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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.”

Truth for today #33

Scripture:  4:9-12.

Stream or download Truth for today #33

This book commenced with an account of the declining fortunes of those who had sunk down into backsliding and disobedience and it ends with a glorious recovery through the intervention of a kind and gracious kinsman/redeemer.
It truly is the story of God’s redemption in type! Only the story of the gospel can be said to end with “everyone living happily every after!” Man’s story will end in weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

In the verses before us we have
I. THE PARAMETERS OF THE DELIVERANCE WROUGHT BY BOAZ.
1. He bought back out of poverty the property of the one who had been head of the family.  “And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s.” Ruth 4:9. Nothing remained in the possession of others.
2. He bought the person of Ruth. “Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife.”
“Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Ephruth 4 9
1:14.
3. He presereved the name of Mahlon. “Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place,” verse 10. Mahlon’s name lives on. First kinsman’s name does not!
How like the Saviour who has purchased the estate of our father, Adam, out of poverty and made his name to live on through those raised up by Christ.