Wendy Haslam's sermon on Boaz

Ruth Sermon Series – Boaz

We have been looking at the book of Ruth for several weeks now. When we first met Ruth she was a destitute widow.In the end we see Ruth becoming the wife of Boaz.

This may be seen as a picture of how some come to faith in Christ.  They begin with no hope. Then the risk is taken and faith in Christ is found. God saves, forgives and rebuilds lives.  He offers his blessing. 

And so you see, Boaz’s redeeming of Ruth is a picture of Christ redeeming us. For us all, even in sorrow and calamity, God can bring great blessings.

To some the book of Ruth may be just a nice story about a girl who was fortunate in the end. But in reality, the events recorded in Ruth were part of God’s preparation for the births of David and then Jesus.

Just as Ruth was unaware of this larger purpose of her life, we will not know the full purpose and importance of our lives until we are able to look back from the perspective of eternity.

Because of Ruth’s faithful obedience, her life and legacy were significant even though she could not see all the result.

It is a lesson for us in living in faithfulness to God, knowing that the significance of our lives will extend beyond our life time.

But I leap a little ahead without unpacking the scripture of this morning.

I said Boaz’s redeeming of Ruth is a picture of Christ redeeming us. How can this be? To appreciate how Boaz foreshadowed Christ, we must first understand the significance of an ancient Israelite law concerning the kinsman-redeemer.

This law helped ensure that inherited land remained within the family. It stated, “If one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells some of his property, his nearest relative is to come and redeem what his countryman has sold”

Since Boaz was a kinsman of Naomi, he was eventually able to redeem her land through marriage to Naomi’s daughter-in-law Ruth.

Boaz went to the city gate, the traditional center of business and civic activity. He needed to be sure he was able to marry Ruth for there was another relative who might do so.

It was also a suitable place to find the other man and there would be citizens to witness their conversation.

Boaz presented the case to the relative. The deal was that Ruth came with the purchase of some land. Upon hearing that the relative backed down— as Boaz hoped he would. The way was open for Boaz to marry Ruth.

And so we look at the term kinsman-redeemer. Boas was the kinsman redeemer, and so we begin to understand that he pre-figures our own kinsman-redeemer, Jesus Christ.

And then it gets a little more complicated in that through his act of redemption, Boaz returns Naomi (Israel) to her land, and also takes Ruth (a Gentile) as his bride. This suggests a parallel with the Church as the Gentile bride of Christ. The parallels between Boaz, Naomi, and Ruth with Christ, Israel, and the Church have been widely recognized.

The events recorded in Ruth were part of God’s preparations for the births  of David and of Jesus, the promised Messiah.

Just as Ruth was unaware of this larger purpose in her life, we will not know the full purpose and importance of our lives until we are able to look back from the perspective of eternity. We must make our choices with God’s eternal values in mind  Because of Ruth’s faithful obedience, her life and legacy were significant even though she couldn’t see all the results.

One other observation. Thinking of family trees.

We know the term – The sins of the fathers.

This term derives from Biblical references, (Primarily in the books Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers) to the sins of one generation passing to another.

We see such happenings with characters in the Bible. And so it may be too within our own families if we go back many generations.

Some years ago I was very involved with the diocesan healing group under the leadership of The Revd. David Howell. He was once warden at Crowhurst Healing center in Sussex.

He talked about the burden felt by some who went to seek help and prayer at the Centre due to past generational sin. It weighed heavy upon them. With talking and prayer for release, situations really were changed.

Over the years I have encountered people weighed down by such issues. The same steps apply to past generations as they do to us. Take them to the the Lord, he will forgive and heal.

I said earlier Boaz’s redeeming of Ruth is a picture of Christ redeeming us. Christ does indeed redeem us. I end with words from Crowhurst.

“The saving, healing work of Jesus is all about Kingdom come/coming. Every time a person is drawn out of darkness, slavery or dis-ease it is a Kingdom moment.

The kingly rule and authority of Jesus breaking into our world.

Every time we allow Him to be King in our life or in a situation around us, the Kingdom has come.

Amen

(Wendy Haslam)