Turn in your Bible this morning to the book of Ruth chapter 1 and I shall be referring briefly to chapter 2 where possibly this will begin an extended series of messages on the book of Ruth. Ruth chapter 1 and chapter 2 and I want to say thank you to those of you who sang and spent the extra time in preparing and commend you for the tastefulness and reverence of the music that you sang. It's never wrong to do our best for the Lord. And I know that those of you who sang, sang your best and played your best for the Lord. This week I've had two verses of scripture on my heart and studied as to which of them I should preach. And reading the book Ruth over and over and over again this week, I was so overwhelmed by the power, beauty and glory of its content, I didn't see what I could let go from the text and not preach. So we'll just start with verse 1. But before we do, Let me point out what I think are the two most magnificent verses in Ruth, both of which, in a way, summarize the meaning of this glorious book. In chapter 2, verse 2, Boaz says to Ruth, Yahweh, or verse 12 rather, Yahweh recompense thy work and a full reward be given thee of Yahweh, God of Israel. How beautiful. Under whose wings thou art come to trust. Now let me point out something here. that reflects an error in almost every major translator of the English Bible. In fact, every translation I know has an error here. The Hebrew word for wings can indeed be translated wings, but it can also be translated skirt. And if you know the book of Ruth, you know that in humility and sincerity she came and lay herself at the feet of Boaz who then covered her with his same Hebrew word skirt and so whether it is the skirt of Yahweh or the wing of Yahweh or the skirt of Boaz or the wing of Boaz the testimony of scripture standeth sure that the wings of God, that is his providence, always overshadow his people. The skirt of God is always within reach to those who would touch the hem of his garment. It also testifies to the Christological identity of Boaz is a glorious type and shadow of our Lord Jesus Christ, who imitated God, who the greater had brought his wing or skirt over Ruth, and then Boaz, a Christ figure, brings his skirt or wing over her as well. Yahweh recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Yahweh God of Israel. under whose wings thou art come to trust and then the other glorious verse of scripture in this text you know that Levitical law not only requested but required that when the Israelites would harvest their grain or whatever the crop might be They would leave remnants of the harvest in the corners of the field, so that the poor and strangers could come and find sufficient sustenance for their lives. God said, when you glean your fields, glean not all, but leave gleanings in the corners. And we shall see in our study of Ruth that she is a magnificent prototype and example for what a Christian should be. Ever looking with the eye of faith to find the gleanings of God in the field of his merciful purposes. But you know, dear Christian, that while the eye of faith may be fully satisfied and the passionate heart thoroughly satiated with gleanings only, that the purpose of God is such that not only does he ordain gleanings in his field, but also handfuls of purpose. She did not know it, but Boaz had not only obeyed the law of God, leaving gleanings in the field, but he had instructed his servants, both men and women, to leave handfuls, bundles of purpose, so that Ruth might find them, and she and Naomi and their household be nourished. And this is the way it is in our lives. We, like Ruth, are generally ignorant of the fact that God is always blessing us with handfuls of purpose. And you see this in verse 16 of chapter 2, as Boaz instructs his servants. And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose. for her also that is in addition to the gleanings let fall some of the handfuls of purpose for her and leave them that she may glean them and rebuke her not the book of Ruth was possibly written by Samuel during or after and reflecting upon the days of the judges which spanned the time from the death of Joshua to the death of Samson, a period of about 350 years. The background of the book is a famine in Israel that was caused possibly by the Midianite attack against Israel which lasted for seven years. And though the book of Judges does not record such a famine, very possibly in the days of the Judge Gideon, Elimelech and his family leave Israel during a famine and sojourn to the land of Moab for their very life's sustenance. And we read in verse 1 of chapter 1, Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled that there was a famine in the land. Twice, at least in the book of Judges, the scriptures say, quote, And in those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Unquote. Relativism and egocentrism and self-determinism are not mere maladies of modernity but are in fact to be recorded throughout the annals of history both secular and sacred and if you want to read a bloody, wicked period in the lives of national Israel, read the book of Judges when every man did that which was right in his own eyes. We learn also from this verse that there was a famine in the land. Perhaps there is a parallel here, no doubt there is, between the disobedience and apostasy of God's people and the physical famine which God had visited upon them. That famine was accompanied by not a famine of bread merely, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, how ironic, Bethlehem meaning house of bread, went to sojourn in the country of Moab, He and his wife and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech. Now note this, Elimelech means God is my king. And the name of his wife, Naomi, which means my delight. Now here is a practical exhortation for every husband Not merely under the sound of my voice, but under the sound of the voice of the Word of God in its preeminent authority. You should be like Elimelech, God your King. And your wife should be to you as Naomi was to Elimelech, my delight. Husband, you should be an Elimelech, God is your King, bowing to the sovereign authority of God in all matters of law and duty of grace. And call not yourself the seed of Yahweh, if you obey not his holy and sovereign word. of your kinsmanship to Boaz. If your wife is not a Naomi, the very delight of your life. Christ has commanded you, husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also hath loved the church and hath given himself for it. Here we have in the story of the Limelech and Naomi, the story of a man whose king was God, doing his best to provide for the well-being of his wife and children. The name of the man was the Limelech in the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons, Malon and Kalion. Now note this as well, malon means sickly, and kolion means pining. And we see a living metaphor in these two sons of the spiritual state of national Israel in the days of Elimelech and Naomi. Moreover, we can project upon this definition of Mahlon and Killian as sick and pining a commentary upon national Israel even today. Not that she is sick and pining, but that she is in fact dead as Mahlon and Killian. were about to die in the providence of God. And here brings us to one of the richest aspects of the book of Ruth. Malon and Kilion representing the sickness and eventual death of national Israel. The seed of Elimelech was jeopardized because of his death and the death of his sons Malon and Kilion. How then was the dying, yea, the dead seed of Elimelech, Malon, and Chilion to be preserved and even resurrected? Why? It was through a Gentile bride that God would choose to raise up the seed of Israel. And thus, in the marriage of Boaz to Ruth, we see a glorious metaphor of the relationship between the Lord Jesus Christ and the Church of God, by which He, wedded to her, procreates offspring, the true seed of Israel, and saves the seed of Israel through a Gentile bride. Malon and Kilion. We note also that they were Ephrathites, that is, descendants of Ephraim, of Bethlehem Judah. And they came into the country of Moab and continued there. And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, which means gazelle. and might suggest that Orpah was a woman of beauty, elegance, and grace, and the name of the other, Ruth, which means friendship. And here, dear women and men, is another practical exhortation to rightness in the marital covenant. You must be a friend to your wife husband and you must be a friend to your husband wife. You will not have love divine unless you have love filial in your home. I hope that you can say that your best friend in the world is the man or woman to whom you're married. And God forbid that there is the absence of friendship between a husband and a wife. The Holy Scriptures tell us that a friend loves at all times. That a friend's wounds are faithful. that a friend shows greatest love when he's willing to lay down his life for his friends. And these principles of friendship that we see in the Word of God, of which Ruth's name testifies, are principles that ought to exist in a marriage. And dear husbands and wives, do not flinch at this as a duty of the law, but humble yourself Under it is the merciful working of grace in your soul and marriage. Are you a friend to your husband and wife? Do you love at all times? Do you lay down your life in deference? Do you esteem the other better than yourself? If not, then I rebuke you shortly. If not, where is the grace of God in you? If not, where is the working of God the Holy Spirit in your soul? Where is the love of God that is shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit if you manifest not the love of God in your closest and most intimate relationship of all? Claim not the grace of God in theory. Claim not the grace of God in faith. Claim not the grace of God in hope. Claim not the grace of God unless you own the grace of God and its fruits in your soul, especially unless you own it in friendship, in marriage. The antithesis of friendship is enemyship. God forbid that your spouse would be your enemy. In Elimelech, Naomi's husband died and she was left and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab, the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth, and they dwell there about ten years. And Milon and Chilion died also both of them. And the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. Now you know that Levitical law allowed for the next of kin to raise up seed to a widow. In other words, whoever was closest in blood relationship to Milon, Chilion or Elimelech. could have married one of these three widows, and I think we forget, Miss Beth, that Ruth was a widow. Verse 6, then she, that is Naomi, arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab. How? That Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread. Let me say to anyone in Moab, anyone who is out in this world, anyone whose soul is hungry for something that you don't have, anyone who feels an emptiness in here, let me tell you this, there's corn in Egypt. There's gold and grain on the fields of Palestine. Jesus Christ is the bread of God who has come down from heaven. And if you eat of Him, you will never hunger. You taste the Son and see that He is lovely. He will satisfy all the longing of your So, Jesus himself said, Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. And if there is a hunger in your soul of which you are aware, rejoice. Rejoice. That hunger that you feel in your soul is an evidence of the work of grace. Verse 7, wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to your mother's house. Yahweh deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead. with me and here's another blessed thing that there should be at least peace if not passion between in-laws Y'all they grant you that you may find rest each of you in the house of her husband Then she kissed them and they lifted up their voice and wept And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people." Now note both Ruth and Orpah originally state an intent and desire to return with Naomi to her people in Israel. But Naomi says, Turn again, my daughters. Why will you go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband also even tonight, and should bear sons, would you tarry for these sons till they were grown? Would you stave for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of Yahweh is out against me. They lifted up their voice a second time and wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her. I don't think we can fault Orpah, the gazelle, for not cleaving to her mother-in-law, but instead returning home. We see in Orpah first this original intent to stay with Naomi and Naomi's insistence after insistence that she returned home because Naomi cannot bear sons, she's too old. And even in Orpah's departure, we see real affection in this girl for her mother-in-law as she kisses her farewell. But the scriptures say, Ruth clave unto her. Then we read one of the most magnificent passages in all of Holy Scripture. Verse 15, Naomi says, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people and unto her gods. Return thou after thy sister-in-law. And Ruth said, If there ever were verses of scripture that shows the superiority, the English translation, the King James Version Bible, these are them. And those of you who contemplate these verses for your future marriage, remember this is the word not of a man to a woman or a woman to a man, but a woman to a woman. A daughter-in-law to a mother-in-law. And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee. For whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. And then they stop, but look at the rest. Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me. Here we learn one of the most powerful principles in all of Holy Scripture. Blood may be thicker than water, but spirit is thicker than blood or water. More simply stated, spiritual relationships transcend Spiritual relationships exceed physical relationships. Think about this in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ first of all. Jesus Christ calls upon you to put first things first in your life. And putting first things first in your life means putting Him ahead of yourself, and others ahead of yourself as well. Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke, if any man follow me, but hate not his father, or mother, or wife, or children, or brethren, or sisters, or even his own self, He cannot be my disciples. Now we are pulled powerfully and perennially by the force of gravity in this material world. Everything in our universe pulls us to the earth. We're pulled to materialism. We're pulled to physical relationships and yet heaven would defy the law of gravity and ever pull us upward. Yet being sons of the flesh, and often, too often, in bondage to sin, how difficult it is to fight against the forces of nature and ascend the holy hill of Zion where God bids us. Now, there is a concrete way to measure this, and that is by the instrument of our affections. You can tell the degree of your spirituality by the degree of your love for physical and material things versus spiritual and eternal things, dear friend, including your family. I know mothers and fathers who will use their own children to absent themselves from the house of God. And if I may ask you this practical question, if you were put upon the stand before God Almighty to answer this testimony, what would your answer be? Who do you love? most of all. Eric and Catherine, you have a beautiful baby in your arms. Every parent here knows the power and passion of love for a child. Eric's little boy is here to breast, heart to heart with his daddy right now. If any man in the world tried to come and separate that child from you to do him harm, I believe you would give your life to protect that baby. How could we measure the love a parent has for a child? Why, it is wider than the sea, Deeper, yet still. Higher than the highest star we can see. We cannot measure it by any human devices. And yet the power of that love that we feel for a child must be less than the love that we have for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And will you confess with me, dear church, that we've all sinned and come short of the glory of God? I dare say that your love for your little child is not as great as it would be if God warned you with sickness in its body. much less if God in absolute sovereignty took him or her from your temporary ownership. Well, dear parent, let me tell you this. You will not always have that child. That child may die as a child. That child may rebel as an adolescent. That child may stray as an adult. And one day by death or sin or providence, one day be assured that you and your child will go in a different direction and there'll be a chasm of emptiness between you and him. All earthly relationships, listen to me, all earthly relationships are fleeting. In heaven, we're neither married nor given in marriage. There's not son or daughter, mother, brother, sister in heaven. All earthly relationships are temporal, finite relationships destined to come to an end. Therefore, the love, powerful though it is, The love that exists in temporal human relationships is a love that is destined to end. And what God calls you to, is to lay hold upon a never-ending love. Now, do you love anyone? Do you love your father, or mother, or wife, or husband, or son, or daughter? Do you love them? Why surely you love, you know what the power and glory of love is and what a magnificent thing it is that God showers upon all humanity. This common but powerful grace of love that the lowest and the meanest, the poorest and the weakest of humanity might have a little taste of heaven in their lives as they have love for other human beings, especially those close to them. But if you can taste love with such power in temporal, physical relationships, it is but the voice of God calling you to a love that will never end. A love greater than the love Ruth showed to Naomi when she claimed to her. And surely a love greater than Oprah showed her when she kissed her. It is the love of God. The love of God. In Jeremiah 31 and 5, God says, listen carefully, and let the little love you know, big though you think it be, Let the little love you know, big though you think it be, let the little love you know be a whisper of the great love that you do not know. God says, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. God's love is not like our love. God's love has no beginning, it has no end. It cannot be measured high or low. It is beyond all searching. God's love is eternal and infinite. And it is that for which you truly hunger. And it can only be found on the hills of Palestine and in the valleys of Galilee. Now, the story of the gospel, dear friend, is a story of the love of God. And you're going to see this in the book of Ruth. Listen carefully. In Ruth's life, in Orpah's life, and in Naomi's life, we see the termination of human relationships built upon love. In Limelech dies. Malon dies, Killian dies, and even Orpah goes away. Human relationships end. We find this young widow woman wanting for love. But there is a wing over her life. It is the wing of God's providence upon the wind of His purpose, moving her to a golden field of grain. And dear friend, if there is any inclination in your heart this morning to believe that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, If there's any inclination in your heart whatsoever to believe in the love of God, then may you, like Ruth, find yourself under the shadow of God's loving wings. And may you, like Ruth, be brought to the golden field of the gospel, and find there your Boaz, your kinsman, Redeemer, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. A sinner, you may not know it, but he is dropping handfuls of purpose all in your life. That love you have for a little baby, that love you have for a husband and wife, that love you have for a mother, a father, those are just the handfuls of God's purpose with which He is showering you. And do you know it not that it's the mighty man Boaz, Jesus Christ Himself? who has commanded all providence to bring these handfuls of blessing and mercy and goodness and benevolence to you. How could you spurn the love of God? How could you spite the good hand of grace that is shaping the circumstances of your life, yes, even with love? How could you deny the power of this message? That human relationships grounded in love, glorious though they be, must ever and again fade and fall like the flower and grass. And that only the love of God will last forever and ever. And that is the gospel. That God so loved sinners that He gave His only begotten Son. But we don't concede to the chronology of culture. Jesus didn't die in spring. He died in winter. You can read about it in John chapter 10. But whether he died in spring or in winter, it matters not. The seasons of God are the same yesterday, today, and forever. The fact is that Jesus died, that he died upon the cross, that he was buried, and the third day he rose again. And it is the power of that message that brings the love of God to sinners. And may it please God to bring the love of God through Jesus Christ to you. May we stand together. And may we pray. Our Father, thank you for the glories of human love in our human relationships. And thank you for the power of that love. But Father, thank you also for the swift and certain reminder that all human relationships and the love therein shall come to an end. And Father, help us to know that if we would have love divine, love all other loves excelling, and love eternal and everlasting, that we can only find that love in the great gift of your Son, Jesus Christ. And Father, we pray that the power of His Gospel, accompanied by the work of your Holy Spirit, may stir some soul under the sound of this message. That they would discover themselves beneath the wings of Providence and the skirt of Boaz. that they would know the shadow of grace and touch the hen of your son's garment.