07-18-10 PM - Love is in the Air

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Love is in the Air
Ruth 3

Love is an act of the will not the emotion.                                                             

A Portrait of Human Love

There are three scenes in this love story.

Scene One:  A Match Making Mother - 3:1-5.

Notice her concern for Ruth [3:1]

Notice her counsel to Ruth [3:2-4]

Naomi offered two types to Ruth.

First, she told her to fix herself up [3:3].

Next Naomi told her to make herself available to Boaz [3:4].

Notice Ruth's compliance to Naomi [3:5]

Scene Two:  A Midnight Meeting – 3:6-13.
a. "Take me under your wing" was like saying "take me I'm yours.
b. "for you are a close relative" indicated something more.

"Close relative" comes from the Hebrew "goel" which means "kinsmen-redeemer."

Daniel Block noted that this was unusual in four ways:
[1] A woman proposed to a man,
[2] A young person proposed to an older individual,
[3] A field laborer proposed to a field owner, and [4] A foreigner proposed to a citizen.
an unusual promise [3:10-11]
He will do all that she requested (v.11).
Proverbs 31:10, "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies."
But there was this unusual problem [3:12-13] Legally, another man was also a "goel".

Scene Three:  A Man on a Mission – 3:14-18.
First, he protected her reputation [3:14].                  
He also paid a dowry to Naomi [3:15-17].                  
The Pillars of True Love

A. Naomi's love for Ruth demonstrated concern – Ruth 3:1…. shall
I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

B. Ruth's love for Naomi demonstrated trust – Ruth 3:5. 5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.

C. Ruth's love for Boaz demonstrated risk –
Ruth 3:8-9.  And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.

she took two tremendous risks.
[1] The Risk of Reputation: Her actions could have been perceived as an indecent proposal.
[2] The Risk of Rejection: If Ruth and Naomi had misread Boaz she would have felt significant embarrassment, shame, and humiliation.

D. Boaz' love for Ruth demonstrated commitment –Ruth 3:11. 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                                                                                                                     

A Parable of Divine Love

Naomi – The loving parent (God)
[1] She longs for her child's redemption.
[2] She made a plan of redemption.
[3] Redemption was only possible because of a relationship to the redeemer [Elimeleck 4:3].
[4] She moved on Ruth's heart to act - to claim salvation.

Ruth – The lost sinner
[1] She could do nothing to save herself.
[2] She responded to Boaz' grace [2:2, 10, 13].
[3] She repented of her past [3:3 She removed the garments of mourning which represented her past].
[4] She requested that He redeem her [3:9].
[5] She received both the promise of redemption [3:11] and a pledge for the future redemption [3:15].

Boaz – The Lord Jesus
[1] He was worthy to redeem her [3:9 a kinsman-redeemer see Phil. 2:5-11].
[2] He was willing to redeem her [3:11].
[3] He was waiting to redeem her [3:13].

Love is the same - God's love for us; and our love for others. Therefore, give it and receive it! Freely you have received so freely…