CHAPTER 3 CRISIS AT MIDNIGHT History! Historical narrative Lessons, truth’s, doctrines are observed rather that explicitly stated CHAPTER 3 CRISIS AT MIDNIGHT

SPIRITUAL ATMOSPHERE Ruth 1:1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes…RELATIVISM

WHAT WE SHOULD SEE God Naomi Boaz Ruth God’s providence God’s hesed Naomi’s hesed The Prodigal's restoration Boaz Boaz’s hesed Christ Ruth Ruth’s hesed The Church God’s character Types…images...shadows...of what our Lord reveals to us in Christ. The Holy Spirit conforming these believers into the image of Christ…developing His character in them

GOD’S PROVIDENCE: God knows and has predetermined what we will freely choose and we are held accountable for our choices. God is morally perfect and infinitely wise. He has a morally justifiable reason for everything He allows, but doesn’t tell us why. Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. God the Father and His relationship to His creation. Not Deism. Not Pantheism. Not freedom outside of God’s sovereignty. God’s sovereignty and our real choices that we are held accountable for. One “insignificant” family in a time of chaos…God’s providence!

GOD’S CHARACTER ATTRIBUTES INCOMMUNICABLE: One, Triune, Creator, Sustainer, Sovereign, Infinite, Independent, Eternal, Infallible, Unchangeable, Judge, Transcendent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent COMMUNICABLE (hesed): Holy, Righteous, Loyal, Trustworthy, Truthful, Faithful, Honest, Loving, Kind, Merciful, Gracious, Gentle, Humble, Patient, Good Do you know God well enough to worship Him?

God’s hesed Exodus 34:6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness… Holy, Righteous, Loyal, Trustworthy, Truthful, Faithful, Honest, Loving, Kind, Merciful, Gracious, Gentle, Humble, Patient, Good God’s character

Believer’s hesed (Fruit) Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Holy, Righteous, Loyal, Trustworthy, Truthful, Faithful, Honest, Loving, Kind, Merciful, Gracious, Gentle, Humble, Patient, Good

HESED: A cluster of concepts…the communicable attributes of God “Character attributes that move a person to act for the benefit of another without respect to the advantage it might bring to the one who expresses it.” Daniel Block Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus

CHAPTER 3 Naomi and Ruth: 3:1-5 Ruth and Boaz: 3: 6-15 The Plan Ruth and Boaz: 3: 6-15 The Midnight Crisis Ruth and Naomi: 3:16-18 The New Plan

NAOMI’S QUESTIONS & OBSERVATIONS 3:1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.

NAOMI’S PLAN RUTH’S RESPONSE 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”

CRISIS AT MIDNIGHT 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet!

CRISIS AT MIDNIGHT Never mistake temptation for opportunity! 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

RIGHT & WRONG HOW DO YOU DECIDE? Q 1 What is the chief end of man? A Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Q 2 What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? A The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him

RIGHT & WRONG HOW DO YOU DECIDE? 1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. The question to live by: “In this situation, how can I glorify God?”

RIGHT & WRONG HOW DO YOU DECIDE? The Bible God’s glory Prayer Conscience Christian counsel

RIGHT & WRONG HOW DO YOU DECIDE AT MIDNIGHT? Psalm 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Midnight temptations: Self, Silver, Sex, Sloth Prepare yourself for midnight!

QUESTION & ANSWER 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” Ezekiel 16:8 “When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine. Levirate law: Deuteronomy 25…levir – brother-in-law

BOAZ DISPLAYS GOD’S HESED 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. Boaz thinks biblically.

BOAZ TRUSTS GOD 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the LORD lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”

BOAZ A MEDIATOR OF HESED RESPECT, PROTECTION, PROVISION 14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. Boaz: Respect, Protection, Provision

PEOPLE ARE INDIRECT MEDIATORS OF GOD’S HESED “The only way many people will ever see the transforming grace of God (hesed) is in our lives” “When it comes to their sense of the character of the One in whom we profess to trust, others breath in what we breath out.” “We cannot hide what we really believe God is like. How we live reveals what we really believe about God.” Sinclair Ferguson

CHRIST IS THE ONE DIRECT MEDIATOR OF GOD’S HESED Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

NAOMI’S NEW PLAN 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.” God’s hesed through Boaz has opened Naomi’s heart to trust God again. Christ did not rest until the matter was settled!

PRINCIPLES Boaz: a worthy man who displays God’s hesed in daylight and midnight is a role model All believers should prepare themselves for “midnight” God’s glory should be more important than what we might want at the moment Christ is the One, True Kinsmen Redeemer

APPLICATIONS Have you trusted in Christ: the One, true Kinsmen Redeemer? How do you decide what is right and wrong? How do you prepare yourself for “midnight”? What is more important to you: God’s glory or what you want at the moment? What do you want people to say about you at your funeral? What will they say?