CHAPTER 4 GOD’S HESED ON DISPLAY History! Historical narrative Lessons, truth’s, doctrines are observed rather that explicitly stated

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. 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

RUTH CHAPTER 4 Scene 1: 4:1-12 Scene 2: 4:13-16 Scene 3: 4:17-22 The court proceedings Scene 2: 4:13-16 In the home of Boaz and Ruth Scene 3: 4:17-22 The Narrator’s Epilogue

4:1 Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there 4:1 Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. Boaz’s preparation for the court proceedings. Orpah and Mr. So and So

3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.”

And he said, “I will redeem it And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. 8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal.

9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.”

11 Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, 12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the LORD will give you by this young woman.”

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse.

GOD’S PROVIDENCE – HESED IS NOT JUST FOR THE INDIVIDUAL 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. God is The Divine Weaver

GOD’S PROVIDENCE – HESED IS NOT JUST FOR THE INDIVIDUAL Matthew 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way… 20…“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” God is The Divine Weaver

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. Chris Craig

PEOPLE ARE INDIRECT MEDIATORS OF GOD’S HESED Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

PEOPLE ARE INDIRECT MEDIATORS OF GOD’S HESED 1 Thessalonians 2:7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

WHY PEOPLE ARE INDIRECT MEDIATORS OF GOD’S HESED Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

PRINCIPLES Boaz is a role model for men on how to love (hesed) their wives like Christ loves (hesed) the church. Ruth is a role model for women on how to respect (hesed) their husbands like the church respects (hesed) Christ. Naomi is a role model for prodigals that God is good all the time. God is the Divine Weaver displaying His Glory over all creation from the beginning to the end.

APPLICATIONS Are you like Orpah and Mr. So and So or like Ruth and Boaz? Are you a mediator of God’s hesed to those around you? Do you trust God’s Invisible Hand even when you don’t understand? What is most important to you: What you want or what glorifies our LORD?