from the pulpit at Donnels Creek
The Donnels Creek Church is in Springfield, Ohio. These are the sermons of pastor Matthew Pittman. Additional audio and video content can be found at regeneratis.org.
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Episodes
Sunday Apr 20, 2025
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
Date: April 13, 2025
Lord’s Day: 15 (Palm Sunday)
Series: Redeeming Ruth
Title: The Work of Christ
Text: Matthew 26:30-35, 69-75
Last week in our time together we were in Ruth chapter 3. Naomi had instructed Ruth to go to the Barley Harvest Party. Naomi was trying to attain by works, what Ruth had earlier in our story received by grace.
Namely, Ruth had gone to the fields looking for someone to be gracious to her, seeking God’s blessing. But now that the season is over and no more romantic sparks were flying, Naomi was answering the question: How can I make this relationship work? Her answer, have Ruth get all dolled up and send her to the party and ultimately at the foot of the bed of Boaz, waiting for him to tell her what to do.
The comparison for us is that for many believers, this is how our relationship with Jesus tends to go. What begins as grace tends to go toward works.
But just as I learned as a young boy, this is a burden we can’t bear. It is too heavy for us.
We began with an example last week and we will pick up this week to complete the thought. I can think of no better place to allow this to play out than our text today.
It is one of the more recognizable passages that nearly all of those in the faith are aware of Peter’s denials and even a sizable portion of those who are not believers also know.
PREDICTION
The Mount of Olives is just outside Jerusalem and to the east. After instituting the Lord’s Supper, they sing a hymn and head towards the Mount and it is here that Jesus, surrounded by the apostles and he tells them they are all going to fall away. He quotes the prophet Zechariah.
Peter speaks up, “Not me. Even if everyone abandons you, I never will.”
Jesus replies, “You too Peter. Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.
Peter doubles down, “I won’t. I will not deny you, even if I have to die I will not deny you.”
It is at this place that a couple things need to be highlighted:
Peter puts his name on this. He is the one who spoke up. He is the one speaking and is very adamant. But it also says, ALL THE OTHERS SAID THE SAME THING. This is the part of the story that is often forgotten. They all were in agreement with Peter.
Peter meant what he said. I am convinced that with every fiber of his being Peter meant what he said. He has seen all the works of Jesus. He has seen him heal and feed many. He has seen people being raised from the dead. He just experienced the Palm entrance into Jerusalem full of singing and praise. He has just had the Passover meal with Jesus. Peter is all in. You can’t find anyone more all in than Peter. He is feeling it. He is in the moment. He is all in and committed.
He is not alone. In this moment all of these men around Jesus are all in on Jesus. Again, Peter is vocal.
Regarding our subject, what starts as grace turns into works, this passage jumps out. We can feel so committed. We set our minds on something regarding growth in Christ. This is what Paul was fighting with in Galatians 3 “having begun by the Spirit are you being perfected by the flesh?”
CHRISTIAN WORKOUT
So this is the Christian life. We get saved and we are so grateful. Those first few weeks or months we are on cloud nine, floating like an angel. We are giving money out to the beggars on the street corner. We are carrying our Bibles everywhere we go.
It is a lot like working out. Every January at the gym there is this huge influx of people. These are the new year’s resolution people.
They are getting up early, going in before work. They have changed their diet for a couple of days. They are putting aside the Coke and Pepsi and French Fries and Donuts. They start eating some Greek yogurt and protein shakes.
They go and get some new shoes and maybe some workout gear. Nice pair of pants and dry fit shirts to sweat in. They get some workout gloves, socks and fancy thing to hold their phone and some ear pods. They are all in.
But in 21 days, things begin to get a little more sparse. The room clears little by little. They tend to sleep in and the motivation is dissipating. Before long, it is back to the same people that were there last November.
There are many similarities with our Spiritual life. Then we want to get back on track. What can I do to make this work? What can I do to help Jesus? What can I do for God?
What I am about to say may sting some of you a little bit. But I want each of you to embrace it because it is true.
The only thing I bring to this relationship with Jesus is sin and brokenness. I contribute nothing but sin. The same is true for all of us. I will explain it more here in a bit but I want that to sink in. In reality this is good news.
When Paul said, “having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” What did he mean? In what way did our life in Christ begin by the Spirit? I will give you 3 examples.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
This is a passage that I will come back to frequently. I can’t believe I have been here almost two months, and I have not brought it up yet. It is one of the most significant passages of Scripture in the Old Testament. Jeremiah 31 has the exact same message as this passage. I will mention this passage frequently. A teacher’s best friend is repetition, repetition, repetition.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
This is the work of God in the New Covenant. It will involve God placing the Spirit within the believer. This is a work of God. What will this Spirit do for the believer?
This is the work of God.
The work of God is mentioned six times.
What does God do in the New Covenant to the believer,
I will cleanse you.
I will sprinkle this water on you.
I will give you a new heart.
I will give you a new Spirit
This Spirit is IN the believer.
This Spirit will be the causal power to love righteousness.
This is exactly what Paul is referring to. Having begun by the Spirit are being perfected by the flesh. You did not begin this journey in the flesh.
John 3
It is being born from above as we learn from Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3. Jesus is referring to this very thing. You must be born again Nicodemus. No one can see the kingdom unless he is born again.
The word for again is anothen. It means, being born from above. Jesus then not only repeats that those in the kingdom are born from above but he then describes how it is done, through the Spirit.
Everyone in the kingdom is born of the water and the Spirit. Does this not sound like our Ezekiel 36 passage? Does it not fit together so perfectly?
That which is born of flesh is flesh, but that which is born of Spirit is Spirit. This is how it looks for the believer.
This is what Paul is referring to when he says, “Having begun by the Spirit are you being perfected by the flesh.” God did this work in you, this new birth work. New creation.
Philippians 1:6 He who began this work in you will bring it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ. Who is the He? The He is God. God began a work in you and He will be so persistent and because you have the Spirit of God in you, you will love this work.
Here is the issue: Peter is so sure, so confident that he will be successful during Jesus’ trial. So were the other apostles. They were in lock step.
But yet, what happened? He failed. He was confronted by a teenage girl. He did not even get confronted by a guard or a judge. Just some random servant girl. He buckles.
The location of Peter is interesting. In Luke’s account, it states that Peter was following from a distance.
The end result is failure. This result led to Peter weeping.
We go back to our story of Ruth and Naomi. What started with Ruth seeking grace has turned into Naomi working as hard as she can.
When we turn from grace to works it will ultimately end exactly as it did for Peter.
We will either be completely arrogant, or completely broken. If we are honest, it will be on the broken end.
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Date: April 6, 2025
Lord’s Day: 14
Series: Redeeming Ruth
Title: The Redeemer
Text: Ruth 3:1-18
Introduction:
1896 Concept of dating was emerging, and it was a form of prostitution
1900’s women would not be seen in public with a man, not her dad or brother (relative) so as not to be mistaken for a prostitute. The standard was courting. A young man would call the father and arrange time that everyone could sit together. The father, after a while, would inquire what the boy’s intentions were with the daughter. What did the young man have in mind? How was he going to provide for the girl? What kind of religion was he? The father and the brothers were the gate keepers.
1900’s Women magazine begin promoting that there is another way than how it has been. Break free from the old pattern of mom and dad and their influence.
1920’s Urbanization. People began moving to cities. Dances became a thing and hanging out in movie houses. (Add church)
1930’s cars began to get introduced progressively and relationship (dating as we call it) was moved away from the house and out of the house. The chats that were in the living room or dining room or kitchen with all the family soon became one on one just the boy and the girl, away from people.
1940’s going on dates began to change and a business view was adopted by men that if I have spent money on you then I am owed a type of repayment.
1960’s a tri-fecta storm his of birth control, plus the sexual revolution and playboy was introduced and hidden behind a counter.
1970 adult content came out from behind the counter and there were more options
1974 no fault divorce was introduced
1990s until now it has gotten progressively worse.
For many of us, this is all we know. In 100 years, it has gone from courting with mom, dad and brothers involved to now, it is not unusual for private images are exchanged sometime before an in person meeting.
I paint a bleak picture but I can make two observations here: 1. It is accurate and 2. There are those who are more traditional in courtship. Within a smaller population, I have seen a minor swing back to traditional courtship.
However, I believe we can all take a look back, regardless of our age, and see a dangerous progression. Culture, in relation to adult content, has grown drastically worse in the past 125 years.
As our story of Ruth unfolds today, we will see how this introduction is relevant. In the beginning to the middle of Ruth chapter 2, the sparks were flying between Ruth and Boaz. There seemed to be an instant connection and Boaz was going out of his way to provide for Ruth.
Boaz saw Ruth gleaning and asked, “Who is that?” He gave her the employee lunch and let her enter the employee area of the field. He is having his men look out for her and without her knowing it, they are throwing down barley seed on ground so she can get more.
Ruth goes home with over a half bushel basket of barley but then that is it. Harvest season is 6 to 8 weeks long, she has been working every day and the season is over and there has been nothing else between Boaz and Ruth. We get to chapter 3 and the season is now over.
Naomi has an idea. It is not a good idea. In our second week together when we looked to see what Naomi had packed for the return move, the second thing mentioned was, she had bad ideas. I highlighted that and said, chapter 1 is not the only time she gave bad advice. I think today is the second time she provides with misguided advice to Ruth.
3:1 you still need a husband. Barley season is coming to a close this is your chance to get a husband.
3:2 there will be a big party at the threshing floor. Remember, this story began with a famine. Famine is now over. God has blessed them. There is an actual harvest. This threshing floor is a common place through Scripture and it is an area where the actual meat of the plant is separated from the husk.
I am aware there are far more farmers and those with farming experience here at Donnels Creek than we have in the city but for those of you who may not be aware I call your attention to this pistachio nut.
Think of this pistachio nut here. I have to crack the shell and inside is the actual nut. Once the shell is removed the nut can be eaten. Think of the shell as the husk and the actual pistachio nut as the grain. The husk has to be removed.
The threshing floor is the location where this process of removing the husk is repeated in masse. All of what is harvested is taken here to be processed.
Everyone has worked hard. The famine is over. Time to let lose a little and celebrate. There are ALL sorts of activities going on in this celebration, both good and bad.
Some, as you can imagine, may drink a little too much. They overindulge, and that is not good. Not everyone will but a few will.
There is also some adult transactions going on. The prophet Hosea (9:1) speaks of this activity would occur frequently at the threshing floors. Where there is a large collection of men and money, there will be some adult transactions happening.
3:3-4 what Naomi tells Ruth is, get dolled up and go to the celebration. Wash up and put on some perfume. Boaz has only exposure to you over the past few weeks is funkified Ruth.
She has been out in the field, sweating and working hard. Naomi is giving Ruth advice, good and bad, on what her next steps should be. Get dolled up. Go to the party at the threshing floor. Don’t interrupt Boaz. Let him eat and drink and then when he lies down go join him.
Boaz is laying down there to protect what he had threshed. All of this barley also attracts thieves who want to steal the product. He is going to sleep by his harvest.
Boa
3:9 Fortunately, Boaz is a godly man. He wakes up and it is dark. He can’t see but he knows someone is with him. Who is there?
It is me Ruth, I am your servant. I am your employee. Spread your wing over me.
This is Ruth proposing that he propose to her. How do I know this?
(Boaz think she is out of his league)
She is taking him back to (2:12) where Boaz complimented her, “May the Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
Boaz, I want you to spread your wings over me. I want to be your wife. This is risky:
Woman asking a man
Moabite asking a Hebrew
Employee asking an employer.
Age difference of some type here
3:10 Boaz thinks she is out of his league. There are plenty of other younger men and you want me? There are poor and rich younger men, but you desire to be with me. Boaz is in. He is all in on this.
Now here is where we will take a turn because so many miss this portion of the story and it is a big deal. We spent a little time in chapter one with the concept of Levirate marriage. That when a woman dies without having a male offspring, the brother is to step in and fulfill this duty for his brother.
This was a part of the law (Dt 25 and Lv 19) but he was not obligated to do so. But the land was tied to the wife. If the brother marries the woman, he gets the land temporarily until the son grows of age and he inherits. Which means, additional income for a while.
Most people see Boaz as potentially fulfilling this Levirate responsibility. This is not the case. There is a redeemer. Boaz clarifies, there is someone who can claim you and the land. Let me figure this out tomorrow.
Boaz is in no way obligated to take this woman as his wife. He WANTS and DESIRES to have Ruth. He loves her.
(3:14-15) He wants her because he looks out for her needs. He does not want a bad word to get out about Ruth so he protects her reputation. Wait here until everyone is asleep and go home while it is still dark. He does not want her to get harmed by others nor her reputation be harmed because of an appearance of impropriety.
Yet it is important that in no way an obligation for Boaz. This is an important thing to know about this story. If you miss this, you miss Jesus.
Before we unpack that completely, let us focus on the advice of Naomi here. Ruth began in chapter 2 seeking grace. She desired that some grace be shown to her so her and Naomi could eat. And was grace ever given. It was given abundantly.
Now at this point in our story, what began as Ruth seeking grace has turned Naomi trying to work the system and trap Boaz into a relationship.
Did not God abundantly supply Ruth and Naomi? (yes)
Do you think God needed Ruth to put herself in that position on threshing floor? (no)
Naomi crossed a line here trying to help along a situation. She had excellent intentions. She desired Ruth find a husband. The means by which she advised to get it, bad. Fortunately, nothing happened and I do not refer just to a sinful union, I am more referencing potential harm that could have come to Ruth.
When Ruth got home (3:16) it appears the mother-in-law stayed up. “How did it go?” I do tend to read into the text at times, but this just seems like the mother-in-law was waiting for the details.
There are two ways we can view this (have a dumbbell and a tissue box or timer, possibly use both). Naomi is trying to force a situation. She is working it hard.
The weight will be our visible marker for working. She is working it. Something needs to happen and she is going to work to make certain it happens. Forget the fact that in her work, she is tricking the system.
She had a motive didn’t she? Her motive was to, by her planning, put just the right things in place and force this to happen. This method, if she was successful, would have placed the burden on Boaz. She had no intention of relying on the grace of God, rather she chose force.
Naomi is applying force. Ruth was seeking grace.
As we have been going through this text my desire was to point out how we can look for Christ in the O.T. Anytime we are in the O.T. I will be doing this. Where is Christ in this text? I do this because that is what Jesus was teaching us to do in His ministry. “You come to these Scripture (O.T.) to find life, but it is these Scriptures that testify about me.” (John 5)
Where is Christ here?
It is typical that men do not like to see themselves as brides, but in the case of the church, the Ekklesia (the called-out ones), the Church is the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:2-23; Revelation 19:7-9).
Jesus was not obligated to save us (John 10:17-18). Jesus gave himself for the flock, willingly. He did not get tricked into being the groom for the church.
Boaz was not obligated to marry Ruth. Boaz wanted to marry Ruth. He loved her. In this situation Boaz is a picture of Jesus, Ruth is a picture of the church. Naomi is trying to use trickery to get Boaz to love Ruth.
Here is one of the most difficult lessons for the Christian to accept. What starts out as grace so often turns into work. We will continue this next week and pick up right where we leave off but let me leave you with one example.
Jesus words in Matthew, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
For some will read that and draw a box over to the left of the page and then write out, I must be perfect. I am going to try and check that box. This is the expectation. Jesus said, “You must be perfect” therefore it must be possible for me to attain this on my own.
So after we are saved, we come to this teaching and was say, “Okay, God got me here. God got me salvation. It is up to me to make this happen. Going to be perfect starting right HERE!”
You can’t. You soon fail. There are people who really believe this. There are people who may not believe that one but act like it in other areas.
They are living their Christian life over here. And soon they will be over here. Why? On days you feel pretty good over here there is great pride. Look what I can do. On days of failure, I am condemned. There is great brokenness.
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
You feel condemned. You feel it. Then you muster up the strength, I am going to do this.
There is a difference between condemnation and conviction. There comes a point in every true believer’s life where they are convicted. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Paul said to the Galatian church, “are you now trying to finish in the flesh what was begun by the Spirit?”
The Spirit is the beginning and end of your life as a believer. You can’t force your way into making this work. In our story last week Jesus tells the listeners, “No one can come to me unless the Father draws him.” We can’t even do that. Yet we think we can force this.
It is always about Jesus loved ones. He has loved us with a beautiful love. And what I see in Naomi is a dangerous action of her trying to supersede and control the situation and make something happen on her own strength. It not only places Ruth in real life danger but on another level, she really hasn’t the ability to do it.
We will pick up here. There is MUCH MUCH more to address and unpack. It makes for a terrific Palm Sunday message.
Sunday Mar 23, 2025
Sunday Mar 23, 2025
Date: March 23, 2025
Lord’s Day: 12
Series: Redeeming Ruth
Title: I Am Hungry
Text: Ruth 2:1-17
Introduction:
Thus far, our text from the book is saturated with the fall of man. As you recall, the book of Ruth begins giving us when it was written. “In the days when the Judges ruled . . . there was a famine in the land.” How does the book of Judges end? “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25)
It does sound strikingly similar to the current time. The fall of man has saturated our study thus far. Rebellion, death and poverty have been dominating themes.
While reflecting upon our studies, one may be tempted to think that I am preparing you for a season of suffering. This is not the case. Rather, I can think of no better way to portray the sovereignty of our Lord than to show how He rules over the worst of times.
As we march towards The Passion Week, we can witness our Sovereign Lord reigning and ruling over death and the grave. The ultimate suffering seen through the Suffering Servant.
A couple of weeks ago I had shared on a Monday Thursday thoughts concerning a tapestry. We can look at this tapestry from the back side and it is a mess. There are strings going everywhere and none of them seem to make sense. Yet, on the other side, there is a beautiful picture.
This would be a good way to recall how God works through suffering. How He reigns through difficult times. As we are in those difficult periods, it may seem a disjointed mess. How, even He will set us through seasons of suffering, but ultimately a beautiful picture emerges. He is weaving it for us.
There are far too many people who fail to see that it is our own rebelliousness and doing what is right in our own eyes that has brought this death and poverty. Some never taste and see that God is good. Some never see how God works through this tapestry of life to create a masterpiece.
How does this work in our text today? Let us begin to see.
Back in Bethlehem
Recall last week Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem. Naomi was greeted, “Is this sweetheart? Is this pleasant?” No, I am not sweetheart any longer. My name is Bitter! The Lord took me away full and brought me back empty.”
This is some selective recall. Naomi did not leave Bethlehem full. Naomi did leave with a husband and two boys. It is true that they are gone. But they left in dire circumstances. They left because they could not find food in a place called, “The House of Bread.”
That is like saying, “We can’t fly a kite in the Windy City.” There are no beans in bean town. People are splitting up, relationships are ending in the city of romance. There is no light in the city of light. The eternal city has been destroyed.
This was the original issue. Naomi’s recollection is fuzzy. The House of Bread had no bread. There was nothing.
We can do that as we look back over time. As we grow we can be tempted to do this. Someone may take your seat. But this is my pew. Do I ask them to get up and move? I have sat here for 20 years.
You deacons in charge of the building may have to do repairs more often. We do not encourage recklessness. Rather we encourage to respect the property, however, as the building fills, naturally, walls get dinged and paint gets chipped and messes get made.
Sunday morning will get louder as the sanctuary fills will more families. Men and parents need to look out for children as they get too close to our mature ladies. These are the growing pains.
It may be very easy to look at those issues and ponder when there was more respect. It was when the place was a bit more empty. God’s blessing will bring some chaos. We can handle it.
Let us not be like Naomi and have selective recall. Right? Amen?
Let The Gleaning Begin
As Naomi and Ruth settle in to life back in Bethlehem they begin to ponder how they are going to eat. We came back because House of Bread has bread again; how do we get our hands on some of that?
It is called gleaning. Anyone hear of it? Just as “return” appears 12 times in the rest of chapter 1, glean appears 12 times in chapter 2.
Leviticus 19; 23 and Dt 24 provide details on this practice. In summary, this was a practice for orphans, widows, sojourners (any foreigner living among the covenant community) and those who were in poverty. It was a way to provide for those people.
When grains or stalks were dropped in the corners and on the edges of a property, when the fields are being harvested they were told to leave them there. Don’t pick up those dropped parts.
This still happens today, even with big modern machinery. My daughter’s school is in the middle of a large corn field. The parking lot edges right up to a field. I park there and will drop the gate of my truck or open the hatch of my Volvo and will sit and read and look out into the field.
I have noticed during harvest, when the big machines come and eat up the stalks and do what they do, there are still little kernels of corn on the ground. You can see this in the middle of the field. When a farmer gives a parcel of land a sabbath rest and does not grow anything on it, or puts maybe a cover crop on it, you will see a random corn plant grow every now and again. This is the occasional kernel of corn that the machine misses.
This is the idea of gleaning. The harvesters are to leave that and those poor, widowed, orphaned, etc. can come and pick it up and have some ability to eat.
The plan was Ruth would go and ask a relative of her father-in-law (Elimelech) and see if she could glean in his fields.
V.1 Boaz is described: Worthy Man ESV
Man of standing NIV
Influential man NLT
Mighty Man KJV
Man of great wealth NKJV/NASB95/RSV
The Hebrew word = Gibbor. Now you may ponder why I bring this up. Recall from our very first week together as we looked at Isaiah 6. We discussed the various names of God. Last week we dealt with two, El Shaddai and the covenant name of God YHWH. El Shaddai- almighty and Naomi said, the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
When we spoke of these names of God, we considered the Christmas passage from Isaiah 9, “To us a child is given, to us a son is born . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God.” El Gabbor is the word used there.
What we see in our text of Ruth 2 is Gabbor – mighty. This Boaz first description is mighty. KJV may have it best here.
This description of Elimelech we see through this text that he is a very well-respected man. When he comes into the field he is greeted respectfully (2:4). The men that work for Boaz respect his authority and followed his desires as their boss. He is a compassionate boss who makes sure his men are fed and rested.
It gives the distinction (2:2) of Ruth’s Moabite origin. This is mentioned five times in the book of Ruth. This would be in relation that she is an outsider; she came from Moab.
She is looking for someone who will be gracious with her. This is what favor means. It is the same meaning regarding Noah: “Noah found favor (grace KJV) in the eyes of the Lord.” (Gen 6:8).
Being a widow the Law of Moses (Dt. 24) commanded they be able to glean. But the workers did not have to be kind to her. They did not have to be nice to her. Being an outsider meant many things for Ruth on a “job site” seeking welfare and none of them were good. So she is seeking a gracious act from this mighty man.
Boaz takes notice of Ruth
Boaz notices Ruth working. “Who is this?” This is Ruth the Moabite. She has been working all day and has really only taken a short break. She is looking after her mother-in-law.
Boaz speaks to Ruth and is certain to tell her to remain only in his field. It is not that he is attracted to her, he wants to protect her. He wants his men to look after her and ensure that she is safe.
But then Boaz goes the extra mile. He blesses Ruth in a very large way.
Recall that gleaning is getting what falls to the ground. It could be a stalk. It could be just a few heads of grain. Whatever falls to the ground, on the edge of the field, the workers are to leave for the poor.
At lunch Ruth is invited to eat with the boys. She is invited upto have the prepared food of bread, roasted grain and wine. She had so much to eat there were leftovers. She needed a doggie bag.
Then, Boaz tells his workers to allow her to glean inside the field. Not only was she gleaning inside the field but they were also just spreading food on the ground. I never knew agriculture could be so romantic.
When she arrived home that evening, 2:17 says she had an ephah of barley. Isn’t that terrific? Everyone knows what an Ephah is, right?
Expectations
I looked all around the internet, I used AI. I consulted my reference books. I could not find anywhere, what was expected on a typical day of gleaning. I wanted to know, how much, on average, did a person get gleaning.
I know it was not a lot. I still wanted to know and there is nothing out there that could answer that question. So, just so you are aware, what I am about to show you can’t be substantiated. It is pure guess work on my part. What I reasoned was enough grain to make a loaf of bread. This is most likely too generous.
I base it on Naomi’s reaction to what Ruth brought in. I also base it on how much grain I have seen on the edges of a field today. This is an overestimate.
However, an Ephah is a measurement we can find the meaning to. I will show you what Ruth should have gotten (wheat in a measuring cup) and what Ruth brought home (60% of a bushel basket).
Differing Views
What is telling in our passage today is the differing view which Naomi and Ruth has. It is unknown the conversations between Naomi and Ruth that led up to 2:1 but there had to be some. These women had to eat, they had no income and so what proceeded was Ruth says, “Hey, I am going to go glean for us and I really hope I can find grace with this mighty man Elimelech.”
Ruth’s vision is of faithful expectation. She has been faithful from the beginning
Naomi:
Yes, boys, you can marry these Moabite women (prohibited)
Yes, girls, how about you go home and marry some good idol worshipers
Yes, God has been bitter with me, go your own way.
Yes, I am changing my name to bitter
Ruth:
I will not go back to my people
I will not leaving you
Your God is my God
I am going out to find someone to be gracious to us
Naomi’s attitude and expectation is not, I am going to pull myself up by my bootstraps, it is more like, I have not even any bootstraps because God has taken them from me.
Ruth’s attitude and expectation is I have to be faithful which means I go to do the things which follow faithfulness.
Ruth was faithful. Naomi is unfaithful. Naomi is of the covenant family of faith. Ruth is an outsider.
When Ruth went out to glean (the two cup flour) this is what Naomi expected. What Ruth went to do is glean and in faith desire that she find someone to be gracious to her. What she attained was abundance.
We find this same situation with Jesus in John 6. As you read through the gospels, Jesus feeds great multitudes twice. One of the feedings was with the Law of Moses Covenant Family (Matthew 15) which would be like Naomi’s. The second is recorded here in John 6, on the other side of the Sea of Galilee which is clearly for those who are outside of the Law of Moses Covenant Family which would be like Ruth because she as a Moabite woman.
Jesus looks at his disciples and says, “We should feed these people.” It had defined (6:2) the gathering as a “large” crowd and then later refined it to about 5K (6:10) men.
Philip says, “Where we gonna get enough food to feed all these people.” The math was not mathing for Philip. His advice to Jesus was similar to Naomi, “We ain’t got nothing.”
But Andrew found a boy with a box lunch. Five barley loaves and two fish. Any of us who grew up in church know this story. Jesus fed everyone, miraculously. Here is where liberal scholarship gets us. They like to explain away the miracle. “Jesus really did not feed everyone with 5 barley loaves and 2 fish, actually everyone shared. They all shared their lunch and Jesus had motivated them to share” No. Wrong. Jesus fed them, all. 10,000+ people were fed by Jesus with 5 loaves and 2 fish.
You know how I know that? Well, first, because I believe it. I believe what the Bible says. Second, they come looking for Jesus a little later in the John 6. Jesus goes to the other side of the lake and they meet him there. Jesus goes by water, they go by land. They are hungry.
Did you ever realize how many hungry people there are in the Bible? There are a lot of hungry stories.
Jesus says, “you know why you are following me? Cause I fed you. Stop spending all your energy on eating for food that perishes. Seek the food that endures for eternal life.”
They replied, “Hey, you remember manna? God gave it to our ancestors when they were in the wilderness. Give us some of this.”
Your biggest need is not eating food. It is a need. Why were these people following Jesus? Because they had a need for bread. They wanted more bread. Jesus says, this is not your biggest need. I fed you yesterday, and you are hungry again. What you need is the true bread from heaven!”
“Give us this bread ALWAYS!”
Jesus replies, “It is me. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry.’
The Psalmist says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
The issue for most of us, for the people in the text, for Naomi and for us, we have a view where we simply just want fed for the day. We have this (glass measuring cup) view of God. What He wants to give us is (bushel basket) this.
We come to him in prayer with this view. When we should be coming with (bushel) this view.
Here is where the prosperity theology go off the rails because they will make it about how God wants to bless us abundantly with riches, success, health, wealth, etc. That is the idol. We are back eating again. That is not Jesus’ point.
Jesus was saying, our biggest need is NOT earthly hunger. We are dead without Christ. Our community is dead without Christ. We need this bread of heaven . . . only once. This bread addresses a hunger that will never come back.
At the close of the sermon two weeks ago I asked the question: how does the bread of life relate to the house of bread? Here is your answer. Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem (house of bread) is our bread of life.
Far too often we approach our Lord in prayer for this congregation with (glass) expectation and not with (basket) this expectation. The Hebrews writer encourages us to come boldly to the throne of grace in our time of need.
That does not mean demanding. It does not mean disrespectful. God is not our genie in a bottle.
It means, we are praying for our growth as believers. It means that we are praying for the growth of this congregation numerically and spiritually. These are things God desires. This is God’s will, your sanctification 1Thess 4:3. With confidence and the faithfulness of Ruth, we pray expecting this (bushel)
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
Date: March 16, 2025
Lord’s Day: 11
Series: Redeeming Ruth
Title: Running to Stand Still
Text: Ruth 1:19-22
Introduction:
Last year, around November, I had an appointment with a friend in the neighborhood. At that time, she was not as mobile as she currently is, so I had driven her to a doctor’s appointment. We use her car most always when she needs to go places. I had brought what I usually bring things iPad for any reading or note taking and my ear pods if I needed to listen to anything.
After I had got her into the building where her appointment was, I went off for a quick gasoline trip. Upon returning I had decided to leave my iPad in the car. She has no window tint so I put it in the trunk of the car and for some reason that to this day I do not have an answer, I put the keys in the trunk as the iPad was being placed in there. As I recall, I was making some adjustments to a few things that were inside the trunk. Then I closed the lid.
Next, I was in the waiting area reading news on my phone. She was not long in the appointment and then it was time to leave. We walked to the car and I began searching for the keys in my pocket and at this point a small drizzle had began to descend. I am digging in each pocket and not finding keys. I run into the waiting area to see if the keys had fallen out of the pocket or if I had placed them on a side table. No keys.
This is when it occurred to me that I locked the keys in the car, in the trunk. The moment I placed the keys on the floor of the trunk was insignificant (freeing my hands). It was not something I placed a lot of thought, so I really had to replay the whole thing in my head.
Now, I will confess, I am not a man quick to anger. I will also confess that typically, in the event that I do get angry, I tend not to remain there long. There began at that moment an increasing sense of anger that just did not relent.
After ushering my friend back to the waiting room and then returning to the car, the next 90 minutes would be filled with further bad news. After roadside assistance helped with unlocking the car doors, guess what does not work when the keys are inside the trunk: trunk release.
I went to YouTube university and found that I was not the only idiot that had this happen. To fix the problem there was a variety of ways to get the seats to collapse in order to crawl into trunk to retrieve the keys. The issue there was the right tools/materials were not available.
I was stuck, in the drizzle and sprinkling rain. Anger was building. It was hours of anger that turned into bitterness. I was bitter. How could I be so stupid? What in the world was I thinking? Tina is going to make some stupid remark about me and keys! How could I do this to my friend? How could you be so stupid? You are an idiot!
By 8 PM we had that car back to its place in my friend’s garage, after a 10 AM appointment. I was reflecting on this as I studied the text because I began to ponder moments when I was bitter. There have been very few moments where I have made company with bitterness, but this was definitely one. I was so bitter because this was completely unavoidable. It was just a silly mistake, that I could not fix, that cost the whole day.
Let us think back to our friends here Ruth and Naomi. After the great and tragic loss, Ruth and Naomi are coming back to Bethlehem. Last week, our time was spent looking at what was and was not in their moving boxes as they made the 70-mile journey from Moab back to Bethlehem.
And when they came into Bethlehem the whole town was stirred because of them. They were genuinely happy to see Naomi. “Is this Naomi? We are so happy to see you Naomi!”
What did she do? Remember what her name meant? I know it has been three weeks. Her name means pleasant, or sweet. We called her sweetheart.
What does she do here? Don’t call me Naomi. What she is saying is, “Don’t call me pleasant! Don’t call me sweetheart!” What does she want to be called? “Call me Mara!”
If you have a modern translation, those who translated the text wanted to make sure you understood what was being said so they put a footnote on it. She is saying, “Call me bitter.”
We can return to my cutesy little story about locking my keys in the trunk. My anger turned into bitterness. How could I waste my day? How could I waste my neighbor’s day? How could I be so stupid?
Naomi is not bitter over something cutesy. In her words, “I went away full and the (Shaddai) Almighty brought me back empty.”
She undergoes a name change. “I am bitter!”
You been there? Has there been moments or seasons where in your assessment it appears that God is picking on you?
Do you want to know what I admire about Naomi here? She is honest!
Great to see you Naomi, how are you? “I am bitter!”
I spent that whole day, the day of rage and anger, bottled up. I am not saying that this was wrong on that occasion, may have been the right thing to do. But we do it as Christians.
Here is where I am a bit of disadvantage because I am new to this family. What I see and have experienced is genuine love and welcome. What we have experienced so far from the youngest to the oldest can’t be faked. It is real.
Here is the issue. Just like I put on my best poker face and did the manly thing and stuffed that anger and bitterness deep down inside, we can do that with our church family.
And if it is not true now, it will certainly be true when we start growing. Because Church is where we need to have our smiling faces on. Church is where we can be having WW2 getting the family ready in the morning and in the minivan on the way to assembly, but soon as we see that first person in the parking lot, “Mr. Jones . . .Ms. Williams . . . good to see you! How are you?” The reply, with smiles and a complete change in demeanor “I am doing great. Good morning!”
It is a total ruse. Thing are not doing well. It is a car full of people minutes away from a misdemeanor assault charge and instantly had to turn on the charm. But there are people who will come through our doors that have real hurts and they will question if God is even good. God is picking on me.
I have heard the pain. My own sister, someday maybe I will share the full story, but she lost her daughter by being shot. A good Christian woman. Faithful in prayer. Faithful in study. In every aspect, living a fruitful Christian life.
The sound of weeping as they first let immediate family in to see her before the funeral. Gut wrenching weeping. This is that which Naomi and family had faced.
Naomi will not fake smile. Call me BITTER! I am bitter. Life is not going well right now and I am bitter. God is bitter towards me. I am having trouble!
We are not used to hearing this type of response. Nor are we used to being this honest.
It appears Naomi put this out on Main Street in Bethlehem. I am really struggling right now.
So, I am going to ask a question and I really want you to think about it. It’s rhetorical. Did God fail Naomi? That is what she is thinking right now. She still calls Him by the Covenant name YHWH – but she feels let down. (V. 21 I went away full and the Lord has brought me back empty.)
It is similar to what I have placed on the front of your bulletin this week. Syria is a mess. It is on display for the entire world to see. This mess is graphic. You can go on social media, where most everyone gets there news now, and see actual people getting shot. Fellow Christians who are dying for the faith.
What do we do with that? This is the level of pain that asks, “How can God let that happen?” This can be a source of deep bitterness in a believer’s life.
What the World Says
The world rarely has an answer of substance. The world will suggest that maybe you have bad Karma. You are being paid back for something you have done. Maybe you should not have thrown your house slipper at the dog when he was licking his paw for 30 minutes at 1:25 in the AM. You are getting paid back because you did not contribute to that poor person begging on the street corner.
This reasoning is not limited to Karma. We are confronted with a reality here that, as your pastor, I will address many times. We discussed this reality in our first sermon in Ruth, but at this moment I would like to take a little further. It concerns the notion that if things are going bad for you, then you must have done something wrong, maybe you lack faith. If you have enough faith, things will go well for you.
This was the counsel that Job’s friends brought to Job. “Job, just confess your sin and ask forgiveness, and all this calamity that has beset you will cease.”
I warn against this because this thinking still exists today. It appears on television in abundance. It is called prosperity theology. How many have heard of this?
If you have enough faith you will not suffer. That is the message. If you have enough faith, represented by what you give, you will sow a seed for success. That you will have watches and cars and houses. How did that work for Jesus? Who had more faith and was more faithful than Jesus? Who did not have a home to lay his head and was murdered.
Advice from Paul
From where is our strength for this? How shall we bear such bitterness?
The Psalmist says: “Whom have I in heaven but you? There is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
You think David had moments of doubt? You think David may have had times where he asks the Lord, “Are you still on my side God? Are You still with me?” You bet ya he did.
I was thinking about this regarding prayer. This sovereignty of God. We come to God when it’s a big deal. When there is a surgery. We pray, “Lord, help us through this surgery.” And rightfully so. We should pray like that. We pray, “Lord, be with the nurses and the doctors. Let them be fresh and not tired. Let them be alert.”
Because we know the God is sovereign. We know that He is over all. We read through all those wonderful passages in the first sermon that God holds the heart of the king and that God controls what is above the earth and what is below in the seas and all the deeps.
I was thinking regarding this in the differences in how prayer is offered if things are less out of our hands, as if nothing is in our hands. He holds it all.
If my daughter was driving two hours away, I would pray that the car would make it. I would pray that she be alert. I would pray that the belt does what the belt is supposed to do and that the crank shaft would crank and that the alternator would alternate. But how differently I pray if she is going five minutes away. I would not pray at all. Or if I were driving the prayer would be different.
The things which we feel are in our control we think we can accomplish. This is your reminder, there is no sin in not praying that you make it home from church today. The wrong is feeling confident that we have control of some things and God has control of the big things. Everything is life and death. Every heart beat. Every breath that we take is life and death. Every microscopic particle in our body is life and death and God controls it.
John Flavel was a terrific Puritan pastor who wrote and taught extensively on Sanctified Affliction. We will spend more time on this next week, but permit me to introduce it here.
He says that Christians must view suffering as one would read Hebrew. His point is in that Hebrew is read right to left. English is read left to right. So from an English perspective, what Flavel is saying, is we must view suffering from the end and looking back.
In another way, we begin with this playdough. It is a child’s toy. But as we look at this playdough we can make it into anything. It depends on what skill level. We can make a ball. That is easy. I have very little skill, so I can make a ball. There are others who are artistic and can use that gift and skill and make something spectacular.
Whatever the skill level, there is a process. In this process there will be things removed that should not be there. We can press the playdough into a mold and it becomes that mold. The end product being exactly what we desire.
In the believer’s life, we serve a God who molds us. There are several passages of Scripture that speak of this process.
There are season’s of molding in which God has led me that I deserved His wrath but rather He gave me discipline. I look backwards, just like reading Hebrew, I look at the event(s) and look at where I am and realize, these things happened because I needed shaped into holiness. It is not Karma – It is the potter shaping the pot.
There are also season’s of suffering in which God has led me that were not a response to any specific rebellion on my part. The end result, looking back, God shaped me and He is to be praised.
God is sovereign and God is good. God is sovereign and rules over them perfectly and for His glory.
Think of Paul who had “far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food,[b] in cold and exposure. “ (2 Corinthians 11:23c-27)
This is suffering. This is suffering that we could not imagine. His attitude? “We do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)
Can you see that? You think of the suffering of Naomi. The loss is severe. The loss is tragic. Her loss, your loss and my loss, is nothing in comparison to what awaits us. This momentary affliction is no comparison. What awaits us a one million to the one million power of glory that we can’t comprehend.
In the Life of Our Savior
Naomi had a bitter cup that she had to endure. It consumed her. I don’t think any of us really want to be in Naomi’s position.
Yet at the same time we see the suffering Christ in Naomi’s plight. Can you see Jesus here?
We are beginning our ascent to Easter Sunday. Jesus drank a cup of bitterness on our behalf.
“Father, if there is any other way, please. Let this cup pass.” Our Lord personally faced the deadly bitterness Naomi faced. He took bitter death upon himself.
Jesus has led us in paths of righteousness for HIS name’s sake. It is for the glory of God alone that this cup of bitterness was consumed.
Now I look here at Naomi’s recollection of things. While it may be true that God will discipline the believer it is not always true that this is the reason for rough times.
I do want to reiterate this: from the first week. Sometimes, rough times do beset us because we are in need of that. We need to be shaped. It is not stated in the text of Ruth, but based on what the Law of Moses says, the reason for the famine was disobedience.
Isn’t it so like us that Naomi has selective recall. I went away full and YHWH brought me back empty. You left in distrust. You left because there was no food.
This is where I see myself. I can see me in Elimelech. Psalm 37:3, “Dwell in the land and thou shalt be fed.” But they left the land. I just need to provide for my family. Elimelech looks around and reasons, I am doing all this running but I am standing still. There is nothing for us. I will go over here.
It is not unusual in our bitter moments to have recall the good and not the bad. This is what Naomi is doing. She did not leave full. She left in need. She left in want. She left in disobedience.
Sunday Mar 09, 2025
Sunday Mar 09, 2025
Date: March 9, 2025
Lord’s Day: 9
Series: Ruth
Title: The Bread of God’s Will
Text: Ruth 1:1-7
Introduction:
Several years ago, a passage in Luke 24 really spoke to me. This is a story which appears after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection and it details two people walking on a road to a city named Emmaus. And while they were walking, they were talking about the events that had just taken place, but they had no idea that Jesus had been resurrected.
As they walked Jesus happened to join them, but it says that their eyes were kept from recognizing him (Luke 24:16). “What are you talking about as you walk?” They responded (M.O.V.) “Have you been under a rock? Are you not aware of what has taken place in recent days?” Jesus replies, “What things?”
It is here that one of the two begins to give a Cliff Note version of events that Jesus was thought to be a prophet. He spoke well, he did great a mighty deeds but the last week has seen him put on trial, judged and crucified. Then further, word has spread that some women are saying that he has risen and some people we know went to see the tomb and he is not there. But it appears the way the text reads that these travelers to Emmaus were doubtful.
Jesus said, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets he interpreted to them all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:25-27)
Would this not have been the best Bible study of all time? It would be so great to go back to that discussion with a notebook and pencil and listen to Jesus’ words.
This is an odd introduction to our study in the book of Ruth but it is relevant. Today, March 2, 2025 marks 50 days leading up to Easter Sunday. Several years ago, I was introduced to a book by Michael Barrett titled, Beginning At Moses. The theme of the book was an introduction to finding Christ in the Old Testament. This sparked a deep desire within me to go further in this study and beyond Barrett’s introduction into this topic.
Jesus’ words here was that from “Moses and all the Prophets he interpreted to them all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Recall if you will all the moments in the Gospels and Acts where it is mentioned that Scripture is discussed. The Scripture to which they are referring is the Old Testament. The Ethiopian Eunich in Acts 8 was brought to faith by reading our Old Testament.
I find this is a big challenge and ask myself, if I had to lead someone to Christ with only my Old Testament, could I be successful? At one time I would have said, no. Yet when you understand Jesus’ words to the Pharisees, “You search the Scriptures (our O.T.) because in them you think you have eternal life, and it is they that bear witness about me.” (John 5:39)
One example: Think if you will, of how Jesus’ began his ministry by going into the temple in John 2, just after his first miracle of the water to wine in Cana. Then fast forward to his appearing in Jerusalem that would ultimately lead up to his crucifixion. One of the first things he did (Matthew 21:12-17) after the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, is go back to the temple for Temple Clearing 2.0. A second time he overturns tables, runs out the money changers and sets free the pigeons.
Why would Jesus do this twice? Now understand of 30 years in the life of Jesus we only have documented about 52[1] days. Why would they repeat this account? Is Jesus unhinged?
Think of the Law of Moses. We learn in Leviticus 14 (where we tend to get bogged down in our Bible reading because it gets weird) it speak of a house that becomes unclean. When a house had an infection, mold or leprosy, there was a visit by the priest and the house had to be cleared and everything cleaned. After a certain number of days, the priest comes back to the house to inspect. If the thing that made it unclean was still there, the house had to be destroyed.
These texts would have been fresh on the Jewish mind. So, when Jesus came into Jerusalem the week before his death, burial and resurrection and cleansed the temple for the second time (Matthew 21) it was pointing to something. This something was clarified as Jesus began to teach about the destruction of the temple (Matthew 24).
Now you see when you begin to look for Christ in Scripture, books like Leviticus and Numbers, and Isaiah and Jeremiah and Jonah become much more interesting.
In our time together in Ruth, I seek that this text draw us closer to our Lord. That we can begin to see how He has worked through time and how ALL Scripture is tied together and points us to Christ. It begins with this very small book called Ruth.
Trouble At The Great Harvest Break Company
Ruth 1:1a In the very opening verse of this book we get our timelines. In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land.
The period of the Judges was after Joshua, so the Children of Israel are in the land of Cannan but precedes 1 Samuel where the kings began to rule. When the word judge is used our mind often thinks of a courtroom setting where a judge is on a bench and hears arguments and makes decisions. This is not the way it is used here.
When Joshua brings the people to the land of Cannan and he is about to die, he gathers the people and gives them one last message. You will most likely recognize part of the message because it has been on a lot of artwork and social media posts and t-shirts. As he reminds the Hebrew people how God has delivered them to this land he says to them, “Choose you this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
This is actually just a part of the verse. There is much more to what he said. That phrase is the first part of the verse and the last part of the verse and it skips the middle, which is not an unpardonable sin, but it certainly cuts out an interesting part.
“If it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24;15)
Joshua is in the process of reminding them, “You did none of this. This land you are inheriting, you got it because God gave it to you. He is a good and Holy God. You got this not by your sword or by your bow. You are getting cities you did not build. You are going to drink wine from orchards you did not plant or tend to. You will be getting olives from orchards you did not plant. God did this for you. Now here are your choices, the gods on the other side of the Jordan, you know the Jordan River that God stopped up for you to cross, just like the Red Sea. You can choose those gods of your fathers or you can choose the gods of this land we are taking.”
Their reply? Oh no, we will absolutely serve YHWH. Reading into the book of Judges you will learn that their answer was YES to Joshua. Joshua said, “You can worship the gods of your fathers or the gods of the new lands,” and they replied, “Yes.” Both!
Judges if filled with the most dark, wicked, rebellious periods in Israel’s history. There was increasing wickedness. What you will find throughout the book is what the figure to the right portrays. They would forget God, rebel, be taken into captivity, cry out to God and He would send a Judge to deliver the people, and they would be faithful, only for a short while. This took place twelve times. This cycle of disobedience, captivity, deliverance and obedience. The Judge would be the one to militarily impose God’s justice and deliver the people.
Ruth takes place in this period.
Ruth 1:1b And a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to Sojourn in the country of Moab. Herein sets the foundation for the problems.
As God made covenant with Moses and the people He made several of what I call, “if . . . then” statements. They are stated many times spread throughout the book of Deuteronomy however, the best place to get the full picture is in chapter 28. If you obey, things will go unbelievably well for you. If you disobey, things will go terribly wrong. This includes famine.
Seeing the book of Ruth begins during the time of great rebellion it is not a stretch to see that the reason for the famine in the land lies in the disobedience of the Children of Israel[2].
Additionally, the father of the family took his wife and sons to Moab. The people of Moab were born from an incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughters[3]. They were also enemies of the Israelites[4] and were not permitted in the assembly.
These were a people who did not worship YHWH. They had their own god, Chemosh[5]. Essentially the family is taken far away from all support spiritually and socially.
Ruth 1:2 We meet the family. The father was Elimelech which means, “God is my King”[6]. The mother’s name was Naomi, whose name means, “my sweetness, delight, sweetheart”[7]. The two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Even though these are Bible names, it is not recommended you name your children after these two boys. Their names mean, “sick and dying”[8].
You are seeing the importance of making good decisions, with your wives and family. There are several issues here and because of time, we will come back to them next week. The purpose today is to tie our opening remarks regarding Luke 24 and Christ in the Old Testament. Let us focus there and return to this next time for other important lessons.
Ruth 1:3-5 We have here a tremendous amount of tragedy. What has happened to Naomi would be deemed a death sentence in that day. She has lost her provider. The A team died. Within ten years, the B team died. The offspring of the family is gone.
She is a foreign land, having to learn a new language. There is no place for her to worship. This is a devastating set of circumstances that again, as we discussed last week, may we not read too quickly past this and miss the immensity of the moment.
We look at these passages and quickly realize this sometimes looks like our lives. You have been through some stuff. I have been through some stuff. People I know have been through some really tough stuff.
Ruth 1:6-7 We see here the very first mention of YHWH. Occasionally we may wonder, WHY LORD? We may be tempted to say, “Why am I going through this?”
We must be careful though. On the one hand with our passage, it appears that the suffering endured here is a direct result of poor choices by the people of Israel. This is not always the case. This was the very thing Job’s friends were saying. Yet, it was not true that Job was suffering as a result of some sin in his life.
Those of us who are of the faith place our trust in the providence of God and the sovereignty of God yet how can we justify this sovereignty here?
When it comes to considering the sovereign God there is another word that is wedded with it. Sovereignty and Good are joined together. These two words cannot be separated.
Today I want to increase your faith and show you that they are true.
God’s Sovereignty
Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted”
Isaiah 46:9-10 “My counsel will stand and I will accomplish all my purpose.”
Proverbs 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap, but every decision is from the Lord.”
Psalm 135:6 “whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.”
Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”
Daniel 4:25 “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
These are some pretty astounding passages, and I could like 20 more. God is sovereign over all things. If we were to look at that attribute ONLY it would make Him into a hard, distant and cold God. But He is not. Without understanding that God is good there is an imbalance.
How are we to understand our passage? How does this relate to us?
Sometimes God does discipline us. It is during these times that God brings famine to Bethlehem, the house of bread.
There are other times that this is not the case. God is good.
How do I know? God has a will of decree. He decrees and He makes it known.
Would it be safe to say that it is God’s will that we do not steal? Yes. We know that to be true because He spoke it.
Would it be safe to say that it is God’s will that we not commit murder? Yes. We know that to be true because He spoke it.
That is God’s prescriptive will. Another way to say it is that it is God’s will of decree. God decreed, do not steal. God decreed, do not murder.
But then there is the secret will of God. Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever.”
This secret will of God plays out in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are 50 days away from celebrating Easter, the day of the empty tomb. That death could not keep Jesus.
Let me ask one question again, is it the will of the Lord not to commit murder? Yes. Yet Isaiah 53:10 states that “It was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief.” Secretive will.
Do you see that? God is sovereign and God is good. Even in the midst of trouble.
This is why at the end of Genesis as Joseph’s brothers were begging him not to take revenge upon them, he says, “you meant this for evil, but God meant it for good.” It is why Paul can proclaim in Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Oh what a mighty and gracious God we serve.
[1] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, see also William Hendricks, Living by the Book
[2] Deuteronomy 11:14
[3] Genesis 19:30-38
[4] Deuteronomy 23:3-6
[5] Faithlife, LLC (2025) “Logos Bible Study Factbook.” Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, LLC.
[6] Westminster Bible Dictionary, p. 161
[7] Ibid, p. 418
[8] Ibid p, 372, 100
Sunday Mar 02, 2025
Tuesday May 30, 2023
Tuesday May 30, 2023
Philippians 2:12-13
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
Friday May 12, 2023