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Thank you, brother Gary, very much. And thank you for coming this morning. It's nice to have you with us. If you're joining us for the first time, it's been my pleasure to speak to those present on the Book of Ruth. My brother Gary McBride, who is, uh, my colleague during this conference. He too comes from Ontario, and we have enjoyed as a group, I'm sure, his ministry. Particularly, I appreciated his comments last night on the difference between the Lord's table and the Lord's Supper.
Precious indeed, and I hope that you'll go back to First Corinthians ten and First Corinthians in eleven and enjoy those passages and enjoy the truths they contain. In our study for this morning, we have arrived at the third chapter of the book of Ruth, this very, very precious love story. And as we began by saying yesterday morning, that if you're not interested in a good love story, you're free to leave anytime. But to me, this is one of the most precious, not only in scripture, but in secular literature as well.
We've seen the sovereignty of God in the life of a young widow. Her name was Ruth. She was living in Moab, which was an idolatrous country. Her husband had died, as had her father-in-law and a brother-in-law. And now, and at that point in time, three women, Naomi, the mother-in-law, Ruth, and her sister-in-law, Orpah, are making a decision. They stand on the border between Moab and Judah.
Ruth says, I'm going back, I'm sorry, Naomi, the mother-in-law says, I'm going back to Bethlehem. I've heard there's food and provision there. And, uh, he gives, she gives the daughters-in-law the opportunity to go back to Moab, that she said to find rest. And in using that term, she really meant to find another husband and the rest and provision and protection that a husband should give. And so there's a great discussion between the three of them. Finally, Ruth turns to Naomi, her mother-in-law, and she says, I'm going with you.
Orpah, whose name meant double-minded, said, I'm going back to Moab. She did. She fades into history while Ruth goes with her mother-in-law to Bethlehem, becomes, uh, the bride ultimately of a man named Boaz, and we have the joy of seeing her name in the family tree of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. What a choice these dear young women had to make on that day. The results were very significant, and the result that you make this morning in this service, believer or unbeliever, could be very significant as well.
If you're not saved and you reject Christ, you might go out to meet God in your sins. If you, you will go if you die that way, into God's presence and to meet him in a sinful condition. But if you acknowledge your sinership and claim the Savior is yours, you can be like Ruth and go on into God's land, she a physical land, but as far as you and I are concerned, a spiritual land, heaven with all of its innumerable blessings. And so, a choice to be made. How are you going to decide this morning as we go through our story?
We learned yesterday morning that Ruth was one of possibly some eighty women who were engaged in bringing in the harvest from the field that was owned by a man named Boaz. And she just happened, so it appeared, to land at that field where we, she would have the opportunity of gleaning. And we learned that gleaning was to pick up the parts of the grain, the sheaves had been left on the ground, to go into the corners of the field, and she had the right, as a person who was poor and in need of, uh, help for food, to go into those corners, to take what was there, because the Mosaic law had so declared.
And so Ruth is actively involved. She was just one of, as I have said, possibly eighty women so engaged. And as Boaz, the owner of the field, came along to see how things were going in the harvest, his eye fell, I believe, on the beautiful young woman named Ruth. Turns to his foreman, and he said, who's that young woman? Why, she's the Moabitus woman. She just came back with, um, her mother-in-law, and, uh, she asked permission today to glean here in the field, and I gave it to her.
And so he knew who she was, and we learned in our study last night it was possible that he had even made some inquiries about her, to learn more about her. Obviously, he had an interest. And so, Ruth has learned that as far as God is concerned, he is sovereign, and he put her in that place so that she in turn could be seen by Boaz, and then through today's, this morning's lesson, and this even- afternoon, we're going to see the result of that, uh, acquaintance, and we'll trust that the Lord will bless it to each and every one of us.
If I was to give my message of this morning a title, I would merely call it Ruth's Proposal. And as we come through the passage, you can see how Ruth really rep- uh, proposes to Boaz, this mighty man of wealth. We learned that he was a near of kin to her departed husband, and as a right under the law, if a man was a kinsman, he had the opportunity and the privilege to buy all the assets of the deceased, including, including his wife. And so it was perfectly legitimate under the law for Boaz to buy Ruth to be his wife.
And we're going to learn some interesting, uh, lessons and themes as we come into chapter four this afternoon. But this is Ruth's proposal in this chapter. Let's read together in verses one to five uh of Ruth chapter three. Now, Naomi, her mother-in-law, said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee? Get that phrase again. Naomi was anxious that her daughter-in-law find a husband and find a rest such a relationship would give, that it may be well with thee.
And now, is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winneth barley tonight on in the threshing floor. Wash thyself, therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor. But make not thyself known unto the man until he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he hath lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie down. And thou shalt go in and uncover his feet and lay thee down, and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me, I will do. And she went down onto the floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had bade her. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn, and she came softly and uncovered his feet and laid her down. And it came to pass at midnight that the man was afraid and turned himself, and behold, a woman lay at his feet, and he said, Who art thou? She answered, I am Ruth, thine handmaiden.
Spread therefore thy skirt or thy robe over thy handmaiden, for thou art a near of kin. And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter, for thou hast showed not, showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followest not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not, I will do to thee all that thou requirest, for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman.
How be it, there is a kinsman nearer than I. Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning that, uh, if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well, let him do that as a kinsman's part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee. As the Lord liveth, lie down until the morning. And she lay at his feet until the morning, and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
Also he said, bring me the veil that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she had held it, he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her, and she went into the city. And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her. And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me, for he said to me, go not empty unto thy mother-in-law. Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall, for the man will not be at rest until he hath finished the thing this day.
Father, please bless this precious passage to us. May we see in it our Lord Jesus Christ and ourselves as well. We pray with a thankful heart. Amen. We read in verses one to five of a rest that Naomi desired for Ruth. Being husbandless in that society, as in our own, where so often a young woman feels the need and the protection of a God-fearing man, why, this was of utmost concern. But when you stop to think of it, what mother doesn't want a godly young man as a son-in-law and as the husband of her daughter?
I want to encourage every young person here. Brethren, sisters, make sure as you prepare and seek a mate that you yourself are in touch with God. You've known what it was to go into God's presence, pleading for him, with him, that he might provide the man or the woman of his choosing. None other will satisfy and bless you. And so this was Ruth's desire, and certainly Naomi's as well.
There was that God-directed longing, I believe, in the heart of Naomi and in Ruth, that she find a man that God would send her way. I guess the important thing is this: make certain God sends him into your life, or you into hers. I've had the pleasure and privilege of marrying a number of young couples. Before I do, I insist on about six sessions with them to talk over the beauty and responsibility of a marriage relationship. But you know, as I look back over them, of more than thirty of them, I think there's at least two that have ended in divorce, and others maybe that aren't as happy as they wish they were.
What am I, what am I saying? I'm simply saying this: you make certain, absolutely certain, that the one whose heart you seem to be having a desire for knows God and is giving his or her life to Christ. It is only then that you will know the joy of a truly happy marriage relationship. So Ruth had found that there was a man that was interested in her, really, and uh, we noted in the verses that we read that Naomi, when she learned of it, she had a plan.
And it's an interesting plan, isn't it? Certainly not the kind of a plan the normal mother-in-law would have in our day, but in the first five verses, we read of a rest that could be provided for Ruth. And, uh, I will seek, shall I not seek a rest for thee, verse one. And, uh, then she begins to tell Ruth what her master plan is, and it's most interesting. She encourages her to wash herself, to take the special, uh, beautifully scented perfumes and ointments, and to anoint herself.
And then, having done that, she said, now go down to the threshing floor in time for the evening meal, but don't let Boaz see you. Just keep out of eyesight. But when he is finished eating and has had his meal, and he's happy and content. You keep your eye on him and note where he goes to sleep. He will go to the pile of grain that's there on the threshing floor, and he is really protecting what his, uh, workers have harvested through the day, and he's going to rest there for the night.
And when you see him do that, you go to him softly, and uh, as he lays down, you go to him and just lift the, she uses the word the skirt, really his long robe. And at the end of the day, uh, a man of that era would, as he lays down to rest, use his long robe as a blanket over top of him. She says, you just pick up the corner of that and lay under it, and uh, then we'll see what will happen as far as this man, who is a judge in Israel, will have to say.
He knows the routine, he knows his obligations under God and before us, and we'll see what happens. And so Ruth does that. It's an unusual situation, isn't it? And as I have said, certainly not common, uh, to our culture. But Ruth is a picture, I would like to think, of the repentant sinner. We'd already suggested yesterday that Ruth had put her trust in God. But now what does she do? She goes to Boaz, who is sound asleep. She lifts up the corner of that blanket, makes herself comfortable at his feet, takes it and throws it over herself.
And she too is comfortable. No sexual, uh, introduction here or, uh, suggestion, not at all. But Ruth had come in the lateness of the evening to meet the Redeemer. How about you? Have you ever met the Redeemer? Do you know of a certainty that the Lord Jesus Christ is your Savior? I met him. I met him in the evening hours. It was about eight fifteen on the Sunday night of February twenty seventh, nineteen forty four.
I was serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force in the city of Vancouver, and I had entered that gospel hall with a burdened heart. I realized I was a sinner and I needed a savior. My father, through correspondence, told me where to go. And I'll never forget walking down the street, Seymour Street, in Vancouver. And as a young man, I looked down the street, and you know what? There wasn't a car in front of the building. They had no parking lot. All the parking was on the street. And the thought that went through my mind, I wonder if I've missed it.
I wonder if the Lord Jesus Christ has come and I've been left for judgment. You ever had that thought, dear one raised in a Christian home? And I ask it of everyone. I'm sure if you've been raised by parents that know and love the Lord and have read this book and explained its truths to you, you are aware that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming, and he's coming soon. And that fear struck terror into my heart. I got near the hall. There were, there was a large set of steps that went up to the front door, and I thought I might as well go in and see if there's anybody here.
I opened the door, and there were about four old ladies in there. You know, I'm telling you, to a nineteen-year-old, old women had never looked so good. They were here, and I wasn't left. And I could yet put my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. And that night, young people and older ones too, at the close of the gospel service, dear Robert McClurkin had preached on John chapter four verse six. Jesus being wearied with his journey, and he'd taken a long journey. He sat thus at the well, and he said, there's someone here, and he knew who it was because he'd stayed in my parents' home.
And he said, there's somebody here who needs to know the Lord Jesus as Savior. As that meeting progressed, and the Spirit of God had continued to work on my heart, I realized I got to settle this thing tonight. And I went to him at the close of the service, and I said, Mr. McClurkin, I want to be saved. That little Irishman with a huge Bible he knew so well, he took it, he opened it, and he took me through verses I'd learned in Sunday school. Finally, he came to John three sixteen: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever, hey, that's me, whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
I said, Mr. McClurkin, I believe that verse. I believe it with all of my heart. And this evening, I put my trust in the Lord Jesus. I did. And Christ became my Savior Lord. He became my redeemer. And so, just as in that evening hour, Ruth found the redeemer, so did Arnot McEntee. Have you found him? I know there are young people here in this company this afternoon or this morning, and I've had the pleasure of talking to them, and they're enjoying God. I tell you, that's the way to go through life. Don't go any other way.
There's no other way that can satisfy, save to know that the Lord Jesus is your savior. And what did Ruth do? She put herself down at the feet of the man she wanted to become her redeemer. To me, that suggests humility. It suggests need. And if you realize this morning your need of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you are spiritually prepared to acknowledge that need, and get at his feet, as it were, confessing your sin, you can trust the Lord Jesus as your savior and be absolutely confident that you're on your way to heaven by acknowledging, Lord Jesus, I'm a sinner, but I believe with all of my heart when you died for sinners, you died for me, and I put my faith and confidence in you for all of eternity.
If you do that, my dear friend, you will have everlasting life. This word of God says in the epistle to Romans, whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. I have a very good friend in Nova Scotia, Halifax, actually, and in his mid-twenties, God took a dealing with him. He'd been enjoying the world, knew nothing of God's salvation, but he came under the sound of the gospel through a colleague who had just trusted the Savior. And as Boyd Nicholson, Senior, preached one night, Bruce realized his need of a savior, and he'd heard that verse, whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
And he tells you now, almost with laughter, he said, I didn't know how to call on the name of the Lord. How loud sh- loudly should I call? He said, I got down on my knees at my bed, and I asked him to save me, and nothing seemed to happen. Well, he said, what do I do now? Well, he said, maybe I didn't call loud enough. So there was nobody in the house, and he called on the Lord to save him. Nothing happened. He even opened the window and shouted it out the window. But then the simplicity of the truth gripped his soul, and Bruce Smith trusted Christ the Savior, and he has gone on to prove that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
That night, Bruce did. So she says to, uh, Boaz, uh, take your skirt, verse nine, and spread your skirt over me. Thou art a near kinsman. She asked him to become a kinsman as far as she was concerned, and to perform that right, and to redeem her. And as I said, she was really proposing. I want to be your bride. I want you to be my husband. I want you to have rights over me. And so, there she was.
How would he respond? Well, he responded most graciously, didn't he? There was something about him that had won her heart, and there was something about, um, her that had won his heart. And the beloved, it's still true today. You call on him in all of your need, all of your need, and he's prepared to save you. Word of God in the book of Isaiah describes the sinner as having wounds and bruises from head to toe. Nothing appealing about us at all.
But to come this morning and acknowledge that, and to claim the Lord Jesus as your savior, is to know the joy of sins forever forgiven. But then as we move into verses six to nine, we have Ruth's, uh, recognition. She's at his feet. He's sound asleep. He moves or twists or turns, and all of a sudden he realizes somebody's under this blanket with me. Who art thou? He cries out, and no doubt with the, uh, a voice and a note of concern, uh, being raised.
Ruth said softly, spoke softly to him, and responded by saying that she was Ruth, his handmaiden, and opens her heart to him in verse nine. and she answered, I am Ruth, thine handmaiden. Spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near kinsman. She realized that Boaz had the right, the potential to be the kinsman and a redeemer that she needed, and she was prepared to ask him to do that.
He was prepared as well. He wants you and me in our sinful state to make the same request. So Ruth is recog- has recognized him as the kinsman redeemer. He was the only one that she knew of who could make her his, and she could become his wife. And so she makes it clear to her, to him rather, his desire. And as she has, he says in verse eleven these words, and now, my daughter, fear not, I will do to thee all that thou requirest, for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
He acknowledges that he's, he's already learned who she is. He's made inquiries through the community. He knows of what kind of a woman she is. What does he say? I know that you're a virtuous woman. I believe she fills the qualifications of Proverbs chapter thirty one, the virtuous woman. And I want to speak to every woman here, young or older. Oh, go in for being the kind of a woman we find in Proverbs chapter thirty one. God will bless you. He'll bless your husband, he'll bless your family, and give you the joy of raising a family for the honor and glory of our beloved Lord.
And so secretly she had come, she'd raised the blanket, she'd placed herself at his feet, and acknowledged her need of a redeemer. She's made herself comfortable there. He said, you, you stay here until the morning. But she's no longer comfortable, and I think as she's laying there, you know, she can almost hear the wedding bells. She's maybe even planning her attire for the wedding day. She's excited in heart, but something is about to happen when Boaz begins to speak, and he says in verse twelve, and now it is a true, it is true that I am thy kinsman.
However, there's a kinsman nearer than I. It had to be the, the kinsman who was first in rank, who had first, shall I say, the right of refusal. He could accept her as his bride, or he could reject her. And oh, he had just said that he was prepared to do the act of a kinsman, but then maybe it was an afterthought that had occurred. There's somebody that's closer in rank and can, who outranks me, and he should have first priority as far as acquiring Ruth and all of the assets left by your husband and family.
And so, very quickly, Ruth's heart, I suggest, has been, uh, dealt a severe blow, and she begins to wonder, well, how is all of this going to work out? Noted, we have that she had a reputation within the community as being a virtuous woman. And beloved, I want to encourage you again, be a virtuous person, male or female. It's so easy, so very easy for us as believers to become trapped in a world of sin and wickedness.
Pornography comes into your home and into mine, if we will let it, via the computer. And I know of a number of homes where relationships between husband and wife have been ruined. Families have been ruined because of that sin. I heard of one man that I knew, and his wife said to him, in fact, I knew this couple very well. She said, either you get rid of that computer and the pornography that you're watching, or I'm leaving. And he said, I'm keeping the computer.
And it ended in their divorce. I tell you, we're exposed to it on every hand. And I could say so much more, but it would maybe not be to profit in this particular setting. I want to plead with you, young man, if in any way you're involved, kill it, turn it off. I happen to have written a small booklet entitled The Captive Set Free, and it's based on an interview I had with a young man who got trapped in pornography for over twenty years.
In the goodness of God, he was released, and today he's a practicing pastor in a large church. It can happen, but it takes determination. So by all means, get rid of that sin. If you want a copy of this book, mention it to me, I'll send you a copy. But you know what the statistics are proving now? It's this, that the number of women involved in it is almost the same as the number of men. Let me plead with you. You know, I had a Bible study for two years with a couple, and I always suspected something was wrong.
She didn't know Christ but professed salvation during that experience. Every time I went to the home to start the Bible study, he came up from downstairs, and I wonder, has he got a computer down there, and is he involved in this thing? Ultimately, the Bible study came to a close, and then I heard that he and his wife were going on a holiday. He dropped into the house one day, left the key, and said, I'm going. I'm on my own. You can go on the cruise or... Actually, they were going to South American country from which she'd come, but he left her heartbroken.
I'm happy to say they at least got back together, but he won't return my calls anymore. Why? I believe he has still made that decision to be so involved. And so, by all means, get rid of it, whatever you do. So, Boaz has made the promise, okay, you tarry this night, verse thirteen, and uh, you stay with me. Don't go out now into the darkness of the night, and the men that are out intoxicated might find you and take you.
You stay here under my protection, and that's what she did. But then the dawn is beginning to break, and uh, he says in verse thirteen, let's read it. Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning that if, uh, he will unto thee the part of a kinsman, let him do the part of a kinsman, but if not, but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth, lie down until the morning. And I love these words. She lay at his feet until the morning.
You know, that's a good spot for any believer. Laying at the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ. And how long do we have to lay? Just until the morning. The morning's coming. The dawn is soon to break. Our Lord is coming, and he's going to usher his people into his glorious presence. But he says, in the meantime, just rest at my feet. Got problems that you seem you can't overcome? A situation in which you live that is so unbearable? Just stay at my feet. And brethren and sisters, there's comfort at the nail-pierced feet. Stay there and enjoy it.
And he promises that in the morning he will look after things. This man was a man of integrity, and he says, I will do the part of the kinsman. John chapter, uh, nineteen, we read of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's hanging on Calvary's cross, but triumphantly he cries at the close of his work of redemption. It's finished. It's finished. And for the child of God this morning, we can rest in the assurance our salvation is assured, and we can be blessed. Fourteen to eighteen, we have a reward.
Ruth rose in the gray, murky dawn while she would still be unidentifiable. She was afraid to be seen, having come from the threshing floor of a wealthy man of God. That would be scandalous, wouldn't it? And so, what happens? Why, he calls her to himself, and he says, where's that, uh, veil that you've been wearing? Bring it to me. He fills it with grain, puts it on her head, and just tells her to go home, and he says, I'll be in touch with you in the morning.
Off she goes with a heavy load on her head, but a happy heart. She has the confidence of knowing that Boaz will attend to the situation as he knows best. So you and I can rejoice in this. Our Lord Jesus Christ has assured us of everlasting life. Ephesians four verse eight, wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. And what happened? As Boaz let Ruth go, he left, let her take a bundle of grain that would satisfy Ruth, Naomi, and no doubt many others.
Beloved, that's the way our God works, and he blesses and wants to bless you. We rejoice in this. Boaz had promised that he would attend to the matter in the morning. Naomi, verse sixteen, she's put in one awful night. Wondering, I'm sure, how things have worked out on the threshing floor. Has Boaz, uh, agreed to make her his wife, or has he, uh, dispatched her, told her, no, I'm not available. I am not prepared to pay that price. He's told her as well, to her sorrow, that there's another kinsman who has that right.
And so she's concerned, but finally she arrives home, and there's Naomi waiting. And as Ruth enters the home with her heavy load and a happy heart, the mother-in-law says to her, very interesting question that she asks, um, who art thou, my daughter, in verse sixteen. That sounds strange. She knew who she was, but a better rendering would be more words, uh, in our language of, how did it go, Ruth? What was his reaction? How did he respond?
Is he prepared to be the kinsman or not? Oh, she said, mother, as she struggles to get that heavy load off her head and put it down on the floor. She said, mother, look what he gave me. It's for you and me to enjoy, but he told me to wait until the morning. And as any young woman would be under the circumstances, as she's talking, she's walking back and forth in the room, and Naomi finally has to stop her and say in verse eighteen, Sit still, my daughter, until thou knowest how the matter will fall. For the man, get this, I love these words, for the man will not be at rest until he have finished the thing this day.
Naomi, in her maturity, she knew the heart of a man, and she knew enough about Boaz, and no doubt his heart had been won by that of Ruth. And she says, you know, just sit down, let the man work it out. You know, it's all in the plan of the man in the glory when he comes, and he's going to come when the harvest is finally finished, and he'll call us home. Beloved, what a privilege, what a responsibility is ours. He'll attend to the matter this day, verse seven.
and our kinsman redeemer has given us the assurance that he will look after us. I give unto them eternal life, he said in John 10:28, and they shall never perish. We have the assurance that all is well, and whether it's here or in the air or in the glory, he's looking after us and will continue to do so. He said before leaving in John fourteen two and three, in my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again, and I will receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.
You know, someone said to me in this conference, Arnett, I wish the Lord Jesus Christ would come today. And I say amen. I say amen. Spare me a flight back to. Catherine's. Somebody here might want the ticket, if you were left. But I'm looking forward at the shout to be heaven-bound, to see my savior, the one I love. What a prospect. And he says, just wait until the morning. Beloved, he's coming. We've got it in writing. Businessmen conclude their deal.
One says, send it to me in a letter, a fax, an email. Send it to me in writing. We've got it in writing. I will come again. And we say, amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Come, we're waiting for you, our redeemer. By the way, whatever happened to that other guy? That other Redeemer. Kinsman Redeemer. You got to come back this afternoon to find out. God bless you. Closing, shall I pray, and who's closing?
Father, we're so thankful. Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming. What a moment that will be when my Savior I see, and we behold him in all his thorn-scarred majesty, the one who died for us. Father, just keep us humble, keep us at our Savior's feet, keep us with our eye waiting for the dawn of that eternal day. We pray in our Savior's precious name, amen.