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Truth for Today #36

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Secondly, consider the prophetic lessons.

I. THE GATHERING OF THE GENTILES
As the fall of Noami led to the gathering of Ruth, so it has been with the Gentiles. “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?” Romans 11:11-12.

II. THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL
“And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age,” Ruth 4:15.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;” Zechariah 8:7. As Noami was called back to Israel at the time of barley harvest, even so, there is coming a day of restoration of Israel once more. Presently Bethlehem is under the heel of the enemy but it will not always be so. As Joseph made himself known unto his estranged brethren on their second visit to Egypt (Genesis 43), so on Christ’s second visit to this world He will make Himself known to His ancient people who have rejected Him in the past. As Noami was back in the land for a time before remembering that Baoz was her kinsman/redeemer, so Israel will be in her land for a time before she is spiritually awakened and granted faith and repentance.

III. THE COMING KING
The last word of the book of Ruth is  DAVID. He is the “Beloved” of the Lord. He is a picture of Christ, the BELOVED Son “And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him,” Mark 9:7. He was the second king of Israel. This is a gain a reference to the second coming of Christ as King. “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star,” Revelation 22:16.
It is with Christ the King that the story of redemption ends. It is with Christ the King  that the story of each believer will end.
It is with Christ the King that every Christ rejector will have to do.
“Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him,” Psalm 2:12.

Truth for Today #35

Scripture: Ruth 4:13-22.

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In this book we have come from the darkness of Moab right up to the light of the promised coming of the Messiah. To the very last it is full of instruction for the child of God.
First of all consider the practical lessons.

I. THE WONDERFUL GRACE OF GOD TO THE SINNER
1. The honoured wife. Ruth had forsaken all for the name of the Lord. Now she has found abundance as a result. She is the wife of “a mighty man of wealth . . . and his name was Boaz,” Ruth 2:1.  Psalm 113:7-8.
2. A fruitful mother. She no children in Moab. “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward,” Psalm 127:3. “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD,” Psalm 113:9. “What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life,” Rom 6:21-22. “For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries,” 1 Pet 4:3.
3. A blessed daughter. Verse 15. What a benefit to Naomi Ruth was! She was better than seven sons. Here is what God can make the sinner to be.
4. A privileged ancestor. She who was an obscure idolator has by the grace of God been brought into the family of God and intimately related to Christ after the flesh. So it is with all who believe.  “Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother,” Matthew 12:48-50.

II. THE MERCY OF GOD TO THE BACKSLIDER
“And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it,” Ruth 4:15-16. She had earlier said:  1:11-14. Hopelessness and weeping was the lot of Noami. She was “empty”, 1:21. But now look! She nurses the progenitor of Christ.

III. THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD TO THE SAINT
Boaz was a good and holy man. He had prayed most generously for Ruth, 2:12. His prayers were answered, not only upon Ruth’s head but also upon his own. “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap,” Gal 6:7.

Truth for today #34

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II. THE PUBLIC NATURE OF BOAZ’S ACTION.
1. It took place at the city gate. Verse 9.
2. It took place before the elders and people.
3. They were witnesses of it all.
Again, the parallel is clear. Christ was crucified outside the gate, Heb 13:12. The leaders and people were witnesses, Acts 2:23, 36.

III. THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE.
I think that it is likely that Ruth would have been sent for to show here consent in the matter, verse 12. This public declaration by Boaz is, in truth, a wedding ceremony.
1. Learn what a wedding service should be like. It was marked by prayer.
2. Learn the purpose of marriage. “The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel,” verse 11. They prayed that Ruth would be a “builder” of the people of God. The house of Judah was the largest of the tribes. “These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred,” Numbers 26:22.
But of Christ has sprung a great host. Rev 7:9-17.
3. The prayer was answered. “ . . .and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:” verse 11. The greater “Builder” of the people of God came of Ruth and was born in Ephratah or Bethlehem, Boaz’s city. Boaz obtained a great name through marrying this poor young widow from Moab. Christ will get Him great glory through His mecy to poor lost sinners. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name,” Philippians 2:9. See verse 5-8 for the significance of the word “wherefore.”