One night as the famous Bible teacher F.B. Meyer stood on the deck of a ship approaching land, he wondered how the crew knew when and how to safely steer to the dock. It was a stormy night, and visibility was low. Meyer, standing on the bridge and peering through the window, asked, "Captain, how do you know when to turn this ship into that narrow harbor?"
"That’s an art," replied the captain. "Do you see those three red lights on the shore? When they're all in a straight line I go right in!"
Later Meyer said: "When we want to know God's will, there are three things which always occur: the inward impulse, the Word of God, and the trend of circumstances.... Never act until these three things agree." ("F.B. Meyer's Formula," Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, & Quotes, [Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 2000], 369)
George Truett said, "To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge. To do the will of God is the greatest achievement" (Ibid, 368). So when the three lights line up—the inward prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the circumstances of life—then you know the will of God, and what remains is to act on it.
A.W. Tozer added this thought: "The man or woman who is wholly and joyously surrendered to Christ can't make a wrong choice—any choice will be the right one" (Ibid). When you are wholly surrendered to Christ, your life will be in the complete control of God's Spirit and you will be led in only one direction—the direction God has for you. All that remains is to follow Him—to act upon God's lead.
When you make it a practice of following God's lead in your life, your life will become a blend of faith and action. Your faith will discover where God is leading and your actions will follow in that direction. You will learn to discern God's direction or will in your life, and then follow where He is leading and moving. When God leads—by faith, act!
The three main characters in our story—Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz—act by faith upon God's lead. These three characters each show us a special characteristic that will be seen in our lives as we learn to follow God's lead. Today we will consider Naomi's example.
For nearly three months, while the barley harvest was being completed, it seems that nothing was happening in the Ruth-Boaz story. Life goes on. Day by day, Ruth continues to glean with the servants of Boaz, and day by day, her daily needs are met (Ruth 2). As time passed, Naomi and Ruth must have been wondering what was going to happen. Would Boaz fulfill his role as Ruth's "kinsman redeemer," or would he not? Will he continue to take care of their daily needs? They simply had to wait and see.
Can you imagine what these women were going through? Waiting is difficult at the best of times, but our ability to wait upon God depends on how we understand Him. This brings us back to "the central theological message of the book which is that of the hidden, but active, God, who is at work continuously in the lives of His people, even when they think nothing is happening. There is not the slightest hint that this overruling sovereignty for one moment limits the freedom of our human actions or the dignity of our choices. Sometimes, God disappears completely into the tapestry of everyday life and we assume that He has forgotten us in our daily routine with its pressures, hassles, and uncertainties" (David Jackman, The Preacher's Commentary, Vol. 7: Judges, Ruth, [Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1991], 329). But He has not! The God "who works all things according to the counsel of His will" (Eph. 1:11) is always there, even as we wait.
As we pick up the story in Ruth chapter 3, if we look through the lens of today, Naomi appears to be that scheming mother-in-law who pushes Ruth forward in hopes that her own plans would succeed. Ruth comes across as somewhat forward, if not immodest, as she literally throws herself at Boaz. But apply the lens of the ancient world, and all things change. There are basic cultural practices written into the Law of Israel which govern the story at this point.
Israel was created by God's call to be a unique people. When we describe the nation-state as a theocracy, we mean literally that God was its King, its covenant Lord. As such, God called Abram to a new land and promised this land to his descendents (Gen. 12:1, 7). In Exodus, God led His people Israel out of bondage and delivered them into this land. The land was God's free gift to His people. This was His part of the covenant He had made with them. The peoples' response is to be that of love and loyalty to God, shown by their obedience.
Please note, however, that Israel's obedience is not the means by which they earn God's grace and favor. Rather, obedience is seen as the expression of gratitude for the mercy already given. They were created to serve God, and obedience is an aspect of His comprehensive blessing.
Following the conquest of Israel, the land was divided up among the tribes as their inheritance from the Lord. So they were leaseholders. They had no absolute rights to the land. They could not part with the family portion or sell it whenever they wished, because it was not theirs. It belonged to God. But He had given it forever to the family as a mark of His Blessing.
But what if poverty struck? Could they realize the value of the land to alleviate their suffering? The Law was clear: "The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for You are strangers and sojourners with Me. And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land. If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold. Or if the man has no one to redeem it, but he himself becomes able to redeem it, then let him count the years since its sale, and restore the balance to the man to whom he sold it, that he may return to his possession. But if he is not able to have it restored to himself, then what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee; and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his possession." (Lev. 25:23-28)
It was the duty of the nearest relation or kinsman to redeem the land, to buy it back for the family. It is this provision which Naomi was wanting to invoke. We learn later in Ruth 4:9, that Elimelech owned property that Naomi had to sell because of her poverty. She, therefore, plans to call on Boaz, as a kinsman, to become the redeemer and thus to ransom the family property. But there is more.
The Jewish law further provides for a man to marry the widow of his deceased brother if no heir has been born. The widow was not to remarry outside the family, but the brother of the deceased husband was to raise up an heir for his dead brother so that his name might be perpetuated and his family inheritance continue to be possessed by the family. This is spelled out in Deuteronomy 25:5–10, where the force of the passage is that, while such a marriage is the right of the nearest kinsman, it is not a duty to be forced upon him. It is a right that he can feel free to lay aside.
The important point, of which Naomi was most certainly aware, concerns the fact that the "kinsman-redeemer" acts out of compassion and commitment, rather than compulsion or mere duty. Naomi wants Boaz not only to ransom Elimelech's property, but also to marry the widow of her husband's rightful heir, Ruth, and so to establish the name of her husband and son, and to return the family to its proper status in Bethlehem.
In all of this, Naomi is simply trying to discover God's will and she is directly following God's Word. In Ruth 3:1, she says to Ruth, "Shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?" "Seek security" can be translated, "find a home" (NIV). The Hebrew word literally means, "find rest." What is implied is the security and benefits found in marriage by a woman in Israel. It was customary for parents to arrange marriages (in this case, Naomi for Ruth). The motive: "that it may be well with you" (v. 1b), or that Ruth may be well provided for.
Naomi interpreted Boaz's kindness to Ruth as an indication of his interest in her, possibly indicating a willingness to be that "kinsman-redeemer" for Ruth. The inward impulse, the Word of God, and the circumstances all lined up, so Naomi acted upon God’s lead and sent Ruth to the threshing floor to find out Boaz's intentions in the matter: "Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do" (vs. 2-4).
Ruth complied: "And she said to her, 'All that you say to me I will do'" (v. 5). Ruth followed the custom of the day, just as Naomi had instructed. In this manner, Ruth made clear to Boaz her willingness to marry him. God led, and Naomi acted upon His lead by faith. That is what God would have us do as well. Let God lead through the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit, through His Word, and through life's circumstances. When all three line up, like Naomi, act upon His lead. Amen.
When you make it a practice of following God's lead in your life, your life will become a blend of faith and action. Your faith will discover where God is leading and your actions will follow in that direction. You will learn to discern God's direction or will in your life, and then follow where He is leading and moving. When God leads—by faith, act!
The three main characters in our story—Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz—act by faith upon God's lead. These three characters each show us a special characteristic that will be seen in our lives as we learn to follow God's lead. Today we will consider Naomi's example.
For nearly three months, while the barley harvest was being completed, it seems that nothing was happening in the Ruth-Boaz story. Life goes on. Day by day, Ruth continues to glean with the servants of Boaz, and day by day, her daily needs are met (Ruth 2). As time passed, Naomi and Ruth must have been wondering what was going to happen. Would Boaz fulfill his role as Ruth's "kinsman redeemer," or would he not? Will he continue to take care of their daily needs? They simply had to wait and see.
Can you imagine what these women were going through? Waiting is difficult at the best of times, but our ability to wait upon God depends on how we understand Him. This brings us back to "the central theological message of the book which is that of the hidden, but active, God, who is at work continuously in the lives of His people, even when they think nothing is happening. There is not the slightest hint that this overruling sovereignty for one moment limits the freedom of our human actions or the dignity of our choices. Sometimes, God disappears completely into the tapestry of everyday life and we assume that He has forgotten us in our daily routine with its pressures, hassles, and uncertainties" (David Jackman, The Preacher's Commentary, Vol. 7: Judges, Ruth, [Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1991], 329). But He has not! The God "who works all things according to the counsel of His will" (Eph. 1:11) is always there, even as we wait.
As we pick up the story in Ruth chapter 3, if we look through the lens of today, Naomi appears to be that scheming mother-in-law who pushes Ruth forward in hopes that her own plans would succeed. Ruth comes across as somewhat forward, if not immodest, as she literally throws herself at Boaz. But apply the lens of the ancient world, and all things change. There are basic cultural practices written into the Law of Israel which govern the story at this point.
Israel was created by God's call to be a unique people. When we describe the nation-state as a theocracy, we mean literally that God was its King, its covenant Lord. As such, God called Abram to a new land and promised this land to his descendents (Gen. 12:1, 7). In Exodus, God led His people Israel out of bondage and delivered them into this land. The land was God's free gift to His people. This was His part of the covenant He had made with them. The peoples' response is to be that of love and loyalty to God, shown by their obedience.
Please note, however, that Israel's obedience is not the means by which they earn God's grace and favor. Rather, obedience is seen as the expression of gratitude for the mercy already given. They were created to serve God, and obedience is an aspect of His comprehensive blessing.
Following the conquest of Israel, the land was divided up among the tribes as their inheritance from the Lord. So they were leaseholders. They had no absolute rights to the land. They could not part with the family portion or sell it whenever they wished, because it was not theirs. It belonged to God. But He had given it forever to the family as a mark of His Blessing.
But what if poverty struck? Could they realize the value of the land to alleviate their suffering? The Law was clear: "The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for You are strangers and sojourners with Me. And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land. If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold. Or if the man has no one to redeem it, but he himself becomes able to redeem it, then let him count the years since its sale, and restore the balance to the man to whom he sold it, that he may return to his possession. But if he is not able to have it restored to himself, then what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee; and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his possession." (Lev. 25:23-28)
It was the duty of the nearest relation or kinsman to redeem the land, to buy it back for the family. It is this provision which Naomi was wanting to invoke. We learn later in Ruth 4:9, that Elimelech owned property that Naomi had to sell because of her poverty. She, therefore, plans to call on Boaz, as a kinsman, to become the redeemer and thus to ransom the family property. But there is more.
The Jewish law further provides for a man to marry the widow of his deceased brother if no heir has been born. The widow was not to remarry outside the family, but the brother of the deceased husband was to raise up an heir for his dead brother so that his name might be perpetuated and his family inheritance continue to be possessed by the family. This is spelled out in Deuteronomy 25:5–10, where the force of the passage is that, while such a marriage is the right of the nearest kinsman, it is not a duty to be forced upon him. It is a right that he can feel free to lay aside.
The important point, of which Naomi was most certainly aware, concerns the fact that the "kinsman-redeemer" acts out of compassion and commitment, rather than compulsion or mere duty. Naomi wants Boaz not only to ransom Elimelech's property, but also to marry the widow of her husband's rightful heir, Ruth, and so to establish the name of her husband and son, and to return the family to its proper status in Bethlehem.
In all of this, Naomi is simply trying to discover God's will and she is directly following God's Word. In Ruth 3:1, she says to Ruth, "Shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?" "Seek security" can be translated, "find a home" (NIV). The Hebrew word literally means, "find rest." What is implied is the security and benefits found in marriage by a woman in Israel. It was customary for parents to arrange marriages (in this case, Naomi for Ruth). The motive: "that it may be well with you" (v. 1b), or that Ruth may be well provided for.
Naomi interpreted Boaz's kindness to Ruth as an indication of his interest in her, possibly indicating a willingness to be that "kinsman-redeemer" for Ruth. The inward impulse, the Word of God, and the circumstances all lined up, so Naomi acted upon God’s lead and sent Ruth to the threshing floor to find out Boaz's intentions in the matter: "Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do" (vs. 2-4).
Ruth complied: "And she said to her, 'All that you say to me I will do'" (v. 5). Ruth followed the custom of the day, just as Naomi had instructed. In this manner, Ruth made clear to Boaz her willingness to marry him. God led, and Naomi acted upon His lead by faith. That is what God would have us do as well. Let God lead through the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit, through His Word, and through life's circumstances. When all three line up, like Naomi, act upon His lead. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment