THE SWEET BITTER PROVIDENCE OF GODS PERFECT TIMING PART TWO
Ruth 2:4-23
God is a God of perfect timing.
God’s timing is perfect in
knowledge and He knows our Past, Present, and Future.
God’s timing is perfect and
always on time; and He is never late or early.
God’s timing helps us grow in
faith in every circumstance.
God’s timing ensures that His
will is done, not ours.
God’s timing allows us to see
His faithfulness.
God’s timing is not limited by human constraints or expectations.
God’s timing is a reflection of His love and His holy character.
God’s timing leads to the best outcomes.
They came to the “House of
Bread” right when the grain
was perfect for harvesting.
Same is true in our redemption,
God draws sinner to Himself with the gift of a faith, and this faith is what we
act upon because our faith is not in something…. but in someone,
Jesus Christ. See, God’s timing helps us
recognize His grace. Why?
God is the source of grace ...........“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus....” 1 Peter 5:10
Grace is God’s throne...........“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace...” Heb 4:16
Grace is God’s work in the believer........“Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thess 1:11-12
Grace is God’s Gospel........ “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24
Grace is the source of our:
Election (Rom 11:5)
The call of God (Gal 1:15)
Justification (Rom 3:24)
Faith (Acts 18:27)
Forgiveness of sin (Eph 1:7)
Salvation (Acts 15:11)
Hope (2 Thess 2:16)
Here is a picture of God’s grace towards one another. Charles Spurgeon and Joseph Parker both had churches in London in the 19th century. On one occasion, Parker commented on the poor condition of children admitted to Spurgeon's orphanage. It was reported to Spurgeon however, that Parker had criticized the orphanage itself. Spurgeon blasted Parker the next week from the pulpit. The attack was printed in the newspapers and became the talk of the town. People flocked to Parker's church the next Sunday to hear his rebuttal. "I understand Dr. Spurgeon is not in his pulpit today, and this is the Sunday they use to take an offering for the orphanage. I suggest we take a love offering here instead." The crowd was delighted. The ushers had to empty the collection plates 3 times. Later that week there was a knock at Parker's study. It was Spurgeon. "You know Parker; you have practiced grace on me. You have given me not what I deserved; you have given me what I needed.
God’s grace is always sufficient as John Piper wrote, “Grace is the pleasure of God to magnify the worth of God by giving sinners the right and power to delight in God without obscuring the glory of God.” Unlike Ruth, Naomi stayed back, because her heart is bitter and its in this bitterness she cannot see God’s grace. “Go, my daughter” (v2) Something to consider here briefly! Whether its despair, bitterness, or grief, that drove Naomi’s inaction, it is certainly a problem that many in the church even today are faced with. When we stop believing in God’s goodness and grace in our lives, it gives us over to doubt and worry. We easily sink into despairing inactivity, which can lead to a downward spiral to make our situation seem worse, and deepens our despair. This leads us to be less inclined to step out into what we believe to be a hostile world. The key to breaking this is to remind ourselves of God’s redeeming and sustaining grace through each and every day.
Grace gives life to spiritually dead rebels like us, as Paul beautifully lays out exactly what Christ did for you and me to remind ourselves of this grace. “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,”
Eph 2:1-8.
God grace has given us not what we deserved; God have given us what we needed, a Saviour to redeem this wretched soul. Grace justifies the ungodly and its this grace that is bestowed on someone who doesn’t deserve it, and can not earn it. “Grace is receiving God’s absolute best when we deserve the absolute worst!”
Ruth fits this bill perfectly, and so did you, before and after you were saved by His grace through His Son Jesus Christ.
Ruth
is a poor woman who cannot offer or pay for anything.
Ruth
is a foreigner in a strange land.
Ruth
is the lowest or the bottom of the barrel according to worldly standards.
Ruth
as no one in her life, except her mother in-law Naomi.
Ruth
is a poster child of a lost humanity of any age or generation.
Ruth
is a poster child of a sinner who is outside the covenant family of God.
Ruth
is a poster child of a world that is bankrupt that has no claim on God’s mercy.
That’s the grace of God to lost sinners like Ruth, which centuries later Paul would pen these wonderful words “Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,” Eph 2:11-19
We know that this is a time of dark days according to what we find in the book of Judges and the beginning verses of this letter. (1-v1) But in God’s providence we see a small remnant of those who desire to follow God and His truth. We are living in dark times, but there still is a small remnant of people who love the Lord and desire to follow Him to the very end. The Gospel is still going forth, despite God’s covenant people’s rebellion, and love for sin. We come to the part of God’s plan where a man who is considered a Christ type comes on the scene for the first time. We are introduced to a man who is a prime example of what light looks like in a dark and hopeless world.
Is this divine coincidence?
No, this is the perfect timing of God’s goodness and grace over His creation. His name is Boaz. a man whose name means great strength., a great warrior, a Christ type! There are not enough good things that could be said about Boaz. Why? We can learn a lot about a person’s first words as we see when Boaz arrives to his fields from Bethlehem. He greets his servants by saying, “The LORD be with you” to his workers respond in kind. “The LORD bless you.” (v4) These exchanges of words are written so that we can see what kind of a man Boaz is like. We immediately see that Boaz honors the LORD and respects his workers. Compare this greeting with Nabal when David’s sends his men to greet him and ask him for food. “When David's young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited. And Nabal answered David's servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” 1 Sam 25:9-11. What we learn from Nabal’s greeting, if you can call it that is…. He is an arrogant, proud, selfish, and heartless individual; or as we read in the Scriptures, “a worthless man” 1 Sam 25:17
We can learn a lot about a person’s first words. When the writer, writes that Boaz was a worthy man, he means that he is as strong man of character and valor. Boaz, was a man who was highly respected in the community. Boaz, was very wealthy and at the same time very generous. Boaz took care of his workers and saw to it that justice prevailed. Boaz, was godly man who feared the LORD and desired to live according to God. Boaz, was of the clan of Elimelech bloodline. This is the sweet bitter providence of God, as He demonstrates grace to two lowly women. What we witness here is God’s grace at work in a person like Ruth who clearly doesn’t deserve it according to Scriptures. What do I mean?
1ST BOAZ TOOK THE INITIATIVE (V5-V7)
He took the initiative to seek out Ruth “Whose young woman is this? It’s interesting he doesn’t ask “Who is she, but “Whose is she?” The foreman of the workers responds by saying, “She is that foreigner that came back with Naomi. (v6) The foreman continues, “She doesn’t belong anywhere, but I can tell you, she worked like a dog in this hot sun all day.” (v7) Boaz, indeed knew of whom the foreman spoke of; he had heard about Ruth abandoning her people and land for Naomi’s sake. (v11-v12) And now he finds her faithfully hard at work in his field for the sake of her mother-in-law, in spite of their social standings. See! Grace means that God makes the first move to come to our aid, not because we deserve it, but because He loves us and wants us for Himself. “We love because He first loved us...” 1 John 4:19. God took the initiative when we were spiritually dead…. When we were with out understanding and without strength. When we were a sinner blinded with our rebellion. When we were enemies of God, having no hope. God initiated first.
Michael Horton wrote,
“The power of God unto salvation is not our passion
for God, but the passion He has exhibited toward us sinners by sending His own
Son to redeem us.”
This is why…. salvation is an act of God, because it is initiated by God, fashioned by God, and sustained by God. Boaz, sought out Ruth, because He showed a great concern for her; just as God does for you, and me, though His redemption.
2ND
BOAZ SPOKE TO RUTH (V8)
Here is where we see the Christ-type in Boaz displaying the grace that God pours out over us. (v8-v12). It was Boaz who first spoke to her.......for she would not dare to speak to a man especially one who was a stranger. What right did a widow, and an alien, have to address a great man like Boaz? Nothing! Take the woman at the well when she was confronted with the Son of God... found in John 4:7-42 where Jesus said “give me drink” (v7)
What
right do we have to be a part of the grace
that God bestows on us?
Nothing! That’s why its grace, and God does this by instructing and speaking to us through His written Word despite who we were once. As R C Sproul wrote, “To know that God knows everything about me and yet loves me is indeed my ultimate consolation.” Same is true here, as Boaz instructs Ruth in what to do by his grace and kindness. (v8-v12) Can you imagine the impact these words had on Ruth as an outsider? These were the first kind words she had heard since she left Moab. And to top it off, they were a blessing that sought God’s favor upon her as if she was a member of the covenant community. She responds correctly to the blessings of Boaz with awe and adoration. (v10) And this is how we respond to God speaking to us through the gospel that saves our soul for all eternity as He welcomes us into the His covenant community.
3RD BOAZ PROMISED TO PROTECT RUTH AND PROVIDE FOR HER NEEDS (V8, V15-16)
Boaz called Ruth “my daughter” this is a term of endearment. (v8) Boaz was treating her as a member of the family, someone close and dear to him. Boaz tells Ruth to stay near his own women workers and follow them. Boaz instructs the young men not to interfere or harm Ruth, for she is an easy target and very vulnerable. This is what a godly man does with God’s daughters. Looking out for their physical safety in a male dominated work environment. A great example of this is David love for Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel chapter 9. David, showed Christlike love and kindness towards Jonathan’s son. David showed amazing grace to the last remaining family member of Saul’s clan. A crippled son who by today’s standards if you were living in the province of Quebec or certain countries in Europe is a prime candidate for euthanasia.
Mephibosheth would be considered today as… A waste of time, and not worth your effort, or care. He has no real value of life, an outcast by societies standards. He is someone who can’t and doesn’t contribute anything to society. But David never though that, he said "Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually." 2 Sam 9:7
That’s
a beautiful picture of God’s grace
towards you and me.
And Mephibosheth properly responses to David’s grace. “Then he bowed himself, and said, "What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?" 2 Sam 9:8. Same is true in my life! Lord why would you want to save a wretched like me? It’s all of Grace! This could only be by His sovereign grace to show such favour and kindness. This could only be grace, that Boaz welcomed a foreigner into the fold of his family and provide for her needs and declare her “my daughter.” Boaz sharply contrast Naomi, as he demonstrates the true nature of godly character. Naomi pictures God as a harsh judge, but Boaz recognizes that God protects and cares for His children. Ruth responds with thankfulness and humility, as we do when the gospel regenerates our hearts from darkness to light though the gospel. (v13)
4TH BOAZ ENCOURAGED RUTH (V14-16)
Boaz does this by giving her a seat at his table and to glean his fields as much as she needs. This is amazing grace! Why? Boaz went above and beyond what was required of him by the Mosaic Law. He was only required to permit Ruth to glean what was left after it was harvested; but he urges her to glean with his workers of the harvest. Boaz demonstrates the spirit of God’s law being kind to strangers and caring for widows. Boaz looked past this poor Moabite widow and displayed to us the grace that God gives to each and anyone us so freely today otherwise you wouldn’t be here! This act of compassion describes the gospel! Undeserving of this kind of love, but God gives us a seat at His Table. (Institute of the Lord’s supper Matt 26:26-29) Boaz, saw that she was satisfied (v14) she had more than she could eat, and which it seems she carried home to her mother-in-law. (v18). The joy of having enough food is a hard concept for us to grasp for we are use to satisfying our appetites more than three times a day.
What a feast that must
have been for Ruth!
This is what we receive by God’s grace in His Son, fully satisfying the heart of the redeemed. “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.” Pslam 36:7-9. The believer will always find complete satisfaction in the Son and the abundance of His grace that He bestows on each and every one of us. We just need to be like Ruth, and humbly come into that refugee, that He has prepared before the foundations of the world. Eph 1:1-3. That He has prepared and completed through Jesus Christ our Lord! Phil 1:6. As the late great reformer Richard Baxter said “As we paid nothing for God’s eternal love and nothing for the Son of His love, and nothing for His Spirit and our grace and faith, and nothing for our eternal rest…..What an astonishing thought it will be to think of the unmeasurable difference between our deserving’s and our receiving’s. O, how free was all this love, and how free is this enjoyed glory......So then let “Deserved” be written on the floor of hell, but on the door of heaven and life, “The Free Gift”. Boaz gave Ruth a kindness that went beyond the letter of the law, just as God the Father did for us, by sending His only Son. This is the gospel that the prophets foretold, and what the apostles proclaimed to the church. This is what the church continues to sing, praise, read, and preach about. This is the gospel that saves the Ruth’s of this world, those who are a far off from the covenant blessings of God. God will bless those who take refuge in Him without boundaries. Boaz displays Gods love and how it has no boundaries. Our suffering is for our own good and personal growth in His grace.
Grace truly means falling under…. His unlimited supply of sovereign mercy. His providential provisions to live out this life despite circumstances. His refugee through the gospel to be declared “His son and daughter.” His sovereign grace and providence in our lives? In everything!
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