GOD’S PROMISE
Ruth 4:1-12
Has someone ever made a promise to you and then broke it? Have you ever broken a promise? O course the answer to both of these questions is yes. This is one of the reasons we have a hard time following God. Yes we all know that God never breaks a promise, but the devil has a way of slipping a little doubt into our mind. The longer we have to wait the easier it is to begin to doubt God.
Just A Thought
List 3 promises from God that you have doubted.
1. ________________________
2. ________________________
3. ________________________
Proposal
Ruth 4:1-7
We find Boaz going to the city gate. This was the city hall of those days. It was at the gate of the city where official and legal business took place. Now I believe that Boaz really wanted to marry Ruth and yet he didn’t just start demanding what he wanted. Instead he followed the laws given for this type of situation. Boaz simply had to trust God. There are times in life that you have absolutely no control over what is happening and all you can do is be patient and watch God work.
It is very important for us to notice how Boaz handled this entire situation. When the other man said he would redeem the land, Boaz could have got mad and stormed off crying; but instead he simply pointed out all of the facts. By doing this the other man realized that he would not just be getting land but Ruth also. This would mess everything up for this man, so he had to pass this opportunity on to Boaz.
We know many of the promises that God has given us, but often times things don’t happen in our time so we storm off and miss out what God is doing. We must be patient and not jump to conclusions. When God makes a promise He holds good to it.
Purchase
Ruth 4:8-12
The transaction was made official by the kinsman taking his shoe off and handing it to Boaz. This represented the giving over the right to walk on and work on the land. This did not mean full ownership because the Israelites knew who the owner of everything was and that was God.
I love this story because everybody wins. That is the point in the Book of Ruth. Through God, we always win. It may not be on our terms, our time, etc…; but God promises us that He will never leave us or forsake us and that we will receive our full inheritance as His children.
Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. He bought each one of us with a price. That price was His blood shed upon a cross. Just as Boaz redeemed Ruth and therefore she became His wife, so has Jesus redeemed believers and we as the Church are also the Bride of Christ and become His wife. What great love Christ has for His Bride. His presence is with us. He provides for us. He has a plan for us. And, He will continue to fulfill His promises to us.
Wednesday Evening Bible Study
Series: God Is On The Job (Study In Ruth) #4
April 30, 2003
Bel Aire Baptist Church
Pastor Shawn Drake
