Dial In with Jonny Ardavanis - Ruth: A Child Is Born

Episode Date: November 3, 2022

In this final episode, Jonny teaches through Ruth chapter 4 and discusses how Obed connects Genesis to Ruth and consequently Ruth to Revelation. The events that transpire in the lives of our main characters effect those who lie far beyond the immediate story itself. Ultimately, the genealogy of Ruth connects us with the genealogy of Matthew 1. 14 Generations after Boaz’s grandson David, the greater Son of David would be born into the very village these events transpire. Watch VideosVisit the Website Follow on InstagramFollow on Twitter

Hey guys, my name is Johnny Artavanis and this is Dial In. Thank you guys so much for listening to the show. It would be so helpful if you guys continue to share, subscribe, rate, and comment on it. That helps more people hear about it. In this episode, we finish our short series in the book of Ruth, a story about redemption and romance and ultimately about our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's dial in.

Now the story of Ruth is a story about redemption, and redemption is something that is personal. What I mean by that is that when God redeems, it's not simply a transaction that takes place legally. It is a sacrifice that is performed lovingly. What stirs the heart of those redeemed by Christ is not the mere transactional nature of redemption, but the reality that it is propelled by love. This is what God continually reminds his people throughout scripture. In Deuteronomy 7, verses 7 and 8, God says, the Lord did not set his love on you, nor choose you because you are more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all the people. God is saying, I didn't choose Israel because you were the best or the strongest.

But verse 8, but because the Lord loved you. This same reality rings true in the New Testament. Romans 5, 8 says that God demonstrates his own love in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Galatians 2.20, Paul says, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, you know this part, but Christ who lives in me. In the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who what? Who loved me and who gave himself up for me. Redemption, biblically speaking, is always motivated by love.

Additionally, we see that God's redemptive plan is not just unfolding on the macro level in the lives of the entire world, but also in the lives of individuals. Individuals like Ruth. Ruth, in this sense, is a story within a larger story. Here in this immediate story is an account of a groom who redeems a bride at great cost to himself because of his great love for his bride, Ruth. Truly, this is the message of the entirety of scripture. The church is the bride of Christ and they are redeemed not with gold or silver or perishable things, but with the precious blood of Christ. Now, if you recall, the central word in the opening chapter of Ruth

is the Hebrew word shub. This word shub is used over and over again throughout the first chapter, and it functions as an indicator for us that the author is telling you something about what God is going to do in the story. The word shub means to restore, to return, and that is exactly what we will see happen in the story of Ruth. As we come to this concluding chapter, those who had left Bethlehem returned to the place that they had once abandoned, but there is far more happening here than a mere physical return. This is a story about a spiritual restoration, about how God takes those who are broken and bent and brings them to himself. And what God is going to do with these women is but a mere sampling of what he is going to do on a much grander, redemptive scale.

As we zoom in on the life of Ruth, it is often easy to think that God is weaving his purposes for only one person at a time, as if the only person that he is dealing with at each particular moment is me, myself, and I. But as we back away from the immediate lens, we see that God's plan in providence is taking into consideration all of creation. Ferguson says, God's plan includes me, but does not center on me as though what he is doing in me could be isolated from everything and everyone else. This is important to note because as we consider the work of God in this chapter and in Scripture, we must remember that He is like a grand weaver pulling threads over here in your life,

over there in someone else's life. And as He pulls each of these threads and weaves various colors, we can only trust in one day finally see all that he is doing for his glory and our good. He is simultaneously working in all of our lives. And what we will see in this final chapter is that not even Ruth was aware of all of the ripple effects of what God was going to do. Now, if you remember with me at the end of chapter three, Ruth had made her proposal and Boaz had told Ruth that he would indeed marry her. But there was just one problem. There was a kinsman that was closer to Ruth than Boaz. He essentially had dibs on the right to marry Ruth according to biblical law. Although

Boaz surely loves Ruth and there is a blossoming romance occurring, Boaz's integrity and character are evidenced by his desire to obey God and follow the scripture to the T. So how does this story conclude? Well, at the conclusion of this chapter, there will be a list of names of those who have not yet lived that will be greatly benefited by the events that transpire over the course of the following verses. We learn from this that God's plan always goes beyond the life of the individual. Therefore, when we study the scripture, we witness stories that are finished in one sense, but ongoing and unfolding in another. There's both an interim and then a final consummation of all that God is doing. Although God's plan is still unfolding though, here's what he does. He occasionally in history and in your life provides vistas by which you may look back and reflect on

his goodness and kindness and faithfulness. He is gracious in the sense that he puts you on his shoulders, if you will, so that you can see that he is good. And here in Ruth's story, there is a genealogy that serves as the vantage point by which the scripture connects Genesis through Ruth and consequently Ruth to Revelation. In chapter four, Boaz acts with a level of urgency as predicted by Naomi. And we'll read that in chapter four, verse one. It says, Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by. So he said, Turn aside, friend, sit down here. And he turned aside and sat down. Boaz presumably rises early in the morning and goes to the city gate. Now the location of the gate is worth considering because this is where the men of the city often would travel and

do their business dealings. There were trials that were held here. It was like the city courthouse. So Boaz knows the spot to find this near kinsman. And then he sees him and it says, behold, he's passing around like the kinsman rolls around. This is a cue for us to dial in because according to the providence of God, the man whom Boaz is seeking passes by the gate. This is what we saw earlier in chapter two when we saw that Ruth just happened to come to the field of Boaz. The author of Ruth wants you to watch how God works. Well, let's continue in verse two. It says he took 10 men, that's Boaz, of the elders of the city and said, sit down here. And so they sat down.

Boaz is operating in a manner that is above reproach. He grabs 10 men. He wants witnesses. And then he summons for the relative to come over and take a seat. The language employed here seems to indicate that they were more than mere acquaintances. They were close relatives. The drama is rising. Interestingly, this other character remains unnamed. It's as if the scripture is saying this man will have no further relevance in God's future plan. Now let's look at verses three and four. Then he said to the closest relative,

Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. So I thought to inform you, saying, buy it before those who are sitting here and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if not, tell me that I may know, for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you. And he said, I will redeem it. Boaz informs his relative and starts initially by focusing on the piece of land that belonged to Elimelech. This is the main element in question for this near kinsman. Who gets the land? The land in question is all of Elimelech's property that was likely rented but not sold when they went to Moab a decade beforehand. It was presumably the only thing

that Naomi could have laid possession to. To understand the significance of this, we need to recall what we covered in our previous episode. Land was more than a place to live. It was a symbol of God's blessing, of God's kindness, and God's provision to his people. God himself had divided up this land amongst the 12 tribes in the book of Joshua, and no one left the land for a change of scenery or for additional opportunities somewhere else. That was unthinkable. This is why the story of the prodigal son is so significant.

The prodigal not only left his family, but he left the land of God's blessing and went off into a far country. In extreme situations, families would have to sell their land, but a redeemer was someone who could come along and purchase it back from the buyer in order that the land might be kept within the family. Leverite law was something that was implemented not in order to bolster the redeemer's wallet, but as a symbol of selflessness, a symbol of sacrifice and love towards others.

The near kinsman hears Boaz's proposal and says, I will redeem it. This was likely no surprise to anyone at this point. But Boaz, like a strategic businessman, has withheld certain information that he is about to include that may change his relatives mind. Boaz, while being totally honest, is playing his cards shrewdly. Listen to verse five. Then Boaz said, on the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth, the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance. All of the sudden, the near relative understands that this is not a transaction that involves personal gain, but personal sacrifice. It would not be a reputation booster, but potentially a reputation diminisher, as the man would now marry a Moabite. Boaz also says that he is going to do

all of this in order to raise up the name of the deceased. He is asking this other man to bear sons through Ruth and then raise those sons in order that they might continue not his own name, but Elimelech's. And as we covered previously, this is why the law of Leverite marriage existed in the first place. To continue the line of the dead man. But not only that, in this case, the oldest son would grow up. And instead of that land becoming the near kinsman's forever, that land would then be transferred to the oldest son. He had initially, this near kinsman, thought that if there were no children, the land would be his own family's forever. This seemed like a low-cost, no-brainer investment.

But now with the reality of an old widow and a Moabite wife, the picture that once seemed great is now turning grim. This essentially meant that there was absolutely no benefit to the Redeemer. Redemption was costly. It was sacrificial. Then you may wonder, well, why would anyone redeem Ruth or Naomi? Well, out of love, out of love. And the question for this near kinsman is, is he prepared to redeem Ruth and Naomi without reservation,

especially when it would come at great cost to himself? The answer is no. Watch how he responds in verse six. The closest relative said, I cannot redeem it for myself because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself. You may have my right of redemption for I cannot redeem it. In this regard, the man fits in complementary fashion to that of Ruth's sister Orpah in the opening chapter. Both Ruth and Orpah were faced with a decision, a decision that came at great personal cost and sacrifice. And like what we saw with Orpah, who turned around and headed back to Moab, this near kinsman will turn his back on responsibility. And in both cases, these characters will be forgotten in the pages of history. In complete contrast to Ruth's near kinsman, Boaz functions as the example par excellence

of loyal love that fulfills his covenantal obligations, regardless of the personal cost and sacrifice. He is committed to obeying God, no matter the cost. The near kinsman had drawn a line in the sand in regards to the degree of his obedience. Like God tells the waves in Job, thus far you shall come and no further. This man says, I will do what is right, but only to a certain point. What happens next is worthy of our consideration in verses seven and eight. Now, this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter. A man removed his sandal and gave it to another. And this was the manner of attestation in Israel. So the closest relative said to Boaz, buy it for yourself. And he removed his sandal. So in order to secure the deal, Boaz and this man each take off their shoes

and exchange them with each other. This served to indicate that the transaction had taken place. This was a handshake agreement. And in doing so, the proceeding had become binding. So Boaz continues in verse nine. It says, wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth. You are witnesses today. All the people who are in the court and the elder says, we are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel. And may you achieve wealth and Epaphthah and become famous in Bethlehem. Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah

through the offspring which the Lord will give you by this young woman. First observation here is that as we have seen before, Boaz's life and the method by which he handled the situation at hand was governed by the word of God. Boaz could have acted in a deceitful way in order to ensure the events played out in his favor. He could have dismissed the reality of the near kinsman redeemer and just went out and married Ruth and said something like, well, he wouldn't want to marry Ruth anyway. I mean, she's a Moabite. But the method by which he proceeded wasn't open to conjecture. It was controlled by the clear teaching of the Bible. This was a man whose instincts were so shaped by the truth of Scripture that it provided him wisdom in the most unique of circumstances.

Boaz also knew that regardless of the outcome, God's blessing was upon those who submit to his truth. Those who seek to obey God's word may be derided for being a stickler or a legalist, but obedience to following the letter of God's law is not legalism. It's righteousness. An architect learns the principles of construction, not so that he can be limited, but so that his creativity is safe and secure upon a sure

foundation. God's law is not the hindrance to man's delight. It is the source and foundation of it. Now in verse 13, a ceremony takes place. This would have been a week-long celebration of joy and feasting and dancing. Boaz marries Ruth. And as the redeemer, he was willing to pay the price, and he was motivated by a love for his bride. Then it says in verse 13 that Boaz went into Ruth and she conceived. The proper verbiage is that God enabled Ruth to conceive, which makes this sound like a miracle for this previously barren woman. Thus, the two mentions of God's direct involvement in the entire book of Ruth are this, one at the beginning of the story and one at the end. Interestingly, both involvements have to do with fertility, one of grain and one of child. God

breaks the famine of the fields, and then he breaks the famine of Ruth's womb. In this regard, Ruth joins a long line of women in Scripture who God miraculously enabled to conceive. These women's stories are a significant component of the grand narrative of Scripture. In Genesis, Sarah couldn't conceive in Genesis 21, but the Lord opened her womb when she was 90 years old. Isaac's wife, Rebekah, was unable to conceive, but the Lord opened her womb when she was 90 years old. Isaac's wife, Rebecca, was unable to conceive, but the Lord opened her womb, and she gave birth to twins, Jacob and Esau. Jacob's wife, Rachel,

is barren, and then the Lord opened her womb, and then she had a child. Hannah was barren, and she gave birth to Samuel, and Samuel would anoint King David, and David would have a distant relative named John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah who was born to Elizabeth, who had previously been barren, and then the virgin birth. When there is a miraculous conception in scripture, we are compelled to ask, what greater part will this child play in God's grand plan? Now, at the end of the wedding, the festivities and the dancing and the feasting, this is likely where in your mind the movie ends. A happy ending, a celebration, and they lived happily ever after. But as the scene fades to black, there is one additional scene, a scene that tells us what

this entire story is all about. The climax of the story of Ruth isn't the wedding, but the narrator's final words. Now, in order to understand the importance of the story, we have to return in verse 12 to two important considerations. Verse 12 says, moreover, may your house, this is the men of the city talking to Boaz, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah through the offspring, which the Lord will give you by this young woman. Now, one of the sons born to Judah through his incestuous relationship with his daughter-in-law Tamar was Perez. This reference point here is crucial because apart from that relationship back in Genesis,

there would be no Boaz. Boaz's own lineage is rooted in the reality that Tamar dressed up as a prostitute because she had lost her husband and had no children of her own. So she dressed up as a prostitute and slept with her her husband and had no children of her own. So she dressed up as a prostitute and slept with her father-in-law. And because she had a son, that connects us with the line of Boaz. But not only that, we also have to consider Boaz's own mother, who was who? Rahab,

the prostitute. So the people pray in verse 12 that through this marriage, God will grant Boaz offspring. And this word for offspring is the word we also get seed from. And this word seed is one of the most important words in Genesis because since the first pages of scripture, since the fall of man, there is the promise of a seed that will come and crush the serpent. The story of Genesis is a story of someone who would come and restore all that had been broken. Now, these prayers that the different people are offering throughout the story may seem incidental to you, but they actually play a critical component in the narrative arc. At the end of this book, all of the prayers offered are answered. In Ruth chapter one, Naomi prays for Ruth and says,

may the Lord deal kindly with you. And we see that that comes to pass in abundance. And coming to Bethlehem, Ruth has left family and home and in God's providence, he has provided her with a new home and a new family. And coming to Bethlehem, she knew that she would likely have no husband and no children. But as we will see, God provides for her a husband and a child whose

importance reaches far beyond her own lifetime. Boaz also prays for Ruth. May the Lord repay you, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. Well, the Lord did indeed reward Ruth and provide her protection and provision under the wings of Boaz. Now, perhaps there are many who have sacrificed greatly to turn and follow Christ, but I want you to see something. The Lord is writing something in capital letters in the book of Ruth. No one gives up more than they receive when they come to Christ. There are indeed implications of yielding and surrendering everything to the Lord, but those that come to Jesus recognize that he blesses them in ways beyond their imagination. This is what it means to come under the wings of our

heavenly father. And at times we can swing to the other side of the spectrum from the prosperity gospel and can forget what Jesus himself says in Luke 18, 29, and 30. Jesus says, and he said to them, truly, I say to you, there is no one, no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not receive many times as much at this time and in theulations that come as a Christ follower. But even Jesus says that those who come to him receive much more in this age and immeasurably more in the life to come. In this life, our good shepherd guides, leads, restores, provides, prepares, nurtures, comforts, heals, and fills with his love. And one day we will dwell in his house forever. One of the first lies in the garden was that God was reluctant to bless his own.

Consider the first question asked in human history. Did God really say, the serpent asked, can you really not eat of any of the trees of the garden? This was a series of questions that cast a doubt on what God had said, but not only that, but also about the goodness of God. It was a distortion of God's character. What God had actually said was all of these trees and all of their fruit are yours except one. You can enjoy them all, but I want you to show me that you love me and trust me by refusing to eat from one tree. Now there is this thought lingering in our minds from our unregenerate life that God is the constrictor of delight and not the cause of it. And as we survey the book of Ruth,

we see that God's blessing is on those who turn to him. Now, the last of these characters to consider is Naomi. She had come back empty. She had attempted to change her name, but the one whose experience was defined by bitterness is now the recipient of much blessing. Look at verses 14 through 16. It said, For your daughter-in-law who loves you and is better to you than seven sons has given birth to him.

Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap and became his nurse. Her hands were empty upon her return. But now in her hands she holds the symbol of God's faithfulness and kindness, her baby grandson. God has not only given her a home. God has continued her family line. In the stories of barren women such as Sarah and Tamar, Hannah and Elizabeth, this is the story of impossible situations. And this is where God's glory shines. And here is Naomi, whose return to Bethlehem is full of thinking that it will be impossible for her to get pregnant, and who would want to marry my Moabite daughter Ruth? But God is the one who takes what is broken

and restores it. Naomi's life now has joy, but her sorrow over the past is not completely dismissed. It never will be, will it? Well, of course not. There is a sense of incompleteness, a longing for when God will finally and ultimately restore all things. But those resolutions lie long beyond the immediate life of Naomi. The suffering of one lifetime does not have all of its answers in that lifetime. In verse 11, the village elders pray that this child Naomi holds would become famous in Bethlehem, and then the women pray that same thing. Little did they know how important this child would be to the city of Bethlehem and to all of the children of God. The 10 names listed in these final four verses are the answer to the prayer in verses 11 and 12

that Boaz would be renowned in Bethlehem. God is going to answer that prayer in a way that they could have never imagined. Watch how that prayer is answered in the final two verses. This is so important. Verses 18 through 22, actually. Now these are the generations of Perez. To Perez was born Hezron, and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Abinadab, and to Abinadab was born Nashon, and to Nashon, Salmon, and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse was born David. The closing verses seem to be somewhat of a humdrum conclusion if you're just reading a genealogy.

You may be asking, why would this beautiful story end with a family tree and information about people we have never known and never heard of. But truly, as we have said in the previous episode, we, through this genealogy, know more about what God is doing in the story than even its participants and even more than the author himself. This genealogy shows us that this book is ultimately about more than meets the eye. The explanation for much of what takes place in our

own lives lies well beyond our own lives. God has unfinished business, and that is what the story of Ruth is telling us at the conclusion. God's providential hand is weaving and orchestrating all things for his purposes. What may seem like a loose thread to you is not a loose thread to God. He is weaving all things past, present, and future to accomplish his future and perfect plan. This concluding genealogy connects Genesis to Ruth because of the promise of a coming king. In this very village, Israel's greatest king, King David, will be born. But if you're reading this genealogy, you may be scratching your head thinking, hmm, I feel like I've read this genealogy before. Well, for this, we turn to Matthew 1, where we see not only the point of Ruth, but the point of the entirety of

Scripture. If you've read the Gospel of Matthew, you may be interested as to why the first gospel starts with a genealogy. I think the answer is simple, because the plan of redemption wasn't an audible God called late in the game. It was the plan all along. This was God's plan for generations and generations, and that from this one line of Judah, a king would come. This is well worth our study. You need to understand and now listen to the opening words of your New Testament. Here's Matthew 1. The record of the genealogy of Jesus, the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob, Judah, and his brothers. Judah was the father of Peres,

and Peres by Tamar. Peres was the father of Hezron, and Hezron, Ram, Ram, Abinadab, and Abinadab, Nashon, and Nashon, Salmon, Sam, and Boaz. And Boaz was the father of Obed, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David the king. That's how Ruth concludes, but Matthew continues in chapter 1, verse 7. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba, who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon, Rehoboam, Rehoboam, Abijah, Abijah, Asa, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Joram, Uzziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Jotham, Ahaz, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Hezekiah, Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Ammon, Ammon, Josiah. And Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon. After the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel

became the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, and Abihud, Elichim, and Elichim became the father of Azor, and Azar, Zadok, and Zadok, Akeem, and Akeem, Elihud, and Elihud became the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar became the father of Mathan, and Mathan became the father of Jacob, and Jacob was the father of Mathan and Mathan became the father of Jacob and Jacob was the father of Joseph and Joseph was the husband of Mary by whom Jesus was born who is called the Messiah. Do you understand this about Ruth?

All of history is moving towards Jesus Christ. The story of Ruth is not just a story about love and romance and redemption at a time when people did what was right in their own eyes and when there was no king in Israel. It's a story about God's sovereign orchestration of the coming of his own son. All of this comes to fulfillment

in the greater son of David. And as Jesus parades down the streets, the people cry out, Hosanna, Hosanna to the son of David. Final thing to note in this book, and I feel like I would regret not including this. I want you to note who the genealogy includes. Tamar is a deceiving seducer of her father-in-law. Rahab is a prostitute who sold her body for a place to stay. Bathsheba is an adulteress

and is surprising enough that women are included, but even more so when you consider their background. But this is who our God is and these are the types of people he came to save. God did not come to save perfect people from perfect families, but broken sinners from a broken world. The genealogy represents and displays our Savior's human nature, but the reality that he was born of a virgin displays his divine nature. Jesus was the God-man, and only one such as he could live the life we could never live, and die the death we could never die. Do know the Savior I pray you do stay dialed in