family or another tribe. either way that we understand 
it, it doesn't necessarily affect the interpretation of the rest 
of the chapter. But notice what he says, verse 
3, Naomi who has come back from the country of Moab sold the 
piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. Verse 
4, I thought to inform you saying, buy it back in the presence of 
the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem 
it, redeem it. But if you will not redeem it, 
then tell me that I may know, for there is no one but you to 
redeem it, and I am next after you." So he makes the legitimate 
offer to this closer relative. The statement then is made by 
Boaz. He makes it known that he does 
desire this particular piece of property. He desires this 
transaction to go in his particular way. And then, at that point, 
the closer relative basically says, I will redeem it. So it 
sounds like a pretty good deal to this closer relative. All 
there is is an acquisition of land, whether it is sold and 
he actually owns it, or whether he uses it to do this usufruction, 
or whatever the particular verbal form of that word is. So it sounds 
like a positive and a good deal to him. And now notice that Boaz 
introduces the piece about Naomi. One wonders why. He does it in 
such a way. He doesn't set it forth as a 
package deal initially. Rather, he starts with the land. 
When the man says, yes, I want the land, And then he says, oh, 
but by the way, you need to take Ruth as well. Then Boaz said, 
on the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must 
also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate 
the name of the dead through his inheritance. Now, just the 
reference to buying it from her indicates that what is in view, 
or the language that follows indicates what is in view, is 
that he needs to take her as a wife. What's being appealed 
to here, specifically and very directly, is the Leveret Law 
in Deuteronomy chapter 25, the language of perpetuate the name 
of the dead through his inheritance. If you look down at verse 10, 
this is what Boaz does in terms of marrying Ruth. He says to 
perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance. So this 
is what's going on. Now, as far as I can tell, this 
was not necessary. In other words, a close relative 
doesn't necessarily enter in to this levirate arrangement. 
The specifics in Deuteronomy call for brothers. So what many 
of the commentators offer is that he's going according to 
the spirit of the law, not the exact letter of the law. And 
it may have been a development that happened in Israel that 
was not against the law, but certainly a consistent application 
of the law. If there were no brothers, then 
it would extend to other relatives in that family unit. And so this 
is what Boaz puts forth to this closer relative. On the day you 
buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from 
Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the 
name of the dead through his inheritance. Now, this changes 
things significantly for this closer relative. Notice in verse 
6, the close relative said, I cannot redeem it for myself. lest I 
ruin my own inheritance, you redeem my right of redemption 
for yourself, for I cannot redeem it. Now, there's a lot of different 
scenarios that we might imagine how it would affect his present 
situation. We're not going to investigate 
every single one of those. But suffice it to say, as far 
as this man was concerned, To take the field was a win-win 
situation. To take Ruth and the field was 
a lose-lose situation. He didn't want to jeopardize 
other situations that he had already going on, so he then 
forfeits the right of redemption to Boaz in this particular situation. And then that enters in or brings 
in this custom, this sandal transaction. That's kind of an interesting 
way to do business. Instead of a handshake or instead 
of signing a contract, you take your sandal off and you hand 
it to the partner or to the person that you're making this transaction 
with. Now at the time that the author wrote the Book of Judges, 
this was not still in practice because it says in verse 7, Now 
this was the custom in former times in Israel. This is an explanation 
for people like us that are not in tune with this sort of a thing. This was the custom in former 
times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging to confirm anything. One man took off his sandal and 
gave it to the other and this was a confirmation in Israel. If you turn back for just a moment 
to the Law of the Leverant in Deuteronomy 25. Deuteronomy 25. If a man does not want to enter 
into this particular situation, we find what the woman does, 
the brother's wife in this situation. 25.8. Then the elders of his 
city shall call him, verse 7, but if the man does not want 
to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up 
to the gate to the elders and say, my husband's brother refuses 
to raise up a name to his brother in Israel. He will not perform 
the duty of my husband's brother. Then the elders of his city shall 
call him and speak to him. But if he stands firm and says, 
I do not want to take her, then his brother's wife shall come 
to him in the presence of the elders remove his sandal from 
his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, so shall it be 
done to the man who will not build up his brother's house. 
And his name shall be called in Israel the house of him who 
had his sandal removed." Kind of an interesting way to go about 
things there. The him who had his sandal removed. He didn't remove it himself in 
a legitimate transaction. Going back to chapter 4 in Ruth, 
Kyle and Dalich, because I've always wondered about this custom. 
I've never seen it transacted in such a way. Whether Kyle and 
Dalich are absolutely right or not, it's certainly interesting 
what they say. The custom itself, which existed among the Indians 
and the ancient Germans. Now, Kyle and Dalich were German. 
So certainly they would know what ancient Germans did, because 
I certainly don't know what ancient Germans did. The custom itself, 
which existed among the Indians and the ancient Germans, arose 
from the fact that fixed property was taken possession of by treading 
upon the soil. And hence, taking off the shoe 
and handing it to another was a symbol of the transfer of a 
possession or right of ownership. Makes good sense to me. I kind 
of understand something of the significance of the sandal transaction. But whatever the particulars 
are, this is the way it was done. Again, this is a legal procedure. We need to appreciate that. Boas 
is doing what is necessary according to the structure in place. This 
is another evidence of a man of God. He doesn't cut corners. He doesn't pare off the rough 
edges. He doesn't try and find the loopholes. He doesn't try 
to wriggle his way through on a technicality. He goes to the 
court. He lays down his case. And he lets the chips fall where 
they may. Now remember, as this is going 
on, who do you think Ruth wants to get the property? Certainly 
Ruth is rooting for Boaz in this whole transaction. Perhaps if 
she was standing with an earshot and this closer relative says, 
I will redeem it, her heart sung. By this time, though I've pointed 
out the book isn't a romantic story, or that's not, you know, 
sort of the main point. Nevertheless, I'm sure there's 
romantic desires building. You know, I'm just against this 
whole idea of saying Ruth is just this wonderful, covenantal, 
romantic story. It's not that. But those elements 
were certainly present. When you start to fall for someone, 
you develop feelings for them. That's all legit. She is not 
wanting this closer relative who she doesn't know, who she 
hasn't seen is a godly man, who she hasn't witnessed do great 
and kind things for her and Naomi. She doesn't want that. So when 
this man in verse 5 says, I will redeem it, probably her heart 
sank and thought, I don't want to be with this particular fellow. 
I quite like Boaz. Boaz, though he may be a bit 
older, has certainly got a wing that I want to find refuge under. 
And so Boaz is doing everything that a godly man does. And so 
in verse 8, we see, therefore, the close relative said to Boaz, 
buy it for yourself. So he took off his sandals. So 
it was done. It was legitimate. The transaction 
was made and that brings us to Boaz's response in verses 9 and 
10. Boaz said to the elders and all 
the people, you are witnesses this day that I have bought all 
that was a limelax and all that was gillions and melons from 
the hand of Naomi. Again, there's that verb bought. 
It could be I have taken possession of it to use it. in that way 
that was defined earlier. Again, I don't think it significantly 
affects the interpretation. Just some people, some commentators, 
have observed that in Old Covenant Israel, land selling wasn't the 
way it was today. So we just need to appreciate 
that. You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that 
was Elimelech's and all that was Kilian's and Melon's from 
the hand of Naomi. Moreover, Ruth, the Moabitess, 
the widow of Melon. Now we know which girls married 
which boys. Ruth married Melon, and Orpah 
was married to Kilian, just in case anybody was wondering. I 
wonder how they paired up together. Well, now we know. Moreover, 
Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Melon, I have acquired as 
my wife to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, 
that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his 
brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses 
this day. So he completes the land transaction 
with this particular fellow, the confirmation with the witnesses, 
and then he acquires, he has acquisition legally and entitled 
to that particular portion of land. As well, he has acquired 
Ruth as a wife. This is something that goes along 
with the particulars, and he is now committed to her. Notice 
that he does cite this whole idea of the labyrinth marriage. I want to perpetuate the name 
of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may 
not be cut off from among his brethren. This is a noble and 
an honorable and an upright man. The other man was looking more 
in his financial and economic interests. than he was looking 
at the interests of Melon's family name. And so that brings us to 
the public response, verses 11 and 12. All the people who were 
at the gate and the elders sat. Notice that. The elders are present. 
Now it says, and all the people who were at the gate. People 
were coming and watching and viewing and checking this sort 
of thing out. This was now an interesting thing 
in the city. So all the people who were at 
the gate and the elders said, we are witnesses. The Lord make 
the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the 
two who built the house of Israel. Isn't that a beautiful statement? 
Women come off very well in the book of Ruth. We saw in the book 
of Judges. When pagan culture is dominant, 
then we see that women suffer. Women don't do well. They don't 
fare well in a situation where the pagans are at the helm. But 
notice this, that Rachel and Leah are the two who built the 
house of Israel. That's a very, very glorious 
statement. concerning Rachel and Leah. Of course, these were the very 
fruitful wives of Jacob. In many respects, they did build 
the house of Israel, because God blessed them richly. And that's what the people are 
petitioning. That's what they desire for Boaz, is that this 
union with Ruth will be blessed of God and there will be progeny, 
there will be children. Notice what they go on to say. 
They say, and may you prosper in Ephrathah. May you be blessed. A man like you, it's easy to 
root for a man like him. It's easy to want a man like 
him to be blessed. It's easy to want a man like 
him to prosper because he's a godly man, and when he prospers, he 
does in a sense, or he does so to bring glory to God and good 
to others. We don't want the wicked to prosper, 
but we certainly want Boaz's to prosper because they do good 
with their prosperity. So may you prosper in Ephrathah 
and be famous in Bethlehem. Would Boaz be famous in Bethlehem? Absolutely. Boaz is in the line 
of the Messiah. When we get to Matthew chapter 
1, Boaz is inscripturated there for all times. He did become 
a famous man. He did become a prosperous man. And then notice in verse 12, 
may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to 
Judah because of the offspring which the Lord will give you 
from this young woman. Now the reference there is to 
Genesis 38. I'm sure you're all familiar with what happened with 
Judah and Tamar. Remember that Tamar had a husband 
named Ur. He was wicked in the sight of 
the Lord, and the Lord killed him. Onan was then raised up 
to give her progeny, to give her seed. Of course, Onan did 
not do what he was supposed to do. And then it was told that 
she could wait for his third son, Shelah. But when Shayla 
had become of age, Judah did not give Shayla to Tamar. So Tamar disguised herself, pretended 
to be a harlot, and laid with Judah. Now, again, this is not 
something that we say, go thou and do likewise. but it kept 
the line alive. God used that event to bless 
the people and to keep the line alive. That's what the reference 
to is in verse 12. May your house be like the house 
of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah because of the offspring 
which the Lord will give you from this young woman. The idea, 
the comparison isn't we hope that Ruth will function like 
Tamar and dress up like a prostitute. No, it's the leverant marriage. It's when the nearest kin takes 
the woman so that progeny will result. That's what's in view 
here. You are a close relative. You 
are the kinsman redeemer. You are going to come into union 
with Ruth. May God bless that the way God 
blessed Judah and Tamar in order to keep the line alive. and to 
keep the progeny going. That's the nature of the petition 
there in verse 12. And then that brings us, secondly, 
to the marriage of Boaz and Ruth. Now that I've successfully killed 
all the romantic overtones, you can all just say, wow, it's not 
exciting anymore. No, it's still exciting. It's 
good stuff. This is a marriage. This is great. We ought to be 
happy. It's a wedding day. Verse 13, so Boaz took Ruth, 
and she became his wife. And when he went into her, and 
that is sexual, the Lord gave her conception. Children are 
a gift from God. Remember the contrast here. What 
happens in chapter 1 when Ruth marries Malon? They dwell in 
Moab for 10 childless years. God is sovereign. He opens the 
womb. He closes the womb. The author 
wants you to understand that. He wants you to get that. He 
wants you to realize that God is sovereign over the womb. When he went into her, the Lord 
gave her conception, and she bore a son. Notice then the blessing 
of the women in verses 14 and 15. A lot of people involved 
in people's lives at this particular time. You're in a court case, 
people happen by and they listen, they pay attention, they want 
to know what's going on. and then they make petition to 
the Lord on your behalf. Same sort of thing after this 
marriage ceremony. Verse 14, then the women said 
to Naomi, blessed be the Lord who has not left you this day 
without a close relative and may his name be famous in Israel. They want people to remember 
godly men. This is good. We ought to think 
the same way. We want the names of godly men 
to be famous in Canada. We want the names of godly men, 
not like these celebrity preachers who have their faces on coffee 
cups or you know make big salaries or go on tour. That's not the 
kind of fame. But the idea that this was a 
godly man who did what was right. Every day he got up, he was faithful, 
he loved Ruth, he gave her a good home, he secured life for Naomi. All these sorts of things. This 
is what the people want. A good name is a blessing and 
a heritage and a rich reward from the Lord. And this is what 
they pray. May his name be famous in Israel. Verse 15. And may he be to you 
a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age. Now the pronouns 
there would indicate that it was either Boaz or it could even 
be Yahweh. May he be to you a restorer of 
life and a nourisher of your old age. But I think it's better 
understood as Obed. For your daughter-in-law who 
loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has born him. It's Obed that's going to be 
the restorer. It's Obed that's going to bring 
the comfort. It's Obed that's going to be that sign, symbol, 
and token of Naomi's security and prosperity and blessing. 
This is God turning things around completely for Naomi. This is the idea that's in view 
here. May he be to you a restorer of 
life and a nourisher of your old age. And then this, for your 
daughter-in-law who loves you. Isn't that beautiful? Who loves 
you. We've got to think about love 
for just a moment. Bloch reminds us, whereas modern 
definitions of love tend to view the word as an emotional term, 
in the Old Testament, love is fundamentally an expression of 
covenant commitment. Now I'm really killing the romance, 
aren't I? What do you mean it's not all 
this syrupy, sappy, feely, gushy, ushy stuff? No, it's not. Certainly there's emotional attachment 
or there's emotions that accompany such things, but the root or 
the fundamental idea, I think Bloch is right on. Whereas modern 
definitions of love tend to view the word as an emotional term, 
in the Old Testament love is fundamentally an expression of 
covenant commitment, the kind of devotion to which Ruth had 
given such eloquent verbal expression in chapter 1, verses 16 and 17. 
It's not just this emotion, it's not just this eww, it's this 
idea that I am committed to this person, I am engaged in this 
covenant, and I am going to do him good all the days of his 
life. And this is what is said concerning 
Ruth with Naomi. For your daughter-in-law who 
loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has born him. Now, seven, as probably you all 
know or have heard, is the number of completion. The best family 
you could possibly have in Old Covenant Israel would be to have 
seven sons. Sorry, ladies, but that's just the way it was. If 
a man had seven sons, that was a perfect family. What are they 
saying? They're saying Ruth the Moabitess, 
this one woman that comes from paganized Moab, who left Chemosh, 
her god, to come and attach herself to Israel and call them my people. This one is better to you than 
seven Israelite boys. This Ruth is a godly woman. This 
Ruth has demonstrated head and shoulders what it means to be 
a good Israelite. It's unfortunate that a Moabitess 
has to come and teach the Israelites what covenant fidelity looks 
like. It's unfortunate, but it is a 
blessed reality that God uses this woman from this land to 
bring blessing to this family in Israel and to display for 
all the city to see, as we saw in chapter 3, what a virtuous 
wife, what a virtuous woman looks like. She is a Proverbs 31 woman 
living amongst them and her pedigree ultimately isn't even Israelite. Truly, truly amazing. Then verse 
16, then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom. Bosom 
here ought not to be understood as breast. The idea with reference 
to nursing, a nurse to him, this doesn't mean that old Naomi started 
to give nurse to this little baby. The idea is that she held 
him, she loved him, she cuddled him, right? That's what you do 
when you have a baby, you cuddle them. There's my non-romantic, 
non-loving. You don't just hold the baby 
out like that. You can embrace and hug and nourish. I remember seeing Pastor Barcelos 
one time. That's how he was holding one 
of his kids. I'm like, dude, you can love 
that kid and hug it. He did. Just that one time I 
saw him holding one of his little kids like that, and it just struck 
me as funny. It's like, dude, hug her. Hug 
him. You can do that. Anyway, so this 
is what's in view. Naomi took the child, laid him 
on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. Again, the reference 
to bosom and nurse suggests breastfeeding. It really shouldn't. Bosom means 
embrace, and nurse probably means nanny, grandma, nana. She became that to this precious 
little Obed. Again, Bloch makes a couple of 
excellent observations here. in a world, speaking of Naomi's, 
previously characterized by famine, barrenness, and death. There 
is birth and new life here. Imagine the turnaround for Naomi. I mean, she's come to this city 
saying, do not call me Naomi, because my life is anything but 
pleasant. In fact, call me Mara, because 
my life is bitter. Bitterness is my portion. Truly, 
what we see is God. turning things around in this 
woman's life. Now she's embracing Obed, which 
means servant or serving one. And there's no L attachment there, 
so it doesn't mean necessarily servant of Yahweh. It can bear 
that meaning to be sure, or servant of God. But servant or serving 
one, probably to Naomi. She's, or he's her little grandson 
that's gonna look out for Nanny all of his days. And then Block says this, the 
image of this woman taking the child in her arms must also be 
seen against the backdrop of her previous experience. She 
had not only had her bread basket emptied by famine, in the deaths 
of her husband and sons, her bosom had also been emptied of 
her men. And now it's filled again by 
our good and our gracious God who's provided Obed, this serving 
one to her. And then verse 17, also the neighbor 
women gave him a name saying, there is a son born to Naomi. 
This does not mean that the neighbor women came up with Obed. probably 
Boaz and Ruth came up with Obed and the neighbor women simply 
affirm it and probably shout it or announce it or do whatever 
neighbor women did in Old Covenant Israel at that time. And then 
verse 17b, and they called his name Obed. He is the father of 
Jesse, the father of David. And this is where the book converges. 
This is what the book, is bringing us to understand, and that brings 
us finally to the genealogy. Now this is the genealogy of 
Perez. Who was the father of Perez? 
Judah. He was the lion of the tribe 
of Judah. Jesus must come from Judah. And Judah is the father of Perez 
by Tamar. Perez begot Hezron. Hezron begot 
Ram. Ram begot Aminadab. Aminadab 
begot Nashon, Nashon begot Salmon, Salmon and Rahab begot Boaz, 
Boaz and Ruth begot Obed, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot 
David. The champion of Israel has in 
his roots Ruth, the Moabitess. Tamar, who dressed herself up 
like a prostitute in order to lie with Judah. In his line, 
he's got Rahab, the harlot, who proselyted or converted into 
Old Covenant Israel. There are parallels to this genealogy 
in 1 Chronicles 2, verses 12-15. Matthew 1, verses 2-6 follows 
this exactly and precisely. What we have in Matthew is it 
starts from the bottom and goes to the top. What we have in Luke 
is it starts from the top and goes down to the bottom. 
Some differences, not because there are mistakes, but because 
there is a different theological element that is being brought 
out by both Matthew and Luke. But when we go to Matthew's gospel, 
we see this rehearsed specifically, not just concerning David, but 
concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. And I'll quote again John Gill. 
I've gotten a lot of use out of this quote, but I think if 
we understand this, we understand the book of Ruth. The principal 
design of the Book of Ruth is to give the genealogy of David. whom Samuel had anointed to be 
king of Israel, and from whom the Messiah was to come, and 
who therefore may be said to be the aim and scope of it, as 
he is all of Scripture." That's a great phrase. That's something 
that, you know, the aim and scope of Scripture. That's Jesus Christ. And then he says, and whereby 
it appears that he sprung from both Jews and Gentiles, and is 
the Savior of both, and there is a good foundation for both 
to hope in him. and the call and conversion of 
Ruth the Moabitess may be considered as a shadow, emblem, and pledge 
of the conversion of the Gentiles. Daniel Bloch, last statement 
concerning this book, he says, for as the genealogy of Matthew 
1 indicates, one greater than David comes from the loins of 
Boaz. In the dark days of the judges, 
the foundation is laid for the line that would produce the Savior, 
the Messiah, the redeemer of a lost and destitute humanity. Isn't that beautiful? You come 
out of Judges, and what do we have at the end of Judges? Bleakness, 
blackness, darkness, right? 17 and 18 is the religious apostasy 
in the tribe of Dan. 19 to 21 is the moral degeneracy 
of the tribe of Benjamin. It is depressing. it looks bad, 
it looks dark, it looks bleak. Then we come into this book of 
Ruth and it's like there is light in the promised land. And not 
only because there's godly persons involved in this situation, but 
because a godly person is born to them. Obed, and then we have 
Jesse, and then we have David. And we have the line of Messiah 
in place for when the New Testament comes and the Lord Jesus is on 
the scene. So in terms of some summary thoughts 
or summary observations, these things we ought to remember. 
We have seen in this book first the faithfulness of God's people. It is good to appreciate that. 
Now, they're not the main character in this book. God is. But we 
ought to take the time to appreciate and to recognize Naomi is looking 
out for Ruth. Naomi is a godly woman. Naomi's theology in Chapter 1, 
she ascribes the affliction to the Lord. By the time we get 
to Chapter 4, people are blessing her. pronouncing her blessed, 
and we can only imagine that she is reveling in it, reminds 
us of Job when Job says to his wife, shall we accept the good 
and not adversity from God? Naomi understood theologically 
the providence of God. Sometimes it comes by the way 
of affliction. Other times it comes by a blessed 
little grandson named Obed that I can welcome into my bosom. 
Naomi's a godly person in this book that we ought to recognize. 
Secondly, Ruth. Ruth's confession in chapter 
one is fleshed out in the remainder of the book. Remember last week 
we saw in chapter three that Boaz is able to say the entire 
city knows that you're a virtuous woman. The entire city knows 
what you're made of. The entire city watching you 
in your day in, day out operations realizes that you are the kind 
of person that exhibits this covenant loyalty in the nation 
of Israel. And then we certainly have seen 
nothing bad about Boaz. Not one inkling, not one shadow, 
not one blemish on the man whatsoever in the book. He is, in all respects, 
in terms of the report that we have in the book of Ruth, wholly 
harmless and undefiled. He is typical of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. He does point us forward to one 
who will redeem. In my own notes, I've entitled 
Chapter 3, The Plan of Redemption, and Chapter 4, The Application 
of Redemption. You see, Naomi has the plan in 
Chapter 3. Boaz responds favorably to it. Chapter 4 is the application 
of that plan. And I see the work of Christ 
that way. There's a plan, and there's application. And the 
Lord Jesus carries that out. So each of the persons that major 
in this book, each of them are faithful. Each of them are godly. 
And while we see in the book of Judges some dark times, we 
see in the book of Ruth some very light and very blessed times. As well, secondly, we see the 
mercy of God. We ought not to miss that, not 
necessarily the sovereignty, that's another observation, but 
his mercy, his kindness. No wonder Naomi and Ruth and 
Boaz model these principles because they have God as the exemplar. They have God showing this kind 
of covenant hesed or mercy or kindness to these people. Naomi 
is cared for every step of the way. Even when she doesn't recognize 
it in chapter 1 and thinks her life is only bitterness, she 
has standing next to her one of the sweetest, most loving, 
most wonderful people in the world. Ruth was a gift given 
by God to Naomi. And the women in Israel recognize 
this as well. And I know that Naomi did by 
this time as well. Verse 15 in chapter 4, for your 
daughter-in-law who loves you, who is better to you than seven 
sons is born in." That's not only a compliment to Ruth, but 
it's kind of a dig at the sons of Israel. I mean, come on. This 
one woman is better than seven sons in Israel. God's mercy to 
Naomi is conspicuous. Secondly, consider God's mercy 
to Ruth. Ruth is godly. Ruth is good. Ruth is a holy person. But Ruth 
was an idolater worshipping Gemash in the land of Moab. Praise God 
for Malon. Praise God that Ruth fell into 
the family of Elimelech. Praise God for Ruth that she 
was able to come into contact with Naomi, a person who worshipped 
Israel's God, a person who confessed Israel's God. It was a blessing 
for Ruth as well to come into contact with Naomi. See, it's 
reciprocal. Naomi benefits from this transaction, 
but so does Ruth. If she had not met Naomi, if 
she had not married Malon, who knows what would have happened 
to her in terms of the man that she married in Moab and would 
continue to worship Chemosh. As well, we see the kindness 
of God to Boaz. Boaz is an older man. He gets 
a young wife. He has progeny. He has a son. His name is now famous in Israel. These are blessings from God 
given to this man, Boaz. Boaz is in Ruth conspicuously. He's in Matthew's gospel. forever, 
Luke's gospel, forever, to the end of the age. The things prayed 
for and wished for or petitioned for with reference to Boaz have 
all come to fruition. And then we see the mercy of 
God displayed to Jew and Gentile. In this book of Ruth, because 
of David, because of David's son, there is mercy displayed 
to Jews and Gentiles through the person and work of the Lord 
Jesus Christ. We have seen the sovereignty 
of God. Every event, every detail, everything that transpires in 
this book happens according to plan. That, the closer relative, 
didn't want the land after he heard about Ruth. Ruth just happened 
to come to the place that Boaz owned. Every step of the way, 
God is in it. Every step of the way, in the 
ordinary, normal, day-in and day-out events. the Lord God 
Most High is involved in their lives. And then finally, the 
redemptive plan of God is seen conspicuously in this genealogy. And again, the author at the 
particular time probably didn't realize the significance at this 
point. It would come fully in Matthew 
1. It would come fully in Luke chapter 
3. We know why David is in this 
particular book. And this is a great way to end 
the book of Ruth, because you enter into Samuel and 2 Samuel. And guess who's the conspicuous 
hero throughout those two books? David, Obed's son. Not Obed's direct son, but Obed 
certainly in the line there. So that, the book of Ruth. I 
hope that God will bless it to us. I know that I have benefited 
in learning some things that I never knew before, not least 
of which is that word. I don't know that I'll ever use 
it again. I never knew that word. I like 
learning new words. Anyways, let's close in prayer. 
Our Father, we thank you for this book. We thank you for the 
conspicuous display of God's sovereignty in the midst of the 
lives of these people. Thank you as well for the lives 
of these people and what it teaches us concerning faithfulness and 
love and fidelity and just being godly men and women. Help us 
to apply these lessons in our lives. Help us as men to be faithful 
men like Boaz. Help the ladies here to be women 
like Ruth and Naomi. And God grant us grace to do 
so for your glory and for the good of those in the covenant 
community with us and outside of the church. Help us to do 
good to men as well. We also thank you for the redemptive 
plan set in motion in Genesis chapter 3. We thank you for the 
promise made to Abraham in Genesis chapter 12. We thank you for 
all of the subsequent promise given, and then the fullness 
of the times, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to effect these 
things. We praise you for Him. We thank 
you for the Gospel. We thank you that you have included 
us in your redemptive plan. We ask that you would go with 
us now and watch over us, bless this remainder of the week, and 
bring us together on the Lord's Day to worship you. And we pray 
through Christ our Lord. Amen.