1. #9 The Faith of a Foreign Woman
-Story of Ruth-

2. Review: Judges -Cycles and devastation
1. God created the heavens and earth
2. God establishes marriage of one man and one woman
3. Man determined that his knowledge of good and evil was more important that his relationship with God
4. God begins His quest to restore man
5. Sacrifice
6. Cain & Abel
7. Seth
8. Noah
9. Abraham—Covenant-Promise as an everlasting covenant
10. Joseph (Remover) God removed my sorrow
11. Deliverance from Egypt
Commandments given and Tabernacle, Golden calf
13. Wandering and finally ready to enter the Promise Land
14. Joshua—Jericho, Ai, Gibeonites, Serve the Lord
15. Judges-Cycles and devastation, Judges
Ends with two very wicked Levites. One was an idol worshipper. One dismembers his concubine. 

3. Though born and raised in a pagan culture, Ruth the Moabite emerges as a shining example of faith and loyalty.
Against the backdrop of Israel’s unfaithfulness, Boaz stands out as a generous and faithful kinsman-redeemer.
Plot Points
Though born and raised in a pagan culture, Ruth the Moabite emerges as a shining example of faith and loyalty.
Against the backdrop of Israel’s unfaithfulness, Boaz stands out as a generous and faithful kinsman-redeemer.
Despite the bitter loss of her husband and sons, Naomi is embraced and safeguarded by an unlikely family.
Testimony of one who helped someone else and it changed their life.
God again uses a lower story famine to work out his upper story.
In the lower story, the decision the family makes to move out of Israel is a mistake, because it places them in the context of pagan worship. But in the upper story, we will see that God is going to do something through this poor decision.

4. Moab was born from the incestuous relationship of Lot and his daughters
Moabites were forbidden to enter the temple
Israel and Moab
A. Born from the incestuous relationship of Lot and his daughters
B. Moabites were forbidden to enter the temple
Deuteronomy 23:3 (ESV) “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,

5. The Story Theme Ruth, Israel is in a bad state Irony of Ironies
Moabite woman knows how to live for the Lord and Israel does not.
The Story Theme
A. God is calling a particular man—Abraham through Isaac
B. God is calling a particular nation-Israel (Jacob’s offspring)
C. This man and nation are to explain the Greatness of God
1. It is not just for Abraham and his seed
2. It is so that “All the nations of the earth should be blessed” Genesis 12:3c
3. Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho is in the line of Christ
4. Ruth,
a. From Lot’s incest-generations before
b. Is a follower of Jehovah?
c. The great-grandmother of the greatest king of Israel
d. In the Line of Christ
e. Judges ends with
1) Levite who becomes an idol worshipper
2) Levite who gives his concubine to be raped and the men are intent on sodomizing him.
D. Message: Israel is in a bad state
1. Irony of Ironies
2. Moabite woman knows how to live for the Lord and Israel does not.

6. Lost and Found Ruth 1 Names and meanings
Midst of famine-Moves to Moab-
Famine –God’s judgment
Boys marry the “wrong kind of girls” for Israelites
Elimelech and both sons die
Lost and Found Ruth 1
A. Names and meanings
1. Elimelech-My king is God
2. Bethlehem-House of Bread
B. Midst of famine-Moves to Moab-
1. Famine is God’s judgment for Israel’s covenant breaking idolatry
2. Boys marry the “wrong kind of girls” for Israelites
C. Elimelech and both sons die
1. Naomi alone in foreign land
2. Ruth finds the Lord in the process
3. Ruth is willing to leave ancestral gods and home.

7. Making Ends meet Ruth 2-3 Women are very vulnerable
God brings Ruth to Boaz fields
 Boaz is determined to protect Ruth and help meet her needs
Making Ends meet Ruth 2-3
A. Very vulnerable
1. Starvation
2. Victimization
3. Foreign woman in fields is object of exploitation
B. God brings Ruth to Boaz fields
1. He instructs the field hands to “not lay a hand on her.”
a. to hit
b. to inflict injury
c. to have sexual relations with
2. Boaz is determined to protect Ruth and help meet her needs

8. Kinsman-Redeemer Ruth 3-4
Family was expected to care for family
Kinsman-redeemer had three duties
Redeem property and/or relatives
To provide an heir through marriage
To avenge the unlawful death of a family member. “avenger of blood”
Kinsman-Redeemer Ruth 3-4
A. Family was expected to care for family
B. Kinsman-redeemer had three duties
1. Redeem property and/or relatives
a. family possession from time of Joshua
b. If land or person is sold to pay a debt, Kinsman-redeemer was to buy back the land/person
2. To provide an heir through marriage
a. If a man died without an heir, it was the surviving brothers duty to marry and carry on the brothers name Deut 25:5-10
3. To avenge the unlawful death of a family member. “avenger of blood”

9. Lower Story—all works out
Upper Story-God is providing a way of salvation – by a foreigner
One born who is the deliverer, the redeemer
Ruth/BoazObedJessieDavid
Matthew 1—Jesus the ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer
God used Ruth, the Moabitess
Who is Boaz mother?
Knew what it is like to be an outsider
Knew what it is like to be accepted by Israel and God
Lower Story—all works out
Upper Story-God is providing a way of salvation – by a foreigner
A. One born who is the deliverer, the redeemer
All the Old Testament stories point to the Lamb of God, Jesus
B. Ruth/BoazObedJessieDavid
C. Matthew 1—Jesus the ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer
1. As Ruth became the bride of Boaz, we became the bride of Christ.
2. God uses outsiders in the unfolding of his grand plan to redeem everyone.
a. God used Ruth, the Moabitess
b. Who is Boaz mother? Rahab
c. Knew what it is like to be an outsider
d. Knew what it is like to be accepted by Israel and God

10. Lonely people in Jackson who feel like outsiders. They want acceptance.
Be an agent of acceptance
When someone does not follow tradition
God calls us to be an agent of acceptance sometime.
Application
A. Lonely people in Jackson who feel like outsiders. They want acceptance.
1. Be an agent of acceptance
2. When someone does not follow tradition
3. God calls us to be an agent of acceptance sometime.

11. Agent of Acceptance Take time to talk to a child at their level.
Volunteer at a halfway house as a mentor.
Volunteer in our children’s ministry.
Mentor a teen.
Go on a short-term mission trip.
Do chores or a project for a single mom.
Invite a single parent family over for some relaxation or even on a vacation.
Speak encouragement to a person who is struggling.
Invite a widow over for dinner.
Have your family or your life group go to a nursing home and visit those who are alone and celebrate the special days I their life.
Sit with a kid in school who is new or alone in the lunchroom.
Agent of Acceptance
Take time to talk to a child at their level.
Volunteer at a halfway house as a mentor.
Volunteer in our children’s ministry.
Mentor a teen.
Go on a short-term mission trip.
Do chores or a project for a single mom.
Invite a single parent family over for some relaxation or even on a vacation.
Speak encouragement to a person who is struggling.
Invite a widow over for dinner.
Have your family or your life group go to a nursing home and visit those who are alone and celebrate the special days I their life.
Sit with a kid in school who is new or alone in the lunchroom.
4. Align your life to the upper story of God, even when it means surrender and sacrifice, to extend acceptance to someone in hopes that God will use you to bless them.

12. Align your life to the upper story of God, even when it means surrender and sacrifice, to extend acceptance to someone in hopes that God will use you to bless them.

13. God could have chosen anyone to use, and He chose some messed up outsiders. Think you’re not good enough to be accepted by God? Think you’re not good enough to be used by God? Ask Ruth and Rahab and think again.
God could have chosen anyone to use, and He chose some messed up outsiders. Think you’re not good enough to be accepted by God? Think you’re not good enough to be used by God? Ask Ruth and Rahab and think again.