Satisfaction:  The people bless Ruth
Ruth 4:11–22
Jan 29 2012

Today we will conclude our tour through one of the smallest books in the Bible, the book of Ruth. Despite its relative size, without it there is no historical connection to bridge from one era to the next.

The book of Ruth is written near the end of the period of the Judges, a period in time where there is no king. For the most part, the nation of Israel had decided to do things their way more often than not and ultimately suffered the consequences. Despite the nations’ wanderings in and out of relationship with Jehovah, God gives us this little book to show that He is still in charge and directing things to His ultimate purpose.

Last week we looked at Boaz, a near kinsman redeemer, an individual who a few short months ago, Ruth, had no idea of his existence and was now on the verge of marrying. This marriage would do more than give Ruth a husband; it sets in motion a union that goes far beyond Ruth and Boaz.

2. The bride
Ruth 4:11–12  So all the people and elders who were at the city gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make this woman, who is coming into your home, like Rachel and Leah, who had many children and built up the people of Israel. May you become powerful in the district of Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem. 12 As Tamar gave birth to Judah’s son Perez, n may the Lord give you many children through Ruth. May your family be great like his.”
The Witness’ and the Blessings.
Sometime after Boaz and the nearer kinsman parted ways, we find Boaz once again back at the city gate, and once again he has brought witnesses to the event. Unlike what many people like to believe, marriage is not and should not be a “Private affair”, in fact it is one that in reality should have many people involved. This is union that is God ordained and every bride and groom should not only welcome but desire the blessings of God and His people in and upon it.
Right at the very beginning of this marriage, the people of the town of Bethlehem prayed that Boaz and Ruth would have children and list several women who were of vital importance, despite their varied backgrounds.  In the nation of Israel, children held a special promise, not just as a way to keep the nation of Israel strong, but because it would be one of these children that God had promised to send His Messiah.

For most of world and most of time children were considered a blessing and not a burden, unfortunately that is not quite the case today especially here in America. Today in America, there are approximately one million babies legally killed while still within the womb and the pieces of their bodies removed as if they were a cancerous tumor. A Christian nurse once said, “In one part of our hospital, we’re working day and night to keep little babies alive. In another part, we’re murdering them. What is God going to say?”
The women mentioned in this blessing
Jacob’s two wives, Leah and Rachel, along with their maid servants bore to him the twelve  sons who “built” the nation by founding the leading tribes of Israel. The use of the word Ephrathah in Ruth 4:11 is significant, for the Hebrew word means “fruitful.” The people wanted Ruth to be fruitful and famous and bring honor to their little town. It was the place where Rachel was buried (Gen. 35:19), but more importantly, it would come to be known as the place where Jesus Christ was born.
The neighbors also wanted the house of Boaz to be like that of Perez. The family of Perez had settled in Bethlehem, and Boaz was a descendant of Perez. Now Tamar, the mother of Perez, was not a godly woman, for she acted as a prostitute to become pregnant by Judah after he failed to give his youngest son to her after his other two brothers died; but despite this action her name is found in Jesus’ genealogy.
Changes in Ruth
What a change of events for Ruth in the past few years.
She went from loneliness to love, from toil to rest, from poverty to wealth, from worry to assurance, and from despair to hope. She was no longer “Ruth the Moabitess,” for the past was gone, and she was making a new beginning. She was now “Ruth the wife of Boaz,” a name she was proud to bear
God had been gracious to Ruth back in Moab by giving her the faith to trust Him and be saved. His grace continued when she moved to Bethlehem, for He guided her to the field of Boaz where Boaz fell in love with her. God’s grace continued at the town gate where the nearer kinsman rejected Ruth and Boaz purchased her. After the marriage, God poured out His grace on Ruth and Boaz by giving her conception (Gen. 29:31; 30:1–2; 33:5) and then by giving her the safe delivery of a son, whom they named Obed (“servant”).

3. The baby (Ruth 4:13–22)
13 So Boaz took Ruth home as his wife and had sexual relations with her. The Lord let her become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women told Naomi, “Praise the Lord who gave you this grandson. May he become famous in Israel. 15 He will give you new life and will take care of you in your old age because of your daughter-in-law who loves you. She is better for you than seven sons, because she has given birth to your grandson.”
16 Naomi took the boy, held him in her arms, and cared for him. 17 The neighbors gave the boy his name, saying, “This boy was born for Naomi.” They named him Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.

Obed means Servant
God would use this baby to be a source of blessing to many.
Up to this point there is no mention of children by either Boaz or Ruth. We do not know the marital status of Boaz before this point but we can assume that he did not have any children nor was married as he was not worried about a family inheritance issue like the other kinsman redeemer had; also with Ruth despite being married there is no mention of her having children by Mahlon.
Obed was a blessing to Boaz and Ruth. For he …was God’s special gift to Boaz and Ruth; and what a blessing little Obed was to their home!
Obed was an only son, but his affection for his mother and grandmother would be equal to that of seven sons.
Obed was also a blessing to Naomi. His grandmother informally “adopted” him as her own son and became his foster mother. The women of Bethlehem shared Naomi’s joy when they said, “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer” (Ruth 4:14, NIV). The reference is to Obed, not Boaz.
Obed was a “restorer of life” to Naomi. There’s no better way to get a new lease on life than to start investing yourself in the younger generation. Every baby that is born into this world is a vote for the future, and grandparents need to focus on the future and not on the past. When you’re holding a baby, you’re holding the future in your arms.
Obed would be a blessing to Naomi in another way: He would one day care for the family that brought him into the world, including his grandmother Naomi. Boaz had redeemed the family inheritance; now Obed would continue the family line, protect the inheritance, and use it to sustain Naomi. He would live up to his name and be a “servant” to Naomi, his “foster mother.”
Obed would bring blessing to Bethlehem. The child would bring fame to both the family name and the name of his native town. Elimelech’s name almost disappeared from Israel, but Obed would make that name famous and bring glory to Bethlehem. This happened, of course, through the life and ministry of King David (v. 22) and of David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ. Naomi would have the comfort of knowing that the family name would not perish but increase in fame.
Obed would bring blessing to Israel. Obed was the grandfather of King David, one of Israel’s greatest rulers.
Obed would bring blessing to the whole world. Little did those Bethlehemites know that God had great plans for that little boy! Obed would have a son named Jesse; and Jesse would have eight sons, the youngest of which would be David the king (1 Sam. 16:6–13).1 The greatest thing God did for David was not to give him victory over his enemies or wealth for the building of the temple. The greatest privilege God gave him was that of being the ancestor of the Messiah.
Remember that the next time you behold a baby or a child, that little one might be one for whom God has planned a great future. The medieval teacher who always tipped his hat to his pupils had the right idea, for among them perhaps was a future general or emperor.
The lineage
Because of this marriage, this child became a gateway for a nation that was separated from God could be restored. Up to this time, God ha place a cure on the nation of Moab, which prevented them from entering His congregation “Even to the tenth generation” (Deuteronomy 23:3). This little Book of Ruth closes with a ten-generation that climaxes with the name of David.
Ruth 4:18 - 22
18 This is the family history of Perez, the father of Hezron. 19 Hezron was the father of Ram, who was the father of Amminadab. 20 Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, who was the father of Salmon. 21 Salmon was the father of Boaz, who was the father of Obed. 22 Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.
The grace of God was evident in that He included several non-Israelites in the line of David. Since this was the line through which Christ came, it foreshadowed God’s inclusion of Gentiles in the work of David’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Four non-Israelite women are mentioned in Christ’s genealogy in Matthew 1—Tamar (Matt. 1:3), Rahab (Matt. 1:5), Ruth (Matt. 1:5), and Uriah’s wife, who was Bathsheba (Matt. 1:6). Tamar was a Canaanite, who became the mother of Judah’s children, Perez and Zerah. Rahab was a Canaanite harlot in Jericho who became an ancestress of Boaz. Ruth was a Moabitess who became the mother of Obed. Since Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon by David, had been the wife of Uriah, the Hittite, it was probable that she too was a Hittite.
The Book of Ruth reminds us that God is at work in our world, seeking a bride and reaping a harvest; and we must find our place in His program of winning the lost. The events in the Book of Ruth occurred during the period of the Judges, a time not much different from our own day. If you focus only on the evils of our day, you’ll become pessimistic and cynical; but, if you ask God what field He wants you to work in and faithfully serve Him, you’ll experience His grace, love, and joy.
As we leave the book of Ruth, let  us remember that this was written during the times of the Judges where the phrase “No King” is mentioned four time (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25) and people did as they saw fit and is followed by the books of I & II Samuel. In I Samuel we the book of “man’s king,” when God gave Saul to Israel because they asked for him. Things will get so bad in our world that the nations will one day cry out for a king to feed them and protect them. That king will appear; and we call him the Antichrist.
But I Samuel isn’t the end of the story, for II Samuel is the book of God’s king! David did appear on the scene, and he did establish the kingdom in the name of the Lord. Likewise, when man’s king has done his worst, God’s King will appear, judge this evil world, put away ungodliness, and then establish His glorious kingdom.
Meanwhile, even though we must live in an evil time like the age of the Judges when there was no king in Israel, we can still seek first the kingdom of God and be loyal subjects of the King of kings (Matt. 6:33). The name Elimelech means “my God is king,” but Elimelech didn’t live up to his name, for he doubted God and disobeyed Him. Even though there is no king in Israel and all around us everything seems to be falling apart, there can be a King in our lives, reigning in our hearts.
The Book of Ruth beautifully illustrates God’s work of salvation. The story opens with Ruth as an outsider, a stranger, but it ends with Ruth as a member of the covenant community because she has married Boaz, her kinsman redeemer. He paid the price for her to be redeemed.
Have you put yourself at the feet of the Lord of the harvest? Until you do, God can never be to you all that He wants to be. Never underestimate the power of the grace of God.